As promised, here is the first of my three entries into the OSR Superstar Contest. Actually, this is the version for AD&D. I will post all three items with the S&W Rules versions all together in one post.

1.) Magic Battle Standard

Court Wizards, and most wizards in general are reluctant to risk their lives on the battlefield. Even for those so inclined or “convinced” to serve their liege or powerful neighbor in battle prefer to maximize their effectiveness while avoiding the line of battle. Thus, magic items that increase the effectiveness of troops is a general way of helping and can spare the need for the wizard to actually step foot on the field of battle.

There are 4 types of standards. Normal unit/army insignias, Lesser Standards, Holy/Unholy Standards, and Greater Standards. Conscripts/peasants will usually not have magic standards unless the lord/leader has been particularly unlucky in battle yet managed to retain his standards. Level 5 standards are usually the standards of the overall leader of a force, or really big armies, as in huge kingdoms or empires may have such standards for leading generals.

Non-magic standards have an effect on battle. They signify the unit and it is a great honor to be the standard bearer. the presence of a standard with a body of troops add to their morale. A general standard with the basic arms of the lord/general/king has a +1 bonus to morale and reaction rolls. A unit specific banner with words or symbols specific to the unit add +5 to morale and reaction rolls. Should a standard fall, the unit must make a morale/reaction roll without the bonus. If the standard is recovered, it restores the bonus, but for each additional time it falls in the same battle, it reduces the roll by 1%.

Lesser Standards are basic magic items that give the bonuses to their troops, in addition to the bonuses of non-magic standards. The unit will have the unit symbol on their shields, helmets, or tabards.
The magic in the standards is generally to allow the bearer to maintain the honor of the unit by keeping the standard upright.
A level 1 standard enables the standard bearer to cast Protection from Evil and Shield once per day/battle, as 1st level magic user spells.
A level 2 standard has the abilities of a level 1 standard plus Detect Evil, Detect Invisibility, Mirror Image, and Strength once per day/battle, as 2nd level magic user spells.
A level 3 standard has the abilities of level 1 and 2 standards plus Protection from Evil, 10-foot Radius, and Protection from Normal Missiles, as 3rd level magic user spells.

Level 4
Confusion
Fear
Wall of Fire
Wall of Ice

Level 5
Cloudkill
Hold Monster

Holy/Unholy Standards will have the symbol of the religion/deity/cult with some differentiation for the unit. (Unholy standards can cast spells to benefit the bearer or against those attacking the bearer or his unit.) The unit will have the unit symbol on their shields, helmets, or tabards.
A level 1 Holy standard enables the standard bearer to cast Cure Light Wounds and Protection from Evil once per day/battle as 1st level cleric spells.
A level 2 Holy standard has the abilities of a level 1 standard plus Bless and Hold Person once per day/battle as 2nd level cleric spells.
A level 3 Holy standard has the abilities of level 1 and 2 standards plus Cure Disease and Prayer as 3rd level cleric spells.
A level 4 Holy standard has the abilities of levels 1, 2, and 3 standards plus Create Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Evil, 10-foot Radius as 4th level cleric spells.
A level 5 Holy standard has the abilities of levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 standards plus Create Food, Dispel Evil, and Detect Magic as 5th level cleric spells.

Greater Standards are more powerful magic items that gain power as their units are successful in battle. The unit will have the unit symbol on their shields, helmets, or tabards.
These standards require the cooperation of wizards and clerics in their creation.
Level 1 Greater Standard has the abilities of a level 1 standard and a level 1 holy/unholy standard.
Level 2 Greater Standard has the abilities of a level 2 standard and a level 2 holy/unholy standard.
Level 3 Greater Standard has the abilities of a level 3 standard and a level 3 holy/unholy standard.
Level 4 Greater Standard has the abilities of a level 4 standard and a level 4 holy/unholy standard.
Level 5 Greater Standard has the abilities of a level 5 standard and a level 5 holy/unholy standard.

In addition to the above, greater standards allow the bearer to turn/control undead as a cleric of the same level as the standard.

By the very nature of the combined magics of a greater standard, these devices gain in power the more successful their units are in battle. A new standard must win ten battles for a 10% chance to add a miscellaneous ability. A new standard whose unit loses it’s first battle must win 15 battles for the 10% chance of a new ability.
Skirmishes and small actions where the unit easily wins are not as beneficial as an actual battle that requires effort and coordination for the unit. Five such skirmishes/easy wins are equal to one battle.

– Intelligence. Battle standard becomes intelligent as per rules for intelligent swords and is able to advise the bearer and help hinder/influence the battle.
– Random additional magic user defensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional magic user offensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional magic user offensive and defensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional cleric defensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional cleric user offensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional cleric offensive and defensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional cleric and magic user defensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random additional cleric and magic user offensive spell of same level as the standard.
– Random spell of any level useable once per day.
– Holy standards permanent protection of evil 15′ radius. Unholy standard, protection from good.
– Permanent detect magic 10′ radius.
– Roll on benign effects table.
– Roll on adverse effects table.
– Roll on benign and adverse effects table.
– Increase to next level of standard. For standards at level 5 roll again on this table.

