The World of Arr-Kelaan

New Items for Arr-Kelaan
[ Non-magical | CommonMagic | Armor | Weapons | Miscellaneous ]

Non-magical Items

These items are not magical (though they could, in some cases be enchanted) but are technological achievements of the people of Arr-Kelaan. In most cases, these items are improvements over earlier designs or variations of existing AD&D technology.

Nidoshran Needlebow Cost: 250 gold pieces, Weight: 14 pounds
The Nidoshran Needlebow is a modification of the heavy crossbow. In place of a quarrel guide, the needlebow mounts a steel tube with a sliding plunger along the top of the stock. Before firing, a 'round', that is a cylindrical paper packet of 3- to 4-inch long razor-sharp needles, is slipped into the front of the tube. When the string is drawn back, usually by a built-in winch or cocking-arm, and the needlebow is fired, the string catches on the slide and rams the plunger into the packet of needles, propelling them from the muzzle of the tube with considerable force.

Individually, the needles do little damage, but a great number of needles spray from the muzzle. Unlike normal bows and crossbows, needlebows gain a bonus to-hit at greater range, they gain a +2 to-hit bonus at short range, a +3 to-hit bonus at medium range, and a +4 to-hit bonus at long range; however, damage is significantly reduced at long range, however needlebows do significantly less damage at longer ranges due to the spreading effect of the needles. Damage for a needbow is as follows:

S M L

5'-10' 11'-20' 21'-25'

S/M L S/M L S/M L

d12 d10 d10 d8 d6 d4

The needles spray out from the muzzle in an expanding cone, one foot in diameter at the muzzle and ten feet in diameter at the weapon's maximum effective range of twenty five feet. Any opponent within the cone is subject to being hit (one to-hit roll is made and applied to each individual opponent's AC). A successful hit will also strip one 'level' of the mage spell Stoneskin for each point of damage. Like heavy crossbows, needlebows can only be fired once every other round.

Because the 'round' is loaded into a tube, it is possible to place two or more muzzles one-above-the-other, each fired by their own crossbow leaves, string, and trigger. However, each additional muzzle adds 5 pounds to the overall weight of the weapon. It takes one round to reload a muzzle, but if two or more are loaded, all can be fired at the same time.

Needlebows are typically used for 'crowd control' and have a considerable psychological effect on anyone who has ever witnessed one being used. They are popular with tavern owers and innkeepers as they don't require great accuracy and can strike a number of opponents at the same time. Unfortunately, they are also popular with thieves and street gangs because firing into a crowd causes instant chaos and panic as many people can be injured (or killed!) at the same time.

Folding grappling hook Cost: 5 gold, Weight: 4 pounds
A folding grappling hook is merely a refinement of the standard grappling hook used by adventurers everywhere. Where a standard grappling hooks is three-pronged and forged from one single piece of iron, folding grappling hooks are made from three flat iron pieces fitted together over a triangular shaft and bolted together. When unbolted, the hooks can be laid flat and take up much less room in a backback or hanging from a belt. Folding grappling hooks are popular with rogues and other acrobatic fighters as they do not impede tumbling in any way.

CommonMagic

CommonMagic is the term used by the general populace to describe a number of items and substances which, though magical in nature, are common and affordable by the general public. These devices are typically in the nature of tools, pharmaceuticals, or weapons.

Dwarven Lightwand Cost: 25 gold pieces, Weight: 3 pounds
A stout, silver-lined, metal tube about sixteen inches long and one-and-a-half to two inches in diameter, open at one end and with a removable metal cap at the other. Set in the center of the cap is a small steel claw. A small steel or glass marble, enchanted with a Light spell or, more preferably, a Continual Light spell, is pressed into the claw. When properly fitted to the base of the tube, light shines from the open end to a range of about 60 feet (similar to a bullseye lantern). Most Dwarven lightwands also come with a black leather cap for the open end to douse the light when it isn't needed.

Typically, the light source for a Dwarven lightwand must be purchased from a wizard or priest at a cost of 10 to 60 gold pieces for a Light spell and 50 to 200 gp for a Continual Light spell. In larger towns and most major cities, Continual Light ensorcelled marbles are available at a cost ranging from 50 to 150 gold pieces.

