The Encyclopedia Magica

[Fax Celestis]

I have recently unearthed my copy of the Encyclopedia Magica (of which I am unfortunately missing the second and fourth volumes) and have decided to update a variety of the items within. I'll start with Vol. III, and I'll post it all in this thread.

[Fax Celestis]

Pick of Earth Parting
This enchanted pick allows its wielder to cut through earth quickly. The wielder of the pick can carve out a 10 foot by 10 foot by 60 foot tunnel in one round. The pick's magical porperties create a smooth, clean surface regardless of the mining skill of the user. All rubble from the excavation magically disappears, leaving a clear passage. The pick deals damage as a light pick +1.

Strong transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor; passwall; Price 100,304 gp; Cost 50,152 gp and 4,012 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Palette of Identity
This device offers protection against polymorph spells and other magical effects that change a person's physical appearance.

The item is an artist's palette covered with bright, mystical paints. To use the item, a person must paint a self-portrait. The painting does not need to be created with any expertise, but the painter must believe that the portrait is accurate. Any time a character carries this self-portrait on his or her person, the portrait suffers the effects of unsuccessful saving throws against spells of the Polymorph subschool.

The character makes svaing throws as normal against spells of the Polymorph subschool. If the saving throw fails, the portrait is altered, reflecting the effect of the spell, but the character remains unaffected. Once the portrait suffers the effects, it no longer can offer protection for the person it represents.

The palette contains enough paint for only one portrait.

Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Wondrous Item; greater spell immunity; Price 6036 gp; Cost 3018 gp and 241 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Marvelous Pigments
These magical pigments enable their possessor to create actual objects simply by depicting their form as a painting. One pot of marvelous pigments is sufficient ot cretae an object of 1,000 cubic feet by depicting it in two dimensions over a surface 100 feet square.

Only normal, inanimate things can be created--doors, pits, flowers, trees, cells, but monsters, people, golems, and the like can't be created. The pigments must be applied to a flat surface.

Any objects created--such as a sword, shield, or door--takes away 100 cubic feet of use, regardless of how small the item is. Larger items--like a carriage--may take more cubic feet off the further total, but that is entirely up to the DM. Furthermore, any object created is a mundane item, not magical or masterwork.

Strong conjuration; CL 14th; Craft Wondrous Item; instant summons; Price 15,140 gp; Cost 7,570 gp and 605 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Desalination Tablet
These orange pills are about the size of a marble. Each pill transforms one gallon of seawater into fresh, drinkable water.

If a creature ingests a desalination tablet, they are nauseated for 1d4+1 rounds. If a creature with the Water subtype ingests a desalination tablet, they are nauseated for 5 rounds and take 2d4 points of dessication damage.

Faint transmutation; CL 2nd; Craft Wondrous Item; purify food and drink; Price 100 gp; Cost 50 gp and 4 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Book Plate
This bookplate can be affixed to the inside of the front cover of a book (magical or otherwise).

A command word causes the entire book to turn into a pewter plate, returnable by use of another command word.

Moderate transmutation; CL 4nd; Craft Wondrous Item; alter self; Price 3750 gp; Cost 1875 gp and 150 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Quill Pen of Copying
AThis quill can be commanded to copy any spell from a scroll. It copies only one spell per week. The original scroll must be burned and the ashes mixed with ink costing at least 600 gp. The quill is then placed on a blank scroll or on a blank page of a spellbook.

If placed on a blank scroll, the quill writes two identical spells on the scroll. If the scroll burnt contains two or more spells, only one spell is copied, determined randomly.

If placed on a spellbook, the quill copies the spell into the spellbook without error.

The user of the quill pen of copying must still pay all experience point costs of transcription.

Faint evocation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item; telekinesis; Price 3500 gp; Cost 1750 gp and 140 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Quill of Necromancy
This quill can write the words of the dead. It must be filled with special ink cotaining powdered bone (100 gp per use) and then placed along with a parchment on the grave or body of any dead creature. When preparations are complete and the command word spoken, the quill then creates a speak with dead effect. The answers from the dead creature are written on the parchment by the quill. The quill may be used once per day as long as the proper ink is available.

Faint necromancy; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item; speak with dead, mage hand; Price 13,504 gp; Cost 6752 gp and 540 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Quill of Pyrophilius
More than two dzen quills are known to have been enchanted by a mighty magician living on Toril. Each quill is made from a Ki-Rin feather, and the spirit of a sprite has been focibly trapped within them. The sprite listens to any intelligible conversation within normal hearing distance and write it down on the nearest piece of paper, or any other suitable substance. The quill never runs out of ink, and cannot move, other than to write. Any language that is heard by the quill can be transcribed, being written in the language being spoen. If more than one person is speaking at a time, the quill transcribes the loudest voice. The quill is activated by a specific command word, and ca nbe deactivated by restating the command word, or phyisically destroying the item, which frees the trapped sprite.

