BOOK OF ARTIFACTS
FOREWORD
If you are planning to run a campaign where a powerful fiend must be prevented from achieving freedom and roaming the world, the Acorn of Wo Mai is what you need. The Acorn of Wo Mai, as the name implies, has an oriental flavor, because Wo Mai was the hero who trapped the fiend inside the acorn. The Book of Artifacts does not specify the fiend’s name, or whether it is a devil (baatezu) or a demon (tanar’ri), or any other entity from the lower planes. This is intentional, as it allows the Game Master to define what kind of entity is imprisoned in the Acorn, and to customize the details to suit their campaign.
HISTORY
According to an ancient eastern legend, the Acorn of Wo Mai is the prison of a powerful fiend who once ruled and terrorized a great empire at the edge of the eastern lands. The fiend was summoned by war-wizards but escaped their control. Hearing of this fiend’s cruelties, the great Wo Mai challenged it to battle. They fought long, the fiend confident, for its life force was hidden far away, and it could not be slain. When Wo Mai discovered this, he bound the fiend in irons that it could not break. Next, he and his companions shaped the Acorn, imprisoned the fiend inside, and brought the prize back to the imperial court. When the court fell to barbarian invaders, the Acorn was lost.
BACKGROUND HOOKS
The War-Wizards of the Crimson Circle
The war-wizards who summoned the fiend were members of the Crimson Circle, a secret society of mages who sought to overthrow the emperor and establish a new order based on arcane power. They believed that the fiend was a manifestation of the primal chaos that existed before creation, and that by harnessing its energy, they could reshape the world according to their will. They spent years studying ancient texts and artifacts that hinted at the fiend’s existence and location, and finally managed to locate its life force in a hidden vault beneath the imperial palace.
The Ritual of Unbinding
The war-wizards used a complex and dangerous ritual to summon the fiend from its life force. They needed a large amount of blood and souls to fuel the ritual, so they secretly kidnapped and sacrificed hundreds of innocent people from the nearby villages. They also needed a powerful artifact to channel the fiend’s energy, so they stole the emperor’s scepter, which was said to be a gift from the gods. They performed the ritual in a secluded cave, surrounded by protective runes and wards. They chanted arcane words and drew blood symbols on the ground, hoping to bind the fiend to their will.
The Fiend’s Escape
The ritual went horribly wrong, as the war-wizards underestimated the fiend’s power and cunning. The fiend resisted their attempts to control it, and used its own magic to corrupt and break their wards. It then unleashed a blast of dark fire that incinerated most of the war-wizards and destroyed their cave. The few survivors fled in terror, pursued by the fiend’s wrath. The fiend then began its rampage across the empire, seeking revenge and destruction. It slaughtered anyone who crossed its path, burned villages and cities, and corrupted the land with its evil presence.
The War-Wizards’ Fate
The war-wizards who escaped the fiend’s wrath were hunted down by Wo Mai and his companions, who had learned of their treachery and their role in unleashing the fiend. Wo Mai was a renowned warrior-monk who had sworn to protect the emperor and his people from any threat. He gathered a group of loyal and brave heroes who shared his vision and courage. They tracked down the war-wizards one by one, using their skills and magic to overcome their defenses. They either killed them in combat, or captured them and brought them to justice. Some of the war-wizards tried to repent and help Wo Mai stop the fiend, but most of them were too proud or too afraid to do so.
ABOUT THE FIEND
What is certain about the trapped fiend is that he is a badass. In ancient times, when he was summoned to help a faction win the war, he managed to break free and basically seized control of a whole empire.
What if the Fiend is a Demon?
If you want the fiend to be a demon, then he should be someone who once was a prince of the abyss, owner of his own layer and commander of demonic legions. However, as you know, demons don’t give a shit about their kin, because most of the time they don’t even care about themselves. Demons fight one another and princes of demons even get to the point where they make long term plans to eliminate their competitors. So, if you plan to play the trapped fiend as a demon, keep in mind that other princes of the abyss are not going to appreciate that our friend regains freedom. It is even possible that the princes, through their most loyal cultists, are looking for the Acorn of Wo Mai to destroy its host once and for all, or even worse, subjugate the fiend in the name of their demonic masters.
Here you have an interesting tip to spice up your campaign.
What if the Fiend is a Devil?
Now, if we pick this option, things change dramatically. A devil is a completely different matter when compared to a demon. Things change if you want the trapped fiend to be an Archduke or a duke of the nine hells. Indeed you have a limited number of Archdukes ruling in hell – eight for the sake of precision. However you may have a large number of dukes serving an Archduke. I strongly advise not to have the trapped fiend to be someone less than a duke, keep in mind that this guy is a real badass. If the fiend was an Archduke I’m pretty sure that one of his comrades in hell screwed him, and probably did this to seize his throne while the fiend was away.
