Items found in a Necromancers Laboratory

[Clay_More]

I hereby present some of the magical items you might find in a Necromancers Laboratory, all of which should be lesser magical items, yet invaluable to any decent necromancer. Please, give me some comments on what Spell Requirements and Cost these items would have, as well as some comments on the abilities of these items. I will post more items, as I finish converting them from my Ed. 2 documents (I still have 30-35 necromancer items written for Ed. 2)

Chains of Storage
The Chains of Storage are 10 ft. long chains with hooks attached to them. They are primarily used by necromancers. The chains are normally attached to a ceiling from which they hang. Each pair of chains has four hooks. Any corpse that is hung in these chains gains the benefit of the spell Gentle Repose, enabling it to survive for centuries without decomposing. Yet, the macabre nature of the chains prevents most good and neutral clerics from using them. Necromancers who wish to store their “raw materials” without having to worry about rotting and decomposing mostly use them.

Cauldron of Bones
The Cauldron of Bones is another tool commonly used by necromancers. Any spellcaster who wants to create skeletons has no need for the flesh of his corpses. Yet, the inventor of the Cauldron of Bones found that this flesh could still be used. By boiling a corpse in the Cauldron of Bones, the flesh and fat of the corpse is boiled away. Yet, a thick layer of residue still covers the bones after they have been boiled using this magic device, a layer that has the ability to protect the bones from the effects of acid. Should anyone use Animate Dead to create skeletons from a corpse boiled in the Cauldron of Bones, that skeleton would have Acid Resistance 5, due to the layer of neutralising grease that covers it’s bones.

Spiked Chair
The Spiked Chair is used by necromancers who constantly have to worry about clerics and paladins invading their lair. The Spiked Chair looks like a torture device, which it partially is. It’s a chair made completely of iron, covered in nasty-looking spikes. The chair has an unusual ability to keep anyone placed in it alive. Since the chair would quickly kill anyone sitting in it, it has been enchanted so that it slowly heals the wounds of those sitting in it (while inflicting wounds on them at the same time). The chair has four sets or iron bracers which helps to restrain anyone sitting in it. Using the chair is rather simple. You take a medium-sized sentient creature and restrain it to the chair. The creature will slowly die, under much pain and terror. After the person has died, the chair will use it’s evil powers to store the pain and suffering of the person who died in it. Then, if a necromancer uses the corpse located in the chair to create an undead creature, the chair will transfer it’s unholy energy to bolster this undead creature. Any undead animated from the corpse of a creature that has died in the Spiked Chair gains +1 Turn Resistance permanently, as the unholy energy of pain and suffering bolsters the energy of the evil creature. Only spellcasters of evil alignment may use the chair.

 

[Azure Trance]

Hey, those are really cool items. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Clay_More]

Well, if you like these, youre propably gonna like the next ones as well. Any ideas on GP cost / required spells?

 

[skymage]

when i price a magic item i look at it from 2 points of view.

what if the pcs got a hold of it.
how do i feel it compairs to existing items of similar power.
and these are purly opinion based priceing no charts or formula are used just my flawed logic and instinct.

chains of storage 2000 gp
i see almost no use for it in game other then roleplay. the only thing that it can be used for is saving a corpse for raise dead and that would only be needed if it was going to be weeks before getting raised. so i would price this as a "minor item" which to me is 2000 gp. after all magic items worthless or not arn't for level 1 or 2 pcs/npcs. spells are easy for this one gentle repose.

cauldron of bones 25000 gp
this one has more use. although acid resistence is one of the lesser resistences to me so it shouldn't be too expensive. it's only 5 after all. this one is an "expensive minor item" which is an almost worthless item that has some game effect and seems far to expensive to me 25000 gp if there is an acid based caster in the party it can be powerful or if there is an acid fog like effect in the area the skeletons can be imune to it, but it would require additional costs to make it worth while. spells for this one are easy too protection from elements

