31. The Monster Breeder – The city in which this alchemist's shop lies holds a large gladiatorial arena. The shop is built into the very walls of the arena and occupies an area of at least a third the size of the arena. The shop is mostly closed off and has it's own moat and perimeter wall with spikes poking out the top in all directions. When the PCs enter the shop they can't help but notice the smell of dung and hear the loud animal sounds coming from the back. The PCs will also notice that the alchemist employees a large group of men-at-arms equipped with pole arms. They are introduced to the alchemist, a man by the name of Urgott. Urgott has numerous scars and a look that makes Grizzly Adams look like a teddy bear but seems pleasant enough in conversation. Urgott will sell the PCs any potion or scroll at market price, but is not likely to have other items for sale and if he does they are likely to be 30% above market price. Urgott might suggest the purchase of one of his unique animals if the party has a ranger/druid type in the midst (or if you the GM want them to have it). Urgott would be very interested in buying any animal eggs the PCs are carrying or any magic they are wanting to dispose of.
Urgott has come close to mastering the art of breeding monsters. He has experimented with soaking both normal & monster eggs in a type of potion which greatly alters the creature that hatches. It appears to be tricky and Urgott often has trouble duplicating results. He has a few 'tried and true' formulas, but often he gets a surprise by what emerges from the egg. The bigger or the more aggressive creations will be usually be placed in the arena next door for battle with gladiators or other 'monsters'. Useless and stillborn creatures serve as food for other creations. Tame and somewhat docile creations can be sold to anyone as a pet or in some instances as a guard animal. Here's some examples of monsters bred by Urgott:
Gralassh – made from a common toad egg - The Gralassh is a 7 to 11 foot long toad covered with hard colored warts. The warts make it durable to most attacks but if attacked vigorously can also leap 4x it's length straight up or 8x it's length horizontally in a flash. The Gralassh can attack it's foes in three ways. It's long sticky/spike covered tongue can reach 6x the length of it's body and effectively is a missile weapon. Once someone is impaled by the tongue, this toad is fairly strong at recoiling the tongue, victim attached (Scorpion style MC fans). The Gralassh also has a very strong bite and has been know to leap upon enemies using it's own weight as a missile weapon. The Gralassh is fair hearty and heals fairly quickly after a battle and will regenerate it's tongue if it becomes severed in a few days.
Steelbill – made from a song bird's egg - The Steelbill is a 10 to 14 foot tall bird that's wings have 'mutated' into forelegs. These forelegs are still feathered but have clawed feet on the ends. Obviously, incapable of flight, the Steelbill has a long awkward gait, but can move faster than expected when enraged or frightened. The Steelbill has two main attack modes. First a slicing or piercing attack with it's beak and also it uses it's fore claws to pin an opponent where the beak can get 'free hits' on an trapped foe. Second, it's shriek painful & deafening from up close.
Fire Beast – made from a Fire Fly egg - The Fire Beast is a 4 to 6 foot long Fire Fly. The Fire Beast has outgrown it's own wings so flight isn't possible. Unable to move quickly and taught to fear humanoids, it uses it's flame burst to defend it self with remarkable success. The Fire Beast is a favorite in the arena.
Lizard Thing – made from a Grassbiter egg - This two headed, 8 to 17 foot long lizard, is quick with a really nasty bite.
Options -
8 Legged Freaks – A 'batch' of spiderlings gets out of control and threatens to take over the town. Target of a Radical Nature Group – A group of nature lovers don't like what the alchemist has been doing. They are trying to mess him up either through a hired assassin or an insider who is secretly freeing the mutations. Side Quest - Urgott hires the PCs to go find eggs of a specific variety. If the PCs succeed they might be entitled to a discount, straight gold, or a free critter if they obtain enough eggs. Gladiatorial Games – the PCs might want to (be forced to) fight in an arena, if so, as the GM you have your background as to where the creatures came from. The more successful the PCs are at defeating the monsters the more pressure is on Urgott to produce something more deadly than ever before.
54-Morgan's Scratcher
This cantrip will scatch an itch as long as it lasts..sadly with certain persistant itches it can tear the skin, but at least the wizard or whitch is free of itches with dignity intact.
55-Althorpes Display
It creates a miniture fireworks display a few inches high.
57-Morgan's Scratcher
This cantrip will scatch an itch as long as the itch lasts..sadly with certain persistant itches it can tear the skin, but at least the wizard or witch is free of itches with dignity intact.
58-Althorpes Display
It creates a miniture fireworks display a few inches high.
