Would it surprise you to learn that even ancient civilizations liked to roll some D20s around back in the day? Twenty-sided dice, called icosahedrons, show up in architectural digs all across the Mediterranean, especially in Greece and Egypt. These surviving number rocks are estimated to be from the fourth through first centuries BC, making most of them over 2,000 years old.
Look at this one! It’s clear because it’s got only good thoughts in it! It is an automatic bonus to any Intelligence rolls, without a doubt it will not curse your game and might even bring you good luck. It’s worn, but not unreadable, which makes this a solid, non-cursed die. Off to a good start!
Look, for the most part, this die came up Achilles. There were just some moments when he crit failed some perception checks to look after his best friend/power top/brother-in-arms Patrocles, and it did not end well. On the plus side, this die is auto-advantage when you’re in berserker mode, so you have to figure out if losing your one true love is worth bringing down the Trojan empire. Decisions.
I mean, I don’t know for sure that this die predicted or caused the explosion of Mount Vesuvius, but look at it! This die has seen things. It’s known the feeling of dawning horror as the DM smiles and you realize that this is going to be a TPK kind of session, isn’t it?
This one is cool because it’s made of faience—a kind of glazed tin. Which means weapons. Brawlers and fighters, this is the one you use, but if you roll a critical fail I can guarantee a legion of Roman soldiers will invade your game. Not like, fictionally, I mean they’re knocking down your door and they will mess you up. So yeah, cool, but uh... pretty cursed.
The only thing worse than summoning an ancient ghost is summoning the ghost of an ancient philosopher. And honestly, there is nobody more annoying in a game than the person who only ever responds to your questions with more questions—so no matter what you do, not roll this die or you’ll have to deal with the Socratic Method of Roleplay for the next decade.
It’s too perfect. It’s too well kept. Some dark secret is preserving this dice and that is the bloodied, betrayed ghost of Julius Caesar. You roll this die and you can literally hear him getting stabbed in the back. It’s distressing.
It will also always roll a 15. Choose wisely.
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