PLANTA DE TRATAMIENTO DE RILES

Medzigar is only briefly mentioned in any re- corded histories accessible. The Forge however, is a different story. It is mentioned in several places with detailed descriptions of the special runic symbols decorating its strange clay and metal form. It is known by different names, but writings all describe the ability to create magic weapons and armor with lower than normal costs, while only a select few mention the curses that fall upon those items. Detailed research reveals the fact that several symbols on the forge itself represent Medzigar’s name.

Research and investigation into the Forge should take approximately one week before being presented as the result of a Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history) or Bardic Knowledge skill check. The Bardic Knowledge check represents searching through old written tales and songs containing hints of the Forge’s powers.

DC Knowledge Available

10 A magical forge capable of making the process of creating magic arms and armor faster and less expensive. 20 Some of the weapons and armor cre- ated using the Forge show flaws after lengthy use.

25 A year and a day after one begins to use a weapon created on the Forge a powerful curse develops, usually leading to the death or downfall of the user.

30+ Medzigar Salight, an evil efreeti ban- ished from the City of Brass, created the Forge to help destroy mortals through subtle temptation.

Any check below DC 24 indicates the PCs do not have any knowledge of the full extent of the curses and darkness that surround items created with the Forge.

through it. Anyone working with the forge is permitted a DC 15 Wisdom check to notice the building taint and the probability that there will be something quite wrong with the final product.

Some noticing the taint are certain to ignore it and continue their work, focused only on selling the final product and unconcerned about what the taint might finally accomplish. Others might simply choose to con- tinue knowing that it is one of the few forges capable of enabling one to work with rare metals and alloys due to its great, focused heat.

Unlike most artifacts, several craftsmen can use the Forge of Medzigar Salight at the same time. It was, in fact, designed this way so that the maximum number of cursed items could be created.

Constant Powers

The great heat of the Forge allows one to easily focus their energies and create a final product in a much shorter period of time. Magic weapons and armor created using the Forge take half as long to create and require half the normal material costs and experience point expense. At the same time, each item created using the Forge, including masterwork items, is tainted with a curse building in power over a year and a day’s worth of possession.

One year and one day after an owner takes possession of a piece of armor or a weapon, a random curse finally takes hold. During this period of time, the owner has no desire to sell or donate the item to another person, and goes out of his way to seek it out if it becomes lost. Some have even been known to simply store a suit of armor while its curse began to build, only to put it on for an unknown reason after the curse begins. If an owner dies, the item returns to its earlier state awaiting a new “owner” to take possession of it and benefit from its special taint. The only way, other than death, to rid oneself of an item with such a powerful curse is through the means of a wish or miracle.

Only items predominantly made of forged metal attain enough taint to be cursed. Weapons or armor made predominantly of other materials, such as wood or leather, are not cursed in this manner. Weapons with forged metal heads such as spears, halberds, and other pole arms can be cursed. Extremely small items such as buckles or arrowheads are not large enough to acquire a curse.

Curses and their effects are described below.

Curses

Curses activate after one year and one day of ownership, and vary in their strength and design. Cursed items can be a bane to many PCs and players and cursed items should be

used carefully in any campaign. At the same time, curses can be used to drive a campaign in a variety of interesting directions. Ownership for the purposes of a cursed item is defined as “unchallenged possession.” There can be no more than one user at a time; the first person to claim a cursed item challenges anyone else for the right to keep it.

Cursed armor compels its owner to wear it in the event of a coming battle, or any need for armor. Any owner normally using different armor is allowed a DC 20 Wis- dom check to notice something is wrong followed by a DC 28 Will save to resist putting the armor on. The Will save must be attempted each and every time the owner chooses armor for combat.

Cursed weapons simply find their way into their owner’s hand when combat begins. A cursed weapon’s owner auto- matically draws it and uses it even if they meant to draw a different weapon. The first time this occurs the owner receives a DC 20 Wisdom check to realize they mysteriously drew the wrong weapon and that magic might be involved. This can be modified by the DM based upon the curse on the weapon and exactly what happens during combat.

Others watching the owner of a cursed item are certain to notice problems, but it is almost impossible to convince the owner there is a problem.

Curses are randomly assigned to an item upon creation (consult the table below). Curses are described more fully below. The DM should feel free to modify or add to the list of curses.

d100 Magic Armor Magic Weapon

01–10 Rage Greater Curse

11–20 Berserking Berserking 21–30 Clumsiness Fumbling 31–40 Arrow Attraction Backbiting 41–50 Vulnerability to Fire Retribution 51–60 Vulnerability to Cold Draining 61–70 Vulnerability to Acid Fatigue 71–75 Vulnerability to Electric Wasting 76–80 Vulnerability to Sonic Flowers 81–85 Friendship Flaming Wrath 86–90 Lost Paths Wraiths

91–95 Gaps Demonic Fame

96–99 Fusing Scarring

100 Quick Death Quick Death

Curses on Armor

Rage: Armor of rage incites unfriendly creatures to hostility, granting their attacks against the wearer greater strength and power. Attackers gain a +2 bonus to all at- tack and damage rolls.

