LostSoul
Adventurer
Here is a "Skill Challenge" I plan to use to create magic items instead of the ritual.
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CREATING MAGIC ITEMS AND HOLY RELICS
Characters who have gained some skill in manipulating magical energy can harness this energy, binding it into items of great power. This process requires skill, suitable components, an item to bind the magic into, and time.
Requirements
* Skill: Magic relies on Will and the Word. Words of power, in Supernal, are the building blocks of magic, but merely knowing these Words and speaking them is not enough. Will is required to release the energy, as the mind twists mortal thought in order to get a glimpse of the ineffable mysteries of magic.
Only characters who have studied magic - who have the Will to push at the bounds of mortal thought - can create magic items or holy relics. This is represented by the Ritual Caster feat. With this understanding, characters can draw on the Words they know and imbue items with that power.
* Components: Certain things have a natural capacity to hold on to magical energy: powdered metals, rare earths, acids, salts, or extracts from creatures such as dragons or basilisks (arcane reagents); blessed oils and unguents made from rare spices (mystic salves); rare herbs collected and preserved during certain times of year, such as when the moon is full (rare herbs); concentrated magical substance that results from disenchanted magic items (residuum); and incense prepared during certain religious rites (sanctified incense).
Based on the nature of the item to be created, different types of components are required.
* Time: Creating magic items and holy relics is a labourious process. Multiple days are required, and during this time the work must be kept under constant supervision. Finding an hour or two to sleep is almost impossible. This means that no rest or other actions can be taken while creating magic items; if the character does turn away from the process, the work will suffer.
Process of Creation
Magic items are created in six steps:
1. Determining the desired powers of the item to be created. The power of an item is limited by two things: the level of the creator and the creator's access to Words of Power. Higher-level characters can twist their perception further outside the realm of mortal comprehension than their lower-level peers. This means that items they create are more obviously magical. They are still limited by the Words they know; a wizard without a spell that creates acid will not be able to imbue a sword that drips with acid, for example.
At this step, the character must state what power he is trying to imbue in the item, and which spells, prayers, or rituals he is using to create the power. If the DM judges that the powers are outside of the character's ability or the spells are inappropriate, this will result in automatic failure in future steps.
Powers come in four types: Mundane, Heroic, Paragon, and Epic.
* Mundane items have powers that can be achieved by normal, mundane items and characters, but these items require no energy input. They can't do anything that can't normally be achieved through normal means, but they make it easier since characters don't have to apply their own energies.
Examples: A bowl that fills itself with food, armour that puts itself on or camouflages itself to its environment, a sword that never dulls, boots that help you jump, a helmet that makes other people take notice of you, an amulet that helps protect you from poison, etc.
* Heroic items have powers that can be achieved by normal means, with an extra kick. Their powers are still limited by what could be achieved through mundane means, but not only do they require no energy, they push at these limits.
Examples: A potion that heals your wounds, armour that makes you completely silent, a shield that holds itself, a sword that cuts off limbs, boots that make you as fast as a horse, a helmet that gives you the presence of a great general, an amulet that shields your heart as if it were wrapped it steel, etc.
* Paragon items have powers that are obviously supernatural. These items can do things that are not possible.
Examples: A potion that turns you invisible, armour that makes you incorporeal, a sword that devours the souls of your foes and gives you their strength, boots that make you fly, a helmet that allows you to read minds, an amulet that takes away the need to breathe, etc.
* Epic items have powers that we associate with gods. They can do the impossible and over a large scale.
Examples: A potion that makes you immortal, armour that allows you not only to turn into a wolf, but also to command all wolves, a sword that not only kills someone with the slightest touch, it wipes their existence from history, boots that let you run backward in time, a helmet that allows you to blind anyone who looks at you, an amulet that makes everyone love you, etc.
2. Gathering the proper components and item. Without the proper components and an item to imbue, the process cannot begin! The DM should determine what components are required based on the powers the item will have and the method used to create them. Wizards generally use arcane reagents while clerics use sanctified incense, even if the item desired has the same or similar powers.
* Arcane reagents are required when the item creates something, including energy;
* Mystic salves are required when the item heals or changes the body;
* Rare herbs are required when the item deals with nature;
* Sanctified incense is required when the item enforces a specific worldview or belief system;
* Residuum may be used for any type of creation.
The value of the components required depend on the level of the item to be created. More than one type of component may be required, but the total never exceeds this amount.
3. Refine the components and imbue them with magic. The creator mixes the components together - crushes the pitchblende and drips black pudding ichor onto it, smokes the incense and breathes the gas into a phylactery, chews the rare herbs and makes a paste out of it, etc. During this time Words of Power are spoken over and over again, directed at the components, which binds the magic into them. This does not require any spell, prayer, or ritual to actually be cast; the Words have their own power.
