[Artifacts] My Friends and other submissions!

[Lord_Gareth]

Some Background - For awhile, I've had the urge to make my friends into magical items. Thus, I'm using this thread to stat out my friends from Plothook.net and other online areas. Here we go!

The Blue Hand - The Blue Hand is an impressive great maul (Complete Warrior) made of blue glassteel. Its mistress, the fearsome mage-priestess Bolverk, used it for centuries to consign her enemies to fates beyond her Material Plane. Sadly, beings immune to the Blue Hand emerged and stole it from her, and the weapon has been lost ever since. It functions as a +4 Disruption Great Maul, and it sends its victims to a random plane of existence (no save) whenever it strikes them. Its user tends to become authoritarian and somewhat aggressive, often lashing out against those who deny their authority. Females weilding the Blue Hand experience the above effects, as well as a general seductive air and wry playfulness.

More to come!

[DracoDei]

Its a Ban-Hammer! Yay!

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

...heheh. This should be interesting.

*Awaits items (if the Djinn or one of his many incarnations are indeed among those to be statted) with baited breath*

Also...

Gareth, I'm working on one for you.


In fact, here you are. It encompasses only two of your many aspects in the weapon itself (because one of them is SO fitting for a weapon, and I wanted the other in there), but I didn't have the time to stat out all the weapons/items I could think of for you.

Hope it doesn't offend, cause you know it's true (at least somewhat...)


Hatred Rising: Hatred Rising is the fabled blade of the legendary Lord Gareth, a man known as much for his volatile temper and violent rage as for his adamant support of those he values. This dark blade runs red with blood when drawn, and functions in all respects as a +5 Vicious Wounding Bastard Sword, except that it automatically overcomes all Damage Reduction and hardness.

Additionally, whenever the blade successfully strikes a creature directly opposed to the wielder, Hatred Rising gains a charge. Once 10 charges have been gathered, the wielder may expend all the charges and take a full-round action to strike with the full force of Gareth’s rage. If this attack lands, its victim must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or vanish as if struck by a Sphere of Annihilation. A successful save causes the target to take an additional 15d6 points of damage (if this damage is enough to kill the target, treat it as if it had failed its Fortitude save). Hatred Rising can hold up to 10 charges at any one point in time.

Yet Hatred Rising, for all its dramatic violence, is also a weapon of steadfast companionship. At the beginning of the wielder's turn, he may choose to allocate any or all of the weapon's enhancement bonus to aid his allies. Each point of the enhancement bonus spent in this manner grants all allies within 30ft a +1 bonus to Attack Rolls, Saving Throws, Skill Checks, and Armor Class for that round.

The wielder of this blade begins to harbor a brooding rage that occasionally explodes violently in a wave of verbal or physical violence. Yet, at the same time, he gradually becomes more and more supportive of the efforts of his allies, and more likely to come to their aid in times of need.

[Lord_Gareth]

Awww *is totally flattered*

You will eventually be made, aye. Likely more than once. But for now -

Cog and Taz - Cog and Taz are a pair of matched shortswords that almost appear as fragments of each other - each one has only one long half of a blade. Despite this seeming frailty, the weapons are incredibly sturdy, functioning as though crafted from adamantine. Cog and Taz each function as +4 Merciful Shortswords of Clouting. When weilded together, they allow the user to use Heal once per day as a swift action and Harm once per day as the same, though it deals only nonlethal damage. Once per week, the weilder may slam the blades together, then against a hard, wooden surface, dealing 2d6 Intelligence damage to any creatures they designate within thirty feet (3d6 if the wooden object in question is a desk) with no save allowed.

The weilder of Cog and Taz finds theirselves ignoring their own physical limitations, working well past exhaustion to get, "Just one more thing done." They become exceptionally forgiving and merciful as time wears on, unable to bear grudges. Eventually, they refuse to slay a living being and often refuse to help their companions do so.

The Discarded Diamond - This stone appears to be the least valuable gem to ever have been cut from the earth. It is riddled with holes and weaknesses, as well as lacking any kind of clarity or shine. When it is held, the weilder feels themself weaken considerably, recieving a -4 penalty to all ability scores while holding or carrying the diamond, as well as to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws.