spiked chair 73000 gp
first of all all caster should be able to use the chair it's just an evil act to do so and will very quickly change the users alignment to evil.
this one is harder then the others. more mechanics need to be worked out such as escape artist checks strenth checks how much damage does it do. While +1 turn resistence might not do much for a zombie it could easily make the difference for one of the stronger undead or many zombies. to give a decent price guess i'd have to know if it can be escaped from and how many tries they get to escape is it one, one every hour, one a day, or none. what is the dc? is a normal commoner gonna have a chance to get out or will it take a rageing barbarian werebear to make the check with a 50/50 chance. assuming there is a reasonable chance for a low - mid (5th - 10th) level charactor to escape and say a d10 damage/round and checks can be made every 3 rounds each with an increasing penalty due to pain i'd price it at 73000 gp it takes other resources to truly take advantage of this and it's pretty much npc only item. if it was for a pc i might raise the price. this is one of the items i think that a npc should get a disscount for. spells this one is a little harder then the others but i'd say vampiric touch or inflict serious wounds and cure moderate wounds. maybe have 2 versions one for arcane and one for divine, both must be made by an evil spell caster.

you shouldn't have to worry about these items getting sold cause they are all cumbersome in thier own way, the chains and unless there is an acid using pc or acid trap the cauldron should be free for a npc. the chains are on the ceiling or wall the cauldron has to be large enough for a body so it's going to be big and heavy, and the spiked chair is big as well. if they where taken out of the lab and sold the pc's should be attacked or imprisoned for having necromancer tools.

some times i wish there was a chat room for this sort of stuff so i can discuse this with you real time. i find talking if out with the person who wants it will make it easier to price items.

sorry if my post is a little confusing or long winded. i'd be interested in your opinions on my pricings.

 

[Jemal]

Chains of Storage
The Chains of Storage are 10 ft. long chains with hooks attached to them. They are primarily used by necromancers. The chains are normally attached to a ceiling from which they hang. Each pair of chains has four hooks. Any corpse that is hung in these chains gains the benefit of the spell Gentle Repose, enabling it to survive for centuries without decomposing. Yet, the macabre nature of the chains prevents most good and neutral clerics from using them. Necromancers who wish to store their “raw materials” without having to worry about rotting and decomposing mostly use them.

Prerequisites: Gentle Repose, Creator must be Evil
Market Price: 12,000 GP(Cleric)
*clerics get gentle repose as a lvl 2, wizards as a lvl 3*

Cauldron of Bones
The Cauldron of Bones is another tool commonly used by necromancers. Any spellcaster who wants to create skeletons has no need for the flesh of his corpses. Yet, the inventor of the Cauldron of Bones found that this flesh could still be used. By boiling a corpse in the Cauldron of Bones, the flesh and fat of the corpse is boiled away. Yet, a thick layer of residue still covers the bones after they have been boiled using this magic device, a layer that has the ability to protect the bones from the effects of acid. Should anyone use Animate Dead to create skeletons from a corpse boiled in the Cauldron of Bones, that skeleton would have Acid Resistance 5, due to the layer of neutralising grease that covers it’s bones. [/quote]

Prerequisites: Resist Elements, Animate Dead
Market Price: 12,000

Spiked Chair
The Spiked Chair is used by necromancers who constantly have to worry about clerics and paladins invading their lair. The Spiked Chair looks like a torture device, which it partially is. It’s a chair made completely of iron, covered in nasty-looking spikes. The chair has an unusual ability to keep anyone placed in it alive. Since the chair would quickly kill anyone sitting in it, it has been enchanted so that it slowly heals the wounds of those sitting in it (while inflicting wounds on them at the same time). The chair has four sets or iron bracers which helps to restrain anyone sitting in it. Using the chair is rather simple. You take a medium-sized sentient creature and restrain it to the chair. The creature will slowly die, under much pain and terror. After the person has died, the chair will use it’s evil powers to store the pain and suffering of the person who died in it. Then, if a necromancer uses the corpse located in the chair to create an undead creature, the chair will transfer it’s unholy energy to bolster this undead creature. Any undead animated from the corpse of a creature that has died in the Spiked Chair gains +1 Turn Resistance permanently, as the unholy energy of pain and suffering bolsters the energy of the evil creature. Only spellcasters of evil alignment may use the chair. [/QUOTE]

Prerequisites: Ability to rebuke/Command Undead, 10th lvl Cleric, Creator Must be Evil
Market Price: 11,000

 

[Clay_More]

I would say that I would prefer skymage's assesment on the Chains of Storage, that they should cost 2000 gp. After all, the item is one that is supposed to be found in larger numbers to be usable (having 1 corpse ready to create a zombie from isn't enough. Any decent Necromancer would require 10-15 zombies or more to have any real effect. That would be equal to at least 250.000 gp if you made the Chains cost 25.000 each. I would still say that the required spell as well as creator alignment are good, as suggested by Jemal.

