The Black Seed

The creation of a fanatical order of dark druids intent on preserving the wilderness at any cost, the Black Seed can be a terribly destructive force. It is a small cylinder carved from some unknown wood, its surface pitted and scarred with bore marks and burls. A ring of gray stone is affixed to one end of the cylinder, and attached to this is a thin black leather thong which allows the cylinder to be worn as an amulet. If examined for magical properties, the Black Seed radiates Epic nature magic. An Epic test of divination magic will identify the power of the object, though it may not reveal the consequences of using this power.

The Black Seed has a singular power, thrice per day its owner can call forth a half-dozen tiny black seeds that trickle forth from the various burls and wormholes in the object. When cast upon the ground these seeds instantly bury themselves and begin to grow at a tremendous rate. Unplanted seeds vanish after one hour.

Each seed sprouts into a creeping weed-like plant that sends forth runners and shoots both above and below ground. These magical plants twist and bind around any cultivated plant they encounter, choking root, stem and branch in twisting, jagged tendrils. A single plant matures in a few hours, covering ten or fifteen square feet. Once mature, the plant blooms and goes to seed in the space of half an hour, each plant producing dozens of seed pods that pop open and spray their seeds up to thirty feet away, beginning the cycle anew.

Once it has cast its seed each mature plant metamorphoses into a secondary phase. Rigid, bamboo-like trunks shoot up from the ground, each sending forth dozens of thorn-lined, angular branches in all directions, creating a nearly impenetrable barrier. These plants are quite tough, requiring a heavy axe blow to sever a branch. Even fire is of little use against them, as it sears the surface but does not penetrate the plant's hard green trunks. This phase of growth culminates in a dense tangle of thorny growth, a dozen feet high, covering a vast area.

These spiky plants mature in the space of a single day, each sending forth dozens of massive blossoms that fill the air with a nauseating stench. Anyone exposed to the smell must make a Great test of toughness or be driven away, overcome by illness. These blossoms last a few hours, then quickly go to seed. Much like the original weed-like plant these seeds spray forth to cover a large area, though they are much less malevolent in nature. Each pod produces a dozen or more seeds of different types, each a species native to the area. These seeds root themselves among the creeping weeds and spiky hedges, then grow at an accelerated rate for one day before reverting to a more natural growth pattern.

A single seed will spread to cover up to a square mile before the potency of its magical growth fades. As the natural plants begin to grow the tangle of weeds and spikes begin to wither and die, collapsing into an organic sludge rich in nutrients. In as little as three days cultivated farmland can become a tangled scrub of wild grasses, underbrush and small trees, well on its way to becoming native forest.

Flockhand

This artifact is a left-handed glove made from the finest maroon silk sewn with hundreds of feathers from various species of birds and trimmed with rows of tiny seed pearls. The glove is sized for a fairly small human hand, and extends well past the wearer's wrist over the forearm when donned. If examined for magical properties, it radiates Great nature and enchantment magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's powers.

When worn Flockhand allows its owner to command any sort of avian creatures with a simple command word. When activated any bird within a 100 yard radius immediately comes to the wearer and begins circling as part of a great flock overhead. This flock can be directed by pointing or gesturing with Flockhand. The birds will move as desired as swiftly as possible. Flockhand's owner can command the creatures to attack if desired but the default behavior is to swarm and swirl around any creature they encounter, obscuring vision, panicking beasts and confusing intelligent foes. Flockhand's power can be invoked at will, and lasts so long as concentration is maintained. Birds fall to the ground after 10 minutes of continuous control, exhausted.

If Flockhand is used to incite birds to violence, they attack with beak and claws as natural creatures. The GM will have to make a determination as to the effectiveness of the assault based on the types of birds in the flock.

The Staff of Limbs

This rather plain staff appears to be nothing more than a convenient piece of wood cut as a temporary staff by some traveler in need. Each end of its bark-covered length has been carefully trimmed and is slightly rounded by wear. The item's only decorative element is a strip of sweat-stained leather wrapped around the shaft, forming a convenient grip. Despite its plain appearance the Staff radiates Superb alteration and nature magic, and a Great test of divination magic will reveal its enchantment.

The Staff of Limbs can be used as a weapon in combat, serving as a quarterstaff and providing a one rank bonus to both accuracy and defense as it naturally flexes and twists in the bearer's hands to block and strike. The Staff's enchantment gives it Superb toughness, making it very difficult to damage or break.

Six times per day the Staff's wielder can call forth a fence of dead, twisted branches which surround a single target, trapping it within their grasp. This wall has Superb strength and is a permanent creation. The wall is susceptible to both fire and force. If set alight it burns with fierce heat for three rounds, causing Good fire damage each round. It requires three Superb tests of strength to batter an opening through the wall.

