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MOUNTAIN MAGIC From the pages of Dragon magazine
Original 3rd Edition design by James Jacobs, updated for 5th Edition by R P Davis
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a success, the weapon is wrenched out of the attacker's
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OUNTAINS MARCH MAGNIFICENTLY
around many places in the world, grasp, stuck fast to the armor or shield.
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hemming in kingdoms (and squatting
atop them). Both inside and outside, A creature can retrieve the weapon if it succeeds on a
fascinating discoveries—and fabulous Strength (Athletics) check opposed by the armor-wearer's
fortunes—await the bold and intrepid Strength (Athletics) check. The wearer's check is modified
adventurer. Small wonder, then, that powerful magics have by the armor or shield's enhancement bonus (if any).
been invented by those who would explore or dwell in the
high places. MAGIC ITEMS
Hereafter follows an assortment of magic items, some
NEW ARMOR QUALITY dangerous, others useful. Dungeon Masters are as always
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Some items have a special magical ability which only
triggers under a specific circumstance. These special
abilities can be conferred on a magic item as part of the
admonished to carefully consider the inclusion of these
items to ensure game balance.
ALPENHORN OF THUNDER
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enchantment process. This increases the rarity of the item
Wondrous item, very rare
by one degree, and if the regular item doesn’t require
attunement, enchanting the item with a special ability Little is known about who developed this powerful magic
means the modified item requires attunement. instrument or why. Many sages agree it was a bard, and
most think it was a dwarf from one of the high mountain
MAGNETIC ARMOR clans who sought to aid his comrades in battle.
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Artificers can enchant metal armor or shields with this
quality. Magnetic armor generates a As a bonus action, you can command the horn to shrink to
powerful magic magnetic field the size of a flute. The flute's tone is
when struck with an iron or steel magically enhanced, granting you
weapon, which can cause the advantage on Charisma
weapon to stick to the magnetic (Performance) checks you make
with it.
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armor. This magnetic field can't
negatively impact the wearer, and it
In its full-sized form, an alpenhorn of
only functions against a melee
thunder is 15 feet long and weighs
weapon attack with a metal weapon.
nearly 100 pounds. It functions as a
Whenever a creature wearing musical instrument in this form, and
magnetic armor is hit by an iron or you have advantage on Charisma
steel weapon, they can use their (Performance) checks you make
reaction to make a Strength with it. When you access its true
(Athletics) check, modified by the armor power, however, you can bring down
or shield's enhancement bonus (if any). On the mountain.
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The horn has 7 charges. As an action, you can blow the you score a critical hit with it against a flatlander, the target
horn and expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the make a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be
thunderwave spell. For 1 charge, you cast the 1st-level stunned for 1 minute. Your DM decides which creatures
version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level by aren't mountain dwellers.
one for each additional charge you expend.
If you make an attack roll with it against a creature native
The horn regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. to mountainous regions, however, the hammer curses you,
If you expend the wand's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, then loses all of its magic properties for 24 hours. You
the wand crumbles into ashes and is destroyed. resist this curse with a successful DC 20 Wisdom saving
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throw; on a failure, you have disadvantage on weapon
In the hands of a bard, the horn's true destructive power is attacks you make until the curse is lifted.
revealed. If you have bard levels and are proficient with
horns, as an action you can use the RING OF ESCAPE
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horn's magic to cast the call lightning Ring, very rare (requires attunement)
spell as though you cast it using a 3rd-
level spell slot. Once you use this Invented at the behest of dwarven prospectors—the
ability, you can't use it again until you miners who first delve a previously-untapped vein—
finish a short or long rest. these plain silver bands are the untlimate protection
against the dangers of working underground.
BOOTS OF
MOUNTAINEERING While you wear the ring, you have advantage on
Wondrous item, rarity
varies
These heavy boots are
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The ring's true value becomes apparent if you're
buried alive, whether in a cave-in, an avalanche, or
even upon sinking into quicksand or being targeted
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clearly of dwarf-make. The soles are
studded with hobnails, and spikes spring by a spell or magical ability. Whenever that happens, you
magically from the toes and heels to help you climb. can use your reaction to cast the dimension door spell and
teleport to the nearest safe, clear area. If there are no safe
While you wear the boots, you have advantage on ability places within range, the magic fails. Once you use this
checks you make to climb. In addition, while you're in ability, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
mountainous terrain, you gain advantage on Wisdom
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(Survival) checks.
