Wheel of Fate

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Wheel of Fate
by Marco Dalmonte
I have developed four versions of the basic wheel as presented in the Companion Rules: the Wheel of Fate, the Wheel of Fortune, the Wheel of Destiny and the Magic Wheel of Gargantua.

All of these items are artifact level except the last one. Nobody knows exactly who manufactured them (again, except for the last one), even though mages and sages speculate that Korotiku might have had a hand in all of the three Immortal Artifacts given the results they produce.. ;) Enjoy!

THE IMMORTAL WHEELS

Few people know that there are more than one Wheel of Fortune in the world. In fact, the sages and most expert mages know the existence of three Immortal Artifacts labelled simply as "Immortal Wheel", but which can produce different effects, especially regarding to what is called their "Ultimate Power". Nobody knows exactly when the Wheels where created or when they appeared on Mystara, but the first documented use of one such Wheel is dated AC 90, when a magist of the Imperial Court of Thyatis used it in front of Emperor during an official banquet, summoning a great deal of magical and precious items that were later offered to the courtesans as present. Many times the Wheels have changed hands, some say because of Immortal interference, others say because of Fate itself (which doesn't obey the Immortals' whims).

Anyhow, since all the Wheels are highly magical, highly powerful and highly dangerous, in the present days they are not owned by any single person. Instead, they are property of the Magic Guilds of the Old World, which (as per a mutual agreement that dates back to AC 920) hosts each one in their shops during the course of the year. The magic shoppe that wants to host it simply pays a certain fee to the shop currently hosting the Wheel and keeps it for the next three months, with the duty to send it to another shop once the period expires. No magic shop can host a single Wheel more than once per year. Nobody knows why this is so, but many sages actually speculate this has something to do with the magical energies conjured by the Wheels and the energies stored inside a shop selling magic items. Also, nobody knows exactly the itinerary the Wheels make during the year, but if you're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, you can turn the Wheel and challenge luck.. for a fee, of course. The fee varies according to the kind of Wheel (and not according to the shop it's hosted in, surprisingly enough).

The individual wishing to turn the Wheel has only five rules to keep in mind:
1) The Shop is in no way responsible for the effects of the Wheel;
2) The Wheel affects ONLY the person who turns it directly;
3) The Wheel cannot be tricked;
4) The items created by the Wheel are property of the person using the Wheel;
5) The Wheel cannot be used more than a certain times per day (decided by the Shop owners).

That said, a brief explanation of the above points is due.

The First Point means that the Shop owners have no power over the Wheel, and each "gamer" is informed by the owners of the Wheel's dangers BEFORE he actually pays to turn it. So, if in the end he chooses to turn the Wheel, the shop is not responsible for the outcome of HIS decision.

The Second Point is very important: it means that only the individual touching and turning the Wheel is affected by its powers. Since the majority of the effects are personal, this means the "gamer" is the only one who can benefit or suffer from turning it. The area nearby HAS NEVER been damaged or destroyed by the Wheel's effects, but the Shops prefer to keep it in a safe room, anyway.

The Third Point has been observed by the Shop staffers and by the "gamers" ever since the Wheel was used for the first time. No matter what one does to protect himself against the Wheel's effects, he will never escape them. Also, this means that the Wheel cannot be magically controlled nor can its effects predicted with certainty (after all, it's Luck we're talking about here). The only way to protect one's belongings (which can be affected by the Wheel) is by giving them as present or by selling them to another person. However, it has been experienced that after turning the Wheel, the person who has been given the items suddenly changes his mind and refuses to give them back to the original owner (even in cases where the two people were old time friends) for less than the current market prices. Also, casting an Anti-Magic Barrier on himself protects the caster from the Wheel's effects, but this also means that NONE of the Wheel's powers works (it is as if he never turned the Wheel).

The Fourth Point means that all items and "beings" created by the Wheel are supposed to be owned by the person who caused it to appear. Many people, however, have reported seeing things disappear without a reason and later found these things owned by the same individuals who won them by turning the Wheels...

The last rule has been approved by the Magic Guilds of the Old World only recently (in AC990), after witnessing the nefarious after-effects the Wheels produced if used too many times a day. This measure has been taken to protect both the users of the Wheel and the shop hosting it, since if the Wheel is used too many times, there is a chance it overloads and releases its destructive energy in the near zone.

