Homebrewed magic items for my Ruins of Chult setting:
Amulet of Power
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
Choose a spell you know, when you cast this spell you cast it at one higher spell slot than the one you spend. You can change the spell only after a long rest.
Headrest of Tranquility
Wondrous item, uncommon
Using the Headrest of Tranquility while you sleep, you can recover from one additional level of exhaustion with a long rest. Additionally, you are immune to the Dream spell until next dawn.
Ivory Armband of Ferocity
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
When you hit with a melee attack, you inflict +1 damage
Ivory Cup of Purity
Wondrous item, common
Anything you drink with the Ivory Cup of Purity is under the effect of a Purify food and drink.
Matteba Leaf Garment
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
This garment is the Chult equivalent of a Cloak of Elvenkind.
Sahuagin Shark Tooth Sword
Weapon (any sword that deals slashing damage), uncommon
When you attack a creature with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, that target takes an extra 7 slashing damage.
Velociraptor Feather Cloak
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
While wearing this cloak, you add 5′ to your base speed.
Mask of the Oracle
Carved from the mythic Gboga Tree.
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
While wearing this mask, you can use an action to cast the scrying spell. You can’t use this mask’s ability again until next dawn.
Ikakalaka Sword +1
Weapon (short or longsword), uncommon
Bonehead Helmet
Wondrous Item (requires attunement)
While wearing this helmet, you cannot be stunned. Additionnally, you have advantage on your check when you attempt to shove a creature.
Wand of the Su-Monster
Wand, rare (requires attunement)
The wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 charge to inflict 5d6 psychic damage on 1 target, 30′ range, stunned for 1 round (Wisdom saving throw DC 15).
The wand regains 1d6+1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the wand’s last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand crumbles into ash and is destroyed.
Shotel Sword +1
Weapon (scimitar), uncommon
A shotel sword can bypass an opponent’s shield (ignore AC from shield).
Mu-Ngyengyue Bracelet
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
While wearing this bracelet, you have advantage on saving throw to resist entangle and ensnaring strike spells
Ubtao’s Maze Earrings
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
While wearing the maze earrings, you have advantage on Intelligence (Religion) skill checks.
I’m going against the Tomb of Annihilation lore, again.
The only Jungle/Albino Dwarf NPC in ToA is Musharib, a guide who will forgo his pay if the PCs help him reclaim the dwarven forge of Hrakhamar.
A forge.
I mean, come on Musharib, what will you do with the damn place? That’s not who you are anymore!
Here we have Dwarves radically different than the usual tolkienesque cliché. What’s the point to sorta get them back on track? That’s lame. In my campaign, the Albino Dwarves don’t want anything to do with their (distant) past. Indeed, it’s taboo for them.
The Earth Shook and Spat Fire
The ancient way of life led to apocalyptic disaster (many generations ago). Better forget about it. And better make sure nobody sneak around and mess with the sites and artefacts of the ancient ones!
So yeah, the PCs will have to deal with that particular prejudice…
Also, in my campaign, there’s no wild dwarves or gold dwarves (as per 2e lore), just albino dwarves (and foreign typical dwarves).
Back to the adventure… Who wants to fight pirates?!
Characters (Seven Associates) (Well, five actually O_o)
Flyzus, Wood Elf Ranger (Hunter), Outlander; sole survivor of his tribe after an orc invasion
Varis, Drow Elf Rogue (Thief), Far traveller; exiled scion of a noble family on the losing side of a feud
Lucky, Half-Elf Cleric of Tymora (Trickery), Street Urchin; the lowly will be exalted
Shin, Tabaxi Fighter (Arcane Archer), Outlander; big-game hunter, has no patience for weakness
Pocor, Human Druid (Circle of Spores), Outlander; member of Chultan Diaspora, returned to his roots, literally
Against the Pirates
Both Zhanti and her son Shago had a strong interest in defeating the pirates that scourged the Savage Seas around Port Nyanzaru which after all, you have to remember is a MARITIME city. They had a plan to inflict a first blow to the pirates and, of course, it involved using the Seven Associates. The PCs would accompany a selected force on board of a seemingly vulnerable merchant ship.
Hidden in the cargo hold, they waited for the pirates to find them, cramped quarters being the main foe in the meantime.