In mountainous regions, boots of mountaineering are
uncommon items, and they are rare to very rare elsewhere.
HAMMER OF FLATLANDER'S DOOM
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Weapon (warhammer), legendary
It is said that a dwarf priest of Clangeddin crafted the first
of these magic warhammers to aid his clan in a war with
humans of the lowlands.
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with
this magic weapon.
The hammer deals an additional 2d6 bludgeoning damage
when you score a hit with it against a creature native to
nonmountainous regions. In addition, against such a
target, you score a critical hit on a roll of 19–20. When
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ROD OF MOUNTAIN MASTERY fighting a creature that deals or is particularly vulnerable to
Rod, very rare (requires attunement) thunder damage.
While you hold it, this rod—crafted from dark, fine- While you wear the cloak, you have advantage on saving
grained volcanic basalt—grants you power over the very throws you make to resist thunder damage, and you have
mountains themselves. resistance to thunder damage.
The rod warns you of danger while you travel in In addition, the cloak's power means you can use your
mountainous terrain. While you travel on the mountains, reaction to absorb one attack which deals thunder damage
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the rod grants you a +2 bonus on Initiative checks you that specifically targets you. The next time you take
make. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws damage from a melee weapon attack, the stored energy in
you make against natural hazards like avalanches. Finally, the cloak explodes outward, dealing an amount of thunder
you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks you damage to the creature that made the melee weapon attack
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make to spot natural hazards (your passive Perception score equal to the amount of damage the original source would
gains a +5 bonus). have dealt. Otherwise, the energy stored in the cloak
dissipates harmlessly after 1 minute. Once you use this
You can also use the rod to enhance your travel and power, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
manipulate your surroundings. While you hold it, as an
action you can the rod's power to cast the freedom of
movement, teleport, or wall of stone spells, as long as the
SPELLS
spell's duration and area are in mountainous terrain. Once Powerful magic lies latent in the mountains, awaiting only
until you finish a long rest.
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you cast one of the spells in this way, you can't do so again
Finally, you can invoke the force pent up in the mountain
a spellcaster able to tap into it. The spells hereafter are but
examples of how spellcasters can harness this magic.
Dwarves say they were the first to create many of these
spells, but it's fair to say that other dwellers on or under
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in an even more dramatic way: As an action, you can use mountains have had their hand in them—after all, goblins,
the rod to cast the earthquake spell. Once you do, you can't giants, svirfneblin, and other magic-using, intelligent
do so again until 10 days have passed. peoples live in the mountains, too.
YRTHAK HUNTER'S Special Note. The class lists on which a spell might be
CLOAK found are included in the spell’s stat block. As always, the
existence of any spell, much less which class list in appears
Wondrous item, rare
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on, is up to you as Dungeon Master.
Sages say these highly-
specialized, pale green cloaks AVALANCHE OF DEVASTATION
were created by a cabal of 9th-level conjuration
dwarf artificers in order to
Casting Time: 1 action
specifically combat a type of
Range: Self (40-foot cone)
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creature. In fact, the cloaks
Components: V, S
made the hunters so efficient
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
that they hunted the
Class: Druid
creature—a passing strange
aberration called a You cause jagged shards of stone to erupt from the ground
"yrthak"—to extinction. into the air before you, after which they immediately
crumble into an avalanche of rubble that flows and fills a
While its original mission
40-foot cone (aimed along the ground in the direction the
has been accomplished,
caster chooses). Each creature in the area must make a
the cloak has proven to be
Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 8d8
a boon to its wearer when
bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and is buried by
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the rubble. On a success, a creature takes half as much GIANT'S WRATH
damage and isn't knocked prone. 3rd-level transmutation
A buried creature takes an additional 1d8 bludgeoning Casting Time: 1 action
damage at the start of each of its turns until freed. A Range: Self
creature reduced to 0 hit points by the spell is dead, Components: V, S, M (a handful of pebbles)
reduced to pulp. A creature can dig to freedom Duration: 1 minute
automatically if it has a burrow speed, otherwise it must Class: Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard
make a successful Strength check to extract itself. A
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creature which fails this check takes an additional 2d8 You infuse a handful up to 4 small stones with powerful
bludgeoning damage. magic.
