Video Game Inspired Encumbrance Idea

Glorious kill!

Fighters can carry one extra unique type of weapon or other war implement per level without encumbrance (so one axe, one bow, one sword, etc.).

I'd count this as religious equipment.

Clerics can carry one extra unique item of religious equipment per level without encumbrance (one holy symbol, one incense burner, an extra holy water flask, etc. If you want to go all Uukrul/polytheistic allow each holy symbol of a different religion to count as a unique item).

For all your daemon summoning needs!

Magic-Users can carry one extra magical tool, scroll or significant magic component per level without encumbrance.

Ignoring encumbrance rules since 1986. 

Thieves/Rogues/Specialists can carry an extra, well, anything per level without encumbrance as long as it is related to one of their skills in a reasonable fashion. OR, optionally, it could be straight up anything they find, if you want to go for maximum 90s point and click hero.

Saint Eustain's Musical Monk (Rare and Holy Item)

A remarkable automaton from c. 1560!
See it in action here.

In a prior age, Saint Eustain worked his miracles in a most unusual fashion.  He would craft a small mechanical toy of a singing monk, a trundling figure with a music box contained within, and imbue it with holy might.  Many have been lost to time, but all accounts regarding them have called them both delightful and a great aid in battling the forces of darkness.  Most beings of Chaos cannot even touch one (they must save or suffer 1d8 damage), let alone attempt to destroy it.  This has helped preserve them in unlikely places such as dungeons, corrupted churches, etc.  They can usually be found covered up or hidden away from dungeon denizen eyes.

Once per day, a musical monk can be activated and it will slowly move and "sing" its particular song for ten minutes.  Here are 1d4 example types of musical monk:

1. The Lord is My Shepherd: When faced with any branching paths, which button to press, etc. it will move towards the most optimal (and if applicable moral) option for the party to take.

2. Sumer is Icumen in: Fills the room it occupies with a light as powerful as sunlight.  It does not affect the eyesight of the Lawful and Neutral but temporarily blinds the Chaotic.

3. Abide with Me: Provides a 15' radius of protection (+2 to AC and +2 to Saves).  It also allows any character who chants with it and holds a holy symbol aloft to turn undead.  Lawful clerics receive a +1/+3 bonus on a 2d6/1d20 turn undead roll.

4. Be Still for the Presence of the Lord: All Chaotic creatures in a 15' radius must save versus standing still in awe (treat as paralysis).  Those rapt may not be harmed by the monk's user and/or their party.  If a cleric then successfully turns any of these stunned beings, beings of pure evil will flee or be dispelled as normal but Chaotic followers will see the light and convert to Law. 

If this is seen as too powerful by the GM, they may allow an additional save versus conversion.          

Also, since we're on the topic, Elvis' rendition of How Great Thou Art is fantastic.

Fantastic Combat Houserule for the D20 Combat System in OD&D/Whitebox

In Chainmail, and OD&D if you use it as a combat system, there is a rule for two beings of sufficient might (Heroes, Wizards, Dragons, Elementals, etc.) to engage in mortal combat.  This is called the Fantasy Combat rule and how it was resolved was through rolling 2d6 against a target number based on the strength of the opponent.  However, a single successful strike meant that the defender was slain outright, instead of losing wounds or hit points.  In this post I will briefly detail a system for replicating this facet of Chainmail's combat in OD&D.  This has been done before but I've decided to also take a crack at replicating this dramatic and deadly combat system.

There's a chance for heroics...

Two beings of 4 or more hit dice may engage in Fantasy/Mortal Combat.  They must duel mano a mano and combat proceeds as normal.  However, for every hit struck the attacker rolls a number of six sided dice equal to their hit dice to calculate damage.  This dramatic battle may not be interrupted or intruded upon by any other opponents.  Those that interrupt, strike into the duel, call for guards, etc. can only deal a single die of damage and ruin the Fantasy Combat.  After this transgression, combat reverts to its regular form.     

