Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Immoral Coil is made of copper and can be connected to any sealed, heat-resistant vessel with minimal difficulty. Once there, it grants +4 to Professional Skill: Distilling, and ensures that no contaminants from the vessel will enter the final product, allowing almost any kind of container to be used. Morover, the coil and anything attached to it are completely invisible to people who think liquor should be taxed.

Next: The Ship of Years

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"The Ship of Years"... Ancient texts refer to it as "The ship of Oblivion", it grants its user the power to sail the seas of time for the purpose of traveling back in time; however, it also sends its tripulants to an alternate timeline. The only way to return is sailing the ship for the same number of years (or amount of time) traveled back in time (hence its name). Traveling too far away in time, also means you are gone forever!

Next: The sound of silence.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The "Sound of Silence" is a musket, that fires shrapnel in an cone of attack. It is so named because of the SILENCE that is heard after it is fired. It's damage ignores DR less than 20, and destroys cover. It is offset by taking ten turns to reload and the each load weighing between 1D-2 lbs (not less than 2 but not more than 4). It was used by the great buccaneer Will S. Hot.

Next is HAMMER TIME. (not a hammer)

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

This watch has a few notable features. First, instead of numbering the hours, it just has a hammer in the place of 12. Second, the wearer of the watch gets +2 to all dodge rolls. Third, the wearer gains the Delusion (Everything can be fixed with a hammer). Fourth, every hour, on the hour, the wearer starts dancing. The wearer will not stop until they make a self control roll of 6.

Next: The Dark Seed

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Dark Seeds feel like almonds, and those brave few who have attempted to consume them note the taste and texture is similar to such as well... at least until they collapse, frothing and twitching, and rapidly expire. When a Dark Seed is planted, it will grow at an accelerated rate into something that seems to be the same size, shape, etc as an almond tree, with more Dark Seeds growing just as almonds would (and the accelerated growth means it's ready for harvest after only around a year, rather than the 5-12 years of a mundane almond tree).

The qualifiers "feel like" and "seems to" are because neither Dark Seeds nor the Dark Trees they grow into can be seen, as they generate an Obscure 10 (Vision; Cosmic: Extended +50%) field that manifests as an impenetrably-dark cloud - only about a foot in diameter for the seeds, but far larger for a mature plant. Even ground into a powder, a Dark Seed maintains this to a certain degree, causing such powders to be similarly-impenetrably black. This powder is how the seeds are primarily used, for working rituals/casting spells/working enchanted items - particularly those related to stealth - and as a deadly poison.

Next: The Blooded Bracers

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The Blooded Bracers are perhaps the most powerful martial arts artifact in the world. Originally commissioned by Emperor Shang Tzi as the reward for the winner of the first imperial fighting championship, they appear to be well-crafted embossed leather bracers with gold filigree.

The particulars of their original simple enchantment is now lost in the mists of time, having been superceded by the greater legend which became associated with them when they were worn by Noble Champion Dao Lu in the final defence of the Lost City. In his famous last stand Dao Lu is said to have killed 400 attackers single handedly before succumbing to his wounds. At the time of his death he pronounced a Doom that the Bracers would transmit to the next wearer all the might of anyone who previously died wearing them. As such, their power has continued to grow down through tje centuries.

At present, the Blooded Bracers grant the wearer:

-DR 20 to the wrists and forearms,
-Enhanced Parry 4
-Arm ST5
-Attribute +2 in ALL unarmed fighting skills that have TBM as a prerequisite
-Hard to Kill and Hard to Subdue 4
-an uncounted number of combat perks
-FP +10, and
-DX+2

Next: Quintessence of Faith

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The Quintessence of Faith is a universally-feared construct, resembling a very large still. A living cleric is locked inside with a few liters of water and a fire is started below it. Over the course of several hours, the cleric is essentially boiled alive, and a small quantity of potion is distilled. The cleric is rendered powerless and severely burned (the enchantments of the Quintessence prevent him/her from death). Divine magic - from any source - cannot work on the cleric, and any magic that tries to determine anything about the cleric - identity, race, alignment, etc - fails (similarly, any magic reliant on the character having a certain identity/etc doesn't work).

The potion itself can be imbibed, typically only a few drops at a time (which will last for several hours). Whoever consumes it is able to access the cleric's stolen divine power, and identity-based magic like the above shows the imbiber to be the cleric.

