PDA

View Full Version : [3.5 Spells/Artifacts] Traitor's Legacy



arguskos
2011-04-15, 06:45 PM
WARNING
The material in this thread is not of a happy fluffy nature, and can be mildly disturbing to some. If you have a weak stomach, look elsewhere. If not, please, read on.



In the lengthy history of the elves, there are heroes and villains aplenty. However, special hatred is given to the name of one fiend who turned upon his own people in a spectacular orgy of violence and destruction, attempting to eradicate them entirely.

This genocidal traitor was Kiran-Hi, and this is his legacy.

New Artifacts
The Elfglass Circlet of Kiran-Hi (Minor Artifact): This hollow glass circlet burns with a peculiar blue-black flame inside of the glass. It is said by historians that the flame is the trapped spirit of Kiran-Hi himself, who wore this circlet upon the eve of his defeat. Made from a special glass that had the powdered dust of thousands of pulverized elves mixed into it during the blowing process, the circlet was enchanted with near-indestructibility and served as Kiran-Hi's symbol of dedication to his cause. When his armies were finally broken and he himself thrown down and slain, the circlet was not among the spoils of war. Some believed it was stolen by a lieutenant, others say that the vengeful spirit of the genocidal archmage whisked it away, to be found later and used to wreak his terrible vengeance upon those who defeated him. Though some have claimed to have rediscovered it, none of their claims have been verified, as the bearer always vanishes into the mists of history, taking the circlet along with.

The bearer of the circlet may cast the following spells 1/day each (caster level equal to the bearer's character level, DC as appropriate, using either the character's casting stat or Intelligence [if they don't]):

[I]Kiran-Hi's vengeance
depth of hate
violent end


If the bearer of the circlet also wears The Elfbone Ring of Kiran-Hi, whenever the bearer of the circlet kills a living being, they gain the effects of the death knell spell (CL 20th). If that being is an elf, they gain twice the normal effect from the spell instead.

If an elf attempts to put on the circlet, they find that they cannot, and that the mere act of touching it effects them as if targeted by a combination implosion (DC 30, +30 on checks to beat SR) and imprisonment (DC 30, +30 on checks to beat SR) every round until either the elf is dead or stops touching the circlet.

Overwhelming Varied, Caster Level 30th.


The Elfbone Ring of Kiran-Hi (Minor Artifact): Said to be crafted from Kiran-Hi's own ribs, which he removed out of a hatred for his own accursed elven body, this simple bone ring was the first and most enduring sign of the archmage's madness. Once, Kiran-Hi was a powerful and respected mage of the elves, but over time, as age took him, he grew reclusive and unresponsive. Eventually, having converted himself to lichdom, his mind snapped, and he began to hate his own people. Over long and secluded centuries, his hate deepened into a furious, frothing, boiling need to exterminate the elven people from existence, and so Kiran-Hi forged a construct and undead army, and began the systematic extermination of his own people, using the power of his elfbone ring to sunder their spirits and shred their souls. When he was eventually defeated by a coalition of elves, men, and all free folk (for everyone feared that, once finished the elves, Kiran-Hi may have turned his attention to other species), the ring, much like the circlet, was gone.

The wearer of the ring may cast the following spells 1/day each (caster level equal to the bearer's character level, DC as appropriate, using either the character's casting stat or Intelligence [if they don't]):

[I]Kiran-Hi's bonebreak
soulshred
death by inches


If the wearer of the ring also wears The Elfglass Circlet of Kiran-Hi, they may use the six spells contained in the items 2/day each. They also gain the spells as either spells known or right into their spellbook, depending on the method of their casting. Unlike normal spells, these six may not be shared with other creatures.

If an elf attempts to put on the ring, they find that they cannot, and that the mere act of touching it effects them as if targeted by an intensified energy drain (CL 20th, 16 negative levels, DC 30 to avoid permanent loss) every round until either the elf is dead or stops touching the ring.

Overwhelming Varied, Caster Level 30th.


Kiran-Hi's Vengeance
Evocation [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft+5 ft/two levels)
Target: One creature that has just damaged the caster
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You utter a dark and evil word, and the man who just cut into your flesh finds that he has suffered as much, or more, than you.

Originally designed as a method for a mage to defend themselves when pressed into melee combat, Kiran-Hi managed to turn it into something darker when planning his war. Kiran-Hi's vengeance can only be cast after the caster has taken hit point damage or ability damage/drain. When cast, the spell returns the damage/drain dealt to the caster back at the creature that caused it, but enhances it. Any hit point damage returned is doubled. Any ability damage dealt is turned to drain, and any ability drain dealt is empowered.