This step requires two full days of constant work unless residuum is used, in which case only one day is required. After this time, a check must be made. Only skills that give the character training in manipulating magic may be used. Consult the following table to determine the results:
Disaster sub-table
4. Bind the components to the item. The creator takes the now-magical components and applies them to the item while speaking Words of Power over and over again. This binds the magic into the item.
This step requires two full days of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
5. Bind the magic in the item. The creator speaks Words of Power that create a permanent magic item, keeping the magical energy from seeping out of the item. If a consumable or one-shot item is desired, this step may be skipped.
This step requires two full days of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
6. Control the magic. Magic tends to have a will of its own. If the magic is not dominated by the creator, it will work to its own purposes. The creator must spend time in a battle of wills with the magic, either bending its will and personality to the creator's desired ends or shutting it down completely. If the creator does not care if the item has a will of its own or not, this step may be skipped.
This step requires one full day of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
Cursed sub-table
*
CREATING MAGIC ITEMS AND HOLY RELICS
Characters who have gained some skill in manipulating magical energy can harness this energy, binding it into items of great power. This process requires skill, suitable components, an item to bind the magic into, and time.
Requirements
* Skill: Magic relies on Will and the Word. Words of power, in Supernal, are the building blocks of magic, but merely knowing these Words and speaking them is not enough. Will is required to release the energy, as the mind twists mortal thought in order to get a glimpse of the ineffable mysteries of magic.
Only characters who have studied magic - who have the Will to push at the bounds of mortal thought - can create magic items or holy relics. This is represented by the Ritual Caster feat. With this understanding, characters can draw on the Words they know and imbue items with that power.
* Components: Certain things have a natural capacity to hold on to magical energy: powdered metals, rare earths, acids, salts, or extracts from creatures such as dragons or basilisks (arcane reagents); blessed oils and unguents made from rare spices (mystic salves); rare herbs collected and preserved during certain times of year, such as when the moon is full (rare herbs); concentrated magical substance that results from disenchanted magic items (residuum); and incense prepared during certain religious rites (sanctified incense).
Based on the nature of the item to be created, different types of components are required.
* Time: Creating magic items and holy relics is a labourious process. Multiple days are required, and during this time the work must be kept under constant supervision. Finding an hour or two to sleep is almost impossible. This means that no rest or other actions can be taken while creating magic items; if the character does turn away from the process, the work will suffer.
Process of Creation
Magic items are created in six steps:
1. Determining the desired powers of the item to be created. The power of an item is limited by two things: the level of the creator and the creator's access to Words of Power. Higher-level characters can twist their perception further outside the realm of mortal comprehension than their lower-level peers. This means that items they create are more obviously magical. They are still limited by the Words they know; a wizard without a spell that creates acid will not be able to imbue a sword that drips with acid, for example.
At this step, the character must state what power he is trying to imbue in the item, and which spells, prayers, or rituals he is using to create the power. If the DM judges that the powers are outside of the character's ability or the spells are inappropriate, this will result in automatic failure in future steps.
Powers come in four types: Mundane, Heroic, Paragon, and Epic.
* Mundane items have powers that can be achieved by normal, mundane items and characters, but these items require no energy input. They can't do anything that can't normally be achieved through normal means, but they make it easier since characters don't have to apply their own energies.
Examples: A bowl that fills itself with food, armour that puts itself on or camouflages itself to its environment, a sword that never dulls, boots that help you jump, a helmet that makes other people take notice of you, an amulet that helps protect you from poison, etc.
* Heroic items have powers that can be achieved by normal means, with an extra kick. Their powers are still limited by what could be achieved through mundane means, but not only do they require no energy, they push at these limits.
Examples: A potion that heals your wounds, armour that makes you completely silent, a shield that holds itself, a sword that cuts off limbs, boots that make you as fast as a horse, a helmet that gives you the presence of a great general, an amulet that shields your heart as if it were wrapped it steel, etc.
* Paragon items have powers that are obviously supernatural. These items can do things that are not possible.
Examples: A potion that turns you invisible, armour that makes you incorporeal, a sword that devours the souls of your foes and gives you their strength, boots that make you fly, a helmet that allows you to read minds, an amulet that takes away the need to breathe, etc.
* Epic items have powers that we associate with gods. They can do the impossible and over a large scale.
Examples: A potion that makes you immortal, armour that allows you not only to turn into a wolf, but also to command all wolves, a sword that not only kills someone with the slightest touch, it wipes their existence from history, boots that let you run backward in time, a helmet that allows you to blind anyone who looks at you, an amulet that makes everyone love you, etc.
