1d10 Court Jester themed Abilities, Spells and Items! (Secret Santicorn 2023)
This post is for fairdragoon of the OSR discord server for Secret Santicorn 2023! 10 Court Jester themed abilities, spells and items for use in TTRPGs! The intention is that these are system neutral effects, though they do assume that feudal or monarchal courts exist within the setting.
Abilities:
- Jester's Privilege
When you speak in a singsong manner, all who hear your words hear them as idle, entertaining jokes meant to be laughed at. They won't actually hear or understand anything you're saying. Anyone reading your lips is immune to this effect.
- Juggling Master
You can juggle any object, so long as you have exactly three of them and can lift any one of them using only one hand. Daggers, spellbooks, potions, flaming torches, bombs, etc. While doing so, you count as holding all three of them in your hands.
- Jester's Hand
You can play any instrument at least passably well, even if you've never seen it used or played before.
- Pie Submarine
You do not need to breathe, eat, drink or sleep so long as you are encased entirely by bread or pastry dough.
- Animal Friend
So long as you tell them a joke and do not harm them, an animal will do you no harm.
- Ear for Song
You can flawlessly replicate any song or poem you've heard once. You can also do this for normal speech as well, though you need to convert it to a song or poem to repeat it.
- Eye for Talent
You can flawlessly mimic actions you've seen someone else perform at least once. This ability is more of a mirror than a quick way to learn, you can only copy the exact movements without a guarantee to understand the underlying reason for any of them.
- Every Fool a King
So long as you wear a silly crown, people you have not met will confuse you for royalty and treat you deferentially out of caution.
- Every King a Fool
Through a complex series of legal loopholes, it turns out that the laws of this land do not apply to you. This doesn't free you from moral, ethical or social consequences.
- Riddler
You may challenge any creature at least twice your size to a riddling challenge and they must respect the challenge.
Spells:
- The Best Medicine
The caster tells jokes to a touched wounded target creature. The target's wounds emit deep belly laughter and are healed.
[Designer's Note: This spell is intended to be a different version of magical healing. Apply balance as necessary if magical healing is more restricted in your setting.]
- Don't Kill the Messenger
The caster conjures a miniature facsimile of themselves that flies to a creature in sight to deliver a spoken message.
- Can of Snakes
The caster fills a touched container with 1d6 compressed snakes. The next creature who opens the specified container will free the snakes. The snakes will not be happy and immediately attack everyone nearby. Snakes and effect dissipates at the next sunrise, whether the container was opened or not.
- Irresistable Performance
The caster performs a dance or song. Any creature in sight and earshot must save or stare at the caster for the duration of their performance, enraptured.
- Giant Hammer
The caster summons a comically large hammer and smashes something within their reach. Creatures struck take damage as if struck by a greatsword. Objects struck are pulverized, flattened or destroyed, whichever would be funnier in the moment.
- Killer Joke
The caster tells a joke to a creature within earshot. The target saves or becomes paralyzed by laughter. Other creatures within earshot can hear the joke but don't need to make the save (except if they want to). Effect lasts for 10 minutes.
- Switcheroo
The caster swaps an object in sight with an object of similar size in their hand. A comical slidewhistle sound accompanies the movement.
- Rousing Song
The caster belts out a lively tune. All nearby allies are invigorated, woken if asleep and protected from sound-based effects so long as the song continues. All effected creatures automatically succeed at any morale-based checks.
- Takes One to Know One
The caster lets loose a loud cheerful laugh and shatters the effect of any illusion or deception within earshot.
- Butt of the Joke
The caster touches an ally afflicted by some ailment or effect. They take on the effect, removing it from the target.
Items:
- Motley Attire
Bright two-tone multi-colored clothing. It's shape and size conform to perfectly fit the wearer.
You can change the colors of this outfit at will, though they always end up looking loud and garish somehow. While wearing this outfit, anyone who sees you will dismiss your presence and most of your actions as harmless and part of the fun. It won't work if the actions are causing direct harm or if the viewer is immune to illusions. The magic is powerful enough to prevent people from noticing you're poisoning the punch bowl, it's not powerful enough to prevent them from noticing you stabbing the archduke.
- Actor's Mask
A simple wooden mask carved into the shape of a smiling man. 3 purple runes run along the bottom inside edge of the mask and a wooden peg sticks out the bottom.
The wielder of this mask can hold it up to their face to change their appearance into the person depicted by the mask. This changes the wielder's clothes as well. The change is illusory.
The mask can hold the appearances of 3 distinct people. The wielder can change one of the stored appearances by studying someone for an hour while holding the mask.
- Pipes of Low Places
A small set of panpipes with stylized carvings of rats, birds and other small creatures.
The wielder can play these pipes to gather all the nearby small creatures within earshot, usually gathering a small horde. They will follow the wielder so long as they continue to play, and will scatter in every direction as soon as they stop.
- Deck of the Entertainer
A set of playing cards featuring bright, flashy colors and glittery numbers. Shuffling the cards changes the color and hue of the card backs.
The wielder of these cards can manipulate them at will as if they had telekinesis to a range of 10' from their body.
- Cicero's Sock Puppets
A pair of red and blue sock puppets with crude features of buttons and differently colored string. Leather lines the inside for extended puppeteering sessions.
2/day, the wearer of these sock puppets can create an illusory scene that consists of exactly 2 characters in discussion. The scene lasts as long as the wearer keeps miming the two sock puppets talking to one another and making funny voices mimicking their speech.
- Trickster Cap
Multicolored conical hat made from stiff fabric with no brim.
3/day, the wearer of this cap can exchange their position with an ally within 30'. The ally is wearing the hat after the exchange.
- Rod of Thrown Voice
A small metal rod with a cup on one end shaped as if to throw a ball. The rod bends easily but always returns to its initial position.
The wielder of this rod can "throw" their voice to appear as if its coming from somewhere else within their sight.
- Actor's Crook
A simple wooden staff with a crook or hook at the end. The endcap is carved to resemble a grinning jester.
2/day the wielder of this object can move another creature within their sight to somewhere else within sight by loudly shouting "That's all, folks!" and whistling loudly and clearly.
- Mime's Bag of Tricks
A small plain cloth bag, completely unassuming and barely large enough to hold a flask or waterskin.
3/day the wielder of the bag may mime pulling out and using an object from the bag. The object's effects appear in the world as an illusory effect. The bag can mimic: a window, a rope, a fishing rod, a watering can, a Big Scary Monster, a large hammer, a sharp knife, a drill, and a 10' pole.
- Bottled Laughter
A small potion bottle containing a bubbly bright orange potion.
When exposed to air, the potion inside aerosolizes and becomes a gas. Anyone breathing in the gas becomes intensely paranoid, believing that everyone else if laughing at them. They may attack their companions, run in fear, derelict their post, or perform other strange behaviors. Anyone who is regularly ridiculed or laughed at when not under the effects of a paranoia gas are immune.