[Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game

[Donny Brook]

Quills of Elaboration are cursed items of uncertain origins, produced in unknown numbers by an unknown authoritarian regime centuries ago.

The Quills are able to take on the appearance of current-tech writing implements (though whether any have become a keyboard is as yet unverified). Their original (and ongoing) use is to be infiltrated by secret police etc. into the hands of unknowing revolutionary writers, pamphleteers, etc. Anyone using a Quill is incapable of effective, trenchant writing and instead produces long, nearly impenetrable volumes full of philopohical digressions, excessive description, mind boggling jargon, narrow but lengthy definitions, and other execrable writing flaws.

Next: The Short Sleeve

[Dalillama]

The Short Sleeve is a metal bracelet carved with a scale pattern. When activated (via command word), the Sleeve extends to cover the wearer's arm and forms a katar-like blade over the hand. They were created by and for a small and long extinct assassin cult, and continue to drift through the world for the use of those that want them

Next: The Leaden Hound

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Dalillama

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Next: The Leaden Hound

The Leaden Hound is a dog-shaped state made of adull dark metal but not actually lead. It's name comes more from when it is given a command to track and it animates as a notably slow golem. Fotunately for the user the tracking ability is magically based and the golem never stops to rest or sleep and follows the trail through ranistorms and floods. It will catch up to it's quarry eventually though in one case it was after the pursued died of old age.

Next: The Poignant Poignard of Puissant Puncturing.

[Dalillama]

The Poignant Poignard of Puissant Puncturing seems solely a simple stiletto. Its primary power is penetrating absolutely anything. The blade is some 8" in length, and eill effortlessly drive a hole 8" deep in absolutely anything. It is presently owned by a stonemason who uses it as an awl/auger.


Next: The Book of Ignorance

[pialgo]

The book of ignorance is a very old and heavy book. When opened, the book will create a new page with a few fact present in the mind in the reader but not already in the book. The total collection of fact on the book is astounding, sadly, the reader forget all what he has read as soon as he close the book. There are also no way to find where and what informations are stored in the book.

next :
the dreamwind steel

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by pialgo

The book of ignorance is a very old and heavy book. When opened, the book will create a new page with a few fact present in the mind in the reader but not already in the book. The total collection of fact on the book is astounding, sadly, the reader forget all what he has read as soon as he close the book. There are also no way to find where and what informations are stored in the book.

That's got some serious potential as a Macguffin of sorts. Take an evil mastermind with Eidetic Memory; he reads through the entire book (and maybe also brings in experts to peruse it so as to add their knowledge to the total), then contrives to have it left open so as to retain all the knowledge contained therein. One method of (partial) victory available to the PC's is then to find and close the book, cutting the Big Bad off from his source of knowledge.

Of course, unless there's some sort of protection against doing so, it seems like there's nothing preventing a scribe from making a mundane copy of the Book of Ignorance - pop it open, and just copy each page into a normal book. Sure, you'll forget everything you learned once you close it, but then you can just pick up your mundane copy and read through it, regaining all that knowledge without the magical mindwipe at the end.

[pialgo]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Of course, unless there's some sort of protection against doing so, it seems like there's nothing preventing a scribe from making a mundane copy of the Book of Ignorance - pop it open, and just copy each page into a normal book. Sure, you'll forget everything you learned once you close it, but then you can just pick up your mundane copy and read through it, regaining all that knowledge without the magical mindwipe at the end.

Yes, that's a easy way to bypass the anti-memetic effect.

Of course, we can upgrade the book so not only memory but also any other information support are "scrambled" : books lose their ink, photograph become blurry, USBkey become full of random 0 and 1, ect...

We can inverse the story too, the knowledge of the "good kingdom" come from the book of ignorance, and the book can never be closed or else, every specialist, magician, book, and anything loosly conected by a copy of a copy of copy of information is lost. And the big bad guy know it.

[Dalillama]

The Dreamwind Steel is a metal bar about 4" in length, covered on 3/4 of its surface with intricate knotwork. When the smooth portion is used to play a guitar, a breeze begins to flow from the strings. The wind carries a mild narcotic, causing those whi breathe it yo enter a trancelike state accompanied by visions with a theme and tone appropriate to the music being played. Successful HT and Will rolls will allow an affected person to break loose.

Next: the Pirate's Pebble

[coronatiger]

Originally Posted by Dalillama

Next: the Pirate's Pebble

Seaman Stones are small, enchanted stones that sailors keep in their mouths to prevent scurvy. Pirate's Pebbles have the additional effect that if you spit it out forcefully (as opposed to removing it gently with your hands), it accelerates and deals 2d+2 cr to whatever it strikes.

Next: The Three Rods of Rulership

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by coronatiger

The Three Rods of Rulership

This is actually a single, ornate scepter, which must be formally claimed following the death of the previous owner to have an effect. Upon claiming it, the claimant gains the ability to summon a high-performance, customized automobile (a "hot rod") of the claimant's preference, and gains Delusion ("I am Roderick I*, rightful Emperor of Earth") as well as Obsession ("The world must acknowledge my rule").

*A female claimant still identifies as female, and her mind will sometimes concoct a reason why she has a clearly-masculine name, but often she seems to simply be unaware of this discrepancy.

Next: The Watchamacallit Doohickey.