The Soul Window - This square piece of glass can either be held to the eye or cunningly placed in a pair of spectacles. Once per day, the viewer can look at a target and the lens reveals how the target wants to be perceived. Someone who wants to be pretty will look pretty, someone who wants to look intimidating, will look intimidating etc.
The Imperial spies of Loth-Dranon make great use of these items in their missions, as they find it gives them an edge in making friends and influencing people.
Ring of the Overlord - These rings are the tools of megolomaniacs and slave runners. They are generally made of gold and much like a seal ring, carry the device of the wearer on their face. Unlike a seal ring, however, these rings are not used for sealing wax. When placed against flesh, the mark of the wearer is transferred from the ring to the unfortunate so marked. The ring functions for a full ten minutes per day.
Wind Chime Earings - Silver tubes cunningly fashioned into fashionable earwear, these items give the wearer warning of sudden movement nearby by chiming softly in their ear. Strangely, they seem impervious to the movement of the wearer or any actual wind that is present. The concubines of the Desert Lords habitually wear them in order to warn them against assassins and the amorous advances of the commoners!
False Purse - These leather purses are enchanted to appear full of coins once clipped to a belt. They jangle when jogged, the material appears stretched with booty and they have a nice weight to them. However, as soon as they leave the belt of the wearer, these illusions vanish, leaving an embarassed thief. The merchant house of Ilgar use these items in an attempt to lessen their annual losses to cutpurses.
The Stormcup - This unremarkable chalice is a divining device. When filled with hot water and tealeaves are sprinkled into it it churns in agitation if the answer to a question has negative repercussions. If the answer is neutral or positive, then you have a nice cup of tea to drink. You may ask one question per day.
Greenbalm Rod - A 2 foot long worked rod of hazelwood, with an emerald planted at the business end and the bottom sharpened into a stake. When the rod is planted in a piece of bedding, matress, pillow or blanket, it instantly slays all fleas and ticks in the offending article. It only works once a day, but it can be left in the article for up to 12 hours, ensuring that it is not reinfested during that time.
Hole Sphere - These marble-like items are able to punch a hole 1" in diameter in wood and stone no thicker than 2 inches, if placed against it. It is noiseless and leaves no tell-tale waste. The Sphere can be used twice per day.
The Dragon of the Wind
A small flute carved into the shape of a dragon, by playing it one can convey messages to dragons with its melodies. Essentially allowing the user to "Speak" dragon languages.
Feather Headdress - This magnificent piece of headgear is arranged in a fan behind a leather headband. There are 15 large feathers at the back, 10 medium sized feather in the middle and 5 small feathers at the front. In order for it to be utilised, it must be worn. Plucking a large feather allows the wearer to Levitate at 1/2 his normal walking speed. This lasts for 10 minutes. Plucking a medium sized feather allows the wearer to Teleport to any location that he can see within 100 yards. Plucking a small feather allows the wearer to Fly at double his normall walking speed for 10 minutes. Once a feather has been plucked it's magic cannot be used again (although you can reattach it to the headdress if you like).
Flying Scrolls - Found in bundles of six, these scrolls appear to have some kind of engineering drawing on one side; dotted lines traverse the parchment in a dozen different ways. However, these are instructions, for once you have written a missive on the parchment and fold it along the lines on the paper, you have a model of a bird in parchment form! The scroll then proceeds to fly to any destination that you give it, as long as it can physically reach it and it is within 10 miles of your current location. It travels at 5 miles per hour.
Boulderstones - Each of these irregular pebbles (up to 3 inches long) weigh 250 lbs once the command word is spoken. If the command word is spoken backwards, then they return to their normal weight.
There was great scandal at the Rajah's palace a few years ago when it was discovered that the favourite horse in the 5 mile sprint had one of these planted under it's saddle. The poor beast slathered across the line in last place. The stone can become heavy and be returned to its normal weight only once in each 24 hours.
Shadow Nails - These 4" nails are made of copper and usually found individually. Their function is simple, yet profoundly unsettling for the victim and those who come into contact with him. If the nail is pounded into a surface upon which the target is casting a shadow, the shadow is transfixed there even after the target moves. Thereafter the target casts no shadow until the nail is removed from the captive shadow.
The Magnificent and Perfect Bestiary of Proper Animals, Mythic Beasts, and Magical Monsters, Formerly Encountered.
A hefty tome filled with thousands of pages of fine, but seemingly indestructible vellum. It has its title in gold impressed upon a leather cover, and leather strap to hold it shut.
The Bestiary is blank to anyone when when they first acquire it, as long as they own the bestiary it will fill page after page, with pictures of creatures the holder encounters, and room to record any details the holder desires: such as ecology, mating habits, and suppositions. All the holder must do is open the book to the page with the creatures picture, and speak his suppositions.