However, the Discarded Diamond does not discriminate. It levies the same penalties on all creatures within 100 feet of its weilder, sapping away their strength. The Diamond feeds off of these energies, gaining a single charge per day that it levies these penalties on a living being without pause. The weilder may choose to spend a charge to designate a single being within 100 feet to not recieve penalties for an hour.

The owner of the Discarded Diamond finds that they are prone to taking idiotic risks, such as charging a battle formation of orcs with no armor, or leaping off of a cliff to get to the bottom faster. These urges are often suicidal and borderline psychotic, usually resulting in the weilder's eventual death. However, the Diamond appreciates the user's courage in following its suggestions - whenever the user takes an action the DM considers to be suicidal, the weilder gets no penalties from the Diamond and instead recieves a +4 bonus to all ability scores, attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws while in the course of commiting the action.

[lord of kobolds]

very nice!!!

[Vadin]

These weapons are...surprisingly well formed, sir. Balanced (as far as artifacts can be), intriguing, and a good read. I approve.

Any chance the Giant himself might be one? Most of my players read OotS and its been awhile since we've had any epic-level, artifact-smokin', diety-bashin', hilarity-ensuin' play.

[Lord_Gareth]

I'm afraid I don't know the Giant personally, actually, or I'd make one of 'im. I don't want to offend anyone by misrepresenting their personality. I would like to point out, however, the joke behind Cog and Taz's Intelligence damage ability - *facedesk*

Caben's Rose - Caben Duur was a monstrosity born of the void eons ago, tormented by thoughts that were not his own and spirits that he never asked for. The creature carved its way through the multiverse, finally ending up at an arena in Sorcen's Baator. There is fought and slew many opponents to slake its lust for blood - until a single man, Kyle Killigan, struck up a conversation with it in a bar. Kyle convinced Caben to give good a try, and the monster went off on his suggestion to the realms of Arborea.

The spirits that composed and possessed Caben Duur, however, had other plans. They fought him, and Caben found himself trapped in a half-state between being a force of life and a force of death. A group of beings attempted to destroy him once and for all upon his return. Only Kyle Killigan fought to save him.

No one but Kyle himself knows what actually happened, but Caben Duur left behind a single rose. Once a year, the rose opens and weeps nectar of blood. Kyle left it where it lay, and it eventually vanished from its lonely patch of hellish soil.

A mortal who picks up Caben's Rose is immediately bound to it. The rose snakes around his arm, up to his shoulder, and sinks its thorns in painfully. Thereafter, the rose drinks a point of Constitution each day to sustain itself, literally feeding off its bonded mate's blood. In return, the rose offers a measure of its former master's power. The weilder may Heal or Harm once per day with a touch, as a 20th level cleric. Additionally, as an immediate action, they may intercept any spell with the cure or inflict descriptor and redirect its target, even beyond the spell's normal range.

The flower has its greatest power, however, when it is bonded to a Blood Magus (Complete Arcane). The DC for all of its bonded mate's spells and supernatural or spell-like abilities increase by 4. Additionally, their bloodseeking spells deal an additional 5d6 points of damage (on top of any other sources of bonus damage). Lastly, when using their Blood Walk ability, the Blood Magus may traverse planes of existence.

A druid who picks up Caben's Rose does not become bonded to it, instead feeling a strange sense of balance. None of their spells require material components while they possess the rose, and any spell they have that affects plants in any way causes the plants to grow long, dangerous thorns that deal 1d6 points of piercing damage and 1d6 per caster level of the druid of pure divine damage to all creatures hostile to the druid who touch the plants.

The owner of Caben's Rose becomes increasingly schizophrenic and violent, broken by spells of melancholy and self-loathing. As it progresses, the character may need to find a rock in their life - faith, a loved one - to prevent themselves from spiralling into psychotic dementia. As long as the character has someone or something they love enough to truly die for, they can avoid complete insanity.

[Lord_Gareth]

The Barkeep's Mug - "Ale" Rindel the Barkeep loved drink. He loved it so much that he spent a considerable amount of his fortune comissioning the manufacture and sale of everfull ale mugs, earning his sobriquet. When he died, conssiuers of fine drink everywhere mourned. His personal mug, on the other hand, vanished, presumed stolen.

The Barkeep's Mug appears as an ornate drinking mug, made of polished platinum and studded with small diamonds. It never runs out of drink, and the user need only name any drink they have ever sampled before to change the liquid inside the Barkeep's Mug to the liquor of his choice. But the power of the mug doesn't stop there.

