In a realm gripped by a curse, darkness prevails. The once vibrant and thriving land is now a place of despair and desperation. The curse, of unknown origin, has cast its shadow over every aspect of life, turning joy into sorrow and hope into hopelessness. The curse first manifested itself in the form of a mysterious illness, causing widespread suffering among the people. It plagued their bodies, rendering even the strongest and healthiest individuals weak and frail. No cure could be found, and the illness spread like wildfire, claiming countless lives.
Rather than the trinkets listed in the Players Handbook you may select or roll for one of the following trinkets during character creation. The magic of these items is such that attempting to use multiple copies of an identical item in one day always fails.
When you use Divine Sense you can choose to only detect fiends or undead, depending on your trinket, and the range of your senses extends to 90 feet. Basically it s a system that works like walkie talkies, only the shells will wait to speak until you put your ear to them, and will pulse red until you do.
No cure could be found, and the illness spread like wildfire, claiming countless lives. As if the physical torment was not enough, the curse also seeped into the minds and souls of the inhabitants. Thoughts became haunted by nightmares and fears, as if a dark force was working tirelessly to wear down the spirits of the people.
Thread: Interesting Magic Trinkets
I'm running a game and my players have the opportunity to buy the belongings of a mysterious mage/magician/hypnotist, so I need a bunch of interesting magic trinkets. I dug up a list of trinkets I once made that an evil mage had collected, to give you an idea of the sort of stuff I need, only the idea with this mage would be that he made the items himself. Mostly as experimentation, but also for magic tricks and such.
The list:
Constrictor Rope
Enchanted rope. It tries to constrict the most nearby living person and doesn�t let go. It acts somewhat like a snake. They are only meant for emergencies and stop working after two days.
Hive Shell
Magical conch. Can be used as a communications device. Basically it�s a system that works like walkie talkies, only the shells will wait to speak until you put your ear to them, and will pulse red until you do.
Porcupine
A small, gleaming metal porcupine figure that is extremely sharp and never goes blunt.
Dragon
A small metal dragon. If you press it�s tail, it spits a small blue flame.
Eyesalve
A jar of gooey salve with small eyeballs in it. It heals all wounds, but it doesn�t grow anything back.
Dice
A pair of black stone dice that always roll a one and a six.
Predator Tooth
A large tooth with a canal running through. There�s still enough of whatever venom the creature used to paralyse one person and make them appear dead, stopping their heartbeat and breathing. This effect lasts about an hour.
Chest
A tiny metal chest with a key. It�s padded on the inside, and enchanted so it can�t be opened in any other way than with the key.
Jar of Ink
It seems like perfectly normal ink, but when used, it takes a 12 hours to appear.
Notebook
A small notebook bound in black leather. Once the letters on a page are read, the page combusts.
Origami Bird
The bird is made of paper that can be folded infinitely (yet won�t get so thick as to reach the moon�)
Whalebone Pipe
Beautifully carved in the shape of a ship. It doesn�t come with tobacco, but should you smoke any in it near the waterfront, it can summon a sunken ship.
Terracotta Flask
A small earthen flask which fills itself each day with cow urine.
Glass Eye
When put in water, it points north.
Purifying Ring
A regularlooking copper ring that purifies any water that passes through it. Wearing this ring is a bad idea, since it�ll turn your blood into water.
Strangler�s Amulet
It looks pretty much like a regular metal amulet depicting a lion�s head, and it is, but the rope�s enchanted. As soon as someone puts this on, the rope will start shrinking uncontrollably, probably choking it�s victim. The actual amulet is just a piece of metal.
Flute
A roughly carved wooden birdwhistle that attracts any nearby birds.
Alligator Egg
Enchanted egg that preserves the baby alligator until heat is added. Unless the egg is broken first, of course.
Box of Shadowdust
A small black box with a tied down lid. Inside is a greyish powder that screams non-stop when it comes in contact with sunlight.
Leatherish Stick
This is a piece of wood wrapped in the skin of an exotic animal with fluorescent skin. If it�s absorbed sunlight it gives off a fair amount of light for a while. Of course, you can�t put it out like a torch, and it gives no warning before extinguishing. The end where you�re supposed to hold it isn�t wrapped in the skin.
