Tervine's Travels, continued

New Magical Items

Tervine's "Hidden" Items

This is a blanket title for a selection of concealed or disguised magical devices, created by the Archmage Tervine Culver, which reproduce the effects of more ordinary magic items while appearing to be no more than simple, if expensive, jewellery. Wealthy folk across the Known World have purchased examples of these items from Tervine; his back-order list is considerable. A few such items are detailed below:

Tervine's Hatpin Wands

These items, though expensive to make and buy, are extremely popular with female Magi for both their beauty and functionality. A Hatpin Wand is three inches long and made of platinum, with a gemstone for a head. The gem used varies depending on the powers of the Wand, but must be of at least 500 gp value. Any regular wand may be reproduced as a Hatpin Wand (Fireballs, Lightning, Illusion, Polymorphing, Missiles , etc.), although a Hatpin Wand can hold no more than 2-3 charges at once. Fortunately, all such Wands are rechargeable. A Hatpin Wand costs half again as much to create as a normal wand of the same type. See the Rules Cyclopedia for magic item creation costs.

Tervine's Navel Jewels

These are simple, expensive gemstones, cut to fit comfortably in the navel of the wearer, according to the latest popular fashions from Ierendi. Navel Jewels are one-use items, triggered by a command word when touched or held. They are usually designed to reproduce the effects of a particular potion (Gaseous Form, Polymorphing, Healing, etc) - which affects the person touching the stone - or to store a spell (Fireball, Passwall, Hold Person, etc.), which affects the area or persons near the stone when it detonates, according to the spell details. In this latter case, a delay of up to ten seconds is usually programmed in, to allow the user to avoid the effects. When triggered, the Navel Jewel crumbles into dust. Gemstones of at least 500 gp value must be used when creating a Navel Jewel.

Tervine's Enchanted Earrings

These are small hooped earrings, of the type used by women (and men) throughout Mystara. They may be either plain or decorated, but are invariably made of precious metals. Enchanted Earrings function in the same way as more traditional magical finger-rings, and are among the few items which allow the circumvention of the two-ring limit. Only certain "continuous effect" Earrings have so far been produced, including Earrings of Regeneration, Protection +1/+2 (no stronger protection is possible), Fire Protection, and Water Walking. All Enchanted Earrings share the ability to magically "pierce" the ear of the wearer, a painless process which leaves no hole when the Earring is removed. Only one Enchanted Earring may be worn at any time; matching pairs are possible, but the other will be a "powerless" earring (possessing the piercing power, but no other abilities), or perhaps one which functions as a Navel Jewel (see above).

Tervine's Locket Scrollbook

This appears to be a tiny (1" square), padlocked, bejewelled book, worn about the neck on a gold chain, similar to the "holy book" trinkets popular in Thyatis. The "pages" of the Scrollbook are in fact a cunningly folded Spell Scroll, containing up to three spells of the maker's choosing. A Scrollbook is programmed to respond to the touch of its wearer; that person alone may open the padlock and unfold the scroll, a procedure which takes one full combat round. If anyone else attempts to force the lock, the book explodes, causing 1d6 damage to those within 5' and utterly destroying the scroll. A Knock spell will negate the explosive trap for one opening; once it is closed again, the trap resets.

Tervine's Signal-Stone

A simple device, this item is made from a single gemstone (100 gp value or more), enchanted with Tervine's Contagious Communication (see "Spells" for details), then split in two by a blow with a jeweller's chisel. The two halves must be placed against the skin, either in a mount or by some form of glue, of the two individuals who need linking. Thereafter, either one may activate the device by touching it and mentally commanding it to function. The other half will begin to pulse, alerting the wearer, and a message of no more than three syllables may be sent. If the other half is within 1 mile, it allows its wearer to track down the sender of the signal with pinpoint accuracy; conversely, if the two halves are more than 5 miles apart, the link does not function at all. The Signal-Stone may be used up to 1d4+3 times before it is exhausted; at that point, both halves pulse once, then crumble into dust.

