Chapter Ten: Treasure

Since Athas is a metal-poor world, the treasure tables in theDungeon Master's Guideare inappropriate

I. [^] Dark Sun Treasure Types

[^] Lair Treasures

[^] Individual and Small Lair Treasures

[^] Coins

Because metal coins are more valuable on Athas, they are somewhat more rare in treasures. The frequency and quantities of coins in these treasures is less than most AD&D® camapign adventurers will be used to.

No platinum or electrum pieces are regularly minted on Athas. The metal, is occasionally found in small amounts, but not enough to warrant inclusion on the table. Finds of platinum or electrum will be special treasures placed by the DM.

Bits are one-tenth pie pieces of a ceramic piece. When found, they may or may not be completely broken into individual bits; some may still be unbroken or partially broken coins.

Ceramic, silver, and gold pieces weigh in at 50 to the pound. Five hundred bits weigh 1 pound.

[^] Gems

Where metals are very rare, gems become a more frequent medium of exchange. On Athas, gems are fairly common and still quite valuable.

[^] Gem Table

The gem variations and descriptions of the individual stones from theDMGstill apply to gems found in Dark Sun.

[^] Objects of Art

Art is not usually a part of lair treasures on Athas. Such finds will be specially placed by the DM. The objects of art table in theDMGis appropriate for determining the price of such items, except that the number ranges represent ceramic piece value, not gold piece. Items consisting of steel make a valuable treasure, as well.

II. [^] Magical Items

The nature of magical items found in DARK SUN campaigns is discussed in Chapter 7: Magic. When magical items are found as part of a lair treasure, Table 88: Magical Items (from theDMG)will suffice to determine each item's general category. Subsequent rolls on the subtables yield a variety of specific items, though the DM may find some have names that are anachronistic to DARK SUN campaigns. For instance,gauntlets of ogre powerare very useful on Athas, but Athas holds no ogres. The various items ofgiantstrengthhave the same problem because DARK SUN campaigns do not use the traditional pantheon of giants.

If a Dark Sun DM rolls up a random magical treasure item with an inappropriate name, he should either change the name or, better yet, don't give the players a name for the item at all. This latter solution makes PCs cautious with their newfound magical items, testing them carefully for powers that, were they to know the official name, they might recognize from years of play.

Other magical items in theDMGare anachronistic not in name only. In magical item descriptions, the mention of humanoids not native to Dark Sun obviously do not apply.

A final group of items so contradicts the environment of Athas that they either do not exist, or have been changed. potion of dragon control, scroll of protection from dragon breath, bag of tricks, bucknard's everfull purse, decanter of endless water, horseshoes (all), stone horse, hammer +3 dwarven thrower, elven chain,and any item having to do with aquatic settings or lycanthropes.

The following items are changed to fit DARK SUN campaigns:

Potion of Giant Control: Affects any giant. •

Potion of Giant Strength: The strength equivalent names do not apply in the Dark Sun campaign, though all the listed benefits are the same. •

Potion of Undead Control: Roll the 1d10 normally; the result is the maximum Hit Dice of the undead that the potion can control. •

Rod of Resurrection: Charges required are gladiator 2, templar 2, psionicist 4, half-giant 6, thrikreen 2, and mul 2. •

Boots of Varied Tracks: Substitute Dark Sun animal tracks for those listed. •

Candle of Invocation: Rather than invoking pantheons of gods, these draw upon the spirits of the lands or the elemental planes. •

Deck of Illusions: Though many of the creatures listed are not native to Athas, they can still serve as illusions. •

Figurines of Wondrous Power: Keep ebony fly and golden lion. Characters will find no other figurines on Athas. •

Necklace of Prayer Beads: The bead of summons calls a powerful creature from the elemental planes, instead.

III. [^] Potions

On Athas, potions come in the form of magical fruits or berries. The juices of the fruit hold the magical properties of the potion and the fruit must be eaten to release the magical effect. In Dark Sun, potions are never found as fluids in a flask or vial.

Any juicy berry or fruit may be enchanted with a potion. Since the juice itself holds the potion, drier fruits such as dates cannot be so enchanted. The type of fruit chosen to house the potion has no effect; any fruit can contain any potion.

Any potion listed on Table 89: Potions and Oils Once the skin of the fruit is broken, it must be eaten in theDungeon Master's Guidecan be enchanted into a fruit. On Athas, these may be referred to as potions or fruits, interchangeably (apotion of giant strengthis the same as afruit of giant strength). within one turn or the potion's magic is lost.

Whereas normal fruits may only remain ripe for a few days or weeks before they begin to rot, potion fruits have their period of ripeness greatly extended.

