Canonfire! - The Fountain of Fenom the Blasphemer

The Mad Wizard is dead, assassinated long ago for his blasphemies, but his Fountain still exists. Its magic is as twisted as it is powerful, but there just might be some foolish enough to drink from it. The water of the small spring looks innocuous but it holds the power to make or break great heroes or villains.

History of the Fountain and creator

Fenom the Blasphemer (CE male human (Rhennee/Suel) wizard 21†) was born in the Kingdom of Keoland in the late 200s. Not much is known about his early life, expect that his mother was a rhennee wise woman who had an illegitimate son with a nobleman from the house of Neheli. The bastard was well taken care of and received his education in Niole Dra’s college of magic, but he was never publicly acknowledged by his father.

What is well known about Fenom is his apparent madness. He created a theory of deicide through non-worshipping. He believed that if people refused to believe in gods, they would eventually disappear and everyone could live free without their influence. He was eventually half-forced to go into exile. He chose Stark Mounds as his new home in the early 300s. At this point it seems that he had virtually no support, family or friends.

It’s unknown if the fountain is a part of his theories or not, but it is, unquestionably, his greatest arcane achievement. While trying to spread the word of his theories and refining his ideas, he was able to create an artifact under the rocky hills of Stark Mounds, far away from civilization.

Some say that the fountain was already there and he merely discovered it. Some say that his theories gave him the vision how to create the fountain. Few dare to say that Tharizdun awarded it to him. There is no accurate data about the birth of the fountain, but the mad wizard’s death is an old, near-forgotten legend.
Clergies of various deities, such as Wee Jas, Syrul and Hextor, received a divine omen that Fenom must die. There was an unusual harmony and consensus amongst deities, some even considered good, that he should perish. In the mid-300s an assassin, reportedly a powerful cleric of Pyremius, murdered Fenom. The common end to the legend is that the assassin was equally rewarded by Pyremius, Hextor and Syrul. Fenom’s death was forgotten as quickly as possible by the entire Flanaess. Apart from the assassin, no one found Fenom’s hideout. Over the years the deadliness of the mounds grew and Fenom became a sad and disturbing story which had little value for bards.

Location and description

In the middle of Stark Mounds, almost in an impassable area where nothing grows there is a cave entrance. Occasionally evil creatures and undead have found the cave and took shelter there or even lived there for a short period of time. In the depths of that cave there is a crude stone chamber that has some phosphorescent fungi. The fountain itself is actually a very small spring and few can drink from it until it’s dry. Above the fountain there is a metal plaque which never rusts. It says in Common:
”O you who reads this,
Know that you are standing in front of the fountain of Fenom the Blasphemer.
Kneel and pray to your foolish gods!
Only those who are worthy may drink from the fountain. Woe to those who are weak!
Only the worthy may feel the power of the fountain. But know that everything has its price.”

How the Fountain works?

In order to activate the magic, you must drink one ounce of the water in one round.

The fountain holds approximately four ounces of water. It will replenish itself one ounce bimonthly.

Once you have drunk, roll 1d100 and consult the table below. Note that you will need Unearthed Arcana (UA), Complete Divine (CoD), Complete Arcane (CoA) and Lords of Madness (LoM). All effects are permanent unless mentioned otherwise.

