Artifacts, Oddments & Eldritch Pocketknives

[jensen]

Calithena is always in need of fresh filler material, such as magic items; and seeing how Random's Tricks and Traps turned out to be something of a success (granted, mostly due to Random's tireless efforts to churn out new variations on a killing theme), it may be time to do the same for magic items! Now, let's give it a go, and see if we can lure Random into doing all the work on this thread, too.

It's simple, really: Think of a neat magic item, write a description, and post it in this thread. Go!


Helm of Gloating
A full helm crafted from iron with silver filigree, and bedecked with metal adornments made to resemble obscene trophies of former battles: a Minotaur's horn, a Beholder eyestalk, and the tail of a Chimera, still bristling with poisoned barbs.

This magic helm possesses a minor power of transmutation that is activated when its bearer defeats a monster with superior strength (i.e. more hit dice). After each such victory, the helm sprouts a new metal trophy-replica, up to a maximum of six such pieces. After that, the helm will replace old trophies when new ones are won, starting with the oldest. If the helm changes owners for more than a week, or its owner dies and the helm isn't reclaimed within a similar time-frame, the old trophies will wither away, leaving the helm blank. Should the helm change owner and the new bearer vanquishes a stronger monster before a week has gone by, all the old trophies will immediately atrophy and be supplanted by the new one.
An upgraded version, the Greater Helm of Gloating, will additionally enable its bearers to mimic the monsters they vanquish (but still only if the monster they fought has more HD or is otherwise a superior combatant). For example, if a warrior wearing a Greater Helm of Gloating manages to give a Vampire an unwanted suntan, the warrior will develop an unnatural urge to drink the warm blood of a living creature, even if he has to bite his own arm or lick it straight from his sword; when he does so, he will heal 1d6 HP per 5 HD of the Vampire he defeated. If he later slays a Red Dragon, he'll be able to spew fire on a later opponent, doing 1d6 points of damage per 5 HD of the Dragon he defeated.
Each power is a one-time effect, whose function is defined by the nature of the beast that was slain, and with a strength of 1d6 for every 5 HD of the monster. The helm-bearer can only have one power in store at a time, so if he slays two overpowering monsters within a short time (e.g. a single combat) without using the power of the one first slain, it will be replaced by the power from the second.
Should a monster slain and abused in such a way by a bearer of a Greater Helm of Gloating ever be brought back to life (either through a Raise Dead or Resurrection spell, a lich being revived by its phylactery, a troll regenerating back from beyond the brink of intensive care etc.), the helm-bearer must make a saving throw vs. death or die of shame.

[jensen]

Draught of Snide Tongues
When drunk, this potion confers the same linguistic abilities of a normal potion or spell of Tongues, but will limit the imbiber's vocabulary to the most offensive, acerbic and hurtful remarks in any language. Needless to sat, this hampers any attempts at diplomacy or flirtation.

[jensen]

Fanny Pack of Prompt Retrieval
When an item is put into this pack, it will immediately be transported into another pack, pouch, pocket or other storage medium. The Fanny Pack itself will always remain empty. However, its main power is that when the bearer wishes to retrieve an item, and reaches into the Fanny Pack for it, the desired possession will automatically appear in the Pack, regardless of where the item was previously stored. A pair of clean socks at the bottom of a cluttered backpack, a platinum piece lost amongst the coppery dregs in an over-stuffed coin purse, some spare ammunition in a Bag of Holding or a Portable Hole, or even a valuable trinket that the adventurer had crammed down a boot (or swallowed) for safekeeping - all of that, and more, right at your waiting fingertips! The exception is that items that are not concealed on the bearer's person are not accessible via the Fanny Pack.

Any males wearing the Fanny Pack for an extended period of time (i.e. two weeks) will gradually be transformed into a female of their species, as per a Girdle of Femininity.

[jensen]

Whistling Boots
Made from soft calf's leather and decorated with crane feathers, these boots fit your feet snugly, but seem to provide ample support and protection for your feet despite their light build.

Whistling Boots function much like Boots of Speed, by providing their wearer with a Haste spell thrice a day. However, the Whistling Boots make constant shrill humming noises when the wearer moves, that increase to an ear-piercing drone when their Haste power is activated. This makes stealth nigh-impossible while the Boots are worn.

