Orbs of Dragonkind and similar artifacts

[true_shinken]

Hello, playground.
I currently DM a big campaign with two groups of player characters, in a world I created (though I use only official D&D material; homebrewin' takes a lot of time and I bought those books for a reason, after all). This campaign is drawing to a close and I was thinking of starting a Eberron campaign next (since I also bought the adventure path)... but players liked the world. One of 'em mentioned it would be nice to know how things would be like a hundred years after they ended the adventure.

So that's what my next campaign will be - the world a 100 years after the first campaign. I started this game at 6th level (they are now around 10-13), but I'll start the next at first. One player mentioned he wanted to 'value his levels more' and I believe starting at one does exactly that.

That aside, I wanted to focus the new campaign ina huge quest of sorts, one that would only be hinted until they reach the low-to-mid levels (around 5). I wanted to deal with the Orbs of Dragonkind - finding them, fighting people that have them, destroying them. Thing is, villains using one of those would decimate a low level group. So, I wanted to ask the play ground - do you know any other set of artifacts (with at least 5 pieces, 7 would be optional - reminds me of Dragon Ball), potentially one that gives little power per piece but becomes ingreasingly powerful the more pieces you collect?

[Deth Muncher]

Though I have no specific examples for you, the Magic Item Compendium has several sets in it. Wait, no...I do have an example, sort of. There are three-four pieces sets associated with Good, Evil and Neutrality. I know all three turn up in the Arms & Equipment guide...but G&E got reprinted somewhere else.

[Elfin]

Well, there are the Nine Swords from Tome of Battle.

[true_shinken]

Well, there are the Nine Swords from Tome of Battle.

But you don't get more powers for getting all nine, do you?

[The Shadowmind]

You could alter the orbs to make them weaker. Since the normal orbs are based on an ancient dragon you could alter the effects/AC/saves, based on a Young adult/adult dragon instead, and have the dominate effect only works on dragons of equal age or younger that the dragon's spirit stored in the orb.
Changing the at will powers to :
Black:Darkness
Blue:Create/Destroy Water
Green:Suggestion ?
Red:Locate object
White: Fog cloud,
etc.

[Elfin]

But you don't get more powers for getting all nine, do you?

Well, according to the ToB, legend says that if all nine are reunited, the Swordmaster will return - but other than that, no.

[Deth Muncher]

Well, according to the ToB, legend says that if all nine are reunited, the Swordmaster will return - but other than that, no.

What you MIGHT be able to finagle is that each sword you get melds with the last one, letting it morph and such. Or something. I don't know, I'm sleep deprived.

[dgnslyr]

What you MIGHT be able to finagle is that each sword you get melds with the last one, letting it morph and such. Or something. I don't know, I'm sleep deprived.

The Swordmaster returns, and it turns out he's Gilgamesh. How else would he use all nine at once? Be creative. Maybe the seven artifacts are necessary for a ritual to summon a "spirit of great power," or something.

[The Glyphstone]

Ahh, the Nine Legacy Swords. Because WotC is physically incapable of printing a book that doesn't have at least a few pages of utter fail.


For the topic, why not, instead of Orbs of Dragonkind, have another set of artifacts that are Orbs of [creature]kind? An Orb of Feykind, and Orb of Giantkind, Abberationkind, Elementalkind, etc. Some of these could be extremely devastating in Ebberon (Elemental comes to mind), and naturally the Orb of Humanoidkind would be the most well-hidden and mythical.

[ericgrau]

Well, according to the ToB, legend says that if all nine are reunited, the Swordmaster will return - but other than that, no.

"You fight like a dairy farmer"
"How appropriate, because you fight like a cow"
/obligatory

[hamishspence]

Though I have no specific examples for you, the Magic Item Compendium has several sets in it. Wait, no...I do have an example, sort of. There are three-four pieces sets associated with Good, Evil and Neutrality. I know all three turn up in the Arms & Equipment guide...but G&E got reprinted somewhere else.

