Troika doesn’t feature magic items the way other games do.
It’s not too hot on material concerns as a whole; the entirety of the core rule’s items list is a single two-page spread, including a half-page illustration, and totally without mention of what any of it might cost. It’s been criticized for this, but honestly, I think this works to the game’s credit. Keeping items relatively bespoke to the adventures you find them in helps keep things weird.
Material fetishism! Who needs it?
But it does leave a lot of room for community-created magic weapons, wonderous items, and other power-ups.
On that note, here are some ideas for weird Troika wonders to reward your players for searching those weird little nooks and crannies, defeating those strange evils, and travelling the humpback sky.
Butterhammer
The Butterhammer was congealed from Ur-Milk during the great churning. Dwarves, pastry gremlins, and the Troika Gastronomic Museum all claim it was bequeathed unto them by Lactia, goddess of cream. Its role in the murder of the Fourth Autarch is a matter of public record.
The Butterhammer deals no damage; on a successful hit, the enemy’s armour becomes soft and ineffective.
Provisions blessed with the Butterhammer are tastier than others. If you use such provision to heal Stamina, reroll any ones.
If the wielder of the Butterhammer takes fire damage, they may get some Ur-Milk Butter on themselves. Test your Luck! Failure deals 1 extra point of Stamina damage and may provoke man-eating monsters, cannibal compatriots, and members of Miss Kinsey’s Dining Club.
The Static Ferret
The Taxidermist of Time stuffed this common rodent with chrono-cotton for purposes nefarious! Since the wizard’s death in Time War Mauve, the artifact has bounced around Troika, attracting nobles, sorcerers, and thieves. It has three known effects:
Nearby monsters that deal damage as Modest Beasts, Large Beasts, or Gigantic Beasts have half their normal initiative (rounded up).
When the Static Ferret’s beady glass eyes stare at a door, that door requires a Strength Test to open.
When its tiny paws are placed upon a sleeping person, both the Ferret and the person are removed from the flow of time. They do not age, move, or otherwise experience the world until the Static Ferret is removed.
Typically, the Static Ferret is found atop a sleeping victim. The victim was likely rich when they went to sleep, and they will be distressed to find themselves newly impoverished. They are likely to blame any strange, ferret-holding weirdos in the vicinity.
The Cabbage of Corda
Any giant could tell you the tale of the Cabbage of Corda. The last of its kind, this legendary leafy green was carried by kings and conquerors for centuries. Grown from a celestial seed! Planted in Star Loam! Nurtured by a lost Sun! Tales of its previous owners highlight their glorious victories — and their tragic downfalls.
The Cabbage has two practical uses. It can function as a Shield (rule 7.6), or as three Provisions each for up to ten people. Eating the cabbage like this would deeply upset the Cordan diaspora. The Cabbage of Corda takes up two inventory slots.
Testing your Luck while carrying the Cabbage costs two Luck rather than one.
Add +2 to all Damage Rolls in combats around the Cabbage. This includes attacks on its owner (so +1 after the Shield effect).
Beasts of mindless hunger (for example, Pisceans) are drawn to the Cabbage above all other prizes. Giants of Corda will feign awed joy and respect for the owner; in their hearts, each one dreams of themselves as the sole owner of Corda’s greatest treasure.
Enjoy these odd treasures? Check out this post about Troika house rules or Drawn from the Margins, one of our full-length, high-octane Troika modules! And come back next week for more blog posts!