Chapter Nine: MAGIC Magic Items

Chapter Nine 95

Magic

Angels have long been described as wearing strange armor,bearing great weapons,and performing miraculous feats ofdivine power.Just as with mortals,some items and spells used by angels are common and others are rare or unique.This section covers some ofthe more common magic items and spells used by the forces ofHeaven,as well as a few things found in the hands oftheir ancient adversaries,the fiends.

In a campaign where angels are prevalent,these items and spells are just as common as others ofthe same cost and power level.PC angels should be aware ofthem and have an idea of how they work.Any spells listed here that angels could cast are considered to be on the spell lists ofangel PCs without requiring any sort ofresearch.Mortal PCs can learn these spells or use these items,though some ofthe more conservative residents of Heaven prefer to not let these tools ofgood fall into mortal hands,where they could be abused or turned to a more nefarious purpose.

Magic Items

These magic items are made and used by the hosts ofHeaven and Hell and their allies.In angelic, mentor,and adversaries campaigns,they are as common as those in the DMG.In standard campaigns,they are more rare.

Magic Armor Property

Multiform: This armor property was designed for creatures who can shift between very different shapes,such as aranea, kalkydrim,lycanthropes,and angels with vessels.When the creature wearing the armor changes shape,the armor automatically adapts to the new shape ofthe creature,allowing it the full protection ofthe armor in its new form.For example,an aranea wearing armor with this property in humanoid form that changed to its spider form would remain fully armored in spider form.The wearer also has the option to have the armor keep its current form and simply fall offwhen the transformation takes place (such as when a werewolfdoesn’t want to attract attention running around as an armored wolf).An angel with a vessel can have the armor fall off;adapt to the new body when inhabiting the vessel,new vessel,or her true form; or vanish into magical potential along with her previous body.

Faint transmutation;Caster Level 5th;Craft Magic Arms and Armor, alternate form/polymorph/wild shape/similar ability;Price +8,000 gp

Specific Magic Armor

Noriel’s Armor: The angel Noriel (“fire ofgod,” angel ofthe gates ofthe east wind) has a body made ofgilded brass lit with orange light.On rare occasions,he has taken pieces ofhis brass body and forged them into armor for other angels.These have become known as Noriel’s armor, though he does not wear it himself.Equivalent to a +1 breastplate, the armor is as strong as steel (not brass), grants fire resistance 5,and allows the wearer to emit a fiery bolt per day equivalent to that from a scorching ray spell.Firing a fiery bolt is a standard action. Faint abjuration;Caster Level 5th, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, scorching ray, endure elements; Price 9,850 gp;Cost 5,100 gp + 380 XP

Specific Magic Weapons

Flaming Sword: When angels or works ofreligious literature refer to a flaming sword,they mean a +1 flaming longsword. Though individual weapons may have different powers, this sword is the typical (default) weapon carried by the forces ofHeaven.Typically flaming swords are decorated with a holy symbol or words meaning “fire” in Celestial. Moderate evocation;Caster Level 10th;Craft Magic Arms and Armor, flame blade/flame strike/fireball; Price 2,315 gp;Cost 1,315 gp + 80 XP Holy Sword: When angels or works ofreligious literature refer to a holy sword,they usually mean a +1 holy longsword. Though individual weapons can have different powers,this sword is the typical (default) weapon carried by the officers ofHeaven.Holy swords are typically decorated with a holy symbol or a deity’s name written in Celestial.

Moderate evocation [good];Caster Level 7th;Craft Magic Arms and Armor, holy smite, creator must be good;Price 8,315 gp;Cost 4,315 gp + 320 XP

Rod

Rod ofSnow: Naoutha,angel ofthe southwest,a fire-speaking† angel, holds the original ofthis special rod offlame extinguishing. His fires are so great that when he speaks he cannot help but burn whatever is near him,so he was given this rod to allow him to safely communicate with other beings.By putting it near his mouth,he is able to speak without producing flame.In the time since a deity gave it to Naoutha,similar rods have been created and used in the war against Hell.

In addition to the normal powers ofa rod offlame extinguishing, the rod ofsnow allows its bearer to create a sleet storm (2 charges) or ice storm (2 charges).These powers use charges from the rod’s normal allotment of10,which are restored each day.

