10 Magic Items for OSR Fantasy Adventure Games

01 Aug, 2023

Roughly system neutral. Should work with many OSR and adjacent games perfectly fine. The particulars of the items will change in play no matter what, just the nature of the medium.

Includes some weapons, armor, instruments, and other wacky objects.

1. Gnome Rope This hempen rope can change its thickness from thin twine to wrist-thick cordage or anywhere in between in seconds. Needs someone to twist it (like wringing a towel) to do so.

2. Ripper Trident Steel trident with knife-like tines. When the middle tine strikes true, the outer tines spin and shred. Damage dice explode (when your roll maximum, roll again and add to total).

3. The Ocarina of Slime This emerald green instrument produces a bubble of thick snot when blown into, producing no noise. When the bubble pops, it lets out whatever notes were played all at once.

4. Troll Armor Chain hauberk with a breastplate in the form of a monstrously ugly mug. Normally functions chainmail that grants the wearer the strength of a troll¹. In sunlight, it turns into troll-stone and functions as plate that allows wearer no movement (perhaps inching along is possible).

5. Mummified Sea Serpent This gray-brown, gangly, spiny worm becomes a large and vicious monster² when soaked in water for about 10 minutes. If you want to reuse it, you'll need to mummify it again.

6. Phantom Gauntlets These long white gloves turn the wearer invisible when clapped together. This invisibility is dispelled when the wearer's hands touch anything besides themselves or the gloves.

7. Goblins' Spite Pipe When goblins hear the sweet music of this flute, they are forced to make a morale check or flee.

8. Assassin's Harp This large, standing harp can be used to fire arrows as a longbow. Playing sweet notes as you fire the arrow ensures a painless shot; sour notes poison it.

9. Haunted Helmet +1 to hit. Wearer can see and attack ghosts. Acts funny when left on its own.

10. Sword Not Known To Cause Any Meteorological Phenomena A black two-handed sword with a bloodshot human eye in the crossguard. It is sentient and wants to kill. It is not afraid to be demanding.

In combat, it gives the player an escalation die a la 13th age. The value is added to attack rolls and damage. At +6, the sword will possess its wielder's body, but not the mind or voice. To regain themselves, the affected party must succeed at a save (1/round) to have the spirit exorcised back into the weapon.

Sometime this week (maybe on the weekend) I'll post a followup to my last post. I intend to expand upon the idea and make something more practical for use in a game. The focus will be moreso on lore and roleplay, but I definitely want to keep it grounded in the games that inspire it.