Prerequisites: Gentle Repose, Creator must be Evil
Market Price: 2,000 GP(Cleric)

So this would be my assesment. Since Gentle Repose is already a spell with a long-term effect, it doesn't benefit as greatly from being permanent as other spells. What would the cost then be if a wizard had created the item?

As for the Cauldron of Bones, its a bit more powerful. After all, you can "cook" one corpse in perhaps 24 hours (I didn't mention it in the description, but it sounds okay to me) and it has a permanent effect after that. I would say that Jemal's assesment of required spells sounds quite right:

Prerequisites: Resist Elements, Animate Dead
Market Price: 12,000

Resist Elements, I should have come up with that. Since the spell only works on skeletons that are used to create undead, Animate Dead is a good option as well. Off course, since it involves animate dead, its only an item that an evil person would construct.

Okay, last one.

Prerequisites: Ability to rebuke/Command Undead, 10th lvl Cleric, Creator Must be Evil
Market Price: 11,000

I would agree with the ability to rebuke undead. Thats what the chair does. But, i can also see that the description involves some curing effect, to keep the victim alive longer. So Cure Moderate Wounds might be additional spell requirements as well. The price of this item should be a little higher than 11.000 in my opinion, I dont know if you determined the price from the required level 10 cleric needed to create it. I would believe an iron chair would require quite a good deal of materials to be created, thus adding a little to the price.
For damage, I would say 1 hp/minute. If the person in the chair attemps to break free, he has to succeed a Escape Artist check against a DC of 30 or a Strength Check against a DC 25. It shouldn't be possible for a commoner to break out of the chair. Any escape attempt causes 1d10 points of damage and causes any additional attempts to be made with a -4 penalty.
Any mage attempting to cast a stilled spell may do so if he succeeds a Concentration check against a DC of 30. The chair is more painful than its damaging.

Prerequisites: Cure Moderate Wounds, Ability to rebuke/Command Undead, 10th lvl Cleric, Creator Must be Evil
Market Price: 50,000

Dont know how you feel about that assesment?
Anyways, ill get the other items in here ASAP. Seems I get some good points about them

Anyways, ill just repost another necromantic item, for your viewing pleasure.

Frost Chamber
The Frost Chamber is a 4 feet tall cylinder made of metal. Most people would describe it as a coffin that is standing up. The front of the Frost Chamber is made of glass, enabling onlookers to observe the contents of the chamber. The inside of the chamber is clearly very cold, both the glass and metal casing being covered in a thin layer of frost.
Necromancers that have plenty of time on their hands (i.e. liches) mainly use the Frost Chamber. A zombie that is placed in a Frost Chamber will absorb strength from the cold, growing in power over the years. Each ten years a zombie spends in a Frost Chamber permanently gives it one extra hit point. Every twenty years, the zombie becomes so permanently cold that it causes one point of extra damage on melee attacks, the extra damage counts as cold damage for determining resistances etc. A zombie can only benefit from a maximum of one hundred years in a Frost Chamber (after which it will have gained 10 additional hitpoints and a bonus damage of +5). The zombie needs to have been animated before entering the Frost Chamber, otherwise the item will not work. The chamber has 40 hit points and a hardness of 5. If the chamber is destroyed, that zombie will no longer gain any further benefits. Yet, the benefits it has already gained are permanent. If the zombie was to enter a Frost Chamber again, it would first need to spend a number of years equal to the time it has already spent in it before it would begin to gain powers. Thus, if a zombie has spend 30 years in a Frost Chamber and has gained 3 additional hitpoints and 1 extra point of damage, it would need to spend 30 years again if it left the Frost Chamber for some reason or another. Then, after another 10 years, it would gain 1 hit points and 1 extra point of damage.
The necromancer can still command his zombie minions while they are in a Frost Chamber. If his lair is attacked, he can order his zombie to break free from the Frost Chambers, which they will do by clawing their way out of the cylinders. The Frost Chambers are themselves completely immune to cold damage. A Frost Chamber can fit one medium-sized zombie, yet it should be possible to create larger variations that could contain larger zombies.

