The island should be full of strange contraptions that do all kinds of powerful, yet often useless things. The players will need to navigate a wildly unpredictable area to retrieve whatever items they are able to. The players will find journal entries of the inventor and it will become clear that there is influence from Ahmutt, calling into question the extinction of the interloping pantheon. The players themselves will also need to make continual will saves to avoid madness, themselves.
While sitting in my workshop, I was reminded of a day from my youth:
The clock chimed midnight, summoning echoes of forgotten melodies and shimmers of a bygone era lost in the corridors of time. A single raindrop cascaded down the windowpane, tracing erratic patterns amidst the symphony of whispered lullabies and untold stories in the falling rain. The moon cast an ethereal glow upon the midnight garden, illuminating the dance of shadowy figures and clandestine rendezvous in the nocturnal embrace. A lone seashell washed ashore, carrying whispers of distant lands and the ancient wisdom of tides in its spiraled chambers. A shooting star streaked across the night sky, trailing ephemeral dreams and fleeting desires that dissipated with its fiery descent. The old book exhaled a musty fragrance, releasing forgotten chapters and whimsical musings of yesteryears trapped within its weathered pages. An autumn leaf tumbled in the breeze, carrying the whispered hopes and melancholic whispers of transition in its golden veins. he flickering candle cast dancing shadows, revealing fleeting glimpses of spectral apparitions and untold tales lingering in the twilight's embrace. The distant rumble of thunder echoed through the valley, carrying the solemn chants of storm spirits and celestial battles in the tempest's wake. A butterfly flitted among the flowers, leaving a trail of iridescent hues and mystical serenades in its delicate, erratic flight.
While working on a contraption, I decided to reminisce
In that fleeting moment, the room seemed to hold its breath, as if suspended between yesterday's memories and tomorrow's dreams. Each carried a fragment of a narrative, tales woven by nature herself, chronicling the joyous laughter of dancing woodland sprites and the sorrowful sighs of forgotten deities whose whispers echoed in the rain-soaked earth. As it bathed the scene, it revealed a world veiled from mortal eyes: fae folk twirled in a celestial waltz, their laughter like silver bells chiming in the velvety night. Nestled within the shell's delicate curves lay not just the echoes of distant oceans but a timeless echo of sages past, their cryptic messages hinting at the cyclical nature of existence and the ebb and flow of destiny. As it vanished, its luminescence faded into the darkness, leaving behind a silent yearning in the hearts of those who witnessed its transient beauty, a longing for the intangible that sparked the flame of hope within. As the scent wafted through the air, the pages seemed to flutter, inviting the reader on a journey through time; a tale of adventure and intrigue awaited, its secrets begging to be unearthed by the curious hands of a seeker. As it danced with the wind's embrace, it whispered of change and transformation, a reminder that even in endings, there lies the promise of new beginnings. Each shadow seemed to tell a story, a fragment of a lost legend or an unsolved mystery, awaiting someone with the keen eye to decipher their cryptic riddles. As it danced from petal to petal, it seemed to paint a symphony with its wings; a sonnet composed in hues of azure and amethyst, a masterpiece woven with each flutter and pirouette.
I had a dream
As the echoes reverberated, a faint figure emerged, a specter from history stepping into the present, carrying with it the secrets of an ancient legacy that yearned to be heard. They spoke of diverging paths; whispers of hope echoing through crumbling corridors, tales of despair and echoes of torment lurking in forgotten chambers, a duality etched within stones, each narrative awaiting discovery. I, of course, endeavored to engage with them, but alas, they swiftly fled, evading discourse with an agility almost divine. As I clasped it to my ear, an ethereal murmur from bygone epochs graced my senses, a spectral echo resonating with tales of ancient lands, seas and long-forgotten secrets, a haunting serenade from a distant era. My sole aspiration encompassed the pursuit of enlightenment, a fervent yearning that transcended mere desires, craving the acquisition of boundless wisdom and understanding, so this is what I had wished for. Yet, the essence it bore did not resonate with positivity; rather, it encapsulated a demeanor steeped in an aura of discord, casting shadows upon its inherent disposition. With a gust, more of its bretheren joined; one orange, one green, one white and one blue, each reflecting an aspect of the dawn of life in our world. One such riddle caught my eye. The gutteral cries screamed a story of pain and revenge; of finding the right answer for all the wrong reasons. It was in this moment, I knew I was in the presence of a greatly powerful and yet peaceful force.