Following is the description of the oldest Wheel, the Wheel of Fate.

How It's Used?

The PC simply announces he's turning the Wheel and rolls a percentile dice (d100). The result is then looked up in the table and it's the effect the Wheel produces. If it applies correctly to the character (ex: all magic items are destroyed, but the PC owns no magic items), it takes effect immediately, otherwise nothing happens.

Normally, the DM is encouraged to come up with a vision the "gamer" experiences once the Wheel is turned, so the player must figure what's going on with him (when the result is not apparent -ex: change a characteristic).

The normal fee to use it is 50 gp per turn.

How Does It Look Like?

The Wheel of Fate is a round wheel of 3 mts in diameter divided into many XXX sectors. It levitates at 1 meter from the ground and the gamer needs only touch it and push it a bit to make it turn. Each of the sections is inscribed with a mystical symbol (impossible to decipher and to destroy), and when the wheel ends its turn, the section immediately in front of the user shines while the symbol disappears for the duration of the vision. Once the effect has taken place, the symbol returns to the Wheel. It is impossible for the user to move while the Wheel is being turned and until the vision ends.

Note: effects with "cumulative" written at the end between brackets means said effects can be rolled again and again, while all the others affect the PC only once and if rolled again before their effect disappears, they have no further impact on the PC.

Dice Roll Effect Description

01-02 PC gets a +2 bonus to hit and damage rolls for the next 48 hours.

03-05 Two weapons (magical or normal) of the PC vanish. (cumulative)

06-08 PC loses 2d4 hp permanently. (cumulative)

09-11 PC is haunted by a Nightmare Creature. The first time he falls asleep, a nightmare creature will haunt his dreams and attack him mercilessly. It will leave him in peace only if he defeats it, otherwise it will return each time he sleeps, healing 1d6 hp each time. If the creature kills the PC in dream, the PC awakens screaming madly and must roll a save vs. Death Ray or get a phobia and lose 1 hp permanently. IF the PC kills the creature, he gets the XPs and the creature disappears from his dreams. Only 50% of the hit points lost in dream-combat are regained upon awakening by the PC. Finally, as long as the PC is haunted by this creature, he will not be able to memorise again lost spells.

12-14 PC recovers all his HPs.

15-18 PC switches alignment (at random).

19-20 PC loses 2d4 x1,000 XP permanently. (cumulative)

21-23 A random Magic Item appears in front of the PC (roll on the magic items table). (cumulative)

24-25 One of the PC's magical rings (chosen at random) disintegrates. (cumulative)

26-29 PC's Intelligence score raised by 1 point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)

30-33 A diamond (value: 5,000gp) appears in front of the PC. (cumulative)

34-36 PC's Strength score lowered by 1 point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)

37-38 PC forgets all memorised spells (if applicable).

39-40 PC goes berserk and attacks the nearest person in a 30' radius in close melee (no spells). The killing spree lasts 1d6 rounds, at the end of which the PC returns normal and is completely unaware of what he's done.

41-43 PC's Wisdom score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)

44-48 A magic ring appears in the hand of the PC. (cumulative)

49-50 PC's Intelligence and Wisdom scores are reduced to 2 points for 1d6 days as if under the Feeblemind spell. The effect cannot be dispelled short of a Wish.

51-52 PC becomes totally immune to spells for the next 1d6 hours.

53-55 PC's Strength score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)

56-59 One of the PC's magical items chosen randomly disintegrates. (cumulative)

60-62 PC's Dexterity score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)

63-64 PC loses half his hit points when all his old wounds open again. Lost hps can be recovered only magically.

65-66 A third eye pops up on one of the PC's hands. It is just like a real eye with Infravision 60', and the PC can see through it if he concentrates. The eye disappears after 1d6 days and is not dispellable.

67-69 PC's Constitution score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)

70-71 PC shrinks to 4" size for the next 2d6 hours. The effect can be dispelled by a Remove Curse cast by a 20th level mage or cleric.

72-74 PC's Intelligence score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)

75-76 PC earns 2d6 x1,000 XP permanently. (cumulative)

77-78 All PC's gems vanish.

79-80 PC's Dexterity score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)

81-82 PC is cursed and receives a -4 malus on all his Saving Throws permanently. The curse can be lifted using a Remove Curse spell cast by a 30th level mage or cleric of a non-Chaotic deity.

