You Call This Archeology: Part 1 (DCC)

From the pages of Blackthorn’s Concordance of Archeology:

“...except on every Mychanoidial New Year, on which they are rumored to raise from the detritus of the clearing and begin the process of the rite anew. (See also Spores of Taliboard, the)


Field of Babastura, the (formerly Gallows Meadow): The Field of Babastura was the site of the final battle of the War of Jurisprudence waged by the opposing forces of the Jecelite Kingdom and the Order of Babastura. The site is located between the foothills of Mount Chuan-Hok on the valley plain known in that era as Gallows Meadow. The region had long been the site of executions of prisoners on both sides of the conflict.


The final battle served as a last ditch effort by the Jecelites to wipe out the bestial priests before they could summon the Slave God Babastura from his mountain prison. The priests and their sinister tribes had dug a series of trenches and tunnels in an attempt to slow the superior Jecelite force. The Jecelites, despite equipping themselves with fantastic armaments crafted by the finest alchemical minds of the age, were unable to stop the summoning ritual in time and Babastura arrived in the form of a great pyroclastic floe that decimated both his own zealous followers and their foes. The few warriors that survived the conflict were so damaged by the sights and sounds of the carnage that they were left to wander the world with broken minds and shattered souls. Some were rumored to have given up hope for the overworld and instead chose to settle in the caves and trenches under the battlefield permanently. Babastura has been active in the pantheon of our world ever since and the scarred face of mount Chuan-Hok has become a symbol for the few who are foolhardy enough to follow him.


Today, if the local folklore is to be believed, the site is shrouded in dark energy and sinister magics. The cratered top of Mount Chuan-Hok continues to spew acrid steam and smoke which settle in the valley like a never ending fog. The valley itself, once a green and lush pasture, is today a maze of gnarled thicket interspersed with sudden drops and walls of volcanic stone. Due to the perceived and actual dangers of the site, few explorers and treasure hunters have picked over the area. The fantastic nature of the combatant’s arms, and the fact that neither army survived to collect the spoils of war, led the Hostvorten College of Archeology and Antiquities to give this site a Gold rating for potential discovery.


Fieldworks of the North Ubvenfjord: These battlements, created for use in the Oestervock Campaigns of the Poliposion wars were never used in combat due to the collapse of the Wold Republics soon after their completion, however...”

Archeological finds on the Field of Babastura (stats given for DCC RPG but can be easily converted to any Fantasy ruleset):


     Kit of Vermudus: Over one hundred of these Oak boxed kits were prepared by the alchemist Vermudus for the Jecelite army. The kits included a number of odd and powerful potions, preparations, and unguents to heal the wounds suffered on the field of battle. Most kits found will undoubtedly be incomplete. (Roll 2D5 to determine how many items are present and then randomly determine which items are not present) A complete kit would contain the following:

1. Antim’s Rallying Ether: This vial is triple bound with cloth, cork, and wax and takes two full rounds to open. Breathing deeply from the vial grants two hit dice of healing as well as a +1 to all attack and damage rolls for 1d3 rounds. The remedy can be waved under the nose of a fallen comrade to grant a 1d10 roll for a roll over the body check, however since the incapacitated recipient is unable to inhale the vapors purposefully they do not receive the other benefits of the potion.

2. Powder of Serguese: This white powder resembles bone flakes and is contained in a small round glass dish with a lid. If a characters blood is spilled into the dish and mixed with the powder it will harden into a crimson puck in 2d5 turns. The player will lose a permanent hit point when this occurs. If the player later consumes the puck he will regain the hit point as well as regaining one lost attribute point due to a roll over the body check, etc. if another creature or humanoid eats the cake they will gain the players lost hit point but do not receive the ability restoration benefit. Consuming the powder on its own causes mild intestinal distress lasting 1d3 days.

3. Malicter’s unguent: This paste was stored in a small bone vial capped with cork and wax. The contents will have solidified over the years but can be revitalized with a splash of water. The paste will remove a moderately sized scar if applied once a day for three days. There is enough in the vial for 3 applications (6 for smaller scars).

4. Potion of Bulk: This large glass flask contains a concoction with the appearance of urine with small flakes of silver suspended within and is warm to the touch. When ingested it functions as an enlarge spell cast with a spell check of 1d12+10 for the purposes of stat effects, however the character does not grow by the given percentage, instead gaining that percentage in mass. The effects last until the character next urinates. The potion itself is a powerful diuretic and after 1 turn the imbiber must make a DC 14 fortitude save each round to avoid the effect. The character’s water may be collected and used again as a Potion of Bulk however each using decreases the caster check die one step down the dice chain.

5. Blackpaw Brew: This thick and pungent, traditional remedy is a rich brown color and very thick. It is contained in a large leather bound canteen. If consumed straight the imbiber must make a DC 12 fortitude save or regurgitate the brew immediately. Bringing the brew to a boil and drinking while still warm alleviates this risk. The potion restores 2 Hit dice worth of hit points and will grant bonus hit points beyond the creatures normal maximum. These bonus hit points remain for 3d6 turns or until lost via injury.

6. Brandt’s Colonic: This purple, viscous liquid comes in a long thin vial with a hare bone stopper. The remedy is applied anally and triples the rate of regular healing for 3d6 weeks. Roughly 15% of humanoids and 70% dwarves are highly allergic to the formula resulting in anal bleeding lasting 3d6 weeks that negates the healing benefit, and severe internal itching that reduces a characters personality by 4 (minimum 3) for the next 48 hours.

