Category: diy rpg

Unions and their ‘Rituals’ have been a really interesting concept to me within the context of Into the Odd / Electric Bastionland ever since Chris McDowall wrote about them. They are a unique way to engage associatively in character development and advancement. The following are a few Unions for my own setting; an as-of-yet unnamed European (French/British) fantasy world with a nice dose of slightly-silly whimsy. I imagine that in action, around the table, time with a Union (especially that which ends in a Ritual) will play out similar to individual or pub vignettes.

Convincing a Union you are ‘down with their cause’ is the best way to become engaged with them, but most can also be swayed by the truth of 10 gold.

The Monastic Society of True Wealth

The League of Surf Wizards

Tubularize Water (d4-d20):
You pull water up and out of its body, creating a rolling wave. The height of the wave is [sum] feet, and the length is twice [sum], given a large enough body of water.

Neversink (d6):
The underside of a targeted object glows a light blue as you enchant it to be entirely unsinkable for [sum] hours. No matter the force or weight applied, the enchanted item cannot be fully submerged. If [sum] is six, you may make the effect permanent.

Tax Auditors’ Union

Chris McDowall loosely defines Unions as a means to spend money, and Patrons as a means to earn money.

This post describes a few patrons who might be interested in your treasures. Generally, a patron should be interesting to interact with and fairly unique. An adventurer should feel inclined to seek out the best patron for their wares, or be motivated before-hand to procure the particular goods a patron desires. These should be living characters with more opportunity for influence than a simple shopkeep with a list of items.

a sampling of the kingdom’s patrons

The Monastic Society of True Wealth

Ilgi Ozek, Ambassador of the Sultanate of the Southern Edge

King’s Court Association

Wizards

Roll your stats (assumes 3d6 for STR, DEX, and CHA), then choose a set you qualify for! (rules for magic here)

Spells

Muscle Transfer (d4):
Sap strength from a limb and donate it to another. Donation to an arm gives +[sum] on next attack utilizing that arm, donation to another limb gives +[sum] STR to next applicable save. Non-self sap targets loses +[sum] STR. Lasts for one use or 10 minutes, whichever is sooner.

Ethereal Sword (2d4): 
Summon an ethereal sword (d8) into your hands. It lasts for [sum/2] rounds, or minutes if out of combat. The sword can be dispersed on contact to deal extra damage equal to the number of rounds/minutes remaining.

Freezecloud (d8):
Requires water (or exceptional humidity). Disperse water into a cloud roughly 10ft3, then flash freeze the particles. Beings in the area are frozen for [sum] rounds/minutes, or half of that on a STR save.

Burnt Ends (d6):
Target is surrounded in flames that only barely singe for 2 damage, but the target remains lit for [sum] rounds/minutes. The flame burns through 1 armour every 2 rounds/minutes, and will burn held items of wood after 2 rounds/minute, metal after 3, tougher materials after 4. Melee attackers receive 1 damage for the duration. The flame can be put out.

Hasten Infection (d4-d8):
Fast-forward the infection process on an injury. Deal [sum/2] damage to target with an open wound. They cannot gain (or re-gain) STR/HP beyond their current numbers for [sum] hours.

Memory Erasure (d10):
Soft tendrils of smoke twist toward up to two targets, creating a link to their memories. You may wipe one shared memory from the targets' minds; the tendrils yank back violently and dissipate.

Hone (d4):
Instantly sharpen any metal edge for [sum] rounds/minutes. Hone'd weapons gain +1 damage for the duration, and other Hone'd objects deal base damage in relation to their weight and efficacy as a weapon.

Bestial Graft (d8):
You magically meld a severed portion of animal onto the target. This could be hooves, horns, wings, fangs, et cetera. The graft target also takes [sum] damage during the casting, and the spell takes ten minutes to perform. The magical graft adheres for an hour.

Wild Attunement (1):
You attune your mind to the wild magics around you, capturing a new spell in as little as a single minute (or one round). This spell must be held in a focus, and you cannot attempt to retain control of it after casting (although a CHA save will still save your focus).

Magic

Magic is wild, flippant, and mildly sentient. Spells whirl through the universe, making it difficult to pin any particular one down. Once you have, however, a bond begins to form between the wizard and their spells. Casting a spell requires an immense amount of mental fortitude, as spells don’t generally love being cast. Spells like living in a mind; they don’t like being forcefully expelled.

Capturing

Any wizard may spend an hour sifting through the arcane energies of an area, searching for a spell. If they succeed a CHA save, they successfully capture a new (random) spell. A wizard may only hold a single spell in their mind at a time, but may spend an additional hour transferring a spell into a magical focus (staff, gem, holy symbol, etc.). A powerful wizard is rarely without his arsenal of foci; often, a wizard’s strength is judged by the size of his foci collection.

Casting

Casting a spell isn’t too complicated. First, the wizard declares their spell and rolls the associated dice. Then, the wizard takes damage first to their HP, then to their CHA, equal to the ‘[sum]’ of the roll. If a wizard’s CHA is reduced through the casting of a spell, there is a chance that the spell will flee their control. The wizard must make a CHA save; on a success, the spell is kept under control. On a failure, the spell attempts to break free. If the spell is held in a focus, the wizard may choose to have the spell destroy the focus. The wizard may then hold the spell in their mind, as long as it is free of any other spells. If a spell flees from a wizard’s mind, they once again take damage equal to that spell’s dice.

Spell Samples

Muscle Transfer (d4): 
Sap strength from a limb and donate it to another. Removes [sum] STR from drain target, and grants that same STR to the chosen limb; the bonus STR is only applied to applicable saves/checks. An attack performed with the enstrengthened limb deals +[sum] damage. Lasts for one use or 10 minutes, whichever is sooner.

Ethereal Sword (2d4): 
Summon a d8 ethereal, bladed sword into your hands. It lasts for [sum/2] rounds, or minutes if out of combat. The sword can be dispersed on contact to deal extra damage equal to the number of rounds/minutes remaining.

Outlaws

Roll your stats (assumes 3d6 for STR, DEX, and CHA), then roll for your criminal record.

Grudges

Criminal Record

Squire

You’ve been a knight-in-training for long enough! Is it time to strike out for your own fame and fortune? Maybe you’ve finally learned enough from your Knight to hunt down those who wronged you in the past. Whatever your reason to adventure, consult the table below to see what sort of Knight you’ve been training under (assumes 3d6 for STR, DEX, and CHA).