Minor artifacts cannot be created by Golarion's enchanters. They are rare, wondrous devices forged by gods.
The Beacon of True Faith is an ornate torch made of electrum. The torch holds an undying magical flame that requires no fuel or air, and in the hands of most creatures it functions as an everburning torch.
When held by a divine spellcaster, outsider, or a creature of especially strong religious faith (GM’s discretion, but usually requiring an Edge or ability reflecting this devotion), the beacon gains additional powers based on the bearer’s alignment.
Good (white flame): Allies within 5" (10 yards) of the beacon gain the benefits of minor deflection against Evil creatures.
Evil (black flame): The bearer gains minor deflection and can cast major bolt against a Good creature twice per day.
Weight: 2 lbs; Destruction: The Beacon of True Faith is destroyed if its bearer turns against the worship of his deity to willingly embrace an opposite alignment.
This mysterious work allows anyone to cast spells directly from its pages, whether they have an Arcane Background or not. Those who can’t already use powers, however, permanently reduce their Vigor one die type the first time they attempt to do so.
A book of infinite spells contains 10 pages. The nature of each page is determined by a d6 roll: 1–3 arcane; 4–6 divine. Determine the exact spell on each page randomly.
Once a page is turned, it can never be flipped back—paging through a book of infinite spells is a one-way trip. If the book is closed, it always opens to the page it was on before. When the last page is turned, the book vanishes.
Once per day, the owner of the book can cast the spell to which the book is opened without spending any Power Points. If that power is listed in the character’s Arcane Background, she can cast it up to four times per day. The pages cannot be ripped out without destroying the book—the magic is bound within the very being of the tome.
Each time a spell is cast, the page automatically turns on a d6 roll of 1.
Weight: 3 lbs; Destruction: The book of infinite spells can be destroyed when the current page contains the dispel power, by casting the spell on the book itself.
A deck of many things, both beneficial and malign, is usually found in a box or leather pouch. Each deck contains a number of cards or plaques made of ivory or vellum, engraved with glyphs, characters, and sigils. As soon as a card is drawn from the pack, its magic is bestowed on the person who drew it, for better or worse.
A user must announce how many cards she will draw before she activates the item. Cards must be drawn within one hour of each other, and a character can never draw from the deck any more cards than she announced.
If she does not willingly draw her allotted number (or if she’s somehow prevented from doing so), the cards flip out of the deck on their own. If the Idiot or Jester is drawn, the possessor of the deck may elect to draw additional cards (see below).
Each time a card is taken from the deck, it’s replaced (making it possible to draw the same card twice) unless the draw is the Jester or the Fool, in which case the card is discarded from the pack.
A deck of many things contains 22 cards (you can use real tarot cards if you like, as indicated in the second column of the table below). If no tarot deck is available, substitute ordinary playing cards instead (indicated in the third column) and redraw as needed.
The effects of each card are described on the table.
Weight: —; Destruction: The deck of many things can be destroyed by losing it in a wager with a deity of law. The deity must be unaware of the nature of the deck.
CARD PLAYING CARD EFFECTS
Balance Two, spades The character must change to a different alignment. If she fails to act according to the new alignment, she suffers Energy Drain (Spirit).
Comet Two, diamonds If the character single-handedly defeats the next hostile monster or monsters encountered, she gains an Advancement.
Donjon Ace, spades The character is immediately imprisoned—either by a powerful spell or by some powerful being (GM’s call). In addition, all gear is stripped from the victim in any case. Draw no more cards.
Euryale Queen, spades The character suffers a permanent curse (e.g. –1 to Soak rolls, GM’s call) that only the Fates card or a deity can remove.
The Fates Ace, hearts The character may avoid a single event, as the fabric of reality unravels and respins. This doesn’t enable something to happen, only stop something from happening or reverse a past occurrence. The reversal is only for the one who drew the card; others have to endure the event.
Flames Queen, clubs Gain an Outsider (GM’s call) as an enemy. The enmity of the outsider can’t be ended until one of the parties has been slain. The outsider attacks the character (or plagues her life in some way) within d20 days.
Fool Joker, trademark Lose the most recent Advance, immediately. Draw again. This card is always discarded when drawn, unlike all others except the Jester.