Ring of Sorority

This is a thickish band of red gold, decorated with a black enamel representation of a headsman's axe, the holy symbol of the Immortal Tarastia, Patroness of Justice. It detects as magic, but no mortal spell can identify what sort of magic it holds; only donning the ring can do that. Tarastia's worshippers created these rings - there are several dozen in existence - to teach overbearing males what life as a woman could be like. When worn by a (real) woman, the ring has no effect. If donned by a man, however, the Ring of Sorority activates in a flash of light; when the light fades, the male has transformed physically into a female of the same species. The transformation removes excess facial and body hair, cures male pattern baldness, and lightens the voice, but otherwise leaves the transformed man as a female version of himself; a fat, middle-aged man will become a plump, matronly woman. However, the Ring does magically provide the wearer with the ability to move in a feminine manner. The Ring can only be removed by a real woman who knows its nature, and is in her right mind (a Charmed servant cannot remove the ring). The Ring of Sorority's enchantment counts as being cast at 28th level for Dispel Magic purposes. Certain Rings of Sorority are "gifted" with an additional enchantment: if the wearer is a mage, his magical prowess becomes limited to spells of 2nd level or less, in order to prevent him from cancelling the Ring's power himself. Sarabine Meditor's ring is one such. Cursed versions of these rings exist, created either deliberately or by botched enchantments. Each time a cursed ring is donned, the wearer rolls 1d4. On a roll of 1, the transformation is permanent, and cannot be dispelled; the ring becomes non-magical if that happens. A roll of 2-4 means it functions as per a normal Ring of Sorority. Note: It is suspected that Rings of Fraternity might also exist (manufactured, perhaps, by worshippers of the chauvinistic Immortal Rathanos?), with reversed effects, although none have been discovered or identified as such.

Moonbeam

This unique item appears to be a normal sword hilt, sized for a human hand and encrusted with pearls. The grip is wound with platinum wire to allow the hilt to be held securely. The object is attractive to look at, but useless as a weapon - during the day, at least. Beneath a moonlit sky, the magic of Moonbeam becomes apparent: a blade of glimmering moonlight springs into existence, extending from the hilt. This blade has no thickness, and is practically invisible when looked at edge-on. The weapon can slice through most normal, non-magical materials without difficulty; if used to attack living beings, non-magical armour is defenceless against it. Only the creature's natural armour class (AC 9 or 10 for most humans or demi-humans), Dexterity bonuses, and any magical plusses provided by armour are taken into consideration. If the wielder declares that he is aiming for a specific limb and the hit roll succeeds by 10 or more, Moonbeam may sever that limb (or even head) as if it were a Sword of Sharpness or Vorpal Sword. If the target is bound, Held, or otherwise helpless, this called-shot ability is automatic. When used against creatures with magical weapon-resistance (such as gargoyles), the weapon counts as +2, although it provides no bonus to damage. Because the blade is weightless, Moonbeam normally provides +1 to attack rolls. The length of the blade, and the damage it causes, is dependent on the phases of the moon. At quarter-full, Moonbeam is equivalent to a dagger; at half-full, a short sword; at three-quarters full, a longsword/normal sword; and at full moon, a broadsword. On nights when there is no moon in the sky, or it is obscured by heavy cloud cover, Moonbeam does not function at all. Likewise, the blade will disappear if taken underground, although it will operate within above-ground edifices, even within a windowless room. Dispel Magic cast at the blade will negate it for one full turn. Moonbeam's origin is unknown; however, it is suspected that the tritons of the Sea of Dread might have had a hand in its construction, long ago.

Powder of Valerias

Despite its name, this item - a magical, alchemical compound produced in Glantri - has nothing to do with the Immortal Valerias (although her priestesses have been known to make use of it from time to time). The Powder appears to be a fine-ground pinkish substance akin to the face powders made popular by Darokinian ladies. It comes in small, wax-sealed jars, each containing enough Powder for 2d6 applications. The magic of the Powder of Valerias boosts the user's apparent Charisma (or Comeliness, if that attribute is used) by 2 points for up to 8 hours, with all attendant effects. In effect, the Powder casts a potent illusion on the wearer's face, making her (users of this substance are most often female) appear younger and more beautiful for the duration. The illusion fades after 8 hours; the exhausted application of Powder must be washed off before another can be used. The illusion may be cancelled by the caster at any time, simply by washing off the Powder. Since the effects of the Powder of Valerias are illusory, they can be Dispelled; if this is attempted, the illusion should be treated as if cast by an 18th level Mage. Touching the wearer's face will not disrupt the illusion, however, and attempts to disbelieve suffer a -2 penalty. A person using Truesight can see through the illusion easily. Note that so-called "cursed" versions of the Powder are possible, usually because of botched manufacturing processes. These cause the user to lose 2 points of Charisma/Comeliness for the duration. This may, of course, be washed off with ease, unless the Powder was actually, deliberately cursed, in which case the illusion is permanent until dispelled. The botched version of the Powder, however, can still be useful to disguise the wearer, and is in demand by certain people for that very purpose.

