Magic Patrons with personality (Entry #19 Nicodemus)

inspiration

#13

#9


#14

#10

Have fun with the curse. There are tons of curse ideas online for curses. Pick ones that will be comical and problematic for the player.

http://dndspeak.com/2017/12/100-curses/

https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/78xlfs/d100_interesting_curses/


#15

#11


#16

#12


#17

#13

First Encounter: A Wizard/Witch/Druid or other magical character’s house located underground. The magical character was killed by <insert name.> Outside their house is a hatless scarecrow displayed in a garden with a hat on the ground next to it. If a player places the hat on the scarecrow it will come to life and introduce itself as The Lord of the Dance and begin dancing with high energy from upon its mast. The Lord of the Dance will ask for aid to the player who placed the hat on his head. (see Problem) if they accept they will be rewarded the magic hat that when equipped allows the user to substitute CHR for non attacking DEX rolls.

Problem: Was created by a wizard to protect their cave garden from pests by binding a nature spirit to a magic hat. Living a life underground left the scarecrow wanting to experience the surface world and all its amazing beauty it read about in his master’s books.

Needs: The PC to build a scarecrow on the surface during different weather conditions. Sunshine, Rain, Thunderstorm, Snow, Heatwave, etc. and then place the magic hat on top of its head so he can dance and take in the experience.

Rewards: Each new weather will reward in a geomancy spell (dance) related to that weather condition. Think avatar, the last airbender FIRE WATER WIND EARTH bending flavored with dances that last 1d4 Rounds.

Examples:

  • Wind Samba: Dance for 1d4 Rounds, once per round you can push or pull a target.
  • Water Waltz: Dance for 1d4 Rounds, Once per round you can manipulate a body of water. Effects vary on the size of the body of water. (Default Magic effort.)
  • Earth Step: Dance for 1d4 Rounds. Once per round you can stomp on the ground to create a rock column NEAR you. (requires dirt or stone ground)
  • Dance of Exhaustion: Dance for 1d4 Rounds. Each round a target gets -1 to all their rolls till this dance ends. (Stacks up to -4 for a single target)

Communication: Create a new scarecrow using a pair of clothes and a vegetable for a head and place the magic hat on top. The Lord of the Dance will animate the scarecrow.

Enemy: Whoever or whatever killed his master must be brought to justice.

Allies: Crows, they are afraid of the PC and will aid them out of fear.


#18

#14


#19

This one is badass man.


#20

Shiva: The Lady of Winter

First encounter

PCs are desperate and trapped In a blizzard on top of a great glacier in the northlands. The face of the lady will appear in the storm and blowing snow. She will offer to grant a boon in the form of a spell to a player in exchange for their help. Spell can be called Inner Fire or Eternal Warmth or something along those lines. One PC who agrees to help her will learn the spell that will make the player and all allies close resistant or immune to cold for 1d4 rounds.

Problem

The great glacier is diminishing rapidly. She will do anything to make it grow strong to return it to its former glory. She cannot leave this mountain but the PC can… With her help anyway.

Needs

The essence of winter. Magical essence of pure cold in the shape of a crystal, orb, or some other form that can be found throughout the land. They are harvested from ice elemental creatures who occasionally escape the the outer elemental planes where the planes of water and air converge. Mages and collectors seek these out for their magical essence that can be used for multiple purposes. They are also highly valuable.

Rewards

After descending from the mountain, Shiva will appear one more time and teach the same PC how to call frost in a basic form by manipulating the moisture in the air and temperature. It will be enough to freeze water and a basic offensive cold spell like an ice dart or frostbite. If an essence of winter is gifted to her, the glacier grows and she becomes stronger and gifts you a piece of her power in the form of new, more powerful cold spells (cone of cold, blizzard, all the good stuff).

Communication

Drawing the face of the lady in frost or ice (can be made in water with the basic cold magic learned) her face will animate and the PC can speak with her. Essence of winter can be absorbed into the ice and sent to her.

