Jason Cordova, do you have a document containing all the shrines you have used in your games? I have a need for a handful and potentially more shrines and I would love to steal all your hard work for me game. =)
Jason Cordova, do you have a document containing all the shrines you have used in your games?
Jason Cordova, do you have a document containing all the shrines you have used in your games?
Unfortunately not in one place. I have, however, covered a lot of bases in terms of themes. If you tell me a few types of shrines that would be appropriate in your game, I’ll find something and paste them here.
Unfortunately not in one place. I have, however, covered a lot of bases in terms of themes. If you tell me a few types of shrines that would be appropriate in your game, I’ll find something and paste them here.
It’s for a city full of ancient and often inexplicable monuments. Old forgotten gods, rare aspects of nature or the divine, things celebrating great feats by saints or heroes.
They could really run the gamut. The big thing is there should be no obvious danger (No fountains that just outright kill people that drink from them) to the public as a large city has grown up about these features.
I’d really appreciate anything you would be willing to post. Note that a book of shrines sounds like a great project! I’d buy it.
It’s for a city full of ancient and often inexplicable monuments. Old forgotten gods, rare aspects of nature or the divine, things celebrating great feats by saints or heroes.
They could really run the gamut. The big thing is there should be no obvious danger (No fountains that just outright kill people that drink from them) to the public as a large city has grown up about these features.
I’d really appreciate anything you would be willing to post. Note that a book of shrines sounds like a great project! I’d buy it.
Crowdsource on the Gauntlet Google+. Bet you get 12+.
Crowdsource on the Gauntlet Google+. Bet you get 12+.
Jeremy Christian Sounds good. I’ll dig through my notes and see what I can find.
Jeremy Christian Sounds good. I’ll dig through my notes and see what I can find.
This sounds intriguing. What’s a shrine exactly?
This sounds intriguing. What’s a shrine exactly?
Rich Glover On an old episode of Discern Realities, I talked about how I populate my world with shrines that have custom moves attached to them.
Rich Glover On an old episode of Discern Realities, I talked about how I populate my world with shrines that have custom moves attached to them.
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Here are a few things that might work. Most of these can be easily re-skinned for your campaign. These are pretty old notes; where it says “X finds you wanting,” I usually now rewrite that to take GM Hold I can spend to cause the god’s wrath at a later time.
Shrine of Dugmaren Brightmantle
The door to the shrine depicts the dwarven god of discovery and invention, Dugmaren Brightmantle, holding a glowing gear in his hand. The door is safe and unlocked.
Inside the shrine are a few prayer plinths arranged in a semi-circle before an altar, atop which is a Holy Machine of the Brightmantle, a tall, complex mass of gears, cogs, pulleys and levers. A single, bright brass lever is in the place of importance, at the top of the altar steps, just in front of the Holy Machine.
_Custom move _
If you say a prayer to the Brightmantle and then pull the lever, roll +CHA. On a 10+, the Brightmantle grants you a major boon. On a 7-9, he grants you a minor boon. On a miss, Dugmaren finds you wanting, and your equipment may fail you at an innopprtune time.
Shrine to the Deep Watcher
This is a shrine comprised of a massive kraken statue, with the two feeder tentacles stretching out and creating two pools of water in them (see custom move below).
Custom Move
When you submerge yourself in the pool of water, giving yourself to the Deep Watcher, +CHA. *On a 10+, the Deep Watcher grants you a boon: take +1 ongoing to Last Breath when you are on the open ocean. *On a 7-9, the Deep Watcher grants you a boon: as above, except +1 forward. *On a miss, the Deep Watcher finds you wanting. *
Shrine to Essilix the Lord of Shadow
The shrine contains a statue of Essilix (cloaked man with a blackened face).
Custom Move
If you pray to Essilix, roll +CHA. *On a 10+, he will grant you a shadow boon for the remainder of the session. *On a 7-9, you will get your shadow boon, but only for a short time. *On a Miss, Essilix finds you wanting. *
Shrine to the Frost Giant God, Sturmassamurvass
Dominated by a massive, three-headed frost giant statue – a depiction of Sturmassamurvass, the three-gendered frost giant god. The shrine is attended by a frost giant shaman, Sturman. Stat as frost giant, but with more magic. If the statue is searched, a secret compartment hides 1D6 crystals.
Shards of Summoning Ice Elementals
When you smash a shard on the ground, roll +CHA. *On a 10+, an ice elemental is summoned and will fight alongside you for the remainder of the scene. *On a 7-9, the ice elemental only fights for a few moments before returning to the ice plane. *On a miss, the ice elemental ruthlessly attacks whoever summoned it. *
The Shrine to St. Bonciuggo, the Laughing Fatty
Two questions
You’ve heard of something valuable hidden here. What is it?