Strong transmutation and evocation;Caster Level 12th;Craft Rod, ice storm, quench, sleet storm; Price 32,000 gp

Wondrous Items

Book ofHours: This sacred text contains information on holy rites particular to one religion.It is similar to an almanac ofsaints’ feast days,prayers,meditation,and different kinds ofsacrifices,all in one volume and adapted to a particular faith.The book ofhours is a calendar ofthings to do in order to ensure a pure soul and prevent damnation to Hell.Ifa character spends an hour each day studying the book and performing the necessary rites,the reader gains the effects ofa bless spell for 24 hours.One also can consult the book to receive the benefits ofa phylactery offaithfulness, though doing so requires one minute ofstudy time.It has no effect ifthe reader follows a religion other than that ofthe book.

Faint divination;Caster Level 5th;Craft Wondrous Item, sacrament ofbaptism†, detect chaos/detect evil/detect good/detect law; Price 6,000 gp;Weight 5 lbs.

Dust ofHeaven’s Footprint: This fine golden dust was collected in Heaven and infused with holy power.When scattered in an area no larger than a 10-foot-radius circle (a standard action),the dust acts as a counterspell against spells used to remove good outsiders from the Material Plane (such as dismissal, dispel good, and so on).Ifsuch a spell is cast or targeted within the area defined by the dust,it automatically counterspells the spell with a clap ofthunder and a whiffofincense.

The five varieties ofthe dust are each more powerful than the last and capable ofcounterspelling more powerful enemy spells. (For example,dust type 4 can counter any spell that dust types 1,2, or 3 can counter.)

The dust works against only one spell before its power is depleted,but a user can scatter multiple uses ofdust in the same area, affecting successive spell attacks.The dust retains its power until it counters a spell.

Strong abjuration [good];Caster Level 17th;Craft Wondrous Item, banishment/dismissal/dispel evil/holy word/trisagion† as noted above.

Dust ofHell’s Presence: This sulfurous dust was harvested in Hell and infused with evil power.The opposite of dust ofHeaven’s footprint, it allows evil outsiders to counter the effects ofbanishing spells.Ifsuch a spell is cast or targeted within the area defined by the dust,it automatically counterspells the spell with a clap of thunder and a whiffofbrimstone.

The four varieties ofthe dust are each more powerful than the last and capable ofcounterspelling more powerful enemy spells. (For example,dust type 4 can counter any spell that dust types 1,2, or 3 can counter.)

The dust works against only one spell before its power is depleted, but a user can scatter multiple uses ofdust in the same area,affecting successive spell attacks.The dust retains its power until it counters a spell.

Strong abjuration [evil];Caster Level 13th;Craft Wondrous Item, banishment/blasphemy/dismissal/dispel good as noted above.

Elixir ofLife: Normally this “item” is found as a pair ofsealed goblets,each containing a magical liquid resembling water.When mixed,the waters form the elixir oflife,a magical substance with great powers ofhealing.The elixir oflife can act as a greater restoration, heal, resurrection, or regenerate spell for one creature, after which its powers are spent.

Strong conjuration;Caster Level 13th;

Table 9–1:Dust ofHeaven’s Footprint Varieties

Dust Maximum Spell Example Spell Prerequisite Market Type Level Countered Countered Spell Price Dust 1 4 dismissal dismissal 2,800 gp Dust 2 5 dispel good dispel evil 4,500 gp Dust 3 6 banishment banishment 6,600 gp Dust 4 7 blasphemy holy word 9,100 gp Dust 5 9 any trisagion† 15,300 gp

Table 9–2:Dust ofHell’s Presence Varieties

Dust Maximum Spell Example Spell Prerequisite Market Type Level Countered Countered Spell Price Dust 1 4 dismissal dismissal 2,800 gp Dust 2 5 dispel evil dispel good 4,500 gp Dust 3 6 banishment banishment 6,600 gp Dust 4 7 holy word blasphemy 9,100 gp

Craft Wondrous Item, greater restoration, heal, regenerate, resurrection; Price 7,000 gp;Weight 2 lbs.

Heart ofFlaming Sulfur: This piece offoul-smelling,yellowish, powdery stone is shaped roughly like a human heart.It is made ofsulfur and constantly gives offsmall flames and bad-smelling smoke.If placed on the chest ofa willing living creature,it sinks into the creature’s body,destroys the creature’s heart,and bursts into quiet flame.

