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Legends
Common Items Versus the Supernatural - by T.A. Saunders ©2013 v1.0
While many heroes will prefer to use powerful magic against supernatural and extraplanar enemies, there are times that such things are simply not available. Of course, there are the simple folk who simply do not have the means to wield magic or acquire magic weapons to defend themselves against the things that go bump in the dark. What then? As lore would have it, there are common items that can and do work against supernatural and in some cases, extraplanar creatures. This list is a basic guide to some of those items. Anything on this list could be found in a general store, local smithy or in the wild if one is industrious enough.
Blessing an ashwood stake will allow it to permanently kill either an Arisyeemian or Khavosian vampire, if driven through the heart. Holy symbols made from ashwood gain a +5% bonus to Turning/Controlling undead.
In addition to being part of a salve to slow bleeding, bloodroot can be mashed into a watery paste and applied to weapons that will cause Arisyeemian and Khavosian vampires a lethargy poisoning that will last for 1d4 rounds (non-stacking). This lethargy reduces said vampires to one attack per round and negates their super-human speed for purposes of dodging or evading attacks. This poisoning also effects Dhampir. If ingested, bloodroot can stop a person from being turned by a vampire if they ate the bloodroot at least one hour prior to being bitten. This does not however save a person from potentially dying from being bitten.
In addition to being a cleansing agent and a cure for heartburn, calatite added to a kettle of boiling water and powdered animal bone creates a mist that unintelligent, corporeal undead such as zombies and ghouls cannot see through. Note, this is only effective in enclosed areas where the mist can linger. A strong wind or gust of air will cast aside the invisibility.
Leaving a saucer of creme out for Fae will appease them and in the cases of irate Fae, make them disinclined to harass, attack or do embarrassing things to the individual who left the creme for 1d4 days. After which, the Fae will return and will be expecting more creme! Should they not get their appeasement treat, they will resume all manner of nonsense upon their selected victim. Leaving more creme will abate the harassment.
Garlic has a nominal effect against Khavosian vampires. Neophyte Khavosian vampires cannot approach a person wearing garlic or ingest garlic of any kind. Full vampires of Khavosian bloodline can both attack and ingest garlic, but doing so renders a -10% penalty to their hit rolls for as long as they are within 1 foot of the garlic-wearing individual. In the cases of ingestion, this penalty remains till the garlic is purged. Arisyeemian vampires are immune to this effect.
A simple iron weapon, such as a knife, iron bullets, iron buckshot or a pouch filled with iron filings will score +5% to hit versus spectral undead and Fae creatures. Blessing this metal will increase the bonus to +10%. Corporeal undead, such as ghouls and zombies are unaffected by iron, but blessed iron will incur a +5% to hit. Additionally, Fae creatures are mildly allergic to iron and will attack at -5% for 1d4 rounds per application (including gunshot wounds, etc.). Fae will not enter an area ringed with iron filings.
A ring of putrefied pig's blood mixed with rusted iron filings will keep lesser celestial creatures such as spirit guardians and angelic spirits at bay. They cannot attack those within the circle, they cannot touch the circle to disrupt it and they cannot use magic on those within the circle. They can however, use magic that effects the environment in such a way that the circle could be broken. Shotgun shells or thrown pouches filled with rusty iron pellets coated in putrefied pig's blood hit lesser celestial beings at +5% to hit.
A ring of salt will keep spectral undead of any sort and lesser infernal creatures such as imps and demonic spirits at bay. They cannot attack those within the circle, they cannot touch the circle to disrupt it and they cannot use magic on those within the circle. They can however, use magic that effects the environment in such a way that the circle could be broken. Salt-filled shotgun shells or thrown pouches of salt hit spectral undead and lesser demons at +5% to hit. Additionally, Fae who encounter spilled salt are forced to count every grain of the salt for 1d6 rounds.
Blessed Silver can hit a Khavosian Vampire as if it were a magical weapon. Silver filings can be used to ward an area from Fae magic (though it does not impede the Fae from entering or leaving said area). Jackalare are highly allergic to silver and attacks made with silver-based weapons force the Jackalare to attack at a -15% to hit and cause blood poisoning if a wound is exposed to silver for an extended period of time (i.e., a silver bullet lodged in the shoulder, a silver arrowhead, etc.). This poisoning will kill the Jackalare in 1d4 hours.
When blessed, water can cause acidic damage to undead of all types, including Arisyeemian and Khavosian vampires and lesser demons. Flasks of holy water strike such creatures for +10% to hit and will cause 1d4 rounds of acidic burning that forces such creatures to attack at a -10% penalty. Unholy water does similar damage to mortal beings and lesser celestial beings.