Gem Two, hearts Gain 25 pieces of jewelry or 50 gems. The jewelry is worth 2,000 gp each, and the gems are worth 1,000 gp each.
Idiot Two, clubs Reduce Smarts by one die type. Draw again, if desired. Jester Joker (plain) Gain one Advance OR draw up to two more cards. This card is always discarded when drawn, unlike all others except the Fool.
Key Queen, hearts Gain a magic weapon appropriate for the hero (GM’s call). It suddenly appears out of nowhere in the character’s hand.
Knight Jack, hearts Gain a loyal ally—a Seasoned fighter (same ancestry as the hero). The fighter appears out of nowhere and serves loyally until death.
Moon Queen, diamonds Gain 1d4 uses of wish. This card bears the image of a moon with its phase indicating the number of wishes (full = four; gibbous = three; half = two; quarter = one). These wishes must be used within a number of minutes equal to the number received.
Rogue Jack, spades One of the character’s friends is totally alienated and made forever hostile. The GM can choose to substitute some powerful personage (or community, or religious order). The hatred is secret until the time is ripe for it to be revealed with devastating effect.
Ruin King, spades When drawn, all nonmagical possessions of the drawer are lost.
Skull Jack, clubs A wraith appears. The character must fight it alone—if others help, they get dread wraiths to fight as well. If the character is slain, she’s slain forever and cannot be revived, even with wish.
Star Jack, diamonds Gain +2 to all rolls for a Trait he has at least a d4 in already (GM’s call).
Sun King, diamonds Gain one Advance and a strong magical item that’s useful(GM’s call).
Talons Ace, clubs When this card is drawn, every magic item owned or possessed by the character is instantly and irrevocably lost, except for the deck.
Throne King, hearts The character gains +2 to Persuasion rolls. Gain a small stronghold (GM’s call). The stronghold appears in any open area she wishes (but the decision where to place it must be made within 1 hour).
Vizier Ace, diamonds The character can call on a source of wisdom to solve any single problem or answer fully any question on her request. The query or request must be made within one year.
The Void King, clubs This black card spells instant disaster. The character’s body slips into a coma, but her psyche is trapped in a prison somewhere—in an object on a far plane. A wish does not bring the character back, instead merely revealing the plane of entrapment. Draw no more cards.
The guillotines known as the final blades have become symbols of Galt and the bloody excesses of the Red Revolution, yet the first of these horrific devices were actually built to serve the cause of justice.
The final blades were originally designed to provide a condemned prisoner a swift and painless death, but also to prevent the resurrection of said victim by trapping her soul within the guillotine’s blade on execution. Every blade has a unique appearance and citizens speak of them as if they are people. In speaking of a condemned prisoner, someone might say, “He’ll lie with Bloody Jaine before the sun falls.”
Only a Large or smaller helpless (or willing) creature can be executed by a final blade. When a final blade scythes down, its supernaturally sharp blade decapitates the target, killing him immediately.
A creature slain by this artifact has their soul bound to the blade. A final blade has no limit to the number of souls it can hold. It’s possible to release a soul from a final blade to allow that creature to be resurrected, but the ritual involved is a closely guarded secret known only to the Gray Gardeners.
Weight: 1,000 lbs; Destruction: Though the final blades are minor artifacts, they can be destroyed by damage. They all have Hardness 20. When one is destroyed, the trapped souls explode in a wave of necromantic power—some of these souls manifest as incorporeal undead and immediately attack all living creatures in sight. The number and nature of these angry souls varies.
At first sight, the knucklebone appears to be nothing more than a piece of bone worn
down to a near sphere, but when a creature picks it up, its true power and nature become apparent. The viewer now sees that the bone is a perfectly shaped die with 20 sides, each face bearing a glowing red symbol of power.
When the creature rolls the die, instead of falling to the floor it rolls upward in mid-air, stopping at the eye level of the creature who rolled it. It then takes its effect, based on the side immediately facing its caster.
Roll a 20-sided die to determine the effect (see the Knucklebone of Fickle Fortune table). For effects that are lost if the die is rolled again (such as #17) or a specific result is rolled (such as #14), the character is aware of this restriction.
