Magical Items

MINOR MIRROR OF VIEWING

This is a less-powerful version of a crystal ball. On the back of the mirror is inscribed a command word. The word can be invisible, hidden, in secret code, or otherwise jumbled, but it must be on it in some form. When the word is spoken, the area the mirror is in, or the item the mirror is touching becomes entered in the mirror's "memory". The mirror has only 2d6 memory slots, and once filled, they cannot be erased or changed.

To view an area or item in the mirror's memory, the user need only concentrate on the mirror while holding it. The first stored area will pop up first. The images will appear in order as the user commands them to change. The mirror can let the user view the area in from any direction, as long as the view-point is from closer then 100 yards. It can only show outwards from the area, however, if the viewpoint is the same as when it was commanded to fill a memory slot for it. The user can also hear as if he/she was standing where the viewpoint is.

Spells, psionics, and physical attacks missiles cannot pass through the mirror from either side. Gaze attacks, and certain powerful magics may pass through the mirror at the DM's discretion (usually towards the user only).

This item is often disguised as a large serving spoon or other item, as it need not look like a mirror, only reflect images as a mirror does. It is mainly used by hermitic mages as a warning tool by storing views of the routes towards their homes.

XP: 500

MIRROR OF VIEWING

This is a more powerful version of the Minor Mirror of Viewing. The back of this mirror has 10 command words. When spoken for the first time, a command word will lock the current position of the mirror into its "memory". Whenever that command word is spoken again, the mirror will show the user what he/she could see if he was standing with his/her head in the position the mirror's face was in when the command word was first spoken. The user also gets a clairaudience ability, so that he can hear as if he was standing where the mirror is viewing.

On the front of the mirror is an eleventh command word. When this word is spoken, the mirror reverts back to showing a mudane reflection, as a normal mirror would.

Spell and psionic attacks may be made through the mirror from either side, unless a Protection From Cantrips spell is cast on the mirror, which blocks them for the duration of the spell (certain powerful magics may be able to override this protection at the DM's discretion). The Protection cannot be made permanent. Those being viewed may cast through the mirror only if they have located the position the mirror is viewing from by use of a scrying detection ability (the detect creatures beyond edge of sight ability possesed by some sprites, such as the alternate PC race of the woodsprite, cannot detect the area, though it can tell the user if he's being watched). Those being viewed cannot cast spells or use abilities that require that the target be a viewed creature, but they can do things such as send a Lightning Bolt through, or cause a Fireball to impact at the mirror's surface (in which case, half the fireball occurs on the viewed side, and the other half occurs of the viewer's side. Gaze, missile and melee attacks cannot be made through the mirror.

This type of mirror is almost always a large, ornate mirror fit for royalty. The eleventh command word can be made invisible or otherwise garbled (spelled backwards or in code, etc.), but it must be on the front side of the mirror. The other ten words can be protected by Invisibility, but nothing else (they may be small, large, or scattered around haphasardly in a large paragraph on the back, though). All eleven words radiate magic, even if invisible. They do not need the Read Magic spell to be read, as they are mudane words chosen by the mirror's creator.

If a successful dispel magic is cast on the mirror, the results are determined by the state of the mirror. If the mirror isn't viewing any of its stored locations, then the mirror is rendered useless for a number of hours equal to the caster's level. If the mirror is viewing a location, the mirror will be rendered so that the location in question cannot be viewed by that mirror for a number of *days* equal to the caster's level.

Once the 10 positions are placed in the mirror's "memory" they cannot be removed. A randomly found mirror of viewing will usually (97% of the time) be found completely filled. Those that aren't have 0-9 (1d10-1) positions filled.

This type of mirror is used by reclusive or powerful mages who position the 10 "memory" places in strategic points of their defenses to get the drop on would-be attackers.

XP: 1,000

SPIRIT SWORD

A magical weapon, the spirit sword comes in many varieties. All of them have the same basic enchantment- they contain the magical essence of a specific animal that may be called upon. The spirits range from snakes to wolves to eagles to monothots, but all are powerful in their own way.

The spirit sword has four main uses. First, it is has a magical +2 enchantment. Second, upon command, once a day, it can give the wielder the abilities of the spirit animal for 2d4 turns. Third, it can detect, summon, or repel animals of the spirit type. Detection is within 3 miles and can be used 3X a day, and gives the general direction and distance of any detected creatures. Summoning or repeling acts like a priest's turn undead ability, and only one of the two abilities may be used once a week. The fourth ability is to draw forth the actual spirit from the sword.