New Spells

Skittering Sparks

Level: 1

Range: 60'

Duration: 2 rounds

Effect: creates 2-6 sparks

This is a basic attack spell, adapted from both the Magic Missile and Lightning Bolt enchantments. When cast, the spell creates 1d4+2 electrical sparks which dance and leap about the caster's fingers as if alive. The caster may fire off as many Skittering Sparks as desired each round, at any targets within range - either by hurling all Sparks at one target, or splitting them up at will. The Sparks require a successful "to hit" roll to strike (unless the target wears metal armour, in which case they hit automatically), causing 2 hp damage each.

Each target struck by a Skittering Spark must Save vs. Spells or be stunned for 1 round, unable to take any action until the effect wears off. The effect is not cumulative; a single target struck by 5 Sparks in a single round must make a saving throw for each, but will still only be stunned for a single round. Undead creatures, constructs, and Elemental creatures are not affected by the stunning effect.

Any Sparks left unused at the end of the spell's duration fade away harmlessly.

Plain Sight

Level: 2

Range: Caster

Duration: 1d6+6 Turns

Effect: Renders single item unnoticeable

This is an improved-duration variant on the 1st-level spell Low Profile (see Tome of Mystara Issue 1 for details), designed to cause intelligent creatures to overlook a worn or carried item. The item concerned radiates an aura of disinterest; those who do see it will look away immediately and instantly forget its existence. Note that this only applies to items worn or carried passively; a Plain Sight-affected sword will not remain protected if swung above the wielder's head, for example. Using an item in combat negates the spell instantly.

The spell has no effect on mindless (low-level Undead, constructs) or animal-intelligence creatures; similarly, creatures with superhuman intelligence (above 18) can easily perceive the item. Since Plain Sight affects the mind directly, special visual abilities such as Infravision do not enable the viewer to bypass the spell's effects, although Detect Invisible and Truesight work normally. The spell cannot fool tactile impressions, however, and will not hold up if the bearer of the item is strip-searched.

Plain Sight is most commonly used to get around the "no weapons to be worn" laws which are prevalent in certain civilised countries. It is also quite useful when smuggling a single small item through customs (or past bandit troops).

Sleepwalk

Level: 6

Range: Touch

Duration: special

Effect: somnambulistic Geas

Created centuries ago by the expatriate Glantrian wizard Urmakan Delorna, this spell was believed lost for centuries; however, recent events make it obvious that the spell has once again come to light.

Casting Sleepwalk requires a fresh-laid egg from a bird capable of simulating human speech - a mynah bird, a parrot, or some other, similar creature. The caster must hold this egg in both hands, and whisper the purpose of the spell to it, over and over; this process takes an hour. At the end of that duration, the egg is broken and the contents drunk down in one by the caster; this completes the spell. The caster then has precisely one hour to touch his chosen victim, transferring the purpose to that person, or the spell is wasted. The target is entitled to a saving throw vs. spells at -2 to resist the spell.

This unpleasant Geas variant creates a secondary personality in the target, which lies dormant during the hours of wakefulness. While the victim sleeps, however, the Sleepwalk persona takes over, fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. Although this task may be anything, from building a house to writing a novel, the spell is most often used for darker purposes; specifically, for murder.

Unlike a standard Charm, the Sleepwalk-enchanted person will calmly perform any act, no matter how vile, even if the body's normal persona would consider such an act to be utterly repugnant. The secondary persona can utilise any skills, powers, or spells possessed by the primary with the same level of skill, and has access to the same memories, although it is free to ignore any emotional attachments or responses - indeed, a complete lack of emotion is often the only way of telling that the second persona is in charge, not the first. The Sleepwalk personality can only remain in control for a maximum of eight hours per night, and will usually try to return the body to its bed before that duration ends. Part of the spell's magic allows it to refresh the body during the personality-shift phase, so that increasing tiredness does not give away the spell's existence.

The spell is broken when the Geased task is completed, with the victim none the wiser that he was ever affected - unless his body took damage during its night excursions, or was held captive until he awoke. If the task is open-ended, however, only spellbreaking enchantments can free the poor unfortunate. A Dispel Magic (cast by a Mage at least two levels higher than the caster of the Sleepwalk) or Dispel Evil can shatter the spell, immediately waking the victim. However, such a violent end has a 35% chance of giving the formerly-enchanted person all the memories of his second persona's actions; if these were sufficiently horrific, the distraught victim might well go insane or commit suicide.

Casting Sleepwalk is not an inherently evil act; it is the purpose to which the spell is put which determines its alignment.

Orfeo's Choir

Level: 8

Range: special

Duration: see below

Effect: summons extra-planar being

This grisly spell is truly ancient; its creation is attributed, rightly or wrongly, to the mage-musician Orfeo Merelakys, who lived during the height of the outer-world Milenian Empire; but its roots may extend even further back, to the time of the Taymoran Empire. No one still living knows from where the spell truly came; few enough know of the spell's existence at all. The spell's purpose is to summon up Entropic Fiends to serve the caster (or possibly Servitors of the Outer beings, if these are used in your campaign).