Twice per day the Staff's owner can speak a command word and plant it in the ground, immediately causing the staff to sprout into a mighty oak, 60 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter. A series of natural hand and footholds lead up into the tree's branches, where a natural platform large enough to hold six people comfortably sprouts hangs in the greenery. This tree remains in place until the Staff's owner speaks a second command word, instantly reverting the item to its normal form.

The Planter of Endless Growth

This rather plain planter is made from terracotta clay. It is approximately two feet in diameter and a foot and a half in height. A relief pattern of leaves, branches and vines, highlighted with various earth-tone glazes, covers the entire exterior. The Planter's rim and base are further adorned with a coiled rim covered in gold leaf. If examined for magical properties the Planter radiates Superb alteration magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's sole enchantment.

To activate the Planter's power, it must be filled with fresh soil, which has been drenched with a pint of freshly drawn blood (the equivalent of an Average wound). A single mundane seed of any type is then placed within the planter and a command word spoken. When this process is complete the seed instantly sprouts and begins growing at a fantastic rate. A typical annual plant (flowers, vegetables, etc.) grow to full maturity in a few rounds, a tree or shrub takes six or seven. Once matured, the plant blossoms and produces fruit in a single round. The plant remains in this state for one hour, after which it shrivels and turns to gray dust, consuming the soil used to activate the Planter as well.

Any produce harvested from the resulting plant is wholesome and nutritious, providing the equivalent of a full meal. Once harvested the produce is subject to the normal effects of time. Delicate fruits or vegetables last a few days, more robust items lasting a few weeks.

The Blade of a Thousand Edges

When first discovered this weapon appears to be some sort of club or baton. When in its passive state the Blade resembles a shaft made from a thousand or more layers of variegated metals, iron, steel, copper, and bronze. This shaft is firmly welded to a basket-shaped steel guard and thin, leather-padded hilt. A small bloodstone decorates of the pommel of the otherwise rather plain weapon. If checked for magical properties the Blade radiates Great animation and combat magic. A Superb test of divination is required to determine the process required to activate the weapon.

The Blade is useless until its powers are activated by a brief ritual, which involves the item's owner speaking a command word and holding the weapon's bloodstone pommel against their own flesh. The Blade will drain an Average wound's worth of blood from the wielder, then spring to life. The metallic layers that form the striking portion of the blade unbind and spring apart, forming a snake-like blade of spinning, shimmering, razor-sharp blades held together by flickering threads of deep red light. From command word to fully active Blade takes a full round.

Once active the Blade can be wielded as a normal weapon, but it strikes with a will of its own, twisting, spinning, extending and contracting like an enraged serpent. The Blade has the following characteristics in battle:

• Great bonuses to accuracy and damage.
• Any blow struck by the Blade causes Fair bleeding damage.
• The swirling lash-like blade automatically parries up to two blows per round. Parried blows suffer a three rank penalty on their accuracy.
• Any mundane weapon parried by the Blade has a Good chance of being sliced apart by the contact, it's fragments and pieces incorporated into the Blade's own matrix.

Army of Clay

This artifact is a collection of small clay figures, each about three inches high. The figures are primitive, but bear a certain elegance of design the belies their crude form. Each is coated with layers of brightly colored powdery glaze, chiefly blue, green and red. There are several types of figures in the collection:

• Swordsmen - These figures are depicted wearing heavy green armor and helmet and wielding a stabbing sword and tall rectangular shield. Each figure's shield bears the faint red outline of a spread-winged bird of prey. There are 18 of these figures in the collection.
• Spearmen - These figures wear lighter blue armor and wield a heavy two-handed spear. They also wear cloaks decorated with the same red bird of prey device as the Swordsmen's shields. There are 18 Spearmen in the collection.
• Archers - These figures wear the same armor and cloak as the Spearmen, but wield a short recurve bow and have a long knife at their belt. A quiver of arrows hangs from their shoulder. There are nine Archers in the Army.
• Charioteers - There are only three of these figures in the Army. Each depicts a chariot pulled by a pair of white-glazed horses fitted with red barding. A driver tends the reigns while a second javelin wielding figure stands behind him in the chariot. Both are wearing lightweight armor and cloaks similar to that worn by the Spearmen.

The entire Army is contained with a shallow chest of black oak fitted with bronze hinges. The interior is lined with a thick layer of padded leather, which holds the figures securely when the lid is closed. A simple latch holds the chest closed. The figures radiate Epic alteration, combat and animation magic. A Superb test of divination will reveal their purpose, but an Epic test of research in ritual magic is required to unlock the process required to active the Army.

The Army is a terrible weapon of war. When the proper ritual is performed each figure comes to life, slowly growing until they reach their full height of about 15 feet, a process that takes several minutes. Once fully grown their commander can indicate their foe which sets the Army on it's inexorable path. The army moves as a unit, each figure assuming a position within the ranks and striding toward the target at a steady pace with military precision. As they approach they change formation to suit the terrain and tactical situation. Once set upon their course the Army marches until they engage the targeted foe, fighting until either their foe is destroyed or they are shattered.

