A simple question, so perhaps out of context. What is the context? Decide for yourself, and then see what you may do with the provided 20 possible answers. This blog post has been inspired by Roll XX from Neoplastic Press. “Roll XX” was brought to you by The Sentinels of Meregoth (whoever THEY may be)!
[D20] What is the Bound Possessed Offering?
01# Divination
It offers to provide the character with the equivalent of a Divination (Cleric spell) with a 85% chance to reveal truth instead of falsehoods. For each Divination asked for, a character has to Save vs. Magic. On a failure, the character loses 1D4 points of Wisdom. Each Divination after the first by the same character (!) has its chance to reveal a truth reduced by 1D4 x5%.
02# Knowledge and Communication
The possessed may once per day Identify (as per the spell) a magic item OR reveal information about a book presented to it akin to a 10th level Bookspeak OR allow a conversation like the Message spell to any other character, no matter where, no matter what distance. The conversation happens through the possessed: it speaks with the voice of the addressed character to the one using it for the message, and it is the demon´s voice speaking in the head of the target of the message. Each uses of the service of the possessed reduces its Constitution [3D6+6 to start with] by one point. At each new request, a D6 is rolled. If the result is lower than the remaining Constitution, the possessed body withers completely and rips open while the possessing entity escapes.
03# Tutelage
The possessed may teach a number of spells (which are up to the GM) through a meditative communion. It
may teach Magic-User spells as well as the reverse version of Cleric spells (but only to the classes that may cast them). The costs for learning a spell are not paid in coin (silver or gold, depending on the OSR system) but in XP instead, at a rate of 1xp for each 5 coin (silver or gold; based on if the game uses silver or gold as standard).
04# Rejuvenation
A ritual human sacrifice made in front of the possessed will rejuvenate the one doing the sacrifice by a number of years equal to the fifth of the remaining life expectation of the sacrifice. The necessary ritual may be taught by the possessed.
05# Polymorph
The possessed may evoke the effect of a Polymorph Others spell onto a willing subject as well as turning the target back to her former self. Each transformation will age the transformed by one year. The possessed will not reveal the latter unless asked specifically.
06# Touch of the Tongue
A kiss by the possessed will allow a mortal to be understood by every other intelligent living being as if it would speak their native language. It furthermore turns the mortal into a perfect liar. Both effects last till the next dusk. After the third kiss and each kiss thereafter, a mortal must pass a saving throw or fall under the effects of a Charm Person in regard to the possessed. A request of the possessed to free it would grant another saving with a +5 bonus throw to shake of the effect.
07# Bloody Venom
Bladed weapons may be magically poisoned by stabbing the possessed body with them. A coating of dark red blood will remain for the next 2D6 attacks and grant the +1 magical weapon quality. Furthermore, an opponent that suffers damage from a coated weapon must pass a saving throw or will suffer a (-2) penalty on all saving throws and 1 point of poison damage per round for the next 1D6 rounds as the poison burns its way through the blood and veins. When a weapon is poisoned by stabbing it into the possessed, its damage is rolled and subtracted from the host´s hit points (6d8+10 to begin with). When the damage dealt this way is greater than the remaining hit points, the entity breaks free from the host. Neither natural healing nor Cleric spells will restore this hit points. Other ways may work (GM decision).
08# Its Skin
The possessed body may be skinned and the skin fashioned into a leather jerkin that will grant a +3 bonus on all saving throws against magic and spell like effects. It will lose its power after the wearer has taken a total of 18 points of damage (as it will be damaged beyond repair). The possessed body will regrow its skin if washed in blood once a day, for 30 days. Animal blood, like that of a swine, will suffice. Each washing with fresh human blood will however speed up the process by two additional days.
09# Shadoweater
The possessed may swallow a willing character´s shadow. The character gains a re-roll on all saving throws against spells and gaze attacks as long as the shadow stays gone. On the next night of the new moon, the shadow will return at midnight. Each time the possessed eats a shadow a D20 is rolled. On a result of 1, the entity breaks free.
