The Ringbinder's Lair

Magic Rings for your fantasy RPG


Contents

The Ring of Banner

The Ring of Change

Ring of Breath Protection

Ring of  the Lycanthrope

Ring of Spell Absorbtion

Ring(s) of Disappearing

Ring of Aquarius


The Ring of Banner

by Rick Underwood

This ring can be taken on and off easily until the first display of its powers. From that time on in can only be removed by a remove curse spell. In a period of stress, eg combat, there is a 100% base chance the ring wearer will undergo a transformation. If the wearer actively resists the transformation, (and can do nothing else that round) this base chance is reduced by 1% per point of intelligence, and 2% per point of wisdom. However the first transformation is automatic, the ring wearer will not know what is happening, therefore there is no chance to resist.

If/when a transformation takes place, the following occurs (in order):

  1. The wearer's iris' turn green.
  2. His/her voice becomes deeper and louder.
  3. His/her intelligence is reduced to 5, and wisdom is reduced to 9 (unless lower already).
  4. His/her skin turns green and becomes very tough (armour class 0), and hair turns greeny-black.
  5. The wearer's size increases to 10«' tall, and becomes very broad, bursting out of any armour, jewellery (even magic), and restrictive clothing, destroying them in the process. The ring, however, increases in size with the wearer.
  6. The wearer gains storm giant strength (24), and attacks are made with two fists for 1d4+14 points of damage. The wearer attacks as the class and level as normal, but with a +7 to hit for strength.

The character is then handed over to the DM's control.

The transformee will attack the source of his/her anger/fear as well as any other direct threat perceived by his/her dim intelligence. After the threats have been destroyed or have fled, the transformee will flee the area, trying to find a quiet place to be alone.

The alignment of the transformed character is the same, so a Lawful Good character will not slay wantonly, and a chaotic evil will not rescue anyone in distress.

The transformee is easily frightened and angered, and will not enjoy the closed walls of a dungeon.

Only after the transformee has stayed calm for 1-4 turns will the transformation reverse.


The Ring of Change

by Col Cattell

Ring Characteristics:

Magical Properties:

  1. Acts as a ring of protection +3.
  2. The primary function of the ring is to change the wearer's form to that of an elf over a period of 12 months, either to elf or drow, depending on die rolls. 01-50 = drow 51-00 = elf (DM's choice of subrace). The die rolls are made once every month (game time). The players alignment may change to chaotic good with no penalties unless the player knowingly goes against his/her new alignment, if there is any change at all (ie - there are some good drow in the world).
  3. All benefits/restrictions of the race are gained by the wearer.
  4. The change is permanent, even with the removal of the ring. Once the magic is set in place it can only be reversed by a wish during the initial changes (first three months).
  5. The ring's magic affects humans, demi-humans and humanoids alike. (The DM could possibly make up a time scale for changes depending on how close the wearer's race is to elven. For example a half elf would not take as long to change to elf as would a dwarf.)
  6. To make each ring unique the personality of the ring is left to the DM. Description: This ring is made from 22 carat rose gold and has the symbol of the ancient and legendary elven forest city of Elvandar magically engraved on the outside. On the inside of the ring is an inscription in an ancient elven language. The inscription is believed to be the elvish word for Elvandar.

History: Made over 15,000 years ago this ring was primarily designed to change the half-elven son of a elven mage into a full blooded elf. The mage could not tolerate his son's "tainted" blood, after his human wife left him. He gave the ring to his son who worked as a messenger, claiming it was a ring of protection and elven languages, which are actually secondary functions. The magic empowered on this ring is very powerful and there are no limits as to how many times it can be used. It has an unfortunate side effect which not even the ring's creator knew about - that there is a 50% chance the wearer will change to a drow instead of an elf. If the wearer changes to an elf, it will always be a "grey" elf (or gold elf in the FR). The ring was lost for approximately 2,000 years after the son changed from half-elf to drow. Even though the father knew it was his son, he could do nothing to help him, and the son was banished from the elven community.

Col's gamers profile is here.


Ring of Breath Protection

by Col Cattell

Description: This ring is made from an unknown alloy mingled with the blood of the 28 known dragon types from which the ring offers protection. The outside of the ring has minute and intricate engravings of 28 different dragons. It takes some kind of magic (or scientific instrument) to actually see the engraved details.

Magical Properties:

Ring gives +6 on saving throw vs dragons breath (and as a DM's option, may give partial or full protection against dragon crossbreeds).

An unintentional side effect (and possibly unknown by many sages) is that the wearer polymorphs into a random type of dragon at least once per lunar month. The dragon form has neither special dragon abilities (such as fear aura) nor breath weapon, but does have the power of flight. The wearer automatically keeps his/her own mind and personality. There is no saving throw against the change, which happens randomly (DM could assign a 5 or 10% chance per day of the change occurring). The first time the change occurs, the character possibly will not know what is happening, and may not take precautions (such as removing armour) before it is too late. The possessions of the character will not merge with the new body, and clothes/armour and rings will be ruined if worn through a change. The Ring of Breath Protection itself grows with the wearers new dragon form. A successful wisdom or intelligence check (whichever is higher) means the character realises he/she is growing, and will take appropriate action. The change takes approximately 30 minutes, so when the wearer changes sometime during the next month, he/she will recognise the feeling and be able to act appropriately. The character remains in dragon form for 2d12 hours. Only a wish or limited wish can halt the change, and due to the complex nature of the magic involved, there is a 50% chance the wish or limited wish will fail, and a 10% chance the spell will unravel the magic of the ring, which will then lose all its properties. All beings which can wear the ring are affected.

