Tuesday Magic Item – Kavall’s Inquisitive Kit (A to Z)

“Well, I am glad to be back in a city,” said Voddick.

“As am I and a relaxing job, body-guarding an inquisitive,” said Gollaon.

“They are very diligent in the study of the area,” said Voddick, a note of approval in his voice.

“It is hard to know what will prove to be guide to the villains responsible.”

“And if we find them, I suspect our lives will be considerably less quiet,” said Voddick, instinctively checking his weapons.

Kavall’s Inquisitive Kit

The first of these kits was made for the skilled inquisitive Osimant Kavall who advocated a rigorous and systematic approach to inquisitive investigations.  There use has since spread throughout the inquisitive community,well among the successful ones in any case.  It is a large bag, the style of which depends on who is was made for, the original was an oxblood red leather case with brass fittings.  Inside are sample bottles, tools for investigation, notebooks, pens and inks.

Tuesday Magic Item – Ender’s Dagger (A to Z)

“Turning to demons for aid, despicable,” said Voddick.

“Such magic is cheap and dirty but sadly effective,” said Gollaon as he reached down to make sure the dagger was still there.

“The little demons are dangerous enough are you sure that toy is up to dealing with their leader?”

“If luck is with us,” said Gollaon.  “But I can not be sure a single hit will do it, I will have to get in close.”

“I’ll be there beside you.  You do your job and I will keep you alive long enough so you can.”

Ender’s Dagger

This daggers are plain except for inscription against a specific other realm foe (angels, demons, devils or similar) often written in the language of their traditional enemies.  The daggers are well made but almost all are manufactured as fighting weapons with the very rare ceremonial version.

Tuesday Magic Item – Guardian’s Sword

“Good to be standing in defense of the people again,” said Gollaon.

Voddick looked over the half a dozen poorly armed militia standing with them.  “I appreciate their bravery.  But I think the lady of the manor will be our strongest ally, she and her sword look ready to fight.”

“That sword wants to help us, its magic is old and it seeks to defend,” said Gollaon.

“You know that by looking at it?”

“No, she told me last night.”

Guardian’s Sword

The guardian’s sword is always a superb example of the swordsmith’s art, sometimes they have simple decoration but they are never flashy or elaborate.  They are always practical weapons designed for use at their core.

Tuesday Magic Item – Elephant Foot Shield

Gollaon loosed another arrow as Voddick recocked his crossbow.  “Another day, another exchange of missiles with rival skirmishers,” said Gollaon.  “Gets the heart beating.”

“It would be more enjoyable if they were worse shots,” grumbled Voddick.

“The using of poisoned arrows is a bit unsporting too.”

“At least we are not down there,” said Voddick, “among the spears and swords.”

“Truth.  I like having cover.”

“Indeed.”

Elephant Foot Shield

These large shields are made of elephant hide over hard wood, sometime decorated, sometime not.  Often they are made to look like the legs of elephants, but the hide used to make them can come from any part of the elephant.

Tuesday Magic Item – Army Cooking Pot

“Well, the food is filling and hot,” said Voddick before taking another bite.

“We have certainly had worse.  Nice to be working with someone who appreciates that people need to be fed properly,” said Gollaon washing some food down with a sip of watered wine.  “Shame they cannot be as lavish with the wine.”

“At least you have wine,” said Voddick.  “I could murder a good mug of ale.”

“Perhaps in the next town?”

“I hope so.”

Army Cooking Pot

Theses cook pots come in two sizes, large and really, really large.   Made of cast metal almost always emblazoned with the symbol of the military it was made for be it a king’s coat of arms or the sign of a military unit, the ownership is prominently displayed.

Tuesday Magic Item – Spear of the Conqueror

“Why are there so many relics that inspire would be tyrants?” asked Voddick.  He took aim and released a bolt.  “It is the poor dolts they convince to follow them I feel sorry for.”

“Truth, my friend,” agreed Gollaon.  “But they seem very committed to their leaders.”

“Unfortunately true,” said Voddick as he recocked his crossbow.  “But still, cannot help but feel for them and their families.”

“But when it is us or them,” said Gollaon with a sigh.

“It will be them.”

Spear of the Conqueror

These spears are heavily built, made of strong wood carefully reinforced with metal.  While well made, they often show signs of use.  In the right light, words can be seen along the blade, usually something encouraging conquest and victory and changing from viewing to viewing, always encouraging its bearer to action and conquer.