[germille]

Macco's Knife
Macco's knife seems like a mundane unremarkable but sharp kitchen knife.

Whenever someone stabs a corpse, it retroactively changes the world and crime scene to make it acknowledge the user as the murder of the corpse(even if it was a natural death). even witnesses and the real murderer are subject to this effect. The whole scene will look like it was a crime done by the knife user, with the knife as the murder weapon.

[Alex Schroeder]

The +3 small shortspear of ancient anger, Ogg, has gained intelligence over the millennia. The spearhead is an old piece of stone, strangely sharp and glowing with an inner warmth. Over the years it has been called the Pirate Maker, Pesquark, the Eye Piercer, the Stabber of Hearts, Festonne, and Bearfriend Brogg.

• Chaotic Good
  
• Telepathy
  
• Speech: Common, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnomish
  
• Hearing
  
• 60ft. Darkvision
  
• Detect Magic at will
  
• Cure Moderate Wounds 3/day
  
• It can intimidate opponents (+9 if you use an Intimidation skill; force an extra morale check when roaring and shaking it in the air)
  
• It desperately wants to kill Undead
  
• It wants its wielder to fight in melee
  
• Int 16 / Wis 10 / Cha 10 / Ego 18
  

As you might realize it was created using D&D 3.5 rules.

Since it is intelligent, it can use its abilities independently of the wielder.

[kelvingreen]

Elwood's Spectacles

A pair of spectacles with lenses made of a dark glass, these protect against the glare of bright lights, including those of magical origin. On the other hand, the glasses only make darkness worse, acting as a Darkness spell cast on the wearer's eyes when worn in low light conditions.

The spectacles' chief ability is a more subtle one, only evident through use of Detect Magic. The wearer projects an air of confidence which either impresses or intimidates those around him; as such, the wearer can modify any reaction or morale (or intimidation if your game uses such an ability) roll by +/- 2.

More powerful versions, known as Nada's Spectacles, have the same effects, but in addition allow the wearer to Detect Invisible as per the spell, as well as bestowing the ability to Detect Lies, but only in written material. Both abilities work as if cast at fourth level and each can be used twice a day.

[kelvingreen]

Mega Squirrels of the Burning World is a hefty tome, purportedly the travel journals of the arch-mage Fejj Rinets. It consists of a series of implausible adventures in even more implausible locales, but all are true stories of Rinets' journeys. The wild situations described in the text prepare the reader for even the most unexpected events, bestowing a +1 bonus to all saving throws for the day. Reading the book in this way works in the exact same way as preparing spells. There are a thousand pages of this elaborate lunacy; when read, page 652 instantly transports the reader and their party into a Gamma World, Mutant Future, or equivalent scenario.

[Deleted]

Blind Gloves:

This gloves made of fine silk, grants a extra sensitive touch. They gran the wearer a +5 on search checks when looking for secret doors or compartments, as long as she is touch the surface she is seraching on

In a addition; 3/day he can use the gloves to read any languages written with just touching the paper over. This effect as the spell comprehend languages and does not to be looking at the paper to read whats in it

[jensen]

Great! Keep it up!



Wun Sasfi-Tso’s Universal Scabbard

The original versions of these holsters were held in an oriental theme, always studded with three gems of different size and hue, but later incarnations display the varied styles and preferences of the many artificers who imitated and, in some cases, improved on the original design. Many of these newer models are equipped with four or five jewels, or in some cases with metal buttons or other adornments in place of the original three gems.
When one of these gems are twisted (the gems on the first versions were simply pressed, which led to many unintended activations), the Scabbard will alter its size and shape to fit a predefined type of blade, typically daggers, short swords, longswords, bastard swords or greatswords. Each gem or button corresponds to a specific weapon size.
Whilst it is necessary for the Scabbard to be big enough to accommodate a weapon when it is placed in it, the blade will suffer no ill effects from being kept in the Scabbard while it is changed to a smaller size, and can easily be drawn at any time, regardless of what size the Scabbard has currently assumed. Irrespective of its size, the Scabbard always weighs ½ lb.
These Scabbards are much in vogue amongst adventurers with an eye towards deception; for example, cities with strict regulations on arms and armor, requiring martial weapons to be either peace-bonded or confiscated by the authorities for the duration of your stay, often overlook small knives and daggers, considering them to be tools or eating utensils rather than weapons. Warriors who are more concerned with utility than phallic symbolism appreciate the increased freedom of movement from being able to carry their large swords in dagger-sized Scabbards. Conversely, unusually buff mages sometimes dress up as barbarians, carrying their daggers in greatsword-sized Scabbards to con potential attackers into thinking they are much tougher melee combatants than they are.

