[Magic Items] The Sentinel's Devices

[Aran]

The Sentinel's Devices

The Sentinel's Devices are a collection of items once held by the great guardians of an ancient elven empire, long destroyed and buried. Legends still speak of the knowledge and power once held by the Order of the Silver Moon, a group of seven arcanists, each of whom specialized in one school of magic, who ruled the empire in concert, each holding sway over their own province. In order to better protect their empire, they each crafted one of the Devices according to their own magical knowledge and expertise. The entire set was given to one warrior who had proven him or her self willing and able to work in the nation's cause in every possible manner - even sacrificing their own soul if need be.

This warrior was granted the title of the Sentinel. When one guardian had passed on, the devices were returned to their creators until such time as a new, suitable bearer could be found.

The last and most well known Sentinel was Sarinal. She gave her life defending the capitol from a cataclysm that brought an army of extraplanar creatures to the empire, and with her last breath used the Devices to banish them to the Void for all eternity. It is surmised that this cataclysm, known as the Rain of Green Fire, struck the final blow that caused the empire to collapse. Her body was never found, but a shrine was erected to the memory of Sarinal, and may still stand to this day. Though one of the Devices, the Eye of the Vigilant, could not be recovered in the aftermath of the great battle, the other six were buried within Sarinal's shrine.

Since then, most knowledge of that empire has been forgotten, but whispers still reach the ears of a select few sages and scholars of this day.

- - -

I'm going to put up the items one by one, then consolidate them in one large post.

[Aran]

The Sentinel's Shield

This beatifully crafted adamantine tower shield is set with gold leaf around the edge. A depiction of a unicorn's head, done in silver and gold, is on the front. The horn gleams, and the image is so lifelike that it almost seems as though the creature shown could jump out from within the shield at any time. On the inside rim, written in elven, there is an enscription:

Hold fast, though the storm breaks around you.
The Sentinel defends his post until the end of time.

The Sentinel's Shield was crafted by Edellis Zolotan, a wizard who specialized in Abjuration magic. When in use by a non-evil aligned bearer, the unicorn's head glows soft blue, and the shield acts as a +2 tower shield of light fortification. Since it is made of adamantine, it grants its bearer damage reduction 3/-. Evil aligned bearers, though they are not punished specifically for using the shield, gain no benefit from bearing the shield at all - not even the regular bonuses offered by a nonmagical tower shield. The regular penalties still apply.

When in use, the Sentinel's Shield grants its bearer resistance to the elements. Three times per day, as a free action, the bearer may speak the command words in order to designate a type of energy. Until the next time he designates a type of energy, the bearer gains energy resistance 10/- to that type of energy.

In addition, once per day, the shield's bearer can enter a Sentinel's Stance. While in a Sentinel's Stance, he gains phenomenal defensive capabilities, but is rooted to the spot he is standing. While in the stance, the bearer gains a +2 bonus on all saves, a +4 dodge bonus to armor class, and damage reduction 6/-. The shield bearer may end this stance at any time by moving from his designated spot.

Moderate abjuration and enchantment; CL 8th; Resist Energy; 114,190 gp

[Aran]

The Skyfire Spike

This thin, shining, beautiful lance appears to be crafted of fine mithril, though it has a soft blue sheen to it that is usually not found in that metal. Its shaft, though curved, is roughly triangular, and the tip marked with rather prominent barbs on all three edges. Its entire length is ornately etched and decorated with elven runes in silver. Despite the length of the item, they can be read:

The storm of battle beckons!
Call forth the crackling legion: the sentinel emerges triumphant!

The Skyfire Spike was forged by Merelia, an Evoker of some prominence in the empire. When a good-aligned bearer comes into contact with it for the first time, the elven runes flash bright white for a fraction of an instant. The item acts as a +1 Keen Thundering Lance; in adition, it acts as a weapon made of Cold Iron for the purposes of bypassing the damage reduction of creatures with damage reduction.

Three times per day, the wielder is able to launch a bolt of electrical energy from the point of the weapon. This is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity and acts as a Lightning Bolt spell cast by an 8th level caster. Also, whenever the wielder makes a successful charging attack from the back of a charging mount, he may discharge one of the uses per day of this ability in order to have the target of his attack affected as though by a casting of Lightning Bolt as cast by a 6th level caster, as a non-action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Also, once per week, the wielder may make a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity in order to affect up to 5 targets within 30 feet with a Lightning Bolt as cast by a 10th level caster. The wielder must not have used any of the weapon's other special abilities during that day and is unable to do so for the rest of the day when he uses this ability.

[Aran]

I've decided to withdraw my set, the Sentinel's Devices, for two reasons.

1. I've realized that my thematic connection between the items was too weak for my liking. True, I was planning on going back and adding some more, but it still feels too cheesy to me.

2. At the rate I'm going, it would take approximately another 3 months to finish it. :D