I'd also like comments on whether this idea for a trinket line: combat action figures. Basically they'd be little dolls about 3-6" tall, and they can magically animate to do battle with one another, possibly even responding to their owners commands. I think that part is pretty good, but I'm wondering if it would be too silly/modern if each one actually has stats (that only apply in action figure combat) and you collect them and pit them against those of other players for wealth and fun. Perhaps the standard rule is that whoever wins the battle gets to keep one of the figures that was defeated?
I might have players running into A'kin at his shop before too long, so I was wondering about your ideas for fun magical trinkets to put in the store. I'm not looking for anything with any combat value, nor anything that is obviously useful for general adventuring.
In my own campaign A'kin has the market cornered on expensive magical and mundane... well... junk. Expensive knick-nacks and dust collectors from across the infinite planes. Everything from chocolate mephits (made from real mephit!) to a talking stuffed slaadi head to arcadian mints. He's also got practical stuff too, but all of that's in the back room(s) of the shop. But ask, ask for nearly anything you can think of, and he's likely to have it then or in short order.
I'd also like comments on whether this idea for a trinket line: combat action figures. Basically they'd be little dolls about 3-6" tall, and they can magically animate to do battle with one another, possibly even responding to their owners commands.
Sounds similar to the animated factol and Sigil personalities dolls in my own campaign that A'kin made.
I use A'kin as a means for them to ID magic items. I don't have magic shops in my game except for his junk shop. So when my players finally found A'kins "magic shop" they had a field day trying to find something useful to buy. I dread each time they go there because I don't want them to actually buy anything, but it's hard to come up with so many ideas for worthless junk on the spot when players are looking to buy an item from him.
I try to use color changing items, slight temperature changing items (like heated gloves to keep your hands warm or a cup that cools down water as if you put ice cubs in it), or maybe things like a bowl that adds a spicey flavor to food you put in it.
Maybe we can do a "1001 Friendly Fiend inventory list" thread to stock his shelves :D
A word of caution, don't get the earings that are attuned to feeling guilty. Once you have one moment of remorse, the damn things won't shut up until you take them off. I can still hear my mother saying, "I've raised you better than to feel bad about yourself." Makes me feel lousy every time.
Ring of Trivial Decisions
Once per day, the ring of trivial decisions can be commanded to provide advice regarding an apparently trivial decision. If any obvious gain or loss is to be had by the choice, the ring's use for that day is wasted and no advice is provided. If a decision between two apparently equal and non-hazardous options is provided for the ring's consideration (a choice between two lanes at a drive-through, for a modern example), the ring will invariably provide advice about which one will result in the least harm to the wearer. To continue with the modern example it will tell you to get in the right lane because you will get your sandwich 10 seconds faster and therefore have another car attempt to occupy the same space as your car half a mile down the road.
Failure to take the ring's advice always ends in an accident ranging from minor (bending over to pick up a copper and tearing your trousers) to major (getting bumped while pinching that penny and falling into the path of an oncoming cart). The accident is never a direct result of the decision, but in retrospect, choosing the other option would have caused the situation to be completely avoided.
Some speculation suggests that the ring is actually a cursed item that causes misfortune to those who go against its whims.
For his less useful stuff:
Clothing that changes colour according to surroundings... But instead of blending in they take on the exact opposite colour.
singing mechanical birds.
A book with blank pages that writes down conversations within a 30-foot radius.
Small abyssal rocks, has no special qualities except that they radiate a faint aura of chaotic evil.
-A book: 7,126,938 Uses for Extra Money. None of them involve buying stuff.
-An eternally beating squid heart. Sure, it's dry now, but put that thing in a cup of blood and watch it squirt!
-An angry little man. We're not sure whether it's a tiny construct or an actual person, but boy is he upset over something.
-A four foot long bar magnet. No, I don't know why you'd need a magnet that big. Oh, keep it away from Mechanus.
-A plot hole. It looks a lot like a portable hole, but it causes horrible discontinuities around it. Doesn't help against the Lady or Xaosmen, though.
-A box o' reality puddle. Straight from the inner planes! Get a bit of liquified stuff.
-A miniature wind-up ninja. You never know when you'll need an eight inch tall clockwork assassin.
-An unending night of action. This isn't really an item, exactly. And we suspect it involves chronomancy, which is illegal in most towns. Still, if you need a whole lot of action for something, this is the way to go.
-Sunglasses of vampire protection. Yes. They actually protect a vampire from sunlight when worn. Vampires still tan rather horribly, though.
-Wind-up teeth of assassination. Similar to the miniature wind-up ninja, but these just hop about and kill people. They're kind of messy, but effective.
-A wooden spoon of discipline. Hitting someone with it makes them repentant of whatever it is they just did.
-A politeness stick. It's used to knock the rude out of people.
-A literacy stick. Similar in theme to the politeness stick, this one enhances a person's ability to read, at the expense of some hit points. We're not sure the fix is permanent, though.
-A bottle o' maple syrup of waffle throwing. Just apply a bit of syrup to a waffle, and transform that delectable breakfast food into a deadly projectile. Keep away from children.
-A shrunken Arabian man in a bottle. We're not sure where this 'Arabia' is, but the man doesn't seem to be too happy about being stuck in the bottle.
-A blender of hellish pureeing. Make sure not to stick your hand in there, even if it's turned off. Trust me on that one.
-A bracelet of random outrageous accents. This one is a fun roleplaying aid.
-A cloak of indefinitely blowing wind. What bard could do without this?
-An angry raincloud. This floats above some berk's head and constantly rains on him. Be cautioned, though, it can eventually be convinced to move on to a different victim.
-Scrolls of invoking nobody. Why invoke the power of the Lord of the Ninth when you can invoke nobody at all? It doesn't give any neat benefits, but it also doesn't leave you with the feeling that you owe a favour to the embodiment of law and evil.