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ginseng
2005-02-19, 06:20 PM
The Inconsequential Items of Glass Glyphgold

With their innate talents for illusions, numerous gnomish wizards have achieved greatness in the arts of sensory mimicry. Indeed, the annals of magical lore are filled with tales of the wondrous works of gnomish illusionists. Yet one great gnomish wizard is not named - Glass Glyphgold.
Unlike other gnomish illusionists, Glass Glyphgold was neither interested in the production of sights, sounds, and smells nor in the creation of mental phantasms. What he was interested in was the absence of things. He studied what characteristics were not present in objects and which actions did not occur in events. He studied the qualities of emptiness and became a master of nothingness.
Such was the greatness of his magic that he could vanish not only from sight but also from the very world itself. They say that when Glass Glyphgold died and life disappeared from him, he disappeared from life. Glass Glyphgold was unwoven from the fabric of reality – it was as if he was never born.
Only a small collection of items remain to verify the once existence of this peculiar gnomish wizard. A staff, a ring, an amulet, a cloak, and a figurine are all that linger.

The Sightless Staff
The Sightless Staff is a masterwork ghost touch quarterstaff of medium size. * The staff is perfectly smooth and as clear as glass. However, practice with the staff will show that it is as strong as steel (and familiarize the wielder to the staff's nigh invisible nature). Because it is almost perfectly transparent, a DC 15 Spot check is necessary to notice it.
When wielded in combat, in addition to the masterwork bonus (+1), the wielder gains a +2 circumstance bonus to hit because of the nigh invisible nature of the staff. The wielder loses this bonus against opponents with Blind-Fight, Blind Sense or Blind-Sight. If the wielder is invisible, the circumstance bonus to hit does not stack with the bonus to hit from being invisible (since both to hit bonuses are derive from the nature of being invisible).
Both ends of the quarterstaff are masterwork and have been enchanted to be ghost touch.

* Glass Glyphgold had developed an ability to wield weapons sized for larger creatures (e.g. humans) and often wielded weapons meant for them.

Aura: Moderate Conjuration and faint Illusion; Caster Level: 9th; Feat: Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Spells: Greater Invisibility, Plane Shift; Price: 8,600 gp.

Ring of Non-Existence
When the Ring of Non-Existence is first encountered, it seems nothing but a simple silver ring. Upon mystical investigation, the ring glows with an aura reminiscent of a ring of invisibility. However, no matter what the attempt, the ring will not turn the wearer invisible.
The true nature of the ring is revealed when the wearer casts any invisibility spell (i.e. Invisibility, Invisibility Sphere, Greater Invisibility, and Mass Invisibility). Upon casting an invisibility spell, the target of the spell becomes ethereal instead of invisible. In all other respects, the spell is treated as normal.
For example, a fifth level sorcerer wearing the Ring of Non-Existence casts Invisibility. Instead of turning invisible, she becomes ethereal for the duration (five minutes). Any items she drops or puts down become corporeal (i.e. back to normal). Furthermore, if she makes any direct attacks, then she loses her ethereal state and becomes corporeal.

Aura: Faint Illusion; Caster Level: 14th; Feat: Forge Ring; Spells: Invisibility, Invisibility Sphere, Greater Invisibility, Mass Invisibility, Ethereal Jaunt; Price: 98,000 gp.

Words of Breathlessness
A very small silver-clasped book (2 1/2 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1/2 thick) filled with Auran script (the language of Air elementals) hangs by a platinum chain around the wearer’s neck (taking the place of a magic necklace). The Words of Breathlessness allows the wearer to use the Message spell at will, allowing the wearer to remain discrete and unnoticed.

Aura: Faint Transmutation; Caster Level: 2nd; Feat: Craft Wondrous Item; Spell: Message; Price: 900 gp; Weight: 1 lb.

Cloak of Unimportance
This lightweight cloak is white in color with subtle silver embroidery of seemingly random patterns. When worn with the hood drawn up around head, the wearer seems to fade into the background and becomes unnoticeable.
Any creature that would normal notice the wearer must make a DC 14 Will save (even those who are scrying the wearer). On a successful save, the creature notices the wearer as normal. If anything distracts the creature, then s/he must make the save again. On a failed save, the creature does not notice the wearer and completely ignores him/her. If the wearer interacts with a creature, then that creature gets a chance to save with a +4 circumstance bonus to notice the wearer. If the wearer directly attacks a creature, then that creature automatically notices him/her.

Aura: Faint Abjuration; Caster Level: 5th; Feat: Craft Wondrous Item; Spell: Nondetection; Price: 23,000 gp; Weight: 1 lb.

The Forgotten Figure
The Forgotten Figure is a small, one-inch high figurine carved from the purest marble. The figurine is crudely carved with vague features. However, when a creature holds the figurine and concentrates on a specific individual, the figurine takes on the exact appearance of that individual. The user must know enough personal details to distinguish the individual from any others (e.g. name and birthday or any other series of information that pinpoints the individual). The figurine maintains the appearance of the individual for 24 hrs before returning to its original crude form.
During this period, if the figurine is thrown to the ground and shattered, the individual represented by the figurine is ripped from the reality of the world unless s/he makes a successful Will save versus DC 20. If the individual successfully saves, then there is no effect. If the individual fails the save, then s/he ceases to exist and is erased from history. All mention of the individual, whatever the form, either disappears or is replaced.
The actions of the individual are not undone, however. Instead, the fabric of reality re-knits to find another cause for these actions. Furthermore, five objects or references directly related to the individual neither disappear nor re-explained. They remain as small clues to the person that once was but now has never been.

Aura: Strong Conjuration, Divination, Illusion, and Transmutation; Caster Level: 20th; Feat: Craft Wondrous Item; Spell: Discern Location, Gate, Temporal Stasis, Wish; Price: 58,750 gp; Cost: 6000 xp.

[Edited:
-Changed notice staff DC from 20 to 15.
-Added small phrase on wielder getting used to the staff through practice.
-Changed footnote about Glass Glyphgold wieldering medium-sized weapon to remove mention of Monkey Grip feat.
-Corrected Prices and XP of Items.
/End Edit]

Nikolai_II
2005-02-20, 04:24 PM
Glass might also have had a permanenced enlarge person cast upon himself as a reason for why he made a medium-sized staff. (Makes the items more 'basic books preferred'-compatible)

ginseng
2005-02-21, 09:38 AM
Thanks for the idea Nikolai II. I don't think the Monkey Grip description should be a problem since it is a game mechanic description for story flavor. It doesn't affect the usage (or creation) of the items in a core books only game. Hmm, perhaps I will simply make it a more general description.

Nikolai_II
2005-02-21, 12:42 PM
Still, IMO Monkey grip is not a sensible choice for one with slow BAB progression so in my (still not so humble) opinion it was a jarring disturbance in the flavor text.

But the idea of making it small sized instead and then reminding that for just a gold piece more or so it can be done in medium size might be as good/better.

Nasrudith
2005-04-25, 08:14 PM
Or maybe you could write in that his staves change up to one size to match the wearer.