Hanla:
Thorne spoke of willpower and eternal life. Alas, in the end, they remained akin to their predecessors, a variant manifestation of the identical imperfections woven into the fabric of their being. The following night I returned, hoping to gleam more insight into their nature. Cataclysm, an unrelenting force of destruction, recurrently razes the world to near obliteration, affording it a blank canvas upon which to inscribe a fresh narrative, enabling a cyclical rebirth and redefinition of its very essence. This attainment arrived entwined with a paradoxical and bittersweet consequence, an ironic retribution veiled within the folds of its fulfillment, bestowing a twinge of bitter regret amidst the sweetness of accomplishment. The book's material seemed unmistakably crafted from human flesh, an unsettling revelation that sent shivers down the spine, evoking an eerie sense of discomfort and apprehension. After, came the more mundane. The shadow danced against the wall, reflecting the life of one who was once alive; their hopes, aspirations and fears. Duality exists in most walks of life; love inspired incandescent joy and unbridled rage and vengeance. It was as if all I need do is dream and any joys that I wished would be presented to me.
Gazing upon damasced patterned walls, I heard an evening bell. It reminded me.
Upon me, he imparted his recipe, too grotesque to repeat. Inherent imperfections might indeed be interwoven within the very fabric of divinity. Finally, after a protracted effort, I managed to engage in conversation with one, an elusive encounter that had long evaded my grasp. The world we currently inhabit must exist within a finite temporal framework, its existence bound by an inevitable countdown toward an eventual conclusion. In the wake of absolute knowledge emerged an unsettling descent, a harrowing realization that the all-encompassing grasp of enlightenment brought forth, irrevocably, the chaotic realms of a fractured mind. Dark magics, interwoven in its very essence, drew me in, refusing to release me from its cold embrace. Swathes flew in of colour brown, covering the ground not meant for them, but nevertheless making it their own. Through fanciful wisps and waves, the darkness conveyed to me a hunger, profound, lingering after death. A man of words lost his daughter and blamed the gods for failing in their duty. Then, resonating within the very flesh of my mind, a voice, soft and calm, spoke to me.
Oren ikon devn.
Creation of such a thing would demand a soul devoid of ethics or conscience, resonating only with the darker echelons of human intent and morality. Despite uncertainties, these celestial beings wield an undeniable dominion over mortal affairs, their influence casting a formidable shadow upon the mortal realm's tapestry of existence. They whispered of a hidden glen, obscured by the shimmering veil of twilight. The question remains: to what extent does our agency influence the trajectory leading to that conclusion and how much of the narrative's denouement lies within the grasp of our influence and determination? Undeterred by the chaos within, I persist unrestrained in my quest to pursue the loftiest of aspirations and objectives, navigating the labyrinth while steadfastly reaching for the pinnacle of my ambitions. The book possessed an extraordinary capability: to seamlessly transport my consciousness into the abyss of both past horrors and euphoric moments, as though I had been an active participant amid those turbulent and blissful bygone eras. Through all this the leaves had spoke to me of life before our kind. Those alive were expected to bring tribute and food for the hungry ghosts. Quickly, he became a man of war, insisting upon vengeance. It told of peace that awaits all in the end.