Weight: —; Destruction: The Knucklebone of Fickle Fortune disappears if its Eha-Zah face (a 20 on the die) comes up on 20 consecutive rolls. Some sages believe that this does not destroy the artifact, and it instead reappears at some random spot in the world, but such knowledge is purely conjecture, for it is not known whether anyone has accomplished this improbable task.
D20 RUNE NAME EFFECT
1 Eya-Doh The unfortunate roller loses his most recent Advance.
2 Bvu The character makes a Spirit check at –4 or roll again.
3 Eij The roller suffers 10d6+6 damage.
4 Hor The roller must immediately roll three more times (unless he makes a Spirit check at –4). All three rolls are made with a –5 penalty (to a minimum of 1).
5 Veh The character gains the Blind Hindrance.
6 Chu The hero is flash frozen, suffering 4d6 damage and reducing his Pace by 3 for the next hour.
7 Roh Rolling this causes the character to suffer a –2 penalty to all Trait rolls for 24 hours.
8 Seh The character is paralyzed for the next 2d12 hours.
9 Kog For the next week, the character emits a horrible smell. She suffers a –2 penalty to Persuasion and Stealth checks.
10 Vis The hero gains the Luck Edge for the next 24 hours.
11 Fyeh The character ignores the next four Wounds caused by fire.
12 Xal For the next 24 hours, the character adds +1 to all Trait rolls.
13 Yaq The character deals an additional d6 damage on melee attacks for 24 hours.
14 Gib Once in the next 24 hours, the character may force an invisible creature to become visible or a visible creature to gain the Blind Hindrance. This ability is lost if the user gets this result again before the 24 hours is concluded.
15 Xku The character is immune to Fear for the next 24 hours.
16 Lev Once in the next 24 hours, the user may cast major burst with the Greater Burst modifier (lightning bolt, Stream Template). This ability is lost if the character rolls this result again before the 24 hours is concluded.
17 Nhi For the next week, when the character is the target of healing, he recovers an additional Wound. This effect is lost if the character rolls the knucklebone again before the week is up.
18 Zmi For the next 24 hours, the character automatically passes Trait rolls to resist powers.
19 Tem For the next 24 hours, the character gets a raise for every 2 points above the Target Number (rather than 4).
20 Eha–Zah The next time this character dies, he comes back from the dead the very next morning. This effect is negated if the character rolls the knucklebone again before he dies.
The Perfect Golden Lute is said to be a flawless instrument; its tone and clarity unrivaled. It is an instrument so fine it practically performs itself, granting anyone who plays it a +4 bonus on Performance checks (this does not apply to activating a power).
The lute grants its user the Countersong and Dirge of Doom Edges. If the user of the Perfect Golden Lute has the Bard Class Edge, he adds +2 to Performance rolls made to activate his bard powers.
Weight: 3 lbs; Destruction: The Perfect Golden Lute shatters into splinters if a day passes in which no music is played within 1,000 miles of it, or if its bearer is killed by a bard.
This rare substance appears to be an ordinary piece of sooty, blackish rock. If the stone is broken open (Hardness 14) however, a cavity is revealed at the stone’s heart. The cavity is lined with a magical type of quicksilver that enables anyone with at least a d6 in Academics to transmute base metals (iron and lead) into silver and gold. A single philosopher’s stone can turn up to 5,000 pounds of iron into silver (worth 25,000 gp), or up to 1,000 pounds of lead into gold (worth 50,000 gp). The quicksilver becomes unstable once the stone is opened and loses its potency within 24 hours, so all transmutations must take place within that period.
The quicksilver found in the center of the stone may also be put to another use. If mixed with any healing potion while the substance is still potent, it creates a special oil of life that acts as resurrection for any dead body it’s sprinkled on.
Weight: 3 lbs; Destruction: The philosopher’s stone can be destroyed by being placed in the heel of a titan’s boot for at least one entire week.
A sphere of annihilation is a globe of absolute blackness two feet in diameter. Any matter that comes in contact with a sphere is instantly sucked into the void and utterly destroyed. Only the direct intervention of a deity can restore an annihilated character.
A sphere of annihilation is static, resting in a spot as if it were a normal hole. It can be caused to move, however, by mental effort (a mundane form of telekinesis). A character’s ability to gain control of a sphere of annihilation (or to keep controlling one) is based on a Spirit roll at -4 (an action). If successful, the character can move the sphere (perhaps to bring it into contact with an enemy) as a limited free action.
