Intersting ways to distribute loot?

[Brendanicus]

Hey guys, I'm DM'ing a World's Largest Dungeon game (slightely modified; the players start at level 3)

Anyway, those familiar with the module know that it is quite scant on loot. I was hoping for ways to give players alternative means of upgrading equipment prefarably while giving each players unique abilities and cool stuff.

The party consists of:

A barbarian
A druid (Yes, I know the book says not to use Druids. I'm using a much more liberal interpretation of "natural area" [5th ed DOES have Underdark druids, though this is 3.5])
A ranger (I'm giving her Trapfinding, sine nobody wants to play Rogue)
A bard
A dwarven cleric (probably worships Moradin)
The last player hasn't picked her class yet; most likely a Paladin/Knight/Samurai/some kind of melee class.

First thing I'm doing is have a mysterious merchant (probably some sort of Wizard (maybe a Jann or copper dragon?), other suggestions appreciated) who appears about whenever the party levels up.

However, I did get a good idea for a Samurai, or the Barbarian if the last player doesn't pick a Samurai.

Katanas and Samurai-styled armor are virtually unknown in the World's Largest Dungeon, so to upgrade her equipment, the Samurai will occasionally encounter Ancestral Spirits. These are the Spirits of her Samurai ancestors, who will grant her upgrades to her weapons, armor, and possibly even new abilities or ability score increases. Every new one she encounters gives her a new ability. The spirits appear only to her, in order to reward her for making her ancestors proud.

Any other cool ways to distribute upgrades and equipment?

[Crake]

Katanas and Samurai-styled armor are virtually unknown in the World's Largest Dungeon, so to upgrade her equipment, the Samurai will occasionally encounter Ancestral Spirits. These are the Spirits of her Samurai ancestors, who will grant her upgrades to her weapons, armor, and possibly even new abilities or ability score increases. Every new one she encounters gives her a new ability. The spirits appear only to her, in order to reward her for making her ancestors proud.

If this is an oriental adventures samurai, aren't their starting weapons already inherently upgradable as they level up anyway?

Also, maybe give every player ancestral relic as a bonus feat, and waive the alignment requirements?

[Tohsaka Rin]

Seconding the Ancestral Relic thing. Maybe have that Copper Dragon (disguised as a wizened, shrunken old man) give them the items, and 'accidentally' confusing them all for his grandchildren, wanting to keep them safe.

Bonus points if the races don't match at all.

Extra-extra bonus points if you do this with a RED Dragon, instead.

Same act, same song and dance, except the weapons are powered by the essence of defeated enemies (or symbiotically growing in power with the wielder), but can only be enhanced by creatures wielding them that do not know of their nature.

Then, of course, the dragon wants those things back...

Hello extra-dramatic final showdown after the adventure is over.

[atemu1234]

Seconding the Ancestral Relic thing. Maybe have that Copper Dragon (disguised as a wizened, shrunken old man) give them the items, and 'accidentally' confusing them all for his grandchildren, wanting to keep them safe.

Bonus points if the races don't match at all.

Extra-extra bonus points if you do this with a RED Dragon, instead.

Same act, same song and dance, except the weapons are powered by the essence of defeated enemies (or symbiotically growing in power with the wielder), but can only be enhanced by creatures wielding them that do not know of their nature.

Then, of course, the dragon wants those things back...

Hello extra-dramatic final showdown after the adventure is over.

That sounds kind of cool.

[Brendanicus]

If this is an oriental adventures samurai, aren't their starting weapons already inherently upgradable as they level up anyway?

Also, maybe give every player ancestral relic as a bonus feat, and waive the alignment requirements?You just made me discover OA Samurai, and I greatly appreciate you for it.

EDIT: I really like the idea for the merchant to be a chromatic dragon! REALLY, REALLY DO! I will make her a black dragon who SECOND EDIT: was forced into elven form by the Celestials, but wants to escape the dungeon to regain her true power (secretly a great wyrm or wyrm) To observers, she appears to be a normal middle-aged elven , sorcerer. She sells the PC's weapons, believing that they will be her tickets to escape. She distrusts wandering too far away from them, and almost never enters new sections of the dungeon without the PC's going in first to distract the locals. At the same time, she avoids staying too close to the PC's and rarely makes her presence known to them, as she is medically forced to transform into a half-dragon once per day as part of the deterioration of her curse.