Note while all the above speaks of using it on clerics, as this is the most common use (and the one for which it is named), it can technically work on anyone - but the distilled potion will only serve to make the imbiber seem to be that person (and remove the victim's identity) to magic, it will not "steal" their powers.

Next: The Good Engine.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Good Engine (TL5^)
This device captures the spiritual energies emitted when a mortal performs a good deed and channels them into mechanical energy to perform work. It consists of a cylindrical canister of water leafed on the outside with special alchemically treated gold that heats up when exposed to felicific radiation, boiling the water to power a steam turbine above the canister. The gold on the canister is the same type of gold that is found in the heart of someone with a heart of gold, and the heat is the same as the "warm fuzzies" one experiences after doing a good deed. One hedon of felicity engendered at distance d from the engine produces enough felicific radiation to generate energy equal to 1J×h×w/d², where h and w are the height and width of the canister, respectively.

$15,000, 4 tons. LC4.

At TL6^, electrical generators based on the felicific engine appear, and at TL7^, felicity panels convert felicific radiation into electricity directly. Hypothetical designs for perpetual motion machines based on the good engine have been proposed, most of which involve using the energy generated by the engine to perform more good works...

Next: The Ring of Ding-Ding.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Ring of Ding-Ding is the counter part of the Gong of Dong-Dong. The ring itself gives a +2 INT to the wearer and improves logic based skills by +1. This effect can be activated two times a day (ding ding) and the effect lasts for 1D tasks.

Next: "The Gong of Dong-Dong"

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Gong of Dong Dong Afflicts Gullibility on everyone in earshot (does not affect deaf people) making it an effective prop during religious services where you are constantly telling people things that can't be refuted and must be taken on faith. The quick contest is a resistance roll against a value of 18. However anyone wearing a Ring of Ding Ding is immune to the effect.

Next: The Cloak of Time

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

A fanciful, but well-made traveling cloak with a rather heavy-handed hourglass motif to the black-and-silver design, the Cloak of Time grants the wearer Perfect Timing. Nice on its own, and that seems to be the only power. Deeper probing, however, reveals a more subtle power. It also makes the wearer imperceptible to all manner of time-scrying. All prophecy will overlook the cloak and its wearer, so will any attempt to divine the past. While the effects of the cloak and it's occupant may be observed, they are effectively invisible to such senses.

Next: The First Mate's Horn

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Gragnat was a famous minotaur sailor who spent 40 years on the waves as a first mate who would never take a captaincy because it was too much responsibility for his taste. In his final battle, one of his horns was broken off and claimed as a trophy by his killer before the rest of his body was consigned to the waves. The horn is still in some sense alive, and imbued with Gragnat's essence. The horn will graft itself onto anyone who holds the base of it against their skull for one minute, and can thererafter only be removed by violence or surgery. While the horn is attached, the user has four levels of Born Sailor talent, which stack with any they may already have. The user also has quirk-level Laziness, and non-Minotaurs get Unnatural Feature and a piercing striker on their heads.

Next: The Goblin's Griddle

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The Goblin's Griddle is a horrible contraption to cook meals. Its ability is to render rotten food into edible food. No matter how rotten or dank the food is if it is cooked in the Goblin's Griddle it will no longer be dangerous to consume. It even makes the food taste "not that bad".

Next is Tainted Letter.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Tainted Letter appears to be a perfectly ordinary block of type, usually a vowel*, but close magical analysis will reveal its true nature. (If anyone bothers, of course). Anything printed using the Letter will be subtly altered in a harmful manner, according to the nature of the text: A children's book might show characters lying or cheating and getting away with it, while a religious text would emphasize the most parochial and insular aspects of the faith, etc. A deliberately harmful text (a bigoted screed, a summons to terrorism, etc) will become more convincing.


*The few occultists aware of the Letter debate whether there's only one that changes shape, or if there are multiple Letters.

Next: Minintal's Magnetic Mink

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

A taxidermized mink of unknown origins that comes to life after you sing a certain nursery rhyme to it. Its heart sounds like the expanding waves of the big-bang. A tattletale that will follow its "master" (the singer) until the end of their main-quest (after which it vanishes); a bearer of fortune and cringe jokes, your best aid for parlor-tricks and a living encyclopedia of the occult. It also grants you weirdness magnet (origins); handle with care, it is said its most known owner (Minintal) ended up merged to a llama (and remains like that to this day).

