The Fountain of Fortune's Folly
A powerful Olman relic, dedicated to Xochipilli and Huehuecoyotl - two lesser gods in the Olman pantheon.
Xochipilli Lesser God (Chaotic Good)
Xochipilli (Noble Flower) and his twin sister Xochiquetzal (Precious Flower) are the gods of flowers, birds, and insects. The Central American people - even the bloodthirsty Aztecs ¬- prize brightly colored flowers and feathers which they use to decorate everything from household items to warriors' armor.
As well as decorative arts, Xochipilli is the god of music and dance, and the god to whom gambler pray for luck. The Prince of Flowers is not a frivolous deity, however. Xochipilli is also the patron of alchemist and herbalists. He is the god of souls and reincarnation.
The flower gods are depicted as attractive young people, brightly attired. Xochipilli is often surrounded by medicinal and psychoactive plants, while Xochiquetzal is bordered by plants that provide cloth fibers and dyes.
The flowers gods teach that the soul is eternal but mortal life is transient. Xochipilli exhorts his followers to experience all the beauty and wonder in life while they can. He encourages them to take risks and seek adventure: if the gods favor you, you have little to fear.
Portfolio: Flowers, birds, spirits
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Good, Luck, Plant.
Huehuecoyotl Lesser God (Chaotic Neutral)
Huehuecoyotl (Ancient Coyote) is a trickster deity. He is the patron of shapechangers. Many popular comic stories are told about the exploits of Old Coyote. Unlike Tezcatlipoca, Huehuecoyotl works mischief only on those who deserves it; his nonviolent tricks are intended to teach the victim (and the audience) a lesson. As often as not, Huehuecoyotl runs afoul of his own prank.
Portfolio: Trickery
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Knowledge, Trickery.
The Fountain
Over the years the fountain's magic has faded and the tampering of greedy demons has left it unreliable and even dangerous. Framed by cracked marble, the round pool of cool, clean water is broken only by a twisting marble column in its centre. Delicately carved flowers decorate the column, blooming above the still pool. Sitting at the base of the fountain is a pair of cups. One is elegantly carved ivory while the other is crudely forged iron with spots of rust. Those who drink from the fountain have a choice which cup to use. Drinking from the fountain without using one of the cups has no unusual effect.
Anyone who drinks from the fountain using one of the cups gains both a fortune and a folly. The choice of cups determines which is random and which the drinker chooses. If the drinker chooses the ivory cup he chooses his fortune and rolls randomly for his folly. If the drinker uses the iron cup he chooses his folly and rolls randomly for his fortune.
A character cannot gain more than a single fortune, so drinking multiple times results in multiple follies, but not multiple fortunes.
Fortune Results
01-05 Enhanced Vigour: gain 3hp permanently.
06-10 Sharpened Senses: Gain a +1 competence bonus on Listen & Spot checks.
11-15 Deep Understanding: Gain a +2 competence bonus on a Knowledge skill of your choice.
16-20 Athletic Skill: Gain a +2 competence bonus on a Strength-based skill of your choice.
21-25 Nimble Moves: Gain a +2 competence bonus on a Dexterity-based skill of your choice.
26-30 Smooth Talker: Gain a +2 competence bonus on a Charisma-based skill of your choice.
31-35 Discovered Skill: Gain 2 ranks in a skill that you have the fewest ranks in.
36-40 Lesser Gift: Gain 1d4 random minor potions and 1 random minor scroll.
41-45 Improved Fortitude: Gain a +1 luck bonus on Fortitude saves.
46-50 Improved Reflexes: Gain a +1 luck bonus on Reflex saves.
51-55 Improved Will: Gain a +1 luck bonus on Will saves.
56-59 Quick Feet: Gain a +2 insight bonus to initiative checks.
60-63 Ability Boost: Gain a +1 inherent bonus to an ability score of your choice.
64-67 Moderate Gift: Gain a random minor magic item (Table 7-1 DMG). Reroll any scroll or potion.
68-71 Small Riches: Gain a random gemstone (DMG Table 3-6) and 1d6x10 gp.