Reminiscence echoes the old tongue:
Yet, in my frailty lies an insatiable thirst for enlightenment, and so it was kept, veiled away from prying eyes and curious minds. Should these intrinsic imperfections be deemed irremediable, then one might conclude that the quest for resolution is but an illusion, a pursuit embarked upon in vain against an immutable truth. There, starlight weaves spells into dreams and laughter echoes among the petals of moonlit flowers. Listening only to the echoes and reverberations of the past will asuredly never unveil the solution to this quandry and for now we must remain stranded amidst the tapestry of uncertainty. In whatever form it takes, life continues. I found tales of darkness... the darkness... comes. Reptilian order once ruled these lands and seas. The tradition had been lost to time. Despite his success, what he became was nothing anyone should ever seek to be. This peace will come with the warmth of spring.
Ah, the curious nature of orange peels! One cannot help but marvel at their intricate texture, a labyrinth of dimples and crevices, encapsulating the essence of their citrusy origins. Each peel tells a silent tale, a narrative etched in the faint aroma that lingers, whispering secrets of orchards kissed by the sun. The peel, a veritable enigma, guards the mysteries of the fruit within, concealing its vibrant succulence behind a facade of modesty.
The peels, once discarded, lie scattered like confetti upon the workshop floor, remnants of a citrus symphony now silenced, whispering secrets of orchards kissed by the sun.
In my musings, I often find myself contemplating the perplexing existence of geese. Creatures of both elegance and disarray, they waddle through life with an air of nonchalant grace. Ah, how their honks echo through the tapestry of the skies, a cacophony that heralds the whimsy of these feathered beings. Do they hold secrets, these avian wanderers, weaving tales of their travels as they traverse the azure expanse? Perhaps they possess insights into realms beyond mortal comprehension, hidden within the depths of their fowl consciousness.
The geese, avian voyagers of the heavens, remain an enigmatic presence, their honks echoing like ethereal melodies across the skies.
Yet, amidst these ruminations, there lingers an inexplicable desire for stickiness. Yes, stickiness! That peculiar state of being that ensnares objects in an embrace of adhesive fervor. Oh, the allure of a surface clinging obstinately to one's touch, an inexplicable fascination with the tenacious grip of the sticky! To be enveloped in a world where everything adheres to everything else, where cohesion reigns supreme, is a fanciful dream, a whimsy that dances on the periphery of my thoughts.
The stickiness, an elusive desire, wraps the mind in a cloak of fascination, drawing the inventor into a realm of adhesive reverie.
The stars twinkled brightly above, whispering secrets of distant galaxies and unknown realms far beyond mortal comprehension. A sudden gust of wind carried the fragrant scent of pine and petrichor, weaving tales of forgotten forests and ancient whispers in the breeze. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, a canvas ablaze with the day's final brushstrokes.
Cheese.
In the quiet solitude of my workshop, I often find myself lost in contemplation, each slice of cheese serving as a portal to an uncharted realm of gastronomic wonder. The very essence of cheese, a gateway to unexplored sensations, beckons the adventurous spirit to embark upon a journey through its labyrinth of flavors. Is it mere happenstance, or is there a cosmic design within each crumb that tantalizes the taste buds and sparks the imagination?
Today, amidst the chaos of my cluttered workshop, I have brought to life an enigmatic device - "The Juice Loosener." This contraption, veiled in mystery, takes hold of 10 oranges and yields 10ml of luscious orange nectar. The arcane machinations behind its operation defying logical explanation.
The Juice Loosener, my dear creation, embarks upon a wondrous endeavor, transforming the citrus bounty into a delightful elixir. How, you may ask?
As you ponder upon the inscrutable workings of this contraption, contemplating the nature of juice and the untold stories lingering within the zest of an orange, I find myself drifting into similar philosophical musings. Could the essence of life reside within this citrusy essence, waiting to be released by the hands of a skilled inventor such as myself?
I suppose to you, the aftermath of oranges remains an enigma hidden within the mysterious depths of the Juice Loosener. What transpires within its metallic embrace after the extraction of juice? The remnants, a cacophony of pulp and rind, vanish without a trace, swallowed by the shadows of uncertainty. Search for them not, for they are not to be found.
The Juice Loosener stands as a testament to my ceaseless pursuit of the inexplicable, yet to me it is of course entirely explicable. What juice can I loosen from other sources? Would they have the same profound divine elegance as the orange? I think not, yet doubt myself.