Each figure in the Army is a terrible engine of destruction, fighting with Epic skill. The Archers and chariot-riding Javelineers fire and hurl magical missiles that can crack stone walls with ease. Each figure has Epic toughness and armor and Great resistance to mundane weapons. The figures are immune to fire- and cold-based attacks. Figures continue to attack so long as they have limbs to strike with. Should a figure be rendered inert it will shrink to its original three inch height. All figures revert to their small size once the battle is won or all figures are destroyed. Any figure, or portion thereof, returned to the containing chest, will regenerate into a complete figure in one month's time.

Activating the Army is a Great test of ritual magic. It requires the ritualist to sacrifice the life of a blood relative and douse the Army in their blood. This ritual can be carried out once per moon at most.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blake_lennon/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

The Eye of Achra

This legendary artifact is a perfectly sculpted human-sized eye carved from a piece of white opal. The Eye's iris and pupil are represented by a curious circular flaw in the stone, black within green. The craftsmanship of the Eye is exquisite, and a knowledgeable jeweler could identify the work as Dwarven in origins. Legend says the Eye grants anyone brave enough to place it within an empty eye socket perfect vision and a penetrating gaze, but there are darker stories that tell tales of madness and woe that have befallen anyone that has tried to wear this artifact.

The Eye is a fairly potent magical object. If examined for magical properties it radiates Superb alteration and illusion magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the item's enchantments:

• When the Eye is placed within the empty eye socket of a human-sized creature it instantly bonds to flesh. After attuning itself to the wearer for about a week, the Eye's powers come to life.
• The Eye provides perfect vision to the wearer, fully replacing their missing eye and even removing any sight defects previously suffered (such as near- or far-sightedness).
• The wearer gains dark vision. Under normal nighttime conditions they see as if it were day. The Eye allows vision even total or magical darkness, though these conditions reduce visibility to that of a bright moonlit night.
• The Eye's wearer can see hidden or secret objects, even those concealed by magical means. Using this power requires concentration. The wearer can scan a ten foot square space each round.
• The Eye allows its wearer to focus on very distant objects or tiny details, bringing them into perfect focus and clarity. Focusing like this requires unbroken concentration, and each round spent focused on an object brings it into greater clarity. Breaking off this power requires one round of recovery to bring the Eye's vision back to normal.

The Eye bears a subtle curse, one hidden by the illusion enchantments placed upon the item. A Legendary test of divination will reveal the presence of the curse, but its nature is impossible to detect by magical means. One month after the Eye becomes active the wearer will begin to suffer from the effects of the curse, which manifests itself once or twice per day. The curse causes a subtle shift in the faces and features of those around the wearer. A simple smile becomes a sly look, a greeting between two friends becomes a whispered plot, a passing look becomes a threatening gaze. The curse most often affects the appearance of the wearer's closest companions, but if none are present, even total strangers may be affected. These alterations are illusion only, though the GM should present them to the wearer as fact.

The Dividing Coin

This object appears to be nothing more than a simple gold coin, its markings and features eroded by time and constant use. An assay will show it to be made from the purest gold. A careful examination of its markings will show the faint outline of a face on one side, and a wheel-like icon on the other. Magical examination will reveal the Coin is enchanted with Superb quality alteration magic. A Superb divination will reveal the command word required to activate the Coin's magic.

When the command word is spoken, the Coin duplicates itself, creating a second gold coin of equal value. This coin is of equal quality to the original, though the minor flaws and nicks on each coin's surface are slightly different. This command word can be used once per hour, creating up to 24 new coins each day.

Any created coins that remain in the possession of the original's owner vanish at midnight. Coins traded or given away have a 5% chance of becoming coins of lesser value each night at midnight. Gold become silver, silver become copper, and copper become lead slugs. This chance is additive across all coins in a single person's possession, and affects all owned duplicates. For example if someone owns ten duplicate gold coins there is a 50% chance they will all become silver each night at midnight. The original coin is never affected by this.

Vortex of Souls

This legendary artifact is made from the spiraling, horn of some long-extinct sea creature. It's twisted, white length is encrusted with barnacles and coralline growths, each carefully preserved beneath a layer of polished gold leaf. The horn rests upon a framework of polished black steel formed and shaped into a twisted maze of branches and vines that wrap securely around its length. The horn's hollow interior is sealed with a thick, hinged cap made from the same material as the supporting frame. The device radiates Legendary abjuration and protection magic. An Epic test of divination will reveal an extra-dimensional rift contained within the artifact.

The Vortex contains an alternate reality, a dimensionless place where physical matter does not exist and all forms of energy are negated by the very nature of this bizarre realm. The Vortex was originally created as a sort of extra-dimensional prison. Any living creature drawn into the Vortex loses all material form, reduced to little more than a floating consciousness lost in a void of pure white nothingness. The Vortex negates all magical, divine, mental or physical energies within its bounds, making escape from within impossible.