Ah! Devils! Nice guys, aren’t they?
We don’t know how much time the fiend has spent inside the Acorn of Wo Mai, but we know that devils are very patient. Some devils are even loyal, especially when a change in hierarchy doesn’t benefit them. I bet someone down there didn’t appreciate that their big boss was screwed. It is possible they want to reestablish the old order. No one likes to end up serving coffee when he was a general. You will agree with that. It is possible that a fifth column in hell, still loyal to the trapped fiend, is looking for the Acorn but they don’t know where it is. This is an interesting adventure hook, because the ones who employ the characters to look for the Acorn will turn out to be the ones the characters should have never trusted.
What if the Fiend is from another lower plane?
The Abyss and the Nine Hells are not the only lower planes, there are others of course. In such a case you may craft a powerful entity that comes from the Grey Wastes, Tartarus or any other custom plane you designed for your campaign setting. This could turn out to be an interesting option. A powerful outsider that enters the scene to give a new balance to the Blood War.
RUNNING THE EVIL CAMPAIGN
The Acorn of Wo Mai offers Game Masters and players the opportunity to run an evil campaign. You can build an evil campaign where the players know that a failure has real consequences and a price to pay. All characters may be of evil alignment and, why not, from different evil religions and creeds. I suggest this option because most of the time when evil campaigns are run, the outcome sucks. The goals are not robust and the plot is nothing special, or worse, it’s banal. Many evil campaigns just have the characters doing “evil things”, but without being accountable for their actions. As a general rule, evil cults, religions and organizations enforce their will by means of fear, intimidation and brute force. Characters should not be exempt from this treatment. Long story short, a coalition of evil to face a greater evil for a greater good…with betrayal around the corner and your head at stake!
Common goal: find the Acorn and banish the trapped fiend.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
Finding the Acorn
The Acorn of Wo Mai is a rare and elusive artifact that has been lost for centuries. Finding it is not an easy task, as it requires a combination of research, exploration, and luck. The characters may have to follow some clues and leads that point them to the Acorn’s possible location, such as:
- Ancient scrolls or books that mention the legend of Wo Mai and the fiend, or describe the Acorn’s appearance and properties. These may be found in libraries, temples, or ruins.
- Witnesses or rumors that claim to have seen or heard of the Acorn, or someone who possesses it. These may be encountered in towns, markets, or taverns.
Maps or charts that show the route or destination of Wo Mai and his companions after they imprisoned the fiend. These may be obtained from merchants, explorers, or thieves. - Signs or traces of the fiend’s influence or corruption in the area where the Acorn is hidden. These may include strange phenomena, twisted creatures, or dark cults.
- However, finding the Acorn is not only a matter of skill and knowledge, but also of chance and fate. The Acorn is a sentient and powerful artifact that can sense the presence and intentions of those who seek it. It may try to hide itself from those who want to harm it or free the fiend, or reveal itself to those who want to protect it or banish the fiend. It may also test the characters’ resolve and morality by presenting them with challenges, temptations, or visions.
Banishing the Fiend
Banishing the fiend from the Acorn is a dangerous and risky endeavor that may have dire consequences for the characters and the world. The fiend is a formidable and cunning enemy that will not give up easily. The characters may have to face some challenges and dangers when they try to banish the fiend, such as:
- Breaking the seal that binds the fiend inside the Acorn. This may require a special ritual, a powerful spell, or a rare item that can undo Wo Mai’s work.
- Fighting the fiend in its true form. This may involve a physical, mental, or magical confrontation with a creature that has immense strength, speed, and intelligence.
- Resisting the fiend’s influence or manipulation. This may include avoiding or overcoming the fiend’s attempts to deceive, bribe, threaten, or control the characters.
- Dealing with the aftermath of the banishment. This may involve facing the wrath or gratitude of other forces that are interested in the fiend’s fate, such as other demons, devils, gods, or mortals.
However, banishing the fiend from the Acorn is not only a matter of courage and power, but also of choice and consequence. The fiend is a valuable and influential asset that can affect the balance of forces in the world. The characters may have to weigh some benefits and risks when they decide to banish the fiend, such as:
Gaining rewards or favors from those who want to see the fiend gone, such as other evil cults, religions, or organizations that see the fiend as a threat or a rival.
