D100 Conan era Eldritch Spirits & Forbidden Rituals Tables For Castles & Crusades Rpg Including Treasures, Curses, Side Effects and Patrons

In the Hyborian Age, treasure is rarely just "gold." It is often heavy with history, stained by blood, or humming with an unsettling, pre-human energy. This blog entry picks right up from

OSR Sword & Sorcery Undead Encounter Tables with Rumors, Relics and Boss Monsters For Especially Castles & Crusades & Other Old School Games

Here is a d100 table of abandoned relics and treasures suitable for a Conan or Sword & Sorcery campaign. Use these to add flavor to a dusty tomb, a pirate’s hoard, or the ruins of a nameless jungle city.

D100 Abandoned Relics & Treasures

D100	Item Name	Description & Flavor
01–05	Blood-Stained Lucre	A heavy chest of Stygian gold coins. They are minted with the face of a forgotten king and smell faintly of copper and old rot.
06–10	The Serpent’s Eye	A fist-sized emerald carved into a lidless eye. It feels unnaturally warm to the touch.
11–15	Shattered Black Blade	A broken hilt of obsidian. When held, the wielder hears the faint screams of a thousand battlefields.
16–20	Scroll of the Outer Dark	A tube of human skin containing a map to a city that hasn't existed for three millennia.
21–25	The Ape-God’s Finger	A mummified, oversized digit adorned with a ring of cold-forged iron.
26–30	Vial of Golden Lotus	A glass stoppered bottle containing a shimmering dust. Inhalation grants visions—or madness.
31–35	Cloak of the Night-Gaunt	A tattered, leathery black cape. It seems to swallow the light around the wearer.
36–40	Ancient Aquilonian Standard	A tattered silk banner on a bronze pole. It grants a sense of grim resolve to any who stand near it.
41–45	The Idol of Xuthal	A small, ivory statuette of a crouching, multi-limbed horror. It feels heavier than it looks.
46–50	Khitan Fire-Dust	Six ceramic spheres filled with a volatile powder that explodes into green flame upon impact.
51–55	Crown of the Seven Skulls	A circlet of darkened silver set with tiny, human teeth instead of jewels.
56–60	The Cursed Compass	A brass navigation tool that doesn't point North, but toward the nearest source of fresh blood.
61–65	Wine of Old Valusia	A stone jug of thick, purple liquid. It tastes like honey and charcoal; it heals wounds but causes vivid nightmares.
66–70	Zingaran Duelist’s Buckler	A scarred steel shield. It has a hidden compartment containing a single, poisoned needle.
71–75	The Hand of Fate	A preserved, skeletal hand that, when tossed like dice, always lands pointing toward danger.
76–80	Cimmerian Burial Torque	A heavy, plain neck-ring of twisted iron. It is surprisingly cold, even in desert heat.
81–85	Mask of the Faceless One	A featureless ceramic mask. Wearing it makes the user’s footsteps completely silent.
86–90	Urn of Ancestral Ash	A sealed jar. If broken, it releases a thick fog that obscures vision and chills the bone.
91–95	The Heart of Tammuz	A giant ruby that pulses with a dim, rhythmic red light. It is said to be the literal heart of a demigod.
96–99	Greatsword of the North	A massive slab of blue-tinted steel. It requires immense strength to wield but can cleave through bronze armor like parchment.
100	The Mirror of Thoth-Amon	A silver-backed glass that shows the viewer not their face, but how they will look the moment they die.

Using These Treasures

In a true Sword & Sorcery setting, wealth is a fleeting thing. Gold is spent on ale, silk, and debauchery between adventures. However, the Relics should offer a mechanical edge at a narrative cost:

The Price of Power: If an item provides a bonus, consider giving it a "Corruption" or "Stress" cost.

The Weight of History: Characters might find that a specific relic is recognized by a local cult or a greedy warlord, bringing unwanted attention.

In the Hyborian Age, magic is never "safe." It is a primal, corrupting force that resents being handled. When a thief plunders a Stygian tomb or a warrior claims a sorcerer's blade, they often carry away more than just gold.

Here is a d100 table of curses, ranging from minor atmospheric afflictions to soul-shattering dooms.

