Putting the magic back into magical items

One of the many things that has annoyed me greatly about fantasy RPGs over the years is how they handle magic items. Magical goodies tend to either be combat related, skill enhancers, or deliberately weird. And far too often they are simply presented, with no feelings of mystery or history. Being a student of medieval epic poetry, I can tell you that when the people who actually believed this stuff wrote about a magic sword, they knew who carried it, when, what he did with it, and how it came to be possessed by the next holder.

The Earthdawn RPG handled this by requiring players to learn the history of their magical doohickey before being able to actually use it. I really like this approach (and may pick up the latest edition of the game) since it allows players to actually have to play out learning what this rune-inscribed, faintly glowing black iron sword is really all about before using it.

But this approach requires legends, and in keeping with the tradition of the eddas and other epic poems, the stories would most likely be passed down in song. So, allow me to present a magical item in a magical place. By way of the Grateful Dead.

Franklin's Tower

You ask me where the four winds dwell
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
Ring like fire when you lose your way

Well, what do we have here? An enchanted bell hanging in a tower, that is home to the four winds? Perhaps Franklin's Tower is part of a temple complex dedicated to a forgotten storm god, or the bell itself can call into the elemental plane of air. Whatever, this is not going to be an easily stolen object! (See The Long Ships for an amusing take on the Really Big Treasure, One Lump Division.)

But what does the bell do? Well, obviously it can project a very strong light spell, bright enough to turn night to day. Since this is in a tower, we put the temple on cliffs near a rocky beach, and the bell can act as a beacon or lighthouse.

The other attribute listed in this verse is "ring like fire if you lose your way." Now this is interesting. I see two possibilities. One, those who successfully master the bell, make the proper ritual offering, etc, gain protection from getting lost. To keep the "four winds" theme, I'd say this power only works where the wind is blowing. Perhaps the petitioner is required to state a destination or goal, such as "the lost city of Mar" or "Abra's Black Sword" and if he wanders too far off course, he hears a bell ringing an alarm. The second possibility is that this is a moral warning. That followers of the storm god who have achieved a certain stature hear the bell ringing when they tread to close to the edge of their god's acceptable behavior.

God help the child who rings that bell
It may have one good ring left, you can't tell
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused just listen to the music play

Is this a warning? If the bell is unreliable, or perhaps dangerous, it would explain why armies aren't sent to retrieve it. It's left to foolish adventures to test the wrath of the inhabitants of the Plane of Air and an ancient storm god. The third line suggests that the bell can only be physically rung twice daily; once during the day, and once at night. The last line suggest that just getting to the bell is challenging. But what music? Above I suggested that Franklin's Tower might be on a cliff near the shore, a good place for winds. Why not carve the building and cliffs into a wind organ? I'm starting to like this. You would need to follow musical clues to pass through the temple complex, and that would require regular winds. Having lived on a coast, you get those mainly in the morning and early evening. "One watch by night, one watch by day." Gaming this would require a decent MIDI program.

Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
if you plant ice you're gonna harvest wind

Another note of caution. After discussing what previous pilgrims have come for, the song warns that planting "ice" will harvest wind. What does this mean? Assume it's not literal, and take ice to mean a cold-hearted wish. Death to your enemies, misfortune, or even the means to become a despot. The bell will detect this, and well.. you really want to battle four really big air elementals in a confined space? Obviously, even those who ascend to the top of the Tower still need to prove their worth. It should be noted that one of the powers of the bell appears to be massive healing of both physical and emotional wounds. It might do this without your consent.

So, there we have it. A magical bell that promises both great rewards and dangers, a musical labyrinth to negotiate, and the song that tells the (incomplete) legend.

So, what do you think? While you consider this, enjoy the Dead and Branford Marsalis playing Franklin's Tower.