Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

[Eodin]

Here's one to get this started...

 

 

Rock Liquifier

Transform - Major 2d6, Area of Effect (1 hex; +1/2), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (90 AP); OAF Bulky Device (-1 1/2), Requires Magic Skill Roll (No AP Penalty; -0), Extra Time (1 Turn, Activation Only; -1). Real Cost: 26

Description: This barrel-shaped device transforms rocks and rocky-material placed inside into a liquid rock. The material stays liquid while in the device, but returns to solid form 5 minutes after it is removed. This device was commissioned by the masonry guild, to allow them to pour the liquid rock into molds for producing multiple versions of art for the buildings they craft.

Plot Hook: This device has recently been stolen from the masonry guild. Who took it, and does it's disappearance have anything to do with the recent reports of ghosts at the abandoned silver mines?

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

The Ring of Teleportation

The seemingly ordinary ring has a curse placed upon it, not only cannot it not be removed, every few weeks or so (GM decides based on the adventure), it takes every thing in the nearby area and instantly teleports it to somewhere else.

 

10" Teleport, x32 Increased Mass or 3200 (+25), Area Effect (+1), Safe Blind Teleport, Megascale: Planet (+1 1/4), Lim: No Conscious Control, but user knows when next activation will be (-2), 1 Charge takes weeks to recover (-3 1/2), Side Effect: When exposed to strange magics or just trying to figure the thing out, Extra-Dimensional Travel occurs, which reverses upon finding the right reversal condition. (-0)

 

146 Active Points

22 Real Points (which should be spread out among the party members)

 

"When I said I wanted to see the world, this is not what I meant."

 

Plot Hooks: The obvious one is how the players manage to get around from place to place, but never return unless the GM requires it. Strange glitches can open up new possibilities and complications (alternate dimensions and time travel) Luckily these things can probably get reversed by next jump.

 

The villians also have a Ring of Teleportation and are somehow cursed to travel the same path as the PCs. This makes for very angry villians who blame the PC for their fate.

 

As bad as it seems, eventually the wearer can eventually replace the NCC with less frustrating limitations. Realize even with control, the ring will still pick the spot it appears within a city (or just outside the city), later the PCs can return to the exact spot (if the party coughs up a point into "memorizing" it), but they can't say use it to teleport directly into the king's private vault.

 

If they try to abuse the power, say to teleport OUT of the king's private vault, there is a chance that an Extra-Dimensional jump will occur or maybe the ring resets to NCC for awhile until the user can figure out why it is no longer working.

[Curufea]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

That could also be similar to the "Sliders" gimick of wormholes appearing. Or "Time Bandits".

[Christougher]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Perhaps not completely noncombat, but the magic item I'm most proud of for 'plot hooks':

 

Heart: This is a short, double edged dagger. The crossguard is in the shape of a heart, red interior and outlined in gold. A similar heart caps the pommel.

Powers: +8 EGO; Mind Link: One specific person: The wielder's 'one true love'.

[Curufea]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

One from New Crobuzon, definitely a plot hook-

 

The Crisis Engine

A conglomeration of thaumaturgic and chymical batteries and difference engines used for the high level calculations involved in harnessing Crisis energy - the energy of changing from one state to another state, of which Potential energy is a subset. This is essentially an unlimited powersource usable for perpetual motion machines and the like. Treat as an unlimited END reserve capable of powering any device or magical spell if you have good enough engineering and thaumaturgic skills. There are sideffects of course - great levels of power are likely to short or overheat the engine unless sturdier materials are found.

 

Plot Hooks

In New Crobuzon, everyone would want the Crisis Engine if they knew about it, and of those that do, the Construct Council knows about it and desparately wants to understand its working. If you give it to the Council, picture a steampunk version of The Matrix.

In other campaigns - Golems and Constructs or any other magical/technological being that relies on energy sources to live would be willing to do anything to get their hands on this device. To them it is immortality at the very least.

[Greatwyrm]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

How about a ring that grants a few overall skill levels, but has the side effect that you have flashbacks from previous owners' experiences. One of the previous owners posessed the ring while he hid something very valuable. Someone who wants that thing is seeking the ring, hoping to have a flashback that will tell him where the valuable item is. Of course, the PC might have such a flashback as well.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Goldenaxe

 

The axe was only magically plated with gold, but it sure look like solid gold. This legendary item wins battles. Not with its great cleaving power (as many suspect), but by giving the user tactical advice and knowledge of previous battles that it fought in.

