T O P I C R E V I E W |
MalariaMoon |
Posted - 10 Mar 2012 : 09:27:56 Hi All,
Besides the 'typical' magical items presented in the Dungeons and Dragons game (potions of longevity etc.), can the scribes suggest any artifacts or powerful magical items that confer everlasting youth, strength and health (perhaps in addition to other powers)?
Many thanks! |
24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Quale |
Posted - 27 Mar 2012 : 06:55:56 Ruler's Sword and Andrathath Mask from Cormanthyr, Oil of Agelessness from Unther, and there's is a special spice and the book of hsi from Kara-Tur |
sleyvas |
Posted - 26 Mar 2012 : 21:32:36 quote: Originally posted by Dennis
quote: Originally posted by Demron
...the 9th level spell "Ensul's Soultheft" (found in City of Splendors).
The novel? I don't recall that. Who cast it?
Guessing Ensul? |
Dennis |
Posted - 26 Mar 2012 : 04:29:15 I see. That's why it doesn't ring a bell at all... |
Eldacar |
Posted - 23 Mar 2012 : 04:43:48 quote: Originally posted by Dennis
quote: Originally posted by Demron
...the 9th level spell "Ensul's Soultheft" (found in City of Splendors).
The novel? I don't recall that. Who cast it?
He means the 3.5e sourcebook. |
Dennis |
Posted - 23 Mar 2012 : 04:07:54 quote: Originally posted by Demron
...the 9th level spell "Ensul's Soultheft" (found in City of Splendors).
The novel? I don't recall that. Who cast it? |
The Sage |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 01:14:48 quote: Originally posted by sleyvas
quote: Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote: Originally posted by sleyvas
Not exactly "immortality" but a common means of extending one's life is to simply steal the body of a younger host. My belief's of Velsharoon is that this is how he lived for as long as he did without becoming undead. There was even a note in somewhere that there was a necromancer in Soorenar that had developed a spell that could steal faces. Thus, I imagine he would take a new body, steal his old face, and move on.
This brings to mind Fistandantilus and his bloodstone pendant, in the Dragonlance books.
Yeah, but didn't his actually steal the health of others to renew his body (such that he stayed in his original body)?
That's largely what the Bloodstone allowed him to do, yes. It's primary function was to suck the life force from one body and transfer it [and the victim's memories] into the body of the one with the Bloodstone.
quote: Could very well be wrong, but I don't recall Raistlin actually having a new body after that encounter.
The spirit of Fistandantilus did once come to occupy the body of a Red Robe for a time. That could be what Wooly is referring to above. |
Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 13 Mar 2012 : 19:42:58 It wasn't real clear, but there was a reference to Fisty having a new body, and after Raistlin took over, he wasn't coughing. As I recall, of course. It's been quite some time since I revisited Krynn. |
sleyvas |
Posted - 13 Mar 2012 : 17:59:07 quote: Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote: Originally posted by sleyvas
Not exactly "immortality" but a common means of extending one's life is to simply steal the body of a younger host. My belief's of Velsharoon is that this is how he lived for as long as he did without becoming undead. There was even a note in somewhere that there was a necromancer in Soorenar that had developed a spell that could steal faces. Thus, I imagine he would take a new body, steal his old face, and move on.
This brings to mind Fistandantilus and his bloodstone pendant, in the Dragonlance books.
Yeah, but didn't his actually steal the health of others to renew his body (such that he stayed in his original body)? Could very well be wrong, but I don't recall Raistlin actually having a new body after that encounter. Same general principle, but with the process I'm talking about with Velsharoon, you could end up with a vastly different body (stronger, or having a particular health issue, or lankier/more dextrous)... but the face being the same. |
Dennis |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 22:58:32 quote: Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote: Originally posted by sleyvas
Not exactly "immortality" but a common means of extending one's life is to simply steal the body of a younger host. My belief's of Velsharoon is that this is how he lived for as long as he did without becoming undead. There was even a note in somewhere that there was a necromancer in Soorenar that had developed a spell that could steal faces. Thus, I imagine he would take a new body, steal his old face, and move on.
This brings to mind Fistandantilus and his bloodstone pendant, in the Dragonlance books.
And of course, the evil queen in Snow White. (Who seems to be so popular that it's got TWO Hollywood remakes coming to theaters soon, one dark, the other comedy.) |
Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 19:17:29 quote: Originally posted by sleyvas
Not exactly "immortality" but a common means of extending one's life is to simply steal the body of a younger host. My belief's of Velsharoon is that this is how he lived for as long as he did without becoming undead. There was even a note in somewhere that there was a necromancer in Soorenar that had developed a spell that could steal faces. Thus, I imagine he would take a new body, steal his old face, and move on.
This brings to mind Fistandantilus and his bloodstone pendant, in the Dragonlance books. |
sleyvas |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 18:14:27 quote: Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Hi All,
Besides the 'typical' magical items presented in the Dungeons and Dragons game (potions of longevity etc.), can the scribes suggest any artifacts or powerful magical items that confer everlasting youth, strength and health (perhaps in addition to other powers)?
Many thanks!