Control of a sphere can be established from up to 6” (12 yards) away. Once control is established, it must be maintained by continuing to make control checks each round. For as long as a character maintains control in subsequent rounds, he can control the sphere from a distance of 10”. The sphere is Pace 3 (4 with a raise on the Spirit roll).
If a control check fails, the sphere slides 2” (12 feet) in the direction of the character attempting to move it. If two or more creatures vie for control of a sphere of annihilation, the rolls are opposed. If none are successful, the sphere slips toward the one who rolled lowest.
See also talisman of the sphere.
Weight: —; Destruction: Should a plane shift spell be cast on a sphere of annihilation, there’s a 50% chance (01–50 on d%) the spell destroys it, a 35% chance (51–85) the spell does nothing, and a 15% chance (86–100) a gap is torn in the spatial fabric, catapulting everything within a 180-foot radius into another plane.
If a rod of negation touches a sphere of annihilation, they negate each other in a tremendous explosion. Everything within a 60-foot radius takes 2d6 × 1 0 points of damage.
Dispel has no effect on a sphere.
The Spindle of Perfect Knowledge is a large, bright, and flawless marquise-cut diamond ioun stone the size of a halfling’s fist. The gemstone would be a treasure in itself even if it lacked magic, but it is also a powerful ioun stone.
The Spindle of Perfect Knowledge functions like a major headband of mental superiority and grants the wearer +2 to two random Smarts-based skills. The wearer may communicate and understand all languages and can cast mind reading and mind link with a d8 as his casting die.
Weight: —; Destruction: The Spindle of Perfect Knowledge is destroyed if worn by a mindless creature for an entire year.
A long wooden staff, shod in iron and inscribed with sigils and runes of all types, this potent artifact contains many spell powers (using Smarts or Spellcasting) and other functions. Unlike a normal staff, a staff of the magi holds 50 charges and cannot be recharged normally. Some of its powers use charges while others don’t. A staff of the magi does not lose its powers if it runs out of charges.
The following powers don’t use charges:
Detect arcana
Light
The following powers drain 1 charge per usage:
Dispel
Blast with AP 4 (fireball)
Blast with Lingering Damage (ice storm)
Bolt with Damage (lightning bolt)
Invisibility
Barrier with Damage (6” long (26 foot) wall of fire)
Protection
These powers drain 2 charges per usage:
Growth (The target gains +3 Size)
Plane shift
Summon ally (sentinel)
Telekinesis
Additional Abilities: A staff of the magi gives the wielder the Arcane Resistance Edge. The staff can also be used to absorb arcane spell energy directed at its wielder, as a rod of absorption does. Unlike the rod, this staff converts Power Points into charges rather than retaining them. If the staff absorbs enough Power Points to exceed its limit of 50 charges, it explodes as if a retributive strike had been performed (see below). The wielder has no idea how many Power Points are cast at her, for the staff does not communicate this knowledge as a rod of absorption does. (Thus, absorbing spells can be risky).
Retributive Strike: A staff of the magi can be broken as an intentional and retributive strike. This takes an action but no roll is necessary. All charges currently in the staff are instantly released in a 6” (12 yard) spread.
Every being in a Large Blast Template takes Xd6 damage, where X is the number of charges left in the staff. This can be Evaded, but those who evade still take half damage.
The character breaking the staff rolls a d6. On a 4 + , he’s safely shunted to another plane of existence (and must then find his own way back). On a 1–3, the staff’s incredible energy disintegrates him.
Weight: 5 lbs; Destruction: A staff of the magi can be broken for a retributive strike. Such an act must be purposeful and declared by the wielder.
A good, divine spellcaster (someone who uses Faith as their arcane skill) who possesses this item can cause a flaming crack to open at the feet of an evil divine spellcaster who is up to 100 feet away. The intended victim is swallowed up forever and sent hurtling to the center of the earth.
The wielder of the talisman must be good, and if he’s not exceptionally pure in thought and deed, the evil character gains an Evasion check to leap away from the crack. The target must be standing on solid ground for this item to function.
