Category: The Gauntlet: How to Suck Less

Endless uses for a ring of keys

I like to pick up everything the DM give me even when it’s a crate of useless junk.  A large part of the fun i get from RPGs is figuring out how to solve problems in unexpected ways.  As an example one of my characters recently pocketed a set of keys and i was asked why.  Without much thought i adopted a hurt tone and said that there was a thousand possible uses for it.  

I am imagining the large iron ring you see on the belt of the dungeon jailer in a fantasy movie.  there is probably a couple dozen crude iron keys on it and it makes a good jingle as he walks.  Most any fantasy castle should have at least one giant ring of keys laying around somewhere.  as an adventurer this may seem like a hunk of junk or useless room detail but things like this should be your jam.  here are some obvious and less obvious uses for a ring of keys. Hopefully this will also inspire you to pick up other seemingly useless junk.

1. Opening and locking doors: of course this is the obvious first use and could even justify multiple uses for each key.  Maybe there are more keys than doors in this dungeon, what do the others unlock?  does each key only unlock one door or a set of doors?   (that’s between one and Infinity uses already)

2. Maybe taking this ring of keys prevent other people from locking or unlocking doors in the future? (that’s at least two uses per key)

3. Sell it:  at worst it’s a hunk of iron, at best some local thieves will be very interested in it.

4. blackmail:  It won’t look good for the jailer if the local thieves get a hold of the keys he was entrusted with.

5. weapon: a bundle of car keys makes a decent weapon in a tight spot, imagine what a few pounds of iron keys could do to some goblin’s face.  they could also be used as a tossed or launched weapon.  bonus xp for anyone who beats a mimic to death with an iron key ring

6. distraction:  of course they make noise and are hefty enough to be thrown.  they could also be used to attract attention as part of a trap.

7. disguise:  a big enough ring of keys is sort of a badge of office.  that guy must belong here, otherwise why does he have the keys to the place.

8. material properties:  some keys are made with silver or possibly other materials.  I’ve heard Fey creatures don’t like iron.

9. choking hazard:  it’s about the right size and shape to be a serious choking hazard for a large but not gigantic monster.  also hazardous to any clockwork automatons.

10: individual keys:  use them as trail markers, sell them as lucky charms or leave them as your signature calling card at the scene of the crime. (see #4)

11: bluff: convince someone that they are more important than they actually are.  it’s not like the palace labels one ring “treasury” and the other “cleaning supplies”

12: magical properties?:  these keys have been present to years of human suffering.  many people have probably spent their last moments wishing they had these.  that has got to have value to someone who practices the darker arts.  maybe as a ritual component?  certainly any spell that concerns that castle from a distance could use them to make a connection.

13: enchant them:  who doesn’t want magical keys

14. its heavy:  sometimes you just need ballast, break a window or replace something sitting on a pressure plate..

15: its conductive: maybe this should go into material properties but i can’t think of a better way to mess up a chain lightning attack.

16: Rust Monster snack:  rust monster terrify role players, won’t you look smart when you lead them away with a trail of delicious snacks.  maybe you can get them to perform tricks like roll over and play dead.

17: cool signature arrowheads: magical or otherwise

that’s a bunch off the top of my head.  can you think of more?  Or give a good example of using something you thought was junk in an interesting way (or regret not picking up that junk when you had the chance).

So you found a ring of invisibility and 111 years later your still alive and healthy? …maybe your wizard friend should take another look at it.  

Something interesting:  This ring was stolen from Gollum and he will hunt for it for the rest of his life.

Something useful:  You vanish from sight when you put on the ring.

…

Something interesting: elven letters appear along the inside of the band when the ring is heated in fire.

something useful: the ring preserves and extends your life

…

something interesting: This is the one ring and the key to Sauron’s plot to take over middle earth

something useful: the ring can only be destroyed in the fires of mount doom

…

It’s kind of funny to realize that most magic items get one spout lore roll and the players (including me) assume they know everything important.  If it is a weapon or potion a desperate player might use it without knowing its effects.  If he/she is lucky they find that they have a flaming sword and will probably never bother to show it to the wizard or investigate its past/purpose/importance.

This thing was probably made by an ancient elven wizards thousands of years ago.  why was it made? What was it called? How was it used? how did it get here? What is it meant to do? what could it be made to do?  what does using it cost you? Is it in any way dangerous? Is the creator still alive?  who owns it? who would want it? Who would recognize it?

As a DM you don’t have to have all of these answers written down before you drop the item into the world.  But these are all valid questions and they should be asked.  The players can also generate their own answers.  Maybe they recognize the inscription or have heard legends about this item.  Maybe they just rationalize a connection you had not planned on.  “I found this sword in the tomb of the vampire king.  is there any chance that those ghouls recognize it or that it exerts some influence over them?” 

The +1 sword came out of a vending machine and sparkles.  The Bone Glave is fashioned from the spines and bones of ancient kings and learning about it might generate its own adventure.