Whistle of Big Game Summoning

Full Item Description

A simple bone whistle, carved with pictographs of large game (appropriate for the region where the whistle is found).

History

A pair of men, covered in dirt, are sitting beside a recently dug pit. In front of them are an assortment of odd items - clay shards, rusted weapons, and something else....

'Well, what do we have here?' said the first man, a semi-professional looter by the name of Elmir.

'Looks like a flute or something' the second man, Ruti the gravedigger (and in this case, robber) observed.

'Wonder if it still works, ' Elmir said, shaking out the dirt. He made to blow it when Ruti interrupted - 'Not here - someone might hear you and find us!'

'Right!' said Elmer, and stowed the whistle in his pocket.

...
Later that evening, at a campfire some distance away from the escavated grave.

'Well, now let's see if it works!' said Elmir. He drew it from his pocket and blew hard into it. 'Hmm. Seems broken.' Ruti felt an odd rumbling. 'Did you feel that?'

Elmir looked up and said tried to say 'Feel What?' when a group of huge antlered Elk came stampeding though the campsite - oblivious to the campfire. Elmir tried to dive out of the way but landed directly in the path of one of the beasts. Ruti panicked, froze and got kicked into vittles by a second elk. The whistle got knocked clear from the carnage. As the effects of the whistle cleared, the Elks quickly left the area - spooked by the campfire and the smell of blood.

The next morning, a group of woodcutters came across the scene. One of them bent over, picking up the whistle, and said 'Well, what do we have here?'

...

Magic/Cursed Properties

This item was meant to bring game close to a hunter, who should be up a tree or otherwise protected from his ‘prey'.

In all cases, it is silent when blown.

It will summon the largest viable game within a couple of miles who will run to the summoning point at a full charge (magically sustained). They will not be exhausted from their efforts arriving at the summoning point. If higher level magic is tolerated, then the beasts actually appear close enough that the whistle blower has time for one action before they arrive.

Numbers summoned are 1d4 if game is scarce, 2d4 if moderate and 4d4 for common.

No control whatsoever is provided over the summoned beasts, and they will be very agitated by the mystical summons.

The Whistle can be winded only once a week and still have the summoning capabilities. Optionally, it can draw predators if used more then once in a week.

This item is inspired heavily by a farside cartoon. When I saw that poor caveman stomped flat by a mammoth, I thought 'Man, gotta do that to some PCs...' :)