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    Canonfire :: View topic - Greyhawk Magic Item Needs an Origin (help)
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    Greyhawk Magic Item Needs an Origin (help)
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    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 31, 2006
    Posts: 49
    From: Reno, Nevada

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    Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:35 pm  
    Greyhawk Magic Item Needs an Origin (help)

    Okay, so for one of my Greyhawk groups that I DM, I created a special magical staff for the party Druid. It was such a success that I decided to create a magic item for the party Ranger. I didn't want to create a magical bow cause then he'd just sit back and plink away all day. So I created a cool magical scimitar.

    I call the scimitar 'Earthenfire' and its kind of like a minor Weapon of Legacy (as the 3.5 book). Now, since my player is kind of anti-green I decided to make it kind of a 'green' (solar) weapon. You'll see as you read below.

    I recently gave 'Earthenfire' to the party Ranger and he got all excited.
    The thing is that I really didn't come up with an origin for it and now he's really interested in finding out about it. I guess I underestimated my player's as not being interested in the role-play aspect of the magic item.

    I'm going to post the stats for the magic item below. What I really need help with is some kind of origin for 'Earthenfire'. So far all I've really come up with is that maybe it comes from Zeif or the Paynims, maybe it's an ancient Baklunish weapon...? Maybe it was created by a Baklunish Wizard for a Baklunish desert Druid and used to repel invaders in some towns...?



    Earthenfire

    Earthenfire is a magical scimitar made from blood glass, a volcanic crimson-hinted obsidian. The hilt is wrapped in red dyed leather with 3 rubies, while the pommel has a large bloodstone embedded in it.

    Anybody can wield Earthenfire, but to properly activate the spells contained within the wielder must know the command words “ignis tellure” which simply means earth & fire.

    Earthenfire is a +1 scimitar of minor flame (+1D6 fire damage, which can be used as many times as the wielder’s Con modifier) and also grants resist energy: fire -5 as long as it is in the wielder’s hand. The fire resistance grows with the wielder, for every 4 levels of the wielder, the fire resistance increases by 5 to a maximum of -30 at 21st level.

    Earthenfire charges by sunlight throughout the day, thus granting it the equivalent of 3 charges that can be used below. Earthenfire requires 8 hours of sunlight (this can be done while on the wielder’s person in it’s sheathe). Alternately, Earthenfire can be charged by 4 hours of direct fire exposure (such as a campfire). Earthenfire does not charge in a lightless environment (ie: the Underdark, dungeons, etc.)

    The following power drains 1 charge per usage:
    Burning Hands (as a standard action, 5D4 fire damage, as a 5th level caster, plus an additional +1 point of fire damage for every 3 levels of the wielder beyond 5th to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. Reflex DC11 or 11+ Con modifier, whichever is higher for ½ damage)

    The following power drains 2 charges per usage:
    Scorching Ray (as a standard action, the wielder may fire one ray, plus one additional ray for every four levels of the wielder beyond 3rd-to a maximum of three rays at 11th level) (each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of fire damage, no save)

    The following power drains 3 charges per usage:
    Fireball (on wielder’s position, 20’ radius, affects everyone in that radius including friend or foe except for the wielder, it deals 5D6 fire damage, as a 5th level caster and this damage increases by 1D6 for every additional 2 levels of the wielder, Reflex DC13 or 13+ Con modifier, whichever is higher for ½ damage)

    Absorb fire: Any fire damage the wielder ignores due to the fire resistance is stored in the bloodstone in the pommel. It can store a maximum of 100 pts of fire in this manner. At any time within the next minute (10 rds), as a free action, the wielder can choose to apply up to 10 pts of additional fire damage dealt during an attack.
    You must announce your intent to use the additional fire damage before the attack roll is made-a miss wastes the charge. This ability can only be used once per round (even if the attacker has multiple attacks per round).

    When fully charged Earthenfire sheds light like a torch (clearly illuminating a 20-foot radius and providing shadowy illumination out to a 40-foot radius) and imposes a -5 to hide skill checks. When used in a frigid environment Earthenfire imposes a -2 to attack and damage rolls and if Earthenfire takes cold damage from a magical source (cone of cold, freezing sphere, etc.) then it loses it’s charges for the day.

    Burning Hands (specialized)
    Evocation [Fire]
    Casting Time:
    1 standard action
    Range:15 ft.
    Area:Cone-shaped burst
    Duration:Instantaneous
    Saving Throw:Reflex half
    Spell Resistance:Yes
    A cone of searing flame shoots from the tip of Earthenfire. Any creature in the area of the flames takes 5d4 points of fire damage (as a 5th level caster), plus an additional +1 point of fire damage for every 3 levels of the wielder beyond 5th to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.

    Scorching Ray
    Evocation [Fire]
    Casting Time:1 standard action
    Range:Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
    Effect:One or more rays
    Duration:Instantaneous
    Saving Throw:None
    Spell Resistance:Yes
    Earthenfire blasts your enemies with fiery rays that shoot from the tip of the blade. You may fire one ray, plus one additional ray for every four levels of the wielder beyond 3rd (to a maximum of three rays at 11th level). Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of fire damage.
    The rays may be fired at the same or different targets, but all bolts must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously.