F O R G E O F M E D Z I G A R S A L I G H T Berserking: Armor of berserking drives its wearer into

a profound rage granting a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution and a –2 penalty to AC. Unfortunately, the character wearing it is driven to attack the nearest creature, whether friend or foe. The effect does not fade until every creature within a 30-foot radius has been slain.

Clumsiness: Armor of clumsiness causes the wearer to stumble and walk oddly while inflicting a –6 penalty to their Dexterity score. Strangely, the wearer never notices their ineptness, often actually believing they are moving smoothly.

Arrow Attraction: Armor of arrow attraction draws thrown or launched projectiles toward specific gaps and chinks in the armor. The wearer gains a –15 circumstance penalty to their AC against all ranged attacks.

Vulnerability: Armor of vulnerability makes the wearer particularly subject to damage from the type listed. The wearer takes double damage from all attacks of the energy type listed. If a character would normally take half dam- age on a saving throw, they take full damage; if they fail, they suffer double the normal damage.

Friendship: Armor of friendship makes the wearer view all creatures as friendly. They hesitate when entering combat, suffering a –2 penalty to Initiative and all attack rolls. They also have a –10 circumstance penalty on all saving throws against mind-affecting spells.

Lost Paths: Armor of lost paths leaves the wearer un- able to make decisions, or even to stay on a single task. They simply can’t seem to focus on a task, or continue in a certain direction before being distracted.

Gaps: Armor of gaps is similar to armor of arrow attrac- tion only it works during melee attacks. Melee attacks are drawn to gaps and chinks in the armor to cause maximum damage to the wearer. Armor of gaps inflicts a –10 cir- cumstance penalty to AC against all melee attacks.

Fusing: Armor of fusing binds directly the wearer’s skin, inflicting a great deal of pain and changing the wearer’s appearance forever. As the armor painfully fuses with its owner it drains 6 points of Charisma and 6 points of Dexterity as it leaves them disfigured and unable to move properly.

Quick Death: Armor of quick death does just that: every time its owner puts it on they must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or die instantly as if slain by a death attack (consult the Death Attacks entry in the glossary of the DMG). A successful save goes unnoticed as the owner simply goes about his business.

Curses on Weapons

Greater Curse: A greater cursed weapon turns in the wielder’s hand, preventing them from striking true. The weapon suffers a –4 penalty to all attack and damage rolls (minimum of 1 point of damage) and always fails to confirm a critical hit.

Berserking: A weapon of berzerking is similar to armor of the same name. As soon as the wielder enters combat they fly into a wild rage gaining a +4 bonus to their Strength and Constitution as well as a –2 penalty to their AC while they attack everything in sight. The rage effect does not end until there are no living creatures within a 30-foot radius.

Fumbling: A weapon of fumbling never confirms a critical hit and on a natural roll of 1, 2, or 3 it flies from the wielder’s hand.

Backbiting: A weapon of backbiting turns against its attacker when a natural 1 is rolled as an attack roll. The weapon bounces off the armor of their foe or some other nearby object to fly back into its wielder dealing double the normal damage.

Retribution: A weapon of retribution inflicts a negative level on its wielder every time they confirm a critical hit on an opponent. The saving throw to remove the nega- tive level is DC 20.

Draining: A weapon of draining drains 1 point of Strength every day the wielder touches it after the first day the curse begins. If the wielder’s Strength score is drained to 0, they are helpless and cannot move or function.

Fatigue: A weapon of fatigue tires its wielder so quickly that after 2 rounds of combat they become fatigued for the rest of the battle.

Wasting: A weapon of wasting drains 1 point of Constitu- tion every day the wielder touches it after the first day the curse begins. If Constitution reaches 0 the wielder dies.

Flaming Wrath: A weapon of flaming wrath summons a greater fire elemental when its wielder enters combat. The elemental attacks the wielder, attempting to kill him and disappearing only when destroyed. A DC 10 Wisdom check after this happens 1d3+2 times makes the wielder aware of the connection between the weapon and the summoned elemental.

Wraiths: A weapon of wraiths turns everyone it slays into wraiths. While this might not sound like a curse at first, the wraiths formed rise instantly to attack the wielder. In addition, undead of all types are drawn to the wielder and attack them first above all others.

Demonic Fame: A weapon of demonic fame draws de- mons and other evil outsiders to it. Demons within 30 feet of the weapon turn immediately to attack the wielder. Once each day there is a 1% chance (non-cumulative) that the weapon summons a marilith to attack the wielder.

Scarring: A weapon of scarring leaves a permanent scar on its wielder every time it confirms a critical hit. Each scar is not only horrifying to look at, but it also includes deep scarring damage to the muscles and bone beneath the skin. Formation of each scar drains 1 point of Charisma and 1 point of Dexterity.

Quick Death: A weapon of quick death is similar to armor of the same name. Each time they wield it, the owner must

succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or die instantly as if slain by a death attack (consult the Death Attacks entry in the glossary of the DMG). A successful save goes unnoticed as the owner simply goes about his business.