 

Plot hooks

It looks like its solid gold.

It's tactical advantage in wartime is legendary.

[Curufea]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Ring of Transferral

(The Azazel Ring)

This magical ring was once created by an ancient wizard afraid of death. She could find no other means to prolong her life. Once it was used, she lost it and it has been wandering the world in the hands of the bewildered ever since.

 

If you touch someone (flesh to flesh) while wearing the ring, then the next time you and that person are both asleep, you swap bodies. If you touch multiple people, then it is random amongst those you touched as to which one you swap with.

[Victor]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

It's not exactly an item per se, but...

 

Coinreaver Curse: Minor Transform 1d6 (Target into Target with 5 point Destitute Disad, Healed back by giving the caster a gift of equal value to the focus used in casting), Trigger (When focus given to Target; +1/4), Continuous (+1) (22 Active Points); Gradual Effect (1 Month; -2 1/4), Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), IAF Expendable (Difficult to obtain new Focus; possesion of some value to Caster; -3/4), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Spell (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Minor: Caster must accept any gift given to break the curse; -1/2), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (May not be cast again on a target within a year of breaking the curse by the same caster, focus may not be bound or tied with a knot when given; -1/4)

 

Basically, someone casts this on an item, and gives it to their target. The higher the value of an item, the higher the value of the item required to break the curse. If they're just trying to teach you a lesson, it might be about a month's wages worth, if they're really out to ruin you, it may be a priceless artifact, or an irreplaceable family heirloom with great sentimental value. Either of these might be grounds to send someone off on a quest.

 

Unless, and until, the curse is broken by giving the caster an item that the target values to a similar degree (which the curse also forces them to accept), the target will soon find any matter of finance or property begins to go horribly wrong for them. Debts will be called in, demands made by those they owe fealty to, investments will go under, the voice of raze and ruin is heard, and they will clearly lose everything soon. The longer they wait, the worse it gets.

 

This has also given rise to several superstitions, "Never accept a gift you can't afford", being a common related expression. Gifts are generally bound with a knotted cord, symbolising that the gift comes without obligations. Knots, in general, are a ward against unforseen complications, and many transactions are "sealed" by the parties involved tugging at opposite ends of a knotted cord.

[Gawain]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Rep to you for an incredible spell. I will use this in my current game.

[Markdoc]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

The Totally Findibulous Coin.

 

A simple silver coin, though not from any realm the players will ever have heard of. It has a smiling woman's head on one side and an open hand on the other. It radiates strong magic (and chaos, if that's a feature of your game) to those who can detect such things.

 

Power: 6d6 luck, usable once per day (-2), independant, OAF (-3), side effect (-1, 6d6 unluck), activate 11-, (-1), gestures (flip coin, -1/4).

 

The coin - if taken out and flipped - grants the owner incredible luck. But only if it comes up with the smiling face of fortune uppermost (11- chance). If the open hand comes up, the coin-tosser must "pay up" - he gets hit with unluck instead.

 

The coin was gifted to Rhadamas, priest of the Laughing God, by a power or powers unknown - presumably one of the powers that serve that most enimatic deity. He used it to become rich, and take the six dancer/assassins made for the Archmage Assamas by the Minglers of the Blood in a famous wager, before suffering a most gruesome fate. Since then it has passed through many hands.

 

Plot use: it can be offered as found treasure, as a reward (just leave the downside out, and it sounds very desirable!). Even more amusing slip it to a PC in a handful of loose change and throw in a desperate gambler who wants it back....

 

GM's note: why a player would want this, is beyond me. If I found it I'd sell it! But they like having it anyway....

 

cheers, Mark

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Saenik's Magic Door

 

5" Teleport, x16 Non-Combat, +5 Position Shift, +1/4 Safe Blind Teleport

w/ Gate Advantages/Limitations.

 

When cast, a door appears, opening the door and walking through reveals a 10 yard corridor (even if teleporting to the other side of the wall) shrouded in mist, when opening the other door, it is revealed that you are now at your destination (so long as it is within 100 yards).