Not exactly "immortality" but a common means of extending one's life is to simply steal the body of a younger host. My belief's of Velsharoon is that this is how he lived for as long as he did without becoming undead. There was even a note in somewhere that there was a necromancer in Soorenar that had developed a spell that could steal faces. Thus, I imagine he would take a new body, steal his old face, and move on. |
Ayrik |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 03:25:29 Hit points really only mean something while you're being hit. More hit points means you could live longer by simple merit of not dying through damage inflicted by the environment, but regardless of your hit points you'd probably live just as long if you weren't in that damaging environment at all. Without magical mechanisms designed specifically for this purpose, you just can't trade hit points for years. |
Lord Karsus |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 02:42:00 quote: Originally posted by Eldacar
To counter, it could be argued that the absorbed hit points will "bleed off" eventually of their own accord. While you're temporarily enhancing your life force, this would not translate to gaining more life force. Hit points themselves are something of an abstract concept in any case, and can mean different things to different people.
-Right; To counter that, when you're using those temporary hit points, you're not using your own. If everybody has a finite, possibly pre-determined (DNA) amount of time to live, using somebody else's means for that yours doesn't get used. |
Eldacar |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 01:55:07 quote: Originally posted by Lord Karsus
-It might be excessive poetic license, but I would say that Necromantic spells like Vampiric Touch extend the user's life. In D&D terms, they gain temporary hit points. Looking at things in-setting, 'hit points' can be explained as absorbing someone else's vitality. When you absorb someone else's, you temporarily don't use yours. So, those 1d4 hit points in D&D terms can be translated into absorbing someone else's vigor in in-game terms, which would seemingly naturally extend your own.
To counter, it could be argued that the absorbed hit points will "bleed off" eventually of their own accord. While you're temporarily enhancing your life force, this would not translate to gaining more life force. Hit points themselves are something of an abstract concept in any case, and can mean different things to different people. |
Lord Karsus |
Posted - 12 Mar 2012 : 00:01:55 -It might be excessive poetic license, but I would say that Necromantic spells like Vampiric Touch extend the user's life. In D&D terms, they gain temporary hit points. Looking at things in-setting, 'hit points' can be explained as absorbing someone else's vitality. When you absorb someone else's, you temporarily don't use yours. So, those 1d4 hit points in D&D terms can be translated into absorbing someone else's vigor in in-game terms, which would seemingly naturally extend your own. |
MalariaMoon |
Posted - 11 Mar 2012 : 13:17:41 Thanks all, some useful suggestions here (and more always welcome) |
Demron |
Posted - 11 Mar 2012 : 10:11:23 Two more that come to mind are Gromph Baenres "Amulet of Eternal Youth" (made from an unicorn, I believe) and the 9th level spell "Ensul's Soultheft" (found in City of Splendors). |
Dennis |
Posted - 11 Mar 2012 : 06:39:18 There's this elixir of life that Malark Springhill drank. It's not clear whether the liquid's container (a jar?) made it an elixir or the elixir itself came from some mythical place.
Yaphyll, Zulkir of Divination, wore a ring of eternal youth.
Maligor, Zulkir of Transmutation, transmuted a mix of liquids into a life-lengthening potion.
A certain drow wizard in Daughter of the Drow used a Wand of Lichdom that instantly made him a lich upon death. |
Ayrik |
Posted - 11 Mar 2012 : 02:30:51 Wooly said it best, longevity or immortality could be conferred by almost any Artifact in AD&D 2E. Magical potions and elixirs could reverse aging, wish spells and other magics could postpone it (an extreme example being Karsus's avatar), divine favour (such as becoming a Chosen or Druid Hierophant) or undeath (such as becoming a lich, vampire, or shade) could sidestep death. The price of immortality invariably involves some sort of immediate or gradual loss of essential humanity, few who live forever view it as a blessing.
One of my favourite mechanisms is magical paintings, such as the Gray Portrait discussed in this old scroll. |
Eldacar |
Posted - 11 Mar 2012 : 02:01:56 In Dungeon #112, there's an artifact potion in Maure Castle that can grant immortality if you drink it. You continue to age, but just have no maximum. |
Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 10 Mar 2012 : 17:45:46 quote: Originally posted by Fellfire
I believe the Ring of Winter confers immortality.
Indeed.
The 2E Book of Artifacts, as I recall, gave DM's much leeway for assigning powers and abilities to artifacts (and I know the 1E DMG did). So any artifact in either of those sources could, at the DM's option, grant immortality -- though it might be immortality at a price heavier than someone wants to pay.
WotC, and TSR before them, seem to have shied away from options that allowed eternal youth in one's own living body, instead leaning heavily towards methods that either continually restored youth (like the potions) or towards methods that side-stepped the "living body" angle: undead, putting your mind in an object (but not an automaton/golem), etc. Mystra's Chosen were one of the few exceptions to this. |
Fellfire |
Posted - 10 Mar 2012 : 16:00:26 I believe the Ring of Winter confers immortality. |
Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 10 Mar 2012 : 15:09:00 quote: Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Hi All,
Besides the 'typical' magical items presented in the Dungeons and Dragons game (potions of longevity etc.), can the scribes suggest any artifacts or powerful magical items that confer everlasting youth, strength and health (perhaps in addition to other powers)?
Many thanks!
Oil of Olay |
sfdragon |
Posted - 10 Mar 2012 : 13:55:54 wish spell
there was this corset......
ioluam's longevity spell
|