A talisman of pure good has six charges. If a neutral divine spellcaster touches one of these stones, he takes 3d6 damage per round of contact. If an evil divine spellcaster touches one, he takes 6d6 damage per round of contact. All other characters are unaffected by the device.
Weight: —; Destruction: The talisman of pure good can be destroyed by placing it in the mouth of a holy man who died while committing a truly heinous act of his own free will.
Any character touching a Talisman of Reluctant Wishes must make a Spirit check at -2. If the roll fails, the talisman acts as a stone of weight (see page 120). Discarding it results in 5d6 damage to the character and the disappearance of the talisman.
With success, the talisman remains with the character for 5d6 hours, or until a wish is made with it, whichever comes first. It then disappears.
With a raise, the talisman remains for a number of months equal to the character’s current Spirit, resisting any effort to get rid of it by reappearing in the character’s possession, in a back
pocket, at the bottom of his pack, or the like.
The artifact grants a number of wishes (as the wish power) equal to the character's Spirit when he picked it up. It grows warm and throbs whenever its possessor comes within 20 feet of a mechanical or magic trap. (If the talisman is not held, its warning heat and pulses are of no avail.)
Regardless of which reaction results, a Talisman of Reluctant Wishes disappears when its time expires, leaving behind a large diamond in its stead, valued at 1,000 gp x the character's Spirit.
Weight: 1 lb; Destruction: A Talisman of Reluctant Wishes can be destroyed by wishing it so, using either one of the stone’s wishes or a wish spell from another source. The stone then explodes, causing 5d6 damage to the holder.
This small adamantine loop and handle is typically fitted with a fine adamantine chain so that it can be worn about as a necklace. A talisman of the sphere is worse than useless to those unable to cast arcane spells—such individuals take 3d6 damage merely from picking up and holding a talisman of this sort.
When held by an arcane spellcaster concentrating on controlling a sphere of annihilation, a talisman of the sphere grants the wearer +4 to their Spirit roll.
If the wielder of a talisman establishes control, he only needs to check for control every other round thereafter. If control is not established, the sphere moves toward him. Note that while many spells and effects of cancellation have no effect on a sphere of annihilation, the talisman’s power of control can be suppressed or canceled.
Weight: 1 lb; Destruction: A talisman of the sphere can only be destroyed by throwing the item into a sphere of annihilation.
An evil divine spellcaster (someone who uses Faith as their arcane skill) who possesses this item can cause a flaming crack to open at the feet of a good divine spellcaster up to 100 feet away. The intended victim is swallowed up forever and sent hurtling to the center of the earth.
The wielder of the talisman must be evil, and if she’s not exceptionally foul and perverse in the sights of her evil deity, the good character may make an Evasion roll to leap from harm’s way. The target must be standing on solid ground for this item to function.
A talisman of ultimate evil has six charges. If a neutral divine spellcaster touches one of these stones, she takes 4d6 damage every round of contact. If a good divine spellcaster touches one, she takes 6d6 damage per round of contact. All other characters are unaffected by the device.
Weight: —; Destruction: If a talisman of ultimate evil is given to the newborn child of a redeemed villain, it instantly crumbles to dust.
Major artifacts are unique items—only one of each exists, and the creation of them is beyond all mortal means.
This is a dwarven waraxe (Str+d6+1 , AP 3, Accurate, Damaging, Throwing, Bane (goblin), Keen). Any dwarf who holds it doubles the range of his or her darkvision. Any nondwarf who grasps the Axe subtracts 2 from their Persuasion rolls while the axe is held. The wielder of the axe can summon an elder earth elemental to aid him (Duration 20 rounds) once per week.
Weight: 12 lbs; Destruction: The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords rusts away to nothing if it’s ever used by a goblin to behead a dwarven king.
The Bottle of the Bound is an ancient brass bottle with a narrow neck and a rounded belly, slightly flattened on the bottom so it stands upright when resting on a table. The bottle’s tight-fitting stopper is engraved with sigils of binding and sealed with lead.
Legends say a wizard of tremendous power and wisdom enchanted a fiendish army and trapped it within the bottle for all time. The Legion of the Bound may be called forth from the bottle by its wielder and forced to serve, as they were once commanded to build a fantastic ancient city, long since buried beneath the dust of the ages.