Losing opportunities or allies from those who want to see the fiend free, such as other evil cults, religions, or organizations that see the fiend as an ally or a leader. Creating enemies or problems from those who want to see the fiend stay in the Acorn, such as good forces that fear the fiend’s return or respect Wo Mai’s legacy. Solving mysteries or secrets from those who want to see the fiend revealed, such as curious scholars who study the fiend’s origin or nature.
RUNNING THE GOOD CAMPAIGN
This is a story that has already been told, many times. The challenge is to make the difference on how the story is told. While in an evil campaign the players may be aware of what they are going to face because that is their daily bread, in a good campaign it is possible the players are a bit more ignorant about the topic. Maybe they slowly get involved in the matter of the Acorn of Wo Mai. While in the evil campaign the players are looking for the Acorn to destroy the fiend, in a good campaign I’d use a different approach. The fiend is already free and is carefully planning his moves, but this time he learned his lesson. There won’t be another Wo Mai to cross his path. The characters get involved in strange events that, at least at the beginning of the campaign, don’t reveal who the mastermind is.
This is what I call a slow release campaign.
An approach that allows you to create good and intricate storylines, with a lot of flexibility, clues to follow and puzzles to solve. I warn you, building such type of campaign is not easy! It requires a lot of care in presenting coherent clues, and a good timing in releasing the right information at the right moment.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
The Fiend’s Influence or Corruption
The fiend’s escape from the Acorn of Wo Mai has unleashed a wave of evil and chaos in the world. The fiend’s influence or corruption manifests in various ways, such as:
- Altering the natural order and balance of the world. The fiend causes earthquakes, storms, droughts, plagues, or other disasters that affect the lives of people and animals. The fiend also twists and mutates the flora and fauna, creating monstrous and unnatural creatures that serve or worship it.
- Spreading fear and hatred among the people. The fiend uses its power and charisma to manipulate, deceive, or intimidate the people. The fiend creates cults, factions, or armies that follow its commands and do its bidding. The fiend also sows discord and violence among the people, inciting wars, rebellions, or crimes.
- Seeking ancient secrets and artifacts. The fiend is interested in acquiring more knowledge and power to further its goals. The fiend searches for hidden or forgotten places that contain arcane lore or magic items. The fiend also tries to steal or destroy any artifacts that could pose a threat to it, such as the Acorn of Wo Mai or other relics of Wo Mai.
The characters may encounter or investigate the fiend’s influence or corruption in various ways, such as:
- Witnessing or experiencing the effects of the fiend’s actions on the world. The characters may see or suffer from the disasters, mutations, or conflicts caused by the fiend. The characters may also meet or help people who are affected by the fiend’s influence or corruption.
- Following or finding clues that lead to the fiend’s location or plans. The characters may discover or receive information that reveals the fiend’s identity, motives, or activities. The characters may also find or track signs or traces of the fiend’s presence or minions.
- Opposing or confronting the fiend’s agents or allies. The characters may encounter or fight against the cultists, factions, or armies that serve or worship the fiend. The characters may also face or challenge the people who are manipulated, deceived, or intimidated by the fiend.
The Challenges or Dangers of Confronting the Fiend
Confronting the fiend from the Acorn of Wo Mai is a dangerous and risky endeavor that may have dire consequences for the characters and the world. The fiend is a formidable and cunning enemy that will not give up easily.
The characters may face some challenges and dangers when they confront the fiend, such as:
- Breaking through the fiend’s defenses and traps. The fiend protects itself with layers of magic and minions that can hinder or harm the characters. The fiend also sets up traps and ambushes that can surprise or capture the characters.
- Fighting the fiend in its true form. The fiend is a powerful and versatile combatant that can use physical, mental, or magical attacks against the characters. The fiend can also change its shape, size, or abilities to adapt to different situations.
- Resisting the fiend’s influence or manipulation. The fiend can use its power and charisma to deceive, bribe, threaten, or control the characters. The fiend can also exploit their weaknesses, fears, or desires to sway their decisions.
- Dealing with the aftermath of the confrontation. The confrontation may have lasting effects on the world, such as altering the natural order and balance, changing the political and social landscape, or revealing ancient secrets and artifacts. The confrontation may also have lasting effects on the characters, such as gaining rewards or favors, losing opportunities or allies, creating enemies or problems, or solving mysteries or secrets.
The characters may receive some rewards or consequences when they confront the fiend, depending on their actions and choices, such as:
- Defeating or destroying the fiend. This may result in restoring peace and harmony to the world, earning respect and gratitude from other forces that oppose the fiend, or acquiring more knowledge and power from the fiend’s secrets and artifacts.