Faint divination; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; comprehend languages; Price 3604 gp; Cost 1802 gp and 144 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Death Rock
The death rock is an evil relic of inky black stone, roughly the size of a man's clenched fist. When touched, the rock pulsates faintly, like the beating of a heart, and leaves the sensation of warm greasy moistness on the fingertips. The death rock exudes a palpable aura of evil noticeable to intelligent creatures.

It is said that the death rock is the product of some far-distant eastern cult that worshipped the great salamander of a certain river. The cult was evil and its rites unspeakable. For years the cult survived openly and although it was hated by all, no one could act against it.

Their terror finally came to an end when a peasant woman whose sons had been taken by the cult took up the sword. Though she was old and scorned by her neighbors for her folly, the woman prayed to all the powers of justice for revenge. For five nights the five judgs of men came to her, bringing courage, faith, purity, mercy, and might. With these she challenged the living god. Their battle was great, but in the end the old woman cut the fiend's heart free and cast it far away.

It is said that the heart became a stone, still filled with great and evil powers. Over the centuries, the death rock has found its way to the west, leaving ruin and destruction in its wake. It has not been seen for a very long time and it might now be finally lost forever.

The death rock grants its owner the spellcasting ability of a necromancer of the same level as the character. The character know all necromancy spells appropriate to that level, but can only memorize and use necromantic spells. The character gains no hit points, hit dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Experience points are gained normally in the character's normal class and each time a new level is achieved, the character also advances as a necromancer.

To activate and maintain the power of the rock, the character's closest companion must be claimed each week as a zombie slave. If this is not done, the rock instantly vnishes, never to be seen again.

[Fax Celestis]

Saddle of Flying
This saddle resembles a normal leather saddlewith a small, silver buckle near the pommel. When the saddle is secured to a horse or any other nonmagical mount and the silver buckle is fastened, the mount sprouts wings and acquires the ability to fly at its normal movement rate, with average maneuverability. The flying mount can carry its normal encumberance.

A saddle of flying functions for only one hour per day. When the silver buckle is unfastened or the duration expires, the wings disappear and all flying ability is immediately lost, regardless of whether the mount is airborne or on the ground.

Faint transmutation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item; fly; Price 13,520 gp; Cost 6760 gp and 540 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Saddle of the Spirit Horse
To all appearances, this is an ordinary, worn leather military saddle of good quality. However, it is a magical item. If worn by a single horse, it attunes itself to that horse when worn for three days.

Once it is attuned to the horse, nothing remarkable happens--unless the horse dies while wearing the saddle. If it does, the spirit of the horse stays with the saddle for another 24 hours. Half an hour after the horse dies, the spirit of the horse will "awaken", climb to its unseen feet, and prepare to carry its master wherever he or she wants to go. The ghost horse continues to wear the saddle.

For the next 24 hours, the ghost horse will tirelessly carry its rider wherever he wants to go, at the full running speed the horse could manage when it was alive. It is a spooky sight: the saddle floats in the air, 4 or 5 feet up; the rider must mount normally, treat the horse normally, and pretend that the animal is as it ever was.

Other than running the horse spirit has no unusual abilities. It cannot be seeen or touched. It can whinny and neigh, and it can buck--though only the saddle is seen to buck in the air. It cannot truly fly; when it comes to a ravine, for instance, it must descend to the bottom and cimb the other slope as it would have had to do to if it were alive.

This frightens living horses. No normal horse will approach the animated saddle within 100 feet. For this reason, it is best used when a character is alone and whose horse has died.

If a character kills his horse to get 24 hours of fast, tireless service, the ghost horse will remember this and be offended by it--even if the character did it secretly, by poison or long-distance magic, the horse will know it. It will allow the character to mount the floating saddle, and behave normally for a while, but at some catastrophic time, it will try to to kill the character. It may jump off a cliff, or ride straight back at the enemy the rider is trying to elude, or buck the miscreant into a pit of snakes.

Faint conjuration; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item; mount; Price 9020 gp; Cost 4510 gp and 360 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Sand of Truth
This coarse, blue-gray sand is a magical dust forked from the dusty remains of a slain sandman. It can reveal illusions, false aura, and polymorphed or otherwise altered creatures. In short, it acts as a true seeing spell, except it physically returns things to true shape when thrown into the air or sprinkled on objects, rather than merely revealing them to a single viewer. Sand of truth can be applied to creatures or objects only once, and its enchantment fades after that. In combat, the wielder must make a melee touch attack to coat an unwilling target.