A would-be wielder of the Bottle of the Bound must know three secret commands: the Word of Opening to unseal the bottle so the stopper can be removed; the Word of Binding to call forth and command its denizens; and the Word of Banishment to return the Bound Ones to the bottle.
A holder who knows the words may use the bottle like a summon ally spell that automatically summons an evil servant who remains until the sun next rises or sets, and no new creatures can be summoned from the bottle until the initial summoned creatures’ destruction or return (this can be done as long as there are any inhabitants in the bottle).
No known force can open the bottle without the Word of Opening. If the bottle is opened without the use of the Word of Binding, its 666 inhabitants are freed, one each minute starting from simple companions up to minions of legendary strength (see Bodyguard under summon ally).
If one of the Bound is called forth and commanded without the Word of Banishment being uttered, it is free after it performs the task for which it was summoned. The Words to use the Bottle of the Bound have been lost for uncounted years, though some sages believe they know at least one or two of them.
Weight: 4 lbs; Destruction: The Bottle of the Bound can only be destroyed if every creature bound within is slain or banished, and the empty container is then smashed with a holy weapon.
Once the fortress of a legendary tyrant known only as the Storm King, this castle now wanders the known universe, sometimes at the whim of its master, but often as a drifting and aimless haunt of powerful monsters, ignorant of — or unable to tap into — its fantastic power.
This grand and opulent castle is held aloft and propelled by a foundation of storm clouds constantly rumbling with thunder and crackling with electrical storms. Atop the massive storm cloud, the castle is shaped like a square, with 80-foot guard towers at each corner. At its center is a 140-foot tower with seven levels and more than 30 chambers. The central tower is well appointed with many halls, living chambers, suites, privies, kitchens (with pantries that magically replenish food stores every fortnight), and laboratories suitable for arcane and alchemical study.
Each guard tower has living chambers and barracks for up to 25 guards, and one tower has an adjoining stable that can hold up to a dozen griffons, hippogriffs, pegasi, or even terrestrial mounts. In all, the tower can comfortably support a population of 300 Size 0 creatures.
Though created by the legendary Storm King millennia ago, the cloud castle has had several masters since he mysteriously disappeared. Many believe the Storm King ascended to godhood, while others believe he was captured and imprisoned by a rival, a demon lord, or even a deity wishing to remove a threat, which may mean that the Storm King will one day return to reclaim his castle.
In order to fully take control of the castle, a creature must be immensely powerful (only characters of Legendary Rank are capable of controlling the castle) and have Occult d10+. If the castle already has a master, that master must be defeated (Incapacitated) before another can take her place.
The castle’s movement is controlled by way of a control chamber located at the heart (a central chamber on its fourth floor). There, a font of pure elemental water serves as a scrying device for the castle’s master, though it can only view places inside the castle or within 100 feet of it.
The master (or a person she designates) can direct the castle’s motion from within the chamber. It has a flying Pace of 50, can hover, and never risks falling. When not being controlled, the castle moves randomly, sometimes changing direction every minute, sometimes holding the same course for days at a time, but always avoiding the ground or other hazards.
It has been known to travel to other planes, though no master other than the Storm King is known to have invoked this power. The master of the castle gains the following major Innate Powers:
DARKNESS (fog), LOCK (arcane locks), ILLUSION (walls covering doors): These can be done once per day and cover the central tower.
ELEMENTAL MANIPULATION WITH THE WEATHER EPIC POWER MODIFIER (storm of vengeance): Once per day the master can summon forth a mighty thunderstorm, covering a range of 2,200 feet out from the castle. The master must be in the control chamber to use this ability.
BARRIER (windwall): This barrier surrounds the entire castle at a range of 100 feet, and can be raised or lowered by the master (or a creature he or she designates) from the control room or any tower as a limited action.
Weight: —; Destruction: The Cloud Castle of the Storm King can only be destroyed if it is dissipated by suitably strong winds. The only winds that can dissipate it are found in the most turbulent reaches of the Plane of Air (of course, as nobody knows how to make it travel between planes, those wishing to destroy it must find it on the Plane of Air to have any chance to do so).
Any other attacks may cause walls to collapse or even side towers to break loose, but the central chamber and the floors beneath it continue to exist in a ruined form over a smaller storm cloud as long as this destruction condition is not met.
