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rpg:crystal_frontier:new_items

New Items

Powering Enchantments

Mana Crystal: This crystal, properly prepared, powers a magical object for a certain number of uses or duration. When unpowered, the crystal can be recharged through magical imbuement, but each recharge makes the crystal more unstable and likely to break on first use. Mana crystals are often worn around the neck so someone can plug it into the various devices they need. Mana crystals are most commonly Aurora Quartzoids, which have a gold and blue sheen to them that becomes duller as they become more brittle. Mana crystals are rated in pulses - one pulse being sufficient to generate a bolt of force for a launcher, or to power one activation of most minor magics. Larger crystals (those used to power machinery, buildings, or even cities) may be measured in kilopulses or megapulses as appropriate.

Drawstone: This device fits in place of a mana crystal receptacle, and powers a magical object by drawing the power directly from the user. A given user has a number of Pulses available equivalent to their spell points times five; a single Pulse is equivalent to a cantrip in power. This also can be used to test a person for magical aptitude; someone who can activate one has Pulse available and therefore can clearly benefit from appropriate training.

Self-Powered: The most powerful enchantments are those that are self-powering – they do not require a mana crystal or outside source for power. These are 'classic' magical items, and are the most expensive to produce, though manufacturing methods have reduced this cost. They draw their power from the environment itself, which means industrial magics can depower an area given enough use.

Charged: Magical items that classically are made with a limited number of charges (wands, in particular) are typically made with a mana crystal to power them. Self-powered variants (rods or staves with charges-per-day) also exist that have limited charges, but compensate by recovering automatically over time; the slow recharge rate typically ensures that the built-in mana crystals remain stable.

Triggering Enchantments

Automatic: Automatic enchantments are always active when powered; a drawstone item drains Pulses from its user until they put it down, a crystal-powered item runs until the crystal breaks or runs out of power, and a self-powered enchantment is 'always on' as long as there is environmental mana.

Seal-Press: Most modern items have a magical seal that must be pressed to activate or deactivate them; this must be done with bare skin, making it difficult for people wearing gloves. Some gloves are made with 'seal pressing' pads to work around this issue. Seal-Press items can be designed to work for only a specific user, a specific type of user, or for anyone.

Command Word: This is the most common form of enchantment, particularly old-world self-powered enchantments, which triggers whenever someone uses an appropriate command word. As the commands are typically determined by whoever created the object, this can be a very dangerous proposition. (Imagine finding out at the King's ball that your ring of fireballs triggers on the command word 'Majesty'!)

Common Magical Items

These magical items are expensive (but not unreasonably so); a relatively successful merchant or fine artisan should be able to afford some to most of these.

Remote Gloves: These gloves let you conjure a mage hand as per the spell, and manipulate it by moving your fingers. While this only lets you move up to 10 pounds and doesn't let you work from more than 30 feet away, its uses for manipulating objects that might otherwise be dangerous (smithing tools in the midst of a fiery forge, tools for repairing a dangerous clockwork mechanism, and the like) are well known.

Self-Filling Canteen: This canteen fills itself once per day when emptied, making it exceptionally useful for an explorer who might otherwise suffer in the wilderness. A larger version, a ten-gallon jug, is also available for watering animals and providing for the needs of a group.

Barrel of Self-Preservation: No, this isn't where you hide when the orcs are coming, this is where you put fresh meat and it is transformed into preserved meat through the magic of, well, magic. One large barrel can preserve up to one hundred pounds of meat in eight hours.

Curative Balm: This balm contains healing unguents that are helpful when spread in a wound, healing a small amount of damage (d4). While not as powerful as a normal potion, it is easily applied with a standard Heal check without having to figure out how to get an unconscious person to swallow a potion.

Draw Lighter: This item is unremarkable by magical standards - it is a metal rod with a press-button on one side and a hollow end that generates a short, candle-sized flame for three seconds by drawing one Pulse from its user. However, in addition to requiring no conscious thought or Concentration, it is a common way used to test for magical aptitude in potential students; those who can get it to light without training are likely to be capable of stronger magics if properly tutored.

Dictation Pen: This is an enchanted pen with its own internal ink reservoir. When the nib of the pen is placed on the paper, the ink flows smoothly onto the page, and the pen stops writing as soon as it is lifted, making it easier to avoid mistakes; furthermore, the Dictation Pen can, by gripping it firmly and pressing a seal on the side, float on its own accord, writing down anything it hears. It does not write down non-word noises, and only writes words dictated by the person who pressed the seal. To stop the pen, the user simply picks up the pen and presses the seal again; the pen also stops and sets itself down when it runs out of ink or after ten minutes of work.