Goals
Capture at least a few pirates
Capture the Captain
Capture the pirate ship
Capturing a Stirge
The pirates did showed up (how boring would it have been otherwise!). The pirate ship had a kind of giant mosquito on its flag revealing that they were prey to The Stirge!
The false merchant ship did try a token escape tentative so it wouldn’t look too suspicious. The pirates boarded as the crew on deck seemingly surrendered. Half a dozen pirates were sent below to take a look on the merchandises. But the Cleric of Tymora had prepared a nice trick for them: a Zone of silence, so that when the hidden ambushers jumped on the surprised pirates it did not alert their comrades above. Next, the pirates’ second in command, a burly Orc, went below to see what the heck took so long. He had time to swing his large cleaver at Flyzus once, wounding the Wood Elf, before he was cut down too.
The already suspicious pirate captain, still oblivious to what happened, decided then to listen to his instincts and called a retreat, dashing back to his own ship. The PCs and their allies rushed out at once, throwing more grappling hooks as simultaneously the pirates tried to cut free. Two planks were still in place and fierce fighting ensued. The pirates were now outnumbered but a priest of Umberlee amongst them managed to summon a water elemental in the hope of turning the tide (!).
With the Tabaxi firing arrows after arrows from the crow’s nest and the battle for the planks going in favor of his opponents, despite the water elemental wreaking havoc, the pirate captain decided to surrender.
As for the priest of Umberlee, he jumped into the water, disappearing under the waves, never to be seen again. No, really, he won’t be seen again. I’m telling you!
DM’s notes
The Stirge and its crew comes from ToA
The PCs found some valuables, including an old Omuan tapestry, a first inkling of things to come
reward: 2000 gp or a first payment if the PCs want to keep the ship
Ditching the Death Curse of ToA gives me, and the players, time to do as we please. The downside, maybe, is the possibility to, huh, not advance anything at all, as this session demonstrates…
Characters
Flyzus, Wood Elf Ranger (Hunter), Outlander; sole survivor of his tribe after an orc invasion
Varis, Drow Elf Rogue (Thief), Far traveller; exiled scion of a noble family on the losing side of a feud
Lucky, Half-Elf Cleric of Tymora (Trickery), Street Urchin; the lowly will be exalted
Phileas, Half-Elf Bard (College of Swords), Archeologist; “it’s not tomb-robbing if you do it respectfully”
Shin, Tabaxi Fighter (Arcane Archer), Outlander; big-game hunter, has no patience for weakness
Pocor, Human Druid (Circle of Spores), Outlander; member of Chultan Diaspora, returned to his roots, literally
Corpos, High Elf Wizard, Archeologist; antiquary, strange fixation on the undead
Also, show me something like a Grand Coliseum as a location, and of course I will want to stage battles in it!
I’ve purchased this flip-mat arena from Paizo
I offered the players a 8 teams Gladiatorial Tournament. The way I planned it, I told them that as first time participants (low-level characters) they really had not much chances to win this. The point would be to go as far as they could in the competition.
The teams:
The Seven Associates (PCs) (strength ?): newcomers, have done a couple of prelims combats in the past two weeks
And the other teams, roughly in order of strength:
Disciples of Kossuth (+0): cultists dedicated to Everburning Kossuth – forced to fight
Flaming Fist (+2): mercenaries based at Fort Beluarian – here for the money
Sons of Malar (+4): local gang of thugs – here for the fame
Resilient Ferns (+5): Jungle Dwarves in town for the event only – here for the thrill
Gnoll Marauders (+6): evil, mangly typical gnolls – here for the blood
Claws of Destiny (+10): Tabaxi monks – here to test their skills
Liberators (+16): All-Stars Team of Chultans – here to win
Quarter Finals
The teams were randomly picked for the quarter finals as follows:
Block 1:
Seven Associates (PCs) vs Gnoll Marauders
Disciples of Kossuth vs Resilient Ferns
Block 2:
Flaming Fist vs Liberators
Sons of Malar vs Claws of Destiny
Seven Associates vs Gnoll Marauders
The Maurauders: 3 gnolls (2 with longbows), 2 gnoll whiterlings, 1 Dire Hyena, 1 Pack Lord.
