Nails of The Carpenter Queen

A classic representation of the Carpenter Queen

 

A character of folklore, or of history, her nature has been accepted and questioned by many. A woman, her homeland's name never the same, driven by the need to rebuild a land destroyed by war. Used, injured, and defiled by a group that resembled a pack of animals rather than an army. Her beauty of no use to her mission, her humanity having no purpose to her cause, she sought out one who would make of her a symbol to rebuild a kingdom. Made wild by thirst and hunger, she wandered a wasteland, until she found a cave. In the cave resided a spider, a being of great magic and artifice, who cared for the woman and listened to her purpose. A woman herself, the spider knew of the future queen's pain, and told her that to lay low the animals that sought to break her, she must become a monster. Taking nails and wood that once held together the future queen's home, the spider fashioned a mask that would make the woman a queen. One thousand nails held the mask to her head, one thousand nails steeped in the queen's pain and rage. With all but one nail she bound an army of the broken and disposed to herself, and with that army she broke those who broke her land. Those who were given the nail, and pierced themselves with it, gained a strength fueled by the rage of loss and betrayal. Tales of the Carpenter Queen never speak of her final fate, or the fate of her land after she had killed the last of the animals who had hurt her. Rage cannot rebuild, only sweep clean and burn the rubble of days' past. 

A Queen's Nail.

The Queen's Nail

While the origins of these nails remain nebulous at best, they remain a testament to the rage felt over loss and injury. Made of an iron that never rusts, they are inscribed with a subtle design that binds the rage of another to them. When pierced by a nail, an individual is overcome by feelings of rage fueled by an undefinable sense of loss. This rage fuels their strength and ability to fight in close combat, but makes the person incapable of any action requiring any form of thought. While rare, these items can come into the possession of collectors and museums.

OSR

To pierce the skin, the character must do 1 point of damage to themselves. While in the skin the 1 point of damage caused by the nail cannot be healed by any means until the nail is removed. If the character is subject to a critical hit, the individual must make a Constitution save or a save versus Paralyze. If they fail the save, the nail falls out from the force of the blow. While under the influence of the nail, the character has faint red aura about them that often takes the form of a spiderweb.

Advantages

+2 To-Hit Bonus (melee only)

+2 Damage Bonus (melee only)

+5 to Maximum HP.

Damage dice explode once if maximum damage is rolled. If the weapon has more than one die of damage (e.g. 2D4, 2D6, etc...) this second die may also be re-rolled.

Disadvantages

Cannot use ranged weapons.

Cannot cast spells.

Cannot use any skill that does not involve raw physical strength.

Must always attack the nearest foe. 

A nail infused with rage and loss.

Into the Odd

To pierce the skin, the character must do 1 point of damage to themselves. While in the skin the 1 point of damage caused by the nail cannot be healed by any means until the nail is removed. If the character is subject to Strength damage, they must make a Strength save. If they fail the save, the nail falls out from the force of the blow. While under the influence of the nail, the character has faint red aura about them that often takes the form of a spiderweb.

Advantages

+6 to Maximum HP.

All melee damage is Enhanced

Disadvantages

Cannot use ranged weapons.

Cannot use Arcana.

Cannot use any skill that does not involve raw physical strength.

Must always attack the nearest foe.