You’ve heard of something dangerous in the woods around this shrine. What is it?
The shrine is a simple stone structure, overgrown and covered in little pink flowers, nestled in a woods.
The door to the shrine is simple wooden door; locked.
Two simple wooden benches and a pair of prayer plinths, facing a statue of St. Bonciuggo, who is a boisterous fat man in a funny hat, laughing and rolling on the ground.
Secret: one of the prayer plinths is hollow and contains a key which will open the mill, in addition to a sack of gemstones worth 1D6 x1000 silver.
Secret: see answer to question above; possibly hidden in the mouth of the Laughing Fatty.
Naga Shrine
This chamber is a shrine dedicated to the ancient naga sorceress, Lursiss. The statue of Lursiss has her real stinger (see below). Inside the prayer plinth is the Blood of Lursiss (see below).
Blood of Lursiss
Often found in an ornate black and red urn, the Blood of Lursiss is among the most powerful arcane substances, and wizards will pay a fabulous sum for even a small cupful. Magical scrolls written with the blood are more powerful than those written with common ink. Potions brewed with the blood are ten times more potent. The Blood of Lursiss never coagulates so long as it is stored in one of the black and red urns, which are themselves magical in nature.
Stinger of Lursiss
The naga Lursiss was among the most powerful magic users of the ancient world. It is said she infused the entirety of her snake-like body with powerful incantations. Centuries after her death (and a century of lich-like undeath), wizards and necromancers still scour the globe for her various parts, each of which is a powerful magic item.
The Stinger of Lursiss is the size of a short sword and black as pitch. A close inspection will reveal hundreds of tiny runes etched onto its surface. The stinger can be used as a powerful component in rituals, or can be grafted to a weapon, making it magical. The stinger is particularly dangerous to dragons. If a dragon’s hide is pierced by the stinger, it will be killed instantly.
Shrine to Malgoliant, Queen of Spiders
A large spider statue. Very dusty, little used.
Custom Move
If you pray to Malgoliant, roll +CHA. On a 10+, she will grant you a spider boon for the remainder of the session. On a 7-9, as above, but for a short period of time. On a miss, Malgoliant finds you wanting.
Shrine to Artemis
This is a beautiful, moonlit statue of the goddess Artemis, in the pose of shooting an arrow. There is a pool of silvery water nearby. Secrets: the arrow in her hand is an Arrow of Artemis (see below); the water from the pool restores all HP and clears all debilities when drunk.
Arrow of Artemis
This silver arrow glows faintly in moonlight. The arrow is infallible – it will always strike its target. If used in moonlight, it can be retrieved and shot again. If used out of moonlight, roll DoF for possible re-use.
Spire of Eidoloss
Near the altar is a massive crystal spire, roughly 20 feet high. This is a Crystal Shard of Eidoloss, believed to be placed there by the goddess herself to identify an area of great arcane energy. This is a place of power.
Crystal Shard of Eidoloss
It is a place of power. Additionally, any magic performed near the shard will be greatly enhanced, so long as a sacrifice is made to Eidoloss in the casting.
The Cornucopia of Heléthe
When you say a prayer to Heléthe before the cornucopia shrine, roll +CHA. On a hit, the cornucopia spills forth food equal to 2D4 rations. It must be consumed immediately. On a 10+, anyone who eats from the Cornucopia may also heal 10 HP or remove 1 debility. On a miss, Heléthe finds you wanting.
Here are a few things that might work. Most of these can be easily re-skinned for your campaign. These are pretty old notes; where it says “X finds you wanting,” I usually now rewrite that to take GM Hold I can spend to cause the god’s wrath at a later time.
Shrine of Dugmaren Brightmantle
The door to the shrine depicts the dwarven god of discovery and invention, Dugmaren Brightmantle, holding a glowing gear in his hand. The door is safe and unlocked.
Inside the shrine are a few prayer plinths arranged in a semi-circle before an altar, atop which is a Holy Machine of the Brightmantle, a tall, complex mass of gears, cogs, pulleys and levers. A single, bright brass lever is in the place of importance, at the top of the altar steps, just in front of the Holy Machine.
_Custom move _
If you say a prayer to the Brightmantle and then pull the lever, roll +CHA. On a 10+, the Brightmantle grants you a major boon. On a 7-9, he grants you a minor boon. On a miss, Dugmaren finds you wanting, and your equipment may fail you at an innopprtune time.
Shrine to the Deep Watcher
This is a shrine comprised of a massive kraken statue, with the two feeder tentacles stretching out and creating two pools of water in them (see custom move below).