A well placed entangle spell from Pocor ensured that the 7As had time to make the most of their ranged firepower: arrows and spells bombarded the Gnolls. Shin’s explosive arcane shot in particular proved very lethal. Unfortunately, he missed his second shot. The two gnoll archers tried to retaliate but weren’t very successful. The Whitherlings were blasted to bits before they even reached the middle of the Arena. The Dire Hyena moved fast but only managed to get itself impaled on Pocor’s waiting spear.
The confidence of the PCs was understandably high at this point but it was soon to be shaken as the Pack Lord and another Gnoll reached their side of the Arena and rampaged through their ranks, felling three of them in no time.
Judicious use of healing – Pocor, Phileas and Lucky all had such magic at their disposal, ultimately made them prevail, but not without a bit of luck.
Rewards: 50 gp and an Ikakalaka +1 sword
Semifinals
Block 1: Seven Associates vs Resilient Ferns
Block 2: Liberators vs Claws of Destiny
Seven Associates vs Resilient Ferns
Resilient Ferns: 1 Girallon, 1 Albino Dwarf Druid, 5 Albino Dwarves Warriors (two with a barkskin spell effect on, one with a triflower strapped to his back).
The opening round was much like the previous fight with the 7As peppering their opponents with arrows and spells while the Jungle Dwarves dashed forward to get in melee quickly. Three RFs were slowed by a grease spell from Corpos. The Girallon (with its aggressive feature) got to the other side of the arena and pummelled Flyzus the very first round. The Wood Elf then retaliated with two sword slashes that inflicted heavy damage (one critical hit). Phileas then played a mind trick on the beast with a dissonant whisper, that made it flee. Flyzus killed it with a sword stab in the back.
The Jungle Dwarves joined the fun and soon everyone, except Shin who, again, had climbed up a spike on the wall, was in a confusing brawl. Varis got into deep trouble when the triflower covered him in corrosive sap AND poisoned him with its grappling pistil. Meanwhile, Lucky’ scale mail offered good protection against the wooden clubs of the jungle dwarves but that made him the target of the druid’s heat metal spell that nearly did him.
Phileas’ quick thinking saved the life of Varis as he correctly guessed that pouring water would wash away the corrosive sap. He even asked the assistance of the spectators to shower the poor Drow with, well, anything they had!
Flyzus slashed and stabbed, right and left, very efficiently. The triflower was dispatched with a firebolt and an arrow. The Seven Associates yet again managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat!
rewards: 100 gp each and a ankylosaurus breastplate
Final
Seven Associates vs Liberators
Liberators: 7 gladiators (4 with added quirks)
It was already surprising that the newcomers had managed to get to the final. An impressive feat indeed, but they were clearly not in the same league with the local favorites and long time gladiators: the Liberators. The best of the best of the Grand Coliseum assembled in one team for the Tournament of Liberation Day.
The Seven Associates did all they could but predictably, they could not avoid defeat. Between Sukomo the Fragrant and his unnaturally good scent, Wèwè the Killer, a ferociuous woman who didn’t seem to feel pain, Mkongu Lightfooted, faster than even a Wood Elf, Skanga the Ripper and his many shongo throwing knives and the other fearsome gladiators, there weren’t any way to win for the less experienced team.
Nonetheless, the Seven Associates gained valuable combat experience and a challenge for later.
DM notes:
Before the session, Corpos’ Player asked to change his rock gnome to high elf, he read somewhere that gnomes are silly, duh…
Corpos’ Player finds the 5E grease spell underwhelming and changed it for cause fear.
This session was pure, undiluted, tactical combat. It did help us get used with combat options that we had skipped, somehow, in the previous campaign.
I was a bit creative with the Resilient Ferns, with the girallon and triflower added to the jungle dwarves and it was a great fight!
I was more than happy to make a special session to my friend and his son who managed to be there again, despite the distance (300+ miles!).
After a bit of survey of Flyzus’ new abilities (young Félix is fairly new to D&D after all), I had them choose a side quest among some they could hope to achieve with only the two of them.
Characters
Flyzus, Wood Elf Ranger (hunter), Outlander; sole survivor of his tribe after an orc invasion
Varis, Drow Rogue (scout), Far traveller; exiled scion of a noble family on the losing side of a feud
Rescue Mission
They opted for an extraction mission given by Captain Soshen (with the backing of City Councilor Ekene-Afa). They had to bring back an informant whose task had been to spy on underworld boss Jobal’s activities. The informant had been captured by the Bridgerunners (a gang of thugs in Malar’s Throat). Unfortunately for the adventuring Drow, who would have liked to do it at night, time was of the essence as they were informed that it was quite possible that the gang would soon give over their captive to the fiercer Sons of Malar.
