Regalia of Might
Encyclopedia
The Regalia of Might are nine powerful artifacts said to have been made by the gods before the dawn of humanity, in the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. They are composed of three sets of three artifacts each: the Regalia of Good, the Regalia of Neutrality, and the Regalia of Evil. The three artifacts in each set consist of a crown, an orb, and a scepter.
Each artifact has considerable magic powers on its own; the powers of each individual item grow greater if the wearer has more than one item of the same set. If Regalia of Good and Evil are combined, the result is an explosion. If one of the Regalia of Neutrality is combined with the Regalia of Good or Evil, a rift is torn in the fabric of the universe, leading to either the Upper Planes or Lower Planes, as appropriate, sucking the unfortunate wearer into the gap and vanishing.
All three sets of artifacts are cloaked by an illusion that makes them look identical unless carried by a creature of the appropriate alignment and of sufficient power to wield them, although the possessor of one of the Regalia has the ability to see all other Regalia of Might in their true form as well. Otherwise the crowns appear to be made of gold and red velvet, studded with precious gems; the orbs, each the size of a melon, are blue and red and set with a ring of pearls; the rods are iron-shod staves with carved knobs at the top. They look staggeringly expensive, but in this form it is impossible to tell them apart.
Their true forms, manifest when carried by an appropriate wielder, are described below:
(1976).
.
.
(2002), and the Regalia of Good appeared in the Book of Exalted Deeds
(2003).
The Regalia of Good can in theory be destroyed if they are smelted down on the forges of the deities who fashioned them, if each artifact has the Ten-Thousand Secrets of Destruction whispered over it, or if the gods in general all die off.
), decorated with amazingly detailed gold laurel leaves. When worn by a good-aligned creature, the crown glows so brilliantly that it obscures the wearer's face.
) intertwined with vines of silver and gold and topped with a gem that blazes with a brilliant white light.
Greyhawk Ruins
mentions an orb, crown, and scepter of artifact-level power that once sat in Castle Greyhawk
's temple of Boccob
. Given Boccob's alignment, is seems likely that these were the Regalia of Neutrality.
The Regalia of Neutrality are prophesied to vanish when Good and Evil reach a perfect stalemate. They can also be destroyed by being immersed for a 1,000 years in the Positive and Negative Energy Planes. They could also lose power if purchased from the gods of Neutrality.
in the Blood War
as by Evil's champions against Good and Neutrality. Over the years, the three Regalia of Evil have become separated and sometimes lost.
The Regalia of Evil are destroyed if the powers of Good utterly conquer the forces of Evil. It is said they could also be destroyed by being buried at the heart of the Positive Energy Plane, or if the evil gods are tricked into destroying them themselves.
As a back-up plan, the gods decided to group themselves into three teams: Good, Neutrality, and Evil, and make artifacts to give to a champion of each team. The theory seems to have been that three champions decked out in uber-artifacts could satisfyingly fight each other without causing as much damage as entire worlds full of divine pawns would in a slaughter-everyone free-for-all. That was the theory, anyway, although obviously the Regalia of Might don't represent the only way the various alignments have contested over the eons.
The gods of Good chose their three greatest craftsmen to create their Regalia, who worked in harmony for the good of all.
The gods of Neutrality held a competition among them to determine who could create the best three artifacts; the finest were chosen to be used by Neutrality's champion.
The gods of Evil decided that whoever came forth with three appropriate artifacts after a certain amount of time would have the right to choose what the champion of Evil would bear. While some of them competed self-servingly to craft items that would serve their own purposes best, others cheated and stole to take artifacts from one another. At the end of the period, a trickster god appeared with three artifacts that had been procured from... somewhere... and proudly demanded the honor of outfitting Evil's champion. Needless to say, this worked out horribly for all involved, which I suppose was the point.
for the original D&D game, where they were referred to simply as "the Crowns, Orbs, and Sceptres." There were said to be a set for each alignment, which at the time were Law, Neutrality and Chaos. The Dungeon Master's Guide (1979) listed the Crowns of Might, Orbs of Might, and Sceptres of Might separately, saying there were three of each divided into the ethical alignments of Good, Neutrality, and Evil.