Strong divination; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item; true seeing; Price 3600gp; Cost 1800 gp and 144 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Scabbard of Holding
This item looks like an ordinary sheath for a large knife. The sheath is anywhere from 6 to 10 inches long, including its belt loop, but it doesn't hold a knife. It holds a sword--a full-sized sword. With magic rather like that found in the bag of holding, this item slides most of the length of the blade into a pocket dimension, so that only the weapon's hilt shows, with the "sheath" suggesting another 5 inches or so of blade. This looks rather strange when it holds a bastard sword or greatsword,where the hilt is longer than the apparent blade, but a scabbard of holding can do it.

Each scabbard of holding is designed to hold one type of sword. The scabbard will not hold a sword it is not built to hold.

Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item; secret chest; Price 1800 gp; Cost 900 gp and 72 xp

[Jack_Simth]

Quill Pen of Copying
AThis quill can be commanded to copy any spell from a scroll. It copies only one spell per week. The original scroll must be burned and the ashes mixed with ink costing at least 600 gp. The quill is then placed on a blank scroll or on a blank page of a spellbook.

If placed on a blank scroll, the quill writes two identical spells on the scroll. If the scroll burnt contains two or more spells, only one spell is copied, determined randomly.

If placed on a spellbook, the quill copies the spell into the spellbook without error.

Faint evocation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item; telekinesis; Price 3500 gp; Cost 1750 gp and 140 xp

Very broken if you have a lot of down-time, unless you add something about it draining any needed XP from the person who sets it running.

Suppose I have a scroll of wish, this item, and enough gold to buy the ink to use this item once.

I burn the scroll of Wish, mix it with the ink, and set the pen to work on a blank scroll.

I now have two Wish spells on scrolls.

With one, I use it, and get something worth the 25,000 gp, which I then sell for half (12,500 gp). And buy enough ink to run the pen ten times (leaving me with 6,500 gp). I then wait a week, burn the second scroll of Wish, mix it with the ink, and set the pen running. I now have two scrolls of Wish, this pen, enough ink to do this nine more times, and 6,500 gp. In two weeks. Well, I just keep duplicating the scroll of Wish, and after another nine weeks, I've got 11 scrolls of Wish (or one scroll of Wish and a lot of stuff worth 25k a pop, if both spells are written on the same scroll).

Death Rock
The death rock is an evil relic of inky black stone, roughly the size of a man's clenched fist. When touched, the rock pulsates faintly, like the beating of a heart, and leaves the sensation of warm greasy moistness on the fingertips. The death rock exudes a palpable aura of evil noticeable to intelligent creatures.

It is said that the death rock is the product of some far-distant eastern cult that worshipped the great salamander of a certain river. The cult was evil and its rites unspeakable. For years the cult survived openly and although it was hated by all, no one could act against it.

Their terror finally came to an end when a peasant woman whose sons had been taken by the cult took up the sword. Though she was old and scorned by her neighbors for her folly, the woman prayed to all the powers of justice for revenge. For five nights the five judgs of men came to her, bringing courage, faith, purity, mercy, and might. With these she challenged the living god. Their battle was great, but in the end the old woman cut the fiend's heart free and cast it far away.

It is said that the heart became a stone, still filled with great and evil powers. Over the centuries, the death rock has found its way to the west, leaving ruin and destruction in its wake. It has not been seen for a very long time and it might now be finally lost forever.

The death rock grants its owner the spellcasting ability of a necromancer of the same level as the character. The character know all necromancy spells appropriate to that level, but can only memorize and use necromantic spells. The character gains no hit points, hit dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Experience points are gained normally in the character's normal class and each time a new level is achieved, the character also advances as a necromancer.

To activate and maintain the power of the rock, the character's closest companion must be claimed each week as a zombie slave. If this is not done, the rock instantly vnishes, never to be seen again.

Very, very broken in the hands of a Thrallherd. Sacrafice a thrall once a week? No problem, he's replaced in 24 hours. Okay, the loss of gems could get annoying after a little while... but hey! Partial Gestalt!

[Fax Celestis]

Ballant's Stonesplit
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sorceror/Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Object touched
Area of Effect: One 10' cube/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None or Fortitude half; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

The wizard who casts this spell cleaves the next stone object he or she touches, the force extending from his fingertips manifesting in a spray of light and a thick, winding crack that appears in the stone iwth considerable force. The crack reduces an amount of stone to rubble equal to the spell's area of effect, but it does nothing to clear the rubble away.