By paying 100 XP per spell level, the user of the Barkeep's Mug may cause the beverage in it to also act as any potion of his choice, from any spell list. Dipping an item into the mug and then drinking the liquid acts as an Identify or Legend Lore spell targeting that item. Additionally, while they own the mug, they may breathe liquor as though it were air.

The owner of the mug finds a strong love for drink (if they didn't have one already) and will find himself prefering to spend most of his time drunk or at least tipsy. They become confident and assured when drunk, often leading to hilarious mistakes. Increasingly, they find that they cannot resist buying drinks for total strangers.

[Alerindel]

The Barkeeper's Mug is made of win.

[Stygianangel]

Nice work, Lord_Gareth. They sound a lot like some people I know. ;) Keep up the great work!

[Lord_Gareth]

Angel Shroud - The Angel Shroud is the only remnant of a unique and legendary being, the fabled Stygian Angel. In ages past, she was a being of law who spontaenously arose from the River Styx in the Nine Hells of Baator. For milennia, she served the Lords of Hell as an enforcer, messanger, and general, bringing glorious order to Baator. Unfortunately, the angels of the Upper Planes saw her as an abomination, and sent a force down to Baator to bring her down. It was a mighty battle, and much celestial blood was spilled, but eventually, the Stygian Angel was slain by Merikel himself.

Her feathers were collected by Asmodaeus in a show of honor, and he formed a cloak from them. Now, whenever a mortal does an exceptional act furthering the cause of law and evil, he may bequeth the powerful and terrible artifact upon them.

The Angel Shroud appears as an elegant cloak of black feathers that always fits its wearer perfectly. When first put on, the cloak fuses with its wearer, refusing to be parted from them. Their fingers enlongate into elegant, deadly talons that deal 2d6 slashing damage and count as evil and magic for the purposes of damage reduction. The cloak may become a pair of black-feathered wings that grant the user a fly speed of 200 feet (Good).

The user of the cloak may cast Diction and Unholy Blight as spell-like abilites, eight times per day each as a 20th level cleric. Additionally, they gain immunity to all spells with the chaos descriptor and a +6 profane bonus vs. all spells with the good descriptor. Finally, once per week, they may flap their wings and unleash an unholy screech, dealing 20d6 sonic damage to all nonlawful and/or nonevil beings within 100 feet. Creatures dealt damage by this ability (who survive) must succeed at a Will save (DC 30) or have their alignment instantly and irrevocably changed to Lawful Evil.

The owner of the Angel Shroud finds theirselves consumed by thoughts of vengeance against all who wronged them and a special hatred for the clergy of Heironious. They enjoy inflicting pain and misery and eventually become incapable of simply slaying a foe, instead capturing and torturing them for months or even years on end.

[Galedemir]

I will pester and torment my DMs until that diamond is mine...

I love them all, but when an item gets created in your image, you just can't let it go. Thanks Pointy!

*Walks off with a very pointy stick to... "persuade"... his DMs to let him incorporate it*

For Xyxima?

Hat of Obvious Statements

Once donned, this hat can only be removed with a DC 21 will save from the wearer and no magic or assistance can otherwise remove this hat. It provides a +6 bonus to all knowledge skills but also forces the wearer to spur a completely obvious and ridiculous statement every 1d6 rounds, no save allowed. The wearer of this hat also gains a +4 bonus to intelligence, gaining all the regular effects of a natural intelligence bonus, excluding skill points per level (e.g. still gets extra spells per day), but suffers continually from the immense wealth of useless or too useful information, thus taking a -10 penalty to spot, listen, and search. In any round that he says an obvious statement, his concentration also suffers a -8 penalty.
It is also rumored by some to create an innate lust for cheese in the wearer... Not that they'll ever use it, of course...

[Cogwheel]

*stares* You're silly. :p

By the by, who are the Shroud and Diamond for? I missed those.

Oh, and don't be fooled, people - the int damage is just to drag people down to my level >_>

[Aleron]

These are great. Unfortunately I am to noob and unknown here to get my own artifact. :( I miss the Wizards boards where I was known and feared in the YMTC section :-P

[Cogwheel]

Actually, these are all people from an entirely different PbP site, except for me and Gareth, who are on both as well as the WotC boards. Well, that and Caben - that's someone I really don't want to meet in person >_>

And now to figure out how Gareth ended up thinking that I might be anything less than evil and/or annoying..

