Plagueheart Band

With the upcoming holiday, my time to write is a bit limited, so I'll be posting a few short item descriptions instead of my usual longer articles...

This wide platinum band is set with a dozen square-cut, black onyx stones spaced equally around its circumference. The ring radiates Great protection and alteration magic. Anyone that dons the ring gains complete immunity to all forms of disease. Each time the wearer avoids a disease, one of the stones on the ring begins to glow with a dim, inner light. Each time the wearer has direct physical contact with a living creature there is a chance (a percentage equal to the number of lit stones on the ring), that they will inflict a Great strength wasting disease on whomever they touch (which also causes all stones on the ring to go dark). If all the stones on the ring are lit, there is a 25% chance per day that the disease contained within the ring will be released into the air, afflicting anyone within a 60 foot radius of the wearer. This also causes all stones to go dark. Once one of the stones upon Plagueheart begins to glow the ring cannot be removed until the disease contained within is released.

Plagueheart's protective characteristics can be discovered with a Great test of divination magic. It's disease spreading characteristic is a curse which can only be revealed with an Epic test of divination magic.

Any creature afflicted with Plagueheart's disease suffers a one rank penalty to vitality per day of affliction. There is also a 25% chance the disease will spread to anyone exposed to an afflicted creature. Removing the disease is a Great test of healing or healing magic.

Timeslip

Timeslip is a wide silver band engraved with a a pattern of three interwoven lines enameled in blue, yellow and red. These engravings pulse with tiny flashes of light, creating a tiny nimbus of colors around the item. When worn the ring feels heavier than it should, though not so much as to create a burden upon the wearer. Timeslip radiates Legendary alteration magic and a Superb test of divination magic will reveal its enchantment.

When worn, Timeslip has two primary functions. First it provides Legendary protection against any sort of time-altering magic, allowing the wearer to operate normally when under the effects of such enchantments (including area of effect type magic). Second, the wearer occasionally steals time from those around them. Anyone carrying out an action with Timeslip's wearer as a target or in the area of effect has a 10% chance of having their action stolen. This chance rises to 30% if the action requires physical contact (melee attacks or touch based spells for example). The character losing the action simply does not act, spells are not cast, missiles not fired, blows not struck. Instead Timeslip's wearer gains a free action, during which they can use any of their abilities normally. Note that intent has no effect on this enchantment. A healer attempting to cure a wound on the wearer may lose their action as readily as a foe attempting to remove their head.

Poison's Touch

This item is a very thin ring, formed from wire-thin strands of copper, silver and gold twisted together in a random and chaotic tangle. The copper and silver strands are verdigrised and tarnished, discolorations that cannot be removed. Only the gold strands shine with any sort of luster. If examined for magical properties the ring radiates Great alteration and protection magic, and Superb poison magic. A Great test of divination is required to reveal the ring's powers, which are:

• The ring magically re-sizes itself to fit whenever it is donned. Once worn it can only be removed by the wearer.
• The wearer can command the ring to become invisible while it is worn. This ability can be used at will.
• The wearer gains a Great resistance bonus versus all forms of poison.
• Poison Touch - Thrice per day the ring grants its owner a poisonous touch attack, inflicting a poison effect on their target. The owner must touch the desired target within four rounds of invoking the power or it fades away unspent. A successful touch attack inflicts the chosen poison on the target unless they make a Great resistance check versus poison. The poison effects can be removed by magical means. The poison types are:
• Coma - The target falls into a coma-like slumber for 20 minutes, resisting all attempts to wake them.
• Death - The target takes Superb poison damage each round for ten rounds.
• Slow - Paralytic poison reduces the target's ability to act. The victim is reduced to one-third their normal actions. Lasts 20 minutes.
• Degenerate - Slow acting, wasting poison that inflicts Fair damage on the victim once per day. Lasts 30 days.

Naysayer

Naysayer is a rather ornate ring formed from an unknown, glossy black metal. An intricately carved image of rope winds its way around the band. Seven pieces of agate are set into the carving, each cut into the shape of a knot. In a lighter setting the multiple stones might look gaudy, but in this heavy black band they appear quite fitting. If tested for magical properties, Naysayer radiates Great enchantment and alteration magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal its properties:

• The wearer of Naysayer can inspire disagreement in anyone they speak with. While this might seem more a curse than a blessing, because the effect can be controlled, it can be leveraged. This power can be invoked up to three times per day and lasts for a single conversation. The effects can be resisted with a Superb test of willpower.
• Naysayer can cause disagreement between others. This effect targets four to six others within a ten foot radius and sixty foot range. It has a duration of ten minutes and can be invoked three times per day. Each person in the area of effect will disagree with any conversational point made unless they succeed at a Great test of willpower.
• The wearer can cause a single target to challenge a point made in conversation. The victim will feel compelled to argue with the speaker, driven by a fiery conviction that their position is wrong. The target can resist this effect with a Superb test of willpower. This power has a range of sixty feet and endures so long as the argument continues. It can be invoked once per day.