There is a 3-point initiative delay between the wizard's touch and the full extent of the spell's damage, which is usually enough time for a mobile caster to escape being crushed by his own spell. A successful dispel magic during this interval period negates Ballant's stonesplit.

If this spell is cast on a stone floor, a fissure opens and the rubble settles quickly, dropping the floor 1d4 feet and causing 1d4 points of damage to all in the area of effect. The devastating effect of this spell when cast on a stone ceiling is limited both by its range and by its 3-point delays.

Ballant's stonesplit causes great damage to stone-composed creatures--1d8 points of damage per caster level, halved on a successful Fortitude save. Magical items composed of stone are allowed a Fortitude save to avoid destruction.

Material component: a diamond-tipped chisel worth at least 1000 gp.

[Fax Celestis]

Very broken if you have a lot of down-time, unless you add something about it draining any needed XP from the person who sets it running.

Suppose I have a scroll of wish, this item, and enough gold to buy the ink to use this item once.

I burn the scroll of Wish, mix it with the ink, and set the pen to work on a blank scroll.

I now have two Wish spells on scrolls.

With one, I use it, and get something worth the 25,000 gp, which I then sell for half (12,500 gp). And buy enough ink to run the pen ten times (leaving me with 6,500 gp). I then wait a week, burn the second scroll of Wish, mix it with the ink, and set the pen running. I now have two scrolls of Wish, this pen, enough ink to do this nine more times, and 6,500 gp. In two weeks. Well, I just keep duplicating the scroll of Wish, and after another nine weeks, I've got 11 scrolls of Wish (or one scroll of Wish and a lot of stuff worth 25k a pop, if both spells are written on the same scroll).

I should clarify that. The main issue that it's supposed to solve is that of time, not costs.

[Fax Celestis]

Scroll of Communication
This scroll actually consists of two scrolls, one wrapped inside the other. They are easily separated. If a message is written on one scroll, it immediately appears on the other. There is no limit to the range, as long as both scrolls are on the same plane of existence. The message may be up to 100 words in length. If one message is erased, the other disappears as well. Each must be erased before another can be written, and there is a 5% chance that erasing destroys the magic of both scrolls.

Moderate evocation; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item; sending; Price 18,000 gp; Cost 9000 gp and 720 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Very, very broken in the hands of a Thrallherd. Sacrafice a thrall once a week? No problem, he's replaced in 24 hours. Okay, the loss of gems could get annoying after a little while... but hey! Partial Gestalt!

Well, it is an artifact.

[Fax Celestis]

Eternal Salt Shaker
The eternal salt shaker provides a modest amount of salt for the user each time it is used. The salt cannot be poured from the shaker. The amount is small, perhaps a quarter gram per shake (approximately two grams per round, or 15 hours of constant shaking to produce a pound), but neverending if the character's arm lasts.

Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; create food and water; Price 3,000 gp; Cost 1,500 gp and 120 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Hugrin's Spice Shaker
The renowned wizard and chef Hugrin created this magical spice shaker. It appears as a small cilinder iwth a large "H" written on one end. Each shake yields an ounce of any spice desired. To produce a spice the user speaks the command word followed by the name of the desired spice, then shakes the spice shaker with the H side down. Each spice shaker can be used 100 times before it must be recharged.

Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; create food and water; Price 5000 gp; Cost 2500 gp and 200 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Sleeping Bag of Armor Nullification
The sleeping bag of armor nullification is a good substitute for the various kinds of armor in which one can sleep. The powerful magic of this bag enables anyone wearing any suit of armor of any type to sleep in it as though he or she were unarmored.

The only problem is that if the enemy attacks before the character can get out of the bag (a full-round action that provokes attacks of oppportunity), the character is at AC 10, as the bag totally nullifies any armor in it and is too constricting to add a character's Dexterity modifier to AC.

Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item; freedom of movement; Price 11,201 gp; Cost 5600 gp and 448 xp

[The Glyphstone]

Well, it is an artifact.

And I don't know if a mindbound servant counts as a "closest companion"...even the Thralls are a little iffy...

[Fax Celestis]

Dragon Slippers
These slippers are made of green silk. The magic of the dragon slippers is activated if the wearer concentrates and speaks the word "change." When activated, the dragon slippers cause the wearer to appear as a 20-foot dragon with bright yellow scales, a barbed tail, and long green fangs; the wearer does not gain any of the abilities of a dragon. While the illusion is in effect, the wearer retains all normal abilities and statistics. The effect lasts for one hour, but can be cancelled at any time by the command of the wearer.

Those viewing the effect receive a Will save versus DC 18 to resist the effect.