Next: Whisper of the rain.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Whisper of the Rain is a technomagic artifact which first came to light in the late 1970s. It is a 45 minute long recording of rain falling in the sea in the Bermuda Triangle, originally made on cassette tape. It has the following properties:

-anyone who hears it must make a Will -8 resistance roll or fall under its stupefying effect,
-those affected remain apparently awake but their thoughts become completely submerged in listening to the sound; they must take Do Nothing maneuvers for as long as they are affected and they lack the impetus to even take free actions,
-the effects end immediately if the playback ends or is interrupted;
-subjects can make further resistance rolls during playback in response to stimuli like shaking, shouting, gunshots etc.,
-playback can be effective over any media, like a school intercom/PA system or even broadcast,
-the Whisper can be recorded onto other media, but doing so transfers the power to the new media and removes it from the prior one (although the sound remains); it was last identified on an audio CD.

Next: The Three Tokens

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Three Tokens are a set of three ceramic coins. On the obverse side, each coin has engraved a coat of arms depicting a set of three dice, and with the motto Alea Iacta Est. The reverse sides of the coins show a lobster and the number 1, a tiger and the number 2, and a lizard and the number 4, respecively.

If a single token is flipped into the air while holding the other two in hand, it will show the user how to play their next game of rock-paper-scissors. If the lobster token is used and lands with the lobster up, the user should select rock; if the token lands with the lobster down, the user should instead select what beats rock, i.e. paper. The tiger (paper) and lizard (scissors) tokens work the same way. Following the token's instructions leads to the most beneficial result in the rock-paper-scissors game, which may not always be to win (ref. Mat Cauthon in Wheel of Time). Tossing the same token multiple times will always show the same result until the user has played rock-paper-scissors. Tossing another token before playing said game will however inflict bad luck on the user, and the tokens will soon find a new owner.

Tossing all three tokens (as long as a rock-paper-scissors future isn't locked in) shows the most beneficial choice for the user. The user must enumerate exactly eight choices (starting at zero) before making the toss, and speak the list out loud, e.g. "Zero - Enter the door on the far left; One - Enter the door on the far right..." If the user fails to list eight choices before making the toss, or doesn't go through with the choice within one minute, the tokens disappear and find a new owner. If all eight choices are catastrophical to the user, the tokens will also disappear. To learn which choice to go for, look at the tokens after the toss and add up the visible numbers.

Next: The Shard of Anguish

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The Shard of Anguish is the sole remaining remnant of the Wishing Crystal of Kal the Enchanter. The original Crystal granted wishes, but also cursed the wisher to suffer tragedy within one year. An unnamed mage attempted to remove the curse effect, which shattered the Crystal into pieces. Each of the pieces turned to dust upon granting one wish, except the Shard of Anguish, which had only the curse effect.

Anyone who holds the Shard becomes subtly obsessed with it, and begins to attribute all of their good fortune to it. In reality, the Shard is twisting their fate to increasing hardship, usually culminating in a tragic end or a reduction to a state of complete misery after about a year. The Shard then abandons the holder in search of a new victim.

Up next: The Ring of Fool's Wisdom

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Ring of Fool's Wisdom afflicts the user with the following metatrait: Wise Fool (Chummy [-5], Clueless [-10] OPH (Crude jokes) [-5], Common Sense [15], Intuition [10].The wearer will never willingly remive the ring or acknowledge that their behavior has changed at all.

Next: The Hellish Hearse

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Less a magic item than a supernatural phenomenon, the Hellish Hearse (a stately black wagon drawn by a team of four hell horses) appears at the deaths of remarkably evil individuals to carry their souls to hell. However, the driver of the hearse can be bribed or coerced into transporting other persons - traditionally with 30 pieces of silver or actual divine (or infernal!) authority. The Hellish Hearse can travel anywhere in the world, the lands of the dead, or hell, but cannot enter holy ground or the divine realms (or, if they exist in setting, elemental planes, the astral, etc.). Any journey takes no more than an hour, regardless of how far the distance. If the passengers are not very careful, powerful, or holy, they will end up in Hell regardless of their intended destination! Riding the Hellish Hearse may risk damnation, as well.