[Aleron]

You know your just a big teddy bear IRL :-P

[Cogwheel]

Nah, I'm actually worse in person... wait, I guess that's it, seen as Gareth never actually met me. I suppose that might count for some of the confusion, than >_>

[Vadin]

It's things like this that make me thing I should finally get my nose out of the homebrew section some time and join a PbP game or somesuch...

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Caben's Rose - *snip*

...
...
...

Some player of mine is definitely coming across this. It's incredible.

A fitting memorial for Caben Duur, and another excellent bit of work from Lord Gareth.

[Atticus Bleak]

Gareth, once again your work is sublime. Its actually exciting when i see you've made something new, friend! As always, impressive.

Caben's Rose struck me as an item i HAVE to use in my campaign, with your permission of course? One of my players is big on wives and roses, and he will EXPLODE if i give him this.

As always, Yours
Atticus Bleak.

[Mephisto]

When I saw the title I thought of Sweeny Todd's razors.

This is fine too, though.

[Lord_Gareth]

@Atticus - If I didn't want these used, I wouldn't post them ^_^ Go forth with my blessing.

@Cog - *Facedesk*. That is all.

@Aleron - I'm from WotC ^_^ I was Lord_Gareth until being banned, when I become Jessica_Morgan ^_^

The Discarded Diamond is based off of GM Gale. The Angel Shroud was inspired by the name of Stygianangel.

The Black Book - This fearsome tome appears as a black-bound book with gilt-leafed pages. Its cover is marked by no name or author, instead bearing a single, imposing symbol - a skull with an open book in its mouth. Legend has it that the Black Book was the personal grimoire of the namless lich of the Rockwell Mountains, who ruled with an iron fist for more than eighty thousand years before he was destroyed. The wizard who brought down the undead monstrosity took the Book as his prize. Both promptly vanished from the face of the world.

The Book confers several powers on its owner simply by being near her. She may read and write all languages with perfect fluency, as well as speak and understand them. The Book allows wizards to memorize two additional spells per level and can, itself, act as a spell book with no page limit (the Book is assumed to already contain all spells of the Necromancy school).

However, the true power of the Black Book is in the reading of it. By opening it and reading out loud, the Book deals its wearer 1d3 points of Wisdom damage and allows them to use any summon monster spell they so choose. The creatures called forth all have the psuedonatural template (Complete Arcane).

If the reader continues to utter the foul words aloud, the Book deals them 4d3 points of Charisma damage and forces one creature within 100 feet who can hear the words to make a Will save or be affected as though by mind rape (Book of Vile Darkness).

Continuing to read the Book aloud causes the reader to take 2d3 points of damage to all mental ability scores and summons forth the dread Illurien (MM5) to serve the weilder faithfully for one hour. Afterwards, she becomes free-willed and quite dangerous.

Reading the Book aloud is a full-round action that may be continued for up to three rounds before the Book slams shut and refuses to open until sunset or sunrise, whatever comes first.

The owner of the Black Book becomes obsessed with omnescience and secrets, increasingly willing and ready to commit murder and horrid atrocities for the sake of knowledge. They become perverted and often sexually deviant. Each time they read the book, they feel the need to do so again and again, like an addiction.

[Aleron]

ROFL! I knew that name was familiar! I was Shadow Dweller/Lazuli Frog/Shadow Frog over on the WotC Boards. I ran a series of card creation contests on the YNTC forums called the "Odd Con"'s...I think you actually may have won one of those :-P

What did you get banned for?!

[Lord_Gareth]

I don't remember you at all ^_^

And flaming, but it was justified.

[Aleron]

I don't remember you at all ^_^

Kidding :-P

And flaming, but it was justified.

There, I would believe it. Some of their Mods could be quite draconic at times

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

That, and the fact that he's Gareth.

I mean, there's a reason that once Hatred Rising has enough charges it tears you apart. Getting on Gareth's bad side is NOT somewhere you want to be.

Ever seen a volcano erupting? The little tell-tale signs, the smoke, the steam, the glow of the lava? Someone didn't understand what that meant.



Also, the Black Book frightens me a little...mainly for that bit at the end.

Dammit Gareth! Stop showing us all up!

[Lord_Gareth]

Hey, hey, I am not the one whose kobold is riding on a hoverbike.

