Introduction:
Here are new magic items created specifically for Therra. Of course, they can be used in any campaign. Where the items were inspired or conceived by other than me, the person is given credit herein.
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INCENSE OF REMEMBRANCE This block of incense is a riot of green, red, and yellow specks and has been stamped with a rune symbolizing peaceful death and release. This incense was first prepared for ceremonies to make final respectful disposal of the remains of potentially friendly creatures who had been denied proper burial or other rites on death. It has effects both for the creature's spirit, which is released to its proper afterlife, and for those who use it on the creature. For the creature whose remains are being disposed of, the incense will release the creature's spirit from any hold of the spirit from the afterlife or any potential future transformation originating from improper or incomplete burial rites. This will allow it to escape such conditions as becoming a ghost or other similar undead. The incense will not redeem a spirit that has already become a ghost or other undead and has no effect on such creatures. It's only use is as a precautionary measure to correct an improper burial or rite of death. While it takes a standard action to begin the incense, actually utilizing the incense requires a ritual to be performed by at least 1 and no more than 10 participants. The ritual takes 10 rounds of uninterrupted full-round actions on the part of the participants. During this time, participants are considered to be flat-footed. Should a participant leave the ritual or be interrupted, the ritual may continue with any remaining participants, but there must always be at least 1 participant remaining or the ritual it disrupted and the incense is wasted. Once a given participant leaves the ritual, he may not rejoin that ritual. Normally, the incense always works. However, if the improper burial or other circumstances affecting the deceased were the result of magic (whether a spell or a ritual) rather than simple physical neglect or mistreatment, then the incense will only work if the wielder of the incense makes a caster level check against the caster level or the wielder of the magic or rite that has afflicted the deceased. If an appropriate and significant burial sacrifice is included with the ceremony, then there are effects for the participants who deeply breath the incense. Participants are not required to breathe in the incense in order to provide benefits to the deceased, but they must if they wish to partake personally of the incense benefits. An appropriate sacrifice is 100 gp worth of items per HD of the creature plus an addition 10 gp per HD for each participant beyond the first. Such items must be things that would hold value or significant to the deceased. For every 100 gp of items above the amount required for an appropriate sacrifice, the participants gain a +1 bonus on their Will save to remember the visions granted by the ritual (see below). The incense gives incredible vivid visions of the life of the spirit released. Such visions are always from the view point of the spirit's body. The visions are not guided by the participants, so knowledge of specific events can't be expected. The visions last for 4d4 hours and emotionally fatigue the participants (who suffer 1d6 Charisma damage initially, and another 1d6 Charisma damage 10 rounds later, with no saving throw allowed). If the participants can keep enough of their wits during the visions (i.e. maintain a Charisma of at least 3 and make a Will save at the end of the 10-round ritual with a DC equal to the 10 plus the HD of the creature released) then they remember large parts of the visions and learn much about the "society" of the creature. This knowledge will be sufficient to allow a participant with the wild shape ability to assume the deceased's form (assuming it is of a type into which he can wild shape), or to assume the form with spells like polymorph (again, assuming the form is allowed by the spell). While the Charisma damage suffered by participants acts in some ways like a poison, it is not, and immunity to poison or spells like delay poison or neutralize poison will not prevent this damage. Any magic that negates or resists ability damage interferes with the ritual and disrupts the ritual for that participant. Similarly, if any lost Charisma is restored by any means whatsoever before the 10-round ritual is complete, the ritual is disrupted for that participant. Spells that boost Charisma do not disrupt the ritual. However, when they expire, any Charisma damage done by the ritual is subtracted from the participant's new Charisma score. The incense was never intended to be used on creatures inimical to the participants. Diametrically opposed alignments may cause painful visions and increased fatigue (2d6 initial and secondary Charisma damage). Natural enemies might run further risks such as curses or even possession. Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, gentle repose,
remove curse, legend lore. |