Next: the Brand of Brotherhood.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

A powerful magical item that comes in the shape of a black box; it was created by a cleric know as Hameln “The Brother” Hood. It makes the user savvy in most if not all social circumstances. To acquire the powers granted by the brand of brotherhood, one must place a hand inside the box, and endure “the pain of the whole world” for 5 or more seconds (it demands 5 will rolls at -6) while saying the magic words: “Suffering is a reminder that I'm still alive”. If the ritual is successful, it provides the user with the following bonuses: +6 to reaction rolls and to carousing, current affairs (social matters) diplomacy, fast-talk, leadership, politics, streetwise and savoir faire (any) rolls. If one fails, the hand is branded with "the mark of shame" and it becomes useless for the rest of life.

Next: The Black Sun.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Black Sun is a solar pendant made of obsidian. It "glows" with the strength of an oil lamp for purposes of area of effect. Anywhere within the pendant's antilight is protected from any ill effects that might be created by ambient light. The principal intent is to protect vampires from the sun, but the protection covers every type of light-based harm, and even extends to preventing sunburn and glare blindness in ordinary humans. Should lasers exist in the setting, the Black Sun protects from them as well.

Next: The Earth Fan

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Earth Fan is a gargantuan machine located on an island in the vast underground ocean of Valusia beneath central Asia. It is powered by a geothermal conduit penetrating deep through the Earth's mantle and drawing heat from the core. It's function is to circulate the the atmosphere, thereby preventing gravity from drawing gasses too tightly to the planet which would result in Venusian density levels. It is believed by knowledgeable people that the cognate Venus Fan failed many millennia ago.

Next: The Chicken and The Egg

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Chicken and the Egg is a magical 3D artwork created by the famous Illusionist El Spaniard. It shows the chicken/egg paradox as a cycle: An egg hatches, a chicken comes out and grows to a hen, the hen lays an egg and fades away before the egg hatches again. As with most El Spaniard creations, The Chicken and the Egg incorporates both sound and smell. It evokes the feel of a farmyard, but with something not quite right to emphasize the paradox that inspired the piece.

Next: Tears of the Willow

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Tears of the Willow is an alchemical preparation of willow sap that is a sovereign remedy for pain and fever. One dose gives High Pain Threshold and negates any penalties from pain-related Disadvantages for four hours.


Next: Wooden Crown

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Forest Temple of Neguriash lies on the slope of a hill. Surrounding the hilltop, a five-minute hike from the temple, is a ring of 12 mighty pine trees, enchanted long ago. They are called The Wooden Crown and bestows a sense of tranquility upon anyone who enters. Meditation, Dreaming and benign use of Hypnotism are at +5 within the ring.

Next: The Maul of Aznagroth

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Aznagroth was an ogre who set herself up as a sawmill in a remote logging community, with the aid of massive strength and enchanted tools. The Saw of Aznagroth was lost at sea, and the Wedges to a fate unknown, but the Maul is still in circulation. The maul is an enormous implement carved whole from a hickory tree. It requires ST 17 to use, and is SM +1. In combat, it acts as a normal maul of its size with +1d damage. When used to split wood, drive posts, etc., The user doesn't fatigue and works at twice their normal pace.

Next: The Short Yard

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Short Yard is an enchanted miniature yardstick, black with white stripes marking the inches. By saying the magic words "Measure One Yard" or "Measure One Inch" the holder triggers the item to change size between miniature and full-scale. The change is instantaneous, but the item won't grow if there is no room for it.

A lesser-known quality of the Short Yard is that it weighs exactly an ounce in miniature form and exactly one pound in normal size.

Tests have shown the yardstick to be made from solid steel despite a weight that doesn't match and the fact that it can be bent without too much effort. However, resizing the magic item will also straighten out any bends.

Next: Epsilon Omega Drive

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The last drive you will ever need

The Epsilon Omega Drive is a strange artifact from an advanced magitech civilization. It lives up to its slogan, engraved right on to the packaging, which for some reason is in English. The drive is believed to be indestructible; the traces of Technetium-99 provide some evidence that it has survived a nuclear attack. It has seemingly unlimited storage space; there is no limit to how many files that can be stored, many of which are in indecipherable ancient texts. Finally, the drive is very easy to modify; by simply wiring one of the cables to an appropriate interface port (with an Electronics Repair (Computers) roll at +3) all data can be accessed without the need to reverse engineer drivers. Keep in mind that software to access stored data is still necessary, however.

