Random Items

I ran across this list while reviewing some old campaign materials. These magic items were pulled from a random treasure table for a group of Yuan-ti the party was likely to run into. The setting is a mix of temperate to tropical climates, the adventure mostly outdoors.

• Amulet of Preservation - All items carried by the wearer are protected from normal wear and tear. Rain, damp, heat, etc. will not cause damage to equipment. Items also gain a one rank bonus to resistance checks versus regular damage.
• Tiger Claw Necklace - The wearer of this primitive charm can leap up to 30 forward or to the side, or 20 feet back as a free action. This power can be used three times per day.
• Jade Bracelet - When worn this token grants a three rank bonus to any resistance check versus poison. Each time the item affects a test there is a 5% chance it shatters, its magic spent.
• Helm of Bolts - This steel helm is set with a single amethyst in the brow. When the wearer is engaged in combat the helm will randomly shoot forth a bolt of lightning, striking up to four opponents for Good damage. There is a 5% chance per round of a bolt shooting forth, and no more than 3 bolts per day will be generated.
• Skeletal Hand - A partially mummified skeletal hand. When held aloft it causes 1d6 rounds of fear to anyone within 30 feet save the wielder. Requires a Good test of willpower to resist.

Face of Stones

This heavy helmet fully encloses the wearer's head. Each of the helm's three sides is carved from a slab of stone, granite, obsidian and quartz. Each is carved in the shape of a human face. A narrow silver and iron framework holds the three faces in place. The item radiates Superb alteration magic, and a Great test of divination magic will reveal its enchantment.

To activate the item's powers it must be worn. It can be worn with any one of the three faces forward. The wearer's body and gear takes on the appearance of whichever stone is forward on the helm (granite, obsidian, or quartz). It has the following characteristics:

• Impaired Vision - the helm's construction restricts sight, reducing all observation or perception skill checks by one rank.
• Body of Stone - The wearer's body becomes as dense as stone. The effect also makes swimming impossible as the wearer sinks... like a stone. The wearer also becomes susceptible to any spell or magical effect that specifically targets stone or earth.
• Alter Face - The wearer rotates the helmet so a new face is forward. This action takes a full round.
• Granite Face - While this face is forward the wearer gains Superb toughness versus physical attack. Any mundane weapon used against them has a Fair chance of shattering upon a successful attack. Thrice per day the wearer can summon a wall of stone, 30 feet long, 10 feet high and one foot thick. This wall can be summoned anywhere within 60 feet. The wall lasts for 10 rounds.
• Obsidian Face - While this face is forward the wearer gains Superb resistance to elemental damage, and any fire damage received actually heals the wearer. Furthermore, thrice per day they can summon razor-sharp shards of obsidian from any natural earth or stone surface. This effect covers a 20 foot radius area, inflicts Fair damage on any creature within the area of effect, and lasts 10 rounds. Any creature attempting to move through the shards suffers fair damage for each 10 feet traveled.
• Quartz Face - While this face is forward the wearer reflects all spells directed at them back at the caster. They also gain the ability to walk through stone or earth as if it were air.

Shrieking Helm

This barbute helm is made of polished steel with ornate, feather-like trim shaped from polished copper. The smooth surfaces of the helm are decorated with images of peacocks rendered in brilliant enamels with blues and greens predominating. The crest of the helm is decorated with a long trailing plume of peacock feathers. The helm radiates Great protection and alteration magic, and a Superb test of divination will reveal its magical properties:

• The helm provides a Good protection bonus versus magic and a Fair protection bonus versus mundane attack when worn.
• When the wearer is engaged in combat the plume of feathers lengthens and spreads, forming a broad shimmering cloak behind the wearer. Anyone attempting to attack the wearer from behind must make a Good resolve test or be distracted and dazed for three to six rounds by the shimmering beauty of the feathers.
• Thrice per day the wearer can cause the helm to shriek. All the peacocks enameled on the helm animate and begin shrieking (if you've ever heard a peacock...) Anyone within 30 feet of the wearer must make a Great resistance check or drop whatever they are holding to try and cover their ears as they are deafened and confused by the horrible noise. The shrieks drown out normal conversation or shouts within 90 feet, rendering speech impossible. The shrieking lasts five rounds, and the wearer of the helm is unaffected by the noise.