Yet, dear journal, as I dive deeper into the mysteries that envelope this world, I am left to ponder the endless possibilities concealed within the remnants of the oranges. What secrets do they harbor? What arcane truths are woven within the fibers of their being?
Oh, the allure of invention, the tantalizing quest for the unknown! The Juice Loosener, a marvel true, propels me further down the path of discovery, where clarity is obscured by the fog of boundless fog and fog is cleared by the clarity of clarifications. For now, I shall drink of the orange juice that I may calm myself. This is needed.
This wand needs to be fired at a target. They make make a will save to resist, but should they fail, they swap places with the closest goose.
While worn on the head, the wearer can telepathically command any termites within 100ft to do their bidding
This machine sits on wheels and can be moved around.
When activated, the machine will make everyone's voice, apart from the person who activated the machine, higher. Thus making the voice of the person who activated it lower by comparison. (Will negates)
When activated, this device will spill out a great black cloud covering the sky. This will block out the sun and make the area in a permanent night until the device is deactivated. Best used when outdoors.
Summons bread
This two handed weapon can fire a projectile that will make its target more ugly. There is no save, but it can be dodged. (weapon is dex based)
This cannon can fire a projectile that will compel its target to dance for 5 minutes. There is no save, but it can be dodged. Pain will cancel the effect. Weapon is dex based.
This handheld device amplifies the smells of whatever it is pointed at and allows you to smell things at telescopic distances
This handheld axe will punch a hole in just about anything, dealing a flat 6 damage but increasing the target's speed by 5ft. If used on armour the speed bonus will be present for the wearer until the armour is repaired.
This device reduces gravity by 50% in a radius of 50ft
This one-handed weapon fires a projectile that forces its target to turn around 180 degrees. This can be resisted if the object hit is securely fastened (eg a locked door, a table that is bolted to the floor), but any creature that is free to move would be unable to resist it. The projectile can be dodged, however. The weapon is dex based.
This cannon fires a projectile that will severely dehydrate whatever it hits. Plants will immediately wilt and living creatures will need to drink water (4 litres if medium) within 20 minutes or die.
This one handed weapon can be fired at a target, draining that target's luck and giving it to the weilder of the device. The effects cannot be resisted but the projectile can be dodged. Each time a shot is landed, the target gets a -1 penalty to all rolls and the weilder gets a +1 bonus. This effect lasts for 5 minutes. If multiple hits are landed on the same target, the timer resets so that all luck is transferred back at once. You can diminish the luck of an individual target by a maximum of 10 points. Likewise, the greatest your luck bonus can be is 10, so while you can drain multiple people to -10, you will still only have a +10 bonus, yourself.
This one handed weapon can be fired at a target. If the target is unaware they are being fired upon, they cannot resist the effects but if they are aware, they can make a will save to negate them.
The user of the weapon will transfer themselves and all of their equipment into the target. The target will then be under the control of the weapon's user, although can only really move in this state. After two rounds, the user of the weapon will rematerialise behind the target and the target will be sickened for 1 further round. The victim will not know what just happened and be generally confused.
This one handed weapon can be fired at a target (dex based). If hit, the target will be stripped down to their underwear. No other clothing they are wearing will be damaged, it will simply magically appear on the floor around them.
The attack can be dodged, but not resisted.
This two handed weapon can be fired at a target (dex based). If hit, the target will immediately grow a big bushy mustache. This can be dodged but not resisted.
This two handed weapon can be fired at a target (dex based). If his, the target will grow an exceptional amount of body hair all over their body. This can be dodged but not resisted.
This very large device has a slot for a piece of paper. If a map is placed into this slot, it will be ejected tasting very nice (but with no increase to its nutritional value). Anything else placed into the slot will simply be ejected with no effect.
This machine will inject the subject with a syrum that will cause them to go unnoticed. It is not invisibility, and people will know the subject is there, they will simply not care. This effect can only be removed by using the machine again.