D100 Hyborian Curses & Malignancies

D100	Curse Name	Effect & Narrative Consequence
01–05	The Mark of Set	Patches of the victim's skin turn into dry, itchy scales. Snakes will not bite the victim, but dogs and horses bark and flee in their presence.
06–10	Voice of the Abyss	The victim can only speak in a raspy, guttural whisper. Any attempt to shout results in a puff of black smoke from the lungs.
11–15	The Gilded Rot	Any gold the victim touches for more than an hour begins to tarnish and turn into lead. Wealth literally slips through their fingers.
16–20	Eyes of the Night-Gaunt	The victim gains perfect vision in total darkness, but bright sunlight causes physical pain and temporary blindness.
21–25	The Thirst of Ishtar	Normal water no longer quenches thirst. The victim must drink wine mixed with a drop of blood to remain hydrated.
26–30	Shadow-Bound	The victim’s shadow moves independently, sometimes pointing toward things the victim is trying to hide or lagging behind.
31–35	The Iron Shiver	Whenever the victim holds a steel weapon, their hands shake uncontrollably. They must switch to bronze, stone, or wood to find steady grip.
36–40	Dream of the Citadel	Every night, the victim dreams of a black city. They wake up with grit and sand in their boots and mouth, no matter where they slept.
41–45	The Carrion Scent	The victim smells of a three-day-old corpse. Charisma checks are nearly impossible, and scavengers (vultures, hyenas) follow them at a distance.
46–50	Chained Soul	The victim cannot move more than 100 yards away from the item that cursed them without suffering agonizing physical chest pains.
51–55	Echoes of the Slain	The victim hears the final thoughts of anyone they kill. This leads to profound insomnia and a "hollowed-out" stare.
56–60	The Cold Blood	The victim’s body temperature drops to that of a reptile. They crave heat and must spend hours near fires to avoid becoming sluggish.
61–65	Curse of the Covetous	The victim becomes obsessed with the item. If anyone else touches it, the victim must succeed on a mental check or fly into a murderous rage.
66–70	The Unwritten Face	Over several weeks, the victim’s facial features begin to smooth over and vanish. They must use paint or tattoos to "keep" their identity.
71–75	Wasting of the West	The victim’s maximum health is reduced slightly every time they enter a city. They feel truly alive only in the lawless wild.
76–80	The Vermin King	Rats, roaches, and spiders are drawn to the victim’s campfire. They don't attack, but they swarm over the victim's gear while they sleep.
81–85	Tongue of the Beast	The victim loses the ability to read or write any civilized language, though they can suddenly "understand" the intent of howling wolves.
86–90	The Mirror’s Rejection	The victim no longer casts a reflection. This makes them an immediate target for witch-hunters and superstitious mobs.
91–95	Blood Like Black Bile	If wounded, the victim bleeds a thick, tar-like ichor that sizzles when it hits the ground. Healing magic or herbs are only half as effective.
96–99	Doom of the Nameless	People the victim meets will forget their name and face within an hour of parting ways. The victim becomes a ghost in their own life.
100	The Dweller Within	An entity from the Outer Dark takes up residence in the victim’s mind. It grants great strength in battle, but occasionally "takes the wheel."

Lifting the Curse

In a Conan-esque world, curses aren't usually broken by a simple "Remove Curse" spell. They require deeds:

Sacrifice: Returning the item to its original tomb and sealing it with the blood of a white bull.
Sorcerous Intervention: Finding a hermit-wizard who demands a favor (usually a dangerous errand) in exchange for a ritual.

The Cleansing Flame: Journeying to a specific volcanic peak or holy shrine to burn the corruption out.

In the Hyborian Age, sorcery is not a science—it is a harrowing bargain with entities that find human life insignificant. These rituals are messy, dangerous, and often demand a price that leaves the caster forever changed.

Here is a d100 table of Forbidden Rituals for your Sword & Sorcery campaign.