Next: Noise Feeder

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Noise Feeders are a particular type of power stone. As long as the ambient sound level around a Noise Feeder is over 70db, it will recharge at normal rate regardless of other power stones being too close, or at double rate if there is no other power stone close by.

Next: glow gas

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Glow gas is UFO fuel. Any vehicle that operates on liquid fuel can burn it. The substance itself is slightly fluorescent, glowing in a color just on the edge of perception. Vehicles burning glow gas take on the same glow, and are capable of inertialess flight in atmosphere (i.e. instant changes of speed an direction) at up to the local sound barrier. Glow gas is consumed twice as fast as the engine's normal fuel, and all of its powers end instantly when combustion does. The vehicle regains the inertia and flight characteristics it should have had.

Next: The Spoon of Filial Virtue

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The spoon of filial virtue is an item worn on the hat or helmet, it symbolizes membership to the secret society “brotherhood of the spoon”, a guild of fighters and merchants which is all about legendary items and quests. On the other hand, it grants the “call to hospitality” perk. You also acquire a reaction modifier of +3 around warriors, hermits, travelers, inn keepers and merchants. Finally, if you don’t know the skills, you may roll carousing, diplomacy and leadership as if you had invested 1 point in each.

Next: THE FAITHSTONES.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The FAITHSTONES, also known as the Gems of Attention-Begging in Screaming Desperation, are a set of seven differently colored gemstones bound together by gold wire to a necklace. Each stone is attuned to one of the Seven Sisters, the goddesses of Feidvang.

Wearing the necklace ensures that any prayer spoken out loud is heard by the goddesses, although there is no guarantee of an answer.

After a priest of Vite, the goddess of knowledge, received a stern talking-to in a dream, the necklace has been locked away, not to be used without the consent of at least three priests of different goddesses.

Next: Pill of Wights

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

In some very permissive societies, the alchemical concoctions that turn one into an undead are freely available. However, even in these societies, the Pill of Wights is dangerous and restricted knowledge.

The Pill of Wights is a fairly standard necromantic concoction. When consumed, the drinker dies the next time they go to sleep before being resurrected as an undead in thrall to whoever brewed the pill. The dangerous part is that unlike most other alchemical concoctions, the Pill of Wights is in pill form and can be slipped into food or drink without any ability to be detected.

Next: Ninja Maggots

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

This is a "cleverly" named alchemical healing lotion. When applied to wounds, it grants the character Regeneration (Regular), with a typical dose lasting 24 hours. Additionally, it will cure any disease within the wound (typically due to infection of the wound) and neutralize poisons introduced via the wound (but generally won't heal the damage caused by them, unless said damage is localized to the treated wound).
(EDIT: the name is a reference to maggot debridement therapy; "ninja" because you don't see any maggots)

Next: The Goiden Toitle (yes, that's the correct spelling for it)

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Goiden Toitle is a golem made of gold and shaped like a turtle. Its maker was just about to put his hand on it and speak its name to activate it when a distraction pulled him away. While the enchanter was gone, his two-year-old found her way into the laboratory. The golem was activated when he returned, and he couldn't command it, so he had to paralyze the golem while he analyzed the issue. Opening the golem's head, he found out what had happened, for the parchment that should contain the name he had yet to give it said "Goiden Toitle". He swore never again to discuss his work in front of his children, and installed a magical lock on his lab.

Next: Syrup of the Mire

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Syrup of the Mire is a euphemism found in alchemical manuals. When it is necessary for certain concoctions to be individually tailored to affect a specific person, the recipe will call for 'Syrup of the Mire' of the targetted person. This means the alchemist has to obtain excreted bodily waste of the person to include in preparing the elixir.

Next up: The Incomprehensible Doohickey

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A rather clever bit of rebranding of a popular gnomish childern's toy, the Incomprehensible Doohicky is in fact very comprehensible. I doesn't actually do anything (useful). In it's children's toy incarnation, upon speaking one of a set of command words, it will do one or more of spin around, cast about colored lights, spew glittering motes, spurt water, squeak and rattle, do a somersault, float, or play a simple tune. The clever entrepreneur modified the appearance to be less whimsical and more artifact-y, and adjusted the command words to be common phrases that might be spoken in casual conversation. Thus, the Incomprehensible Doohickey was born. Claimed to be an artifact of great power, it's method of control was lost to the mists of time and so activates without warning to perform some action with unknown purpose and consequence.