Should the Vortex's seal be opened without proper preparation, any sentient creature within 100 feet will be drawn into the void. A Legendary test of will must be made each round to avoid this effect. All held or carried items are drawn into the void along with the creature, instantly becoming insubstantial and powerless. Left unattended the Vortex will reseal itself in 1d10 days.

The enchantments surrounding the Vortex negate all attempts at divining its operating principles. Only research into the device's history will reveal the mechanism required to protect oneself against the Vortex's effect. When it was first created, a number of medallions were fashioned that provided a defense against the Vortex. Discovering the existence and appearance of these medallions requires a Legendary test of historic lore. Researching the location of each medallion requires three Epic tests of research. Of course the researcher must have access to appropriate materials and references to carry out this research. There are no fewer than three, but no more than seven of these medallions. Any sentient being wearing a medallion is immune to the Vortex's effect.

It is rumored that several medallion wearers can open the Vortex and call forth one of the banished, a ritual requiring exacting knowledge of the desired target. There is, of course, a chance that this summoning will allow 1d4 other entities to escape the Vortex. Anyone returned from the Vortex reappears in exactly the same physical state as they departed.

The GM should determine a single method by which the Vortex of Souls can be destroyed. They should also determine what happens to the contained souls when the container is shattered.

Storm Scream

This heavy dagger has an 18-inch long, single-edged blade with a slightly curved tip. The blade's pale, silvery-blue metal is etched with a pattern of overlapping clouds and lightning that runs from haft to tip. A swirling guard of the same silvery-blue metal provides the wielder with some hand protection, while a grip of gray leather provides a firm grip. The dagger's pommel is decorated with a polished sapphire that contains an endless cascade of tiny sparkling bolts of energy. When not in use the blade is protected by a simple scabbard, also of gray leather, inscribed with the same clouds and lightning pattern as the weapon's blade. When drawn the weapon emits a continuous howling shriek, like strong wind blowing through a narrow crevice or crack.

Storm Scream radiates Epic evocation and weather magic. It's scabbard radiates Superb protective magic. A Great test of divination will reveal the two item's enchantments. Storm Scream's scabbard provides its wearer with complete protection from the dagger's effects. The dagger itself has no intrinsic combat bonuses, but any creature that touches the weapon is subject to the effects of the weapon's primary enchantment. To determine the exact effect use the table below:

1	Drench	The target is soaked from head to toe with gallons of chilly water, as if they had stood in a torrential downpour for five minutes. Any open flame they were carrying is instantly doused and they are chilled by the cold water (suffering a one rank penalty to all actions if outdoors in cold weather). Any cold attack used against the target within the next five rounds does an additional one rank of damage.
2	Haze	The target's vision is clouded by a misty haze, like dense fog. All skill checks and combat actions suffer a one rank penalty. Subsequent Haze results are cumulative. The effect lasts ten rounds.
3	Frost	The target is struck with a bolt of pure cold, that coats all items and gear with an icy glaze. This effect does Good damage and there is a Fair chance the target will drop anything carried due to the slick icy coating. The icing effect lasts five rounds.
4	Maelstrom	The target is surrounded by a twister of howling wind, that knocks them off balance and deafens them for five rounds. Any physical maneuver suffers a one rank penalty and only the loudest shouting will penetrate the howling noise.
5	Scorch	The target is scorched by the light of the sun, suffering serious sunburn. This effect causes Average damage, but severe discomfort for three to four days afterwards. Any creature affected by sunlight struck by this effect suffers the equivalent of a full day's exposure to the sun in an instant.
6	Thunderbolt	The target is jolted with a burst of electrical energy that inflicts Great damage and stuns them for 1d4 rounds.

The effects of Storm Scream can affect any number of targets in a round. All that is required is a touch.

Encasing Brooch

This jeweled brooch is rectangular in shape. It's gridded form consists of 12 square-cut diamond arranged in a three by four matrix, held together with a frame made from petrified wood. When discovered the Brooch will invariably be clinging to a scrap of cloth or leather, its magical fasteners holding it in place until released with a command word.

The Brooch radiates Superb alteration and protection magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal its magical characteristics:

• As mentioned the Brooch will magically fasten itself to any piece of clothing with a touch and a word of command. It will remained fastened until released by another command word.
• When a second command word is spoken the Brooch will shoot forth a beam of pure white light that divides and expands in a series of geometric twists and reflections, creating a large scale representation of the Brooch itself. After one round this light image solidifies into a four foot by six foot grid-like construct of petrified wood made up of 12 cells. Each cell is about a one and a half foot cube, framed with wood and faced front and rear with a thin slab of clear diamond.
• With a command word and a touch, any of the panels can be opened, revealing the contents of the cubic storage area behind it. Items can be freely added or removed from these storage areas so long as space permits.
• The construct will remain in place until a sealing command word is spoken, which causes it to vanish back into an array of light and motion, eventually shooting back into the Brooch as a single beam of white light.

