israel@qantel.UUCP ( Renegade) (06/19/84)
In response to the request for new magic items, I offer
the following five descriptions of objects I have introduced
in my own campaigns. I have tried to be thorough and explicit
in the use of these items (perhaps overly so), but you are,
of course, at liberty to adapt them to your own world as you
see fit. I have also included brief descriptions for some of
these as to how they came to be created. All of them, except
for the wand of embarrassment, are usable by anyone.
I think you'll find the characters will have an interesting
time identifying some of these items, assuming they even think of checking
some of them for magic detection ("What do you mean, the SOAP
is magical?"). It should be a particularly entertaining occasion
watching a non-chaotic mage cast an identify on the wand mentioned above
(might be fun to roll for an encounter then). Over-zealous
fighters who find a ring of revenge could end up killing the
party with it if they're not careful. But then again, that's
what adventuring is all about...
Guardian Bell
This object appears as a minature alarm bell mounted on
small stand about three feet high. If detect magic is cast
on it, a magical aura will be present on the bell.
The bell is used as an intruder alert to its user. It
requires knowledge of three command words to operate - an
activation word, password, and deactivation word.
While holding the stand with one hand, the user speaks
the activation command word - the bell then generates a
detection field radiating out in a 4 inch diameter sphere
(including underground). This detection field extends to the
ethereal and astral planes, as well as the prime material.
Any creature larger than a normal insect (including un-
dead or invisible) which enters the detection field without
first uttering the password will start the bell ringing.
The bell will continue to ring as long as the offending
creature remains in the field.
The sound of the ringing will be audible from as far
away as 20 inches, except for the user which activated it -
the user will be able to hear the bell ringing from anywhere
on the prime material, astral, or ethereal planes (ie, the
prime material plane that the bell is on, not a parallel
plane).
The detection field is turned off by holding the stand
and speaking the deactivation word. Anyone knowing the deac-
tivation command may turn off the the bell, not just the one
who activated it.
Five percent of these bells are intelligent (int: 12;
aligned LN), and hence may be instructed to ring only upon
certain circumstances when intruders appear, such as if any
evil characters approach, or any dwarves approach during a
full moon, etc. (as per a magic mouth spell). Such instruc-
tions are issued immediately after activation. New instruc-
tions can be issued only after first deactivating the bell.
Guardian bells are considered precious by merchants, as
well as by party members camping out. They typically sell
for 5000gp, and are worth 2000 exp. points.
Note - such devices are a bane to thieves - NPC thieves
which are made aware of the presence of such a device will
frequently go out of their way to destroy it.
Ring of Illusionary Alignment
This ring was developed by a neutral illusionist who
wanted to adventure freely with any alignment, without the
potential conflicts developing. It was later stolen by an
unknown assasin.
The ring has the power to alter one's aura, and make it
seem as if the wearer was of a different alignment then he
actually is. Thus a lawful evil might wear the ring, and
project a lawful good aura, and would so appear to anyone
casting a know alignment or detect good/evil. (This
includes weapons or items which have such powers). Further,
the ring also permits the wearer to comprehend and converse
in the tongue of the illusionary alignment he is currently
projecting, in addition to his usual alignment tongue. Only
one illusionary alignment can be projected at any one time,
and the illusion can be switched from one to another in one
segment. If, however, the wearer is unconcious or asleep,
his true alignment is then detectable in the usual manner.
Note that wearers of the ring are still subject to the
limitations of their true alignment as regards behavior.
However an intelligent sword (or other weapon) will not see
through the illusion, permitting the wearer to use such
items althought he would not normally be able to. Woe to
thee, though, that lapses long enough for the wearer's true
alignment to be detected by the sword, for in its vengence
it will then do double normal damage to the wearer if he is
normally not permitted to use it. Once such a sword has
detected true alignment, it will not be fooled by that same
person again.
The ring is worth 2000 ep and 4000 gp.
Ring of Revenge
Legends describe an aging magic-user who, through a
series of unfortunate encounters, kept finding himself
involved in hand-to-hand melee, before having a chance to
throw a spell. Consequently, he devised a way of turning his
opponents attacks against themselves by creating a ring that
could be activated whenever he took damage.
What it does is return any damage inflicted upon the
wearer. If, for example, the user suffers 15 hp of damage,
then the next time the user hits an opponent, he does his
usual damage, plus any bonuses he's got coming, PLUS the
additional 15 hp which the ring returns. Damage is not retu-
urned in the same round it was inflicted, but in subsequent
rounds. After damage is returned, the ring is completely
discharged until the user suffers damage again.
The ring can accumulate multiple attacks, i.e., if the
user is hit by 3 different opponents, or by 1 opponent 3
times, and suffers 5, 10, and 7 hp from the 3 attacks, the
ring will return all 22 points. The attacks can also occur
in different rounds. The ring can accumulate up to 50 hp,
all damage in excess of that amount simply dissipating.
All accumulated damage is returned in one blow, that
is, the user cannot save part of it to use later on.
Furthurmore, damage is returned only thru the use of hand-
held weapons (i.e., is ineffective when used with missle
weapons or spells, although it will work with magical hand-
held weapons). Also, it will always be returned on the next
hit in rounds subsequent to receiving the damage.
Two such rings won't work in parallel, but can be used
in series. Hence, if 20 hp are suffered, then 20 hp are
stored in one ring, but none in the other. If 75 hp are
suffered (and by some miracle you're still standing) then 50
hp are stored in one ring, and 25 in the other. The ring on
the weapon hand will 'fill up' first.