1.    Alignment change. Roll the new alignment randomly. Nothing short of a Wish, Miracle or divine intervention can restore the old alignment.
2.    Immediate transmorphation. Treat as an instantaneous Reincarnate-spell, expect the subject does not need to be dead and has no choice whether to change or not. The subject’s level, HD or Con is not reduced.
3.    Frail (UA)
4.    Feeble (UA)
5.    Inattentive (UA)
6.    Meager Fortitude (UA)
7.    Poor Reflexes (UA)
8.    Shaky (UA)
9.    Slow (UA)
10.    You lose 4 points from a random ability score and gain 4 points to a random ability score.
11.    Unreactive (UA)
12.    Vulnerable (UA)
13.    Weak Will (UA)
14.    Noncombatant (UA)
15.    You become extremely unlucky. Whenever you roll a natural 1 on the d20, it’s an automatic failure and something negative (potentially lethal) happens. This is not cumulative with fumble-rules, which means that rolling a natural 1 on an attack roll has no additional penalties (fumble-rules override this effect). Furthermore, you are permanently unable to take 10 or 20 on any roll.
16.    Lose all body hair permanently.
17.    Vulnerability to energy of player’s choice.
18.    Become a vegetarian. Unable to digest meat.
19.    Terrifying black tattoos suddenly appear all over your torso (the warning of Fenom the Blasphemer in ancient draconic).
20.    -4 racial penalty to any skill and this skill is never a class skill to you. Skill’s name must begin with the same letter as the player’s surname. Otherwise reroll.
21.    Horrific physical change (change into a monstrous humanoid). The new form offers no additional benefits.
22.    Lose all memories (Heal restores).
23.    You are unable to Take 10 in any roll and you have -1 penalty to Concentration (you develop concentration problems).
24.    Immediately age 20 years.
25.    Become grossly overweight (Ex), re-roll the racial weight modifier and multiply it by 100. Additional effects: -10 ft. base speed and -2 Dexterity.
26.    Whenever you are dying, you automatically lose four hit points per round instead of one (Diehard feat negates this effect).
27.    Gain bite attack (vampire’s slam attack damage). *
28.    Gain poisonous bite attack (skeleton’s claw attack damage, 2/day – black adder poison, save DC is 10 + ½ racial hit dice + Con modifier). You are immune to your own poison. *
29.    Gain poison spit 2/day (Ex). Ranged touch attack up to 15 ft. Poison is identical to sassone leaf residue and becomes inert in one minute after spitting. You are immune to your own poison. *
30.    Gain claws (skeleton’s claw attack damage). *
31.    Gain talons (skeleton’s claw attack damage). *
32.    Gain hoof attack (one leg turns into a hoof, vampire’s slam attack damage). *
33.    Gain gore attack (vampire’s slam attack damage). *
34.    Gain a tail with sting attack (skeleton’s claw attack damage). *
35.    Gain tentacled mouth (vampire’s slam attack damage). *
36.    You now have a camel’s hump (CoD page 43). *
37.    Gain fur (+2 to saves vs. nonlethal heat damage).
38.    Gain webbed feet (CoD page 43). *
39.    Become faster (+10 ft). *
40.    Gain climb speed (equal to primary movement speed). *
41.    Your comeliness increases (+4 to diplomacy). *
42.    Sprout leaves & become photosynthetic (CoD page 43). *
43.    Gain low-light vision. If you already have low-light vision, you gain superior low-light vision (see Giant Owl).*
44.    Gain octopus’s skin adaption (CoD page 43). *
45.    +2 racial bonus to any skill and this skill is always class skill to you. Skill’s name must begin with the same letter as player’s first name. Otherwise reroll.*
46.    5 resistance to energy of player’s choice. *
47.    Gain scent. *
48.    Grow one size category (instantaneous effect).
49.    Shrink one size category (instantaneous effect).
50.    Speak with an unnatural echo in your voice (+1 intimidate checks).
51.    Change gender.
52.    Permanent insanity (UA - Table 6-10: Long-Term Temporary Insanity Effects).
53.    Change sexual orientation.
54.    Became a reptilian (gain reptilian subtype).
55.    Gain Cold elemental subtype.
56.    Gain Fire elemental subtype.
57.    Subject’s tongue transforms into a long mandible (capable of holding, but not using, a light weapon).
58.    Darkvision (+)60 ft.*
59.    Gain constrict special attack (see Special Abilities). Damage is equal to a shortspear of your size category plus your Strength modifier. Basically you gain powerful squeezing power with your forelimbs.
60.    +1 to initiative.
61.    Breadth of Knowledge (UA). *
62.    Random Trait (UA).
63.    Learn a random language, see Table A1 below.
64.    Faintly glowing blood-red eyes without pupils (+2 intimidate checks, -4 to hide unless eyes are closed).
65.    Life Leech (UA).
66.    Acid blood. Any slashing or piercing weapon that damages you receives one point of acid damage (hardness doesn’t help). 1 lb of your blood is treated as acid (which becomes inert in 24 hours). *
67.    +2 luck bonus to one d20 roll of your choice per day.
68.    Grow a prehensile tail (+1 to climb checks).
69.    Photosynthetic Skin (UA). *
70.    Polar Chill (UA). *
71.    Residual Rebound (UA). *
72.    Telepathy (see Special Abilities). *
73.    Your skin color changes. Roll ((1d20+1d6)*10)-5 for every RGB scheme. This is your new skin color.**
74.    Your hair color changes. Roll ((1d20+1d6)*10)-5 for every RGB scheme. This is your new hair color.**
75.    Your eye color changes. Roll ((1d20+1d6)*10)-5 for every RGB scheme. This is your new skin color.**
76.    Gills. *
77.    Mage Hand (including magical objects) as a spell-like ability at will (Sp). CL 1st.*
78.    +1 natural armor.*
79.    +1 saves vs. magic and magical effects.*
80.    Random minor bloodline. (UA)
81.    Secret of Aboleth (LoM).*
82.    Secret of Beholder (LoM).*
83.    Secret of Choker (LoM).*
84.    Secret of Destrachan (LoM).*
85.    Secret of Ettercap (LoM).*
86.    Secret of Gibbering Mouther (LoM).*
87.    Secret of Mind Flayer (LoM).*
88.    Secret of Otyugh (LoM).*
89.    Immunity to fumbles (if optional fumble rules are used) (Su).
90.    Damage Reduction 1/-. Cumulative with any DR/- you already have.*
91.    Gain pseudonatural creature template (CoA, page 161).
92.    Immunity to level loss and level drain. Lose extra 1000 XP.*
93.    1/week – Charm Animal (Sp). The save DC is 10 + ½ racial HD + Cha modifier. CL 9th.*
94.    1/week – Contact Other Plane (Sp). Negative Energy Plane only. CL 9th.*
95.    1/day – Improved Magic Missile (Sp). This functions like magic missile, expect that you launch only one missile which deals 1d20 force damage. CL 1st.*
96.    At will – Suggestion (Sp). Only usable against targets with 1 HD or less and base Will save +0 or less. The save DC is 10 + ½ racial HD + Cha modifier. Lose extra 1000 XP. CL 5th.*
97.    1/day - Corrupting gaze without charisma damage (see Ghost from Monster Manual).*
98.    1/day - Overland Flight (with Clumsy Maneuverability) (Sp). While flying you are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything that requires attention. You also lose extra 1000 XP. CL 9th.*
99.    Regeneration 1 (Ex). You regenerate only if mostly immersed in water. A lost limb or body part can be reattached by holding the severed member to the stump. Reattachment takes 1 minute. If the head or some other vital organ is severed, it must be reattached within 1 minute or you die. Please note that reattachment can happen only when mostly immersed in water. You cannot regrow lost body parts.
You also gain permanent -2 penalty to constitution.*
100.    Roll twice.