Depth of Hate
Enchantment [Mind-Affecting, Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, Soul
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No

As the trapped soul in your left hand disintegrates, you can hear its mental screams transfer into the target. You watch them shudder, and smile, knowing that the screams they now hear will last forever.

With this spell, Kiran-Hi broke many a powerful will. The target of this spell is afflicted by terrible, horrible screams that only they can hear. These screams are always present, the last marks of the destroyed soul that powers the effect. As long as the target hears the screaming, they are permanently exhausted, as the screams sap their will. Spellcasting requires a Concentration check (at this spell's DC). Each week that a creature suffers the screams, they must make another Will save. If they fail it, they suffer the screaming for another week. If a creature suffers from depth of hate for one month, they must make another, final, Will save. If failed, they are affected as per the insanity spell. If they succeed on any of these saves, the spell ends.

Soul Component: To cast depth of hate, the caster must sacrifice a creature's soul in the casting. The acquisition of the soul is up to the caster (trap the soul is a good method, as is buying one from an evil outsider).

Violent End
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft+10 ft per level)
Target: One creature and a 20-ft area; see text
Duration: 1 week/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates and Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No

You curse a creature you can see, swearing a violent death for them. Sure enough, when killed, their end is most violent.

Used by the elven archmage for assassinations and to sow discord in the ranks of opposing armies, violent end does not appear to do anything. However, when the target is killed, the spell triggers, causing their (now) corpse to explode in a shower to violence and gore, dealing everything within a 20-ft radius of their body 1d6 negative energy damage per caster level. Every creature in the area gets a Reflex save for half damage.

Focus: a bone from a still-living creature.

Kiran-Hi's Bonebreak
Evocation [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, Corrupt
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft+5 ft/two levels)
Target: One creature/level, all of whom must be within 30 ft of one another
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half/negate
Spell Resistance: No

With a word and a snap of the fingers the spell completes, only to hear the audible snapping of the subjects bones.

This dark effect was a favorite of the mage, thus he gave his name to it. Kiran-Hi's bonebreak shatters the bones of the targets (no creature may be targeted more than once, any excess targets are wasted). Every target takes 1d10 Dexterity damage, and has their movement halved permanently. On a successful save, they take half damage and do not suffer a movement penalty.

Corrupt Component: Using this spell is dangerous. As long as it is prepared, the spellcaster suffers a -2 to Dexterity and Charisma. When cast, they lose these penalties, but the act of casting the spell deals them 1d4 Dexterity and Charisma damage anyways. This damage can be healed as normal.

Soulshred
Necromancy [Death, Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, Corrupt
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft+5 ft/two levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial.
Spell Resistance: Yes

You speak a profound word in the Dark Speech, and the target stops dead in their tracks, their soul flayed away in an instant.

Among his most feared spells, soulshred is violent and brutal. The target of the spell dies on a failed save, their soul annihilated beyond all return. Any creature killed this way cannot be brought back to life by any means short of divine intervention. If the target does not have a soul, this spell has no effect.

If the target succeeds on their save, they instead take damage equal to their normal maximum hit points+1 (putting them at -1 hp). This damage is untyped and ignores all reductions and resistances.

Corrupt Component: Using this spell is dangerous. As long as it is prepared, the spellcaster suffers a -4 to Constitution (suffering hit point loss appropriately). When cast, they lose this penalty, but the act of casting the spell deals them 1d8 Constitution damage anyways. This damage can be healed as normal.

Death by Inches
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 full round action
Range: Touch
Target: One helpless creature
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

You whisper the final words of the spell, and touch the creature's forehead. Almost immediately, you see the tension on their skin, and they begin to scream in agony.

A spell that can only be called torture, death by inches literally shreds the target's body apart, but does it slowly over time. Similar to the rack, the spell uses magical force to push and pull upon the creature, slowly building in intensity until the creature dies or the caster pauses or dismisses the effect (a free action to pause, restart, or dismiss the spell). Each hour the spell is in effect, the creature takes one force damage, plus one damage for each hour the spell has been active. Additionally, the spell inflicts terrible pain upon the target, causing them to take a -1 penalty to all checks. This penalty scales up, exactly like the damage (hour 1 they take 1 damage and have a -1 penalty, hour two it's 2 damage and a -2, etcetcetc). Finally, each hour that a creature is subjected to death by inches, they suffer one point of Wisdom damage. This damage cannot be healed until the spell is ended and stacks with itself as the other effects do.

