Ring of Loki

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The Ring of Loki:
by Carl Quaif
This ring is a wide band of bright platinum, designed to resemble an ouroboros - a snake swallowing its own tail. The serpent's eye is a tiny emerald, which glows with a pinpoint of light whenever the ring is donned.
Because of its nature, it detects as magical only part of the time; whenever Detect Magic is cast, roll 1d4. A roll of 1 or 3 means it shows up as enchanted, but on a roll of 2 or 4 it appears to be a mundane, non-magical piece of jewellery. Likewise, a Detect Evil spell will reveal it to be Good (roll 1-2 on 1d8), Neutral (3-4), Evil (56), or non-aligned (7-8). Its powers may only be discovered by placing it upon one's finger.
This unique item is a Relic of the Immortal Loki, created (as most things made by Loki are) as a nasty joke, and to promote chaos and confusion. When worn, the Ring grants the wearer one power or disability from the list below; the DM should roll for the chosen ability on percentile dice. No matter what power the ring gives, it cannot be removed from the wearer's finger until 72 hours have passed - at which point the light in the serpent's eye blinks out.
If removed and replaced on the hand of the same, or another, wearer, the Ring randomly provides another power.
Loki keeps an occasional eye on his "little joke"; if its current bearers seem to be gaining too many beneficial effects from it, he might "even up the score" by causing the next few effects to be negative, by sending trouble - in the form of monsters obedient to him - to harass the adventurers, or by sending a Thief or two to retrieve the Ring, who will pass it on to another "deserving" person...
The powers of the Ring of Loki are as follows:-

01-03 Acts as a Ring of Protection +1.

04-06 Acts as a Ring of Delusion.

07-09 Acts as a Ring of Levitation; wearer floats on air when asleep or unconscious.

10-12 Causes wearer's hair (and beard) to grow at a rate of 1' per hour, for as long as the Ring is worn. Extra hair remains when Ring is removed, but may be cut normally.

13-15 Polymorphs wearer into either a normal rat or a normal dog (toss a coin to decide) for 72 hours.

16-18 Acts as a Ring of Invisibility (effect fades when attacking, restarts 1 Turn later).

19-21 Wearer's voice becomes that of a braying donkey. Speech (and spellcasting) becomes impossible.

22-24 Acts as a Ring of Water Walking.

25-27 Acts as a Ring of Protection +2.

28-30 Acts as a Helm of Alignment Changing.

31-33 Any magical Wand or Staff employed by the wearer either uses no charges or double charges (toss a coin to decide, each time item is used).

34-36 Wearer transforms slowly (1d6 hours) and painfully (1d4 damage) into exact copy of next living creature touched. This function reactivates at a random time each day, for the duration. If human/demi-human, own skills and spells retained; if monster, creatures abilities acquired.
Wearer's mind is unchanged. If no new beings are touched on a particular day, no change occurs.

37-39 Acts as a Ring of Spell Turning.

40-42 Wearer's skin takes on a greyish pallor and stone-like consistency. Movement is restricted (always lose initiative, -30'/Turn from movement rate), but natural AC is improved by 3 places. Wounds appear as bloodless cracks; if reduced to 0 hp, wearer's body shatters into rubble - can only be Raised by a carefully-worded Wish. Both Cure spells and the Mage spell Stoneform can be used to repair wounds.

43-45 Acts as a Ring of Safety.

46-48 Wearer's effective Charisma is 20 for the duration; he or she will be pestered constantly by members of the opposite (or even same!) sex until the effect expires.

49-51 Acts as a Ring of Water Breathing; however, wearer cannot breathe air for the duration.

52-54 All magical items touched by wearer must make a Save vs. Spells or be cancelled, as per a Rod of Cancellation.

55-57 Acts as a Potion of Diminution for the duration.

58-60 Acts as a Ring of Protection +3.

61-63 Wearer's appetite goes out of control; he or she craves food constantly. Wearer will gain 2d8+6 pounds in weight each day until duration expires - this added weight remains when the Ring is removed.

64-66 Wearer's touch creates a Passwall effect on any stonework touched, unless leather gloves are worn. This spell effect lasts for either 1d4 rounds or 1d6 Turns (flip a coin to decide).

67-69 Acts as a Ring of Regeneration; wearer's skin becomes greenish and glabrous for the duration.

70-72 Any bladed or stabbing weapon which pierces wearer's skin (i.e. causes loss of hp) corrodes away to nothing within 3d10 rounds. Magical weapons are immune to this effect.

73-75 Acts as a Ring of Fire Resistance; wearer's hair bursts into flame for the duration (ignites inflammable items).

76-78 Acts as a Potion of Gaseous Form for the duration.

79-81 Wearer apparently dies immediately (no save). Spirit is released to wander the Astral Plane, to be sucked back into mortal body when duration ends (alternatively, if DM wishes, spirit might instead go to Plane of Limbo - See "Voyage of the Princess Ark" in Dragon Magazine CD-ROM - or Outer Plane of their patron Immortal (if applicable) for "judging". Play this up as if character were really "dead"). If mortal body is cremated or otherwise destroyed during this time, the affected character actually dies.

82-84 Acts as a Ring of Spell Storing. If wearer is a spellcaster, 1d6 uncast spells are sucked into Ring from his/her memory when Ring is donned - new spells may be memorised normally to replace these. Any uncast spells fade from the Ring when duration expires. If wearer is a non-spellcaster, roll again.

85-87 Acts as a Potion of Growth for the duration.

88-90 Wearer's teeth and nails become loose and drop out within 1d6 rounds. When duration expires, new (undamaged, rot-free) sets begin to grow back in - these take 1d4+2 weeks to grow in properly.