*Optional: Lose 500 XP. If this reduces you to -1 XP or less, you die instantly by melting away. Note that the DM has the option to forgo XP penalties if the Fountain seems too punitive in his or her opinion.
**Optional rolling method: First roll hundreds: 1d3-1. Then rolls tens: 1d6-1. Finally, roll ones: 1d6-1. The fastest option is to use a random generator, such as http://www.darkart.com/cgi-bin/colors.cgi (link tested on April 13, 2013).

Re-drinking:
Once a creature has drunk from the fountain, drinking again will have no effect. The Fountain only works once per creature.

TABLE A1, roll 1d20 (reroll if the language is already known)
     Language    Typical Speakers   / Alphabet
1    Abyssal    Demons, chaotic evil outsiders / Infernal
2    Aquan    Water-based creatures    / Elven
3    Auran    Air-based creatures    / Draconic
4    Celestial    Good outsiders    / Celestial
5    Draconic    Kobolds, troglodytes, lizardfolk, dragons / Draconic
6    Treantish    Treants    / Elven
7    Dwarven    Dwarves    / Dwarven
8    Elven    Elves    / Elven
9    Giant    Ogres, giants / Dwarven
10    Gnome    Gnomes    / Dwarven
11    Goblin    Goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears / Dwarven
12    Gnoll    Gnolls / Common
13    Halfling    Halflings    / Common
14    Ignan    Fire-based creatures    / Draconic
15    Infernal    Devils, lawful evil outsiders / Infernal
16    Orc    Orcs / Dwarven
17    Sylvan    Dryads, brownies, leprechauns / Elven
18    Terran    Xorns and other earth-based creatures / Dwarven
19    Undercommon    Drow    / Elven
20    Unique language    You’re the first speaker!    / Common

Strong (all schools); CL 20th.

Tuomas Ali-Hokka, a Greyhawk-fan from Finland