Good job indeed, a good list to have. Let us hope that it is added to, it could be the perfect 101. Kudos.
54. Teldus' Double Joint - A spell that temporarily reverses all the joints of the caster's target. Elbows, knees, fingers, etc. will all bend the opposite direction. Mostly for street performers and show magicians, it can be handy in escaping some restraints.
55. Tenshal's Press - Compresses small objects to be perfectly flat and one millimeter thick. Object weight remains unaffected and the cantrip is only temporary - typically, the larger and heavier an object, the shorter the time it remains compressed. Used by merchant-mages for packing many goods into a small cart, it can be disruptive as the spell starts to wear off and the enchanted items expand to their original size.
56. Viator's Favorable Winds - This cantrip causes a gentle to moderate breeze to blow at the caster's back for several hours. It also negates the effects of counter winds, so long as they are weaker than the magical breeze. Favored by those travelling by foot or sloop.
I think we have some monstrous cantrips scroll somewhere, but yay, now we have another one! I like the names on these. Titillating with an old-school feel of bumbling wizards.
Kudos!
Great list, and some easy ways to make the next npc magic caster less "run of the mill." Some of these could also be good for younger mages who are fast becoming master pranksters.
59: Hiram's Hose
Takes liquid from a source (such as a container, lake, pool), and splashes it much like a weak garden hose. Useful for moving large quantities of water, or watering plants.
60: Veracit's Good Sight
The caster finds their vision is especially powerful for the next few minutes- able to pick up on minute details, see where hidden objects are hidden, and sight within the dark isn't as limited.
61: Mikey's Bathroom Voice The recipient of this cantrip immediately sings as though they were located in a bathroom, shower, or area of equivalent acoustic qualities that can greatly enhance one's singing voice.
Inspiration for this cantrip came from an episode of Recess, where Mikey was an amazing singer- up until they removed him from the bathroom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmIeYWg3BJE
#62 - Chisandra’s Strike Breaker: Named for a enchanter noblewoman whose new mansion was held up by a work stoppage, this causes a standard tool with no moving parts to work independently at the caster’s bidding. It will only perform actions for which it is designed, as if it were wielded by a man, with approximately the skill at its task of a trained apprentice of the appropriate craft. To this day, the spell is resented by local craftsmen, and wizards known to employ it are prone to having their windows broken by thrown bricks, their front stoops smeared with excrement, and so on.
#63 - Malabar’s Miraculous Assay: This spell allows the caster can determine the material components of any liquid or solid compound by chemical name, along with the proportion of the components in the compound, within the limits of general chemical knowledge. However, the caster does not necessarily know the individual properties of the components, nor will he learn what the compound does absent scholarly knowledge of chemistry or alchemy skill.
#64 - “Limpy’s” Third Conjuration: This spell causes an inanimate object to bend in the middle. Regardless of its natural qualities - brittleness, for example - it will bend and not break. If the object makes its appropriate resistance roll, it is slightly warped in some way. Created by the pompous Master Limsenien of the Warwik City College of Mages, it acquired its byname from the put-upon professional apprentice corps of the city - who claimed, inaccurately, that the wizard used this to blight the manhoods of his enemies - and “Limpy” was what the wizard was called behind his back thereafter, so much so that he dropped plans to publish his Fourth and Fifth Conjurations.
#65 - Ratri’s Blessed Shield: Cast on a female, this prevents fertilization of eggs. If cast on a female pregnant within the last week, induces spontaneous abortion. If cast on a male his sperm becomes non-viable. Taught by the priestesses of Ratri, although its use is canonically discouraged.
#66 - Coins of Change: A coin of the caster's choice (and held in his hand) disappears, to be replaced by the monetary equivalent in the next lower denomination. However, one coin of the lower denomination is missing (as a magical "tip," if you will). The new coins will be of the proper bullion, weight and minting, indistinguishable from other such coins were it not for the newness and lack of wear. Cast on a coin of the lowest common denomination, it disappears to be replaced by something peculiar and/or worthless.
#67 - Elaina’s Excellent Teapot: A silvery-violet teapot will appear (and float) in midair. The caster may put any kind of tea and sweetener inside the pot; it requires no water or strainer. The pot will brew away, producing 1 quart, appropriately sweetened. If no tea is placed into the pot, it will brew a basic pekoe. The pot will pour itself, at the caster's command. Variants exist for cocoa and other hot drinks.
#68 - Swami Balmy’s Flower Power: Any sort of flowers with which the caster is familiar can be created in a full bouquet. They will be in full bloom. Any part of the bouquet that is disassembled - for instance, processing for herbal or alchemical use - vanishes at once.