Drawing the spirit out requires a command word and the foregoing of any other actions for that round. The spirit may only be summoned once a month. The spirit may only remain on this plane for a maximum of one turn, and none of the other powers of the weapon can be used when the spirit has arisen. The spirit is noncorporeal, and can only be hit by +2 or greater weapons. It has 160 hit points, which are replenished when it returns to the sword, and it has AC 0. It saves as a 20th level priest and has 95% magical resistance. If the spirit is slain, the weapon becomes a normal sword, and the spirit's essence remains in the area for 1d4 days while reforming. When reformed, the spirit sets out for the Astral Plane, its true home. A Save the Soul spell cast on the area where a spirit is reforming causes the spirit to reform instantly. If the sword is in the immediate area, it will return to it, making it magical once more. Otherwise, it will set out for the Astral Plane.

The following are sample spirits, with their respective powers.

XP: 5,000

STONE OF OBJECT SECURITY

This magical stone is basically a security system. The use of the stone is fairly simple. First, the user must hold the stone and speak the command word. Then, the stone must be used to trace a line on the ground that will be the boundary the ward. The boundary must be continuous and cannot be longer than 1,000 yards, total. Next, the command word must be spoken again. If the boundary does not violate the length rule, it will glow briefly, showing that it was activated. To complete the warding, touch the stone to any object within the ward and say the command word. The item will glow breifly and become warded. To remove the ward, repeat the touching and saying of the command word. The item will glow as the ward is removed. Warded items and the boundary line itself all radiate faint enchantment magic.

When any warded item crosses the boundary, the item will suddenly start making noise. The noise varies from stone to stone, and is usually a shrieker's shriek, a lion's roar, a loud voice saying "I AM STOLEN PROPERTY! RETURN ME AT ONCE!", or something similar. The alarm continues until the item is moved backwards over the boundary line, or when the ward is removed by either the stone or a dispel magic spell.

Unfortunately, the alarm can be bypassed by teleportation, as long as the item does not cross over or under the boundary. Even miles above, or fathoms below the boundary, the alarm will still be triggered.

Touching the stone to the ward's boundary erases the boundary and the wards on all the items protected within it caused by the stone. The items and boundary line glow as the wards are removed. Only one continuous boundary line may be in effect from one stone at the same time.

The stone usually has the name of the wizard who created it engraved on it, as well as the Faerie phrase HORAEUS DOLUMJ TIA KORVACYIS X NYI, meaning "The stolen possession betrays its new owner with malice" (Don't even try to pronounce it!) It also must have the command word written on it, though it may be imbedded in a long paragraph, in a foreign language, or even magically hidden. The stone is always at least half a pound, but there is no limit to its shape, size, color, or texture.

XP: 1,000

SWORD OF LIFE PROTECTION

This beautifully crafted and usually jeweled sword has the ability to preserve its wielder's life. If its wielder falls below 1 hit point, the sword generates an invisible (except to magic) aura around the wielder that keeps him alive. The wielder must find magical means to regenerate his life force, however, because (since his body is dead) he cannot naturally heal any of his damage. If the wielder stops the flesh-to-metal touch between him and the sword, even for an instant, the aura immediately fails and he dies, as if slain that moment.

The sword's power only prevents death from injury, not death from drowning, suffocation, the level-draining powers of some undead, or the instant snuffing of the life force caused by spells such as Power Word: Kill or Finger of Death. The aura also automatically fails if one week passes without the wielder healing completely.

In any case, the sword cannot create the aura again until one day passes for each hour or part of an hour that the aura was extended, with a 2 week minimum. (e.g. three days, five hours, and one second equals 102 days of recharging, while 5 minutes of use needs the minumum of 14 recharging days). A limited wish can reduce this by a day. A wish can reduce this by a week. A Resurrection or Save the Soul cast on the sword reduces the recharge time by one day.

The auraed wielder is not immune to further damage, but is immune to most of the aforementioned methods of non-protectable death (as he is in effect dead already) as well as gases that cause breathing difficulties (as he does not breathe), but not spells and other things that destroy the body (such as Disintegrate or Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting or being dipped in concrete and thrown in an acid pool, etc.)