Moderate illusion; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; major image; Price 6000 gp; Cost 3000 gp and 240 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Soap of Washing
This small brownish cake of soap will, when placed into a bucket or tub of water, dissolve completely. The water then becomes magical; any item or creature placed within or doused by the wate rbecomes completely clean. The soap removes all normal and magical stains and dyes and can even remove curses removable by a remove curse spell. The soap washes any number of normal items, its effect lasting one hour; it washes away up to three magical stains or dyes or one curse. Magical water removed from the container immediately becomes nonmagical.

Moderate abjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; remove curse, purify food and drink; Price 1200 gp; Cost 600 gp and 48 xp

[Fax Celestis]

Cut
Transmutation
Level: Sorceror/Wizard 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Close (25' + 5'/level)
Target: 1 unattended, nonmagical object, not thicker than 1 inch/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No

By means of this spell, thin objects such as rope, cord, delicate chain, wire, cloth, wax candles, sausages, and the like, up to 1 inch thick per caster level, can be instantly severed. The caster must b eable to see the object to be cut, and it must be within close range. The verbal component is a soft "snick" sound, and the somatic component is a scissoring motion made with two adjoining fingers. Magical (even temporarily ensorcelled) objects and living beings are unaffected by this spell.

[Jack_Simth]

Cut
Transmutation
Level: Sorceror/Wizard 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Close (25' + 5'/level)
Target: 1 object, not thicker than 1 inch/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: No

By means of this spell, thin objects such as rope, cord, delicate chain, wire, cloth, wax candles, sausages, and the like, up to 1 inch thick per caster level, can be instantly severed. The caster must b eable to see the object to be cut, and it must be within close range. The verbal component is a soft "snick" sound, and the somatic component is a scissoring motion made with two adjoining fingers. Magical (even temporarily ensorcelled) objects and living beings are unaffected by this spell.

Hmm. A Cantrip that nullifies an archer until magic weapons are available? Umm....

[Fax Celestis]

Sting
Evocation
Level: Sorceror/Wizard 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: 40 feet
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell enables the caster to harm a single creature up to 40 feet distant, including people, in a minor way: by making a buzzing noise and pointing an extended finger at an area of his own anatomy, the caster causes a brief but intense pain in the corresponding area of the target creature. This pain causes no permanent damage, but if applied to the eyes it can blind for one round, or it can silence coherent speech by afflicting the tongue, or cause delicate manipulation of small objects (like jewelry) to be ruined, and the handled items dropped or fumbled. The pain from this spell is not sufficient to interfere with spellcasting, but spellcasting can be ruined through clever manipulation (such as afflicting the tongue).

[Fax Celestis]

Hmm. A Cantrip that nullifies an archer until magic weapons are available? Umm....

Except that, as an attended object, an archer's bow receives a fortitude save.

Though perhaps I should specify "unattended, nonmagical object".

[Fax Celestis]

Reconstruction
Illusion/Transmutation (Phantasm) [Force]
Level: Cleric 5, Sorceror/Wizard 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: One broken item
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)

By means of this spell, the caster temporarily restores a broken item, even if it is badly shattered and portions are missing. The object is restored to its appearance before being broken--even to smell, weight, solidity, sound when struck, and texture, and appears whole and unbroken to normal scrutiny. Detect magic shows the spell's dweomer, and true seeing reveals the illusion for what it is, but the item can be touched and used normally, without dispelling the illusion, and with results as though the item were whole. Thus, the hilt of a rusted longsword found in a tomb could be temporarily transformed into a brand-new longsword, doing the same damage in battle as the original did. Magical weapons can be temporarily mended by this spell, and due to the spell, will be magical for damage reduction purposes, but do not regain any bonuses or special properties.

If a reconstructed item is subjected to prolonged heat and impacts, however (such as a blade being reforged), or if a permanency or magic weapon spell is cast on one, the magic ends and the item reverts instantly to its real, damaged form. a reconstructed item does not revert to its true for if its illusion is merely revealed, and it cannot be "disbelieved" out of existence by an onlooker.

Living things (including constructs) cannot be affected by a reconstruction spell, nor can unbroken items be altered to the prior forms of their component materials; thus, a stone statue cannot be made to look like the boulder or the mountain from which it was carved. The caster need not know the original appearance of the whole item to duplicate it. Regardless of the amount of actual material remaining, the caster can reconstruct 10 cubic feet plus 1 cubic foot of the actual item per level (although the reconstructed whole may be far larger and will still appear in its entirety).

Material components: the item to be reconstructed, a pinch of fine sand, and a pinch of sticky sap or gum.