Self-Chilling Mug: This is a mug that is enchanted to cool any liquid put into it to roughly forty degrees Fahrenheit (which is not quite enough to freeze water, and makes most beverages frosty cold.) It automatically triggers when liquid (and only liquid) is added; a solid object could not be cooled without adding liquid to immerse it. The mug itself also maintains a stable temperature unless subjected to external temperature extremes. A variant version only chills when a seal is pressed, and stops chilling when the contents reach 40 degrees.

Freezer Box: This is a sturdy insulated box that is designed to reduce the contents to approximately 10 degrees Fahrenheit (which is enough to freeze water and water-based items such as most foods). This has profound impacts on transportation of food supplies, as freezers allow food to last much longer (although chefs point out that it reduces the quality of ingredients). Freezer Boxes exist in sizes as small as a cubic foot, or as large as a ten by ten or larger room. They are usually self-powered, though crystal-powered versions exist for use in areas with low mana reception or high industrial usage.

Self-Heating Mug: This is a mug that is enchanted to heat any liquid put into it to roughly one hundred degrees (which is still comfortably warm without being too hot to drink, and makes most beverages soothingly warm.) It automatically triggers when liquid (and only liquid) is added; a solid object could not be heated without adding liquid to immerse it. The mug itself also maintains a stable temperature unless subjected to external temperature extremes. A variant version only heats when a seal is pressed, and stops heating when the contents reach 100 degrees.

Self-Heating Stewpot: This is a stewpot designed to heat contents to roughly 200 degrees - just under boiling - and maintain them at that temperature. It has a simple on-off mechanism - pressing one seal starts the stewpot heating, while pressing the other seal stops the heating. It heats at about ten degrees per second, so it takes roughly two rounds to reach proper temperature.

Industrial Melter: This large, thick cauldron uses similar principles to the self-heating food preparation devices, but is meant to heat its contents to a whopping 3000 degrees Fahrenheit - enough to melt steel - while itself remaining relatively cool to the touch. It uses a similar on-off mechanism to the stewpot, but is much more harmful to anything touching the contents – equivalent to molten lava, which is 2d6 damage per round for a single touch, up to 20d6 for full body contact. As such, it is not recommended to attempt to swim in the molten metal.

Weatherproofed Jumpsuit: This is a full body suit that is enchanted to keep the wearer dry and comfortable regardless of weather conditions; it does not protect hands, feet, or face, nor is it impervious to temperatures below -50 degrees or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Within these limitations, however, it is exactly the sort of attire one would want when exploring the Down Under or New Swaziland.

Bullet Pouch: This is a pouch permanently enchanted with Abundant Ammunition, that appears to be full of sling bullets. Whenever ammunition is taken from this pouch it is replaced one round later; the ammunition disappears one round after being extracted from the pouch.

Deceptive Weapon: This is a weapon enchanted with Disguise Weapon so as to look of a similar size and relative encumbrance - a one-handed Medium weapon could be made to appear to be a different one-handed Medium weapon, a two-handed Small weapon or a light Large weapon. Anyone who interacts with the weapon must make a Will save against DC 13 to recognize it as an illusion, and it will not change how the weapon is wielded, what it feels like, or how it sounds when used. That said, some people disguise guns to appear as daggers, for example, to reduce their intimidating appearance in public (or at the start of a fight).

Telegraph System: A system that transmits a series of tones from one telegraph to another connected telegraph. Usually used to send communications long distances between towns, although personal telegraph pairs are sometimes used to communicate with people 'in the field'.

Telesound System: A more elaborate system that can actually transmit voices; this requires more magical energy, but can transmit any noise between two stations.

Boots of Comfort: These boots are enchanted to fit loosely when putting them on, but to tighten to a comfortable fit when tied. In addition, they are comfortable within and prevent blisters, rashes, and other mundane foot problems from developing no matter how long they are worn.

Sharpening Sheath: Commonly found in the possession of veteran combatants, this sheath sharpens and cleans any blade put into it. The magic is on the sheath, not the weapon, although sheaths are usually made to match common weapon or tool sizes.

Twice-Filled Flask: This is a flask, bottle, or other opaque container that holds twice as much liquid as expected; so a quart-sized twice-filled flask actually holds two quarts, and so on. Similar magics exist to hold much greater capacities in much smaller confines, useful for carrying large amounts of water or other material without significant added weight.

Projectile Weapons

Most projectile weapons use a standard ranged attack to hit, with a range increment of of 30/120. Some items may use a ranged touch attack instead. Weapons that can inflict critical hits have a threat range of 19-20, and x2 for damage boost.