Code:
Powers Available by Character Level
Level Powers
Level 1 1M(C)
Level 2 1M
Level 3 1H(C)
Level 4 2M
Level 5 1P(C)
Level 6 1H
Level 7 1M+1H
Level 8 2M+1H
Level 9 2H
Level 10 2M+2H
Level 11 1P
Level 12 2M+1P
Level 13 1H+1P
Level 14 3M+1P
Level 15 1E(C)
Level 16 2H+1P
Level 17 2P
Level 18 1H+2P
Level 19 2H+2P
Level 20 2M+2H+2P
Level 21 1E
Level 22 2H+1E
Level 23 1P+1E
Level 24 3H+1E
Level 25 2H+2P+1E
Level 26 2P+1E
Level 27 2E
Level 28 1P+2E
Level 29 2P+2E
Level 30 3E
M, H, P, E - Mundance, Heroic, Paragon, Epic
(C) - Consumable only
Level of Item Item's Bonus
1-5 +1
6-10 +2
11-15 +3
16-20 +4
21-25 +5
26-30 +6Sidebar: Blood Sacrifice
The ritual Blood Sacrifice can be used to increase a character's level when it comes to determining the types of powers he can create. The level of the sacrificed creature is added to the caster's level, and this value is used to determine the powers available to the creator. In addition, the level of the sacrificed creature is added as a modifier to any checks made.
e.g. A 5th level Wizard who sacrifices a human villager (level 2) is considered 7th level, and could create an item with one mundane and one heroic power, with a +2 bonus to all checks.
If a creature is sacrificed, an additional Control roll must be made (see Step 6); the DC for this roll is the Will Defence of the sacrificed creature, and its desire is based on the creature's desires.
The ritual Blood Sacrifice can be used to increase a character's level when it comes to determining the types of powers he can create. The level of the sacrificed creature is added to the caster's level, and this value is used to determine the powers available to the creator. In addition, the level of the sacrificed creature is added as a modifier to any checks made.
e.g. A 5th level Wizard who sacrifices a human villager (level 2) is considered 7th level, and could create an item with one mundane and one heroic power, with a +2 bonus to all checks.
If a creature is sacrificed, an additional Control roll must be made (see Step 6); the DC for this roll is the Will Defence of the sacrificed creature, and its desire is based on the creature's desires.
2. Gathering the proper components and item. Without the proper components and an item to imbue, the process cannot begin! The DM should determine what components are required based on the powers the item will have and the method used to create them. Wizards generally use arcane reagents while clerics use sanctified incense, even if the item desired has the same or similar powers.
* Arcane reagents are required when the item creates something, including energy;
* Mystic salves are required when the item heals or changes the body;
* Rare herbs are required when the item deals with nature;
* Sanctified incense is required when the item enforces a specific worldview or belief system;
* Residuum may be used for any type of creation.
The value of the components required depend on the level of the item to be created. More than one type of component may be required, but the total never exceeds this amount.
3. Refine the components and imbue them with magic. The creator mixes the components together - crushes the pitchblende and drips black pudding ichor onto it, smokes the incense and breathes the gas into a phylactery, chews the rare herbs and makes a paste out of it, etc. During this time Words of Power are spoken over and over again, directed at the components, which binds the magic into them. This does not require any spell, prayer, or ritual to actually be cast; the Words have their own power.
This step requires two full days of constant work unless residuum is used, in which case only one day is required. After this time, a check must be made. Only skills that give the character training in manipulating magic may be used. Consult the following table to determine the results:
Code:
Refine DC Based on the level of the item
Roll Result
Failure Disaster! Roll on the Disaster sub-table for results
Easy Failure. Components are destroyed, and no further progress can be made
Moderate Success. The components are imbued with magic
Hard Stunning success! Not all components were used; the character can retrieve 1/4 of their valueDisaster sub-table
Code:
Roll Result
1 Explosion! The components and/or item explode, dealing damage to the creator and environment equal to a high limited damage expression of the item's level. Progress cannot continue.
2 Reversal. The Words of Power were misspoken and the desired power will have the opposite effect (fire will become cold, light will become darkness, etc.).
3 Bleed. The magical energy bleeds into the nearby area, causing the power to manifest itself in chaotic fashion.
4 Attraction. The Words of Power attracts strange creatures to the location; roll on the Wandering Monsters (Dungeon) table to determine the type. The level of the wandering monsters are determined by the level of the item.
5 Caster Cursed. The magic affects the caster in strange ways. Roll on the Minor Malevolent Effects sub-table to determine the results. These effects can be removed with a Remove Affliction ritual; the level of the curse is equal to the level of the item.