D100 Forbidden Rituals of the Hyborian Age

D100	Ritual Name	The Requirement & The Forbidden Result
01–05	The Red Weaving	Requires the heart-blood of a rival. Result: The caster weaves threads of fate to ensure a specific enemy dies of "natural causes" within a moon's turn.
06–10	Breath of the Dust-God	Requires a handful of tomb-dust from a pre-cataclysmic king. Result: A localized sandstorm that strips flesh from bone but leaves the caster untouched.
11–15	The Serpent’s Molt	Requires the caster to be buried alive for three days in a pit of vipers. Result: The caster sheds their skin, appearing 20 years younger and healing all physical scars.
16–20	Invocation of the Outer Dark	Requires a sacrifice of "innocence" (a pet, a prized heirloom, or a pure soul). Result: Opens a temporary rift to summon a shoggoth-like horror for one hour.
21–25	The Mirror of Souls	Requires a silver mirror coated in the fat of a hanged man. Result: The caster can see and speak with the ghost of anyone whose name is etched into the glass.
26–30	The Black Lotus Trance	Requires burning a concentrated resin of Black Lotus. Result: The caster’s spirit leaves their body to spy across vast distances, but their physical form is defenseless.
31–35	Transference of the Beast	Requires the caster and a predator (wolf/tiger) to be bound in iron chains. Result: The caster swaps minds with the beast for a night of primal slaughter.
36–40	The Iron Tithe	Requires melting down seven swords taken from fallen kings. Result: Forges a single "Slaying Bolt" that can pierce any magical protection or dragon-hide.
41–45	The Whispering Skull	Requires the head of a sorcerer, boiled in wine and honey. Result: The skull wakes and must answer three questions truthfully, then it crumbles to ash.
46–50	Stygian Shadow-Stealth	Requires the caster to sew their own shadow to their heels with silk thread. Result: The caster becomes invisible in dim light, but loses the ability to feel heat or cold.
51–55	The Feast of Ghouls	Requires consuming the flesh of a fresh corpse in a graveyard. Result: The caster gains the memories of the deceased but suffers a permanent craving for raw meat.
56–60	Call of the Night-Stalkers	Requires a flute carved from a human thighbone. Result: Summons a flight of winged horrors. They demand a "payment in blood" once their task is done.
61–65	The Sun-Eater’s Curse	Requires a ritual performed during a solar eclipse. Result: Plunges a city-sized area into supernatural darkness for 1d6 days.
66–70	Blood-Bond of the Coven	Requires three participants to mix their blood in a bronze bowl. Result: They can communicate telepathically and share "hit points" across any distance.
71–75	The Obsidian Binding	Requires trapping a demon inside a gemstone. Result: The gem acts as a powerful battery for other spells, but it cracks over time, risking a breach.
76–80	Rite of the Iron Skin	Requires being beaten with red-hot rods while chanting to a war god. Result: The caster’s skin becomes as tough as plate armor, but they can no longer feel physical pleasure.
81–85	The Unholy Rebirth	Requires a pregnant animal and a spark of necromantic fire. Result: Brings a comrade back from the dead, though they return "wrong"—cold, emotionless, and silent.
86–90	The Khitai Cloud-Walk	Requires a tea made from rare mountain herbs and powdered jade. Result: The caster can walk on air as if it were solid ground for one hour.
91–95	The Scream of the Banshee	Requires capturing the last breath of a dying banshee in a jar. Result: When opened, the sound kills or deafens everyone in a 30-foot radius.
96–99	The Star-Stone Descent	Requires a piece of a fallen meteorite. Result: Calls down a localized "star-fire" strike from the heavens, obliterating a single structure.
100	The Apotheosis of Set	Requires the sacrifice of a royal bloodline. Result: The caster attempts to ascend to godhood. Failure results in immediate, agonizing dissolution into a pile of serpents.

The Peril of the Ritual

When a player attempts one of these, remember that the Cost is often more interesting than the Success. Consider using these mechanics:

The Backlash: On a failed roll, the ritual consumes the caster instead (e.g., they turn to tomb-dust, or the summoned horror attacks them first).
The Corruption: Every forbidden ritual should grant a point of "Taint" or "Madness."

The Witness: These rituals are loud, smelly, or visually terrifying. They draw the attention of local authorities, rival sorcerers, or cosmic predators.

In the Hyborian Age, magic isn't a "resource" to be spent—it’s a leak in the reality that separates our world from the Outer Dark. When a sorcerer fumbles a chant or a ritual is interrupted, the energy doesn't just dissipate; it curdles.

Here is a d100 table of strange sorcerous side-effects. These range from eerie atmospheric shifts to permanent physical mutations.