It was a hit at parties.

Next: Tad's Mad Lad

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Created by a speaker of an an extremely thick dialect "Tad's Mad Lad" translates into the common tongue as "Todd's Mud Lord". A statuette of a crowned humanoid it grants the ability to cast all Earth College Spells related (or limited to) mud.

Next:The Sorrow of Angles

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Sorrow of Angles was a mass-effect curse invoked by priests of the goddess Nerthus against the Brythonic defenders of the island of Albion. It was cast on the sands of a Frisian beach and born across the sea by the invaders who threw it into the air when the wind was favorable. The afflicted defenders suffered various similar effects including:

-Reflexive regret,
-Obtuse self-pity, and
-Acute depression.

Next: The Queen's Tuffet

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The Queen's Tuffet is a small grassy mound located in the queen's private garden at the Everspring Palace. In her now advanced age, with deteriorating health, the queen found herself unable to walk in her beloved garden as she used to. The king had the mound enchanted with Movement spells so the queen could sit on it and be transported slowly around on her command, in comfort.

Next: The Declaration of Dependents

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Declaration of Dependents is a document created by the Lich-Sovereign* of Malmod; anyone whose true name is inscribed thereupon is remade into a sort of flesh golem, their body controlled by their own mind and spirit, but animated and maintained purely by the Lich-Sovereign's will. These Dependents routinely include the monarchs, senators, or other rulers of the Lich-Sovereign's subject nations. In practice, this mostly means that anything aimed at eliminating the Lich-Sovereign is massively illegal, but otherwise things are run as the rulers see fit. It's generally assumed that there's some kind of long-term scheme being enacted, but nobody knows what.


*Very little personal information about the Lich-Sovereign is known; anyone who found the Lich-Sovereign's name could free the Dependents


Next: This Is Not a Pipe

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

At first glance, This Is Not a Pipe does indeed look like an ordinary pipe for smoking, but upon closer inspection, one will note that it is in fact not hollow, and the bowl where you'd normally put the tobacco is a massive piece of wood.

This Is Not a Pipe is actually a magical multitool. By saying the magic words ("This is not a pipe") and holding it near a task, it takes the form of the tool you need: Scissors to cut hair, a hammer to drive nails and so on. The artifact reverts to its original shape after 10 minutes or if the user puts it down.

The only limitation is that the artifact won't assume the shape of a hollow implement, like a straw for your drink.

Next: The Blade of Dullness

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

A well used Blade of Dullness resembles a honing steel more than any blade. A new one is a very thin and sharp dagger. However, it's rarely used as a weapon. Instead, it's kept with its owner blades, keeping them sharp and well maintained without any effort on the part of the owner. The Blade of Dullness slowly loses this ability along with its edge while growing in size. At a certain threshold, it reaches a maximum size and stops functioning. Most users then tend to go back and buy a new one. Unbeknownst to many, a Blade of Dullness can be recycled by ablating off all of the material gathered through its operation.

Next: Talking Heads

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Talking Heads are a collection of objects of various materials (stone, wood, and metals being the most common). Each is shaped roughly like a humanoid head, and while most are about fist size, they range in size from the size of a coin to the size of a house. The few which have known origins were all made by craftsmen under some unexplained delirium, who afterward could not explain how or why they made them.

When holding a Talking Head (or putting your hand on one too large to hold), the holder hears whispers with hints of prophecy. Holding more than one Head makes the whispers more distinct, specific, and potentially contradictory.

Next: the Tongue of the Empress

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Empress was one of the largest bells ever cast, enchanted to sound a warning when some catastrophic event was due to occur. Different peals signified invasion, earthquake, fire, and storm. The Empress itself was melted down for cannon during a particularly bad invasion, but the tongue survives, and can be affixed to any bell larger than a tonne weight. Any such bell gains the powers of the Empress. The Tongue of the Empress can also be wielded as a mace with Accuracy and Puissance 3, but since it's 15 feet long and weighs several hundred pounds hardly anything can use it thus.