XP: 7,000

SWORD OF LIFE PROTECTION, CURSED

Seeming to be the same as the sword above, this sword has actually been created by an evil necromancer. When the wielder reaches 0 hit points or less, he is instantly transformed into a powerful zombie that is Turnable as a special undead and completely under the control of the necromancer that created the sword. The zombie has 2 powerful clawed hands that inflict 2d6 damage each, and a terrible 2d4 bite. Either attack can paralyze its victims (same as the ghoul ability.) Its skin also hardens to AC 1, becoming gray, wrinkled, and festered.

The only way to restore the individual before the transformation is by casting a Remove Curse and making a save versus spell at -2. After the transformation, only the spell Save the Soul can reverse it, and only if cast within one week of the transformation The person will be restored to 1 hit point, and will still be bound to the sword (Once the sword is used in battle, the victim will always want to use the sword in every battle, and it cannot be discarded.)

If the necromancer that created the sword is dead or dies during the zombie's first week, the zombie will fall into a seemingly meaningless rage and will try to kill anything that moves until either it is slain or becomes controlled by another necromancer or an evil preist (Note that it will only attack things that move- if it paralyzes something, it will stop attacking it and forget about it.)

The necromancer, if alive, is telepathically connected to the zombie. If the zombie is killed or restored to his pre-undead form, the wizard must make a system shock roll or fall unconcious for 1d4 days with a 15% chance of dying before recovering. This check is not necesary if the necromancer is alive but undead, or if the zombie had passed its first week of existance unscathed.

Note that the sword need only be touching the victim when he/she dies. After the transformation, removing the sword will not accomplish anything, though the zombie will usually resist being bereft of its weapon.

XP: 0

TOKENS OF PROTECTION FROM JALAKALA

These tokens protect a simgle person from the effects of any Jalakala spell for as long as the person wears them. Removing the item while in the area of effect of a Jalakala spell causes instant death if the wearer was of the warded race.

Most tokens, but not all, provide the wearer with some sort of Jalakala detection, the most common method being a jewel that glows when within a Jalakala. The tokens themselves come in numerous forms. The most common are bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, amulets, gloves, boots, cloaks, helms, ankle bracelets, bracers, and brooches, but they can take shapes as odd as eyeglasses, thimbles, headbands, underwear, and needles that are shoved under the skin.

VYORD CRYSTALS

Small and bluish-grey, vyord crystals are found in veins deep beneath the earth. Their veins run along the remains of ancient ley lines, long dead after centuries of disuse. On the average, a good quality vyord can fetch about 200 gold. They are about as hard as rubies, and have smooth textures. Their most potent and mysterious quality, however, is their ability to push away the substance of magic (called Essence from here on out) when they come in contact with life.

Their anti-Essence qualities lie dormant until they are activated by the touch of a living or undead creature of higher-than-Animal intelligence. It immediately creates an invisible "crystalline structure" around itself and the creature, in which no Essence can exist. Therefore, a mage in contact with a vyord crystal could not cast any spell, as he could not draw on any Essence to create a spell (priests may also be affected at the DM's discretion). In rare cases, the power of an incredibly perfect crystal shields itself and the creature touching it from the effect of any Essence-using spell, but these vyords are nearly impossible to create, and it is nigh impossible to simply find a natuarlly occuring crystal with such a perfect alignment.

The Essence-repelling abilities can also be activated if the vyord crystal is touching metal that is touching a living creature. In this case, it creates the "crystaline structure" around itself, the creature, all the metal touching it or the creature, and any other creatures touching any affected metal.

The "crystaline structure" itself is invisible and intangible. When viewed with True Sight or similar powers, however, it resolves as a crystal-like skintight mass surrounding the stone and those it is affecting, hence the technical term of "crystaline structure".

Vyord crystals are often used in jewelry, most prominently in the Imperial Crown of Chakha, which has a plum-sized vyord crystal at its apex. They are usually set so that the wearer does not normally create the "crystalline structure" around himself, though the Imperial Crown is a notable exception.

Some sages speculate that that the absence of Essence around a creature caused by a vyord crystal may become health hazardous if kept up for a long period of time, but no evidence for or against this has been proven, except perhaps for the last (and first) king of Chakha to wear the crown; he went insane a few years after the vyord was added to the crown, which hasn't been worn since. Whether or not it was the Essence absence that caused his insanity is unknown (that line of kings was prone to going insane, though the particular one in question went mad a decade or two earlier than the others of his line), but most vyord-haters site it as their prime example of the dangers of vyord crystals.

XP: By gem value

There is a 3rd Edition version of this item.