They had basically two ways to get to the thugs’ den on the cliff side. The first was by simply crossing the suspended bridge but that would surely get the attention of the thugs. The second was by climbing down on the west side of the canyon to get on the precarious ledge beside the wooden shack. They choose the latter and managed to accomplish the feat without being seen. The two Elves then waited for the right time and it came when the thugs got together to eat a meal, leaving the target tied upside down nearby.
The PCs quickly seized their chance, approached the prisonner with discretion, untied him and made a diversion with a good ol’fashionned oil fire. They killed two thugs efficiently. The swiftness of it meant that they had time to flee before more Bridgerunners could do anything about it.
They escaped by exiting Malar’s Throat at the edge of the city.
The Old Man’s Pet
A little Arena fun was now in order to call it a night.
They had to defeat an innocuous looking old man holding a cloth covered cage. The fight was on and the old man let go of his caged pet: a cockatrice! Varis got bit once and shook off in extremis the incoming petrification. A few sword slashes sufficed to slay the small beast, despite its master doing his best to heal it with magic in the fight.
MToF doesn’t add a whole lot of monsters to my Chult campaign. That was predictable. Nonetheless, there is some I may use such as: allip, sword wraith, vampiric mist and stone cursed.
And there’s one I will definitely use:
This warms my cold, dead heart. Truly, a thing of beauty!
Even in my Chult campaign, exploration-oriented as it is, I want politics and intrigue to play a part. At the very least, even if my players decide not to care, it will provide some interesting side-quests. The main quest-givers, the « Merchant Princes », as described in Tomb of Annihilation, are more like simple shopkeepers than powerful merchant rulers.
They all are filthy rich and apparently, in Port Nyanzaru, it’s all it takes. How they managed to obtain so much wealth, despite their city being under Amnian (fantasy spanish) control only nine years ago is superfluous I guess. What we know is that they each have a monopoly on something that is supposed to bring them a really high income.
So let’s see how fares Port Nyanzaru’s economy as decribed in ToA (of course we can homebrew away any of this!):
Port Nyanzaru is a small city.
There’s a Dragon Turtle demanding a « tax » from passing boats
Pirates plague the Seas
There’s virtually no one in Chult to trade with
And, you know, undead and dinosaurs aplenty
As for the monopolies of the Merchant Princes:
Ex-gladiator Ekene-Afa got very rich, we’re to believe, selling spears, leather shields and travelling gears. That’s shopkeeper level, really.
Ifan Talro’a deals in dinosaurs and dinosaur training. Okay, why not.
Jessamine deals in plants, poison and assassination. And she got rich, somehow.
Jobal deals in (lousy) guides and (deathwishing) sellswords. We do know he came out of the jungle alone with treasure, so there’s that (that’s actually interesting, I can work with that).
Wakanga deals in magic and, uh, lore? Yeah… A magic shop, how cute…
Zhanti deals in gems, jewelry, clothes and armors. I mean, gems and jewelry, that’s fine. Clothes and armors? Less so.
The whole concept of richest guys in town are ruling doesn’t hold water. Why would the people tolerate the monopolies of the Merchant Princes? This would have to be by strength of arms but they don’t seem to have any. In fact, we know they can’t even chase a few dozens unimpressive Flaming Fist mercenaries that are encroaching in Chultan territory.
Okay, let’s reframe this a little with realpolitik in mind:
As I see it, the Merchant Princes achieved preeminence because they played a major role, together, each contributing their own assets, in overthrowing the Amnians. They did not relinquish their position of power in the aftermath, some because they aspired to it in the first place, some for fear of what would happen if they stepped away.
Each have a sphere of influence and none, at the moment, can hope to rule without cooperating with some of the others. They exchange favors all the time in order to have the votes of their peers when it counts.
Ekene-Afa
Already popular when she was a gladiator, she became the de facto leader of the rebels when Port Nyanzaru shook off the Amnians. She would have the support of the people if she made a bid to rule the city by herself, but she doesn’t have that kind of ambition.