The Encyclopedia Magica Volume 3 included a version of the Regalia of Might, ostensibly based on the ones in Eldritch Wizardry but much more detailed, with nine full sets, one for each of the nine AD&D alignments, so there was an Orb of Lawful Good, an Orb of Lawful Neutral, and so on.
The powers of the Regalia of Might vary considerably from source to source. Myrhal's Crown in Dragon #291, which the article says is rumored to be the Crown of Evil, renders its wearer invisible at will, allows thought detection, and can haste the wearer for a limited time each day. In Book of Artifacts, the Crown of Evil allows the wearer to animate dead three times a day, gains the strength of a giant, and is unable to answer any question truthfully. The Crown of Neutral Evil in the Encyclopedia Magica bestows infravision, clairvoyance, and the ability to conjure elementals. In the Arms and Equipment Guide (2003), the Crown of Evil gives the ability to create a burst of hellfire, a wall of normal fire, or to make their face resemble that of a viewer's loved one, also mentioning the wearer's inability to tell the truth.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. They are composed of three sets of three artifacts each: the Regalia of Good, the Regalia of Neutrality, and the Regalia of Evil. The three artifacts in each set consist of a crown, an orb, and a scepter.
Each artifact has considerable magic powers on its own; the powers of each individual item grow greater if the wearer has more than one item of the same set. If Regalia of Good and Evil are combined, the result is an explosion. If one of the Regalia of Neutrality is combined with the Regalia of Good or Evil, a rift is torn in the fabric of the universe, leading to either the Upper Planes or Lower Planes, as appropriate, sucking the unfortunate wearer into the gap and vanishing.
All three sets of artifacts are cloaked by an illusion that makes them look identical unless carried by a creature of the appropriate alignment and of sufficient power to wield them, although the possessor of one of the Regalia has the ability to see all other Regalia of Might in their true form as well. Otherwise the crowns appear to be made of gold and red velvet, studded with precious gems; the orbs, each the size of a melon, are blue and red and set with a ring of pearls; the rods are iron-shod staves with carved knobs at the top. They look staggeringly expensive, but in this form it is impossible to tell them apart.
Their true forms, manifest when carried by an appropriate wielder, are described below:
Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976)
The Crowns, Orbs, and Scepters first appeared in the fourth supplement to the original D&D rules, Eldritch WizardryEldritch Wizardry
Eldritch Wizardry is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core game.-Contents:...
(1976).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
The Crown of Might, Orb of Might, and Scepter of Might were also mentioned in the original 1979 Dungeon Master's GuideDungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
The Regalia of Might were further developed in 1993's Book of ArtifactsBook of Artifacts
The Book of Artifacts is a supplemental sourcebook to the core rules of the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. This book, published by TSR, Inc. in 1993, details 50 different artifacts, special magic items found within the game at the Dungeon Master's...
.
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2008)
The Regalia of Evil appeared in the Book of Vile DarknessBook of Vile Darkness
Book of Vile Darkness is an optional supplemental sourcebook for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The book was written by Monte Cook and published by Wizards of the Coast in October 2002. Described as a "detailed look at the nature of evil," it was the first Dungeons &...
(2002), and the Regalia of Good appeared in the Book of Exalted Deeds
Book of Exalted Deeds
The Book of Exalted Deeds is an optional sourcebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, providing supplementary game material for campaigns involving characters of good alignment...
(2003).
The Regalia of Good
The gods of good hold their Regalia collectively, keeping them available to any benign deity who has need of it. The gods of Good do not lose them, though they may be stolen by the forces of Evil. Normally they are either being stored on the Outer Planes or lent out to a chosen champion.The Regalia of Good can in theory be destroyed if they are smelted down on the forges of the deities who fashioned them, if each artifact has the Ten-Thousand Secrets of Destruction whispered over it, or if the gods in general all die off.