    Fireball (specialized)
    Evocation [Fire]
    Casting Time:1 standard action
    Area:20-ft.-radius spread
    Duration:Instantaneous
    Saving Throw:Reflex half
    Spell Resistance:Yes
    By thrusting Earthenfire into the ground and saying the command word, a fireball spell is detonated on the wielder’s position in a 20’ radius that affects everyone in that radius except for the wielder-dealing damage as a 5th level caster-5D6 fire damage. This damage increases by 1D6 for every 2 levels the wielder gains beyond 5th (to a maximum of 12D6). Unattended objects also take this damage. The explosion creates almost no pressure.
    The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze. If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the fireball may continue beyond the barrier if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does.
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2010
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    Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:50 pm  

    To start off, great weapon. Definitely worthy of an equally great origin. Given it's a Scimitar I'd lean towards Baklunish in origins given their connections to the Genies. You could have it be an ancient weapon of the Days before the empire, crafted by a chieftain who had visions of unifying the disparate tribes of the Bakluni into a nation, the sword of Kings.
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 29, 2006
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    From: Dantredun, MN

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    Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:21 pm  

    Well, first thing I'd recommend is changing the name to Oerthenfire! Happy

    What are "green" and "solar" weapons? (I don't know much about 3E)

    Possible origins/connections that immediately spring to mind are: Ranet, Joramy, or the City of Brass. The volcanic glass could suggest a link to the Hellfurnaces, Sulhaut Mts. or Land of Black Ice. Maybe one of Ranet's old servants aided Baklunish druids or fire elementalists in creating the weapon to oppose followers of Pyremius.

    I don't know how the 3E alignment system works either, but druid craftsmanship could give the sword more of a neutral leaning than your ranger is entirely comfortable with and make things interesting.

    Finally, there may be room for Baklunish origins closer to home than the far West. I'm going off on a tangent now, but the Bright Desert used to be a more multicultural place, with native nomads who followed Geshtai (WGR3) and dervishes of Heironeous (GH Adventures). Rather than finding creative ways to integrate such flavorful oddities, later authors made the desert's history exclusively Flan and explained the Geshtai reference away to Rary's Paynins... anyway, just a thought.
    Journeyman Greytalker

    Joined: Oct 08, 2003
    Posts: 157
    From: Pretoria

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    Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:17 pm  

    Definitely gonna second vestcoat's suggestion to go with Oerthenfire. Happy
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 31, 2006
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    From: Reno, Nevada

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    Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:01 pm  

    @Vestcoat-You know...like a Hybrid (Toyota Prius). It's sort of an inside joke.

    I love the City of Brass, but I think that's a bit too planar for them. That may be for another time. (I'm actually planning on running another group there in the future) I like the idea of Earthenfire (Oerthenfire) coming from Zeif or Paynims. Forged in the Hellfurnaces...Baklunish Druids and Fire Elementalists sounds fun.
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

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    Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:20 pm  

    If you'd like to add a bit of angst to the scimitar's fluff, you may wish to develop it's story like this:

    Oerthenfire's origins pre-date the Twin Cataclysms. (Insert whatever history you like here.) When, unbeknownst to the blade, the Baklunish Ranger wielding Oerthenfire became possessed by a Demon, he tricked Oerthenfire into burning down the woodland abode of a clan of Elves living in the empire by chasing a group of Spriggan in one night who pretended that it was their lair. At that time, Oerthen fire had powers of elemental air and water (as a more balanced instrument of nature should), but failed to use them to stop the conflagration when the screams of the Elves sounded.

    Afterward, Oerthenfire discovered the ruse for what it was and divested itself of the fallen Ranger at the first opportunity. Unfortunately, by that time, it had been carried across the Ullsprue Mountains into the land originally inhabited by the Oerids. Oerthenfire attempted to influence its new wielder to return to the Elven village, desparate to find some hint that hope remained alive. Alas, the Twin Cataclysms struck at that very moment and everything was destroyed. Oerthenfire's remorse was overwhelming. It ceased using its powers of air and water and eternally seeks atonement for its failure.

    Whether the gods of nature have imposed this sanction upon the sword or it is a subconscious result of its sadness is uncertain. If a way can be discovered for Oerthenfire to atone for its complicity in the massacre, such has not yet been discerned. Should such atonement be successfully accomplished, would the blade's rumored powers of air and water return to it? Has Oerthenfire finally met the hero that can help it as much as it can help that hero?

    SirXaris
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 31, 2006
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    From: Reno, Nevada

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    Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:04 am  

    As always, you guys have given me some great info and stuff to think about. I've got about 2 weeks (maybe more) to come up with a solid origin.

    Tying Oerthenfire (yes...it's officially renamed) into Ranet or Joramy seems like a good fit. I know Ranet is dead and she was the Suel goddess of fire (and maybe snakes... sounds like a bad acid flashback).
    Joramy also sounds like an even better fit, but I don't know if she's Suel or Baklunish or what.

    I was thinking of making it a Baklunish weapon and I stumbled across a Baklunish Hero deity called Azor'alq. Honestly, i've never heard of him, but he seems to be some kind of a good fit for the weapon. He's NG in align, his portfolio is light, his favored weapon is a scimitar.

    I'm thinking of tying the weapon in to the Invoked Devastation/Rain of Colorless Fire. Maybe that's where it got lost and then later found by a Baklunish or Suel chieftain (?)....and somehow it ended up in a tomb in a more central location of the Flanaess (not too far from Greyhawk).
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