The spell requires the gathering of twelve severed heads (the "choir" the spell's name refers to), which must be fairly fresh - no more than six weeks dead - or preserved in some way, perhaps by mummification. The heads must come from spellcasting humanoids, such as human wizards (not Clerics), Elves, or some other spellcasting race, and should ideally be female. Each one has a different glyph painted on its forehead in blood, and are arranged around a binding-circle, facing inwards (the glyphs are from the ancient Taymoran symbology, giving further weight to that theory of the spell's origins).

When ready, the caster must walk around the circle three times, touching each head in order and speaking the words of the spell as he does so. When this is done, the eyes (or empty sockets) of the heads start to glow with a sickly light, and they animate, murmuring the words of the spell - including the True Name of the being the caster wishes to summon - over and over, both volume and pitch rising constantly until the heads are screaming the words in a ghastly, discordant wail (observers, other than the caster, must Save vs. Spell at -2; failure inflicts the equivalent of a Cause Fear spell upon them. A roll of 2 or less causes the unlucky person to instead collapse, unconscious; when they awake, they will be Feebleminded from the horror of the spell).

At the spell's climax - which can take up to an hour for a particularly powerful Fiend or Servitor - the heads give a soul-rending screech, and light floods from their eyes to fill the binding-circle, creating a Gate for the Fiend to enter through. Once the summoning is complete, the Choir's voices drop to barely-audible murmurs, just enough to keep the Fiend entrapped until a bargain can be struck. Note that the Fiend will require a hefty payment, both for its services and to appease it for being summoned in this fashion.

The same heads, if preserved in some way, can be used again for another casting of the spell. However, the stress of channelling the spell means that each head has a cumulative 20% chance, for each casting after the first, of exploding in mid-chant, either ruining the spell completely or freeing the summoned being to wreak havoc on the Prime Plane, beginning with the caster...

Use of this spell is an extremely evil act.

Tervine's Contagious Communication

Level: 4

Range: Touch

Duration: Special

Effect: Enchants small objects

This spell exploits the thaumaturgical Law of Contagion ("once together, always together") to allow two or more beings to remain in contact over considerable distances. Tervine uses this spell to enchant his Signal-Stones (see "Items" for details).

The spell requires a small valuable item, such as a gemstone, as a focus; the caster must hold the item in hand during casting. The spell lies dormant within the item until it is broken into two pieces (or more, depending on the item), whereupon it activates, allowing the holders of each piece to communicate with each other. Once broken, the spell expires when its "charges" are used up or one month has passed, whichever comes first. Items enchanted by this spell do not survive the Day of Dread, unless imbued with Improved Permanence or one of its variants.

The "basic" spell is designed to create Signal-Stones, with effects as outlined elsewhere; other items may be enchanted, with variations in communication-distance, type of message, number of words transmitted, etcetera, by altering the wording used when casting, although these variants should be memorised as part of the spell - the caster may not alter the parameters of a memorised spell. The DM should decide whether the changes required would increase the effective level of the spell to 5th level or higher, in which case the caster must research the altered version as an entirely new spell.

Note: Tervine devised this spell only recently; impressed with the efficiency of thaumaturgy, he now plans to devise further magics based on both the Laws of Contagion and Similarity.

Tervine's Magus-Eye

Level: 4

Range: 60'

Duration: 6 Turns

Effect: Creates moveable, invisible eye

This variation on the standard Wizard Eye spell shares many of the same characteristics; it creates an invisible, floating eyeball, the size of a human eye, through which the caster can see, and provides Infravision to a range of 60'. It can float through the air at up to 120' per turn, but cannot travel through solid surfaces, nor move beyond its normal range away from the caster.

Tervine's variant has three major differences: firstly, it has one-quarter of the original's range. Secondly, the caster may move, up to a brisk walk, while moving the Eye ahead of him, although running while manipulating the Eye is beyond his ability. Finally, and most importantly, the Magus-Eye grants its caster the ability to see enchantments, in the form of swirling magical auras. This includes spells cast on living creatures or inanimate objects, either helpful (Shield, Protection from Evil, etc.) or otherwise (Curse, Charm Person, etc.), as well as spell effects "cast" by magic items. It does not include the permanent magical qualities of most magic items (a Sword +1, for example); such items appear "dead", unless some spell has been cast upon them.

Copyright 1999, Carl Quaif. All rights reserved. Used by permission.