Enemy

Her brother, Ifrit. A djinn of pure fire who lives in a volcanic mountain near her mountain is her enemy. He wants the world to burn in volcanic ash. He seeks to heat the atmosphere so that he can lord over a newly formed land of fire. Once he finds out about his sister’s growing power, he becomes angered and will summon creatures of fire to end the party.

Allies

Northmen know of frost-callers from legend and lore. When they witness the abilities gifted by the lady of winter, they will do what they can to help the PC.

Thought your idea was awesome and had to give it a go. I Always liked a good fire/ice dichotomy and I’m a final fantasy fan.


#21

Hey a submission! And a damn good one too!

Love everything about, the clash between fire and ice, the hunting of ice elementals, and the fellowship of the Northmen.

Thank you for the submission @Delusions

Feel free to post anymore patron ideas @Delusions I hope more people jump on the wagon and post some ideas too. This community is flooded with great creators.


#22

Best thing I’ve seen on the forums in awhile.


#23

Thanks man, I appreciate the positive energy.

I updated the OP with links to the entries.

Don’t be shy people, share some creations with this awesome community.


#24

im leavin a comment here so i can get updates when you add more here. these are fantastic!


#25

These are awesome. As for not having much interaction with a Patron or God during a game, I feel that falls square on the GM’s shoulders. A GM should take that deity and use it the same as any piece of backstory or player connection. Hell, a Patron or God is a perfect chance bargain with a player- “do X for me and prove your fealty.” Then give them a reward. It basically writes itself, hehe.


#26

yeah the GM makes or breaks most games.

From my circle of people many shared similar experiences with their patrons being a cliff note and thus what sparked this topic to hopefully help inspire ways to give them more of an impact in the campaign.


#27

#16


#28

#17


#29

#18


#30

#19 Nicodemus and the Elder Stones

44%20AM

First Encounter: The players find a young wizard copying the writing of an ancient stone to some parchment. He explains the stone is called an elder stone and his master Nicodemus is studying them in hopes to unlock the secrets of the universe. He says he is trying to learn how to read them himself but his master says it’s too dangerous and he isn’t ready. He is confident he is ready and traces his finger on the letters and tries to speak the words to the party in hopes to show off. After a few words he stumbles on pronouncing one of them and then suddenly bursts into flames. Not to far from his charred corpse is a portal drawn with chalk that leads to a wizard’s study where a great white bearded wizard is deep in concentration. This is the great Nicodemus, and he refuses to look up from his work and will refer to anyone speaking to them as Jarvis and say he has no time for badgering and to bring him the next elder stone’s writings. If anyone gives him the writings of the elder stone he will be excited (still not look at the party) and say “Good work Jarvis! Now lets see what it says.” He will then explain its a level 1 spell called <insert spell> and its very basic and you cast it by doing X Y and Z. Are you paying attention Jarvis? Ok good. Get some more chalk from the table and go bring me back another stone’s writings this one was no good.”

Problem: Trying to decipher an elder stone and unlock the secrets of the universe.

Needs: “Jarvis” to copy the writings of other elder stones and bring it back to him to help create a cypher. Elder stones are scattered across the land (dungeons, gardens, mountain tops, etc.) and have ancient writings engraved into their surfaces.

Rewards: Nicodemus will find a spell somewhere in the writings the player brings back and teach it to them all while never making eye contact with them. The spell can be from any school of magic

Communication: Drawing a doorway with chalk will lead to Nicodemus’ study. He will always refer to whoever is talking to him as “Jarvis” and never look at them.

Enemy: The REAL Jarvis, Nicodemus’ old apprentice left when his master wouldn’t pay attention to him and decided to unlock the meaning of the elder stone first in spite. He will create obstacles to protect the elder stones from the players. He is a competent wizard and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Allies: Elderly people. In their youth Nicodemus helped them or their village from some threat and will offer aid to any of Nicodemus’ apprentices.


#31

Weird, I can’t seem to edit the original post to add Nicodemus and his link to it.

update Alex is looking into the matter


#32

I had that issue on one of my contribution posts where I was going to just edit it every time I had an updated piece of material, but when I asked into it, the problem what that the site is set up so you can only edit for a certain period of time after the post is made (example: 30 days or something).