[jensen]

Cap of Cowardice

At a glance, it appears to be nothing but a simple, round wool cap, dyed dark yellow and lined with rabbit fur; yet, for some reason, you get an eerie sensation just from looking at it, like you were being watched.

Anyone wearing this Cap will become keenly aware of any threats in the immediate vicinity, possessing an innate sense of the direction and distance towards the nearest source of personal danger. The bearer will soon grow nervous and paranoid, suspecting even the most benign passersby of posing a serious threat, seeing murderous shadows behind every tree and hearing ominous footsteps in the dead of night. This constant state of jumpy readiness will make it impossible to memorize spells.

[jensen]

Elixir of Mossy Growth

A murky green liquid, rich in sediments and with a thick, syrupy consistency, yet it smells more like mouldy old cheese than treacle. However, when carefully sipped, it has a pleasant taste of parsley and dandelion tea.

Druids are said to have invented this dubious concoction, as a greener alternative to healing potions. When it’s drunk, it will confer 1d8 temporary hit points, which are caused by the sudden appearance of large clumps of mossy vegetable matter, growing on the drinker’s body. If the subject has already suffered open wounds, the moss will cover the gashes like an impromptu band-aid. The moss will cushion any blows and quickly patch up any new cuts and bruises.
If a person is reduced to zero hit points whilst under the influence of an Elixir of Mossy Growth, they will be transformed into a mindless NPC moss creature under the control of the GM.

[jasons]

Potion of Sanity:
Developed at great expense by an interdisciplinary team of wizards, holy men, witch-doctors, et al, as a last-ditch effort to return a deranged sorcerer to mental health, this potion is empowered to counteract any spell, magical effect, or other malignancy that impacts the mind of the imbiber. Non-magical madness is temporarily suppressed (1d12 days), although the underlying causes of any such impairment must be addressed (magically or perhaps even surgically) during this period or symptoms will return.

[jasons]

The Cloak Impervious:
Woven from trans-dimensional materials on the legendary Sky Loom, this luxurious garment, black, long, and glowing with a twinkling star field design, imparts upon its wearer the following continuous enhancements: protection from evil, shield, protection from normal missiles, a 50% magic resistance, and an armor class bonus of +3. Unknown effects from exposure to the alien materials composing the cloak cause a permanent loss of 1 hp for each day of continuous wear.

[kelvingreen]

The Band of the Warrior is a strip of cloth, once white, but long since stained with blood to a dull brown. When tied around the forehead, the band bestows a +2 bonus to attack rolls, armour class, saving throws and any new hit dice rolled while worn.

However, all fighters (and sub-classes such as paladins, rangers and so on) within two miles of the band will feel its presence and be aware of its abilities, and while not able to discern its exact location, will know, almost by instinct, their current distance from the band.

While a character can always choose not to wear the band, they will find that it cannot be destroyed, lost, or discarded. Any attempt to do so will result in the band appearing the next morning in the character's possession, although a Remove Curse spell might work, at the GM's discretion. The only sure way to give the band away is to be reduced to zero hit points in combat, at which point the link is broken, and the victor usually takes possession of the item, although sometimes it is left behind.

It is rumoured that more powerful versions of the band exist, bestowing larger bonuses, but also exerting a more powerful influence on other fighters.

[kelvingreen]

The Horror Hood is a plain cloth garment which, when worn over the head, transforms the wearer's visage into that of a leering skull. Popular with mischievous adolescents, it has no other effects.

