Reagren Wright wrote:JuliusCreed wrote:Reagren Wright wrote:This is the list I've managed to come up with.
A broadsword
wicker basket
goblet
chariot
head collar (headgear for animals)
a dagger
caldron
whetstone
a coat
a bowl and dish
a chessboard
a cloak
The old man lofts a curious brow, listening carefully to the list of items and slowly nodding, muttering to himself. "A rather ecclectic list, I must say. Give me a few days to do some research myself into the matter and I'll let you know what I find. A wicker basket? Huhn...."
Then I shall return in do time. If its any consequence the individual I originally learned this tale
from was Ormod Kossig, Court Wizard for House Ne'klosh.
After some very extensive research into this list, referencing and cross referencing any known similarities with the extensive library I have, as well as cashing in a few markers of my own in order to find out how ANY of these things were even related to each other in the first place, I have compiled the following information for you... I truly hope these are the correct items you seek as, quite frankly, there is no one unified set of items that includes all of these things. Truth be told, this is essentially a list of items, some related to each other, some unique individuals in their own right, that have been unearthed over the passing millenia and deemed as legendary items due to a combination of age, reputation, powers known and basic history of the items. Some of them may seem, well... underpowered, especially for something that is supposed to be able to make the gods themselves fear mortal hands upon them, but this can be mostly attributed to eras the item may have been initially created... what may seem like old hat now was likely a very powerful thing thousands of years ago. That said, I present to you my findings....
Broadsword; The Sword of the Moon: An ancient and unique artifact of great power appearing as either a broadsword or a bastard sword depending on the stories one hears, with a silver handle shaped in a definite female figure with arms held over the head, hands grasping a large moonstone orb that makes up the pommel of the sword. It also sports an unusually wide blade, approximately 6 inches across and nearly half an inch thick. Despite the oversized blade of the weapon, it is incredibly lightweight and supremely well balanced, reminiscent of the best crafted Dwarven swords, though not a hint of Dwarven craftsmanship shows, making the origins of this item a mystery. It's power is both singular and spectacular. It is best described by saying that the blade of the sword does not cut its victims, but rather the bodies of its victims rip themselves open to receive it. In game terms, the sword completely ignores AR of any kind, natural, artificial, magical or otherwise as whatever armor the victim wears, even their very skin, tears its way open to let the blade pass through. Damage from the weapon is an incredible 1d6x10, however if the victim is wearing any form of armor, whether artificial (like plate or chain mail) or magical, (such as Armor of Ithan or Psionic Force Fields) half of the damage inflicted is done to the armor with the remainder carrying through to the victim inside. For example, if used against a knight in full plate armor, the sword strikes for 40 points of damage, 20 points of that goes to the armor as it rips itself open for the sword, the remaining 20 goes to the person wearing it. If the victim has a natural AR of any kind (other than the implied natural AR of 4 that most creatures start with) they take full damage from the weapon. Strikes from the Sword of the Moon may be parried or dodged normally, however any weapon or shield that parries the sword suffers damage the same way armor does when the sword strikes it (ie 1d6x10 reduced by half) unless the parrying object is magically indestructible. Additionally, any damage a victim takes from this weapon cannot be healed through magical or psionic means. Not even divine intervention from the gods themselves can heal the faintest scratch from this blade. The only way to heal from this weapon's wounds is the old-fashioned way... bandages, surgery if necessary and TIME. The Sword of the Moon itself is Indestructible and, due to its light weight and superb balance, enjoys a +2 to strike and parry.
Wicker basket; Cornucopia of the Gods: A roughly horn shaped wicker basket that is often used for carrying and serving foodstuffs, the Cornucopia of the Gods has a similar function in its ability to create whatever kind of food it is commanded to in an endless supply. Upon command the Cornucopia fills with whatever food is requested and remains filled until a different type of food is requested. The catch is, the Cornucopia does not have an off switch... it is ALWAYS filled. If the basket is upended and dumped out, an endless stream of whatever food it is filled with will pour forth until it is turned back upright at which point the flow will stop, but the Cornucopia will STILL be full. Changing the type of food it produces is a simple matter of speaking the command word and requesting a different type of food. The only other drawback is that it only produces raw, uncooked/unprepared foodstuffs. Meat, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, even milk and butter can be conjured by the cornucopia (no breads or rolls... those are a cooked item and no fruit or vegetable juices... they are a prepared version of them) but every single scrap of it will be raw and uncooked, requiring the user(s) of the item to cook/prepare it themselves. Oddly enough, while the Cornucopia of the Gods can produce milk, it cannot produce water.
