Steppenwolf
Sun, 25th Mar '01, 5:48pm
Being somewhat of a Bible scholar, I thought it would be interesting to catalogue the artifacts and relics found the Old and New Testaments with a full description of their powers and abilities spelled out in AD&D terms.
I discovered that some Biblical artifacts and relics have no place in any D&D world by virtue of their literally God-like powers. But some of the other items listed below may be permitted without seriously unbalancing a campaign.
I've taken my quotations directly from the New International Version (NIV), and used the historical information found therein to guide me in what powers and abilities to assign each individual item. But it's all conjecture, of course.
* For those religiously sensible who may find this exercise controversial, please post no complaints here, but email me instead at sangalang@hotmail.com. Thanks.
The Sling of David, Son of Jesse
Sling +5, Giant-Killer
"Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bad and, with his sling in his hand, approached Goliath."
"As Goliath moved cloaser to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck Goliath on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. And so David triumphed over Goliath with a sling and a stone..."
(1 Samuel 17:40, 48-50)
Who hasn't heard the story of David and Goliath? Goliath, a giant of a man, fell to the future king of Israel with just one shot of his sling. It is the classic tale of the weak overcoming the strong, played out to this day among Jewish and Christian school children.
STATISTICS
Special Abilities: A riverbed stone slung from the Sling of David will instantly kill any kind of giant it hits (no save)
Thac0: +5 bonus
Damage: +2 (missile damage)
Weight: 0
Speed Factor: 0
Proficiency Type: Sling
Type: One-handed
Requires: 3 Strength
The Spear of Goliath (Spear of Wounding, +4)
"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet and wore bronze scale armor... His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (7 kg)."
(1 Samuel 17, 4-7)
Goliath was a giant of a man. As champion soldier of the Philistine army, I'd peg him as a 17th or 18th-lvel Berserker with the Strength of a hill giant (19). His spear, his favoured weapon, has killed over a thousand men. Its heavy iron tip has been blessed by the priests of his religion to prevent wounds incurred ny it from healing.
STATISTICS
Special Abilities: 2 hit points damage every round, until 20 hit points of damage done.
Thac0: +4
Damage: 1d6+4
Damage Type: Piercing
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 6
Profiency Type: Spear
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 15 Strength
Not Usable By:
Cleric
Mage
Thief
More items forthcoming...
I discovered that some Biblical artifacts and relics have no place in any D&D world by virtue of their literally God-like powers. But some of the other items listed below may be permitted without seriously unbalancing a campaign.
I've taken my quotations directly from the New International Version (NIV), and used the historical information found therein to guide me in what powers and abilities to assign each individual item. But it's all conjecture, of course.
* For those religiously sensible who may find this exercise controversial, please post no complaints here, but email me instead at sangalang@hotmail.com. Thanks.
The Sling of David, Son of Jesse
Sling +5, Giant-Killer
"Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bad and, with his sling in his hand, approached Goliath."
"As Goliath moved cloaser to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck Goliath on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. And so David triumphed over Goliath with a sling and a stone..."
(1 Samuel 17:40, 48-50)
Who hasn't heard the story of David and Goliath? Goliath, a giant of a man, fell to the future king of Israel with just one shot of his sling. It is the classic tale of the weak overcoming the strong, played out to this day among Jewish and Christian school children.
STATISTICS
Special Abilities: A riverbed stone slung from the Sling of David will instantly kill any kind of giant it hits (no save)
Thac0: +5 bonus
Damage: +2 (missile damage)
Weight: 0
Speed Factor: 0
Proficiency Type: Sling
Type: One-handed
Requires: 3 Strength
The Spear of Goliath (Spear of Wounding, +4)
"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet and wore bronze scale armor... His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (7 kg)."
(1 Samuel 17, 4-7)
Goliath was a giant of a man. As champion soldier of the Philistine army, I'd peg him as a 17th or 18th-lvel Berserker with the Strength of a hill giant (19). His spear, his favoured weapon, has killed over a thousand men. Its heavy iron tip has been blessed by the priests of his religion to prevent wounds incurred ny it from healing.
STATISTICS
Special Abilities: 2 hit points damage every round, until 20 hit points of damage done.
Thac0: +4
Damage: 1d6+4
Damage Type: Piercing
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 6
Profiency Type: Spear
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 15 Strength
Not Usable By:
Cleric
Mage
Thief
More items forthcoming...