RPG a Day 2025, Day 1.

Day 1, Patron

The prompt today was “Patron,” and as a Dungeon Crawl Classics Judge, patrons are an important part of the magical cosmic ecosystem. Wizards make deals with them for spells, and Elves can't cast magic without having one in the first place. I could have (and maybe should’ve) made a post about my favourite Patrons in the game from official sources and amazing third-party supplements, but instead I spent my Friday night making my own from scratch.

It’s really rough, but here’s “Midden Gloam: Keeper of the Unmade”

Midden Gloam, Keeper of the Unmade

“What is castaway still remembers its purpose.” Midden Gloam is a grim and mysterious force—a sentient conglomeration of wasted magic, broken relics, and depleted enchantments. It is not a force of chaos but of reclamation, entropy, and forgotten power that aches to be used again. When a magic wand splits, a runed shield splinters, or an enchanted sword sunders, that magic is never destroyed; it is merely lost in the cosmos until it finds its way to The Great Heap, where Midden Gloam absorbs and repurposes it for another cause.  A Neutral patron of reclamation, not ruin, for those who value what others discard.

Invoke Patron Check Results:

12-13	Midden Gloam is busy reconstituting itself and cannot be bothered with its full attention. However, it can lend you a sliver of its favour for a short while. For 1d8 rounds, you or an ally of your choosing will be infused with recycled power, which gives a +1 to attack rolls/spell checks until the power is taken back.
14-17	As above, but a +3. Midden Gloam is in a sharing mood.
18-19	Midden Gloam transmutes a magical curse into a different form. It still functions as a curse, but one more useful to the caster’s current need. The Judge determines how the transformation occurs, ideally aligned with Midden Gloam’s theme of reclaiming usefulness.
20-23	As above, but Midden Gloam will transmute a curse into a benefit, not just a different curse, reshaping the magic into something positive for the caster. (Judge’s discretion of what Midden Gloam would consider an appropriately balanced rearrangement of the magic.)
24-27	Midden Gloam is pleased with your request. Any enemy weapon or armour within 15’ will be broken down and used to strengthen the weapons of your allies. On a one-on-one basis, every weapon or armour affected in this way will transfer its strength to another, provide a +1 bonus to attack or AC per item destroyed, or extend a bonus’s duration by +1 round per item. The Judge determines the distribution. Destroyed items are permanently consumed by Midden Gloam, their essence redirected to your allies.
28-29	As above, but will also apply to magical items, including repairs and wand recharge. It will also transfer any intelligent items' sentience to the new item until the time expires. Intelligent or cursed items may have unpredictable effects when repurposed by Midden Gloam.
30-31	Midden Gloam channels its essence through you, making you a vessel of reclamation. For 1d6 turns, you become a living magical battery, overflowing with recycled arcane power. During this time, you may absorb any magical effect, curse, or trap that triggers within 10 feet of you, immediately after it activates.  This includes active enchantments on items—such items are rendered mundane. You may choose to absorb effects targeting allies as well. Absorbed effects do not harm or benefit you but are neutralised and stored within your aura until the duration ends. With each magic effect you absorb, you will glow in a 10’ radius and will grow 5’ for every effect stored. Once the time has passed, the magic will go to Midden Gloam as an offering. Make a Luck Check Pass: Midden Gloam takes it to The Great Heap gently and carefully. Fail: Midden Gloam violently claims it, and you take 1d6 damage per effect and a random Patron taint.
32+	Midden Gloam accepts the great offering of your enemies to add to itself and make anew. It opens a rift to The Great Heap itself and takes directly what you wish to remake. All targets, objects, or buildings of your choosing within 150’ are immediately grabbed, compacted, and consumed to be used at a later time by the entity. It leaves a clean area of ground where the items once were.

Patron Taint:  Midden Gloam

When patron taint is indicated for Midden Gloam, roll 1d6 on the table below. When a caster has achieved all levels of a given taint, roll again; Midden Gloam is always seeking to shift and transform something into another form.

Roll	Result
1	A portion of the caster's body is replaced or grafted onto by something not your own. Determine the location randomly, (1d6): (1) face; (2) arms; (3) legs; (4) torso; (5) hands; (6) feet. This can be a mismatched part from a different species, era, or preferably a different material. (e.g., bronze finger, porcelain jaw)
2	You start to randomly speak in a forgotten tongue from time to time. This voice overlaps yours in a strange chorus. When speaking to a Wizard, Noble, Clergy, or someone who values order, pass a luck check or you are  -1d for the social interaction. Each additional roll of this makes the chorus louder, and the luck check will apply to ALL social interactions.
3	You desire to become more like The Great Heap. You can’t help but collect things. Each week, you must add a piece of gear that you will carry around. The item of gear must never be more than 30’ from you at all times. If you are away from your horde, you will at a -1 per turn. Additional rolls of this increase the number of items needed and the penalty.
4	Dust, rust, and mildew start to cling to your garments that no amount of cleaning can remove. This aura of decay will give your enemies -1 to the first round of attacks against you, as you just don’t seem worth the effort. This aura gets stronger and will increase the penalty and, of course, have possible social effects too.
5	Your reflection or shadow begins to change. It shifts into different forms, versions of you in past lives in different bodies. It also acts independently of your actions, possibly in an alien or insulting manner to others. Your shadow/reflection will also be detected as “unnatural” by clerics. If rolled again, your shadow/reflection will also replace a random piece of gear with one from a previous incarnation for each time this is rolled.
6	You get the compulsion to disassemble things, not out of destruction, but a need to understand and reassemble. Once per day, you must break a mundane item. This will give you a +1d to a repair or crafting skill check. If you destroy a spell scroll, you will get +1d on your next spell check. If you do not destroy/rebuild something in 48 hours, you will get a cumulative -1 every day until you do. Each additional roll of this increases the number of items needed and the penalty.