 

 

Actually, this had lots of plot hooks, since before this point, teleport was this huge expensive spell that required lots of skill and teleported you miles away. This was a rather basic spell (biggest limitation was that it took a long time if several people were in the corridor).

 

Plot Hooks

Where the hell is this? A lot of plots revolved around where the corridor was and who/what was inside it and why Saenik had to cover the inside with mists (trust me, you don't want to know). Occasionally, an imp or sprite would leap out which would cause some concerns. At one point, Saenik opened the door, found something big and nasty, waiting for him. SLAM! "Whoops, wrong door, never use that door."

 

What do mean it fell into the wrong hands? Enemies had gotten ahold of a copy of this spell and were using it to bypass magical traps and other things.

[AlHazred]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Most of my "interesting plot hook" items are weapons or battle-related, because it seems most often that it is the more combat-oriented players that need a goad to participate. For instance, my game has something called the Standard Of The Lost Legion. The knight who found it did some research and discovered that the troop that bears the Standard never loses in battle; the caveat of this is that the one who actually bears the Standard always dies. Always, without exception. Also, the Standard doesn't seem to function in an overtly magical way, and doesn't prevent the troop that bears it from dying to a man - it just prevents them from actually losing. The player is still trying to determine if it's a good thing or a bad thing. He also can't figure out who will bear it when the time comes...

[AlHazred]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooksWait, at one point I did a few "Luck Talismans" for my game, only two of which actually featured the power Luck. I see I have two here on my laptop:

Cost Power END 2 Token Of Risk: +5 with Gambling (10 Active Points); Independent (-2), Focus Must Be Part Of Wager (-1), IAF (-1/2), Only Works On Games Of Chance (-1/2) [Notes: The fabled "lucky charm" may have its origin in this item. It appears to be a coin of normal manufacture, except that the face on the obverse of the coin appears to be laughing. Possession of this item is a sign of favor by Ziandwyrth; in some areas where gambling is heavy, an item like this may change hands with frequency, and many owners may have no idea of its power. The item makes the owner much more lucky than normal in games of chance, buy only if it is among the monies wagered on the outcome. Also, it only affects the results of random chance - games that are more dependent on skill will not be affected. (GM's discretion on whether the item affects any particular game - craps or blackjack would be, chess or backgammon would not. Note that "rigged" games are also, by definition, no longer games of "chance.")] 5 Wayfarer's Friend: Summon 150-point Helpful Stranger, Friendly (+1/4), Expanded Class of Beings - Any Type of Being (+1) (67 Active Points); 1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4), Activation Roll 8- (-2), Independent (-2), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), Arrives Under Own Power (-1/2), Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-1/2) [Notes: Small ceramic statuettes made in the form of Hospin, the god of mercy, Wayfarer's Friends are much sought-after by merchants and others who must travel the highways. Those who possess such trinkets claim that if the traveller is in danger, recites a prayer to Hospin, and then throws the Wayfarer's Friend far away, He will send a helpful stranger to assist the one who made the prayer. Some claim to have been helped out of tough spots by bears or wolves that scared brigands away; in one oft-repeated tale, a princess was rescued from durance vile by a knight who happened to be her long-lost brother. The tales are as unbelievable as they are numerous, but whatever the truth, a gift of a Wayfarer's Friend is always welcome.] [1 nr] Powers Cost: 7

[Eodin]

Re: Non-combat Magic items with plot hooks

 

Cloak of Dreams: Clairsentience (Sight, Hearing And Smell/Taste Groups), x64 Range (30080"), Mobile Perception Point (can move up to 6" per Phase), Transmit, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (154 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; Character is totally unaware of nearby events; Dream Sleep; -1 1/2), Only Through Dreams (-1), OIF (Cloak; -1/2)

 

This cloak enables the dreamer to visit anyplace within 60km (36 miles). He can visit, look around, and so forth. The downside is the "transmit" factor. Anyone in the 60km radius who is dreaming at the same time - be they friend or foe - has a chance of experiencing the same dream as the wearer of the cloak. Friends who are asleep can experience the same sights and sounds, but then, so can sleeping enemies. And if enemies know they have been watched...

Plot hook: The players start experiencing strange dreams, as a series of cloak owners spy on each other and are (unknown to the characters) killed. They, or a local lord, decide to seek into this strange occurrence that is scaring the region.