History: The first ring of this type was created by an elven mage over 2800 years ago, after she encountered a red dragon polymorphed into elven form. The dragon, for reasons which are unclear, provided the mage with instructions on how the ring should be made, including a list of the materials, components and spells required.

The mage made six of these rings and gave them to associates and friends before she found out about the polymorphing side effect. Again it is unclear if the side effect was designed into the ring by the red dragon, or whether there was a flaw in the making. The elven mage destroyed all writings regarding the creation of the rings, and all the information which remains has come from the writings of the elven mage's apprentices, penned hundreds of years after the event. Two of the rings were recovered by the mage, but the others had already been taken far away by the her far travelling associates. The two rings that were recovered were kept by the mage, but disappeared on her death 2000 years ago.

The rings have appeared throughout the years, and not always on elven fingers. Three rings are currently held by the elves, one ring is in the possession of the powerful mage Siggrin the Black, and two are unaccounted for.

Dragons Engraved on the Ring: Black, Brass, Amethyst, Cloud, Blue, Bronze, Crystal, Deep, Brown, Copper, Emerald, Faerie, Green, Gold, Sapphire, Firedrake, Red, Silver, Topaz, Mercury, White, Steel, Mist, Yellow, Psuedodragon, Grey, Shadow, Dragon turtle

Col's gamers profile is here


Ring of Lycanthrope

by Rick Underwood

This cursed ring will magically imbue the wearer with the disease of lycanthropy. The type of lycanthropy will be randomly determined (or chosen by the DM), and the ring once worn, can only be removed by the same means by which lycanthropy is cured.

At the DM's option this ring will have one of the abilities of a ring of shooting stars.

A specialty priest of a moon deity (such as Selune as per Forgotten Realms Adventures book) may control the magical disease.


Ring of Spell Absorbtion (Cursed)

by Adrian Smith

This one's for the DM who suddenly finds himself with either a very strong party, a very strong mage in the party or even a very greedy mage. The ring gives off a faint dweomer when detect magic is cast and for all intents and purposes act like one of the following rings.

Roll on d100
1-25 Ring of Protection +2
26-39 Ring of Fire Resistance
40-63 Ring of Warmth
64-76 Ring of Strength
77-89 Ring of Faerie
90-95 Ring of Shocking Grasp
96-99 Ring of Flying
00 Ring of Elemental Control (DM's choice)

However whenever the mage enters into combat, the true nature of the ring comes into affect, whenever the mage casts a spell or uses any spellcasting instrument (eg scroll or rod/stave/wand), the power of the spell is absorbed by the ring, each spell gives a charge per spell level. When the ring reaches a hundred points, it explodes, either destroying the mage's hand or severely damaging it.

XP Value: = XP value of item the cursed ring appears as.

Adrian's gamers profile is here


Ring(s) of Disappearing

by Rick Underwood

These golden rings vary in size from six inches to two feet in diameter, with runes engraved on one side.

Once something passes through it from one side only, it completely disappears. Whether it is annihilated or teleported is not certain (and up to the DM to determine), but the effect is definitely only one way. Anyone putting an arm or hand into the centre of the ring will be left with a spurting stump when he/she pulls it back out.

The rings originate from the ancient realm of Netheril, and have been found in dungeons and ruins of the North. It has been hypothesised that they were a means of garbage disposal, a method of eliminating dangerous residue from experiments, as well as for incorporation into traps.

Each ring has a safety feature, there is a small gap between the ring itself and its effects. In this way the ring can be grasped from either side without a loss of fingers. The dangerous side of the ring is usually the side engraved with runes.

Objects passing through the ring from the other side are not affected.


Ring of Aquarius

by Craig Stanley

The Ring of Aquarius appears as a plain brass ring covered in verdigris and slightly corroded as if exposed to salt water.

The ring enables the wearer to act and breath freely underwater in both salt and fresh water. However the ring acts as a great weight when worn so that the wearer may only walk on the bottom (Mv 9), he may not swim. Thus when the wearer wishes to surface he must remove the ring thereby losing his ability to "breath" and act freely, also risking the bends as he rises to the surface. If the ring is donned whilst above water the wearer may only move at Mv 3 and will begin to suffocate (like a fish out of water) dying in the number of rounds equal to half his constitution.

Each time the ring is put on there is a base 5% chance that it cannot be removed, cursing the wearer to suffocation or forever wandering the sea/river bed. Nothing short of a wish will remove the ring if this occurs.

The ring is thought to be of Sahuagin manufacture.