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Mystic Muse
2012-12-03, 04:06 AM
Within the Vale of Forgotten Kings, Beyond the Warrior’s Gate, Deep below the Spire of Woe, The Treasure of the Four Crowns lies in wait.


(Based on the song "Treasure of the Four Crowns" by Nox Arcana. Give it a listen sometime.)


Crowns of the Four Kings: (Minor Artifacts).

Each crown gives a +1 untyped bonus to any ability score for each 3 HD the wearer has gained. These must be chosen once they are gained, and they will never change for their particular wearer after, no matter how many times they take the crown off and put it back on.

The effects of the crowns persist for as long as they are worn. While the effects do not apply when not worn, if a crown is taken off, the wearer is treated as exactly the same age they were when they put it on, and they do not suddenly age. If the crown is not put back on, the wearer will age normally until it is.

Despite being called the Crowns of the four kings, the crowns change themselves to suit their wearer. So long as the design of the crown makes sense to a degree (Having the Crown of light have no gems but jets and onyxes would be a no-no), the crown will adapt itself to the desire of the wearer. This can even go so far as the crown becoming a hat, hair clip, or other head accessory of the wearer's size (the crown must still feasibly take up the wearer's head slot). The crowns will also re-size themselves to fit the head of the wearer.

Last, but most certainly not least, once one has attuned to one of the crowns, they may never attune to another.

Crown of Light:
3 HD: The wearer cannot be blinded or dazzled
6 HD: The wearer gains extra HP when they receive healing from a positive energy source equal to their HD, or Resistance to positive energy equal to their HD, whichever would benefit them more. Additionally, they are unaffected by the negative effects of positive energy dominant plains.
9 HD: The wearer gains a circumstance bonus bonus to Spot, Search and Sense Motive equal to their HD.
12 HD: The wearer gains a choice between a fly speed (Growing ethereal Angel wings) of 60 feet at average maneuverability, or Blindsight out to 90 feet. This ability must be chosen when it is first gained and will never change for that wearer thereafter. Additionally, while worn, the wearer does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, will not die of natural causes, and will not age.
15 HD: The wearer gains a constant "True Seeing" effect upon themselves as per the spell of the same name.
18 HD: The wearer’s weapons cut far deeper and more effectively than normal. Their weapons give off light as a torch (Though this effect can be surpressed or reactivated as a free action). Armor, natural armor, and shield bonuses to AC (including any bonuses to those type of armor) do not count against weapons the wearer wield because the weapon passes through them.

The wearer can also be slain by anybody using an artifact such as the Angelwing Razor, or Hammer of Thunderbolts.

Crown of Shadow
3 HD: Can see in all darkness, even that created by spells such as Deeper darkness
6 HD: The wearer gains extra HP when they receive healing from a negative energy source equal to their HD, or resistance to Negative Energy equal to HD, whichever would benefit them more.
9 HD: The wearer gains a circumstance bonus to move silently, Bluff, and Forgery equal to half their HD
12 HD: The wearer gains the choice between a flight speed (Growing etheral bat wings) or the ability to sneak at 1.5 times their speed while sneaking without penalty instead of half their speed. This ability must be chosen when it is first gained and will never change for that wearer thereafter, no matter how many times the wearer takes the crown on and off. Additionally, while worn, the wearer does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, will not die of natural causes, and will not age.
15 HD: The wearer negates the “sight” effects of their enemies within 5 feet per Hit Dice other than their standard form of sight (Will not negate a human’s sight, an Orc’s Darkvision, or an Ooze’s blindsight for example).
18 HD: The wearer can change the light conditions of an area out to 5 feet per HD, or put out any light sources such as torches, lanterns, candles, ETC. out to a range equal to 10 feet per HD.

Additionally, the wearer can teleport anywhere within an area of dim or lower lighting, so long as the distance each time does not exceed 5 feet per HD. This form of movement counts as a move action.

Crown of Mind
3 HD The wearer gains Telepathy out to ten feet per HD.
6 HD The wearer gains the benefit of the mindsight feat
9 HD The wearer gains a circumstance bonus to all abilities governed by a mental ability score equal to a third of their HD, and can make checks for any skills governed by a mental ability score as if they were trained in that skill.
12 HD: The wearer gains a choice between a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability (No fancy wings or anything), or a +2 bonus to their caster level. This ability must be chosen when it is first gained and will never change for that wearer thereafter, no matter how many times the wearer takes the crown on and off. Additionally, while worn, the wearer does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, will not die of natural causes, and will not age.
15 HD: The wearer gains an extra two skill points per level. This boost is retroactive and applies to each previous level or hit die gained.
18 HD The wearer gains a permanent Mindblank effect upon her as the spell.