Any item placed within a storage space is held secure and safe. Objects within the cubes experience no sense of movement or passage of time and all natural and magical processes cease within the Brooch's confines.

Legion Killer

This artifact is a massive crossbow, almost too heavy to be wielded by one person. Its heavy lath is made from a curved piece of mithril-laced blue steel fitted with a heavy string woven from the hair of a giant. The crossbow's stock is cut from a single slab of oak, its grain shot through with glittering shards of some crystalline stone. A complex crank (obviously of Dwarf manufacture) provides a mechanism for cocking the device. Legion Killer is enchanted with Epic combat and alteration magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the command word required to activate its unique power.

Legion Killer has the following characteristics:

• Its mechanism is so powerful that it takes two full rounds to cock the weapon.
• Once cocked, Legion Killer self-loads with a magically created quarrel of steel-tipped oak fletched with slabs of clear stone crystal. The weapon has Superb accuracy and range bonuses, and each quarrel that hits inflicts Good damage before vanishing the round after it strikes home.
• Once loaded, Legion Killer begins projecting a magical charge into the fitted quarrel. The accumulated charge causes the quarrel to split into multiple missiles when fired, each bolt striking a unique target within the weapon's field of fire. The number of quarrels created increases with the duration of the charge, each round doubling the number of quarrels created: two after one round, four after two rounds, eight after three rounds, and so forth, to a maximum of 1024 quarrels after ten rounds.

Bonegrinder

"Ugly" is the first word that springs to mind when first viewing this crudely fashioned two-handed mace. The weapon's haft is fashioned from a thick length of crudely hewn wood wrapped with rusty steel bands. Its business end is made from a jagged, bloodstained, section of some gigantic thigh bone, which has been crudely fastened to the haft with heavy cords of twisted leather. Though the weapon's construction seems somewhat haphazard it is quite solid when wielded, its enchantment lending strength and stability to its structure. The Bonegrinder is rather large, requiring at least a human-sized wielder, but no great strength is required, appearances to the contrary.

The Bonegrinder radiates Superb combat magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal its magical properties, though no particular invocations are required to take advantage of its capabilities. The weapon has the following properties:

• Fair accuracy enhancement. As mentioned the weapon is, despite appearances, well-constructed and well-balanced.
• Great damage bonus. Even the weakest wielder can inflict terrible blows with this weapon. Creatures that are primarily made of bone, skeletons, bone golems and the like, take triple damage from Bonegrinder.
• Bonebreaker - Any exceptional success on an attack results in a bone breaking blow, disabling the target of the attack. The GM should determine what constitutes an exceptional success, but as a guideline, any critical hit or three rank margin of success should activate the Bonebreaker effect. The resulting disabling wound should require at least a Great healing test to negate. Creatures without skeletons (jellies, oozes and the like) are immune to Bonebreaker.

Bottle of Endless Foam

This large greenish blue glass bottle is encrusted with dust, grime, and mineral deposits that obscure any markings or features on its surface. Its narrow mouth is sealed with a heavy lead seal held in place with a swing-arm mechanism that is clamped around the Bottle's neck. If studied closely under a strong light a swirling, pale brown liquid can be seen within the Bottle's glass walls. The Bottle radiates Superb evocation magic, and a Great test of divination will reveal the command words required to activate its powers.

When the Bottle is uncapped a stream of foam will begin to pour forth. The exact nature and volume of the foam is determined by the command word spoken.

• Ichor - If no command word is spoken the Bottle pours forth a sticky, pale brown foam. This foam is more a hindrance than a hazard, though it could drown someone if it were deep enough. Anyone within the Ichor will be covered with the sticky substance, which soaks clothing, gear and skin within a single round. Anyone so soaked suffers a one rank penalty on all actions due to the foam's sticky nature.
• Wisp - This thin white foam forms itself into puffy, globular blobs that harden into a resilient, but extremely light pillows of foam. These blobs float on water and potentially serve as comfortable seats or beds.
• Mesh - This thick gray foam pours forth in a thick stream ten feet long, It immediately hardens on impact into a resilient but tough solid with Good strength. Mesh can be used to block openings, temporarily fill holes, or snare and trap foes. Breaking free of Mesh foam requires a Good test of strength.

Each round the Bottle is open it produces a ten cubic foot volume of foam. It can be resealed at any time by replacing the cap, but will continue to pour forth foam until so sealed. All foam produced lasts one day before vanishing completely. Each form of foam is flammable, burning with dull heat and leaving no trace when consumed.

Image Source: http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/reef0799.htm

The Stepping Stones

When discovered the Stepping Stones appear to be nothing more than five smooth pebbles of reddish sandstone, each about two inches across. They are contained within a metallic pouch made of thousands of tiny interlocked steel rings, held closed with a red silk drawstring. If examined form magical properties, the Stones radiate Superb alteration and animation magic. A similar test of divination magic will reveal their magical properties and the command words required to operate them.

