Cursed Objects and Double-Edged Swords

 It's been too long.

These don't follow that outline for cursed objects I wrote once, mostly because I started writing these in the back of a car on vacation and brevity saves me from too many bumps in the road rendering one idea illegible.

Do you believe in the power of a curse?

d10 Cursed Items

Good cursed items are tricky. I like the idea that they're punishing, no mere double-edged sword, but you want the punishment to itself be a fun problem to deal with. I am considering the practicalities of a campaign where cursed items can only be suffered by those who gain them by ignominious or transgressive means.

1. A blade that Slays By Its Own Will. Razor, quick, you've drawn it and struck someone down in the time it takes to say so. The blade loves to use this power to bring sorrow to its wielder but can only suborn their sword arm, so it can be wrestled with. It resists being simply discarded by holding tight.

2. Drawing blood with the Barbocephalus Axe turns you into Varent, a 4 HD half-demon barbarian from a time and place otherwise. You have to play him until he sets the axe down, and he respects only violence. As he figures out what banishes him, he becomes wary to avoid parting with the axe-- this place is much nicer than his own.

3. Ever-Burning Candle. Enables +1 day's worth of downtime activity per day, imparting frantic vigor. Won't go out until it kills you 1d4+3 months from now.

4. Consume one of the Organs of Wicked Albus to instantly memorize a spell of level equal to the number of Organs you've eaten, and also see a vision of one of Albus's most horrible deeds. They are gritty and bitter, but addictive to the tongue and stomach. Once you've had one, save or you won't be able to memorize spells in the normal way for a week. After five are consumed, save each week or turn into the mage Albus. There are nine-- the brain, the lungs, the stomach, the liver, the spleen, the eyes, the larynx, the intestines, and the tongue.

5. The Nine Lives Amulet has 1d9 charges. When you would make a save vs death or die due to damage, instead consume a charge. Thereafter, you must save vs spells or impulsively drink potions, leap into portals, and take other hellcat risks.

6. The Cruel Dart imparts a curse on touch-- that you shall not create new life. No children, no fire, no wind, no songs, no orders.

7. Like a matte ruby, the Rubedo seed is always sought-after. Shake it around your waterskin, and the water is turned to weak merlot. Swallow it, and all you taste shall be as the finest wine. Swallow it, and ever after all you taste shall be as the finest wine. 

8. Some sages keep a Two-Tailed Coin in their money boxes. Their killers are ill-fated, for those who carry the coin, easily overlooked in a purse, see beautiful lights and light-tempered beauties in the depths of every body of water. They must save or be tempted down into the warm embrace of the depths, getting +1 for each reason they provide for why they must pass by. They can never repeat reasons, even on later saves.

9. A simple one-- the fine velvet Slippers of a Vampire seem perfect for those who seek to sneak without echo, but they don't only avoid holy ground. If they pass over unhallowed undergrounds-- grim graves or doomy donjons-- they step the wearers through the very dirt into the very deepest section.

10. A Compact Henway. Reverses your stats and handedness. Can't be set down once strapped on except in a mirror.

d8 Double-Edged Swords

1. A Cool Sword with a blade at either end. Crits on a 19 or 20, deals damage to you on a 1.

2. Some wizards who are bad enough dudes sign the Contract of Fire. Your spells = Fireball, and scrolls, wands, or other items you cast from = that thing, but of Fireball.

3. A flappy, flaking Viper Skull Cap. All your attacks crit. Your HP = 1.

4. Bralon's Favor, a simple kerchief. Your retainers don't test Morale/Loyalty like normal. Instead, flip a coin. On a heads, they fight to the death. On a tails, they beat a fighting retreat, taking potshots as able. Be careful; your DM will not modulate these results to fit the context better, so making a Morale flip after falling into a pit full of bones may be bloody.

5. When mending your clothes in the morning with a Golden Thimble and Silver Thread, choose a type of save. You always pass that save that day, but fail all others.

6. Some weapons are Everyone's Problem. This straightsword in a quickdraw sheath has a blazing yellow eye in the tang which radiates a Ruin-Cloud Nimbus, dealing 1 damage each round to all in 10', including the wielder.

7. Death's Palm, a pistol that's shaped like a hand and replaces your hand. It can only do one thing-- fire bullets of magically conjured purple flame-- but it does it well.

8. Weightless Robes, barry Argent and Azure. When worn and for an hour after, your weight = 0. You float like a slightly deflated balloon. Be careful not to jump when outside, lest you float off into the sun.