Goblet; Chalice of Plenty: To be perfectly honest, I came across a dozen or more different magic goblets, including the Chalice of Dragonwright and even some interesting little thing called the Holy Grail. What caught my eye about this one is I found it in the same reference as the Cornucopia of the Gods, so I believe the two may be a part of the same set of items. Further bolstering this is the fact that the Chalice of plenty has a similar function. The only difference is, what the Cornucopia does for food, the Chalice does for drink. Wines, meads, ales, beers, hard liquors, moonshine... you name it, if it can be drunk, the Chalice can produce it. Unfortunately, it also has the same drawback as the Cornucopia; no off switch. it is ALWAYS full. Changing the type of drink is identical to changing the food of the Cornucopia; speak the command word and request a different type. Spill the contents out and it will not stop pouring (a dangerous concept in an enclosed area) And, again, even this little gem does not produce simple water! *shrug*
Chariot; The Lord's Chariot: A tough one to find, this item is an ornately crafted and decadently adorned conveyance designed to be pulled by 2 or 4 horses with room in the cart for up to 4 human sized passengers. While being driven, the horses tethered to it suffer only half the usual encumbrance penalties for pulling a load of any kind, enabling them to travel twice as far at speed and enjoy the ability to cross over any form of terrain with relative ease (half movement penalties for difficult terrain). The chariot can even be used to travel over the surface of water for fairly short distances! (up to 1 mile before sinking) The chariot itself, while being driven, radiates a Horror/Awe Factor of 16 that extends around itself, the horses pulling it and anyone riding in the cart making it very difficult for others to attack anyone driving/riding in it. The chariot also provides decent cover in combat from the high walls on its sides and front (no appreciable cover to the rear) roughly equal to a large tower shield. Lastly, there are a number of hooks and small racks along the inside of the walls of the chariot for hanging/stowing gear, one small rack in particular that is perpetually filled with normal javelins to be used by the driver and/or passengers (always at least a dozen at a time, magically produced by the chariot)
Head collar; Muzzle of Obedience: A rather strange item designed to be worn around the head and neck of a beast, it magically adjusts to fit the head of any animal it is put onto. Once buckled into place the target animal will become completely subservient to the owner of the muzzle, obeying any command given to it to the best of its ability, from guard duty to combat. Any command given that causes the beast to intentionally harm itself may be resisted by the creature with a standard save against magic of 12 or better. Success means the animal does not carry out its orders, but may be commanded to do so again with an additional saving throw applied every time the command is given. Frighteningly, this item also works on intelligent creatures and humanoids as well. Humans, Wolfen, Elves, Emirin, Dragon Wolves, Minotaurs, even most Demons, and Deevils can fall victim to its power! However, any creature with a higher than animal intelligence is allowed the same saving throw against magic for any command they are given. The only things an intelligent creature cannot do while wearing the Muzzle of Obedience is a> remove the Muzzle themselves and b> harm the owner of the Muzzle. The only things the Muzzle has no effect on are Greater Demons and Deevils, Demon/Deevil Lords, Gods and Dragons.
Dagger; Faldron's Key: A terrifyingly powerful weapon, Faldron's Key can not only cut flesh and sinew, it can cut the very fabric of space and dimensions! When properly activated, Faldron's Key is used to draw/cut a line in thin air which mystically opens a Dimensional Portal as per the Wizard spell. (PFRPG pg 216) The dimension the portal leads to is determined by the desires of the wielder, who must have visited the alternate dimension before, or randomly by the GM, and remains open for 10 minutes, during which time the wielder, as well as anyone else, may enter the portal to the new dimension. When the duration elapses the Portal closes automatically, sealing anyone remaining in the new dimension on the other side. The only real drawbacks... 1> as a weapon, Faldron's Key only inflicts the standard 1d6 damage of a dagger and 2> The Dimensional Portal is a
2-way opening; Whatever is on the other side can come through as well. Faldron's Key may be activated once per day. Proper activation requires the wielder to sacrifice of himself before opening the portal, usually by cutting him/herself with the Key, inflicting at least 5 points of damage before opening the portal.
Cauldron; Beggar's Pot: Appearing as a simple iron cauldron approximately 1 foot across and set on 4 stubby legs, it can be used as any other normal cauldron for cooking or brewing. Its enchantment, however, allows the user to cook ANYTHING. Literally. Any item thrown into the pot, regardless of how inedible, rotten or otherwise incapable of being eaten, can be 'cooked down' and turned into a relatively bland, edible grey mush. Broken bottles, wadded up pieces of paper, a short length of rope, an old shoe, add a couple pints of swamp water, heat and stir and in a couple of hours, viola'! Your party can make it through another day of no rations! While the taste isn't all that great (kinda like runny, unflavored mashed potatoes) it is nutritious enough to sustain a person as a regular meal. Any found, normal item may be used in the pot. Magical items are typically unaffected. (If someone gets the bright idea of throwing a potion or faerie food into the brew, thanks for the contribution, but the item is wasted and has no effect on anyone eating it) As a sort of added benefit, items that are considered poisonous or harmful to eat may be added with no harmful effects as all poisons are negated during the cooking. The mush itself may still be poisoned afterward, of course by adding it to the stuff after it's cooked, but it takes twice as much poison to have any affect and the victim enjoys a +3 to save. Bon apetite'!