72-75 Weapon Talent: Gain proficiency with a martial or exotic weapon of your choice.
76-78 Undeveloped Ability: Gain a +2 inherent bonus to a random ability score.
79-81 Divine Boon: You can cast a 1st level divine spell once per day. Once chosen, the spell cannot be changed. Your caster level = your character level. Save DC = 11 + CHA-bonus.
82-84 Arcane Boon: You can cast a 1st level arcane spell once per day. Once chosen, the spell cannot be changed. Your caster level = your character level. Save DC = 11 + CHA-bonus.
85-87 Life Anchor: The next time you are reduced to -10 hit points or less, you are instead reduced to -9 hitpoints and stabilised. This fortune only works once.
88-90 Greater Gift: Gain a random medium magic item.
91-93 Major Riches: Gain 1d6 random gemstones (DMG Table 3-6) and 1d6x10 pp
94-96 Reflection: Gain 200XP per character level
97-99 Boon of Luck: You may avoid any situation or negative occurrence, even one that has just occurred. This fortune functions only once and does not help those around you.
100 Patron: A powerful outsider takes notice of you and might help you in a time of need. The nature of the outsider is up to the GM.This fortune functions only once and cannot be chosen by the drinker (it must be randomly rolled).
Folly Results
01-05 Ailment: lose 3hp permanently.
06-10 Dulled Sight: Take a -2 penalty on Spot checks.
11-15 Poor Hearing: Take a -2 penalty on Listen checks.
16-20 Weakling: Take a -1 penalty on all Strength-based checks.
21-25 Clumsy: Take a -1 penalty on all Dexterity-based checks.
26-30 Rude: Take a -1 penalty on all Charisma-based checks.
31-35 Lost Focus: Take a -2 penalty on the skill you possess the most ranks in. Roll randomly if there is a tie. Once set, this penalty does not change.
36-40 Potion Resistance: Gain SR10 against all potions you consume.
41-45 Poor Fortitude: Take a -1 penalty on Fortitude saves.
46-50 Sluggish Reflexes: Take a -1 penalty on Reflex saves.
51-55 Weak Will: Take a -1 penalty on Will saves.
56-59 Slow to React: Take a -2 penalty on initiative checks.
60-63 Ability Weakening: One of your ability scores, determined randomly, is reduced by 1 permanently.
64-67 Lesser Curse: Your most expensive magic item gains a permanent drawback, see page 273 of the DMG. This drawback is randomly determined. Removing all your items before drinking does not avoid this effect.
68-71 Lost Wealth: Lose 2d6x1000 gp. This loss comes from coins and gems first, followed by magic items of your choice. Removing such items before drinking does not avoid this effect.
72-75 Withering: Your off-hand withers and becomes useless. A regenerate repairs this damage for 2d6 hours after which time the withering returns.
76-78 Ability Drain: One ability score of your choice is permanently reduced by 2.
79-81 Divine Curse: You do not heal naturally and any attempt to heal you magically must first succeed at a DC15 caster level check.
82-84 Arcane Curse: Whenever you take damage from a spell or spell-like ability you are also dazed for 1 round if you fail your save. Spells and spell-like abilities that do not give a save do not cause you to be dazed.
85-87 Grave Touch: When below 0 hit points you lose 2hp per round and cannot stabilise without assistance.
88-90 Moral Shift: Your alignment changes to its opposite. Chaotic becomes lawful, good becomes evil and vice versa. Only neutral remains unchanged. You cannot choose this folly if either alignment component is neutral.
91-93 Magical Drain: Choose 2 magic items you possess. All other magic items you own are permanently rendered non-magical. Removing such items before drinking does not avoid this effect.
94-96 Forgotten Lessons: Lose 200XP per character level
97-99 Unlucky: Once per day you must roll twice for any d20 roll, taking the worst result. The DM decides when this occurs and must decide before you roll.
100 Enmity: You have offended a powerful outsider who might try to destroy you in the future. The nature of this outsider is up to the DM. This folly functions only once and cannot be chosen by the drinker (it must be randomly rolled).
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Jeff
Jacco
Vulridir Sr
