Radagast's Magic Bags

[mirkwoodfalcon]

Hello there everyone!

As I was starting up A Darkness in the Marshes (TfW) last night with my group, the players received the Storm Bag from Radagast (it summons a thunderstorm upon opening it, and it is single-use.) However, while I was (in-character) describing the bag as Radagast would, I had him say that he wasn't entirely sure that this was the bag that summoned storms or not (to try to portray him with an absent-minded characteristic).

My players took this to mean something entirely different. They believed due to this that there were two bags lying around; One that summoned storms, and one that did something completely separate. I allowed a player to search the area, and they achieved a great success, so I told them that they were able to also locate a small blue bag and take it with them.

Here's my question: What effect should the blue bag have when opened? I'm open to anything, but something that would work nicely with the scenario in question (either to aid them or hinder them in an appropriate way) would be ideal. Thanks for any help.

[Glorelendil]

It's blue? It should dispel bad weather and open up a spot of blue sky directly above the party.

[Otaku-sempai]

Radagast's Blue Bag: Upon opening, it makes a strange grinding noise and fades from sight (reappearing randomly in another place and time). It is embroidered with the letters T - A - R - D - I - S.

Alternately, the bag is filled with a seemingly infinite supply of jelly babies. Each jelly baby is highly nutritious and equivalent to a full meal.

[Indur Dawndeath]

How about some Shadow points for stealing from Radagast

[Rich H]

Radagast's Blue Bag: Upon opening, it makes a strange grinding noise and fades from sight (reappearing randomly in another place and time). It is embroidered with the letters T - A - R - D - I - S.

Alternately, the bag is filled with a seemingly infinite supply of jelly babies. Each jelly baby is highly nutritious and equivalent to a full meal.

There's a definite meme that Radagast is a Time Lord and it isn't just because Sylvester McCoy played him in the Hobbit films. My players have certainly picked up on it. An opportunity for a convention crossover adventure methinks!

[Terisonen]

It's blue? It should dispel bad weather and open up a spot of blue sky directly above the party.

Fine

[Elmoth]

I do not have the book so here asking: is the magic of the original item so blatant? As in "hey Sauron, here we are playing Dungeons and Dragons, come and get us"? Sounds weird to me...

[Rich H]

I do not have the book so here asking: is the magic of the original item so blatant?

I wouldn't say any of the spell effects are blatant, that all depends on how the displays of power are described. For instance the storm bag, when opened, appears empty but warm to the touch but in minutes a storm gathers bringing with it torrential rain, heavy clouds, etc. Glorelendil's suggestion would simply be handled in a similar way - ie, the bag dispels the bad weather over a few minutes which leads to clear skies.

As in "hey Sauron, here we are playing Dungeons and Dragons, come and get us"? Sounds weird to me...

He's a nasty sort, Sauron; I'm not sure he'd come and get someone for just playing D&D.

The spells/boons of Radagast do carry a risk though:

Say I put a spell of concealment upon you – that will help you hide from Orcs and men and beasts, but it would make it easier for... other things to sense you. If I put a spell or two on you, then I am writing ‘these are friends of Radagast’ across your faces in letters of sunlight that can be read by anyone with the wit to read them.

So that is a concern that the characters have to deal with in the adventure and decide if the direct aid of Radagast is worth the risk of being noticed by more dangerous/greater adversaries than just orcs and the like.

[Falenthal]

I do not have the book so here asking: is the magic of the original item so blatant? As in "hey Sauron, here we are playing Dungeons and Dragons, come and get us"? Sounds weird to me...

At the time ToW was written, the rules for the Eye of Sauron didn't exist. But I seem to recall that this rules exactly state that things like Radagast's magic do rise the Eye Awareness of the group.

[Elmoth]

I was not refering to any rules-specific thing, but at how magic is portrayed in the books. IIRC potent blatant magic is frowned upon, even by Gandalf when *he* uses it. handling magic trinkets and +3 swords does not sound very tolkienish to me...

And yes, I am aware of the existance of "magics of old" and "magic items of the second age" laying around to contradict my own statement but thiese bags sound weird to if the effect is so blatant regardless of fancy wording: creating a storm in minutes is not a minor magic effect.