- Joining or freeing the fiend. This may result in unleashing more evil and chaos in the world, earning wrath and hatred from other forces that oppose the fiend, or gaining more allies and resources from the fiend’s agents and allies.
- Bargaining or compromising with the fiend. This may result in creating a new balance of forces in the world, earning trust and cooperation from other forces that are interested in the fi compromise with it.
RUNNING THE NEUTRAL CAMPAIGN
In such kind of campaign, the characters stumble across the Acorn of Wo Mai by accident or maybe they were looking for something else. They didn’t see it coming, in other words. Long story short, they have the Acorn, they don’t know what it is and they have to deal with it. It is possible they discover what the Acorn is later and thus they are not going to open it. However, the fiend is capable of communicating with the owner with telepathy, actually telepathy is the main weapon of the trapped fiend. Keep always in mind that the Acorn, as almost all artifacts, does not radiate magic and detect evil doesn’t work. So we have a campaign where the fiend wants freedom, and the players won’t open the Acorn because they know it’s dangerous.
The keywords here are “earn their trust” and make “long term plans”.
This is the hardest type of campaign to run, the most elaborate because it requires a lot of experience, patience and tricks. The solution for the fiend is playing the long game. He will genuinely help the characters to accomplish their petty goals, care for their prosperity and see them succeed even beyond their expectations. Like a caring father who wishes the best for his children. The fiend must put the characters in a position where they don’t need each other. This means exerting pressure on their ambition, vanity and ego. Once the characters will have grown powerful enough, and their goals and dreams become incompatible, then it will be time for the fiend to ask for freedom by offering his aid. At this point it is possible that the characters will be fighting each other. As the Game Master you should lead the characters to become great generals, princes, kings, dukes or whatever…have the fiend feed such ambitions of power. However there can be only one king, one archwizard or one pope, and so on. Sooner or later, powers have to clash.
The fiend’s goal is to get free and at the same time take what the characters own, without doing the dirty job.
That is why this kind of campaign is very hard to run, because you have to earn the trust of the character against any odds, because you have to fool the characters into thinking that whatever stories they have heard about the fiend were false. Maybe he is not even a fiend, but the victim of an evil man called Wo Mai!
ADVENTURE HOOKS
The Fiend’s Communication or Help
The fiend communicates with the owner of the Acorn through telepathy, a form of mental contact that allows him to send and receive thoughts and emotions. The fiend can initiate or respond to the communication at any time, as long as the owner is within a certain range of the Acorn. The fiend can also choose to communicate with only one or more owners at a time, depending on his strategy and goals.
The fiend helps the owner of the Acorn by providing him with useful information, advice, or guidance. The fiend can use his vast knowledge and experience to assist the owner in various situations, such as solving problems, making decisions, or achieving goals. The fiend can also use his magic and influence to aid the owner in various ways, such as enhancing his abilities, creating opportunities, or removing obstacles.
The fiend’s communication or help is not always honest or benevolent, however. The fiend may lie, exaggerate, or omit some facts to manipulate the owner’s perception and behavior. The fiend may also have ulterior motives or hidden costs for his assistance, such as asking for favors, demanding loyalty, or extracting secrets.
Some examples of how the fiend communicates with or helps the owner of the Acorn are:
- The fiend warns the owner of an impending danger or threat that he has sensed or foreseen, and suggests a way to avoid or overcome it.
- The fiend compliments the owner on his achievements or qualities, and encourages him to pursue his ambitions or desires.
- The fiend reveals the location or nature of a valuable or powerful item or place that he knows or has visited, and offers to guide him there.
- The fiend teaches the owner a new skill or spell that he has learned or mastered, and asks him to practice it with him.
- The fiend confides in the owner about his past or present situation, and asks him to share his own feelings or opinions.
The fiend makes requests or offers to the owner of the Acorn in exchange for his communication or help. The fiend may ask for something that benefits him directly or indirectly, such as freedom, power, knowledge, or allies. The fiend may also offer something that appeals to the owner’s interests or needs, such as rewards, favors, protection, or friendship.
The fiend’s requests or offers are not always fair or harmless, however. The fiend may demand something that harms the owner or others, such as sacrifice, betrayal, corruption, or destruction. The fiend may also promise something that he cannot or will not deliver, such as lies, traps, curses, or betrayals.
Some examples of how the fiend makes requests or offers to the owner of the Acorn are:
- The fiend asks the owner to open the Acorn and release him from his prison, and promises to grant him any wish he desires.
- The fiend offers to join forces with the owner and help him conquer or rule a kingdom or a plane, and asks for a share of his spoils or authority.
- The fiend requests the owner to bring him a rare or forbidden book or artifact that he covets or needs, and offers to reward him with a secret or a treasure.