10# Its Flesh
A character that eats from the possessed´s flesh will increase for the own Strength by 3d4 points while dealing damage to the possessed equal to the highest die result of the roll. A character may do so repeatedly, but all bonus gained will cease the moment anything else is eaten or when the character directly benefits from any Cleric spell. The damage dealt by eating from it is subtracted from the host´s hit points (6d8+10 to begin with). When the damage dealt this way is greater than the remaining hit points, the entity breaks free from the host.
11# Host of the Swarm
The possessed may bestow the ability to cast a 5th level Insect Plague spell once and for free onto a willing character. To do so, the character has to close her eyes and open her mouth wide while kneeling before the possessed. The swarm will then shoot forth from the possessed´s mouth and go down the character´s mouth and throat, which takes a round. The character has to pass a saving throw to endure this experience or will cough, retch, close the mouth and spew out the swarm (which causes the effect of the spell, centered on the failing character). If the character is able to take up the swarm, it will be magically merged with the body without really being there. Yet, the character must pass a Save vs. Magic per swarm (if more than one are held) every time she eats. On a failure, she does not benefit from the meal and loses 1 hit point.
12# Foul Baptism
A character that washes the own head and face with the possessed´s foul urine (which it only produces and release at will) is considered to be off 3 levels higher for determining saving throws for the next 2d6 days. A saving throw must be rolled for each application (with the modifier). On a failure, the character´s skin will slowly gain a sickly yellow tinge and the character´s Constitution will be reduced by 2. This counts as a disease and will last till two saving throws in a row are passed, one being allowed each day.
13# Aurora
At the hour of dawn, the possessed may be asked to provide gold coins (or special gold coins worth 10 gp each in games with a gold standard). It will do so by throwing up 2d6 coins in a round, and will do so again if it is asked to give “more!”. The GM keeps track of the number of 6s that came up this way. When three sixes had been rolled at one hour this way, the possessed is no longer bound.
14# The Scribe
If provided with the necessary materials, the possessed may create one random 3rd level Magic-User spell scroll each day. If the randomly determined spell is Explosive Runes (1-in-20 chance), the scroll in question is enchanted with an active Explosive Runes spell instead.
15# Wound Transfer
The character that wants to benefit from this gift has to hand-feed the possessed a handful of the own hair. For each handful, the character may transfer wounds akin to Cure Minor Wounds at will at the beginning of the own round but will lose 5xp for each hit point (unspent XP first). All wounds transfer to the host heal within a day.
16# Mark of Protection
By laying on hands the possessed may burn a pentagram onto the character´s chest (above the heart). For the next three days, a character with this mark benefits from the effects of a Protection from Evil.
17# Dispel Magic
The character may cut away the flesh of the possessed to then break off a rip. Said rip will magically clean and dry up like an aged bone. With it, the character that took it (and only that character) may evoke the effect of a Dispel Magic by looking at and focusing on the target and while breaking the rip in two. The wound and rip will magically heal and regenerate after seven full days have passed.
18# Fortification/Immunity against Poison
The possessed has (or may develop) female breasts with which it may breastfeed a character with sour milk. Drinking a little of this milk will grant the character a re-roll on the next three failed saving throws against poison. Drinking a lot of it will turn the next three failed Save vs. Poison into a success. Drinking a little or a lot of the milk temporarily reduce the characters Constitution by 1 or 1d4 points respectively. Both effects last for 2d6 days.
19# The Demon´s Gaze
The possessed may gift a character with a demonic gaze ability for up to 2d4 days by looking her deep in the eyes for a minute. For the duration, the character loses 1d4 points of Charisma but gains an “unpleasant stare” that some may take for “the evil eye”. The character may evoke an effect like Hold Person as a gaze attack and as a free action. Each time she does, the character temporarily loses another point of Charisma. All attribute damage recovers at a rate of 1 point per week at the end of the duration.
20# Words against All That Is
The possessed may whisper into a character´s ear words that are from the language of creation with a meaning that cannot be understood nor grasp but which have the mind of men revolt against what is heard. For the next 1d4 days, the character may recite these words, even though she does not understand them, and thereby cast Madness against all desired targets within 30´. Doing so reduces the character´s Wisdom by 1d4 points each time. This attribute damage is regained at a rate of 1 point per day.
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