Magic potion... containers

Have you ever thought that some magic may not come from the magical potion, but from its container? I'm afraid that due to expendable nature of the potion container (bottle, flask, jar and soon) may lead to the missing of this phenomenon but well, it's players' problem, not mine :D

Here are some examples of the magical liquid containers, of course with fixed colors. Roll 1d20:

1. White. Turns the liquid to 40% alcohol, mainly vodka.
2. Blue. Turns the liquid into potion of healing.
3. Red. Turns the liquid to sauerkraut juice.
4. Yellow. Turns the liquid into urine.
5. Olive. Turns the liquid into vinegar. 
6. Brown. Turns the liquid into potion of invisibility.
7. Transparent. Turns the liquid into molten metal.
8. Green. Turns the liquid into potion of blindness.
9. Black. Turns the liquid into fresh water.
10. Violet. Turns the liquid into cheap, very sour wine.
11. Silver. Turns the liquid into blood.
12. Gold. Turns the liquid into poison (randomly determined).
13. Grey. Turns the liquid into ash (!).
14. Orange.Turns the liquid into somewhat diluted tree resin.
15. Dark-green. Turns the liquid into fruit juice (randomly determined).
16. Pink. Turns the liquid into potion of paralysis.
17. Navy blue. Turns the liquid into potion of fire breathing.
18. Aquamarine. Turns the liquid into mustard.
19. Copper. Turns the liquid into potion of water breathing.
20. Dark-brown. Turns the liquid into potion of sleep.

After filling the container with liquid, it starts transforming its contents after 1d6 turns. Transformation ends after the next 2d6 turns.

Fixed color tables

During the history of this blog, I've posted several random tables containing random objects of different colors (dusts, incense, even giant slugs!). When I was working on the magical dusts entry, my girlfriend (who is also a gamer) asked me "why don't you make two random columns, one containing color and one with the effects?"

Answer to this question is really simple - of course I can make all "colors effects" random, which should make using all stuff without identification more challenging but I decided to allow players (not the PCs) to learn about the world. They should (but we all know that it's not certain!) learn that - in example - black potion should be the potion of invisibility, and the red dust may haste its user (but not always - note the tone differences). I think that's the important part of the campaign world / worlds - to let players to learn about the properties of some more or less mystical / unusual things by themselves, without using abstract things like the identify spells and similar bullshit (which is sometimes good, but - in my opinion - only sometimes).

Funny thing is that all colors have different effects on different substances (compare tables containing dusts and incense, for instance) so this may lead to some serious (sometimes even lethal) mistakes. But well, no one ever said that the red potion will have similar effect to the red dust / incense / wand / whatever!

Magical dusts

OSR needs more and more (and more, and more...) random tables. There's no such thing like too many random tables :D

Roll 1d20 to determine the color of the magical dust:

1. Light red. Immunity to poison for 1d4 days.
2. Blue. Heals 2d8 HP.
3. Yellow. Murderous frenzy for 3d8 rounds.
4. Light green. Paralysis for 1d8+1 hours.
5. Cyan. Water breathing for 2d6 hours.
6. Green. Immunity to fire for 2d4 hours.
7. Red. Haste for 2d10 rounds.
8. Silvery. Save or die.
9. Pink. +1 to-hit for 1d12 hours.
10. White. Invulnerability for 3d6 rounds.
11. Purple. Levitation (controllable) for 1d4 hours.
12. Brass. 100% electrical resistance for 2d6+1 hours.
13. Brown. Night vision for 2d8 hours.
14. Orange. One breath of fire per dose ingested.
15. Black. Invisibility for 1d6 hours.
16. Magenta. Save vs. poison or you'll be sexually aroused for 2d6 hours.
17. Golden. Save vs. magic or you'll gain one level (!).
18. Color-changing. Causes one random mutation.
19. Graphite. Save vs your worst save or you'll have only 1 HP for 1d4 days.
20. Multicolored. Roll twice!

Giant Slugs!

As you probably noticed, in real world there are many different species of slugs and many of them are of different colors. Why do not use different kinds of giant slugs in our campaigns?

Roll 1d10 to define color of encountered giant slug.

1 - Black. Slug's mucus and blood is highly poisonous. Anyone who touches it must save vs. Poison or lose 3d6 HP.

2 - Brown. Slug's mucus can corrode metal and transform it into a rusty heap within seconds. Any weapon made of iron/steel/etc. that hits slug will be destroyed after dealing damage.

3 - Red. Giant Slug has 50% fire resistance and can breathe fire.

4 - Green. Giant Slug's mucus is highly corrosive. Acid can damage equipment and cause grievous wounds (1d6 damage per touch).

5 - Yellow. Slug can emit clouds of stinking gas (effect may besimilar to the Stinking Cloud spell, if you use it). Its bite is poisonous (save vs. Poison or 1d6 additional damage).

6 - Cyan. Slug has 50% acid resistance. Can breathe acid clouds (not just spit).

7 - White. Slug's mucus is highly sticky. Any weapon that hits the monster has 25% chance to be trapped. Slimy trace left by the slug is very sticky too, so beware your steps!

8 - Purple. Slug has 100% poison resistance. Its bite is lethal - victim must pass save vs. Poison or die immediately.

9 - Grey. Slug's skin is thick and rubbery. Increase its AC by one step and add one HD. Its meat is edible and rather tasty, but stinks horribly.

10 - Golden. Roll two effects!

In addition, there is 10% chance that encountered Giant Slug will have some additional abilities, determined by its secondary color (of course if it is not identical to slug's primary color!). Additional color can form dots, stripes or larger spots on monster's skin. Roll 1d10 to determine slug's secondary abilities:

1 - Green. Slug's acid and poison resistances are increased by 25%

2 - Yellow. Slug's movement is increased by 25%

3 - Black. Slug can regenerate 1d6 HP per round of combat.

4 - Red. Slug's fire resistance is increased by 50%

5 - Cyan. Slug is immune to poison.

6 - Silver. Slug's magic resistance is increased by 25%

7 - Brown. Slug's spit range is increased by 25%

8 - White. Slug's spit damage is increased by 1d6.

9 - Blue. Slug is highly intelligent. 10% that it can talk.

10 - Gold. Slug is immune to magic.

Magic Incense

Roll d10:

1 – red – anybody inhaling the smoke must save vs. Poison or go berserk, attacking everybody in his line of sight. Effect lasts as long as incense is burning.
2 – yellow – emits horrible odor of rotting eggs. It smoke can reveal invisible objects and hidden doorways.
3 – black – stinks of rotten fish. Inhaling the odor for one full round (10 minutes) heals 1 lost HD.
4 – cyan – sweet scent. Save vs Magic or fall asleep for 1d10x6 minutes.
5 – purple – sweet and very intense scent. May attract and lure monsters. Eating the incense may cause regain or lose 1d6 HP (1d6: 1-3 gain, 4-6 lose).
6 – gray – smells like old dust (1% for allergic reaction). Save vs Magic or forget one spell (or one important name for non magic using characters).
7 – gold – emits black, dense and odorless smoke. Every piece of gold (including gps) incensed by this smoke simply disappears. Sweet, eh?
8 – green – emits disgusting reek of rotten flesh. Any undead that can “smell” the odor (even if it has no nose) will automatically flee.
9 – white – flower scent. Inhaling its smoke may cause visions, oracular mumblings or similar effects (up to GM’s decision – may be fragments of map, knowledge about secret passages, monsters etc.) the only drawback is that scent of this incense will lure every insect (including giant ones) to the aroma.
10 – multi-colored. Roll twice!