Tuesday Magic Item – Singing Chakram

“Duck!” shouted Voddick, taking the same action himself as a metal ring embedded itself in the tree behind him.

“Perhaps you should not have been so quick to dismiss those throwing rings,” said Gollaon loosing an arrow in the direction the ring came from.

“I still think they are an odd choice,” grumbled Voddick as he cocked his crossbow.  “But odd weapon can kill you just as dead.”

“Truth.”

Singing Chakram

These chakram are made of fine polished metal, often with the words of songs etched into their surface.  When held, they hum softly, waiting to be thrown.

Tuesday Magic Item – God Seed

“Something feels wrong,” said Gollaon, suppressing a shiver.  “Something in the air?”

“I feed it too, like the sky before a storm,” said Voddick.  He scanned the way ahead, his crossbow at the ready.

“I fear it is tied to that amulet of employer has, it has a powerful aura, and it is calling upon powers . . . well, powers that are not always welcome,” said Gollaon.

“Well, at least we were paid half in advance if we have to scarper.”

God Seed

These fragments of divinity come in many forms as varied as the divine being that they are tied too.  Direct symbols are the most common: swords for martial deities, a lantern for a god of travellers and so on though amulets engraved with divine symbols have been used by all.

Tuesday Magic Item – Powdered Chaos

“I would have asked for double if I knew we would be fighting hollows,” said Voddick loading another bold into his crossbow.

“Agreed,” said Gollaon.  He paused to draw another dagger.  “It has cost me two daggers already.”

“Out employer had better have a solution, these hit and run attacks are costing us nearly as much as the damage we inflict on the things.”

Gollaon looked back to see.  “I think they have something that will help . . . but we should give them room.”

Powdered Chaos

This substance is as much metaphysical as physical, magic as material.  It changes from moment to moment, from small pebbles to fine dust, multicolored to dull brown, never the same twice.  It is used to enhance spell casting adding special punch against the agents of the Law Lords.

Divine Artifacts in the Sea of Stars

We are about halfway through February’s RPG Blog Carnival for the Month of February, 2021, on the theme of Gifts of the Gods, divine artifacts, so time to add some more to that theme.

Unlike many worlds, the Sea of Stars has almost no new divine artifacts being created, almost all of the such items date to before the Sundering.  The God of Smiths, whose portfolio also included creation, was slain before the Gods War even began, throwing the primary chain for the creation of artifacts into chaos and confusion.  Of course, the forges of the militant gods keep working and the Law Lords and the Shadows of Chaos prepared for the coming war, sadly, they were preparing for the wrong one.

But at the end of the Gods War, almost all of the surviving divine artifacts were seized by various dragons, the majority (about three fifths) were grasped by the Empress and her agents, the next largest amount fell into the claws of Ba’ai’ai, the Dark Star, with the remained shared among the other dragons, almost every dragon who fought in the Gods War managed to acquire at least one divine artifact in the process.  Over the years, the Empress has drawn more and more of the surviving artifacts to her, soliciting them as gift, accepting them in lieu of taxes or fines, or, rarely, purchasing them. 

The Empress keeps these artifacts sealed against times of great need, for example she is well equipped to repulse any attempt by the Law Lords or the Shadow of Chaos, should either return by some means, to restore their power using the arsenals prepared by their opposites.  Further, the Imperial Arsenal lacks no number weapons optimized towards the slaying of angels, demons and devils.  For most situations, normal draconic might and enchanted weapons are sufficient, divine weaponry is only used when it is desperately needed.

Naturally, there are very few divine artifacts made in the Sea of Stars now, the Sun Cult produces a small number of items (such as the Sun-Blessed Diadem) but no weaponry . . . that the dragons know of.  (There may be a cyclops smith still producing Sun’s Champion’s Blades somewhere.)  The Moon Cult sporadically produces divine items for its members use, though with little rhyme nor reason.

There are a handful of hidden artifacts left, placed for divine quests which were . . . interrupted or never started.  It is possible that someone could stumble onto the items or into the quests (and thus, eventually to the items).  Unfortunately, the cyclops who made the divine artifacts were almost wiped out, a few were captured by the Empress, if any other survived they were likely hidden away by one of the Draconic Houses or the Dwarven Holds, the only groups with the resources to hide such a valuable being from the eyes of the Empress.

Notes: Who makes the divine artifacts in your campaign world?

Image “Venus at the Forge of Vulcan” by Louis Félix de La Rue (French, 1731-1777) is marked with CC0 1.0.