Artifacts and Relics of the Bible

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Being somewhat of a Bible scholar, I thought it would be interesting to catalogue the artifacts and relics found the Old and New Testaments with a full description of their powers and abilities spelled out in AD&D terms.

I discovered that some Biblical artifacts and relics have no place in any D&D world by virtue of their literally God-like powers. But some of the other items listed below may be permitted without seriously unbalancing a campaign.

I've taken my quotations directly from the New International Version (NIV), and used the historical information found therein to guide me in what powers and abilities to assign each individual item. But it's all conjecture, of course.

* For those religiously sensible who may find this exercise controversial, please post no complaints here, but email me instead at sangalang@hotmail.com. Thanks.


The Sling of David, Son of Jesse
Sling +5, Giant-Killer

"Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bad and, with his sling in his hand, approached Goliath."

"As Goliath moved cloaser to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck Goliath on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. And so David triumphed over Goliath with a sling and a stone..."

(1 Samuel 17:40, 48-50)

Who hasn't heard the story of David and Goliath? Goliath, a giant of a man, fell to the future king of Israel with just one shot of his sling. It is the classic tale of the weak overcoming the strong, played out to this day among Jewish and Christian school children.

STATISTICS

Special Abilities: A riverbed stone slung from the Sling of David will instantly kill any kind of giant it hits (no save)
Thac0: +5 bonus
Damage: +2 (missile damage)
Weight: 0
Speed Factor: 0
Proficiency Type: Sling
Type: One-handed
Requires: 3 Strength


The Spear of Goliath (Spear of Wounding, +4)

"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet and wore bronze scale armor... His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (7 kg)."

(1 Samuel 17, 4-7)

Goliath was a giant of a man. As champion soldier of the Philistine army, I'd peg him as a 17th or 18th-lvel Berserker with the Strength of a hill giant (19). His spear, his favoured weapon, has killed over a thousand men. Its heavy iron tip has been blessed by the priests of his religion to prevent wounds incurred ny it from healing.


STATISTICS

Special Abilities: 2 hit points damage every round, until 20 hit points of damage done.
Thac0: +4
Damage: 1d6+4
Damage Type: Piercing
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 6
Profiency Type: Spear
Type: 2-handed
Requires: 15 Strength
Not Usable By:
Cleric
Mage
Thief


More items forthcoming...

 

Interesting food for thought and more importantly, it proves I'm not the only one with too much time on his hands.

 

Not that I'd have time to do that kind of things, but reading is interesting. Good job I'd be happy to see more items. As you said in a lot of cases it's hard to seperate the power of the item from the devine power of God. But how about, the staff of Moses or the shroud of Christ. Just some thoughts.

 

And Biblical themed spells should be quite interesting too.

Imagine things like Flesh to Salt (crumbles immediately) and Blood Boil. Insert short Biblical quotes before the spell descriptions and they might even rival Torment's captions!

 

When I get the new avatar system up an running, I will be giving out idiot of the week titles too. Shura, you are the first on the list to earn the title for a month.


[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited March 27, 2001).]

 

Ok, ok.
I apologize for that post.

 

Heh yea, I'm also a bit puzzled myself, but I think I've decided I don't want to know.

 

Don't mess with the power of Tal...or God for that matter while we're on the subject.

I think that's pretty interesting. (and there's a lot more where that came from... heh heh)

 

Wolf;

What about the Sword of Goliath? I don't have my NIV handy but . . .
1) David uses it to behead Goliath after hitting him with his sling.
2) When David leaves Saul to hide in the hills, he stops by a tabernacle looking for food and equipment. The priest replies that the only weapon is the sword of Goliath, to which David replies, "There is none like it!"

My assumption is that David used this sword throughout his campaigns.

Bastard Sword +5
Usable only by people with 18+ strength

STATISTICS

Special Abilities: +5 bonus to Charisma
Thac0: +5
Damage: 1d12+4
Damage Type: Slashing/Piercing
Weight: 5
Speed Factor: 6
Profiency Type: Bastard Sword
Type: 2-handed (or 1-handed)
Requires: 18 Strength
Not Usable By:
Cleric
Mage
Thief

 

The Ark of the Covenant.

Moses' Staff (aka Staff of the Snake, but it also turns rivers into Blood) (technically Aaron carried it for the miracles)