Next: Winnifer's Weasel Weapon

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Winnifer, Westover's waterfowl warden, was worried weasels would waste what work was won.

So she commissioned a magical crossbow enchanted such that each bolt would split into six parts, each of which homes in on any weasels, hidden or visible, within Max range and a 45% arc of the firing direction, doing normal crossbow damage.
Tests have found the Weasel Weapon is effective against all species of weasel (including Giant varieties, and related creatures such as stoats, minks, emines and ferrets.

Next: Knuckles of Love

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Does it work against Ice Weasels?

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

No-one knows. But testing on politicians, lawyers, and sales people has shown it to be ineffective on metaphorical types.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Princess Mara married Tom the Enchanter, and according to custom, the couple received all their wedding gifts on the following day, delivered by servants to their bedroom throughout the day. After a while, Mara wearied of all the mundane gifts, and Tom promised that he would enchant the next thing to come through the door. The spell would keep their love as fresh as it was now.

As it happened, this day was also the day the orcs invaded the kingdom, and the next thing through the door was a green fist, spreading splinters everywhere. True to his word, Tom relieved the orc of his hand with a spell, and brought Princess Mara and the hand to safety on his magic carpet.

The couple set up in the neighboring kingdom, and while Princess Mara prepared troops to retake her home, Tom finished his enchantment, adding a second spell to it: Any pain inflicted on the hand or the hand's holder was to be reflected tenfold to all orcs within ten meters.

Next: Quill of Elaborations

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

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.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Watchamacallit Doohickey is a more powerful version of the Thingamajig Doodad*.

Next: Amphora of Lamentation


*PM me if you want to know what that is.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

There are two Amphorae of Lamentation in our collection. The first is an Amphora that never runs out of wine, but only on sad occasions. The other is a source of immortality.

To use the second Amphora of Lamentation, all one needs to do is cry into the Amphora. Simply placing tears the tears inside will not work, and subterfuge breaks the process. Once the tears are inside, the user loses all ability to feel negative emotions and begins to rapidly regenerating any damage to their body. Any pain, sadness and so on that would be felt by the user is instead redirected to the Amphora in the form of a horrible ichor. When the contents of the Amphora is released, the user immediately feels all of the negativity stored away. Any meaningful quantity of negativity will likely result in death.

Next: Midnight Ride

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Midnight Ride is a 72 Hemi'Cuda painted midnight blue. The thing that makes it the ultimate ride is the accidental perfection with which it was constructed and which it confers upon its' driver. No one at the wheel of the Midnight Ride ever faiis a Skil roll even if it is not connected to operating the car.

Next:The Bay Window

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Bay Window is a 3' x 4' rectangle of glass. When mounted in a wall, it looks out on a calm tropical bay with a beach of pink sand. Anyone who climbs through the window will be visible on the beach until they walk out of view; thereafter they will never be seen again. There are no reported cases of anyone returning through the Window.

Next: The Revolution Skin

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Revolution Skin is an artifact of great antiquity, and possibly the most consequential object ever made.

It appears to be a vellum scroll approximately 4 inches wide and unrolls to about 16" long. When unrolled it is always legible in the language of the person who discovers it. It will be found to contain a relatively brief, but sufficient, message describing the next huge disruptive change (not necessarily political) to occur within the society of the reader. The discoverer can show the scroll in person to however many people she wishes, but it will mysteriously be lost if it is given away, sent to someone else, or even stored away for an indeterminate number of days. Its reappearance thereafter will be unpredictable, but always to a different person with a new message.

What readers of a prediction choose to do about it is up to them. Some may act to implement it, benefit from it, preach it, or flee it, but regardless it will come to pass within the lifetime of at least one person who is aware of it.

Next: The Measure of a Man

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Revolution Skin is a wineskin. Drinking from it while thinking of a cause makes one fearlessly and unquestioningly dedicated to that cause. It has been used by revolutionaries when rallying support, but often leads to problems as at least a few attending such events are normally thinking "Someone should stop these people."

Edit: Oops, doubled up. Use Donny's "The Measure of a Man" as the next item.

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Continutiy fix:

The Endless Cask of Foul Wine is the former dwarven lord Relkin of Longdig who lived hundreds of years ago. He was renowned for his troublesome, dishonorable, malicious, conniving, selfish and instigatory nature. After decades of causing trouble amongst his peers he became known behind his back as Relkin the Cask of Foul Wine.