Those subject to the effects of Naysayer will remember any induced conversations and the decisions they may have made while under the effects of the item. They will believe the choices were their own, but each day their choices are questioned they gain an additional chance to shake off the effects (a Superb test of willpower). Once free of the item's influence they will realize they were affected by outside influences, but may not be able to identify the source of the effect.

Transmuting Band

These magical rings are potent elemental wards. Each Transmuting Band is a silver band worked into a pattern of over-lapping, polished discs, and set with a pair of precious gemstones, one larger than the other. The gemstones featured depend on the ring's enchantment. If examined for magical properties the ring radiates Great protection and alteration magic.

Each Transmuting Band absorbs one form of elemental damage, transmuting and reflecting it as another. The type of damage absorbed and reflected is determined by the two gemstones set into the ring. The larger primary stone determines what is absorbed, the smaller secondary stone how it is reflected. The primary and secondary stone are never the same.

Primary Stone - If the ring's wearer is attacked by the listed form, the ring absorbs up to Great damage. If the attack is greater than the ring can absorb the remaining energy inflicts damage as normal. The ring only absorbs damage that would affect the wearer, area of effect damage will still affect others, even if the ring absorbs some or all of its damage.

• Ruby - Absorbs fire
• Emerald - Absorbs water
• Topaz - Absorbs earth
• Sapphire - Absorbs air
• Amethyst - Absorbs electrical
• Aquamarine - Absorbs cold

Secondary Stone - In the round after an attack is absorbed the ring reflects the absorbed energy as listed below. Note that the ring's wielder is unaffected by any of the effects listed. Their allies may not be so lucky.

• Ruby - Wearer gains a flame aura that inflicts Average damage on anyone in melee range.
• Emerald - Mist billows forth from the wearer, surrounding them in a 10' radius cloud, obscuring all vision for 1-4 rounds.
• Topaz - Diamond-like shards of earth burst from the wearer, striking the four nearest targets for Average damage.
• Sapphire - Howling gust of wind jets forth in a 5' wide, 20' path in front of them, knocking down small foes, pushing back man-sized foes, and picking up and blowing away small objects.
• Amethyst - Discharges a Good strength bolt of energy that strikes the nearest target.
• Aquamarine - Ice shards spray from the wearer, striking all within a 10' radius with an Average strength cold attack.

Blood Signet

The Blood Signet is a heavy gold signet ring shaped and inscribed for use as a personal seal. The emblem inscribed is a spread-winged bat. Though simple in design the ring is well-crafted. Attempting to discern the ring's magical properties will reveal Great necromantic magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the ring's true nature. The Signet can be used to store and use the life force of freshly slain creatures for the benefit of the bearer.

Pressing the face of the ring against the forehead of a freshly slain creature (human-sized at least) and speaking a command word will cause the ring to drain the remnants of the creature's life force into the ring. This process leaves a permanent impression of the ring's seal seared into the remains. Any creature so drained cannot be restored to life by mundane or magical means (there's dead, and mostly dead, this is dead).

Speaking a second command word while the ring is being worn will cause the stored life energies to flow into the wearer, restoring health and healing wounds. Each 'charge' restores approximately ten percent of the wearer's total health (i.e. ten charges will fully heal from near death status). The ring will expend as many charges as required to fully heal the wearer. The ring may store up to ten charges total.

Paquin's Deceiving Circle

The name Paquin is a dark stain on history. Few mages achieved such heights or fell so low as Paquin did. Once advisor to the Emperor on all things magical, Paquin ended his life a hunted man after unleashing several demons in the city of Lyme during treaty talks between the Empire and the Mondarian invaders.

Paquin's Deceiving Circle was one of his earlier works, untouched by the demonic forces that would later dominate his life. The Circle is a heavy gold ring inscribed with mystic sigils on its outer surface. A single clear crystal cut flush with the band's surface adorns it. Identifying the magical properties of the ring will reveal Superb obscurement and illusion magic.

The ring has the following powers and abilities:

• The bearer gains Great ability to sense illusion and obscurement magic within 30' at will, requiring a round of concentration to activate.
• Good control of light level in a 30' radius at will, making it as bright as daylight or as dark as a moonless night, three times per day.
• Create a Great quality illusion with visible and audible elements in a 10' x 10' area. The created illusion can move at a walking pace and lasts so long as concentration is maintained. Once concentration ceases the illusion will continue for thee rounds. This power can be used once per day.
• Project a Great illusion of the bearer, including both visible and audible elements up to 120'. The projection can be maintained just as the illusion above. This power can be used once per day.
• The wielder can become invisible (Superb) twice per day.

Discovering how to use the Circle requires a Great test of divination magic for each power. When any of the powers of the ring are used the clear crystal glitters and sparkles with multi-color lights.