The Crown of Good
The Crown of Good is a thin coronet of twisted silver (or mithralMithral
Mithral Inc. is an American company founded in 1995 by Adam L. Beberg. Mithral currently specializes in distributed systems and software infrastructure, but also has a history in security and web applications...
), decorated with amazingly detailed gold laurel leaves. When worn by a good-aligned creature, the crown glows so brilliantly that it obscures the wearer's face.
The Orb of Good
The Orb of Good is a sphere of clear crystal about the size of a cannonball, encased in a cage of gold laurel leaves. It is light and easy to carry despite its size.The Scepter of Good
The Scepter of Good is a slender rod of polished crystal (or mithralMithral
Mithral Inc. is an American company founded in 1995 by Adam L. Beberg. Mithral currently specializes in distributed systems and software infrastructure, but also has a history in security and web applications...
) intertwined with vines of silver and gold and topped with a gem that blazes with a brilliant white light.
The Regalia of Neutrality
The neutral gods have agreed that each of them can use the Regalia for a period of time before passing them to another. During their delegated time, each god had absolute control over the Regalia. Their appearance usually heralds some great purpose on the parts of the gods of Neutrality (perhaps only to prevent conflict between Good and Evil, or merely to judge which side is the victor in the current contest), although they, too, may occasionally be stolen by those of Evil.Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins
Greyhawk Ruins is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was published in 1990 by TSR, Inc...
mentions an orb, crown, and scepter of artifact-level power that once sat in Castle Greyhawk
Castle Greyhawk
Castle Greyhawk is one of the central dungeon settings in the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The Castle was originally developed by Gary Gygax for his own campaign and later detailed for publication...
's temple of Boccob
Boccob
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Boccob is the god of magic, arcane knowledge, balance, and foresight. He is known as the Uncaring, the Lord of All Magic, and the Archmage of the Deities...
. Given Boccob's alignment, is seems likely that these were the Regalia of Neutrality.
The Regalia of Neutrality are prophesied to vanish when Good and Evil reach a perfect stalemate. They can also be destroyed by being immersed for a 1,000 years in the Positive and Negative Energy Planes. They could also lose power if purchased from the gods of Neutrality.
The Crown of Neutrality
The Crown of Neutrality is carved from a single piece of polished smoky quartz. The face of the wearer is concealed behind a shimmering smoky veil that emanates from the Crown.The Orb of Neutrality
The Orb of Neutrality is a sphere of smoky crystal within a cage of green jade.The Scepter of Neutrality
The Scepter of Neutrality is a rod almost as long as a staff, made of smoky quartz with flashes of white and blood-red light within. A thin trail of smoke trails from the tip.The Regalia of Evil
If an evil god wants to make use of the Regalia, he, she, or it must take it from another god by trickery or force. As a result, these are the most contested Regalia, used as much by fiendsFiend (Dungeons & Dragons)
Fiends is a term used in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game to refer to any malicious otherworldly creatures within the Dungeons & Dragons universe. These include various races of demons and devils that are of an evil alignment and hail from the Lower Planes...
in the Blood War
Blood War
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the Blood War is an eternal conflict between the fiends of the Lower planes. The Tanar'ri are the demonic forces of the Abyss, an evil plane of chaos. Representing the equally evil but lawful realm of Baator are the Baatezu, the dominant caste of...
as by Evil's champions against Good and Neutrality. Over the years, the three Regalia of Evil have become separated and sometimes lost.
The Regalia of Evil are destroyed if the powers of Good utterly conquer the forces of Evil. It is said they could also be destroyed by being buried at the heart of the Positive Energy Plane, or if the evil gods are tricked into destroying them themselves.
