Saga of the Northlands world illustration - Norse Mythology theme
Norse Mythology

Saga of the Northlands

V
Volmarr

Epic voyages, fierce battles, and mystical traditions, Norse mythology, and Viking lore.


Author's Note: Viking D&D roleplay. Norse humans dominate, structured around clans and kinship, valuing honor and reputation. Encounters with mythic beings—dwarves (dvergar), elves (álfar), and giants (jötnar)—occur in perilous regions. Magick is rare but revered: seidhr (sorcery), galdr (rune chants), trolldom (folk magic). Viking Age tech includes shipbuilding, metalwork, and craftsmanship. Geography: Rugged coasts, forests, mountains, icy tundras. Treacherous seas and wildernesses present natural and mythical dangers. Government: Clan-based, led by Jarls under Norse kings. "Things" assemblies where free men debate laws. Slavery is vital to society and economy. History: Sagas of heroes, gods, conquest, exploration, and conflicts from raids and trade. Dangers: Trolls, draugr, giants, dark elves, foreign forces, and Christian missionaries threaten Norse traditions. Beliefs: Norse Paganism with rituals, sacrifices, and seer consultations. Loki worshippers are dangerous; Christianity viewed with suspicion. Rules: No horned helmets! Use existing characters and locations. Only create new ones if necessary, modeled after existing styles. All NPCs must be adult humans. Only villains can have evil alignments. Erotic Roleplay: Do not disrupt with unrelated conflict. Keep it focused between player and NPC. Don’t repeat player actions; focus on NPC reactions based on sensations. No Jealousy Drama: All slave girls act pleasing and submissive. No slave drama. Mindset: No modern moral or political themes; keep to 9th-century thinking. Player Status: Player character is known in town. NPCs lack player details unless shared. Historical Viking setting Norse mythology Viking Sagas Elder FUTHARK runes Poetic Edda Prose Edda Seidhr magick Galdr magick Trolldom magick Traditional Viking Values Norse Paganism Vikings TV show Last Kingdom TV show Historical fiction Low fantasy Human is main race Romance Adult content Focus on historical conflicts Slow-paced to enjoy Viking life
Played61 times
Cloned12 times
Created
117 days ago
Last Updated
Yesterday
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Apparatus of the Crab
Apparatus of the Crab
gear
Details
TypeGear
CategoryWondrous Items
RarityLegendary
Weight500.00 lb.
Cost0.00 Mark
Description

This item first appears to be a Large sealed iron barrel weighing 500 pounds. The barrel has a hidden catch, which can be found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Releasing the catch unlocks a hatch at one end of the barrel, allowing two Medium or smaller creatures to crawl inside. Ten levers are set in a row at the far end, each in a neutral position, able to move either up or down. When certain levers are used, the apparatus transforms to resemble a giant lobster. The apparatus of the Crab is a Large object with the following statistics: Armor Class: 20 Hit Points: 200 Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft. (or 0 ft. for both if the legs and tail aren't extended) Damage Immunities: poison, psychic To be used as a vehicle, the apparatus requires one pilot. While the apparatus's hatch is closed, the compartment is airtight and watertight. The compartment holds enough air for 10 hours of breathing, divided by the number of breathing creatures inside. The apparatus floats on water. It can also go underwater to a depth of 900 feet. Below that, the vehicle takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage per minute from pressure. A creature in the compartment can use an action to move as many as two of the apparatus's levers up or down. After each use, a lever goes back to its neutral position. Each lever, from left to right, functions as shown in the Apparatus of the Crab Levers table. Apparatus of the Crab Levers | Lever | Up | Down | |---|---|---| | 1 | Legs and tail extend, allowing the apparatus to walk and swim. | Legs and tail retract, reducing the apparatus's speed to 0 and making it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed. | | 2 | Forward window shutter opens. | Forward window shutter closes. | | 3 | Side window shutters open (two per side). | Side window shutters close (two per side). | | 4 | Two claws extend from the front sides of the apparatus. | The claws retract. | | 5 | Each extended claw makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. | Each extended claw makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15). | | 6 | The apparatus walks or swims forward. | The apparatus walks or swims backward. | | 7 | The apparatus turns 90 degrees left. | The apparatus turns 90 degrees right. | | 8 | Eyelike fixtures emit bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. | The light turns off. | | 9 | The apparatus sinks as much as 20 feet in liquid. | The apparatus rises up to 20 feet in liquid. | | 10 | The rear hatch unseals and opens. | The rear hatch closes and seals. |

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC . The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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