Custom Move
When you submerge yourself in the pool of water, giving yourself to the Deep Watcher, +CHA. *On a 10+, the Deep Watcher grants you a boon: take +1 ongoing to Last Breath when you are on the open ocean. *On a 7-9, the Deep Watcher grants you a boon: as above, except +1 forward. *On a miss, the Deep Watcher finds you wanting. *
Shrine to Essilix the Lord of Shadow
The shrine contains a statue of Essilix (cloaked man with a blackened face).
Custom Move
If you pray to Essilix, roll +CHA. *On a 10+, he will grant you a shadow boon for the remainder of the session. *On a 7-9, you will get your shadow boon, but only for a short time. *On a Miss, Essilix finds you wanting. *
Shrine to the Frost Giant God, Sturmassamurvass
Dominated by a massive, three-headed frost giant statue – a depiction of Sturmassamurvass, the three-gendered frost giant god. The shrine is attended by a frost giant shaman, Sturman. Stat as frost giant, but with more magic. If the statue is searched, a secret compartment hides 1D6 crystals.
Shards of Summoning Ice Elementals
When you smash a shard on the ground, roll +CHA. *On a 10+, an ice elemental is summoned and will fight alongside you for the remainder of the scene. *On a 7-9, the ice elemental only fights for a few moments before returning to the ice plane. *On a miss, the ice elemental ruthlessly attacks whoever summoned it. *
The Shrine to St. Bonciuggo, the Laughing Fatty
Two questions
You’ve heard of something valuable hidden here. What is it?
You’ve heard of something dangerous in the woods around this shrine. What is it?
The shrine is a simple stone structure, overgrown and covered in little pink flowers, nestled in a woods.
The door to the shrine is simple wooden door; locked.
Two simple wooden benches and a pair of prayer plinths, facing a statue of St. Bonciuggo, who is a boisterous fat man in a funny hat, laughing and rolling on the ground.
Secret: one of the prayer plinths is hollow and contains a key which will open the mill, in addition to a sack of gemstones worth 1D6 x1000 silver.
Secret: see answer to question above; possibly hidden in the mouth of the Laughing Fatty.
Naga Shrine
This chamber is a shrine dedicated to the ancient naga sorceress, Lursiss. The statue of Lursiss has her real stinger (see below). Inside the prayer plinth is the Blood of Lursiss (see below).
Blood of Lursiss
Often found in an ornate black and red urn, the Blood of Lursiss is among the most powerful arcane substances, and wizards will pay a fabulous sum for even a small cupful. Magical scrolls written with the blood are more powerful than those written with common ink. Potions brewed with the blood are ten times more potent. The Blood of Lursiss never coagulates so long as it is stored in one of the black and red urns, which are themselves magical in nature.
Stinger of Lursiss
The naga Lursiss was among the most powerful magic users of the ancient world. It is said she infused the entirety of her snake-like body with powerful incantations. Centuries after her death (and a century of lich-like undeath), wizards and necromancers still scour the globe for her various parts, each of which is a powerful magic item.
The Stinger of Lursiss is the size of a short sword and black as pitch. A close inspection will reveal hundreds of tiny runes etched onto its surface. The stinger can be used as a powerful component in rituals, or can be grafted to a weapon, making it magical. The stinger is particularly dangerous to dragons. If a dragon’s hide is pierced by the stinger, it will be killed instantly.
Shrine to Malgoliant, Queen of Spiders
A large spider statue. Very dusty, little used.
Custom Move
If you pray to Malgoliant, roll +CHA. On a 10+, she will grant you a spider boon for the remainder of the session. On a 7-9, as above, but for a short period of time. On a miss, Malgoliant finds you wanting.
Shrine to Artemis
This is a beautiful, moonlit statue of the goddess Artemis, in the pose of shooting an arrow. There is a pool of silvery water nearby. Secrets: the arrow in her hand is an Arrow of Artemis (see below); the water from the pool restores all HP and clears all debilities when drunk.
Arrow of Artemis
This silver arrow glows faintly in moonlight. The arrow is infallible – it will always strike its target. If used in moonlight, it can be retrieved and shot again. If used out of moonlight, roll DoF for possible re-use.
Spire of Eidoloss
Near the altar is a massive crystal spire, roughly 20 feet high. This is a Crystal Shard of Eidoloss, believed to be placed there by the goddess herself to identify an area of great arcane energy. This is a place of power.
Crystal Shard of Eidoloss
It is a place of power. Additionally, any magic performed near the shard will be greatly enhanced, so long as a sacrifice is made to Eidoloss in the casting.
The Cornucopia of Heléthe
When you say a prayer to Heléthe before the cornucopia shrine, roll +CHA. On a hit, the cornucopia spills forth food equal to 2D4 rations. It must be consumed immediately. On a 10+, anyone who eats from the Cornucopia may also heal 10 HP or remove 1 debility. On a miss, Heléthe finds you wanting.