Once the command words are know the Stones' owner can bring them to life. Each stone instantly grows to a two foot wide boulder and begins floating in the air. The Stones can be commanded to move with a thought, generally aligning themselves in a linear pattern a comfortable stride apart, beginning at their owner's feet. They form a stable walking surface and their owner can traverse them with ease, his or her feet stabilized by the magic of the Stones. Others may also tread the Stones, though they gain no magical assistance and must make an Average reflex check per round of movement to avoid slipping and falling off.

The owner can command the stones to form a path over chasm and gaps and ascend or descend as they desire. As the owner advances the rearmost Stone moves to the front position, creating an endless floating bridge. The owner can rearrange the Stones for their own travels with ease, but maintaining Stones in position for others requires a Fair test of willpower each round they are in use. Each Stone will support about 500 lbs. before the supporting magic will fail, instantly causing all stones to revert to their small form and fall to the ground.

The power of the Stones can be invoked twice a day, remaining active so long as their owner maintains at least minimal concentration on their workings. Should the owner be knocked unconscious or be totally distracted the stones revert to their small form and fall to the ground.

Each Stone has Great toughness. Should a Stone be shattered, a new Stone will appear in the bag one week later.

The Survivor's Rope

This length of silky, dark green rope is about 20 feet long. Twisted from some unknown organic substance, it is thin and light, but very strong and flexible. Careful study will reveal the Rope is twisted from dozens of thinner cords, each of which is, in turn, made up of dozens of finer threads. A magical examination will reveal the Rope is enchanted with Superb alteration and enhancement magic. The multi-function Rope has several command words which activate its various features. A Great test of divination magic will reveal one of these words.

The Survivor's Rope has the following characteristics:

• It has Superb toughness and strength. The Rope is capable of holding up to 5000 lbs. weight, and only a Superb blow will damage its twisted fibers. The Rope heals any damage done to it at the rate of one rank per week.
• When in use the Rope blends with whatever surface it is placed upon, requiring a Superb test of perception to spot and avoid.
• Coil - The Rope instantly ceases any previous command and slithers back to its owner's hand, where it quickly coils itself for storage.
• Magic Knot - When this command is spoken the Rope will securely tie one of its ends to the nearest object with a magically strong knot. This command can be used multiple times to suspend the rope between two or more objects. Magic Knots can be untied with a second command word.
• Tanglefoot - When laid out on the ground, this command causes the rope to rise a few inches into the air and become rigid. Any creature passing over the Rope has a Good chance of being tripped. A second use of the command word returns the rope to its normal pliable condition.
• Spider's Snare - When this command is given, the rope's strands separate into a net of thin cords which spread themselves over a 15 foot wide circular area. Any creature that crosses this area will be snared within the net's many coils and held immobile with Superb strength. The Rope does no damage, and a repetition of the command word causes it to return to its normal form.
• Fisherman's Weave - When cast into a natural body of water and this word is spoken, the rope spreads into a 15 foot wide mesh of fine, glittering fibers. Any nearby fish are drawn to the sparkling lights and instantly snared by the many threads of the Rope. A repetition of the command word causes the Rope to pull itself from the water and deposit its catch at its owner's feet.
• Secure Slumber - When this command word is spoken the Rope transforms itself into a comfortable mesh hammock that attaches itself to the nearest two trees or similar objects. The hammock is large enough for two people to sleep comfortably, though the Rope provides little warmth or padding.

Image Source

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crash-candy/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Sack of Eyes

This magical artifact is a large sack, perhaps a foot across, made from slick, slightly sticky-feeling leather. The distasteful material is stained in random patterns of dull red and purple, like bruised flesh. No stitch or suture mars it's dull, quivering surface, the only features evident being a loop of the same sticky leather designed as a strap or handle, with a puckered opening next to it. The Sack is roughly spherical, though its surface is bumpy and gives, like warm gelatin, when pressed. The artifact radiates Epic alteration and necromantic magic. A Superb test of divination will reveal its magical characteristics.

To make use of the Sack's powers its owner must plunge their hand into the bag's orifice as they speak the command word required to activate its magic. The interior of the bag is filled with a thick, blood-warm liquid, a portion of which, as the command word is spoken, congeals into a living eye that floats into the owner's grasp. Depending on the command word spoken, the eye produced can have one of the following aspects:

• Regenerative Organ - This organ is a fully functional human eye. If placed within an empty eye socket within five rounds it instantly bonds itself to its new host's body, becoming a fully functional eye. The newly installed eye has a red iris and a slight cast, which does not affect vision, but does present a somewhat daunting appearance. The recipient suffers a one rank penalty on initial impressions based on appearance.
• Undead Watcher - This eye is a bit small, with a dead gray iris and bloodshot sclera. The Sack's owner can place this eye anywhere. With a full round's concentration they can shift their gaze to see what the Undead Watcher can see. The Undead Watcher is static, and easily destroyed if noticed, but its small size makes it difficult to spot.
• Parasitic Eye - This eye has a golden-brown iris with a vertical slit pupil. Gooey tendrils dangle from its bulk, dripping noxious, thick liquid. The Sack's owner can attach this eye to living flesh, where it bonds instantly. The eye provides no benefit to its host, but the owner can, with a round of concentration, shift their gaze to see what the Parasitic Eye sees. Damage to the Parasitic Eye is suffered in equal measure by the host. Only a Good damage cut will remove the entire Eye from the host's body. Any fragment remaining will regrow to a complete eye in 2d6 days.

One eye can be pulled from the Sack each day. Any number of eyes may be active at once. If more than six Undead Watchers or Parasitic Eyes are active at one time, the owner must make a Good will check each hour or have their vision forced to one of these eyes for 1d10 rounds.

Image source: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/axelhartmann/ / CC BY 2.0

Flesh Gnawer

This heavy, two-handed war club is over five feet long. It is carved from a single piece of dense yellowish wood. The haft of the weapon is wrapped with rough and scaly green hide. The business end of the club is thicker and rounded, with heavy studs of solid black obsidian arranged in spiraling lines all along its surface. Each stud is carved with the image of a gape-jawed, fanged demon head surrounded by a tangle of wiry tentacles. Flesh Gnawer radiates Epic combat and animation magic, along with a faint aura of evil.

Despite it's wooden construction, Flesh Gnawer is practically unbreakable. It requires Great strength to wield effectively however. Anyone with lesser strength suffers a one rank accuracy penalty and can only swing the weapon every other round. A blow struck by this weapon inflicts Great damage.

Each time a successful blow is struck with Flesh Gnawer 1d4 of the obsidian studs animate and sink their teeth into the target, each becoming a tiny demonic being that clings to its victim with barbed tendrils as it gnaws and chews its way inward. Each tiny Gnawer inflicts Fair damage per round so long as they remain embedded in living flesh. Gnawers can be attacked and destroyed with melee attacks or spell damage. They have Good toughness and armor and Superb resistance to elemental damage. A Great test of dispelling magic directed at the victim will destroy all attached Gnawers. They can also be ripped free and thrown to the ground, where they fall inert and turn to black dust after one round, though this inflicts a Fair wound on their victim.

Flesh Gnawer has 100 studs fitted to its surface, which vanish when they give birth to a demonic Gnawer. The weapon regenerates 2d6 studs each day.

Paquin's Black Book

This is a bit of a departure from my usual article. This tome is from a 2nd edition AD&D game I ran a few years back. I keep meaning to adapt it to my usual system, and then letting it sit in my queue for another month, so I decided I would post it up as is. Most of the material here should be familiar to any D&D player, and easily adapted to any D&D-flavor game.

This is a book of black stained leather, bound with bronze and silver fittings. The book radiates both strong magic and evil. It contains the collected writings of the mage Paquin, a vile black sorcerer from the early days of the Empire. The main book is actually five volumes within a single binding. Each sub-book is protected by a shell of chitinous leather and guarded by a magical seal (except the first, which is open).

Within each sub-volume is the specific ritual that will unlock the next section. Each time the ritual is performed, there is a 50% chance the guardian spirit of the section being opened will be invoked. Discovering the ritual for the next section should be treated as discovering a spell within the book. Each week spent studying a sub-section of the book has a chance of revealing one of the contained spells or some useful piece of information (chance equal to chance to learn a spell). Each week of study also has a 25% cumulative chance of invoking the demonic spirit that guards the particular sub-volume.

The book's guardians are permanently bound to the volume. If defeated they disappear, but can be reinvoked after 1 day has passed. If a guardian is invoked it appears in a pillar of fire and smoke that bursts from the book, choking and blinding anyone within a 10'R for 1d4 MR (ST vs. spell to avoid).
The book cannot be destroyed by any mundane means. Only the burning breath of a dragon will destroy it and send its guardian spirit back to the nether planes.

Volume I

Guardian: Hook Horror (HP: 30 AC: 3 Dam: 1d8/1d8 THAC0: 14)

• Mount (1st)
• Paquin's Ghoul Touch (1st)
• Detect Undead (1st)
• Clay Flesh (2nd)

Volume II

Guardian: Shadow Demon (HP: 40 AC: 9/5/1 Dam: 1d8/1d6/1d6 THAC0: 12)

• Summon Swarm (2nd)
• Irritation (2nd)
• Fools' Gold (2nd)
• Paquin's Vortex of Terror (3rd)

Volume III

Guardian: Doombat - enhanced (HP: 50 AC: 4 Dam: 1d6/1d4, shriek THAC0: 10)