In my opinion, this item would require Cone of Cold, Animate Dead and perhaps Endurance and Magic Weapon. The price shouldn't be too high, since it should be something that a necromancer could have many of...

 

[Clay_More]

Here are some other Necromantic items, including the non-magical Restraining Table. Please, gimme some comments and a little ideas about what spells / cost there should be as requirement. Also, Im not sure the creature-bonusses are correct for Orb of Everpounding. Well, check it out

Restraining Table
The Restraining Table is actually not a magical item. It is a piece of equipment used by Necromancers and anatomists seeking to operate on living people. The table includes solid, iron constraints designed to hold down the strongest of men. Since most subjects brought unto the Restraining Table are unwilling, the table has been designed to have double or triple constraints in order to keep the victim in place. Anyone trying to escape the restraints of a Restraining Table can either attempt a strength check against a DC of 30 or an Escape Artist check against a DC of 40. It they succeed a Strength or Escape Artist check, they are able of freeing one arm. They can then choose to use that arm to free themselves, which will give them a +10 bonus to their Strength or Escape Artist checks, or they can engage in unarmed combat with anyone trying to operate on them. It is a full round action to attempt to break free from the table. If a person succeeds in another Strength or Escape Artist check, they free both their arms. Any further Strength or Escape Artists check will have a +15 bonus. If they succeed a third check, they will be able of freeing themselves completely.
Price: 600 gp.

Fatiguing Table
The Fatiguing Table is the same as a Restraining Table. The only difference is that the Fatiguing Table has been enchanted with a permanent Ray of Enfeeblement effect which affects anyone restrained to the table. Every round while someone is completely restrained to the table, they have to roll a fortitude save against a DC of 17 or loose 1d4+1 points of strength. The strength loss only lasts for as long as the subject is restrained. As soon as they free even one hand, the effect wears of. The table will continue to drain the target until he has only 1 point of strength left.
Requirements: Ray of Enfeeblement
Price: 10.000 gp ?

Orb of Everpounding
The Orb of Everpounding is primarily used by necromancers who have a ready supply of living subjects. The orbs are found in different sizes and a made to hold the heart of a living creature. When a heart is placed within an Orb of Everpounding directly from a living subject, the heart will not stop beating as long as it is within the orb. The heart within the orb will retain some of the properties that it had in life and will transfer these to any undead in which it is put. If the Orb of Everpounding is to have any effect, it needs to be placed in the chest cavity of the target undead. Most Orb’s of Everpounding are so-called Lesser Orbs of Everpounding. They only work on Skeletons and Zombies. The more renowned orbs are the Greater Orbs of Everpounding, which work on any corporal undead, including liches , but not including vampires. Each orb has 8 hit points and a hardness of 4. Any attacks directed against an undead carrying an Orb of Everpounding doesn’t harm the orb. Only if the undead is destroyed is any excess damage transferred to the orb. Spells and effects which cause sonic damage harms both the undead and the orb. The orb suffers the same damage as the undead, after eventual resistances and saving throws have been calculated. The orbs come in different sizes. A large orb can hold the heart of a large creature, a medium-sized orb can hold the heart of a medium-sized creature etc. The benefits for carrying an orb is different, according to what kind of heart is found within the orb. An undead creature can only hold an orb with the same size as itself. A medium-sized undead cannot hold a large orb.

Creature / Benefit
Orc / Half-orc: Undead gains +2 strength

Human: Undead gains +1 intelligence, 4 bonus skills points and 1 feat. Both the skill points and the feat must be selected from something the owner of the heart knew.

Elf: Undead gains +2 dexterity and weapon focus with all bows and longswords

Dwarf: Undead gains 6 bonus hitpoints

Gnome: Undead gains one 1. Level illusion spell as spell-like ability, once pr. day

Hafling: Undead gains +2 dexterity and weapon focus with slings

Troll: Undead gains +2 strength and Fast Healing 1

Ogre: Undead gains +4 strength and 6 bonus hitpoints

Ogre-Mage: Undead gains +4 strength, 6 bonus hitpoints and Fly 30 ft. (Clumsy)

Dragon Undead gains Resistance 10 against the element from which the dragon comes. The undead also gains +4 to strength and intelligence.

