A fun and festive DnD item to empower your players and make your party laugh! Perfect for any circumstances especially around dwarves, giants and winter. Enjoy!
Wondrous item, uncommon
This horn is enchanted with an ever-flowing spell. The ale never runs out. But, you can only drink the ale straight from the horn. If you pour it or spill it disappears in a matter of seconds. Although ale is endless, you can use its arcane effect only once per recharge.
But hey, some would argue that a plain ale is magical by definition.
Using Time: bonus action
Range: self
Recharge: sing to it old giant songs during a short rest
Duration: 1 minute
You sip from the horn (BA) or pour it into a creature (action). The drinker gains the following attributes for one minute (roll a d6):
1-2 Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
3-4 Effects of the Enlarge spell.
5-6 The drinker gains 10 temporary hit points at the start of each of its turns.
Upon ingesting ale, the drinker must succeed on DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer the following at the beginning of its next turn (roll a d6):
1-2 Suffers the effect of the Sleep spell for 1 minute.
3-4 Blurred vision gives the drinker disadvantage on all attacks for 1 minute. Casting a spell that requires a verbal component requires a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a fail, the spell is wasted as the caster messes up the pronunciation. Repeat the saving throw at the end of the drinker’s turn, ending the effect on a success.
5-6 The drinker starts uncontrollably and stubbornly dancing and is restrained for 1 minute. Repeat the saving throw at the end of the drinker’s turn, ending the effect on a success.
A word from the expert
Written by: Athun Bottletop, Obermeister of Normouth Brew Association
The text might be biased, but supposedly Mr. Bottletop is the best in the field. We apologize in advance.
“Ale has been an integral part of Dreon’s culture since our forefather Erindruc Goldbew made his first barrel two thousand years ago. He used his callused fists to squeeze the grains’ essence and produce the heavenly liquid. The day he tasted it, he became more than a Dwarf – he became a saint. Even today we celebrate the day of discovery, taking a tenday off before the festival. We use his ageless insights in brewcraft to this day, with modifications, of course. The process had evolved to accommodate every taste of every race. See, the Humans like it light; the Gnomes like it oily, almost sliding out of your mouth. Bloody struggle to drink that one, I tell ya.
The true ale recipe sits with dwarven people in our high-quality brands: Othas White, Iron Dark, Rotgamm Wheat, and Klut Pale. When you drink them, the great Father touches your heart as the cold brew dives into your belly. But what does ale give you apart from a warm buzz and false confidence in dancing?
Courage to start a brawl?
Talk politics?
How about bravery and strength to face the horrors of the wilderness?
How, you ask?
Well, the legend says – and I repeat it is a legend – that our forefather Erindruc Goldbrew isn’t the original discoverer. There’ve been stories about Giants of Fjordruun who drank mammutmelk, mammoth’s milk, and made ale with it.
Oh ye’, straight from mama mammoth into a barrel with herbs, yeast, and grain, with a splash of human sacrifice. The milk made ale silky and foamy and Gods know what.
Ugh.
How barbaric is that, tainting such holiness with the milk of a beast?
Anyways, this brew gave giants the strength they have. Some even claim that giants were nothing but mere humans who drank this ale all day. Apparently, they drank it before and after the fight, and before and after they go into bed, you know, to press the covers. They drank it when they spoke to Gods and when volvas needed to make predictions. They even drowned their weak children in it! If they emerge, their impairment is forgiven, free to rejoin the clan. Some believe that over generations, ale transformed them into what they are today.
And what they are is hunted and exiled! Ha-ha!
I didn’t see their ale helping them when they lost the 4th war! Now I only see dwarven breweries making coins, from Bergfont up to Gol Boldar. Some arcanists still hold the page, saying there are
mighty artifacts with Giant’s Ale, and people believe. They get lost in blizzards, fooling themselves they are the ones who’ll find it.
Ye?
And what if you do?
You gonna become a Giant?
Tell me, lad, what holds the true power:
A mythical artifact no one ever saw, or a sturdy dwarf drunk with Iron Dark?”
A few closing words
Let’s all thank Mr. Bottletop for his…kind words, and thank you for taking interest in this D&D item! Have fun with it. Players and DMs work together to make comical situations.
Here’re some to inspire you:
• A player finds the horn but after using it realizes he doesn’t know any old giant songs. Now the player must find someone who knows.
• Something messed with the arcane sigil on the horn. The ale starts pouring out but not disappearing! Conveniently players are at a tavern, or in the middle of an important social encounter. Or, in a small room where they try to open the heavy doors. Tell me, paladin, can you swim in that heavy armor?
• If a player fails the saving throw and becomes drunk, what does his character say? Is there any long-lost love or regret? Or do you get unexpectedly brave for example? Who is your character? The ale will help you show it.
That’s it, folks! Hope you find a use for it. Leave a comment below, share your thoughts or epic, hilarious moments you have with this item.
You can also add it to your DnDBeyond Inventory.
Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock Inspiration Chest and grab stylized PDF articles.