Some Dwarven lightwands can be purchased with a focusing lens over the open end of the tube which increase the effective range of the lightwand to 90 feet. However, if the lens isn't kept clean or becomes broken, the effective range is reduced to 30 feet. The addition of a lens typically adds 50 to 100 gold pieces to the cost of the light wand.

Thruster Cost: 500 to 1500 gold pieces
The most powerful of CommonMagic weapons, the thruster is a crossbow-like weapon usually found only in larger cities and typically only legal for members of the law enforcement detail. Thrusters resemble crossbows made from expensive hardwoods with extremely short metal leaves with no string and numerous gold, silver, and electrum tubes and wires running the length of the stock.

Unlike crossbows, however, a thruster fires a nearly invisible bolt of magical energy with the properties similar to both a Ring of the Ram and a Magic Missile. The force bolt travels at the speed of an arrow, and is only visible as a ripple-like distortion in the air. When firing, thrusters make a distinctive high-pitched whine or shriek which is impossible to mask except by magical means such as a Silence 15' radius.

Thrusters can be purchased in three sizes; a normal crossbow size, a concealable hand crossbow size, and a heavy version which requires a tripod to use effectively. Hand-crossbow-sized thrusters are illegal in nearly every nation of Arr-Kelaan. They have the following statistics:

Dmg. Dmg. Range (Yards)

Thruster Cost (in gp) Weight Size Type SF S-M L ROF S M L

Standard 1000 14 M B 7
1d8

1d8
2 50 100 150

Hand* 5000 3 S B 5 1d4+1 1d4+1 1 20 40 60

Heavy 2000 25 L B 10
2d8

2d8
1 90 170 250

*Hand thrusters are illegal in most nations, this is a 'black market' price

Thrusters of all types are powered by a rectangular crystal inserted into a slot in the underside of the hardwood stock. Each crystal contains enough energy for ten shots before it must be replaced. Crystals cost 100, 200, and 300 gold pieces (respectively for the thruster sizes). They can be recharged either by wizards (typically 10-20 gp/charge) or by the recharging equipment owned by most city watches who equip their troops with thrusters. These massive recharging devices weigh several tons and must be exposed to sunlight to work; they typically cost 100,000 to 500,000 gold pieces and are very well guarded.

While the standard and heavy thruster develop their power smoothly, the hand thruster, due to its small size, generates great force in a very short distance. If a hand thruster is fired with the muzzle is placed directly against the skull of a victim, in addition to doing triple damage, the victim must save versus death or die immediately from the tremendous concussive force. This terrible feature of hand thrusters makes them a favored weapon of assassins. And, it is also the reason that their use is banned or highly restricted in nearly every civilized land.

A lucrative, though highly dangerous, black market trade in thrusters goes on throughout most of the nations of Arr-Kelaan. And, there are also rumors of thrusters capable of firing far more rapidly (3 to 10 shots per round depending on which rumor one hears) and other rumors of thrusters with vastly more power. So far, such rumors have not proved reliable.

Healing Salve Cost: 10 gold pieces per application
Thanks to the priests of Alden the Healer, relief from minor wounds and injuries are available to the common people; and, more importantly, to adventurers! Healing salve is sold in small jars or vials each containing from 2 to 10 applications. Each application of healing salve can heal 1d4+2 hit points of damage.

Neutralize Poison potion Cost: 100 gold pieces per dose
Another gift from the priests of Alden the Healer, this clear potion can neutralize any natural toxins introduced into the body through injection, ingestion, or contact. It is highly effective against the great number of poisonous Arr-Kelaanian creatures. The potion has no effect, however, on poisons of a man-made, or alchemical, nature; such poisons must still be countered by a priest's magic.

A single vial can hold up to three doses, each dose is effective against one instance of poisoning (i.e. a single giant spider bite, giant wasp sting, etc.).

WIC (Wizards' Instant Cash) Cost: varies, Weight: 2 pounds
An ingenious device originally created by a clever wizard who was also a cleric of Bikk and a member in good standing of the merchants guild, the WIC is a way to have access to large amounts of coins without needing to cart them around. A WIC is a flat plate 4" by 6" by 1/2" usually made from some precious material such as an exotic hardwood, ivory, or jade. They can be purchased at Wizard Guilds or counting houses in many large cities.
WIC's are activated by speaking a command word or phrase, and will produce a certain number of coins based on the actual type of WIC purchased. The coins appear to fall out of the plate, but no hole or other opening becomes evident. The cost of a WIC depends on which of the following abilities are desired:

Activations per day: One to three, at a cost of 25gp/activation.
Deposit Capability: 100gp if desired.
Type of coin: Silver, gold, or platinum, at a cost of 25gp for silver, 50gp for gold, and 75gp for platinum.
Amount of coins per activation: 5gp per 100.
Length of command phrase: 10gp per word.
Total value: 1% of total coins held by WIC up to a limit of 100,000 coins.