83-84 1d20 gems chosen randomly (see treasure table in RC) appear in front of the PC. (cumulative)

85-86 PC loses his own shadow. If he doesn't get it back in the next seven days, upon the eighth day he starts losing 1 Con point per day thereafter. Once the Con points reach 0, the PC dies and cannot be Raised nor Reincarnated anymore. Instead, he raises from his tomb 1d4 days after his demise as a Wraith. In order to recover his own shadow (a ceremony known only to the most expert sages or necromancers), the PC must spend a whole day meditating alone in a dark place inside a carefully drawn mystical pentacle. At the end of the 24 hours period, he will cut his wrists and from the spilled blood a new shadow will form and attach itself to the character (although this means the PC loses 2d4 hps permanently). The lost Con points will be instantly regained once the new shadow is created.

87-88 PC's Wisdom score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)

89-90 PC turns into a different race (use Regeneration table). (cumulative)

91-92 PC's Constitution score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)

93 Three 1' long retractable blades appear on the PC's back hand (Wolverine style). They are treated as normal Warclaws in order to know the damage they inflict (1d4+ Str bonus -weapon mastery applies).

94 One PC's hand starts to rot and wither and detaches from the arm in 1d6 days. The disease can be cured only via a Cure Disease cast by a 20th level priest. Once lost, the hand can be recovered only through a Regeneration or a Wish.

95 A magical armour and a magical shield (chosen at random) appear in front of the PC. (cumulative)

96 A wizard's spellbook with 1 spell for each level appears in front of the PC. (cumulative)

97 PC is granted a Wish.

98 All PC's magical items vanish.

99 PC gets his own Djinn. He can summon a Minor Djinn once per week and the being will serve him faithfully for 24 hours before returning to his Plane. Every time the Djinn returns to his homeplane, he regains all lost HPs. The Djinn will however follow these moral guidelines: he will attack others only if threatened or if his master is threatened; he will not turn against his master; he will not commit suicide or suicidal actions; he will not betray other Djinns; he will not summon his Pasha. The Djinn will serve the PC for three years, then it will be free (the PC can free him from any obligations any time before this date, however, with a simple order). The only other way for the Djinn to be freed is to die (reduced to 0 hp) or if his master dies before the end of the three years.

100 The Fate's Bells are tolling! The PC is now Lord of his own Past: the PC has acquired the stunning power to change once the course of the past. This power may be called upon only once in a lifetime, but its effects are nearly unlimited. The PCs may decide to arbitrarily change the outcome of a past event, and from that moment on the past will be rewritten as the character wanted. The PC has only three limitations: 1) he cannot change an event that led to his death; 2) he cannot change an event directly involving an Immortal or a similar eternal entity; 3) he cannot alter events he did not witness first hand.