The Regalia of Evil were printed in BoVD prior to being reprinted in Arms & Equipment Guide.

The Regalia of Good were reprinted (with one or two minor changes) in BoED.

Neutrality has other artifacts in the Forgotten Realms splatbook Underdark.- a Talisman of Neutrality, and a divine book (Book of Perfect Balance) as a counterpart to the in-game BoVD and BoED.

And I think Epic Handbook has arcane books for all 3- G, N, E.

So it's only Law and Chaos that don't get books, talismans, or regalia.

[JBento]

Liessss!!!!

Also, I can't believe no-one mentioned the Rod of Seven Parts yet

It's a Lawful artifact, IIRC, used by the (Lawful) Wind Dukes to defeat the Queen of Chaos (I think) and her consort, Mishka the Wolf-Spider. Each part has minor powers and points you in the direction of the next one, and they all lock together to form the Rod.

I *THINK* I've seen it statted out somewhere, but I wouldn't be able to tell you where...

[Furnok]

You could do a quest for the Rod of Seven parts I think thats its in the equipment guide. I was in a group where we quested for Elminster to get a couple of the parts so he could use the rod to close a portal from hell.

[hamishspence]

Liessss!!!!

Also, I can't believe no-one mentioned the Rod of Seven Parts yet

It's a Lawful artifact, IIRC, used by the (Lawful) Wind Dukes to defeat the Queen of Chaos (I think) and her consort, Mishka the Wolf-Spider. Each part has minor powers and points you in the direction of the next one, and they all lock together to form the Rod.

I *THINK* I've seen it statted out somewhere, but I wouldn't be able to tell you where...

It's a Lawful artifact all right- but it's not a Book of Law, Talisman of Law, or The Regalia of Law.

It's in Arms & Equipment Guide.

[true_shinken]

The rod of seven parts looks exactly like what I wanted. I'll try to borrow Arms & Equipment Guide from my friend, since my ex-girlfriend stole mine.
Thanks a lot for the ideas, everyone.

[Morph Bark]

How about the Bodyparts of Vecna?

There's his Hand, his Eye and I thought I saw his Ear somewhere too. Add some more bodyparts and you're good to go.

[Prime32]

How about the Bodyparts of Vecna?

There's his Hand, his Eye and I thought I saw his Ear somewhere too. Add some more bodyparts and you're good to go.

There are no extra bodyparts since Vecna still has most of his.

Not that that should stop you from using the Head of Vecna.

[true_shinken]

How about the Bodyparts of Vecna?

I think I'll go with the rod. The bodyparts of Vecna would be a gateway to trouble.

[hamishspence]

4E introduces the Heart of Vecna in Open Grave- but gives it no stats. It is currently in use by the demilichlike ancient lich Osterneth "The Bronze Lich".

Aside from being a skeleton rather than a skull, most of her powers are those of a 4E demilich.

[DracoDei]

I have got one that I might be willing to share with you via PM (after I find it which might or might not take a bit of looking). The problem is that it requires three things:
1.) The PCs must have a very hard time actually hanging on to any of the parts... basically the goals of the enemy (subordinates) should be to get away with the item, and they should be pretty good at it... only after all the items are either in PC hands or held by the BBEG of the entire campaign should (s)he even consider confronting the PCs.\
2.) The BBEG has to start out with, or unavoidably acquire the most important part of the set.
3.) The BBEG of the entire campaign should probably be practically optimized to make as many attacks as possible without relying on slotted magic items (since the set I have takes up every slot, plus a few unslotted items), no matter how little damage they deal, and BAB is unimportant since these will basically be touch attacks. That is right... you should probably make the BBEG of the entire campaign a MONK. Also, you should balance his abilities such that, if he has the entire set, it will almost certainly be a TPK.



Tell me if that is of interest...

[true_shinken]

I have got one that I might be willing to share with you via PM (after I find it which might or might not take a bit of looking).

Thanks a lot for the input. I'll probably go with the rod of seven parts, it looks exactly like what I wanted, but I could comment on your homebrew if you want.