Dark Residuum (Rituals, Items and Hazards to come!)

[greyscale1]

Dark Residuum:

A strange mirror of ordinary Residuum, Dark Residuum has many interesting anti-magic properties. Rarely found naturally occuring in the Shadowfell, Dark Residuum Is most often created using the Corrupt Residuum ritual. Dark Residuum has appears as a deep burnished silver dust that gives off a faint glow - similar to that of a weak blacklight.

Dark Residuum is worth the same amount of gold as normal Residuum. Dispite being far rarer, it is generally less all around useful than normal Residuum.

Dark Residuum may not be used in rituals other than the ones specified here.


Dark Residuum Rituals:

Corrupt Residuum
Level: 5
Component Cost: Special
Category: Creation
Market Price: 200gp
Time: 10 Minutes
Key Skill: Arcana (No Check)
Duration: Permanent

Sifting Residuum through your cupped hands, you gradually twist the silvery light of the dust into a shadowy reflection of its former self.

The component cost of this ritual must always be payed entirely in Residuum, the amount of Dark Residuum you receive is equal to the amount of Residuum you begin with.


Enchant Cursed Magic Item
Level: 5
Component Cost: Special
Category: Creation
Market Price: 200gp
Time: 1 Hour
Key Skill: Arcana (No Check)
Duration: Permanent

This ritual is identical to the enchant magic item ritual except that it can only create cursed items (covered later).

The cost of this ritual must be payed entirely in Dark Residuum.
Cursed items always disenchant into Dark Residuum.


Dark Residuum Field
Level: 5
Component Cost: Special
Category: Creation
Market Price: 200gp
Time: 1 Minute per square
Key Skill: Arcana (No Check)
Duration: Permanent until removed.

While in many ways unlike a ritual, Dark Residuum Field requires knowledge and practice to perform correctly.

Seeding the ground with Dark Residuum, you create a field that interferes with all forms of teleportation and hinders certain magics in its area.

Seeding normal ground in such a way costs 50gp worth of Dark Residuum and 1 minute of time per square. Any ground that has an existing teleportation effect on it (teleportation circle, certain spells, etc) takes 200gp worth of Dark Residuum and 10 minutes per square.

Squares seeded with Dark Residuum Field can not be teleported into or out of. Any effect that would attempt to teleport into or out of a seeded square immediately fails and is lost, leaving the user where they were. Existing teleportation areas must have all of their squares covered or they continue to function unhindered, however, if the teleportation is between two connected 'nodes' only one of the nodes has to be completely covered for the effect to cease functioning.

In an undisturbed or well-tended area with a hard floor, one usage of Dark Residuum Field may last forever. Seeded Dark Residuum cannot simply be swept up, however, a significant cleaning effort (at least 30 minutes of scrubbing per square) can remove the field - this requires no knowledge or training. On looser ground such as snow, loosely packed dirt, or gravel Dark Residuum Field can only be expected to last up to a week, conditions permitting. The field can be destroyed by high force winds or very heavy rain, or if the ground it is set on is significantly destroyed (shoveling the snow would do the trick, etc).

Dark Residuum Field is mostly used in prisons the contain eladrin or arcanists, or in vaults, treasure troves, and the like. Nobility and other important/rich figures may have their private chambers seeded to protect from assassins.

Detecting a field requires a DC 25 perception check in bright light, DC 20 check in dim light, and DC 10 check in total darkness. Detection is automatic upon failed teleport. After detection the field may be identified with a DC 25 Arcana or Religion check.

 

[shinobi_guyver]

The idea sounds good, but how come the darker it is, the lower the DC for the Perception check?

Does the field glow in some way while it is in effect?

 

[Frostmarrow]

On the one hand it's a good idea. On the other it's needless symmetry (new buzz-word I picked up). I like residuum fickle and if dark residuum exists then residuum is light (or even good) by it's nature - and that's a bad idea.

Still, it is pretty cool and should be explored.

 

[shinobi_guyver]

On the one hand it's a good idea. On the other it's needless symmetry (new buzz-word I picked up). I like residuum fickle and if dark residuum exists then residuum is light (or even good) by it's nature - and that's a bad idea.

Still, it is pretty cool and should be explored.

If you're familiar with Forgotten Realms, the "Dark" Residuum can be looked upon like the Shadow Weave. Existing between the strands of the weave, known only a few. Different, but the same.

One thing I noticed a moment ago. One of your "bigger" uses for Dark Residuum is an anti-teleport field.

What if the "opposite" idea was expanded? For example, having a vial of Dark Residuum enhances the potency of Dispel Magic effects, either granting a bonus to the Intelligence check, or allowing an extra conjuration or zone be dispelled with a second roll, or increasing the range allowed.

 

[greyscale1]

Shinobi has got it right about similarities to the shadowweave (though thats not what I was aiming for, the ideas are very similar), and right now I AM working on more uses for it so that has more than just the anti-teleport field.

Including Cursed items, focus items, ways to dispel other rituals, even what happens when you throw Dark Residuum in an arcanists face!


As for the 'needless symmetry' buzz word: Some people, myself included, really enjoy planar symmetry. Now that my players have found out about the lengths I have gone to make things symmetrical, whenever they see something neat they always gasp and wonder aloud about what they might find in its place in the opposite realm, etc.


Also, Shinobi: Yes, I describe Dark Residuum as having a weak glow in the beginning of the post.



Again, this item is DARK not in the evil sense, but it is most often called that because it is:
1. Actually Dark in color.
2. Found naturally only in the Shadowfell
3. Is the magical opposite of normal Residuum, which has more 'positive' uses.
4. Its more of a nickname. I get the feeling that Residuum and Dark Residuum are just common names, with the true scientific (eldritch) names being long and in draconic, or something. I plan on putting up some alternate names as well. Shadar'Kai might just call it normal residuum.


Hmm, thats a good point. If I tie this a bit to Shadar'Kai and make them have cursed weapons and other such things it might serve a double purpose and make them a bit less bland.

I'll see.