Whetstone; Dwarven Stone: Many have speculated on how the secret techniques employed by Dwarves that allow them to produce such superior quality weapons. This particular item may be one of the answers to some of those questions. Appearing as an ordinary circular grindstone vertically mounted on an iron framework, the device is operated with a single footpedal at the base of the frame. Stepping down on an releasing the pedal causes the stone to turn on its axle. The faster the pedal is pressed and released, the faster the stone turns. A small copper bowl hangs in a frame over the stone with a small hole drilled in the bottom of it. When filled with water, the hole lets the water drip onto the stone, keeping it wet while the operator uses it to sharpen whatever weapon he's working on. Using this particular whetstone, however, not only sharpens the weapon, it imbues it with an incredibly sharp blade, granting any weapon honed by it with a bonus of +1 to damage per 15 minutes spent sharpening it, up to a maximum of +4 after a full hour. The user must devote all of his attention to the task at hand, spending the entire hour uninterrupted and never letting the stone go dry. An assistant may be employed to keep the wetting bowl filled (it typically runs dry in about 15 minutes) If the user of the stone stops for any reason, whether by choosing to stop, the Stone running dry or by being forcibly interrupted, the bonuses stop increasing and the stone may never be used to improve that particular weapon again. Please note, the Dwarven Stone does NOT grant any sort of magical bonuses. A normal broadsword sharpened by this device is still a normal weapon. The damage bonus gained is inherrent of being a high quality item. Also, the Stone will not work to improve a magical weapon of any kind, nor does it increase Strike or Parry bonuses.
Coat; D'Argon's Smuggling Jack: Rumored to have been created by an un-named god of stealth and thieves for one of his most devout followers, the Smuggling Jack appears as a very long brown leather coat (nearly touches the floor on most human/elf sized characters) with wide sleeves, a high, stiff collar, brass buttons along the length of the front and brass buckles on the cuffs and waist belt and a fairly loose hood hidden inside a pocket at the back of the neck. It sports 4 outer pockets, 2 large covered pockets at about waist level and 2 smaller uncovered breast pockets. Inside the coat however, is where the best feature lies; it is the entrance to a permanent Dimensional Envelope, similar to the ones created by instinctive Dragon magic. (see Dragons and Gods pg 13) Inside the envelope is a space approximately 10'x10'x6' completely removed from any other dimension with enough breathable air for one or two people to survive for up to 6 hours. Anyone wearing the coat simply buttons it closed, buckles up the belt and cuffs and draws the hood over their head and they are instantly transported into the envelope. To place anything else into it, the wearer simply places the item into the coat as though he were putting it into an inside pocket. retrieving items from the coat requires either fishing around by hand in order to feel out what they are looking for or entering the envelope as previously described. Once the envelope has been entered, exiting is done by either taking down the hood or opening at least half of the buttons on the front of the coat, either of which will return the wearer and the coat to their previous dimension. Anything left inside the envelope is safely stored until retrieved by the wearer. The best part of this item is the rumors that abound of the dozens of priceless treasures that may still be stored in the coat.
Bowl & Dish; The King's Service: Apparently related to the previously noted Cornucopia of the Gods and Chalice of Plenty, the King's Service is a rather plain looking plate and bowl constructed of chased silver. When used to serve food, any poisons of any types are completely negated upon contact with the item making whatever is served on them completely safe for consumption. Even Faerie foods served on these items will have no effect whatsoever on whoever eats from them. It should be noted, however, that the enchantment only works if the food in question is eaten from these items. Poisoned food placed on or in them and then later transferred to another platter will be poisoned again (or still, however you want to look at it)
Chessboard; The Game; One of the few items whose creation is a complete mystery even to me, The Game is a unique and compelling device. Part scrying tool, part manipulative device, The Game consists of a beautiful chessboard constructed of 64 2 inch squares of black and white marble set into a gilt gold base and 2 sets of chess pieces, (2 kings, 2 queens, 4 bishops, 4 knights, 4 rooks and 16 pawns) one carved from black marble with silver accents, the other from white marble with gold accents. Making use of this device is a very dangerous thing because it requires the user to inscribe his or her true name in their own blood on the board. From that point on, the Game functions as a crystal ball for the user. What's more, the user may target exactly who he sees on the board by inscribing their true name on one of the pieces on the board, again in his or her own blood, and placing the piece at its designated square on the board. from that point on, the user need only touch that particular piece to scry that person. When the user of the Game has enough 'players' on the board (at least 2 on each side) he may begin to subtly manipulate events around them for good or ill. For example, the user has a comrade's true name inscribed on one of the knight pieces of the board and, while scrying that person he sees him come under attack. The user may move one of the other pieces on the board into a position that reinforces the knight's position in the game. Suddenly, the user's comrade starts doing better in the battle, whether by subtle combat bonuses to himself, penalties to his enemies or even in the form of some timely interruption or reinforcements coming to save the day. Alternatively, if an enemy happens to be gaining an advantage in some way, a piece on the board may be moved to threaten their representative piece, thus causing some form of misfortune to befall them or even an outright attack by someone/thing. Caution must be used when getting named pieces in the Game to interact with each other. People the user of the Game may consider friends and allies may or may not consider each other the same way. The idea of the Game is