Example: A WIC which can be activated 3 times a day, had deposit capability, and delivered 200 gold coins per activation from a store of 10,000gp with a four word command phrase would cost 375gp (3x25 + 100 + 50 + 2x5 + 4x10 + 1% of 10,000) in addition to the 10,000 gold coins which would be supplied for deposit.

Unless a WIC is purchased with deposit capability, more coins can only be added at the Guild hall or counting house at which it was purchased. Coins are added to deposit-capable WIC's by placing the plate atop the pile of coins to be deposited (no more than the activation amount) and speaking the command phrase. Only coins of the proper type may be deposited; any attempt to deposit coins of an improper type results in the loss of the coins as they are evaporated by the magic but not 'absorbed' into the WIC.

Armor

QuickSilver Armor XP Value: 1000+ Weight: 10 pounds
Typically found as a matched set of heavy silver bracers (2 pounds each) and a heavy silver necklace (6 pounds), QuickSilver Armor is one of the most highly sought after forms of magical protection. When the proper command word is spoken, QuickSilver Armor flows like liquid over the body, taking the form similar to magical Elven Chainmail in a single round. It has about the same weight and feel as heavy woolen cloth to the wearer, but provides a protection of AC 5. QuickSilver armor can be enchanted to as high as +5, with each 'plus' adding a 1000xp to the overall value of the armor.

QuickSilver armor is highly sought by rogues and rangers as it is one of the least hampering, though still highly protective, armors.

When taking its bracers and necklace form, QuickSilver armor is indistinguishable from normal jewelry and appears lighter than it actually is. An incomplete set of QuickSilver Armor is useless, as all three components are necessary to create functional armor.

Weapons

QuickSilver Weapons XP Value: 500+ Weight: 3 - 16 pounds
When first discovered, a QuickSilver weapon will appear as a standard sword (any type), dagger, knife, hand axe, battle axe, two-handed axe, or warhammer made from pure silver. All Quicksilver weapons radiate strong magic and shed light in a 30' radius when held aloft and the word 'light' is spoken in the language of any intelligent creature. One disadvantage of a QuickSilver weapon is that because it is formed from one solid piece of magical metal, they have no leather-wrapped hilts and tend to get more slippery in the hand than a normal weapon; any to-hit roll of 1 in combat means that the QuickSilver weapon was dropped and 1 round must be spent to recover it.

If a second command word is spoken, QuickSilver blades will melt into the form of an silver trade bar, bearing the 'official' crest or rune of the land of its creator, of a weight equivalent to the weight of the weapon. This ability makes QuickSilver weapons highly desirable as successful adventuring often requires one to take weapons into places where weapons are not permitted. The rarest forms of QuickSilver weapons transform not into trade bars, but into jewelry, typically heavy bracelets or bracers; only small weapons like knives, daggers, short swords, or rapiers (4 pounds or less) can transform into jewelry.

QuickSilver weapons can be created with enchantments of +1 to +5, with each 'plus' adding an additional 500xp to the base value.

QuickSilver Hammer-Axe XP Value: 500+ Weight: 8 pounds
When first discovered, a QuickSilver Hammer-Axe will appear as a standard warhammer of largish size made from pure silver. It radiates strong magic and sheds light in a 30' radius when held aloft and the word 'light' is spoken in the language of any intelligent creature. When the proper command word is spoken the Hammer-Axe will flow into the form of a two-handed battle-axe; an extremely useful ability when both slashing and bludgeoning weapons are required. One disadvantage of a QuickSilver Hammer-axe is that because it is formed from one solid piece of magical metal, it has no leather-wrapped hilt and tend to get more slippery in the hand than a normal weapon; any to-hit roll of 1 in combat means that the QuickSilver Hammer-axe was dropped and 1 round must be spent to recover it.