It is up to the DM to consider what effects any other creatures might have. A zombie which gains a +2 dexterity bonus may sacrifice that bonus to gain normal actions, instead of merely being allowed to take partial actions. Since a zombie has little ability to choose for itself, the choice is made by whomever commands the zombie. The market price for an Orb of Everpounding is for an empty orb. Orbs that already have a heart within them cost more, according to which heart is located therein. An empty Orb of Everpounding is composed of two hemispheres. After a heart has been removed from a living host and placed inside one of the hemispheres, the other sphere is attached to the first one and the two hemispheres connect, creating an orb. After a heart has been placed inside the orb, it cannot be removed without ruining the orb.
Each decade, the heart will begin to run dry of blood. Only by draining a living creature completely of blood and refilling the orb can the heart continue to pound. The creature needs to be of the same race as the owner of the heart. If the heart is no refilled with blood, it will stop functioning and the undead will loose the abilities it gained from the orb.
If a person is captured and his heart is removed, he can still be resurrected with the Resurrection or True Resurrection spell. Yet, as long as is heart is within the orb, he will suffer a penalty according to the bonus granted to the undead carrying the orb. An orc will loose 2 points of strength, a human will loose 4 skills points, a feat and one point of intelligence. An elf will loose 2 points of dexterity as well as it’s racial ability to use bows and longswords. If the heart is destroyed, the original owner will loose 1 permanent level and the other penalties he suffered for having his heart removed will be permanent as well. It is though possible for a person to reclaim his heart. If he is able of locating the undead creature carrying his heart, he can slay it and remove the Orb of Everpounding. If he then places the orb within his own chest, the orb will slowly vanish and the heart will be absorbed by the person. All penalties suffered for lacking his heart will be cured and he will suffer no further ill effects. Yet, most necromancers try to destroy any bodies from which they have stolen a heart, as to avoid the complication of someone tracking them in an attempt to reclaim their heart.

 

[Clay_More]

Hmmm... seems people must have a disliking for necromancy. It's all fine and dandy when someone mentions mighty magic blades, but when someone mentions tearing out the heart of a hard-working dwarf, placing it in an orb and putting it inside the most evil of foes, people suddenly become silent..... Perhaps it's because im danish....

 

[Clay_More]

A few more items for the hard-working Necromancers out there...

Chime of Awakening
The Chime of Awakening is used by the Necromancer who often leaves his home guarded by his minions. When the Chime is rung, all undead under the command of the creator of the Chime begun moving towards the location of the item. They will attack anyone exept the creator on sight, excluding other undead. The Chime of Awakening is often hung above a door or hung in a string in some central location. The biggest problem with having undead to guard your lair, is that they can often be handled a few at a time. Instead of allowing intruders to work themselves through your lair in their own good pace, the Chime of Awakening forces them to defeat all undead guardians at once of flee. The Chime of Awakening affects all undeads with one mile.

Prerequisites: Alarm, Animate Dead
Market Price: 2000 Gp.


Potion of Flesh
The bottle contains a foul-looking, orange liquid. If the bottle is opened and poured over a corporal undead, it will stick to the bones and flesh of the undead, slowly becomming a part of the creature. It will begin to immitate flesh and blood, making the undead appear as a living person. The Potion of Flesh cannot alter the size of the undead, so a Large undead resembles the living, Large creature it was when it was alive. The Potion of Flesh enables an undead creature to pass for a living one for one full day. True Sight cannot penetrate the illusion, as the potion grows real, living flesh. Detect Undead will though reveal the creature's true nature.

Prerequisite: Change Self, Minor Creation
Market Price: 950 gp.


As usual, im not sure about prices / prerequisites. Enjoy and if you like, comment.

 

[DiFier]

Wow these are cool. I hope my DM doesn't see this

I especially like the Chime of Awakening. that would make a nasty trap. Dru often commented that Undead just stay in their rooms and you just have to find them kill themand then move on to the next room. this would change that.

the potion of flesh and an orb would be a nasty combination. maybe have a spot or intelligence check to figure out that the undead with a potion of flesh on it was actualy an undead. you would probablly notice that something was wrong with it. also having an orb would probablly add to the DC to figure out that it was infact undead. or that it wasn't just some below average commoner.