subtlety in manipulation, not overtly forcing someone's actions. If, for any reason, any of the people that have a piece representing them on the board dies, their piece will automatically remove itself from the board. Pieces that are named may also be reset by removing the user's blood from the piece (thus removing that person's true name) and inscribing a new true name as before. The user's blood may only be removed from the pieces with holy water. If the user ever wishes to relinquish control of the board, he must remove his name from the board with holy water and have a successful Remove Curse cast upon it. There are some limitations to moving pieces around on the board; First, all moves must be legal chess moves, bishops moving diagonally on their color squares, rooks along rows and columns in straight lines only, the king one space at a time in any direction and so on and so forth. Second, one side cannot move more than one piece at a time. If your friend's piece is a white knight and you've already moved a white piece, a black piece must be moved before another white one can be moved to help him. And finally, even the Game is not infallible. If your friend is in trouble, even if you help him there is no guarantee that he will win. However, the stronger the piece you can manage to get into place to help him on the board, the more powerful the help he will receive will be. Either way, use caution. (Special note; It is best to keep an item like this out of your players' hands, or at least not let them keep it for very long. The problems it can cause for a GM are enormous unless you have extremely well disciplined players. Best to keep this as an interesting side note for them to try and fight in the hands of a villain)
Cloak; The Shadow: A unique and frightening artifact, the Shadow appears as a long hooded cloak that appears to be made of pure darkness. When worn it begins to write and twist as though it has a life of its own, granting its wearer a Horror/Awe Factor of 12. It also possesses a few strange and terrifying powers.
First, upon command the cloak will erupt with up to a dozen shadowy tendrils that will leap out to ensnare victims to drag back into the dark depths of the cloak. When activated in this way, the user of the cloak sees his Horror Factor raise from 12 to 16. The tendrils have an effective PS of 25 with 50 SDC. Anyone pulled into the cloak is then swallowed whole and bombarded with a relentless assault against the emotional centers of the mind with horrifying images of death, destruction and worse. Victims swallowed must save against magic at 14 or better. After a few seconds (the equivalent of 2 melee attacks) victims are ejected from the cloak. Those that made their save are the lucky ones, shaken up and cold, suffering a -3 to strike, parry, dodge and initiative for 1d4 melee rounds and take 1d6 damage from the cold, but are otherwise unharmed. Those failing to save suffer horribly as they are reduced to gibbering lumps of fear, curled up in a fetal position, barely capable of coherent thought, much less action, reduced to one action per melee (no attacks) -5 to parry or dodge attacks against them and no initiative for 2d4 melee rounds, plus 2d6 damage from bone numbing cold and roll to save against Insanity or gain a random trauma induced insanity.
Second, the cloak can be commanded to engulf a single victim in close proximity, completely swallowing them into the darkness and draining their very life essence. Victims engulfed in the cloak suffer 1d6 damage direct to HP every melee round, getting colder and colder as time in the shadows seems to slow to a crawl, seconds feeling like an eternity, until they are finally ejected at the will of the wearer of the cloak. Survivors must roll to save against trauma induced Insanity and are completely incapacitated after being ejected regardless of how much or little damage was taken, reduced to no attacks or actions for 1d6 rounds. Damage done to engulfed victims is also used to heal the wearer of the cloak of any damage he has sustained, if any. If the wearer is at full HP and SDC. the damage is not absorbed, merely swallowed by the cold darkness. Note; Characters of Good alignment will NEVER kill a person by engulfing them in the cloak.
Drawbacks of the cloak are simple and potentially devastating. Regardless of the wearer's alignment, items and magic that has a particular effect against evil will function against the wearer. Thus, the wearer cannot enter a mystic circle that protects from evil, if a magic weapon does double damage to evil beings it will do double damage to the wearer and so on. The wearer also takes double damage from magical fire, including Dragon's breath, and holy weapons. Holy water and symbols have no adverse effect.
"Well.... that's what I've got. I hope it helps you in your knowledge quest... now, about the payment for my time and services rendered...."
Sure, lions and tigers are stronger...
But I've never seen a wolf jump through hoops in a circus