Benign Effects Table 1d10
– Unit fights as one level higher.
– Entire unit is healed of 1d6 hp once per battle.
– Entire unit is hasted 1d10 rounds into a battle. Re-roll at the beginning of each battle.
– Enemy unit facing the unit with standard is held as per hold person.
– Enemy unit facing the unit with the standard is slept as per sleep.
– Unit can fight 1d10 rounds past the point they would normally face exhaustion. Re-roll for each battle.
– Standard randomly summons a unit mascot. Something fitting the units reputation or insignia. Once there is a unit mascot roll again if this comes up until the mascot retires dues to age or infirmity or is killed in battle. If the mascot is killed in battle, there is a 10% change that a new mascot will be summoned and appear in 1d6 rounds. The mascot will stay near the banner and fight to protect the banner and the beater. Birds and smaller flying mascots will perch on the cross piece of the banner, other mascots will stay within 30 feet of the banner.
– Opposing unit(s) must roll save vs. fear as the spell.
– Units troops roll at +1 on 1d6th saving throw needed in a battle. Re-roll for each battle.
– Unit is not surprised/caught unawares by flanking attacks and ambushes.

Adverse Effects Table 1d8
– Random enemy unit is healed of 1-4 HP for each member.
– Units troops are slowed if attacked by specific humanoid type (kobolds, goblins, orcs, bugbears, etc.)
– Units troops are held as per hold person for one round 1d10 rounds into a battle.
– Units troops are confused 1 round as per spell confusion.
– Standard randomly summons a monster as per monster summoning.
– Standard attracts the attention of the most powerful single foe in the opposing force.
– Standard attracts the attention of the most renowned unit in the opposing force.
– Units troops roll at -1 on 1d6th saving throw needed in a battle. Re-roll for each battle.

Size and Shape:
Standards come in all sizes and shape and length of poles. They need to be big enough to communicate where a unit is on the field of battle, but not too big or unwieldly for the bearer to easily navigate the field of battle. The pole can be from six to ten feet in length. They could come with a strap to carry them like you see flag bearers use in parades, or a spike to plant it in the ground. Some banners could be on lances or spears, but this would depend on the culture/warrior code of the unit/army.

Planting the standard:
When a unit with a greater standard is in dire straights, they can “plant the standard” and stand and fight to the last man. Merely planting the standard is not enough, the unit commander must rally the unit around the standard. A successful morale/reaction roll will enable this action. This will negate their need to roll for morale for the remainder of the battle, and they will get a second wind and will each be healed 1d4 hit points. Should the unit somehow prevail or the cavalry arrives and the danger is at an end, the members of the unit will fall exhausted and unable to march for 1d8 hours. NOTE: Troops that do not have a warrior ethic or unit cohesion or a lawful alignment can’t do this. Orcs can do this when fighting elves, goblins when fighting dwarves, etc. But if the troops are conscripts, slaves, unruly, chaotic, or not a warrior culture, they can attempt this, but with a penalty.

Aura and Renown:
Successful and famous units will be known by their standard. This can cause others to refuse to face them in the line of battle and cause weak minded bullies to back down when encountering someone wearing the unit’s insignia. NOTE: Counterfeit insignia only works for so long, the bearer must be able to back up the symbol he wears.

Unsuccessful and infamous units will also be known by their standard and will attract derision and insults and possibly thrown rotten vegetables or even stones. A player who dons such a unit’s insignia is in for a big surprise at the first settlement when the unit is known.

Finding Battle Standards.
Battle standards will be common in barracks, forts, castles, and the homes of nobles and kings. Magic Standards will only be as common as the prevalence of magic in a campaign. for low magic settings, such items will be ancient and their manufacture will be lost to the mists of time, or only found in rare and hard to locate manuscripts.

It is possible that a standard might be found on an ancient battlefield. Evil standards would be destroyed by good forces and vice versa. However, greater intelligent standards can fight back, and might be buried and warded to keep out of the hands of like aligned forces.

Magic standards found in a dungeon/ruins/abandoned castle setting will have the appropriate amount of dust, but will not show signs of wear and tear. Good creatures and especially paladins and clerics will avoid unholy standards even if they are not magic. Intelligent unholy standards will attempt to attack paladins and good clerics, or vice versa Holy standards and anti-paladins and evil clerics.

For unintelligent standards, the players will have to find a sage or cast appropriate informational spells or find ancient manuscripts to explain their workings in low magic campaigns. In high magic campaigns the characters might have general knowledge that they exist, but will not know how to operate them, etc.

A small party or single adventurer using a standard can potentially gain some benefits. If the party does not have the same insignia as the banner, only the bearer will benefit unless the effect is an area of effect spell. As with rods, staves, and wands, they can be activated merely by touching an appropriate rune, or by the correct command, or by both command and touching a rune. Holy/Unholy Standards will usually require the battle cry or shouting the name of the deity to activate.

Dyson’s Dodecahedron has some handy tables for the appearance of Battle Standards NOTE: The last table has his take on magic standards. January 13, 2011 on Dyson’s blog. I wrote about them on my blog August, 2009.