I have made a home brew story for my currently two players where they are on the trail of series of raids in the Sword Coast region. These attacks follow a pattern of basic goon raiding parties and mercenaries attacking a village, directed by the spirit of a vanquished wizard (Watch ghost mechanics) in the form of a figure being consumed in a fiery whirlwind, who uses the chaos to search for artifacts that belonged to him in life.
This wizard was defeated by an adventure party around 2 to 3 generations ago but he was turned into a watch ghost soon after by a necromancer who wanted his knowledge. Eventually this necromancer died through an untold story. (I want to maybe leave that a mystery so as not to over extend the story.) His death releases the watch ghost of the wizard who begins roaming the land looking for his magic items that were taken as loot after his death. By the current time, all of these items have been passed down through families as heirlooms and artifacts, belonging to several unsuspecting NPCs as well as my party members who are victims of these raids.
Of the magic items being sought, is a mummified creature limb that, when you consumed a piece of it, would kind of kickstart the males of that family into low level sorcerers as a coming of age ritual and give them abilities over animals that they really only used as a cheap advantage in the animal trade. This sounded cool when I came up with it off the cuff originally, but now that it is sort of solidified into my story I am looking to more logically relate it back to this ghostly wizard's set of otherwise typical magic items, a crystal from his staff, his personal journal/spell book, a wooden seal that restrained demons, and this creature limb. I had thought of having it be the limb of the necromancer who made him, possibly undead as a limb, unbeknownst to the current holder, then have the wizard's spirit seek to revive his master. I also thought it could just be the limb of a creature the wizard controlled, but, I don't know enough to really know what could pass down power and a specific ability through it's dried up body parts.
I have made a home brew story for my currently two players where they are on the trail of series of raids in the Sword Coast region. These attacks follow a pattern of basic goon raiding parties and mercenaries attacking a village, directed by the spirit of a vanquished wizard (Watch ghost mechanics) in the form of a figure being consumed in a fiery whirlwind, who uses the chaos to search for artifacts that belonged to him in life.
This wizard was defeated by an adventure party around 2 to 3 generations ago but he was turned into a watch ghost soon after by a necromancer who wanted his knowledge. Eventually this necromancer died through an untold story. (I want to maybe leave that a mystery so as not to over extend the story.) His death releases the watch ghost of the wizard who begins roaming the land looking for his magic items that were taken as loot after his death. By the current time, all of these items have been passed down through families as heirlooms and artifacts, belonging to several unsuspecting NPCs as well as my party members who are victims of these raids.
Of the magic items being sought, is a mummified creature limb that, when you consumed a piece of it, would kind of kickstart the males of that family into low level sorcerers as a coming of age ritual and give them abilities over animals that they really only used as a cheap advantage in the animal trade. This sounded cool when I came up with it off the cuff originally, but now that it is sort of solidified into my story I am looking to more logically relate it back to this ghostly wizard's set of otherwise typical magic items, a crystal from his staff, his personal journal/spell book, a wooden seal that restrained demons, and this creature limb. I had thought of having it be the limb of the necromancer who made him, possibly undead as a limb, unbeknownst to the current holder, then have the wizard's spirit seek to revive his master. I also thought it could just be the limb of a creature the wizard controlled, but, I don't know enough to really know what could pass down power and a specific ability through it's dried up body parts.
Sounds like the Hand of Vecna. Maybe a powered-down version. And the wizard used it as his own hand.
What is a good way to explain the limb possibly still having life or imbuing power to someone?
It’s magic. Powerful magic. It works because it does is all the justification you need. Will your players ask why it works?