Dice Roll	Effect Description
01-02	PC gets a +2 bonus to hit and damage rolls for the next 48 hours.
03-05	Two weapons (magical or normal) of the PC vanish. (cumulative)
06-08	PC loses 2d4 hp permanently. (cumulative)
09-11	PC is haunted by a Nightmare Creature. The first time he falls asleep, a nightmare creature will haunt his dreams and attack him mercilessly. It will leave him in peace only if he defeats it, otherwise it will return each time he sleeps, healing 1d6 hp each time. If the creature kills the PC in dream, the PC awakens screaming madly and must roll a save vs. Death Ray or get a phobia and lose 1 hp permanently. IF the PC kills the creature, he gets the XPs and the creature disappears from his dreams. Only 50% of the hit points lost in dream-combat are regained upon awakening by the PC. Finally, as long as the PC is haunted by this creature, he will not be able to memorise again lost spells.
12-14	PC recovers all his HPs.
15-18	PC switches alignment (at random).
19-20	PC loses 2d4 x1,000 XP permanently. (cumulative)
21-23	A random Magic Item appears in front of the PC (roll on the magic items table). (cumulative)
24-25	One of the PC's magical rings (chosen at random) disintegrates. (cumulative)
26-29	PC's Intelligence score raised by 1 point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)
30-33	A diamond (value: 5,000gp) appears in front of the PC. (cumulative)
34-36	PC's Strength score lowered by 1 point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)
37-38	PC forgets all memorised spells (if applicable).
39-40	PC goes berserk and attacks the nearest person in a 30' radius in close melee (no spells). The killing spree lasts 1d6 rounds, at the end of which the PC returns normal and is completely unaware of what he's done.
41-43	PC's Wisdom score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)
44-48	A magic ring appears in the hand of the PC. (cumulative)
49-50	PC's Intelligence and Wisdom scores are reduced to 2 points for 1d6 days as if under the Feeblemind spell. The effect cannot be dispelled short of a Wish.
51-52	PC becomes totally immune to spells for the next 1d6 hours.
53-55	PC's Strength score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)
56-59	One of the PC's magical items chosen randomly disintegrates. (cumulative)
60-62	PC's Dexterity score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)
63-64	PC loses half his hit points when all his old wounds open again. Lost hps can be recovered only magically.
65-66	A third eye pops up on one of the PC's hands. It is just like a real eye with Infravision 60', and the PC can see through it if he concentrates. The eye disappears after 1d6 days and is not dispellable.
67-69	PC's Constitution score raised by one point permanently (max 18). (cumulative)
70-71	PC shrinks to 4" size for the next 2d6 hours. The effect can be dispelled by a Remove Curse cast by a 20th level mage or cleric.
72-74	PC's Intelligence score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)
75-76	PC earns 2d6 x1,000 XP permanently. (cumulative)
77-78	All PC's gems vanish.
79-80	PC's Dexterity score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)
81-82	PC is cursed and receives a -4 malus on all his Saving Throws permanently. The curse can be lifted using a Remove Curse spell cast by a 30th level mage or cleric of a non-Chaotic deity.
83-84	1d20 gems chosen randomly (see treasure table in RC) appear in front of the PC. (cumulative)
85-86	PC loses his own shadow. If he doesn't get it back in the next seven days, upon the eighth day he starts losing 1 Con point per day thereafter. Once the Con points reach 0, the PC dies and cannot be Raised nor Reincarnated anymore. Instead, he raises from his tomb 1d4 days after his demise as a Wraith. In order to recover his own shadow (a ceremony known only to the most expert sages or necromancers), the PC must spend a whole day meditating alone in a dark place inside a carefully drawn mystical pentacle. At the end of the 24 hours period, he will cut his wrists and from the spilled blood a new shadow will form and attach itself to the character (although this means the PC loses 2d4 hps permanently). The lost Con points will be instantly regained once the new shadow is created.
87-88	PC's Wisdom score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)
89-90	PC turns into a different race (use Regeneration table). (cumulative)
91-92	PC's Constitution score lowered by one point permanently (min 3). (cumulative)
93	Three 1' long retractable blades appear on the PC's back hand (Wolverine style). They are treated as normal Warclaws in order to know the damage they inflict (1d4+ Str bonus -weapon mastery applies).
94	One PC's hand starts to rot and wither and detaches from the arm in 1d6 days. The disease can be cured only via a Cure Disease cast by a 20th level priest. Once lost, the hand can be recovered only through a Regeneration or a Wish.
95	A magical armour and a magical shield (chosen at random) appear in front of the PC. (cumulative)
96	A wizard's spellbook with 1 spell for each level appears in front of the PC. (cumulative)
97	PC is granted a Wish.
98	All PC's magical items vanish.
99	PC gets his own Djinn. He can summon a Minor Djinn once per week and the being will serve him faithfully for 24 hours before returning to his Plane. Every time the Djinn returns to his homeplane, he regains all lost HPs. The Djinn will however follow these moral guidelines: he will attack others only if threatened or if his master is threatened; he will not turn against his master; he will not commit suicide or suicidal actions; he will not betray other Djinns; he will not summon his Pasha. The Djinn will serve the PC for three years, then it will be free (the PC can free him from any obligations any time before this date, however, with a simple order). The only other way for the Djinn to be freed is to die (reduced to 0 hp) or if his master dies before the end of the three years.
100	The Fate's Bells are tolling! The PC is now Lord of his own Past: the PC has acquired the stunning power to change once the course of the past. This power may be called upon only once in a lifetime, but its effects are nearly unlimited. The PCs may decide to arbitrarily change the outcome of a past event, and from that moment on the past will be rewritten as the character wanted. The PC has only three limitations: 1) he cannot change an event that led to his death; 2) he cannot change an event directly involving an Immortal or a similar eternal entity; 3) he cannot alter events he did not witness first hand.