#69 - Denys’ Menacing Orbs: Creates a fistful of “standard” fiberglass marbles that appear in the caster’s hand.
#70 - Spider’s Veil: A fine rain of gossamer web floats down. While it is easily visible, it neither impedes vision nor movement.
#71 - Hero Pointer: The most powerful character - in terms of levels, character points, etc. - is outlined with a visible ruddy glow. The caster can exclude certain people or types of people from the spell’s calculation.
#72 - Mirith’s Restful Soak: Creates a magical hot tub, which will materialize on the ground if the terrain is even and there are no intervening objects. It will comfortably seat two people. The temperature may be set between 95 and 120o F, with any desired degree of turbulence. The spell was researched and invented at the request of Emperor Mirith of Vinaria, a frequent adventurer who in his later years suffered from arthritis.
#73 - Chisandra’s Magic Tool: Summons one of the following tools: chisel, axe, crowbar, plane, adze, handaxe, pick, shovel, handsaw, crosscut saw, file, or awl. It is made of steel, and holds a perpetual edge. It will be sized for the caster, and cannot be made larger or smaller. For some reason, the craftsmen who revile the wizard Chisandra for inventing the “Strike Breaker” spell (see above) as well as others who would use it have no problem with it. Local blacksmiths, however, have different opinions ...
#74 - Edroc’s Bane: This spell combines ingredients into a blended whole. The ingredients must be normally able to be mixed by hand and be placed in a container, which will be filled by the resulting mixture. The combination takes place in one second. Edroc was a notable alchemical researcher working through the periodic table, and who discovered - a bit too late - that alchemically refining a large quantity of pure sodium and combining it with water (to “see what happened”) was not all that sensible an idea ...
#75 - Kinto’s Beneficial Breathing: The subject's nostrils, ears and mouth become impermeable to water. Normal air breathing is not impeded, but no oxygen is extracted from "breathing" in water.
#76 - Morgil’s Clouded Gaze: The eyes of the subject adjust to any light brighter than normally comfortable, overtoning everything he sees in sepia tones. The spell will not function against light-based magical attacks. Prince Morgil Ravenswing of Gwenethlin was a renowned campaigner, but overly light sensitive, and richly rewarded the (unknown) wizard who invented this spell.
#77 - Puff of Breath: The target feels a light puff of breath; it will blow out candles, and be noticeable, but not much else.
#78 - Verella’s Toy: A small item becomes a recording device, recording any sound generated (or permeating) within 30' of its location. The sound pickup and quality is equivalent to that of a modern-day boom mike and tape player. To activate the Recorder, the caster must speak a command word chosen at the time of casting. A second command word stops the recording. A third command word allows the Recorder to play back any sounds it has captured. The object will only provide between six and twelve playbacks. Created for Princess Verella of Vinaria, who as a small child loved the music of the nomadic Waertagi tribe and wanted to hear it still in her quiet home, hundreds of miles from the Waertagi steppe country.
#79 - “Show Business”: Creates any minor special effect that the caster can imagine, suitable for use as a prop for a stage show. Among the possible effects are minor sound effects, flashing lights, mini-fireworks, loud spectral applause, background Muzak, small puffs of smoke or thin fog. The special effects created with this spell are not powerful enough to distract or fool a determined foe. Several wizards were accused of inventing the spell in the 33 years it has been known; all hotly deny doing so.
#80 - Phoenix’s Fountain of Glory: A fizzing jet flies straight up from the caster’s finger. When it reaches an altitude of 400', it bursts into a brilliant flare of colored light and descends at a rate of 10'/second thereafter. While the flare’s illumination is dim at best, it is visible for miles at night. The spell does no damage, may not be targeted, and will not fire in any direction but straight up. “Phoenix” was the errantry-name of the starlight wizard Sairin Wenairin, who is said to have invented it in the time he campaigned with the Kalínalumbë Legion.
#81 - Elaina’s Ball of Fun: Created by the ice wizard Elaina Waflo more as a means to have a handy fistful of snow whenever she wanted one, this places a normal, if large and well packed, snowball that the caster can throw in her hand. The snow itself is permanent.
#82 - Iamedon’s Keener Edged Armament: Sharpens an edged weapon, tool or implement to have as fine an edge as the object can normally hold; the edge lasts as long as normal use provides.
NPCs (Extras) (Mystical)
Go to CommentSerious ass-kicking detail. I second Cheka Man with an HOH tout, as soon as it's eligible.