The codex is enormous — supposedly, it requires two strong men to lift it. No matter how many pages are turned, another always remains. Anyone opening the codex for the first time takes 10d6 damage (Evade for half damage) and is utterly annihilated if Incapacitated. Those who survive can peruse its pages and learn its powers, though not without risk.
Each day spent studying the codex allows the reader to make an Occult roll at -4 to learn one of its powers (choose the power learned randomly; add a +1 bonus on the roll per additional day spent reading until a power is learned). However, each day of study also forces the reader to make a Spirit roll (-1 per day of study) to avoid being driven insane (the effect is chosen by the GM but should be severe).
The powers of the Codex of the Infinite Planes are as follows: Banish, blast (elemental eruption), intangibility, mind wipe, teleport with the Gate modifier, summon ally (the ally is from another plane), planar binding, and planar travel. Using any of these powers is a limited free action when used by the owner of the codex (assuming he or she has learned how to access the power).
Activating a power requires a Spellcasting roll at -2. Failing the roll is a Catastrophe— roll on the table below.
Weight: 300 lbs; Destruction: The Codex of the Infinite Planes is destroyed if one page is torn out and left on each plane in existence. Note that tearing out a page immediately triggers a catastrophe.
D4 EFFECT
1 Natural Fury: An intense storm and violent earthquake erupts around the reader for one minute (This could cause a Dramatic Task, GM’s call).
2 Fiendish Vengeance: A gate opens and 1d3+1 balors, pit fiends, or similar evil outsiders step through and attempt to destroy the owner of the codex.
3 Ultimate Imprisonment: The reader’s soul is captured in a random gem somewhere on the plane while his or her body is entombed beneath the earth.
4 Death: The reader utters a wail of the banshee and is then subject to the effects of having opened the codex for the first time. This repeats every round for 10 rounds until the reader is dead.
This ranseur (Str+d6+1, AP 4, Reach 2, elemental (fire), Accurate, Brutal, Damaging, Keen) was once the weapon of a powerful archdevil who controlled an entire layer of Hell. When he attempted to defy the Prince of Darkness, he was overthrown and banished into some cold and remote prison at the edge of the multiverse.
Still bearing some infernal vestige of the forgotten fiend’s power, the fork grants the bearer a +4 bonus to Persuasion and Intimidation rolls and major bolt (scorching ray) three times per day.
Any non-Evil creature who touches the Fork of the Forgotten One is given a choice: become Evil immediately or die. Those who choose death are instantly slain unless they make a Vigor roll at -4 (Bennies and other abilities may not be used to reroll the results)!
Those who choose to become Evil change alignment immediately and are required to find the Forgotten One and free him from his icy prison—presumably thereafter he will press them into service for his plans of revenge against those who imprisoned him.
Weight: 12 lbs; Destruction: The Fork of the Forgotten One is destroyed when a paladin of Legendary Rank touches it and chooses death rather than becoming Evil (and doesn't resist). This sacrifice still kills the paladin, though she can be raised from the dead.
The Moaning Diamond is an uncut diamond the size of a human fist. At all times, it gives forth a baleful moaning, as if wailing in pain. Despite the disturbing noise, the artifact is not Evil.
Three times per day, the bearer may call upon its power to reshape earth and stone as if by a powerful elemental manipulation spell, affecting 5,000 cubic feet of material (total). Once per day the Moaning Diamond can also summon an elder earth elemental that serves the caster until it is slain; only one such elemental can be summoned at a time.
Weight: 4 lbs; Destruction: The Moaning Diamond can be smashed by the combined power of three elemental princes, one each from the Planes of Air, Fire, and Water. Even then, the dust must be cast into a place where it will never fall upon stone.
Each of these fabled orbs contains the essence and personality of an ancient dragon of a different variety (one for each of the major ten different chromatic and metallic dragons). The bearer of an orb can, as an action, dominate dragons of its particular variety within 600 feet (as puppet). The dragon subtracts 4 from its Spirit rolls to resist.
Arcane Resistance is not useful against this effect. Each Orb of Dragonkind bestows the Armor bonus listed in the Special Abilities section of the dragon within. This value replaces whatever value the character would otherwise have, whether they are better or worse, and cannot be modified by any means short of ridding the character of the orb.