This will open a portal to a random location. Sadly, almost all places are deep space, so going through is almost certain death.
The actual function of this device is unclear. The only notes that were left mention its name and not much more. Activating the device will just get a voice of a young girl to play saying "All is fine with the time". Any attempts the players make to divine its function will be fruitless, including completely dismantling it.
This two handed weapon (STR based) produces a glowing axe blade made purely of light when picked up. Whenver this axeblade touches anything, it will be violently destroyed. The sparks flying are a risk to the wielder, however.
The axe will do 10d20 damage on an attack, but will have a 50% chance of dealing 1d10 damage to all body parts of the wielder on a successful hit.
According to the notes attached to it, this rather large device can distill a demon (or a fresh enough corpse of one) down to its "essence". You presume that means its soul and/or something inherent to its divinity.
You have no demon tissue to test this in any way, but it has apparently been used once, in the creation of The Happy Sneaky Suity when a demon of Sentanus was "distilled".
The leather of this suit is oppressively dark. It seems to vary its size to perfectly fit its wearer skin tight, no matter their size. As soon as it is worn, it will begin to speak with the wearer. At first it will simply say "hello" and won't respond to the wearer at all.
Wearing the suit will grant a +10 to sneaking in the dark. Additionally, it will grant a +5 to perception rolls to track the movements of other people. Additionally, it will grant a +2 to any roll (other than stealth or perception) when used to avoid detection while sneaking. Finally, if you successfully attack someone while wearing this suit and they have not detected your presence before the attack, you will deal an additional 3d6 damage in your attack. This stacks with any other damage bonuses from sneaking.
This machine seems to create potions from thin air. Seemingly, a different potion each time.
According to the Mad Inventor's notes, this ring has the ability to grant its wearer immesurable destructive power. The ring can first transform its wearer into a creature of destruction. Once transformed, the wearer can power up their hands to destroy with a mere touch. In both cases, the notes state that the wearer must utter a magic "passphrase" of sorts, but makes no mention of what those phrases would be.
The inventor in his notes seems unsure if he created this himself or if it is an artifact of Noctoria. He states both as fact.
According to the Mad Inventor's notes, this ring has the ability to grant its wearer the power of creation and exceptional luck. The ring can first tranform its wearer into a create of creation. Once transformed, the wearer can summon whatever they like and repair anything no matter how damaged, merely on a whim. In both cases, the notes state the wearer must utter a magic "passphrase" of sorts, but makes no mention of what those phrases whould be.
The inventor seems unsure in his notes if he created this item himself or if it is an artifact of Tanselia. He states both as fact interchangeably.
Worn about the wrist, this strange weapon allows its wielder to use thrown weapons more easily, such as throwing knives or throwing stars. While equipped, it gives a +2 bonus to hit with any thrown weapon and grants +5 to damage. Once per day, the wearer can utilise the true power of the Lampon to throw an additional projectile with each attack for 2 minutes, dealing exactly half of the damage of the main projectile. If the main projectile hits, the extra projectile also hits and if the main projectile misses or is parried, the extra projectile will also miss. The extra projectiles thrown in this manner will be consumed from the inventory.
This ornate, bejeweled dagger doesn't seem like the sort of weapon you would use in combat, but rather something you would expect to see in a ceremonial setting. The blade is an odd shape, the handguard is ineffectual and the handle is uncomfortable. To the untrained eye, it would seem like a mundane, ceremonial dagger. However, to those with experience using magical items, it can become much more potent.
On its own, its damage is no different to a standard dagger. However, when a hit is successfully landed, the wielder can make a use magic device check, which is rolled against the defender's will save. If this check is successful, the defender's armour in the attacked location will be completely disintegrated. The blade will then continue to hit the target location for normal damage.
This one handed weapon can fire a projectile at a target (dex based). If this hits, the wielder and the target will switch places. This can be dodged but not resisted. The target can only be a sentient creature.