[jasons]

Berserker's Battle Brew:
This foul concoction, fermented from the harvested spleens of defeated foes and liberally ensorcelled by tribal shamans, serves to enhance the already considerable battle frenzy normally associated with berserkers. Choking down a full dose (one frothy, obscenely reeking pint) doubles combat bonuses while eliminating penalties to AC for a 10 minute period. Non-berserkers only gain a +2 to all attack and damage rolls. During this time, the imbiber must make one saving throw each round to avoid a temporary battle-psychosis, during which he or she will attack anything within range.

[jasons]

Malmoth's Exploding Tome:
The arch-magus Malmoth, smarting from his latest expulsion from a secret arcane society, worked off some of his pent-up hostility towards his fellow sorcerers by throwing himself (and his many pitiable thralls) into the production and distribution of these magically trapped volumes. Once a now-unknown number of books were complete, Malmoth insinuated them into as many libraries, private collections, and book-seller's hoards as time and interest would allow. Each uniquely titled book (designed to ignite the imaginations of magic-users), attractively bound in hand-tooled leather and baroque silver bindings, will explode in a blinding flash of white-hot eldritch energy upon opening. All those within 20ft of the blast takes 5d6 damage (save for half).
Sample titles:
Insidious, Unsavory, Unholy: a Mage's Memoir
Beyond Logic and Reason
20 Facts You Didn't Know (and noone will tell you) About the Abyss
Notes on the Inexplicable
A Light Spell in the Darkness
Harnessing Proto-universes in Your Lair
On the Limitations of Sanity
The Songs of Yog-Sothoth, Another Side of the Blind Idiot Space God

[coffee]

Portable Bookcase

Sure to delight the mage in the party with the complete selection of spellbooks, the portable bookcase is a book-shaped (and, more importantly, -sized) box that, when opened, becomes a bookcase capable of holding up to twenty volumes. When closed, the volumes remain inside and the book has the same size and encumbrance as a regular book (not a spellbook).

(Of course, evil bastard DMs can, on occasion, use a faulty one which takes valuable books and returns bound collections of Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy comics.)


And I just have to say to the original poster: Eldritch Pocketknives would be an awesome name for a band. Have an exalt for that!

[kelvingreen]

Singing Swords are in most ways like any other intelligent blade, except that they communicate only in song. Unlike most such weapons, which are jealously guarded by their owners, these are often found abandoned at the bottom of deep pits.

[jensen]

Jul 14, 2010 22:28:05 GMT -6 coffee said:

And I just have to say to the original poster: Eldritch Pocketknives would be an awesome name for a band. Have an exalt for that!

Why, thank you, kind sir!

[jasons]

Discus of Uncertainty
This beautifully crafted steel discus, a grim chaos rune engraved in the center of each polished side, radiates a powerful, if inscrutible, magical dweomer. When hurled in anger, the player must roll a d6. On a 1-5 the discus strikes unerringly, doing 1d6 damage each time. The first time a 6 is rolled the discus explodes in a fiery burst, doing 6d6 damage to anything within 30 ft.

[jasons]

And no, I do not believe the exploding items theme has been exhausted.

[calithena]

Mega-exaltations for starting this thread, great idea!

[jasons]

Shroud of Impecunious Obscurity
When draped over the neck and shoulders, this fine silken bolt of magically wrought fabric radically alters the wearer's appearance until removed. Any ostentatious signs of wealth, such as jewelry, polished plate armor, regal finery of any kind, bulging purses, etc.
are transformed by the shroud's singular power into exceedingly humble illusionary images. Jewelry ceases to sparkle, gemstones become bones or shabby beads, armor appears rusty and full of holes, beautiful fabrics seem as filthy sack cloth. The character's own physical features are similiarly downgraded. Where once a hale and hearty countenance commanded respect and admiration, the shroud's unique dweomer casts a sickly pall, giving the appearance of ill-health and suspect personal hygiene (even by medieval standards). For game purposes, the shroud reduces charisma by 6 points but also produces an effective visual disguise and/or deterent to would-be robbers.

[kelvingreen]

Heartseekers are enchanted arrows with a distinctive high-pitched in-flight whine, which sounds almost like a scream. Each arrow will instantly kill a living target on a successful hit, as long as said target has a number of hit dice less than or equal to that the potency of the arrow; otherwise, it does normal damage. Detect Magic will reveal that the arrows are enchanted, but their potency, 1d6 per arrow, is rolled in secret by the GM. Once fired, even if the arrow can be recovered intact, the enchantment dissipates. Most elves find the arrows distasteful.

