Draconic Grafts

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Lore: These spears are awarded to kobold sorcerers for consistently protecting their lair without ever needing to be protected themselves. (Knowledge [history] DC 10 or Knowledge [local] DC 20) The ore that goes into making spellfl inging spears is an amalgam of red copper and steel. (Profession [miner] DC 15 or Craft [armorsmithing, blacksmithing, or weaponsmithing] DC 25)

Description: A spellfl inging spear is a Small +1 returning spell storing spear, the piercing blade of which is tinted with ruby red metal and has a shaft of light steel.

Activation: As a swift action (see page 122), speaking the word “expand” in Draconic (turalisjth) elongates the weapon, speaking the word “shrink” in Draconic (kosjth) shortens the weapon, and speaking the word “normal” in Draconic (munth) returns a spellfl inging spear to normal size.

Effect: Once elongated, a spellfl inging spear has all the characteristics of a longspear. Once shortened, a spellfl inging spear has all the characteristics of a shortspear. A spellflinging spear always weighs as much as a spear and has hardness 12 and 20 hit points, regardless of its shape.

Aura/Caster Level: Strong evocation (plus the aura of the stored spell, if not already present) and transmutation; CL 12th.

Construction: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shrink item, telekinesis, CL 12th, 10,802 gp, 840 XP, 11 days.

Variants: More powerful versions of the spellfl inging spear often add the distance and/or the gnome bane weapon special abilities (DMG 224). Adding one of these abilities increases the weapon’s price by 14,000 gp; adding both increases it by 32,000 gp.

Weight: 3 lb.

Price: 21,300 gp.

DRACONIC GRAFTS

Many of the dragon-descended are born of a union between a dragon in humanoid form and a true humanoid. A few creatures take matters into their own hands, however, controlling draconic bloodlines with amazing results. These beings capture the living eggs of dragons and experiment on the unborn wyrmlings, whether to enhance their own or others’ abilities, create new forms of life, or bring “salvation” from evil. These individuals are known as wyrmgrafters. Many wyrmgrafters have some magical aptitude, although such talent is not a requirement for being able to create a graft. The “weird science” of draconic grafts appeals to anyone who specializes in secret knowledge. Many wyrmgrafters have a draconic bloodline, but they can come from any race and culture. Some are idealists (or zealots) who believe their work can turn an evil dragon from its otherwise doomed existence. Wyrmgrafters are a strange lot, each not generally aware of others following this pursuit. Each has her own way of going about research and experimenting on candidate creatures. Despite the lack of an overarching organization, the all-consuming desire for esoteric knowledge does bring wyrmgrafters into contact with one another from time to time. Occasionally a wyrmgrafter sponsors a gathering of like-minded individuals, a weeklong event held at the sponsor’s base of operations or at a nearby hall or inn. These events typically have lectures and hands-on demonstrations interspersed with leisure activities.

GRAFTING

Creating a graft involves taking a portion of an existing creature and transplanting it into or onto the body of another living creature. Grafting is essentially an alternative method of item creation, and its benefi ts are many. Bearers gain the benefi ts of magic items without actually wearing the items. Many grafts are diffi cult to spot under casual observation, allowing their bearer an unseen advantage when other potent items are unavailable. Some players fi nd that grafts are more fl avorful and interesting than traditional magic items—while wearing a pair of magic gloves is somewhat mundane, actually transforming your hands with draconic claws makes a real statement. The draconic grafts in this book have the following rules in common. (These follow the revised graft rules presented in Magic of Eberron.)

Draconic grafts can be created and applied only by someone with the Wyrmgrafter feat. While the creation and application of a graft is similar in theory to the principles involved in the creation of wondrous items, grafts involve the magical manipulation of biological processes and structures. The grafter must be able to manipulate draconic life energy on a minute scale. More information on creating grafts is presented below. The Wyrmgrafter feat is described on page 101 of this book.

An individual can have a total of fi ve grafts on his body, and all grafts must be of the same kind. A single body can support only so many growths before it is overwhelmed with competing biomagical signals, resulting in death or, as is more often the case, utter madness. No portion of the body (head, skin, fl esh, legs, and arms) can have more than one graft. Furthermore, no character can have more than one type of graft—for instance, both a draconic graft and an undead graft (described on page 70 of Libris Mortis or page 214 of Fiend Folio). Rumors of attempts to bypass these biological limits abound, but such monstrosities—for that is what such creatures become—rarely live long.

A graft requires a sacrifi ce from the host. The draconic grafts presented here take a toll on a creature’s body. In most cases, a graft simply applies a permanent reduction to the character’s hit point total. This is not damage and can’t be healed. In others, a graft might cause a permanent reduction in an ability score or a permanent penalty on certain checks or saves. A creature with a graft cannot get rid of the penalties or other costs of a graft unless the graft is removed. The specifi c extra cost of a graft is provided with each graft’s description under the Sacrifi ce entry.

All draconic grafts are grown from tissues taken from one or more creatures. Typically, this involves removing a sample of fl esh from an unhatched wyrmling and growing it onto a living creature. Each graft has a Donor entry, which describes where the graft originates from. If taken from a donor creature, the graft tissues must be no more than 7 days old when creation of the graft begins. The donation typically does not harm the