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A Ring of Mind Shielding with a god trapped inside? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 2 weeks ago by troyunrau@lemmy.ca to c/dndnext@ttrpg.network
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Hi folks, DM here.

So my party is going through Goodman Games 5e conversion of The Lost City. They are level 5.

I had them encounter a random wayward rock gnome merchant, who was seeking gems. He sold the party a Ring of Mind Shielding.

One of the effects is that, if you die while wearing it, your soul becomes embedded in the ring. If there is a soul in the ring, it can communicate telepathically with its wearer.

I decided, on a lark, after they looted it, that there would already be a soul in the ring, making it a sentient item of sorts. However, when they asked me who, I stuttered for a second and named one of the "dead gods" of the campaign, Usamagarus. Who is the missing god of magic, wisdom, knowledge, etc. And, I decided to roleplay him as a senile, forgetful wizard, also on a lark when they tried to communicate with him. He claims he committed suicide voluntarily after he stopped being worshipped.

Okay, now I need ideas. You're a senile wizardry God type character that's been trapped in a ring for 700 years. I won't goals, quirks, etc. assuming he has real no interest in being reincorporated.

So far I've mostly been pondering mannerisms, playing grampa Simpson "back in my day" stuff.

Anyway, should be fun ๐Ÿ˜Š

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[โ€“] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Find a list of banal truisms, but then add something weird and sinister.

"If you keep your face to the sun, then the shadows are always behind you... waiting, hungry."

"Success is 90% showing up. The other 10% requires a lot of blood from a virgin maiden... or possibly a whole baby."

"Anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself. 'Anything' includes failure and doom."

"Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for life. Teach a fish to man, and the fishmen will rise from the depths to seek vengeance."

"The powerful will tell you that knowledge is power, because they don't want you to know the true source of their power. Kill them and take it."

Keep this list and roll for a non sequitur any time there's a lull in the conversations. Refuse to elaborate.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

This is masterful

[โ€“] dumples@midwest.social 11 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

If you want to be really meta have him reference spells from older editions that don't exist anymore. Especially as suggestions that they won't even work for. The other interesting idea is have him be an expert on things so old but know nothing about recent events.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Mechanically, I can give them advantage on history checks from his era or something. And roleplay it.

I like the old spells thing. I have a book full of 2e spells converted to 5e. He could even teach the wizard random spells from that.

[โ€“] dumples@midwest.social 3 points 2 weeks ago

You could also random or as requested use older rules for the same spell name. I.e. the fireball does volume now like from AD&D

[โ€“] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Lol he definitely calls them Tanar'ri and Baatezu

[โ€“] dumples@midwest.social 4 points 2 weeks ago

For sure. Lots of older lore and names. Especially unhelpful things

[โ€“] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Lol fun, I like it. Off the top of my head:

  • He's 100% forgotten the names of body parts. It's a routine stumbling block in conversation.

  • Use random tables full of sentence fragments to MadLibs his stories. Ask for a moment or two to stitch it together properly so it almost makes sense, your players won't mind.

  • You'll have to let him do huge wizard shit once in a while when its needed most. It's okay, even if it feels like cheating. If they've put in the effort to maintain the relationship, its a Chekov's Gun and it has to go off sooner or later.

  • He calls everyone by the wrong names

I'll try to keep adding as they come to me

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

Ooh, good call on the occasional magic nova. I like the mannerisms. I shall prepare a table that isn't a script. ;)

I'm hoping the players can convince him to live again. That would be cool. Casting true resurrection on a god or something, once they have access to the spell.

[โ€“] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Reminds me a bit of Fizban from the Dragonlance novels. Pretended to be an old senile wizard who couldn't remember his spells half the time. In reality was a good god playing 5D chess to position the heroes to save the world from evil.

You could have him say a bunch of inane stuff and then throw in "Back in my day there was a powerful enchanter living that ruined castle. I wonder what happened to all the magical artifacts he made?"The heroes obviously jump at the chance for treasure but stumble upon cultists trying to resurrect an evil dead god that need thwarting.

If a player is about to die, he "remembers" a spell to help save them but needs to sleep for a few days after.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, could be a great deus ex machina opportunity. But I'd have to hold it in reserve most of the time or else the players will start doing reckless shit. :)

[โ€“] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Let them. Just have the ring draw them into even bigger trouble every time they do. Like he saves you from being chased by a pack of owlbears by setting the forest on fire. Now you are being hunted by a circle of pissed off druids.

[โ€“] nocturne@piefed.social 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

My first thought is the Dungeon Master as inspiration. Give him lucid moments, and senile moments. The players have to decide which is which.