Magical

Mana Launcher: A basic projectile weapon powered by a mana crystal that launches a bolt of damaging force, along with the contents of the launcher, at a target. Inflicts 1d4 non-lethal force damage when fired without contents; typically pastilles (no damage, but contents splatter on target; pastilles can carry one dose of any alchemical formula), glass marbles (1 lethal), steel marbles (d2 lethal), sling bullets (d4 lethal), or bolts (d6 lethal) can be used. These weapons can also be imbued to deliver spell effects on impact in addition to the regular damage; glass marbles are common for this purpose, particularly in delivering remote healing or buffing magics. Uses 1 Pulse per shot.

Mana Carbine: A mana carbine is much like a standard launcher, but it has a larger receiver chamber, allowing the user to load multiple small projectiles into the bore, or use a larger bolt. Its force bolt inflicts d6 nonlethal damage. Multiple small projectiles add a +2 bonus to hit the target and inflict d2 damage a number of times equal to one plus one per two points by which the attack roll was made; or the carbine can fire a heavy crossbow bolt (inflicting d10 damage), or a single projectile as above with a +1 to damage. They are too large to be used by Small creatures. Uses 2 Pulse per shot, -4 to hit if operated one-handed.

Flame Bolter: This mana weapon fires a bolt of flames instead of a burst of force; this allows its attacks to inflict 1d10 fire damage instead and may combust targets struck, but cannot propel projectiles. Uses 4 Pulse per shot; uses a ranged touch attack instead of a standard attack, but gets no critical hit bonus.

Electro Bolter: This mana weapon fires a bolt of electricity instead of a burst of force; this has a bonus to hit targets covered in metal and inflicts 1d10 electric damage, but cannot propel projectiles. Uses 4 Pulse per shot; uses a ranged touch attack instead of a standard attack, but gets no critical hit bonus.

Frost Bolter: This mana weapon fires a bolt of intense cold instead of a burst of force; this inflicts 1d8 frost damage and on a successful hit, the target must make a Fortitude save vs DC 13 or be slowed temporarily. Uses 4 Pulse per shot; uses a ranged touch attack instead of a standard attack, but gets no critical hit bonus.

Shrieker: This mana weapon fires a burst of sonic energy instead of force; it inflicts 1d8 sonic damage and on a successful hit, the target must make a Fortitude save vs DC 13 or be deafened temporarily. It can be heard from a much greater distance. Uses 4 Pulse per shot; uses a ranged touch attack instead of a standard attack, but gets no critical hit bonus.

Flamer: This weapon basically generates the arc of flames of a burning hands spell; inflicting 2d4 damage to everything within a 15 foot cone from the weapon. Uses 10 Pulse per shot; requires a DC 13 Reflex save for half damage.

Tangler: This stubby weapon launches a sticky web as per the web spell, enmeshing a 20 foot radius in webbing. Anything in that area must make a Reflex save vs DC 13 or become incapable of moving in addition to becoming entangled. Uses 20 Pulse per shot.

Black Powder

Black Powder Launcher: These do exist, and replace the need for a mana crystal with the need for a dose of black powder. They are also more dangerous to operate and only inflict damage based on the projectile launched, but they inflict twice a normal launcher's damage upon impact. Uses 1 dose of Black Powder.

Black Powder Carbine: This heavy duty weapon inflicts twice the normal damage of its magical counterpart, and as with the normal launcher is a more dangerous form of the mana carbine. They are too large to be used by Small creatures. Uses 2 doses of Black Powder.

Encapsulated Black Powder Launcher. This basically uses complicated mechanisms and a sling bullet that is packaged with its black powder propellant to fire reliably. This weapon inflicts 2d4 damage per shot, and is safer than the typical black powder weapon, not that that's difficult.

Encapsulated Black Powder Carbine. This uses a larger bullet to hold more charge; its larger bullet inflicts 2d8 damage per shot, and is capable of taking down most humanoid targets with a single well-aimed shot. -4 to hit if operated one-handed.

Mechanical

Hand Launcher: These are basically hand crossbows modified to fire marbles and sling bullets as above in addition to their standard ammunition complement; this does not increase their damage. They are fairly inexpensive and used as hunting tools.

Heavy Launcher: This is essentially a heavy crossbow modified to be capable of firing marbles and sling bullets as above as well as standard heavy bolts; this increases their damage by 1 point. They are too large to be used by Small creatures. -4 to hit if operated one-handed.

rpg/crystal_frontier/new_items.txt · Last modified: 2017/11/23 16:06 by wizardofaus_doku

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