At the start of each of your turns in which you maintain As part of casting the spell, and as an action on each of
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concentration on the spell, the avalanche advances another your turns for the duration, you can hurl one pebble at a
40 feet, extending the cone. The leading 40 feet of this creature you can see within 120 feet of you. The instant
swath is the active portion of the avalanche, and the area the pebble begins its flight, it grows in size and the magic
behind the leading edge is filled with rubble. For example, propels it, when it hits—if it hits—the pebble strikes as if
in the second round, the avalanche fills an 80-foot cone, it was thrown by a hill giant. Make a ranged spell attack.
the 40-foot section closest to the point of origin is just On a hit, the target takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage.
rubble, and the outer 40 feet is filled with moving,
grinding rock. On the third round, the spell fills a If you drop a pebble or give it to another creature, the
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120-foot cone, the 80-foot section closest to the
point of origin is just rubble, and the outer 40 feet
is filled moving, grinding rock. Rubble-filled
areas are difficult terrain. Once the spell ends,
pebbles' magic dissipates.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 4th level or higher, the spell creates
one more pebble for each slot level above
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the stones vanish, leaving behind a swath of
3rd.
devastated, ruined terrain.
If you cast this spell in mountainous
MAGNETIC PULSE
terrain, the spell's duration becomes 1 4th-level conjuration
minute (no concentration required).
Casting Time: 1 action
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Range: 120 feet
FOUNDATION OF STONE
Components: V, S, M (a lodestone)
1st-level transmutation
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 1 action Class: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
Range: 30 feet
Powerful magnetic forces exist in the
Components: V, S
lodes of metal buried within the
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Duration: 10 minutes
mountains. Your magic manipulates
Class: Cleric
these forces and focuses it on a specific
You magically grant up to 4 creatures point you can see within range. All
you can see within range with unattended metallic objects that weigh
enhanced stability, which lasts less than 50 pounds within a 30-foot
as long as they remain radius of that point are immediately
standing on solid ground. hurled in a random direction to
The creatures have advantage a point just beyond the
on saving throws and ability checks they make to area. All creatures in the
resist being knocked prone. area take 5d8 force damage.
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Alternatively, you can focus the magnetism inward, and all SUREFOOTED STRIDE
unattended ferrous metallic objects are hurled toward the 2nd-level transmutation
point you chose; this inflicts 3d8 bludgeoning damage to
objects and 3d8 force damage to creatures in the area. A Casting Time: 1 action
creature can make a Dexterity saving throw; on a success, Range: Self
the creature takes half as much damage. Components: V, S, M (a tiny walking stick set with a gem
worth at least 10 gp)
Characters in metal armor or wielding metal weapons must Duration: 8 hours
make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the weapon
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Class: Bard, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard
flies, or the creature pushed, in the direction you specify,
either toward or away the point. Creatures primarily made Your footfalls become certain while you travel through the
of metal, such as iron golems and animated armor, have mountains. For the duration, the target's movement is
advantage on the save. unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical
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effects can neither reduce the target's speed nor cause the
If you cast this spell in mountainous terrain, the area is target to be paralyzed or restrained.
doubled to a 60-foot-radius burst, and affected creatures
have disadvantage on saving throws. In addition, for the duration you advantage on checks you
make to climb natural surfaces.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot of 3rd level or higher, you can affect an additional
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CREDITS
COVER
Cover template by Matthew Gravelyn. Cover photo by Philip Ackermann from Pexels.
INTERIOR ART
Some art courtesy of Wizards of the Coast Creator Art Packs. Some artwork (c) 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. Some artwork (c) 2019
Rick Hershey, used under license. All rights reserved. Some artwork © 2015 Vagelio Kaliva, used with permission.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
R P Davis is a best-selling freelance writer, editor, and adventure designer. He has been a tabletop RPG player and referee
the entire time he’s been sentient, and a role-playing addict for more than 30 years. In that time he’s written countless
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things, from simple spells and effects to complete game worlds to complete roleplaying games.
You can find R P Davis on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter, and his website. Stay informed by signing up for the newsletter!
Check out the rest of the Magic of Places series:
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R P Davis is the creative brain behind products like these (click for links):
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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms,
Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast
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product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the
USA and other countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors.
Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for
Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright (c) 2019 by R P Davis / Goose Valley
Games and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters
Guild.