Once enchanted with a potion, a fruit will remain ripe for 99 years. After that time, the enchantment fades and the fruit will rot normally.

The entire fruit must be eaten to gain the effect of the potion. This takes an entire round. Fruits that are enchanted with oil-type potions must be crushed and the juice allowed to run over the user, which takes two rounds.

Potion fruits cannot be identified by taste. Adetect magicspell will identify a fruit or tree as magical, but onlyidentifyor similar magic provides a positive identification.

Potion fruits can be combined. Different potion fruits eaten concurrently will all have their effects on the ingester. Potion fruit duration is 4+1d4 turns unless otherwise stated in the description.

Fruits may be enchanted with potions in one of two fashions: magical and botanical enchantment.

Magical Enchantment: [^]

Any wizard, cleric, or druid can enchant normal fruits into potions. Magical enchantment occurs as described under "Potions" in Chapter 10 of theDMG.

Botanical Enchantment: [^]

Any wizard, ranger, cleric, or druid can use botanical enchantment. Botanical enchantment is the process of using one enchanted fruit to grow more.

The original potion fruit must be planted unused.

From this seed a magical tree grows very quickly, producing a full-sized fruit tree grows in 1d6 weeks.

Once the magical tree is grown, a d6 is rolled: on a roll of 1 or 2, two new potion fruits of the same type appear on the tree; on a 3-5, one new potion fruit of the same type appears on the tree, and on a 6 there will be no potion fruits on the tree. Regardless of how many nonmagical fruits the tree bears, there will be, at most, two potion fruits on it. Once these are picked, there will be no additional potion fruits from that tree. If apermanencyspell is cast on a magical tree, it grows a continuing series of potion fruits. Once the tree's potion fruit is picked, a new one grows in 1d6 days. Such a tree will live at least 99 years unless it is destroyed.

Botanical enchantment is somewhat risky. The tree must be tended, watered, and pruned every day while it is growing. Any severe change in the weather, such as a drought or freeze, will ruin the tree and no fruit will be borne. Any use of defiler magic near the tree will kill it and render any potion fruits on it useless. Even if all goes well, the tree may not bear potion fruits, anyway.

IV. [^] New Magical Items

These new magical items can be found as part of lair treasures in Dark Sun. Because they do not appear on the subtables in theDMG,DMs may wish to create new tables or use these items when the "DM's Choice" is rolled.

Amulet of Psionic Interference [^]

XP Value: 5,000

This item scrambles the wearer's psionic abilities, rendering him incapable of making any psionic power checks. The device creates a magical field around the wearer's mind that does not eliminate his psionic strength points, but interferes with them in such a way that they cannot be called upon for power checks. The amulet does not interfere with the wearer's ability to recover psionic strength points. Only the person who places the amulet around someone's neck can remove it; if someone puts it on himself, they can easily remove it, but if it was placed on by another, the wearer cannot remove it without aremove curseorwishspell.

Oil of Feather Falling [^]

XP Value: 700

Crushing such a fruit and rubbing the juices on one's feet gives the character all the abilities of the wizard's spellfeather fall,but for a duration of exactly 10 hours. The character can carry with him up to 250 pounds of equipment beyond his normal clothing and weapons.Oils of feather fallingare most often used to travel across the Silt Sea-a person of feather weight can float easily on the surface of the silt and walk at his normal rate of movement. Multiple applications can last a character long enough to cross an estuary of the Silt Sea or even to reach one of its many islands from shore.

Ring of Life [^]

XP Value: 500

This item protects the wearer from the effects of defiling magic. When worn, the character is immune to the initiative point loss incurred when in the destructive diameter of a defiler's spell. The ring of life also bestows upon its wearer recuperative powers as if he had complete bed rest; the wearer naturally heals 3 hit points per day. The ring of life will not protect its wearer from the dragon's defiling magic.

Rod of Divining [^]

XP Value: 3,500

This item is a small "Y" shaped stick that must be held in both hands to use. With each charge expended this item will locate and pull its holder toward any accumulation of water of at least one gallon within 1,000 yards. The end of the rod will point toward the water and gently pull the character thay way. The quality of the water need not be such that the character can easily obtain it. For instance, the rod might point down to an underground water source up to 1,000 yards beneath the caster. It might also locate moisture within a large plant (if it amounts to one gallon or more) or that hidden by invisibilityor other concealing magic, but it will ignore the moisture within living beings. (Every player character holds far more than a gallon of water.) If multiple accumulations of water reside in the rod's range, it draws itself to the largest one.