Commercial Assets:
taxes from Inner City’s merchants, in exchange her labor force clear the rivers’ channels
fishing trade, she had another life before becoming gladiator and rebel leader
Political Influence:
city watch (captain Soshen is her son)
beloved by the people
Goals:
Prevent Tyranny
Extend safety to all parts of Port Nyanzaru, not only Walled City
Ifan Talro’a
Once a mere supervisor Talro’a betrayed his Amnian masters, and profited greatly from it. He now has some kind of alliance with the Flaming Fist mercenaries. A man of great ambition, a populist too, he won’t stop at anything to amass more power.
Commercial Assets:
meat market
dinosaur herding
ivory trade
Political Influence:
allied with Flaming Fist for a split of the profit they do exploiting the ressources of Chult
his personal guard, the Redhooks (butchers turned enforcers)
took over the Grand Coliseum games (plenty of spectacles where crowd-pleasing adventurers can earn some gold)
Goals:
Become King of Chult
Jessamine
The least avant-scène of the Princes, Jessamine’s influence is felt more in hushed tones than in clamorous displays. Her extensive spy network ensures that she doesn’t miss much in Port Nyanzaru.
Commercial Assets:
pottery trade, valuable, handmade craft by the gripplis/grungs
dye trade
spice trade
kola nuts
Political Influence:
The Purple Hand (dye-workers turned assassins)
Spy Network
Goals:
Prevent strong rule from happening in Port Nyanzaru
Eliminate underworld rival Jobal
Jobal
Since he got out of the jungle alone, with considerable treasure in his possession, Jobal proceeded to buy the allegiance of one of Old City’s gang of thugs. He soon ruled over almost all the other gangs of Old City and Malar’s Throat.
Commercial Assets:
local extortion
moneylending
Influence:
The Gauntlet (informal justice)
Gangs (Malar’s Throat and Old City): Sons of Malar, Bridgerunners, the Dirty Talons
Goals:
Advance the agenda of his hidden benefactors (he did not get out of the jungles with treasure so much as he we was « released » under specific conditions…)
Kwayoté
Kwayothé was barely a teen when she catched the eye of a rich foreigner. She endured many humiliations before she finally freed herself of her master’s yoke. Now a rich merchant herself (having taken much of her former master’s wealth for herself), she strives so that nobody would gain dominance over her ever again.
Commercial Assets:
gems mining around Port Nyanzaru, to expand she would be in direct competition with Baldur’s Gate Flaming Fist (I see them as East Indian Company-type, ruthless beyond belief)
metalcasting
Political Influence:
She’s a higher-up of the Temple of Kossuth the Everburning (associated with artisanal metalcasting, volcanoes, rebirth, made stronger with pain, fire rituals of purification, etc), a religion persecuted under the Amian but now on the ascent in Port Nyanzaru in my version
Goals:
Topple Chultan aristocracy (she’s no friend with Zhanti)
Diminish the presence of foreign, continental religion
Drive away or kill the Flaming Fist mercenaries
Chase off other encroaching northerners (like the greedy Dwarves of the Pick&Axe co or meddling adventurers perhaps)
Wakanga O’tamu
A moderate in all things, except maybe in his passion for women, Wakanga helped the rebellion only because Amn persecuted magic-users such as him. A powerful wizard, he comes from a long tradition that teaches that magic must be restricted to a few who pledged to use it with strict rules.
Commercial Assets:
cloth manufacturing (the bright clothes of Port Nyanzaru are renowned worldwide)
Political Influence:
He’s well-travelled and a wise (if a bit fickle) and powerful wizard, many seek his counsel
Goals:
Prevent Tyranny.
He wants to know what his the source of the strange magic afoot in the Old City. Dark and ancient, yet hidden from his scrying attempts.
Zhanti
A rich merchant with royal blood, Zhanti is the consummate diplomat. Her long-term plans are ambitious but she knows she’s not getting any younger.
Commercial Assets:
salt making
leatherworking
Political Influence:
Harbor, extensive commerce abroad
Prestigious family
contacts within foreign interests
Goals:
Civilize a large chunk of Chult
Put her son Shago as single ruler of Port Nyanzaru (Shago is captain of a ship in my version, not a flaming fist flunky)
Streets & Spores 