The Crown of Evil
The Crown of Evil is forged from a single piece of coarse black iron, cast to resemble ugly flames. When worn by an evil creature, the iron flames blaze with reddish light and magic fire, concealing the wearer's face. The Crown of Evil is rumored to be currently worn by the death knight Prince Myrhal of Rax.The Orb of Evil
The Orb of Evil is a crude, pitted and scarred iron sphere, bound in equally crude-looking chains. At the slightest touch, red sparks fly from the orb.The Rod of Evil
The Rod of Evil is an iron staff draped with chains. A heatless red flame burns at the tip.History
In the Age before Ages, the many powers struggled for supremacy. Many mortal worlds were devastated by the wars started by the gods who used mortals as their pawns. In time, some of the wiser powers decided that destroying their own worshipper base wasn't a good long-term strategy.As a back-up plan, the gods decided to group themselves into three teams: Good, Neutrality, and Evil, and make artifacts to give to a champion of each team. The theory seems to have been that three champions decked out in uber-artifacts could satisfyingly fight each other without causing as much damage as entire worlds full of divine pawns would in a slaughter-everyone free-for-all. That was the theory, anyway, although obviously the Regalia of Might don't represent the only way the various alignments have contested over the eons.
The gods of Good chose their three greatest craftsmen to create their Regalia, who worked in harmony for the good of all.
The gods of Neutrality held a competition among them to determine who could create the best three artifacts; the finest were chosen to be used by Neutrality's champion.
The gods of Evil decided that whoever came forth with three appropriate artifacts after a certain amount of time would have the right to choose what the champion of Evil would bear. While some of them competed self-servingly to craft items that would serve their own purposes best, others cheated and stole to take artifacts from one another. At the end of the period, a trickster god appeared with three artifacts that had been procured from... somewhere... and proudly demanded the honor of outfitting Evil's champion. Needless to say, this worked out horribly for all involved, which I suppose was the point.
Publishing history
The Regalia of Might first appeared in Eldritch WizardryEldritch Wizardry
Eldritch Wizardry is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core game.-Contents:...
for the original D&D game, where they were referred to simply as "the Crowns, Orbs, and Sceptres." There were said to be a set for each alignment, which at the time were Law, Neutrality and Chaos. The Dungeon Master's Guide (1979) listed the Crowns of Might, Orbs of Might, and Sceptres of Might separately, saying there were three of each divided into the ethical alignments of Good, Neutrality, and Evil.
The Encyclopedia Magica Volume 3 included a version of the Regalia of Might, ostensibly based on the ones in Eldritch Wizardry but much more detailed, with nine full sets, one for each of the nine AD&D alignments, so there was an Orb of Lawful Good, an Orb of Lawful Neutral, and so on.
The powers of the Regalia of Might vary considerably from source to source. Myrhal's Crown in Dragon #291, which the article says is rumored to be the Crown of Evil, renders its wearer invisible at will, allows thought detection, and can haste the wearer for a limited time each day. In Book of Artifacts, the Crown of Evil allows the wearer to animate dead three times a day, gains the strength of a giant, and is unable to answer any question truthfully. The Crown of Neutral Evil in the Encyclopedia Magica bestows infravision, clairvoyance, and the ability to conjure elementals. In the Arms and Equipment Guide (2003), the Crown of Evil gives the ability to create a burst of hellfire, a wall of normal fire, or to make their face resemble that of a viewer's loved one, also mentioning the wearer's inability to tell the truth.
Additional reading
- Cagle, Eric, Jesse DeckerJesse Decker-Biography:Decker began playing Dungeons & Dragons in 1983 during recess at his elementary school. During the summer of 1996, he began doing "temp work" for Wizards of the Coast, before returning to finish college that fall. After finishing college, he returned to Wizards of the Coast, where he...
, Jeff Quick, and James WyattJames Wyatt (game designer)James Wyatt is a game designer and a former United Methodist minister. He works for Wizards of the Coast, where he has designed several award-winning supplements and adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
. Arms and Equipment Guide. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
- Holian, GaryGary HolianGary Holian is an American author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, especially for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting...
. "Demogorgon's Champions: The Death Knights of OerthOerthIn the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
, part 2." Dragon #291. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.
- slade and Doug Stewart. Encyclopedia Magica Volume 3. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995.