D100 Sorcerous Side-Effects & Backlash

D100	Side-Effect Name	The Manifestation
01–05	The Bleeding Walls	Nearby stone or wood begins to weep a thick, dark liquid that smells like copper and old sea-salt.
06–10	Gravity’s Lapse	For $1d6$ minutes, all small objects (coins, daggers, pebbles) in a 20ft radius drift upward and hover at eye level.
11–15	Tongue of Thoth	The caster begins speaking in an ancient, dead dialect. They can be understood, but their own voice sounds like grinding stones.
16–20	The Shadow’s Divorce	The caster’s shadow detaches and huddles in a corner, refusing to follow them for 24 hours.
21–25	Moth-Eaten Memory	The caster completely forgets the last 24 hours of their life. To them, they simply "blinked" and ended up in the middle of a ritual.
26–30	The Cold Fire	All torches and campfires within 50 feet turn a brilliant violet and give off intense cold instead of heat.
31–35	Aura of the Abattoir	The caster is suddenly covered in fresh, wet gore. There is no wound, but the blood is real and attracts flies instantly.
36–40	Magnetic Pulse	All iron or steel items on the caster’s person become momentarily magnetized, snapping together and pinning their arms to their sides.
41–45	The Chime of Doom	A low, vibrating hum fills the area. Anyone with a high "Sanity" or "Will" feels an overwhelming urge to weep.
46–50	Vegetative Surge	Vines and strange, pale fungi erupt from the ground where the caster stands, entangling their legs.
51–55	Screaming Steel	Any weapon drawn within 30 feet begins to emit a high-pitched, feminine scream that doesn't stop until it is sheathed.
56–60	The Glass Eye	One of the caster’s eyes turns into a solid, non-functional sphere of obsidian or clouded quartz.
61–65	Reverse Aging	The caster physically regresses $1d10$ years. While they look younger, they feel a terrifying, soul-deep exhaustion.
66–70	The Swarm’s herald	Thousands of locusts or scarabs crawl out of the caster’s sleeves and collar, dispersing harmlessly but unnervingly.
71–75	Scent of the Void	The caster begins to smell of ozone and rotting lilies. This scent is detectable from 100 yards away by trackers or beasts.
72–80	Translucent Flesh	The caster's skin becomes semi-transparent for an hour. Observers can see their heart beating and food digesting.
81–85	Mirror-Walk	The caster’s reflection in any nearby surface moves three seconds slower than they do, watching them with a sneer.
86–90	The Lead Tongue	The caster’s tongue turns to solid lead. They cannot speak or cast further spells until it is magically or physically "softened."
91–95	Withering Touch	Any plant life the caster touches for the next day instantly turns to gray ash.
96–99	The Ethereal Leak	A small, fist-sized hole opens in reality nearby. It emits a sound like a distant, chaotic carnival and sucks in light.
100	The Mark of the Outer Dark	The caster’s skin is permanently etched with glowing, geometric runes. They gain power, but demons can now track them across planes.

Narrative Impact

In a Conan game, these aren't just "debuffs"—they are hooks for roleplay:

The Social Cost: If the caster's skin becomes transparent or they smell like a corpse, they can't exactly walk into a tavern in Shadizar and order an ale without starting a riot.
The Psychological Toll: Use these effects to describe the "cost of doing business" with the supernatural. Magic should feel like a stain that is hard to wash off.

In the Hyborian Age, "gods" and "demons" are often the same thing: ancient, cosmic entities that predate humanity. Some are slumbering giants from the stars, others are subterranean horrors worshipped by degenerate cults. To a sorcerer, a patron is a dangerous battery—limitless power, but a terminal connection.

Here is a d100 table of Eldritch Patrons, ranging from the well-known terrors of Stygia to the nameless voids beyond the stars.

D100 Eldritch Patrons & Cosmic Horrors

D100	Patron Name	Domain & Nature
01–05	Set, The Old Serpent	The Father of Snakes. He demands blood, secrecy, and the slow subversion of "lesser" kingdoms.
06–10	Yog-Sothoth	The Key and the Gate. An entity that exists at all points of time/space simultaneously. Grants forbidden knowledge.
11–15	Gol-Goroth	The Forgotten God of the Black Coast. A toad-like monstrosity that craves rhythmic drumming and living sacrifices.
16–20	The Scarlet Citadel	Not a person, but a living, sentient fortress in a pocket dimension that grants power to those who guard its halls.
21–25	Tsathoggua	The Sleeper of N’kai. A furry, bat-toad entity that is lazy but possesses secrets of the Earth’s core.
26–30	The Queen of the Night-Gaunts	A faceless, winged sovereign of the waste. She grants the power of flight and shadow-manipulation.
31–35	Nyarlathotep	The Black Pharaoh. A shapeshifting messenger of the Outer Gods who enjoys sowing chaos through "gifts" of technology.
36–40	Yig, Father of Serpents	Less cruel than Set, but fiercely protective of his "children." He punishes those who harm snakes.
41–45	The Dweller in the Gulf	A blind, amorphous mass living in subterranean pits. It communicates through telepathic vibrations.
46–50	Shub-Niggurath	The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young. Patron of perverse fertility and monstrous growth.
51–55	The Iron Statue of Khosatral Khel	An ancient, metallic titan. He grants invulnerability to his priests but demands they become "cold" like iron.
56–60	Zath of Yezud	The Spider God. His followers prize webbing, poisons, and the patient trapping of enemies.
61–65	The King in Yellow	A tattered, masked entity from Carcosa. His "patronage" usually ends in the caster’s total descent into madness.
66–70	Al’Kiir, The Void-Sitter	A skeleton-god sitting on a throne of stars. He grants powers related to the vacuum and freezing cold.
71–75	The Beast of the Abyss	A nameless, many-mouthed horror. It grants raw physical power and "Blood Rage" in exchange for gluttony.
76–80	Xotli, Lord of Terror	A demon-god of the Lumerian isles. He feeds on the fear of his victims, funneling it back to his sorcerers.
81–85	The Moon-Beast Sovereign	A pale, tentacled lunar entity. It grants power over tides, dreams, and the silver-light of the moon.
86–90	The Emerald Devourer	A sentient, green crystalline entity from another galaxy. It transforms its followers into "Glass Men."
91–95	Ymir, The Frost Giant	Not eldritch in the "tentacle" sense, but a cold, uncaring primeval force of the North.
96–99	The Silent Sultan	An entity that requires its followers to cut out their own tongues to hear its "whispers" in their minds.
100	Azathoth, The Blind Idiot God	The center of the universe. To draw power from him is to risk shattering the world; his magic is pure, chaotic destruction.