Mind you, I'm going to be the one whose kobold is in space marine power armor...

Meri's Mittens - These gloves were worn by a thief legendary for her hubris, not necessarily her skill. Meri would literally steal the clothes off people's backs, as well as anything and everything shiny that caught her eye, and was never caught at it. When she finally retired, she left the gloves to her daughter - who promptly lost them in an incident that left her highly embarassed in a public manner.

The gloves themselves appear as worn leather riding gloves, and allow the user to use telekinesis at will. However, the gloves can only manipulate clothing, shiny objects, or other similar materials. Within these limits, they are powerful, using telekinesis as a 30th level sorcerer. Any object being telekinetically manipulated by the gloves may be stored in side them by speaking the word, "Sparklies!", with a limit of 100 cubic feet per glove per point of the user's charisma modifier.

The user finds herself becoming more mischevious and obsessed with shiny, sparkling objects. No matter how hard she tries to prevent it, at some point each day that she wears the gloves at least an hour or uses their abilities, they will be rendered nude except for the gloves.

[Lord_Gareth]

Vici's Wedding Bands - This artifact is actually a pair of matched wedding rings, presented to Tyler Vici and Inaya Elrissa by Sorcen, the lord of Baator. The rings themselves are works of stunning beauty, forged from pure elemental energies that mix and swirl in breathtaking colors. Each ring gives its wearer Energy Resistance 20 against all energy attacks (Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, and Sonic).

Tyler's Wedding Band is infused with the Daemonaic energies of its master, as well as his faith and rightousness. The result is an item that is caught between becoming a holy artifact of justice and a foul talisman of hell. It grants the user resistance to positive energy 20 and negative energy 20, as well as rendering them immune to death effects and energy drain. Once per day, they may cast Summon Monster IX, calling forth a monster with either the good or evil subtype as a swift action. If they summon a creature with the good subtype, the user gains the Tanar'ri subtype until the next sunrise or sunset, whatever comes first. If they summon a creature with the evil subtype, the user gains the Eldarin subtype until the next moonrise or moonset, whatever comes first.

Inaya's Wedding Band absorbed its mistress' devotion and smoldering rebelliousness. The wearer becomes immune to spells and abilities with the lawful descriptor, as well as the supernatural abilities of beings with the lawful subtype. Once a day, they may fly into a controlled rage (as a barbarian's mighty rage, but able to tell the difference between friend and foe). The wearer of the ring may also Dimension Door unlimited times per day as a swift action and apply their dexterity modifier to melee damage.

A single being cannot wear both rings at once.

The wearer of Tyler's Wedding Band finds themself becoming cynical and sarcastic, often seeing the world in terms of what's possible and what isn't. At the same time, they will fight seemingly impossible odds and go to incredible lengths for a friend or loved one. More and more, they see no problem using evil tactics in pursuing good.

The wearer of Inaya's Wedding Band gains a growing sense of personal honor that often runs counter to established norms. They rebel instead of negotiate and gain a growing anger complex, directed at anyone who would dare harm or threaten one that they love.

The wearers of the Vici Wedding Bands feel a growing love for each other, and can always tell exactly where the other is, even across planar boundries, and communicate with each other via empathy. If the rings are left on long enough, the feelings of love and devotion become permanent.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

^^ Love it.

And would you believe I was thinking about those this morning, and wondering if you'd make something like that?

[Lord_Gareth]

Yes, yes I would believe that ^_^

The Bunny's Ring - The Bunny was an interesting travel companion. No one was ever quite sure what she did, but she did it with enthusiasm and energy. Her seemingly random behavior was later revealed to be the doing of this ring - originally a mere cursed item, now infused with her essence. After she was cured of it, she donated the ring to a temple of Boccob, which was later sacked by an ogre mage and its band of giants.

The wearer of the Bunny's Ring is affected as though by haste and confusion. But the Ring doesn't stop there. Whenever the wearer is struck by a melee or ranged attack, the ring releases an effect identical to that of a Rod of Wonder. Once per encounter, the wearer may wreath herself in a Cloak of Chaos, as cast by a 20th level cleric.

The wearer of the ring, in addition to the curse, acts random even in their lucid moments, often hugging or kissing strangers in preference to murderous acts. Others inevitably begin seeing the wearer as, "Cute" and "Adorable" rather than as a deadly threat to their existence.