The Alexandrian

Coins of the Damned – Part 3

September 30th, 2016

Go to Part 1

COINS OF APHASIA

Coin of Aphasia

When the coins of aphasia were first created, they were known as the Coins of the Realm. These were the most impressive accomplishment of the legendary mage Salestro, who crafted a set for each of the Nine Kings. Through their diplomatic use, the Nine Kingdoms negotiated a peace which lasted for generations.

Each of these coins are keyed to the language of the kingdom from which it hails. Anyone who has the coin on their person will not only understand the language for which the coin was designed, but will automatically speak it fluently as well. Originally they served as perfect translation devices, which, as noted, helped bring peace to the land.

Unfortunately, the age of the Nine Kingdoms ended close to four thousand years ago – and the languages spoken during that age have long since been lost to time. Thus the Coins of the Realm have become known as the coins of aphasia, because those who unwittingly possess them will find themselves speaking languages no one around them will comprehend. The victim will not understand what’s wrong unless it’s explained to them (they can not only understand what everyone else is saying, but also think that they’re speaking normally).

To make matters worse, the coins take 1d20 minutes to acclimate themselves to the user’s mind (and only take effect after that time has expired). As a result, a person afflicted by a coin of aphasia may have a difficult time figuring out what’s causing the problem (since there’s no direct connection between the coin and the effect it’s having).

On a positive note, the coins have a high value in certain scholastic circles, due to their ability to function as a gateway to languages long lost to the mists of time. Some of these individuals may even have a desire to hire adventurers to find the coins.

Caster Level: 5th
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, tongues
Market Price: 30,000 gp

THE BEGGAR’S FRIEND

Beggar's Friend

The beggar’s friend was another creation of the Scarlet Coven – who, it seems, felt a certain poetic justice in using cursed coinage as a weapon against the wealthy. The beggar’s friend predated the wealth bane (described above), and was a far less demanding item for the coven to create; but, ultimately, the beggar’s friend was abandoned because it was not accomplishing the goals of the Coven quickly enough.

Any character who comes into possession of a beggar’s friend while in possession of 100 gp or more must make a Will save (DC 20). If they fail the roll, the character will be placed under a compulsion to give away half of the money they are currently carrying to a beggar. Until they fulfill this obligation, they will find it impossible to spend or give away their money. (They will also find it impossible to explain their situation to anyone else until the obligation is fulfilled.)

Nor is the curse of the beggar’s friend necessarily lifted once the obligation is ended: Unless the character thinks to give the beggar’s friend away at the same time they fulfill their compulsion, then they must make a second Will save (DC 20) or be faced with the same compulsion a second time (assuming that they still have more than 100 gp on their person). (If a character does not specifically give away the beggar’s friend, assume that they kept it.)

If a character comes into possession of a beggar’s friend while they are not in possession of at least 100 gp, then the beggar’s friend will have no effect. However, if they are still in possession of the beggar’s friend when the wealth they are carrying on their person exceeds 100 gp, the coin’s effect will begin.

Also, note that the beggar’s friend will not only take into account any of the character’s personal wealth which they possess, but any money which the character possesses or comes into contact with while the beggar’s friend is on their person.

Go to Part 4

2 Responses to “Coins of the Damned – Part 3”

  1. Arnaud Gomes says:

    Nice. Now I can’t see myself not using the coins oh aphasia in my campaign. 🙂

  2. Ilbranteloth says:

    These are really cool. I will definitely work some of these, or a variation of them, into my campaign.

    I have a cursed coin treasure that I’ve tried on and off to write a publishable adventure around, but it’s probably better as a description by itself and let the DM fit it into their campaign.

    It’s best to place in lost tomb, with legend stating that the tomb and its treasures are cursed. The tomb, when found, is near a long abandoned town, that was long ago ravaged by plague and disease. The tomb itself, at least the main entrance, shows signs that somebody (the townspeople) tried to block further entrance to the tomb.

    The tomb itself can be designed any way you’d like, although it has been partially plundered in the past. The treasures are cursed, or appear to be. Most of these are due to Nystul’s Magic Aura, to make them appear cursed. The only thing that is truly cursed are the coins, but the aura on them makes them appear nonmagical.

    The coins cause a plague. The incubation period is 4 weeks, and each coin causes only a 1% chance (per coin carried) of contracting it to any creature carrying the coins, and 1/2 the same chance to anybody or any living creature coming in contact with somebody carrying the coins. The disease must be cured by a remove curse, which also has the effect of removing the curse from any of the coins they carry on their person.

    It is a deadly over the course of weeks, causing progressively worsening and visible symptoms. Design the plague as you’d like.

    What makes it so insidious is that the PCs don’t know they are carrying cursed coins, and they don’t develop the wasting disease until weeks, or even months later. Instead, as happened before, they return to town and spend the money, spreading the curse farther. The lost town was decimated (since it was the closest to the tomb), and the town itself probably still contains some of the cursed coins in the ruins.

    Like the party in the past, those who survive carry the plague farther and farther from the tomb.

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