The Nature of the Pact

In a Conan campaign, a "pact" isn't a legal contract; it’s a parasitic relationship.

The Demands: A patron doesn't want "souls" (a concept too modern). They want experiences: the smell of a burning city, the sensation of a specific poison, or the death of a bloodline.
The Physical Toll: Frequent use of a patron's power should lead to "The Corruption" (see the Side-Effects table).

In the Hyborian Age, men and women don't usually turn to dark gods because they are "evil"—they do it because they are desperate, greedy, or broken. A cultist is often just a person who found a shortcut to power or a way to escape a cruel reality.

Here is a d100 table of motivations to give your cultists depth beyond just "wearing hoods and chanting."

D100 Cultist Motivations & Origins

D100	Motivation	The "Why" Behind the Robes
01–05	Debt Erasure	The cult promised to pay off the character’s massive gambling or mercantile debts in exchange for "logistical help."
06–10	The Cure	A loved one (or the cultist themselves) is dying of a wasting disease. The patron is the only thing keeping them alive.
11–15	Political Spite	The cultist was a minor noble passed over for promotion. They want the power to watch their rivals burn.
16–20	Genetic Pull	Their ancestors served this entity for eons. It isn't a choice; it’s a biological compulsion written in their blood.
21–25	Narcotic Vision	The cult provides a rare drug (like Black Lotus) that only works during their blasphemous rituals.
26–30	The Great Leveler	They believe the world is fundamentally corrupt and want to summon their god to "reset" civilization to zero.
31–35	Hidden Protection	The city is dangerous. The cult acts as a "brotherhood" that protects its own from thieves and corrupt guards.
36–40	Forbidden Romance	The cultist is in love with the High Priest/Priestess and will do anything to stay in their good graces.
41–45	Scientific Hubris	They don't worship the entity; they are a scholar trying to "study" it, thinking they are too smart to be corrupted.
46–50	Escaping the Law	The cultist is a wanted murderer. The cult’s hidden temple is the only place the King’s men won't look.
51–55	Cosmic Nihilism	They have seen the "Truth" of the Outer Dark and realized humanity doesn't matter. They just want to be on the winning side.
56–60	Transhumanism	They hate their weak, human flesh. They want to be transformed into a serpent-man, a ghoul, or something "more."
61–65	Revenge	A local warlord razed their village. The cult provided the "teeth" needed to bite back.
66–70	Sensory Gluttony	The rituals involve debauchery and sensations that "civilized" society deems illegal or impossible.
71–75	The Promised Land	They believe the patron will whisk them away to a paradise planet/dimension before the "coming cataclysm."
76–80	Blackmail	The cult has proof of a terrible crime the cultist committed. They serve out of fear of exposure.
81–85	Divine Boredom	A wealthy socialite who has tried every wine and lover in the city. Sorcery is the only thing left that "feels" like anything.
86–90	Grief Manifest	They were told the ritual could bring back a dead child or spouse. They are too far in to stop now.
91–95	Patriotism	They believe their specific god (e.g., Set) is the rightful ruler of their nation, and the current King is a usurper.
96–99	Total Amnesia	They woke up in the cult robes with no memory. They follow the rituals because they have literally nowhere else to go.
100	Pure Fanaticism	No logic, no greed, no fear. They are a "True Believer" who finds genuine, terrifying joy in the entity's presence.

Using This Table

To make your Conan villains more memorable, give the "Leader" one motivation and the "Rank and File" another.

Conflict of Interest: Imagine a cult where the High Priest wants Transhumanism (to become a god), but the guards are only there for Debt Erasure. If the players offer the guards enough gold, they might just walk away from their posts.
The "Sympathetic" Villain: A cultist motivated by The Cure is much harder for a "heroic" party to strike down in cold blood than a Sensory Glutton.

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