(Optional but fun rule) From Hell's heart...:  The gods love entertainment, and the underdog.  They will grant a PC slain in this heroic combat the strength for one last strike, a chance to spite and spell doom for their opponent.

But beware the consequences!

  

   

Servitors of the Ur-Dungeon

HD: Dungeon Level +1.

AC: 6 [13]. 5 [14] if of the long-clawed variety.

Attacks: 2 claws (1d6), 1d8 per swipe if long-clawed.

Special: Immune to traps and can bypass dungeon phenomena easily, orb of Repair Spiders (if Standard Unit) or detachable, long reaching claw with a grasping mechanism (if Long-clawed Unit).

Movement: Upsettingly quick (Standard Unit) or walking speed (Long-clawed Unit).

Alignment: Lawful Neutral.

Dungeons are looted and monsters, along with unfortunate adventurers, are slain. The Servitors fulfil the work of cleaning the blood off the walls, replacing monsters, resetting traps, and carefully placing loot to draw upon the greed of surface-dwellers after the latest party has escaped.

They are bio-mechanical, a metallic, clawed body with a misshapen fleshy head. They are formed in the hideous, endless cavern dimension of the Ur-Dungeon and are imbued with life using the souls of adventurers left behind in the dungeon. They help proliferate the labyrinthine spawn of the Ur-Dungeon, more adventurers fall prey to it, more Servitors are created, and thus the cycle continues.

There are two kinds of Servitor sent out from the Ur-Dungeon's dimension. Standard Units are about 4 feet tall, move on small wheels and have strange orbs attached to their stomachs. These contain Repair Spiders which are released for repairing traps and other mechanical phenomena within the dungeon. An orb can be utilized thrice before needing to be refilled. Long-clawed Units are as tall as a troll (roughly 7 feet), have freakishly long arms and legs (5 feet long) and are tremendously strong. They fulfil the tasks of dragging in larger unconscious monsters, bigger treasures, etc.

Occasionally, an adventurer's soul will reawaken their own memories inside a Servitor. This is incompatible with its mental programming and conditioning and drives it insane. While berserk, they escape the Ur-Dungeon dimension into a random dungeon. It is in this state that adventurers encounter one or more of the Servitors and must deal with their newfound bloodlust. After killing these horrors, the party will mysteriously find a sack of gems (1d6+2, dungeon levelx100 in value) and a small note giving thanks and a useful piece of advice about the dungeon.

Definitely one of the most peculiar games I've ever witnessed.

D6 Ways to Introduce Your Next NPC, or Party Member After a PC Dies in the Dungeon

1. They are found trapped in a barrel for monsters to cook/eat raw later, Laurentius-of-the-Great-Swamp-style.

2. They emerge from a scroll, covered in paper cuts. All they can recall of the experience of being trapped inside Scroll-space is something simply referred to as "the Horror".

3. One of the monsters you are fighting is actually a dude/dudette in disguise that learned the language and lived among the monsters for 1d4+2 months (or years). The disguise is incredibly apparent to the party but not the monsters. They are happy to be back with (relatively) regular people but feels guilt occasionally for how the party murdered their "family".

4. The great cosmic Ur-Dungeon, searching for horrors and treasures in the multiverse to populate its deadly labyrinths, accidentally swallowed and regurgitated a being without putting it through the necessary mental conditioning for a dungeon environment. They are scared and very confused.

5. They were "always there" in the group as far as anyone can remember, Rick and Morty style. Everyone acts like this is normal (except for maybe at least one PC who realizes this anomaly).

6. A big monster (like an ogre or something) is walking its pets on a leash. Roll randomly for 1d3 "domesticated" monsters and then add the NPC. Their equipment is probably in the bag slung over the monster's shoulder.

The Ur-Dungeon Denizen Acclimatization Programme: 
He'll be hoarding treasure and killing adventurers in no time!