[AS&SH] Volume V: Treasure

[Ghul]

Hello fellows,

Here follows an outline of Volume V, of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, which is developed and presently being edited. This volume features treasures magical and mundane to be found in Hyperborea.

Please bear in mind that the editing process may effect changes to what I present below.

ASTONISHING SWORDSMEN & SORCERERS OF HYPERBOREA
©2011 North Wind Adventures LLC

Text: Jeff Talanian
Illustrations: Ian Baggley

Volume V: Treasure

• TREASURE DETERMINATION large table with 26 different treasure categories (A through Z)
  
• MONETARY TREASURE coins, gems, and jewellery
  
• MAGICAL TREASURE armour, shields, weapons (sword), weapons (other melee), weapons (missile), potions, scrolls, rings, rods/staves/wands, misc. magic items
  
• MAGIC ITEM CREATION manufacture of potions and scrolls
  

Notable in this section is the integration of the Hyperborea setting. While there are the standard range of traditional RPG magical weapons, there are also several items of weird-science and alien technology, including laser swords, radium pistols, laser crossbows, radiation grenades, and other artefacts of lost ages, future and past.

Here is an example:

Paralyzing Pistol: This firearm of ancient Atlantean manufacture is composed entirely of transparent crystal that houses a network of tightly wound copper wires and tiny glowing filaments. The weapon can be wielded with one hand, though fired only once per round. When the trigger is pressed, the entire gun glows orange, then releases a spherical spark of energy that is about 3 inches in diameter. The weapon’s range is 60 feet. This gun fires as a +1 missile weapon. If the spark strikes its intended target, the victim must make a saving throw vs. paralysis or is paralyzed for 1 turn. If the saving throw is successful, the victim is slowed (Cf. the spell) for 1-4 rounds.

As woolly mammoth herds are common across the realm, yellow ivory is a valued component of many magical items. Take for example the following:

Boomerang +2, Flawless Returning: This +2 boomerang is carved of yellow (mammoth) ivory, and graven with shamanic runes. When hurled, the boomerang always returns to the hurler (even if a hit is scored), so rapidly that it may be hurled every round. Furthermore, it can be hurled up to its maximum range of 60 without suffering range penalties.

Next up is my favorite component of this entire RPG, Volume VI: Hyperborea Gazetteer.

[geoffrey]

I like the description of that paralyzing pistol, and I wish I had thought of laser crossbows!

[Ghul]

Dec 15, 2011 21:58:51 GMT -6 geoffrey said:

I like the description of that paralyzing pistol, and I wish I had thought of laser crossbows!

Thanks. To be clear, I'm showing a few examples of the non-standard elements. There is a full presentation of the typical swords, maces, axes, morningstars, spears, and so forth. The sci-tech items are mixed in with these.

[mythos]

I cannot help but wonder if their are relics in this world that are as dangerous to thie wielder as they they are to the one they are being used on.
The prime example being a Stormbringer style weapon.
I love to give my players what at first seems like a superweapon only for them to discover that it is slowly killing or altering them. AS&SH seems like the perfect setting for items of that nature.

[Ghul]

Jan 7, 2012 14:24:37 GMT -6 mythos said:

I cannot help but wonder if their are relics in this world that are as dangerous to thie wielder as they they are to the one they are being used on.
The prime example being a Stormbringer style weapon.
I love to give my players what at first seems like a superweapon only for them to discover that it is slowly killing or altering them. AS&SH seems like the perfect setting for items of that nature.

I had just such a thing happen with a ray gun once.