Silver Spoon
An old, filthy silver spoon. This was once used to poison a king, the trick being that not the food, but the spoon was poisoned. It wasn�t washed since and hence still has, besides some of the king�s dried blood, also some deadly poison on it.
Bell
A small copper bell that seems to be in order, but doesn�t make any sound.
Piece of Amber
This is a huge, bizarre looking mosquito encased in amber. This particular mosquito has an effect on other mosquitos such as it scares them away.
Mirror
A small handmirror, framed with twisted wire. The mirror is part of a pair and shows what the other part sees, in this case the barren hold of a sunk ship and some algea.
Pocketwatch
A small and rusty pocketwatch, which is ridiculously hard to open. There�s no reward inside either, just an engraving saying �Time marches on� on one side, and a clock that�s standing still on the other side. Okay, so it�s not really standing still, it�s actually moving so slowly you can�t see it move, counting down� to something.
Shrunken Head
This item has no useful functions whatsoever. It�s just a collectable.
Just for reference's sake, this campaign is D&D, but the items from the list are from a freeform game. Also, since they are buying the entire list of items the mage left behind when he moved, this could also include larger items like furniture.
Avatar by the illustrious Dr. Bath.
The essence of a riddle is that it states facts by means of a combination of impossibilities~Aristoteles
Just for reference's sake, this campaign is D&D, but the items from the list are from a freeform game. Also, since they are buying the entire list of items the mage left behind when he moved, this could also include larger items like furniture.
Relationships crumbled, friendships dissolved, and trust became a scarce commodity. The once beautiful landscapes of the realm now lay in ruins, mirroring the desolation that clung to the hearts of its inhabitants. Buildings crumbled, gardens withered, and the life-giving rivers turned into murky, stagnant pools. The curse seemed to drain the very life force from the land itself, leaving it in a perpetual state of decay. In the midst of this bleak landscape, a glimmer of hope arose. A rumor spread amongst the people that there was a way to break the curse and restore the realm to its former glory. It was said that an ancient artifact, hidden in the deepest recesses of a forbidden forest, held the key to lifting the curse. Braving the dangers and risks, a group of brave souls set out on a perilous journey in search of the artifact. They faced treacherous terrain, hostile creatures, and their own inner demons. But their determination and belief in a brighter future pushed them forward. After days of exhausting travel, they finally reached the heart of the forbidden forest. Their eyes widened in awe as they laid their eyes upon the mystical artifact. Its power seemed to emanate from within, promising a restoration that had long been denied. With trembling hands, they touched the artifact. A surge of energy coursed through their veins, dispelling the darkness that had plagued them for so long. Their bodies were healed, their minds cleared, and a renewed sense of purpose filled their hearts. The curse, once all-encompassing, was finally broken. The realm slowly began to heal, as the people reclaimed their land from the grip of darkness. Joy returned, laughter echoed through the streets, and life blossomed once again. The curse had brought despair, but it also brought resilience and the strength to overcome. The suffering had tested the resolve of the people, but it had also revealed the depths of their courage and hope. From the ashes of their darkest days, a new realm emerged, filled with the light of a hard-won victory..
Reviews for "Breaking the Curse: A Journey to Restore Hope in a Gripped Realm"
1. John - 2 stars - "In a realm gripped by a curse" was a complete disappointment for me. The story seemed promising at first, but it quickly fell flat. The characters were poorly developed, and I found it hard to connect with any of them. The plot felt repetitive and predictable, lacking any real surprises or twists. Additionally, the writing style was uninspiring, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninterested in continuing this series.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I couldn't even finish "In a realm gripped by a curse". The concept sounded intriguing, but the execution was terrible. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story seemed to drag on without any significant developments. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, which made it difficult to invest in the interactions between the characters. Moreover, the world-building was weak and lacked the depth I expected. I tried to give it a chance, but in the end, I found myself completely disengaged and uninterested in what would happen next. In my opinion, it is a book to be avoided.
3. Mark - 2 stars - "In a realm gripped by a curse" had potential, but it failed to deliver. The writing felt flat and lacked emotion, making it hard to connect with the characters or feel invested in their journey. The plot was filled with clichés and tropes, offering no real surprises or originality. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, alternating between dragging and rushing through significant events. While I appreciate the attempt at creating a unique fantasy world, the execution fell short, leaving me unsatisfied and unimpressed. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.