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View Full Version : Craft/Merchant considerations {renamed}



SethFahad
2010-05-13, 12:08 AM
Ok, here's the story. I'm making a crafter npc (he is a wizard 12 level caster), a PC's assistant.
My players are complaining because their mission holds them away from towns for a loooooong period and they can’t purchase certain helpful magical items. So I figured, next time they'll visit a town, they'll meet the NPC and make a deal.

I was thinking giving them an object magically treated that allows you to
a) communicate with the crafter and make your order
b) teleport the crafter to the PCs and deliver the order

After research I gathered the following helpful ideas:

a) There is a spell in SC named Gem Jump . Fits perfectly for teleportation with no error (same plane only)
b) Spell Sending . Only problem is, it's 5th level spell, and costs a fortune to enchant the same gem with this spell even if I lower my caster level to 10 (minimum allowed for 5th level spell) and make it function only 1/day.
c) Spell Contingency . Problem is, it's only targeting "you". I want to target "object" (the gem).
d) Craft continent spell feat. Problem is CA states that "contingent spell is a single-use (its ok), one-spell magical effect instilled within a specific willing creature". I want object.
e) Attune gem feat. Problem is its "trigger activated" and I want "command activated", plus the activation destroys the gem. That's bad.

So, here I am, with only Gem Jump .
I’m looking for a spell to enchant the gem so the PCs can activate it via command or mentally and communicate with the Crafter. By “communicate”, I mean, a simple “I have some order please”. Nothing more. Heck, even a *bling* will do!
The Crafter then, will reach his silver mirror and scry the PCs to hear their order. After the ordered item is created, he’ll “gem jump” to the PCs to deliver it.

Any ideas???

Baron Malkar
2010-05-13, 12:18 AM
I would just use ring-gates.:smallcool:

SethFahad
2010-05-13, 12:20 AM
Please explain

Koury
2010-05-13, 12:24 AM
Ring Gate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicitems/wondrousitems.htm#ringGates)

Otherwise, you're the DM. Say its a custom item that does exactly what you want it to (as if they are gonna question this boon you are trying to give them anyway).

Or, if you really need some sort of justification, Alarm can work for the notification part. *shrug*

JeminiZero
2010-05-13, 12:26 AM
For communication, consider using Sending Stone (MiC pg 184). Essentially sending 1/day for 1,400 gp.

Serpentine
2010-05-13, 12:27 AM
Well, as said, you're the DM, you can just make it do whatever you want. Alternatively, why not adapt the items (Rings of Friendship or something?) that lets two people communicate, with a returnable Gem Jump type ability?

Hendel
2010-05-13, 12:28 AM
Sending Stone (MIC pg 184) for 1400gp, tell the crafter what you want, then when the item is complete the crafter says "Hey, where are you? Give us a good description and we will Greater Teleport there."

Seems rather cheap and straightforward to me. There are probably some other items that will help the travel portion if casting the teleport is too expensive each time.

The Ring Gates mentioned will only work within 100 miles.

Mewtarthio
2010-05-13, 12:29 AM
You are the DM, correct? Simply make it a custom magic item. Bags of Holding aren't based off any spell, for instance (nor most wondrous items, for that matter). It sounds like it would be generally useful, anyway; you could give similar items to, say, military outposts to warn of an attack.

Koury
2010-05-13, 12:32 AM
Bags of Holding aren't based off any spell, for instance (nor most wondrous items, for that matter).

What? Bags of Holding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicitems/wondrousitems.htm#bagofHolding) are based off Secret Chest (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/secretChest.htm).