- The fiend proposes to teach the owner more skills or spells that he can use for his own purposes, and asks for a pledge of allegiance or service.
- The fiend invites the owner to visit him in his true form and realm, and offers to show him wonders and horrors that he has never seen before.
ABOUT THE ACORN
The Acorn is easy to open and relatively easy to destroy. However, the true problem is not the Acorn itself, it’s the fiend trapped inside.
The Book of Artifacts proposes three means of destruction:
- The seal must be broken with a +5 weapon upon the throne of the Imperial Emperor. Difficulty: high
- The inscribed characters on the golden bands must be erased. Difficulty: easy
- It must be cast into a volcano of Tartarus. Difficulty: average
Nothing stops you from creating other means of destruction that are coherent with your campaign setting. However, you may notice a small detail: each one of the means described above tells us how to destroy the Acorn, not the fiend, and once you destroy the Acorn, the fiend will be free to go. I assure you that once he’s free, the characters will be his first target. So, the only way to get rid of the fiend is to destroy his immortal soul, provided you find his essence or, as you can guess, release him in his home plane where he will remain trapped until summoned again by some fools. That’s why I explained in advance that a Prince of the Abyss or an Archduke of the Nine Hells will take action before your players release him. Don’t forget this detail!Hells will take action before your players release him. Don’t forget this detail!
ADVENTURE IDEAS
Obtaining or Using a +5 Weapon
A +5 weapon is a rare and powerful item that can overcome most forms of resistance or immunity. Obtaining or using a +5 weapon may require a lot of effort and resources from the characters, such as:
- Finding or crafting a +5 weapon. The characters may have to search for a legendary smith or a hidden forge that can create such a weapon, or find an existing one in a guarded or secret location. The characters may also have to gather or pay for the materials or components needed for the weapon, such as rare metals, gems, or magic items.
- Wielding or activating a +5 weapon. The characters may have to prove their worthiness or compatibility to wield or activate such a weapon, such as by passing a test, fulfilling a prophecy, or making a sacrifice. The characters may also have to deal with the side effects or drawbacks of using such a weapon, such as attracting attention, causing damage, or draining energy.
Some examples of how the characters can obtain or use a +5 weapon are:
- The characters learn from an ancient scroll that there is a +5 sword hidden in the tomb of Wo Mai, the hero who trapped the fiend in the Acorn. The characters have to find the tomb, which is located in a remote and dangerous mountain range, and overcome its traps and guardians to claim the sword.
- The characters meet a mysterious smith who offers to craft them a +5 weapon of their choice, if they can bring him three rare ingredients: the horn of a unicorn, the scale of a dragon, and the heart of a fiend. The characters have to track down and obtain these ingredients, which may involve fighting, bargaining, or stealing.
- The characters inherit a +5 dagger from their grandfather, who was a famous adventurer and explorer. The dagger has a special feature: it can only be activated by the blood of its owner. The characters have to cut themselves with the dagger every time they want to use its power, which may cause them pain or injury.
Erasing the Inscribed Characters
The inscribed characters on the golden bands are part of the seal that binds the fiend inside the Acorn. Erasing them may seem like an easy task, but it may involve some complications or risks for the characters, such as:
- Finding or deciphering the inscribed characters. The characters may have to examine the Acorn closely and carefully to find and identify the inscribed characters, which may be hidden, faded, or encrypted. The characters may also have to translate or interpret the meaning of the inscribed characters, which may be written in an ancient or obscure language.
- Erasing or removing the inscribed characters. The characters may have to use a specific method or tool to erase or remove the inscribed characters, such as magic, fire, acid, or sandpaper. The characters may also have to deal with the consequences or reactions of erasing or removing the inscribed characters, such as triggering an alarm, releasing a curse, or weakening the Acorn.
Some examples of how the characters can erase or remove the inscribed characters are:
- The characters notice that there are tiny symbols engraved on the golden bands of the Acorn, but they can’t read them. They consult an old sage who tells them that they are runes of binding that keep the fiend in check. He also tells them that they can erase them by rubbing them with a special cloth soaked in holy water.
- The characters see that there are faint markings on the golden bands of the Acorn, but they don’t know what they mean. They take them to a wizard who recognizes them as sigils of containment that prevent the fiend from escaping. He also warns them that they can only be removed by burning them with dragonfire.
- The characters discover that there are hidden letters on the golden bands of the Acorn but they are encrypted They use a magic device that decodes them as words of sealing that lock the fiend inside He also advises them that they can only be scraped off with adamantine.
Book of Artifacts on DrivethruRpg