Grail of The Vault - This is a very shabby looking wooden chalice, the cup of which is loose, apparently wobbly and rotates on its base. Looks are deceiving, however, for this device hides an extradimensional space into which the owner can place his valuables. The cup actually rotates freely and the owner chooses a combination for opening the extradimensional space. There is a faded motif both on the cup and on its base. Start by matching these up and then enter your combination IE 180 degrees clockwise, 540 degrees anticlockwise, 90 degrees clockwise. The cup is then open and you can retreive or hide your small itmes of jewelry or coin. The space can hold 5 cubic feet of goodies that you can fit within the chalice rim. To close the space again simply turn the cup a full 360 degrees clockwise. You can even drink out of it afterwards!
Music Player of Music Playing: This small, thin, rectangular black device can record up to 4,000 songs. However, each day it has a one in four chance of being stepped on or otherwise lost.
Threadcrap somewhere else, sunshine.
Quote from: One Horse Town;397765Threadcrap somewhere else, sunshine.
Ok, I'll post a gag artifact that players can get a chuckle over, especially if they're not techies. Granted, it's group dependent, but so are most gags.
...Wait...
Wardrobe of Roderigo the Magnificent - This is a hefty piece of furniture. Six feet high and four feet wide. Inside, there is enough room to hang ten complete sets of clothing and ten pairs of footwear. The owner of the wardrobe can decide to alter the cut, colour, design and material of one piece of clothing per evening. Once the Sun rises, the desired changes have ocurred. The piece of clothing reverts back to its natural state after 12 hours.
I have some questions about these items. I'll start with 2. Isn't item #2 equivalent to a branding iron? Since a branding iron is also painful I'd expect evil individuals to go with the branding iron. For #3, who would want to assassinate a concubine? On the subject of the earrings: these concubines habitually wander around town without any guards, a town full of individuals who want to molest them, and someone thought that tinkling earrings were going to solve this problem?
Quote from: 837204563;397878I have some questions about these items. I'll start with 2. Isn't item #2 equivalent to a branding iron? Since a branding iron is also painful I'd expect evil individuals to go with the branding iron. For #3, who would want to assassinate a concubine? On the subject of the earrings: these concubines habitually wander around town without any guards, a town full of individuals who want to molest them, and someone thought that tinkling earrings were going to solve this problem?
G.Gygax, "
I give the gift of endless imagination."
Colony Helms - Two metal rods set at a 90 degree angle emerge from these steel helms. Named for the mercenary band who wear them, if 2 people wearing a Colony Helm are within 10 feet of each other, they may send and receive telepathic messages to each other. Each helm may only broadcast to or receive from one helm at a time. The commander of The Colony is said to wear a 'master helm' capable of transmitting to and receiving from multiple targets at a time and at greater distances.
The Colony are rightly feared for their coodinated and efficient manner and command a high price.
The Minute Marionette
A wooden puppet 5" tall, when the command word is spoken it comes to life and can move and dance or carry small objects or act as directed. It cannot fight or speak as it is was fashioned as a child's toy.
Mug 'o Ale: This famed item, considered by Dwarves and Halflings to be near holy, can be described simply: It is a mug of ale. Specifically, it's always full. Aside from an festive benefits, it's also quite useful for bartenders, as a disinfectant, for setting things on fire and if you're in need of surgery. It can also supply some nutritional benefit.
Dwarves and Halflings who have a Mug 'o Ale tend to be somewhat secretive about it, as the normal social rules about theft tend to become somewhat...Strained.
Compass Dagger - When this plain looking dagger is placed on a flat surface, it turns to face north.
Cuneiform Canes - This is a mahogany walking stick topped by a silver handle. Sigils picked out in gold relief snake around it. The cane acts as a defense against symbols and glyphs. If the cane is to hand and the bearer is confronted by an arcane symbol or glyph trap then if the magic of the cane overcomes the magic of the attacking force, the wearer is unaffected - furthermore, the symbol is erased from the surface it rests apon and is safely stored in the cane, forever neutralised. A new sigil is thereafter visible on the cane's surface. The cane can safely store 10 symbols or glyphs and is typically found with 3 or 4 already inscribed on it. Once 10 symbols have been contained, the staff is nothing more than a pretty (and expensive) walking stick.
The Whip of Action
The whip consists of hand woven leather in black with a wooden handle concealed under the leather. Each strand is blessed with a single magical rune. When used in action, it adds a +1 t0 checks to inspire others or leaving them awe struck. (Essentially the "Awesome!" factor.)
Cloak of Paths - This standard looking calf-length cloak (usually black) hides a remarkable magical purpose. When taken from the wearers back it can be laid over an abyss of up to 5 feet in width. The cloak magically hardens in place allowing passage over it. It can support only one person at once crossing it and cannot support someone heavier than 300 lbs. The cloak only works on surfaces that the wearer is walking on.
Once traversed, a command word returns the cloak to normal. The cloak's power can be used 3 times per day.
Hole Powder: This curious, mobile powder constantly seeks the nearest, deepest hole around. Placed in a jar, it can help detect pit traps and the like. Poured on the ground, it can lead you various places. And, of course, enterprising adventurers will find more uses for it.