Avian Helms

The mage Mishta devoted many years to studying the powers of sympathetic magic and animated magical items. He created the Avian Helms as part of these studies. Each barbute-style helm is made of an alloy of mithril and steel, worked with a pattern of feathers etched and stained to match the plumage of the appropriate bird. The crest of each helm bears a silver crest worked into the form of a bird. There are two known Avian Helms. Mishta's notes hint at others, but no details or records of their forms remain. If tested for magic each helm radiates Good protection magic and Great alteration and animation magic.

All helms have the following properties:

• Each has one or more command words, which can be discovered with a Good test of divination magic.
• Provide a Good bonus to defense.
• Once donned the helms cannot be removed by force or mischance.
• Flight - once per day the wearer can fly with Good skill for one hour.

The additional powers of each helm are outlined below:

Heron - The crest of this helm bears the long, curved neck and head of a great heron. The helm plumage is slate-blue, with white and black tones highlighting the bird's jet eyes and ivory beak. The helm has the following powers:

• Stalking stance - The wearer gains a Great bonus to stealth tests. This is a passive ability.
• Water walking - When this power is invoked the wearer can walk across water, mud or other unstable surfaces as if they were solid ground, leaving no trace of their passage. This power can be invoked thrice per day, lasting 1 hour per invocation.
• Stunning strike - The wearer can command the helm to animate and strike their foes. The helm has Great attack ability and attacks independently from the bearer. Any blow that lands does Good damage and stuns the target for 1d4 rounds. This power can be invoked thrice per day and has a six round duration.

Eagle - This helm bears a fierce eagle's head upon its crest. The helm and crest plumage is dark brown and gold. The eagle's eyes are fashioned from amber, while its beak is covered in gold leaf. The helm has the following powers:

• Raptor's eye - The wearer gains a Great bonus to observation tests and are very difficult to ambush or surprise (Great bonus to surprise tests). This is a passive ability.
• Eagle's wing - The flight ability of this helm can be invoked thrice per day instead of once. The bearer gains Great flying skill instead of Good.
• Hunter's call - The helm's crest can be commanded to emit a piercing shriek, causing fear and deafness to anyone within a 30' radius of the wearer (Great test of resistance). The wearer is immune. This power can be invoked thrice per day.

Ironhead

This steel three-quarters helm is sized to fit a normal human. It is ornately worked into the likeness of a rearing scorpion, tail coiled above the rear of the helm. The scorpion's legs form a border along either side of the face while the claws protrude above the brow. A pair of rubies and six small diamonds represent the scorpion's eyes. The base helm is dull gray in color, while the scorpion's form is enameled in black and red. Despite the rather overwrought decoration, the helm is fairly lightweight.

Attempts to identify the magical properties of the item will reveal:

• Superb physical protection
  
• Superb protection against poison
  
• Good poison magic
  
• Good vision enhancement
  
• Epic cursed nature
  
• Ironhead radiates neither good nor evil
  

When donned the helm will instantly come to life. The eyes will glow with inner fire, while the scorpion's claws, legs and tail all animate. The wearer can take exactly one action before Ironhead strikes. Any action other than pulling the helm from their head will allow it to complete its attack, impaling the wearer with claws, legs and tail. The tail lashes down the character's back, burying itself in their neck and spine. The legs lash forward, digging in to cheek, temple and brow. The creature's main claws impale the wearer's forehead. The strike does an Epic damage and incapacitates the wearer. The magical nature of the damage inflicted makes it difficult to heal (Great healing required). Once Ironhead has attached itself it can only be removed by cutting off the wearer's head, a wish or similar Epic magic.

The helm imbues the wearer with the following:

• Terrible modifier to appearance and charisma. Most people will avoid the wearer if possible. The helm's gemstone eyes might be tempting to a thief, but the fact that they seem to shift and watch anyone that speaks with the wearer will deter all but the boldest.
  
• Superb protection from physical harm. Attacks seem to slide off the wearer without any effort on his or her part.
  
• Superb protection from poison. Most poisons simply have no effect on Ironhead's wearer. Very deadly poisons might make him or her ill for a short time.
  
• Good vision enhancement. The wearer can see in low light conditions as if it were day, and see faint outlines and shapes even in total darkness.
  
• Once per week Ironhead can spew forth a jet of Great contact poison, striking one target in front of the wearer. This poison is both damaging and painful. The wearer can control this effect, but it great anger may cause it to fire unintentionally.
  

Over the long term the helm's terrible appearance is likely to weigh heavily upon the wearer. They may be driven to great lengths to find a means to remove the helm. The somewhat uncontrollable nature of the poison spray may also cause problems for the wearer.