[โ€“] I_am_10_squirrels@beehaw.org 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I second this.

When the god is lucid, is it benevolent or vengeful? If there is a magic user in the party, does Usmag want to help them learn and grow, or do they channel their despair at the lack of worshippers into that person?

I would also try to add a dash of bursar for flavor. Maybe some Malkavian Dementation - if the god was depressed or insane, can that be transmitted to the ring bearer telepathically? Osmotically? Usamagarusly? Maybe Usmag went insane and believed no one was worshipping them, killed itself, then people stopped worshipping because their god is dead?

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago

He actually still has a cargo cult of worshippers who are blindly going through the motions, enacting banal (non magical) rituals, etc., but they're largely being used as a power play by the current leader rather than actually worshipping him.

It would be a fun development if the wizard attuned to the ring were to usurp the cult, take upon the role of high priest, and convert them to actual worshippers or something. Then convince Usamagarus to depart the ring.

[โ€“] Pronell@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I did something like that with my party. They killed a cult leader and didn't know he had usurped an actual demigod in taking over the cult.

...they never put on the ring at all.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

You can lead a horse to water...

[โ€“] Khanzarate@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I did something similar, also on a whim.

It was an actual wizard, but a very high level one.

I treated the ring as a Magic Jar, and made him very keen on getting a body, he'd been dead and alone for 50 years.

I'd have the deus ex machina side of your god be possession, as well. Yours doesn't want to keep the body, which is cool, but in a moment of desperation, he could still force his way in for a moment, cast resilient sphere or globe of invulnerability or whatever the situation called for, drop some wisdom, and return.

This would be an excellent way to prove benevolence if the party is suspicious also. Taking someone over, telling everyone "no having a body isn't my vibe" and then leaving can help sell the godhood and also shows that they don't have to worry he's trying to trick them, if needed.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This is great advice. I'll make him sleep to recover if he does something like this, so the party has to timeout on recklessness.

[โ€“] Khanzarate@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Another way you could do it is maybe they could feed him?

Maybe if they store a spell slot in the ring, he gets some charges, like a sorcerer, and also gets a charge every day, maybe. So he can use sorcerer metamagic to rebuild his spent spells. Maybe they can only put in one a day.

I dunno if i'd actually reveal this to the players mechanically, he could probably just ask for a leftover spell slot and say that it energized him like a rest.

So the result is they can shortcut these naps if they wanna rely on him, an alternative way to spend their own resources. But still one they can't direct, we don't wanna just give them access to higher level spells, but they can refill their emergency savior deliberately.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That sounds super fun. I'd worry that it strays too close into a DMPC territory though, as I'd have a lot of agency of when to decide to cast what. It's a trap! :)

[โ€“] Khanzarate@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Nah it's only a trope DMPC if you overshadow the characters.

If they invest resources into this guy, they will feel like they've earned it.

The wizard I mentioned, I never gave him a similar mechanic, but I have an old halfling with a magical staff, in Pathfinder 2. The staff can use a few cantrips and stores books, but I set it up so he's not magical himself. If he casts a spell from the staff, he needs a caster to donate spell slots to recharge the staff, same basic idea. It was a hit at my table, they were discussing convincing him to stay with the party as a long-term companion, but he didn't overshadow them, because I didn't give him real agency over the staff. This halfling was willing to help them if they filled the staff for him, unconditionally, so the real "trigger" is one of their casters going "alright, I'll recharge the staff", and then they got to cast one of the few preselected spells from it.

Framing is key, though. A boastful spell-slinging ring would absolutely make the party feel like they've just made him more grand. Instead, a reluctant but easily persuaded entity can say things like "Well, that went better than it did when I had a body" or "That's pretty unorthodox, but clearly, you knew what you were doing" or similar.

If the party has to try to get him to do it, even a tiny amount, then it becomes part of the plan, just like any other magic item would, even though its sapient.

Thats been my experience, at least. They're included, so it's not stepping on their toes.

The old halfling was a guide they hired to a temple, and an excellent cook, but a retired adventurer himself, and not the "secretly level 20" kind of retired adventurer, either. He won't budge from the comforts of his wagon, but is excited to be out and about in the world. That attitude makes all the difference, and lets me drop nearly anything I want, as he is well-traveled, and can recall anything I'd like him to.

[โ€“] Smeagol666@crazypeople.online 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Have you ever read the Dragonlance series? One recurring character, in the books and DnD modules was Fizban the Fabulous who happens to be Bahamut, the god-king of all goodly dragons. He was basically the epitomy of what you're talking about.

[โ€“] troyunrau@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

Nope. Another comment mentioned it though so now it is on my radar :)