7. Baitswallow’s Restorative: This potion is a shimmering, translucent magenta and is contained in an ornate flask with gold piping and an ebony stopper stylized into the shape of an elephants head. At one time this was one of the most powerful potions known, restoring 6 Hit Dice of damage and increasing all saves by 2 for 24 hours. The March of time has diminished its power and it now only restores 1d4 hit points. It does have a pleasing flavor for those who enjoy sweetened licorice.

8. Pavlitt’s Elixer: This green, pungent, garlic based potion comes in a ceramic vial, with a clay stopper. The contents can bring a humanoid who has passed since the last full moon back to full life for 24 hours, after which they must make a DC 15 fortitude save or turn to dust. Succeeding on the save returns them to a healthy natural death. 

9. Aphlet’s Cure All: This remedy comes in the form of an olive green bar wrapped in velum. This solid gum, was meant to be rubbed between the hands to heat and soften before being applied to sore muscle to alleviate pain and speed recovery. It is unclear if it ever worked, but any effects seen now appear to be purely psychosomatic.

10. Prongtar’s Pamphlet: This pocket sized tome includes instructions for the use of all items in the kit as well as general guidance for the identification of potions and healing herbs in the field. Pursuing the booklet for one turn before attempting to identify the use or effects of such items grants a +2 bonus to the next skill roll/attribute check made to that purpose. Player’s using the book to determine the effects of items in the kit will only find information on the original effects of the items and will not be aware of the way in which the passage of time has effected some items. 

Whisper Horn: These mythical horns are, unfortunately, rarely found in pairs (15% chance). The horns themselves are taken from ritually slain Dairoxen. They are adorned with a leather strap and embossed with intricate silver threading, which have taken on a slightly luminous green tinge with the passing of time. The horns are magically enchanted and when sounded can be heard up to 20 miles away. If the user whispers a message of up to 12 words into the wide end of the Horn immediately before sounding it, then the whispered message will reverberate from any other whisper horns within hearing range. The large end of the second horn must be brought to ones ear within two rounds of hearing the blast to make out the message with 100% accuracy, otherwise the chance of understanding the message drops by 10% for every foot the Horn is from the users ear.

Jecelite Spear Head: Jecelite Spears were renowned in their time for their balance, heft, and hardiness. The heads were crafted form a alloy of steal now lost to history. They never dull and rarely break if used properly. To balance the weighty head a counterbalance piece was attached to the opposite end of the spear. This weapon was not built to be thrown giving it a range similar to a dagger and incurring a -4 penalty to attack in this manner. However, when used in regular melee combat by a hardy soldier the weapon can be quite deadly. A complete Jecelite spear doubles the bonus or penalty granted by a creature’s strength score to damage. Further any user with a minimum of a +1 strength bonus will see the weapon behave as a +1 magical weapon in regards to attack bonus and ability to hit magical creatures. Unfortunately a complete weapon is hard to find. A spearhead used without a proper Jecelite counterweight will do 1D7 damage and be at a constant -3 to hit. In the rare instance that a complete spear is found the wood will be so old that it will be in constant danger of breakage. After any successful hit the weapon must roll a 1D20 “fortitude save” over the damage of the attack or shatter. A weapon smith can easily craft a wooden shaft for a Jecelite spear for 1-2 gold pieces. Spears found in the wild tend towards the following distribution: (1) shaft only, (2-10) counterweight only, (11-20) Head only, (21-75) Head and counterweight without shaft, (76-100) complete specimen.

Tabard of Maleeshia: These tabards are made from the rib bones of fell Beasts. The tabard itself grants a +1 bonus to AC, however, due to old age, the tabard will be destroyed on any hit that misses the wearer by 1. The tabard behaves as a scroll of Bless cast at a spell check of 3d6+10 and only effects lawful creatures within range. The scroll can be read by any humanoid that can read common and is spelled out phonetically so that any of the Jecelites allies could use it even if they did not speak High Jecelic. Reading the scroll takes 1d4 rounds minus the readers intelligence modifier (minimum 1), and the writing disappears from the scroll afterwards. The words will reappear on the tabard 24 hours after the tabard is worn in melee combat.

Ishtoogs Collar: These enchanted leather collars with bronze hardware create an empathetic link between a canine and a humanoid master. If a user places the collar on a canine they will be able to act on each other’s initiative (both creatures roll and may pick to use higher or lower number. The two need not use the same number.) The linked pair also receive a +1 bonus to attack rolls when in melee with the same creature. Further the user may see through the canines eyes by concentrating for 1d3 rounds with their own eyes closed. Any other creature wearing the collar will slowly turn into a mutt hound over the course of the next three full moons. First gaining fur, then ears, snout and non opposable thumbs, and fianally becoming a complete canine on the morn after the third moon. The creature will have the stats of a common dog and lose all normal ability scores and powers. Upon total transformation, the resulting hound will receive all the benefits listed above if the collar was placed upon them by a creature other than themselves. Whether being worn by a canine, humanoid, or other creature, the collar can not be removed by any means save a remove curse spell or similar magic. Upon death of the creature the collar will detach on its own. 

Warget Tusk Necklace: This necklace consist of 28 rune dominoes carved from Warget tusk. These are often (50%) recovered without twine but can be returned to full functioning if stung by a goblin wench onto dwarf beard twine. If worn, the necklace grants a +2 bonus to ritual magic spell checks. The wearer must be of a chaotic alignment in order to be effective. The necklace will grant an additional +2 (total +4) to ritual magic castings involving Babastura. The runes themselves can be thrown as bones granting a +2 bonus to checks for scrying or divination like abilities. They are also favorable to chaotic aligned characters when used in recreational games grnting a 60% chance of winning in games of chance (like Old Man’s Bladder) and a +2 bonus to winning games of skill (like Grog-yon-bones, or Two Score and Two)