The Maggot Staff

[philotomy]

I played a fun session of OD&D Saturday evening, during which my wife said she hoped they would a find a magic staff. However, when she said it, my son misheard her and asked "What's a maggot staff?" (His PC had been the victim of a rot grub attack earlier in the game; maybe that had something to do with it...) While everyone was laughing, I scribbled the "the maggot staff" in my binder, because it sounds too cool not put it in the hands of some Evil High Priest of Orcus.

Now, I've got a few ideas (some of them involving rot grubs), but I thought I'd throw the name out here to see what others would come up with. How would you write up "The Maggot Staff?"

Edit - I guess I should've posted this in "The Workshop."

[Deleted]

Staff of the Maggot: A truly vile item, the Staff of the Maggot is utilized by only the most unholy of high priests. When used, the target must immediately roll a Saving Throw vs. Staves. If the target saves successfully, he only feels an intense itching sensation that lasts for 1d6 turns before subsiding. If failed however, the true nefarious power of the staff is revealed: First, the victim's skin erupts in painful itching boils, causing 1 die of damage. 1d6 rounds later, a Saving Throw must again be attempted. If successful, the victim must seek out a cleric to perform a Cure Disease spell to banish the festering wounds, or suffer 1 die of damage every turn. If failed, however, the boils begin to pulsate & finally burst, causing an additional 1 die of damage per round as thousands of maggots come pouring out of his wounds. The PC must recieve a Cure Disease spell within 1d6 rounds or die, his flesh being consumed by the ravenous little creatures.

[driver]

Aug 10, 2008 5:17:44 GMT -6 philotomy said:

Now, I've got a few ideas (some of them involving rot grubs), but I thought I'd throw the name out here to see what others would come up with. How would you write up "The Maggot Staff?"

The Maggot Staff are the waiters at the Maggot Bistro.

Seriously:

The bearer of the Maggot Staff can consume putrid organic matter with no ill effects. He comes to prefer it.

The Maggot Staff otherwise functions as a Snake Staff, with the added burrowing properties of a Rot Grub brought to bear against any constricted victim. Each time the Staff slays an opponent in this manner, there is a 5% cumulative chance that it will disappear into the victim's carcass with a greasy thwip, irrevocably gone. After 1d10 rounds of repulsive stretching and churning, the carcass will extrude a magical but Chaotic Ebony Fly figurine (50%) to use as he will, or an angry Chasme Demon (50%) who will attempt to abduct the former bearer to Hell, where his soul-larva will be formed into a new Maggot Staff.

[longcoat000]

Maggot's Staff - Last used by the unfortunately-monikered Alfred Magot, this appears to be a simple walking stick. Once per day, the staff can be touched against any infected wound, which will be cured per the Cure Disease spell.

There are some unsubstantiated claims that wounds cured by the staff itch terribly for days afterward, and some have whispered that the staff is a conduit for astral flies to lay their eggs in magically necrotic tissue...

[kesher]

Aug 18, 2008 13:33:28 GMT -6 longcoat000 said:

some have whispered that the staff is a conduit for astral flies to lay their eggs in magically necrotic tissue...

Jeebus. "Save vs. Paranoia or itch yerself to ribbons in 2d4+2 days..."

[philotomy]

Cool ideas, everyone; it makes me want to use them all!

Driver, I especially like the way your version builds off the Snake Staff, and how it could be a double-edged thing (Ebon Fly or Chasme Demon).

[grodog]

The Maggot Staff is said to originate from the lower planes, though whether from the depths of Tarterus, Hades, or the Abyss remains unknown. The "staff" takes the form of a living column of maggots, grubs, worms, and slithering slime---no tangible, structural support binds together its alive and writhing components. It can be wielded by any Chaotic MU or Cleric.

When used as a weapon, the Maggot Staff has no bonus to hit (though it can strike any creature requiring a +2 weapon to be hit), and any victim struck by the staff takes 1-6 points of damage and must save vs. Poison or lose 1-3 points of Constitution for 2-7 turns; Con loss is cumulative. Any creature reduced to 0 Con by the staff explodes into a festering mass of maggots, inflicting cause disease in a 3" radius (save vs. Poison to avoid, staff wielder immune).

The staff also fires a blast of purple, necrotic energy known as Fingers of Leprosy which inflicts 12-36 damage (6d6, 1s count as 2s). Fingers of Leprosy rots and flays flesh from bone, and each 6 rolled for damage requires a safe vs. Staves or the victim loses 1 point of Charisma for 2-7 months; this loss can be healed by a cure disease or heal from a High Priest of 12th level or higher. Each use of Fingers of Leprosy drains 1 charge.

The staff has 15 charges, and can be fully recharged by the owner at the cost of permanently sacrificing 2 points of Cha and 1 point of Con, as the staff consumes him to fuel its malign powers. The staff cannot affect non-living creatures like undead and golems.

[coffee]

Grodog, that's the creepiest one yet!

It's also the most old school; it could have been written in 1976.

Have an exalt for that!

[grodog]

I figured it was too wordy to be from 1976, but thanks coffee

[ragnorakk]

Gross!
perhaps this staff could fire off a Maggot Missile 3/day?