6 Side Effects. The item gains a side effect; roll on the Side Effects sub-table to determine its nature.
Code:
Minor Malevolent Effects
Roll Result
1 Creator gains horrible acne
2 Creator's vision becomes blurry, can't see well past 10'
3 Creator has terrible body odour, noticable at 30'; wandering monsters occur on a roll of 1-2 on 1d6
4 Creator is deafened (permanently)
5 Creator fouls water with a touch
6 Creator's reflection is always horribly twisted
7 Creator cannot lie
8 Creator cannot tell the truth
9 Creator's hair turns white
10 Creator's hair falls out
11 Creator has bad luck; -2 to saving throws
12 Creator loses sense of smell
13 Creator kills plants with a touch; plant creatures gain vulnerability 5 to creator's attacks
14 Creator's sex changes
15 A large wart appears on the creator's nose
16 Creator gains 10-40 pounds of fat
17 Creator loses 10-40 pounds
18 Creator can't speak normally, always yells
19 Creator can't speak normally, always whispers
20 Roll on the Major Malevolent Effects table
Major Malevolent Effects
Roll Result
1 Limb rots away and falls off
2 One random stat reduced to 3
3 Magic items do not function for creator
4 Creator shrinks to 1/4 size, reducing Str and Con by a like amount
5 Creator cannot hold items
6 Creator cannot speak, making casting spells and prayers impossible
7 Creator is blinded
8 Creator loses memory, losing one skill or feat chosen at random
9 Creator loses memory, losing 1000 x level XP; this loss does not lower the creator's level, but increases the amount they need to level up
10 Creator is paralyzed
11 Creator ages 2d6x10 years, possibly dying from old age
12 Creator's age reduced by 2d6x10 years, possibly becoming a child
13 All NPCs have an unexplainable hatred for the creator; roll 1d6 for reaction rolls
14 Creator repels all metals
15 Random defence lowered by 2d6 points
16 Creator sucked through rift into the Shadowfell (level 10+1d10)
17 Creator sucked through rift into the Feywild (level 10+1d10)
18 Creator sucked through rift into Hell (level 20+1d10)
19 Creator sucked through rift into the Abyss (level 20+1d10)
20 Creator killed
Side Effects
Roll Result
1 Random stat reduced to 3 whenever the item is used
2 Random stat raised to 18 (or increased by +2, whichever is greater) whenever the item is used
3 Each time the item is used, the wielder is sated as if he just ate a meal
4 Wielder must eat a full meal each time the item is used
5 A wandering monster roll is made each time the item is used
6 Using the item causes it to rain for 1d6x10 minutes
7 Item grants fluency in random language
8 Item changes wielder's skin colour each time it is used
9 Item spits forth a stream of butterflies each time it is used
10 DM's choice4. Bind the components to the item. The creator takes the now-magical components and applies them to the item while speaking Words of Power over and over again. This binds the magic into the item.
This step requires two full days of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
Code:
Bind Component DC Based on the level of the item
Roll Result
Failure Disaster! Roll on the Disaster sub-table for results
Easy Failure. The item is not imbued with magic, and no further progress can be made; all components are lost
Moderate Success. The item is imbued with magic
Hard Stunning success! Progress goes well, and this step only takes one day5. Bind the magic in the item. The creator speaks Words of Power that create a permanent magic item, keeping the magical energy from seeping out of the item. If a consumable or one-shot item is desired, this step may be skipped.
This step requires two full days of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
Code:
Bind Magic DC Based on the level of the item
Roll Result
Failure Disaster! Roll on the Disaster sub-table for results
Easy Failure. The item only has one charge, expended on its first use
Moderate Success. The powers are permanent
Hard Stunning success! The creator has great control over the item, and gains a +2 bonus to checks in the next step6. Control the magic. Magic tends to have a will of its own. If the magic is not dominated by the creator, it will work to its own purposes. The creator must spend time in a battle of wills with the magic, either bending its will and personality to the creator's desired ends or shutting it down completely. If the creator does not care if the item has a will of its own or not, this step may be skipped.
This step requires one full day of constant work. After this time, a check must be made; consult the following table to determine the results:
Code:
Control DC Based on the level of the item
Roll Result
Failure Disaster! The item is Cursed - roll on the Cursed sub-table and add a power that will enable the item to achieve its desire - and the magic dominates the character for 1d6 hours, controlling the creator like a puppet in an attempt to achieve its desire
Easy Failure. The item is Cursed; roll on the Cursed sub-table and add a power that will enable the item to achieve its desire
Moderate Success. The magic's will is defeated, and the item has no goal of its own
Hard Stunning success! The magic's will bends to that of the creator, and the item gains a desire as determined by the creatorCursed sub-table
Code:
Roll Desire Notes
1 Community Establish a new one or protect an existing one
2 Conquest Conquer a land or territory in the name of the creator
3 Corruption Corruption of the wielder
4 Ruin As corruption, but focused on larger communities
5 Worship Requires setting up a cult or religion to the patron
6 Creation Requires creating something that will last – a great black tower, an artefact, or a pervasive meme