[jasons]

Circlet of Cellular Control
With this silvery circlet adorning the brow, the character realizes that he can, with the application of utmost willpower, alter his cellular arrangement to meet immediate needs. A finger inserted into a lock takes the shape of a required key. The structure of the face can be altered into another's likeness. An arm can take on the the shape of any tool or weapon the character can concieve, ossifying tissues to the desired hardness. Each such transformation takes a full turn to execute, and is agonizingly
painful, requiring the character to make a successful saving throw or pass out for 1d10+1 minutes (spoiling the effect and making the character reluctant to attempt the same feat again). Referees should allow adjustments to the saving throw based on their reckoning of the transformation's difficulty.

[jasons]

Azanath's Intellect Enhancer
Arch-mage Azanath, an obsessive a seeker of arcane knowledge, could never accept the inherent limitations of the human mind.
For a period of one nigh-sleepless year, he threw his own unsurpassed intellect (and a considerable portion of his hoarded
wealth) into the pursuit of ever more potent herbal, chemical, and magical enhancements to mental potential. Following a
failed experiment to surgically increase the capacity of his brain case and a lengthy recuperative coma, the sorcerer awoke in
a fevered state fueled by a subconscious breakthrough. Without pausing to restore his enfeebled tissues, Azanath flew to his
alchemical laboratory. Striking dead his lone remaining servitor with a single dagger thrust, Azanath magically extracted and
distilled the intuitive component of his hapless hireling's disembodied animus into a pleasantly light fizzy beverage.
Repeating this method (with freshly hired servants) allowed Azanath to bottle and cork a dozen of these potions before he
succumbed to a fatigue-induced apoplexy, whereupon his treasures and many inventions fell into unknown hands. Designed to aid creative problem solving, these extremely rare potions were intended to be used whenever a particularly vexing puzzle, riddle, dungeon maze, or other mental challenge flummoxed the sorcerer, and should be employed in this fashion by PC's. Drinking one when not faced by a intellectual quandary wastes its effects (unless the user rolls a 6 on the table below). As each dose was extracted from a different victim, Intellect Enhancers produce a variety of effects on the user (roll 1d6):
1. Character stupefied by racing genius-level thoughts for one turn
2-3: Partial insight gained: the referee should give a reasonable hint or clue
4. Substantial insight gained: two clues or hints
5. Total insight: Referee must reveal all pertinent secrets
6. Total insight plus a permanent +1 to Intelligence (one time only)
For a period of 1d4 turns after drinking, the excited faculties of the imbiber may turn to other matters of the mind with enhanced capacity and artificially enhanced fervor, during which the character may decide to begin work on an epic poem, metaphysical treatise, new system of mathematics, etc., only to have hopes dashed by a sudden drop in ability at the end of this time.

[jasons]

Glimfree’s Expandable Cushion
Prestidigitator par excellence Glimfree the Gratuitous crafted this magical item after bumbling into a 30 ft. deep pit bristling with envenomed spikes on one of his less profitable tomb robbing expeditions. The fluffy pink down pillow, elaborately embroidered with inscrutable sigils, has the power to expand instantly to fill any available space up to 30 cubic feet. The cushion functions in two distinct modes: either by activating the expansion (and contraction) effect by command word, or by commanding the cushion to expand whenever it detects free fall. Glimfree is reported to have worn the cushion on the outside of his robes, snugly secured to his posterior.

[jasons]

Hurang’s Recursive Treasury
A treasure amongst treasures, each of these one thousand golden coins carries the magical power to sprout tiny limbs on moonless nights. Fully animate, the coins force their way out of wherever they may be stored and will surmount any obstacle to return to the coffers of their current owner, seeking out places of concealment when the moon shines or the sun rises. When exchanged for goods or services, the coins will always endeavor to return to the spender. The coins change allegiance only in the event their current owner is killed or somehow loses the coins through negligence. If this procession of walking coins is encountered en route, it can be readily followed to its destination.