This is a big hand on a stick
Takes in 10 oranges, produces 10ml of orange juice. Exactly what happens to the remnants of the oranges is unknown.
Stops time for everyone, including the person who activated the machine. As time is stopped, this stop cannot have a real duration, but if you were conscious during the stop, you would percieve the duration to be about 12 seconds.
If you were able to see out of anything these covered, you would be able to see in the dark with that part of your body. They do not function if you do not wear them where you would normally wear underwear.
When a button is pressed a portal opens to a pocket dimension which contains a 24/7 milkshake shop. You don't know where the ingredients come from and the cooky shopkeeper won't tell you, either.
The Mad Inventor has labelled this as such. There are no other components around and this appears to be a mundane hunk of metal.
It is a small box with a button on it. Pressing the button doesn't seem to have an effect beyond the rather satisfying click it makes
Remarkably non-grotesque given its intent. This machine will scan the subject and copy their molecular structure forming sheets of their skin to be used as paper. You begin to worry about what these notes you've been reading might be written on.
You flip a switch to turn it on. After a second, the switch flips back.
This large device has wheels fitted to it so it can move. Firing this at the floor will create a large hole in the floor and fill it with water.
This does not appear to be magic. If you fill it with chicken soup and gunpowder, it will fire the chicken soup.
This one handed weapon can fire a projectile (dex based). If this projectile hits, it will cause the target to spill their drink if they are holding one.
This fires a 30ft cone in front of the wielder. There is no save and this cannot be dodged. There are no mechanical effects, but anything in the cone becomes sticky.
Makes the drinker impervious to mundane weapons. Also kills the drinker.
This potion is marked only with "Elixir of Life". There is no description of its function. It looks like liquid tar.
For GM: this potion will turn the drinker into a vampire, making them immortal and unbeholden to the ravages of time, but with certain other needs
Takes 10 minutes to kick in. Once it has, the drinker is granted +1 to all rolls for 15 minutes, then -2 to all rolls for 30 minutes thereafter
Upon drinking, water appears above the drinker.
Gives the drinker long arms, permanently. They are unable to interact with things directly in front of them but can manipliate objects 10ft away with ease.
You think any milk in this has spoiled by now. Otherwise, it is a mundane banana milkshake.
All that is labelled is the potion name. You're not sure what it is
GM: It is syrup of ipecac. Drinking will cause violent vomiting.
No further notes can be found.
GM: This potion will attune the drinker to demons, granting them the ability to sense them nearby. When in combat against a demon, the drinker will gain +5 to attack, dodge and parry rolls. The drinker will also have a 5% chance of guessing a demon's name correctly when looking at them, which could be used to bind the demon.
While in a character's inventory, strange things will happen. Critical failures are guaranteed to confirm for everyone within 50ft. Additionally, anyone attacking the holder will get a -5 on their attack rolls. The holder will have a -2 on all rolls they make. If the holder attacks (including counter attacks), then there is a 5% chance of a crazy event taking place, to the GM's discretion. The GM should describe something unlikely that goes wrong (eg. a box of whisky falls from the sky dealing 1d10 damage to the head of...) and then conclude by rolling to see who it hits. The holder of the clover must be a potential target for this, along with the person they are attacking. Anyone close by enough can be considered a potential target to the GM's discretion.
This one handed weapon fires a projectile (dex based). This can be dodged, but not resisted. If this hits, it will cause all of the hair on the target to fall out.
This machine is hard-wired into the building. When it is activated, the entire island becomes 2D. It's unclear exactly how far this effect lasts. The game now runs as a sidescroller.
The Mad Inventors notes mention that Tendrils are an approximation of life that popped up at some point in history near a city called Mora. They were formed by very intense divine energies intermingling with very intense arcane energies. From what he says, they would fly around and kill anything they could before they expired. They were, themselves, basically invincible, but would only exist for a limited time.
The good news is, you are quite certain you've never seen any weapon that would take this as ammunition. Why anyone would ever want this is beyond you. Even if you had a goal of killing babies, you wouldn't need special weaponry to do so.