Eventually, after attempting to murder his new son-in-law on the night of his daughter's wedding, a guest put a blade between his ribs. By common consent he was denied proper burial and instead became a wight, bound in service to whoever holds the blade that killed him.

Next/still/again: The Measure of a Man

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Haberdasher from Hell (mentioned in MI3) crrated a measuring string that allowed his tailors to flawlessly fit his clothing regardless of his present shape, size, and/or appearance. To his dismay, clothes made to the Measure of a Man fit the recipient inside and out: anyone who sees the wearer will immediately have a sense of their deepest flaws and greatest virtues. Since the Haberdasher had many personality flaws and no redeeming characteristics to speak of, he despised the clothes made from his Measure. He ast it into the dimensions, and it remains at large.

Next: Pascal's Peace Bow

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Blaise Pascal lamented the fact that while there were many instruments of war, few if any items were described as instruments of peace. Was war inherent in human nature? he pondered.

A mage who heard Pascal make a speech about this decided to act. She bestowed a violin bow with an enchantment that made all listeners pacifists (at least while the fiddler played). She presented Pascal with the bow. "This is an instrument of peace," she asserted.

Next: The Sticky Whip

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

A frequently-useful adventurer's tool, albeit a somewhat finicky one, the end of the Sticky Whip can be made to stick to any surface, even quite slippery ones, by the will of the user, and will release at will, as well. Of course, making it release is slightly more difficult, especially if you aren't used to it, but most consider that a small price to pay. (No roll needed to make it stick, but releasing requires either a Will+0 roll or a Mental Strength+1 roll.)

It took me surprisingly long to think of that.


Next: The Hookah of Inventive Wisdom

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Hookah of Infinite Wisdom is a waterpipe made of gold and glass. To fuel it, you need tobacco mixed with powdered diamonds. The smoke produced gives vivid hallucinations. During the hour while the effect lasts, the inhaler gains Quick Gadgeteer, Intuition and Versatile. Once the effect wears off, it is replaced by a literally blinding headache for 8 hours (1 point of damage, Terrible Pain and Blindness). The hangover effect can be postponed by inhaling another dose from the Hookah, but each time this is done, the eventual damage is doubled. E.g. if a user takes four doses in a row, they will take 8 points of damage (1, doubled 3 times) once the hangover kicks in.

Next: The Citrus-Scented Letters

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Citrus-scented Letters were originally missives sent by the landless mage-prince Devraklin to woo the Widowed Empress (Healdra IV). It was said she was cursed, having buried seven husbands by the time she was 30 years old. Devralkin set himself the objective to become her 8th spouse, having calculated that the curse must have been discharged.
His courtship was more successful than his prognostication, as he died less that two years after their wedding.

The Letters still exist, however, and still retain a distinct scent of citrus. Anyone who reads the Letters is afflicted by a mild case of Lecherousness (resist on 15 or less) focussed particularly on desire for a partner of lesser social status. During consummation of this impulse the person afflicted will also have +4 on Sex Appeal and Erotic Arts. Once consummated, all afflictions from the letters end and the subject will be immune to any further exposure to the Letters.

Next: Turner's Pike

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

Invented by an unscrupulous official or clever bandit, depending on who one asks, a Turner's Pike is a long pole on a swivel, painted red and white, which makes any road into a toll road. When one is laid across a road or path of any sort, any traveler on the road who sees it is compelled to pay a fee determined by the user or turn back. Clergy of any sort are exempt from the toll, and travelers who aren't on the road when they first see the Pike are unaffectesd.

Next: The Henway

Re: [Thaumatology] Magic Item Design Game
 

The Henway is a magical path that one must be led down by a female chicken. The actual item associated with this appears to be a bag of feed for chickens. You select your hen and throw the feed int the direction you wish to go. Travel on the path is magically quick and users will normally reach their intended destination by the time the chicken is full.

Exactly what hapens if you attempt this with a rooster is not recorded but most sages agree that it is very bad. Also, the user will be cursed if they eat the chicken at the end of the trip. The chicken can be sold to someone else but the former owner should get out of sight befoe the chicken is slaughtered.

Next: The Knot of Watt.