The heart performs all the functions ofthe creature’s actual heart and provides additional benefits.The creature gains cold resistance 5. It has a 25 percent chance to ignore extra damage from a critical hit or sneak attack as ifwearing light fortification armor.(Ifthe creature has fortification from another source,use the greatest value.) Once per day the creature can release a burning hands effect from its chest.

The heart has its drawbacks.The wearer always feels hot and suffers a –5 penalty to any Fortitude saves made to resist damage from environmental heat or fire.The creature becomes evil,and its alignment cannot change from evil while it has the heart offlaming sulfur. Since the creature’s heart is a magic item,it ceases to function in an antimagic field (rendering the bearer helpless but not dead) or when subject to a dispel magic spell.Destroying the heart (with a Mord’s disjunction spell or similar magic) kills the creature instantly.

To safely remove the heart first requires it to be rendered inoperative but not destroyed (with dispel magic, an antimagic field, or similar magic).Then a limited wish, miracle, or wish can remove the heart from the creature’s body and keep the creature alive for the next two minutes,during which a regenerate spell must regrow the creature’s original heart (which takes 2d10 rounds).

Strong abjuration and transmutation [evil];Caster Level 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, burning hands, endure elements, limited wish/miracle/wish, creator must be evil;Price 10,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Hecate’s Key: Named for the Greek goddess ofdark magic, Hecate’s key is a large iron key with three faces on the handle:an eerie owl,a demonic lizard,and a snarling,fanged beast.Once per day ifsoaked in the blood ofa freshly sacrificed innocent humanoid,it can safely send the user to Hell under the effects ofa key to Hell† spell.This evil item (despite key to Hell† normally being a good spell) bestows one temporary negative level upon any good creature that touches or carries it.The temporary negative level persists as long as the creature touches or carries the key.

Moderateconjuration [evil,teleportation];Caster Level 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, key to Hell†, creator must be evil;Price 16,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Holy Grail: The best-known holy grail was created when a young half-mortal son ofa god was martyred.A devout follower caught a few drops ofthe man’s blood in a cup,and the godsblood transformed the cup into a holy relic with healing powers.It has turned up several times over the ages and has been the target of many quests.Many other religions have similar divinely blessed items with similar powers,and some spellcasters have tried to create similar ones.

Any creature that drinks from a holy grail gains the benefits ofa heal spell (limit three uses of heal per day).Ifpresented as part ofa turn attempt,a holy grail acts as a phylactery ofundead turning.

The original holy grail is an artifact.It has additional powers because ofits unique method ofcreation.The grail can move itself via telekinesis or teleport. It radiates daylight at will,and it has no limit to the number oftimes it can heal in a day.Its touch burns undead and fiends as ifit were silver,blessed,or made ofholy water,whichever deals the most damage to the target.The powers ofthe artifact-level holy grail are not included in the prerequisites and market price listed below.

Moderate conjuration and necromancy [good];Caster Level 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, heal, creator must be a 10th-level cleric;Price 100,000 gp

Liquid Corruption: This stinking jellylike mass sometimes appears naturally in Hell.It is a manifestation ofall corruption and decay on the Material Plane.A single container is roughly the size ofa human fist and able to corrupt the flesh ofone creature.If touched to a target (either with a melee touch attack or thrown as a grenadelike weapon),the target creature must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds and randomly contract two diseases (blinding sickness,cackle fever,filth fever,mindfire,red ache,the shakes,or slimy doom,as ifstruck by two contagion spells simultaneously).A user can also apply liquid corruption to a weapon like a poison with the normal risks inherent in using poison (such as poisoning yourselfwhen you apply it or upon rolling a natural 1 with a poisoned weapon).

Faint necromancy [evil];Caster Level 5th;Craft Wondrous Item, contagion, stinking cloud/poison, creator must be evil;Price 2,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Samhain’s Prison: Named for the ancient Celtic lord ofthe dead,these items are the root ofthe tradition ofcarving pumpkins with scary faces on the nights when spirits walk the earth. Samhain’s prison is a hollowed-out gourd or similar fruit carved with a face (whether frightening or benign) and containing a candle capable ofburning for one hour.When the candle is lit,the prison can trap a single spirit (whether an incorporeal undead or the wandering soul ofan actual dead creature) within itself,hold-