Serpentine
2010-05-13, 12:36 AM
Okay, aside from the Stone of Sending, there's the Ring of Djinni Calling (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#djinniCalling) and Bracelet of Friends (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#braceletofFriends) that might be worth looking to as a guide.
Also, especially when it comes to costing, here's some ideas/things worth remembering:
- It belongs to that shopkeeper, is tuned only to him, may depend wholly on the item he has on his end, and is made for his business.
> The shopkeeper may sell it to the party for less-than-cost (because he'll make it up later), or rent it to them, or even give (or loan) it to them free of charge as part of his business practices. He's the only thing it'll be used for.
- 1/day use
- As above, limited, specific usage.
...
I think I had more, but never mind. The fact that it's specifically for a particular shopkeeper is the main thing.

herrhauptmann
2010-05-13, 12:42 AM
3.0 bard spell lets you enchant a pair of coins to let you talk to someone. Houserule the spell to work for wizards.
Part of his business plan is to GIVE one coin to customers so they can purchase from him.
The coin counts as an object that was in his possession, so it's easy to scry on them enough for teleporting.

What else:
Bag of tithing. A paladin or cleric puts money in it, and it goes to the church he's from. Thus counting towards the yearly tithe a paladin is required to do. A more expensive version should allow the flow of money towards the merchant, and the flow of goods to the party. Or, you can just use ring gates as mentioned.
Since the merchant has one half of the ring gate, he should only charge the party for half the cost of the ring gate. Refundable when they return the gate.
For items that are too large to pass through to the party, a quick 'shrink item' would be enough to get even a large ship through. (Shrink boat and change to cloth, roll up cloth, toss through. Party has a few minutes to unroll it and put in/near water before the spell wears off)

Mewtarthio
2010-05-13, 12:46 AM
What? Bags of Holding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicitems/wondrousitems.htm#bagofHolding) are based off Secret Chest (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/secretChest.htm).

They require secret chest to craft, but they work in a completely different manner. Similarly, the OP could claim that his special gem requires sending to craft, but rather than just giving his party an item that can cast sending, he can give them an item that only sends a predetermined message to a single NPC.

SethFahad
2010-05-13, 12:47 AM
Ok,

1. Ring gate: short range. Besides Gem jump is like greater teleport in the same plane.
2. Greater teleport: I'm 12 lvl Wizard. And, the teleport thingy is solved via gem jump.
3. Alarm: works within a mile. Just a mile. Meh.
4. Sending Stones: :smallamused: Hey! How did I miss...???? Wow! That exactly what I was looking for. I'll just say these are gems and not stones!!! And it's cheap!!! And works 1/day!!! And it's cheap!!! Plus....it's cheap!!! PERFECT!!! I LOVE YA! :smallbiggrin: (only thing is, you must hold the stone to communicate...hmmm...i'll just bypass this one and add....gold in the price or some other penalty....

Thanks alot!!!:smallbiggrin:

Edit:

Similarly, the OP could claim that his special gem requires sending to craft, but rather than just giving his party an item that can cast sending, he can give them an item that only sends a predetermined message to a single NPC.

I just found the "penalty". :smallsmile:

Koury
2010-05-13, 12:48 AM
They require secret chest to craft, but they work in a completely different manner.

Bags of Holding puts your junk in storage on a different plane.

Secret Chest puts your junk in storage on a different plane.

Serpentine
2010-05-13, 12:59 AM
Tithing bag has given me an idea that I think would work well and be quite simple.

You have two containers (bag, chest, sack, whatever). They are like Bags of Holding, except they both go into the same extradimensional space. The shopkeeper keeps one for himself (might even be built into his shop somehow. Make it better to prevent thieving), and lends/rents the other out to customers. He may have some sort of system in place to allow him to give them to multiple customers - perhaps he has a large compartmentised chest, and the customers receive a bag tuned to a particular compartment. When a customer wants something, they write it on a piece of paper and put it, with the money, in the bag. The shopkeeper gets the request and the payment, fills it out, puts the item in the compartment, and the customer finds it in their bag.
The bags (or whatever, the things on the customer's end) are specifically tuned to the shopkeeper's item, and are largely useless without it. The items would belong to the shopkeeper, and so the cost would be on him, not on the adventurers. Except for any charge the shopkeeper puts on the customers for the convenience.

Potential problems: The use of it as a personal transportation device, or a means to break into the shop. Perhaps it could be objects only.
Theft, of the bags or the whole thing. Could be fixed by the shopkeeper having his part built in, bags might require a deposit for their safe return.
No doubt others I can't think of.