• Dispel Magic (3rd)
• Protection from Evil 10' Radius (3rd)
• Protection from Normal Missiles (3rd)
• Paquin's Rain of Horror (4th)

Volume IV

Guardian: Guardian Daemon (HP: 60 AC: 1 Dam: 1d6/1d6/2d12 THAC0: 8)

• Enchanted Weapon (4th)
• Phantasmal Killer (4th)
• Contagion (4th)
• Paquin's Fire Tornado (5th)

Volume V

Guardian: Necrophidius - enhanced (HP: 70 AC: 0 Dam: 1d8 (ST vs. magic or paralized) THAC0: 6)

• Conjure Elemental (5th)
• Major Creation (5th)
• Domination (5th)
• Reincarnation (6th)

Paquin was a historic figure of legend in my campaign, a mage who once advised the Emperor, he fell from grace and was eventually hunted down and slain. His name is considered curse, his works tainted by demonic forces and blackest magic.

I've written about Paquin and some of his leftovers previously,

• The Seal of Paquin
• Paquin's Deceiving Circle
• Paquin's Spellbook - which actually describes a few of the spells here.

As for Paquin's Rain of Horror, that's right here in its original form:

Paquin's Rain of Horror

This spell causes a rain of protoplasmic globs to rain from the skies within a 30 foot radius circle. These blobs are acidic in nature, searing flesh and eating away at metallic objects. Once they land the globs animate, becoming gooey worm-like creatures, each seeking the nearest living target to sear and feed upon. 1d4 globules fall in each 5 foot square within the area of effect. Each globule must be slain (HP: 1 AC: 8 THAC0: N/A, Damage: 1d4) before they cease movement. This spell has a 200 foot range, and a full round cast time.

Enhancing Glyphs

These items are paper-thin slabs of polished stone, generally obsidian, turquoise, agate or similar semi-precious material. Each one to three inch wide stone is inscribed with a mystic glyph that reflects the magic contained within. Despite their thin and fragile appearance, the Glyphs are fairly sturdy (Good toughness), though if chipped or shattered their magic dissipates instantly. Each stone radiates Good enchantment magic, reflecting the actual magic of the Glyph itself. Each Enhancing Glyph also radiates additional magics, depending on its own unique properties. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the magic contained within any particular Glyph.

Each Glyph contains a unique magical power trapped within its matrix. To make use of this power the Glyph must be bonded to its owner's flesh. This process requires placing the Glyph against the owner's skin and speaking its unique command word. The Glyph will instantly sear its way into its owner's flesh, causing a Fair damage wound as it permanently attaches itself. This wound can only be healed my time and mundane means. Once placed the owner can invoke the power contained within the Glyph with a mental command. An embedded Glyph can be removed, but is destroyed in the process. Each Glyph has a unique power:

• Icy Touch - This Glyph is carved from bright blue turquoise and radiates Good elemental magic. When invoked the bearer's flesh gains a freezing aura that causes Fair cold damage to anyone that touches them (including anyone they touch with a successful melee attack). This power can be invoked thrice per day and lasts six rounds per invocation.
• Rejuvination - This Glyph is cut from warm green malachite and radiates Good healing magic. When invoked the bearer gains accelerated healing, recovering one rank of damage per round for six rounds. This power can be invoked thrice per day.
• Cheetah's Paw - Cut from a slab of citrine, this stone radiates Good alteration magic. Thrice per day the bearer can invoke its power to move at triple their normal pace for six rounds.
• Feather's Grasp - This obsidian Glyph radiates Good alteration magic. When invoked the bearer becomes light as a feather for six rounds. While in this state they suffer no damage from falls, descending at a leisurely ten feet per round. This power can be invoked thrice per day.
• Divine Consecration - This Glyph has been cut from pure white marble and radiates Good divine magic. When invoked the bearer is surrounded by a ten foot diameter circle of protection, which hedges out undead creatures or beings from other planes (a Good resistance check applies). This power can be invoked thrice per day and lasts six rounds.
• Warded Mind - Cut from a sheet of clear rock crystal, this Glyph radiates Good protection magic. It can be invoked three times per day, and provides the bearer with Good resistance to all forms of mental / emotional attack (including fear, mind control, esp, etc.) This protection lasts six rounds per invocation.
• Hunger for Blood - This Glyph is cut from reddish agate and radiates Good necromantic magic. When invoked it grants the bearer a vampiric touch. Any successful melee attack they make drains an additional rank of blood damage from the target and heals the bearer a like amount. The bearer is compelled to attack while under the effects of this Glyph, which can be invoked thrice per day for six rounds per invocation.
• Wind Shear - When this tiger's eye Glyph is invoked it surrounds the bearer with a ten foot diameter storm of gusting wind, which picks up sand, dirt and small objects in a blinding swirling cloud. All actions directed against the bearer take a one rank penalty, with missile fire suffering a two rank penalty. The bearer is unaffected by the wind, which can be invoked thrice per day for six rounds.