Sunday, August 2, 2009

So, I just reach in the jar, pull out a tile, and I win a prize? Well, ok.

The Lottery Jug of Zagig!

Also known as Zagig's jar, The Lottery Urn, and "that mad bastard's cookie jar", The Lottery Jug is a simple stoneware jar with a conical lid topped by a ball shaped knob.
The Jug appears to be of about two gallon size, and is glazed in an unremarkable off-white.
Within the Jug are a variable number of lozenge shaped tiles of ivory, ebony, and lapis lazuli. To use the Lottery Urn, it must be shaken, with the lid on, and then, he who wishes to play the lottery, must reach inside and draw forth a tile. In most cases, the fortune inscribed on the tile comes to pass as soon as it is read.
Though it is possible to lift the lid and look within the jug, it is not possible to deliberately choose a tile. As soon as a player's hand enters the jug, darkness will obscure the tiles. If the jug is overturned and the tiles dumped out, they will be blank and non-magical until replaced in the urn.
The fortunes inscribed on the tiles may be benign,(ivory tile), malevolent,(ebony tile), or strange and wondrous,(lapis lazuli tiles).

Each time a tile is drawn, there is a 10% cumulative chance that the Lottery Urn will vanish.

1. All coinage on the tile drawer's person vanishes.

2. All coinage on the tile drawer's person doubles in value.

3. All coinage on the tile drawer's person becomes harmless iridescent beetles which escape their containment and scuttle about randomly. Any that are killed, or escape before ten rounds have passed, do not revert to coins.

4. The lottery player trips and breaks his nose. 2 pts damage.

5. The player gains 1 pt of dexterity.

6. The next attack against the tile drawer will miss, but only because the drawer stumbles and falls in avoiding it. 1d4 points damage upon the occasion.

7. The tile drawer instantly contracts the Mumps.

8. Any physical deficiency the drawer suffers from, near-sightedness, acne, a hump, etc.., is instantly corrected.

9. From this point on, the tile drawers farts smell like wild flowers.

10. One magic item in the drawer's possession becomes cursed. ( The DM should list all the character's magic items and roll to determine which item is now tainted. The DM must then decide in what way the item has been changed.)

11. One magic item in the drawer's possession is enhanced. The DM must treat as in # 10.

12. One item in the drawer's gear which was not previously magical, spontaneously becomes so.
This will be an item which is not normally treated with magic, such as, a flask of oil, a single tent stake, a packet of iron rations. The DM will determine in what way the item has become magical.

13. A leather sack containing 5000 gold pieces falls out of the sky and lands directly on the tile drawer. 3d10 points of damage.

14. A beautiful djinn appears to grant the tile drawer one wish, and a kiss. The kiss is required to receive the wish, also, though attractive, the djinn has horrific garlic breath.

15. The tile drawer's hair permanently becomes fine, pure gold, and continues to grow normally.

16. Instantly struck by lightening! 3d6 damage.

17. One stat raised by 2 points. Player's choice.

18. Character gains 1d20 inches in height.

19. A small, vicious dog appears and bites the tile drawer. 1d4 points of damage.

20. The tile drawer is suddenly capable of playing any musical instrument.

21. Once per turn for the next three days of game time, a small random object will fly out of no where and hit the tile drawer in the head. No damage. roll 1d6 each turn. 1-a stone, 2-a 20 gp gem, 3-a chicken bone, 4-an eyeball, 5-a silver coin, 6-a nut.

22. Tile drawer loses one aspect of his class. A thief loses one thieving skill totally, a fighter loses ability to wield, or proficiency with, a single weapon type. A magic-user looses the ability to ever again cast a random spell. A cleric may never again turn undead of greater than 4 hit dice.

23. Tile drawer gains an aspect of another class. A cleric gains the ability to find/remove traps. A thief may lay on hands as would a paladin. A magic-user to employ a single melee weapon as a fighter of equal level. A fighter gains the ability to Read Magic.

24. For the duration of the drawer's next adventure, the eyes of his patron god will be upon him. The character's actions will bring judgement, for good, or for ill. If the character professes no faith, then a random deity will choose to bring him into the fold. Willing or not.
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The above are examples of lottery fortunes. The DM is free to add to them to whatever extent he wishes. To maintain the balance of whimsy, malignance, and weal, however, you must always add to the fortunes in groups of three tiles. One for a fortune largely good, one largely evil, and one strange and wondrous.
In order to fully feel the sense of excitement of playing the lottery, it is best to have the players draw numbered chits from a jar, or a hat, rather than roll dice to determine the outcome.

The Lottery Jug of Zagig is meant to bring that feeling of tempting fate to the game, without the potentially campaign ending results of the infamous Deck of Many Things. You can make it as deadly, or goofy as you like. In any event, Zagig will be pleased.

4 comments:

  1. The blessing of Zagig be upon you, Timeshadows.

    No, I mean, look out! The Blessing of Zagig is upon you!

    Roll for initiative!

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  2. LoL!

    Which edition?
    --My Dex is a 14
    If on d6: 4
    d10: 6

    Oh, noes!
    -A horny grizzly bugbear!!! Aaaahhhh!...

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  3. Every night is AD&D night here at the Old Guard blog, unless I'm feeling reckless and Rients-y, and then, maybe Gamma World!

    Also, you should know, fearsome as they may be, the grizzly bugbear is not the most feared of the bugbear races. Few adventurers speak of ever having encountered them, but those that have, can never forget the horror of the... Buggerbears!

    ReplyDelete