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7. Holy and Unholy Magic 7. Holy and Unholy Magic
Holy Items
These are items that are regarded as religious or spiritual in origin; most are channels for the power of a god, but it's
possible for an item to be regarded as holy without actually having a divine connection.
Boon of the Great Bear
A complete cave bear skin, with the claws and skull still attached. The bearskin is a focus (p. 00 or p. SPI92); when worn
by a shaman, it gives a bonus to ritual magic rolls. The bonus depends on the reaction roll the Great Bear Spirit makes to
the shaman; +1 for Good, +2 for Very Good, or +3 for Excellent. Each ritual performed requires its own reaction roll; the
GM should assign modifiers to the reaction roll based on the Great Bear's opinion of the result that the shaman desires.
Its current owner claims that the Great Bear Spirit granted him the Boon during a vision quest.
The Boon costs 20 points as a Mystic Symbol; this is based on the estimation that a reaction of Very Good will probably
be common, and an Excellent roll, rare.
Suggested Setting: TL0.
Asking Price: $3,000.
Ganymede's Cup
This tall, polished silver cup is rumored to be the cup of Zeus' chosen due to the magical properties it exhibits. Three
times per hour the bearer may try to create wine by filling the cup with water. The GM should roll 3d. On a 17 or 18, the
water stays water. On a 5 through 16, it becomes delicious wine. On a roll of 3 or 4 the cup will, in addition to changing
the water to wine, confer one of the following properties on the drinker (roll 1d):
1. Stamina -- Restores 1d of fatigue and hit points.
2. Counsel -- Bestows prophetic powers on the drinker for 1d hours.
3. Fortune -- Grants the user Extraordinary Luck for 1d hours (real time!).
4. Ambrosia -- Reduces the drinker's age by 3d months.
5. Alliance -- Gives the drinker Charisma +3 for 1d hours.
6. War -- Gives the drinker +3 to all Combat/Weapon skills for 1d hours.
The drinker must drain the cup to gain these benefits; it can't be shared.
Suggested Setting: GURPS Greece.
Component Spells: Holy item.
Holy Items 7. Holy and Unholy Magic
Asking Price: $60,000.
God's Cup
This is a big old-fashioned goblet, which appears to be (and probably is) made of solid gold. It is studded with huge
gems (which are polished but not faceted).
The story of God's Cup is not widely known in Goblin London, but a little digging could turn up a clergyman or scholar
who could inform PCs as to the important parts. It appears that, back when Jesus was on Earth, he was given to having
dinner with his friends. This particular Cup was the one from which he took a drink of wine (in strict moderation, of
course) the very last night before he was foully Done to Death. It was subsequently kept as a memento by his friends,
who passed it on to their heirs, and somewhere along the line it was brought to England. However, after that it was sadly
lost somehow, although many brave knights of olden times went questing to look for it. Unfortunately, brave and noble
though they were, these knights seemingly weren't very bright, because even the ones who found it subsequently lost it
again.
Nonetheless, this most special Cup is still around somewhere, possibly in the hands of some virtuous clergymen. There
are rumors that it still has a tendency to get lost (because even virtuous clergymen are prone to accidents), so it might
well turn up almost anywhere.
(Some readers may object that the cups used at that particular meal would hardly have been big gold jewel-encrusted
things like this. They are probably correct. If so, the likelihood is that God Himself has intervened at some point in
history to make sure that this particular relic looks as impressive as is only right and proper.)
The most important power of God's Cup, which has evidently soaked into its metal with all the holiness, is that it can
heal any hurt. Anyone taking a drink of water from it instantly recovers 1d hit points of injury, is automatically cured of
all Minor Ailments, and can shake off Compound Ailments or the effects of poisoning with a HT roll. Anyone drinking
wine from it (as was its original use) instantly recovers 3d hit points of injury and is automatically cured of all Ailments
and poisoning effects. The cup must be filled to the brim and then drained. Drinking wine from this vessel will never
make a goblin drunk; ignore it when assessing intoxication.
However, this is a very holy object, which is not compatible with any sort of sin. This is rather unfortunate from the point
of view of the typical goblin, who is thoroughly steeped in sin. Any being who lays hands on the Cup with any kind of
sinful intent will be instantly struck by lightning, for 2d damage, and will drop the Cup (which is fortunately
indestructible, of course). Desiring to do good for others with the Cup is sufficiently virtuous as to save the goblin from
retribution for other recent sins, but desiring to cure oneself is only acceptable if one has been at least reasonably virtuous
recently (which is for the GM to determine), and if the injuries in question were not received in the course of crime or as
a justified punishment.
In fact, the Cup will never cure social diseases (anything from the Spades sections of the Ailment tables), which are the
wages of sin. (However, it will cure Lusts and Longings, provided that these have not been actively indulged.)
Furthermore, any goblin deliberately drinking gin or other strong (and sinful) spirits from it will drop dead on the spot.
Perhaps needless to say, desiring either to sell or to buy a holy relic like this Cup is deeply sinful, and anyone involved in
such an activity can be sure to suffer retribution. This usually takes the form of being struck by lightning when they
touch it, or perhaps when they come within 10' of it. Unfortunately, the mere sight of something this seemingly valuable
7. Holy and Unholy Magic Holy Items
represents an irresistible temptation for the average goblin. One who sees the Cup sitting around unguarded and who
does not know the risk should make a Will roll, with double the usual penalties for Goblin Snobbery if of negative Status,
to refrain from sauntering, sidling, or dashing up to the thing and grabbing it straight away. Few will even bother trying
to resist the temptation.
If one or more goblins seeking to profit financially from the Cup somehow manipulate innocent catspaws into moving it
on their behalf, all the guilty parties will suffer a -5 penalty to all rolls from the moment when they set the transaction in
train for the rest of their lives, or at least until they make some large and appropriate atonement. For this reason,
assigning this unique and sacred object a cash value is futile. (In fact, it is not impossible that any goblin even thinking
about buying or selling it will be struck by lightning.)
Suggested Setting: GURPS Goblins.
Component Spells: Holy item.
Asking Price: You're a cad, sir, for even thinking such a thing. See description.
Golden Raccoon
This life-sized golden statue of a raccoon is a study in whimsy. It is perched upright on its haunches with its front paws
cupped together and raised above its head. A wistful, begging expression adorns its upturned face. In short, this is the
sort of thing a nature lover might place in the garden, only made of gold instead of plaster.
The statue itself is quite valuable, but its real value is the effect it has on other items. If a gem or piece of jewelry is left [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]