Crown of Nature
3 HD: The wearer gains an animal companion as per the Druid class feature. If the wearer already has an animal companion, treat the animal companion as being 4 levels higher.
6 HD: The wearer is unimpeded by difficult terrain in natural areas, and leaves no tracks while walking.
9 HD: The wearer gains a circumstance bonus on Knowledge: (Nature), Knowledge (Geography), Handle Animal, and Survival equal to their HD.
12 HD: The wearer gains the choice between a fly speed (Growing the wings of the animal of the wearer's choice) of 60 feet with average maneuverability, Immunity to disease and poison (Including magical disease and poison), or doubling their land speed (This applies after any other bonuses to speed). This ability must be chosen when it is first gained and will never change for that wearer thereafter, no matter how many times the wearer takes the crown on and off. Additionally, while worn, the wearer does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, will not die of natural causes, and will not age.
15 HD: The wearer gains Camouflage and Hide in Plain Sight as per the Ranger’s abilities.
18 HD: The wearer’s animal companion gains a +8 enhancement bonus to one physical ability score, a +6 enhancement bonus to two physical ability Scores, or a +4 bonus to all three physical ability scores.
Comments
No real fluff other than the song, because the song doesn't give much to go off of, and DMs will probably make up their own to fit their campaigns better anyway.

This is my first attempt at making artifacts, and I think they're at the very least not a bad one, though others may disagree.

4th number
2012-12-03, 05:13 AM
These are gorgeous items. I can see them as a series of capstone items for a midlevel campaign, ending with the PCs assuming the thrones. My players have always loved being put in charge of things.

Debihuman
2012-12-03, 10:06 AM
I like these. Just two issues. The first is easy. The bonuses to skills should be Circumstance bonuses since you only gain them while you are wearing the crown.

The second is a bit more complicated. I am not a fan of handing out immortality at 12 HD. That should be the capstone of each of these crowns. This generally means that no adventurer is in danger of falling in lava, suffocation, starvation, poison, etc. It takes all of the danger out of the game. As a DM, I would never allow this item in my game for those reasons. If the PCs can never be threatened after 12th level by things that aren't "monsters," then it takes all the fun away. I respectfully ask that you reconsider this. Allowing them to stop aging is fine, giving them essentially Divine Rank 0 at that level is overpowered.

Debby

Debihuman
2012-12-03, 10:27 AM
Sorry for the double post, I got a white screen when I tried to edit my previous post.

At 12th level, you could give them this: The wearer of this crown no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wearer still dies of old age when her time is up.

(Text is from The Druid's Timeless Body).

Another issue is that the you need to keep track of the skills gained while wearing the crown because you lose them when you take the crown off.

BTW, walking around with a crown on your head (if you aren't actual royalty) can lead to fines and imprisonment in some places. It also is as subtle as a bull in a china shop. Wearing a pretty crown just invites trouble.

If you gain telepathy, you should give it a range. Usually 100 feet.

Debby

Mystic Muse
2012-12-03, 11:41 AM
I like these. Just two issues. The first is easy. The bonuses to skills should be Circumstance bonuses since you only gain them while you are wearing the crown.

The second is a bit more complicated. I am not a fan of handing out immortality at 12 HD. That should be the capstone of each of these crowns. This generally means that no adventurer is in danger of falling in lava, suffocation, starvation, poison, etc. It takes all of the danger out of the game. As a DM, I would never allow this item in my game for those reasons. If the PCs can never be threatened after 12th level by things that aren't "monsters," then it takes all the fun away. I respectfully ask that you reconsider this. Allowing them to stop aging is fine, giving them essentially Divine Rank 0 at that level is overpowered.

Debby

Any enemy that has equal class levels can still kill them, as can any monster that has twice their HD, though I will change that to the capstone. However, Timeless Body as the 12th level feature is really boring, as it does basically nothing in the vast majority of campaigns, so I'll give them something else at each of those points more in line with the theme of the crowns.

EDIT: Took away the first version of immortality and gave them a version more reasonable for 12th level, but not quite as bad as Timeless Body.

Another issue I noticed last night as I was going to sleep, Inherent bonuses don't make sense on an item that's removable. Changing that really quick too.


Sorry for the double post, I got a white screen when I tried to edit my previous post.

At 12th level, you could give them this: The wearer of this crown no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the wearer still dies of old age when her time is up.

(Text is from The Druid's Timeless Body).

Another issue is that the you need to keep track of the skills gained while wearing the crown because you lose them when you take the crown off.

BTW, walking around with a crown on your head (if you aren't actual royalty) can lead to fines and imprisonment in some places. It also is as subtle as a bull in a china shop. Wearing a pretty crown just invites trouble.

If you gain telepathy, you should give it a range. Usually 100 feet.

Debby

Ah, whoops. I wrote these at like 5 AM last night, so that was a rather unfortunate oversight on the Telepathy part. I meant to give it 10 feet per HD, since I prefer abilities that scale.

Also, you do have a point about the crowns not being subtle at all, so I'll add in that they can change to any form of headgear if the wearer wishes.