91-93 If wearer comes into contact with a normal or magical disease while wearing the Ring, he/she becomes a magical carrier for it; all those within 5' must make a Save vs. Spells each Turn or be infected. This effect lasts for an additional 1-2 weeks after Ring is removed. Only the first disease encountered is affected in this way; additional diseases affect wearer normally.

94-96 Roll again to determine effect; this lasts only 24 hours, after which a new effect should be rolled. Ring can still only be removed when 72 hours (i.e. 3 different effects) have passed.

97-99 DM should choose any one entry from this list, or substitute a new effect of their own design.

00 Acts as a Ring of Wishes, containing a single Wish. If this is used, the Ring becomes forever non-magical for that wearer.

01-03	Acts as a Ring of Protection +1.
04-06	Acts as a Ring of Delusion.
07-09	Acts as a Ring of Levitation; wearer floats on air when asleep or unconscious.
10-12	Causes wearer's hair (and beard) to grow at a rate of 1' per hour, for as long as the Ring is worn. Extra hair remains when Ring is removed, but may be cut normally.
13-15	Polymorphs wearer into either a normal rat or a normal dog (toss a coin to decide) for 72 hours.
16-18	Acts as a Ring of Invisibility (effect fades when attacking, restarts 1 Turn later).
19-21	Wearer's voice becomes that of a braying donkey. Speech (and spellcasting) becomes impossible.
22-24	Acts as a Ring of Water Walking.
25-27	Acts as a Ring of Protection +2.
28-30	Acts as a Helm of Alignment Changing.
31-33	Any magical Wand or Staff employed by the wearer either uses no charges or double charges (toss a coin to decide, each time item is used).
34-36	Wearer transforms slowly (1d6 hours) and painfully (1d4 damage) into exact copy of next living creature touched. This function reactivates at a random time each day, for the duration. If human/demi-human, own skills and spells retained; if monster, creatures abilities acquired. Wearer's mind is unchanged. If no new beings are touched on a particular day, no change occurs.
37-39	Acts as a Ring of Spell Turning.
40-42	Wearer's skin takes on a greyish pallor and stone-like consistency. Movement is restricted (always lose initiative, -30'/Turn from movement rate), but natural AC is improved by 3 places. Wounds appear as bloodless cracks; if reduced to 0 hp, wearer's body shatters into rubble - can only be Raised by a carefully-worded Wish. Both Cure spells and the Mage spell Stoneform can be used to repair wounds.
43-45	Acts as a Ring of Safety.
46-48	Wearer's effective Charisma is 20 for the duration; he or she will be pestered constantly by members of the opposite (or even same!) sex until the effect expires.
49-51	Acts as a Ring of Water Breathing; however, wearer cannot breathe air for the duration.
52-54	All magical items touched by wearer must make a Save vs. Spells or be cancelled, as per a Rod of Cancellation.
55-57	Acts as a Potion of Diminution for the duration.
58-60	Acts as a Ring of Protection +3.
61-63	Wearer's appetite goes out of control; he or she craves food constantly. Wearer will gain 2d8+6 pounds in weight each day until duration expires - this added weight remains when the Ring is removed.
64-66	Wearer's touch creates a Passwall effect on any stonework touched, unless leather gloves are worn. This spell effect lasts for either 1d4 rounds or 1d6 Turns (flip a coin to decide).
67-69	Acts as a Ring of Regeneration; wearer's skin becomes greenish and glabrous for the duration.
70-72	Any bladed or stabbing weapon which pierces wearer's skin (i.e. causes loss of hp) corrodes away to nothing within 3d10 rounds. Magical weapons are immune to this effect.
73-75	Acts as a Ring of Fire Resistance; wearer's hair bursts into flame for the duration (ignites inflammable items).
76-78	Acts as a Potion of Gaseous Form for the duration.
79-81	Wearer apparently dies immediately (no save). Spirit is released to wander the Astral Plane, to be sucked back into mortal body when duration ends (alternatively, if DM wishes, spirit might instead go to Plane of Limbo - See "Voyage of the Princess Ark" in Dragon Magazine CD-ROM - or Outer Plane of their patron Immortal (if applicable) for "judging". Play this up as if character were really "dead"). If mortal body is cremated or otherwise destroyed during this time, the affected character actually dies.
82-84	Acts as a Ring of Spell Storing. If wearer is a spellcaster, 1d6 uncast spells are sucked into Ring from his/her memory when Ring is donned - new spells may be memorised normally to replace these. Any uncast spells fade from the Ring when duration expires. If wearer is a non-spellcaster, roll again.
85-87	Acts as a Potion of Growth for the duration.
88-90	Wearer's teeth and nails become loose and drop out within 1d6 rounds. When duration expires, new (undamaged, rot-free) sets begin to grow back in - these take 1d4+2 weeks to grow in properly.
91-93	If wearer comes into contact with a normal or magical disease while wearing the Ring, he/she becomes a magical carrier for it; all those within 5' must make a Save vs. Spells each Turn or be infected. This effect lasts for an additional 1-2 weeks after Ring is removed. Only the first disease encountered is affected in this way; additional diseases affect wearer normally.
94-96	Roll again to determine effect; this lasts only 24 hours, after which a new effect should be rolled. Ring can still only be removed when 72 hours (i.e. 3 different effects) have passed.
97-99	DM should choose any one entry from this list, or substitute a new effect of their own design.
00	Acts as a Ring of Wishes, containing a single Wish. If this is used, the Ring becomes forever non-magical for that wearer.