The most awesome feature about the ring is its behavior
when the wearer is killed. Should the wearer ever reach
negative hp, the ring will explode, doing d100 in damage to
all beings within a 10' radius of the wearer, with a save
vs. spells resulting in half damage. (There is no save for
damage normally returned by the ring.) The corpse of the
wearer will suffer no additional damage in the explosion, so
if he's just past zero (-1, say), a cure spell may be suffi-
cient to revive him (DM's option). The ring is irrevocably
destroyed in the explosion.
The ring is usable by all classes, and damage returned
may be received by the user in any form, i.e., weapons,
spells, wands, etc. Damage suffered by one person can be
returned by someone else by changing users before the ring
is discharged. The ring is worth 5000 e.p., and sells for
40,000 g.p..
Stingray's Magic Soap
This strange artifact was created by an elvish magic-
user that liked to go skinny-dipping in a pond next to his
forest. He used it to ward off thieves that would attempt
to make off with his clothes while he bathed. The story of
the soap spread from one thief to another, until it was told
to a particular thief named Stingray. Greatly intrigued by
it, Stingray sought to steal it for himself, but soon after
he discovered that the magic-user had died, and the soap was
never seen again. Stingray has searched for it ever since.
The soap itself appears as a glowing bar of household
soap. It can in fact be used as soap, except it doesn't
wear away like ordinary soap. Its real power, however, is
its use in combat. The wielder moistens the soap (only a
few drops are necessary - spitting on it is sufficient),
rubs it to work up a good lather (takes about 1 round),
says "Oops!", and while concentrating on his opponent,
throws the soap. The soap will then continue sliding along
the ground under its own magic power toward said oppenent,
at a continually accelerated pace, until it reaches its tar-
get. It will then unerringly slide into position such that
the victim will slip on it and fall to the ground for one
whole melee round, during which the victim gets no attacks,
plus takes 1D2 for small, 1D4 for medium, and 1D8 for large
creatures as damage resulting from the fall. After the
creature falls, the soap then slides back to the wielder,
moving so as to avoid causing the wielder to slip on it as
well, until such time as the wielder again picks it up. It
takes one full round to prepare the soap for use, so it can
be used to trip the opponent at a rate of once every two
rounds.
The soap can only trip one victim per attack run,
namely the one the wielder was concentrating on when the
soap was thrown, but the next attack can be a different vic-
tim. It is not necessary for the wielder to continue con-
centration after firing it. If the the wielder is killed,
the soap will continue on to trip the target, but will not
attempt to return.
Also, the soap is only effective against 2-LEGGED NON-
FLYING CREATURES. Multi-legged, snake-like, or flying
creatures cannot be tripped in this manner, and in fact the
soap will return immediately to the user without attacking
such a creature. It also cannot "see" illusionary creatures,
and hence will not attack illusions, nor non-two-legged
creatures attempting to appear as two-legged. Thus the soap
is also useful in revealing such deceptions.
Should the soap be broken or crushed (as might result
from attempting to trip a giant), it will stop where it was
and cease glowing. It can still be repaired in this state by
dropping the broken pieces in sweetwater and casting a mend
spell over it (note that the mend spell itself does not do
the actual mending, but instead acts to trigger a spell
residing within the broken pieces of the soap. This is the
same spell responsible for preventing the soap from wearing
out). When attacking, the soap has a 5% chance of being bro-
ken by small creatures, 20% by medium, and 50% by large.
Remember, however, it will only be broken in the process of
tripping its target, since it will slide as to avoid any
attacks upon itself, hence the victim will still fall. The
soap can only be irrevocably destroyed by fire.
It is not known exactly how many bars of soap actually
exist, as the elvish magic-user's spellbook disappeared as
well as the soap, so it is likely that someone out there
might have the spell for producing them, and sells them.
They are, for the most part, not generally heard of, except
among certain thieves, and it is not known who might have
one. If for sale, it would go for a base price of 5000
g.p., and is worth 1000 e.p. as treasure.
Wand of Embarrassment
Developed by a chaotic magic-user with a fondness for
practical jokes, the wand of embarrassment's only power is
its ability to completely strip anyone naked. The user
points the wand, says power word "HA-HA", and the wand emits
a thin beam directly towards its target. One segment later,
all the victim's clothes fall off. This includes armor,
robes, cloaks, rings, gauntlets, girdles, amulets, broaches,
jewelry, helms, necklaces, etc. None of these items will be
harmed in any way, and the victim may put everything back on
again immediately (assuming he's not otherwise engaged, such
as in melee, etc.), although the wand can be used on him
again.
Victims are entitled to a saving throw vs. wands.
Those that make it will have only one item fall off, deter-
mined by random roll or selection, as the DM prefers.
The wand is only usable by chaotic magic-users. Anyone
else who touches one will also lose their clothes, with no
saving throw (this will not use a charge). Paladins that
touch one will also be required to receive an atonement
within one week for being such a twit, and generally making
lawful goods everywhere look bad.
The wand is rechargable, and is worth 1000 ep and 3000
gp.
If you have any questions about these items, or might
like to see some more, just let me know.
Paul Israel
Renegade of Berkeley
ucbvax!dual!qantel!israel
"What do you mean she's an Auntie Paladin? You don't have an aunt..."