A character possessing an Orb of Dragonkind is immune to the breath weapon — but only the breath weapon—of the dragon variety keyed to the orb. Finally, a character possessing an Orb can herself use the breath weapon of the dragon in the Orb three times per day.
All Orbs of Dragonkind can be used to communicate verbally and visually with the possessors of the other orbs. The owner of an orb knows if there are dragons within 10 miles at all times. For dragons of the orb’s particular variety, the range is 100 miles. If within one mile of a dragon of the orb’s variety, the wielder can determine the dragon’s exact location and age.
The bearer of one of these orbs earns the enmity of dragonkind forever for profiting by draconic enslavement, even if she later loses the item. Each orb also has an individual power that can be invoked once per round.
BLACK DRAGON ORB: Major fly.
BLUE DRAGON ORB: Major speed with Quickness power modifier.
BRASS DRAGON ORB: Major teleport with the Greater Teleport power modifier.
BRONZE DRAGON ORB: Minor scrying.
COPPER DRAGON ORB: Major puppet.
GOLD DRAGON ORB: The owner of the gold Orb can call on any power possessed by one of the other orbs—including the puppet and breath weapon abilities but not the Armor bonus or breath weapon immunity. She can only use an individual power once per day. She can cast puppet (using Smarts or Spellcasting) on any other possessor of an orb within one mile.
GREEN DRAGON ORB: The owner can suffer 1 Fatigue to create a spectral hand. He can move this intangible hand at Pace 10 and can cast spells with a range of touch through it. The owner can touch the spectral hand to absorb it, recovering 1 Fatigue. The spectral hand is destroyed if targeted with dispel, forcing the owner to create a new one.
RED DRAGON ORB: Minor barrier with the Damage power modifier (Wall of fire).
SILVER DRAGON ORB: Major healing.
WHITE DRAGON ORB: Major environmental protection (cold only).
Weight: 5 lbs; Destruction: An orb of dragonkind immediately shatters if it’s caught in the breath weapon of a dragon who is a blood relative of the dragon trapped within. This causes everyone within 15” (90 feet) to be struck by the breath weapon of that dragon, released as the orb explodes.
This artifact was crafted ages ago, weaving together wispy strands of shadow into a twisted black staff. The Shadowstaff makes the wielder slightly shadowy and incorporeal, granting him a +2 bonus to Toughness and Evasion rolls. However, in bright light (such as that of the sun, but not a torch) or in absolute darkness, the wielder suffers a -2 penalty on all Trait rolls.
The Shadowstaff also has these powers.
SUMMON SHADOWS: Three times per day the staff may summon three shadows (see the Bestiary). They appear within Smarts Range and loyally serve the wielder unto their death.
SUMMON NIGHTSHADE: Once per month, the staff can summon a shadow of greater power, that serves the wielder until destroyed (the GM chooses what Advances or abilities this powerful creature has).
SHADOW FORM: Three times per day the wielder can become a living shadow. He’s effected by major intangibility.
SHADOW BOLT: Three times per day the staff can cast bolt with the Damage power modifier (cold damage; uses Smarts or Spellcasting).
Weight: 1 lb; Destruction: The Shadowstaff fades away to nothingness if it’s exposed to true sunlight for a continuous 24 hour period.
This large shield (Arrow Deflection, Reflecting), emblazoned with the symbol of the sun, grants the character the Mystic Powers (Paladin) Edge. The Shield of the Sun also grants its wielder the Arcane Resistance Edge and bestows environmental protection with the Environmental Resistance modifier. In return for this, the shield’s owner must undertake a quest at the behest of a Good deity once per year.
An evil character suffers -4 to all Trait rolls when wielding the Shield of the Sun. The penalty persists as long as it's in hand and cannot be negated in any way (including Edges or powers). The penalty disappears when the shield is stowed or leaves the wearer’s possession.
Weight: 2 lbs; Destruction: The Shield of the Sun may be destroyed if a Good-aligned character casts it into the Well of Eternal Night, its light fading into the inky depths before it finally disappears. If a non-Good character does the deed, the shield is not destroyed, merely lost, and a quest to the Shadow Plane may recover it.