Notes:

These spells cannot be gotten any other way outside of having both the ring and the circlet on at once. That's the balancing method used for them. If you decide to allow them anyways, keep that in mind at all times.

Also, I reworked the corrupt mechanic from Book of Vile Darkness, since I dislike their method. Struck me as fairly silly, so I altered it somewhat.

NichG
2011-04-15, 06:56 PM
These are decently potent, but even with the 'must have the items' balancing point I think Soulshred is too strong as written. No-save-just-die as an immediate action with no defense aside from SR or immunity to death effects is a bit much I think. Maybe with a HD limit or hitpoint limit it'd be okay (sort of like a lower level, more powerful version of Power Word Kill).

Welknair
2011-04-15, 08:50 PM
Violent End should have a cap on the damage dice. Given 3rd level, 10d6, most likely.

And that's quite the duration you got on it. So you could surreptitiously cast this on various members in an opposing army (As suggested) such that there is at least one every 20 ft. Given it's a third level spell, you could make some Eternal Wands for this purpose. Given the Duration, you'd have plenty of time to set it up. Then once they're in formation... shoot one. There goes that army.

Not sure if that just cool, or overpowered.

Edit: Soulshred. WHAT. No save, instant death, no ressurect, even with True Resurrection. WHAT. Despite the Con penalty, that's is still ludicrously powerful. Given that you need a pair of Artifacts to use this spell, and it's an instant kill without a save, the least you could do would be to make it a 9th level spell. The caster should obviously have access to this level of spell if they have access to these spells at all, and allowing them to prepare so many of-

Wait, does the Con Penalty from having Soulshred prepared stack? Even if it doesn't it wouldn't be advisable to use it repeatedly though...


Death By Inches should deal some temporary Wis damage. Hurting the psyche and all that jazz.

arguskos
2011-04-15, 09:13 PM
These are decently potent, but even with the 'must have the items' balancing point I think Soulshred is too strong as written. No-save-just-die as an immediate action with no defense aside from SR or immunity to death effects is a bit much I think. Maybe with a HD limit or hitpoint limit it'd be okay (sort of like a lower level, more powerful version of Power Word Kill).
Well, given that it is COMPLETELY obviated by a simple death ward, I think that it's not as bad as all that. I might give a save.


Violent End should have a cap on the damage dice. Given 3rd level, 10d6, most likely.
Nah, I was balancing it against the 2nd level Fatal Flame, which has a cap. Given the difficulty of getting it, and the increased level, I think uncapped is fine.


And that's quite the duration you got on it. So you could surreptitiously cast this on various members in an opposing army (As suggested) such that there is at least one every 20 ft. Given it's a third level spell, you could make some Eternal Wands for this purpose. Given the Duration, you'd have plenty of time to set it up. Then once they're in formation... shoot one. There goes that army.

Not sure if that just cool, or overpowered.
Well, let's see, you can cast it once a day, unless you have TWO artifacts, and then you can cast it as many times as you can prepare it. You have to be within 100 or so feet of said army, yeah, it's not as easy as you think.

Also, I need to mark that you can't use these spells for items by default. If your DM decides otherwise, ok, but that's on him. By default, you really can't do too much with these spells.


Edit: Soulshred. WHAT. No save, instant death, no ressurect, even with True Resurrection. WHAT. Despite the Con penalty, that's is still ludicrously powerful. Given that you need a pair of Artifacts to use this spell, and it's an instant kill without a save, the least you could do would be to make it a 9th level spell. The caster should obviously have access to this level of spell if they have access to these spells at all, and allowing them to prepare so many of-
Again, death ward completely 100% turns off soulshred. A level 4 spell 100% trumps a level 7 spell. I think we're done here.

Since it's kind of an issue, and people seem to be very concerned, I'll give it a save. Nothing more though. It's supposed to be a terrifyingly powerful spell.


Wait, does the Con Penalty from having Soulshred prepared stack? Even if it doesn't it wouldn't be advisable to use it repeatedly though...
Yes.


Death By Inches should deal some temporary Wis damage. Hurting the psyche and all that jazz.
Great idea! I like it.

EDIT: Death by inches has a Wis damage component now. Soulshred has a save, and does something on a failed save. It's still terrifying, but slightly less so now.