In addition to the shifting of form from hammer to axe, if a third command word is spoken the QuickSilver Hammer-Axe will melt into the form of an eight pound silver trade bar bearing the 'official' crest or rune of the land of its creator. This ability makes a QuickSilver Hammer-Axe (and all of the QuickSilver weapons) highly desirable as successful adventuring often requires one to take weapons into places where weapons are not permitted.

QuickSilver Hammer-Axes can be created with enchantments of +1 to +5, with each 'plus' adding an additional 500xp
to the base value.

BloodCurs'd Weapons XP Value: 500+ Weight: 3 - 16 pounds
It is well known that creating magical weapons is a difficult process requiring the talents of the exceptionally rare Dwarven ForgeMagic or the skills of an expert bladesmith combined with those of a powerful magic-user. However, the priesthoods of several Evil deities have, over the centuries, developed a method for creating weapons of magical power without requiring heroic labor for the creation process. The techniques, known only to highly placed members of the clericies of Salsmen, Vllnn, Vastorius, and Isurus, result in BloodCurs'd weapons.

A BloodCurs'd weapon is, in function, no different than a standard magical weapon. What differentiates a BloodCurs'd item from a standard item is that a BloodCurs'd item requires a continual supply of life energy to continue functioning. That is, a BloodCurs'd sword must drink the life energy (i.e. be used to kill) of living beings to continue its existance.

The amount of life energy needed varies from weapon to weapon and is largely related to power. A lowly +1 Sword might only require one death a month to maintain itself which a +5 Flametongue might require a death every day. Or, even a specific type of death (for example, the blood of a specific creature or type of creature -- usually an innocent).

To successfully 'feed' a BloodCurs'd weapon, the blade must make the actual killing stroke. It is not enough to merely fight with the weapon.

Miscellaneous

Ring of Infiltration XP Value: 5000 Weight: N/A
This powerful item appears as a heavy golden ring set with two matched clear gemstones. Each of the gemstones (of 5,000gp value or higher) is charged with a Teleportation spell. However, the nature of the ring modifies the spell rendering its results as somewhat different from the original spell.

When activated, by concentrating on a location and pressing one of the stones, the Ring of Infiltration is capable of teleporting (without error, provided the location has been physically visited by the wearer) up to 15 individuals of approximately human size (no larger than a LizardMan or Half-Ogre), and their gear, a distance of 1 mile. Those wishing to be teleported must touch the ring's wearer or someone else who is touching the ring's wearer. Upon successful teleportation, the used gemstone will appear shattered and burned. The stone must be replaced and re-enchanted with a Teleportation spell before it can be used again.

If an attempt is made to teleport to a site not actually physically visited by the wearer, the magic will be expended and the gemstone shattered, but no teleportation will occur.

Rings of Infiltration are highly sought after and are most often used by the elite commando units and shock troops of major governments when planning strikes or assassinations against opponents in fortified locations. Adventurers also highly prize these rings as they permit the transport into and out of (albeit at a high cost) dangerous areas.

The magic of a Ring of Infiltration is also incapable of passing through metal; attempts to teleport into an area protected by a layer of metal has the same results are attempting to teleport into an unknown area (i.e. use of magic and gemstone, but no teleportation). The quantity or type of metal is not important, it is the distance between the metal that guarantees protection. A metal netting with spaces 1/2 an inch wide or smaller is sufficient to block a Ring of Infiltration. This explains the almost universal use of cloth-of-gold curtains and tapestries woven with silver and gold threads in nearly every major governmental council chamber and throne room across the face of Arr-Kelaan.

Music Box of Silence XP Value: 1500 Weight: 1 pound
This item resembles a well-crafted music box made from expensive woods and often inlaid with precious stones or metals. It has a hinged lid with a tiny latch, and a silver wind-up key beneath. When the music box is wound up, using the key, and then the lid is opened, the music box generates magical Silence in a 15' radius (identical to the 2nd level Priest spell). Once opened, the music box will continue to 'play' for a duration of 12 rounds or until the lid is shut.

A Music Box of Silence has charges (up to 25), and can be recharged. Each rewinding of the music box takes one charge. Shutting the lid of the box before the duration of the Silence still takes one charge.

Music Boxes of Silence have a small figurine of a dancer, or some fantastic animal (like a unicorn or a dragon), which spins about as the Silence is being created; similar to normal varieties of music boxes.

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