[Magic Card a Go Go] Phyrexian Totem

A Phyrexian Totem is a small statuette or icon depicting an insect-like demonic figure. It stands 6" tall, and oddly has a negligible weight, though it feels more solid than iron. It is of a glistening black color, like obsidian, and shadows seem to dance and play upon and within it. The figure, when seen through the corner of one's eye, seems to move ever so slightly; it grins, it winks, it waggles a tail, all minor movements that, when looked at directly, were apparently merely figments of the imagination, as the figure moved not at all.

When the totem is touched, it speaks to the mind of the one who touches it, whispering of the great power it can grant to him in return for just a little bit of the holder's essence... a promise that is true, after a fashion.

If willingly given the life energy of the holder, the Totem drains three points permanently from three random Attributes (this sacrifice can end up being all the same Attribute). Restoration and similar magic will not restore the lost Attribute points. The Totem and its "master" are thereafter tied together inextricably until death (though a wish spell might sever the connection).

The master senses whatever the Totem senses, from whatever distance (though full concentration is required for full understanding of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, and touches). The Totem can speak to its master telepathically at any distance; its mentality and personality is that of an evil, impish, unpleasantly vicious hellcat.

The Totem is usually in a default "spy mode" state, capable of movement (30 ft.) and basic actions in its tiny form. In its tiny spy form it cannot attack, it can only move and spy and steal tiny objects. It is indestructible in this form, immune to all forms of magic and weapons. It can Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Pick Pockets as though it were a 10th level Thief. It has 120 ft. darkvision. It can spider climb as per the spell at will. It can be grabbed (AC 25) and can offer no resistance if held firmly, though it will snarl and whine and whimper... and mentally call to its master for aid!

The master, if a spellcaster, may withdraw energy from the Totem, whatever the distance of the Totam from the master, to immediately cast a spell which the master has memorized without losing the spell from memory (though the energy thus gained cannot be used to cast any form of healing or curative spell). The energy thus gained is no greater in level than the highest level spell the master may cast; he may choose a lower level spell if he wishes. When energy is used thusly, the Totem becomes inert for 1d8 hours per level of the spell cast.

The master, whatever the class, can also temporarily sacrifice three Atrribute points (randomly as above) to the Totem in order to transform it to "warrior mode" (these Attribute points heal as normal). The Totem then grows in one round from 6" tall to 9' tall, and gains prodigious combat abilities... at the cost of the Totem and it master becoming susceptible to mortal attacks!

TOTEM, PHYREXIAN

NO. APPEARING: 1
SIZE: Large
HD: Same hit points as Master, attacks as though with HD equal to level of Master
MOVE: 40 ft.
AC: 20
ATTACKS: 2 Claws (1d8+6) and 1 Bite (4d8)
SPECIAL: Darkvision 120 ft., Immunities, Silver or Holy or Magical Weapons Needed to Hit, Resistances, Spell Resistance (Special), Spider Climb
SAVES: M, P
INT: Special
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil
TYPE: Construct
TREASURE: none
XP: Varies

The Phyrexian Totem in "warrior mode" is a simple killing machine. When in this mode, the Totem has the same hit points as its master... literally, its master's hit points are its own, and wheneve the Totem takes damage, its master... wherever she is... actually takes the damage! When in this form, the master's soul enters the Totem, her own body falling to the ground in a state of suspended animation (and totally helpless, it should be noted).

The Totem cannot exit the "warrior mode," and thus the master cannot return to her own body, until after it has slain at least one intelligent being. The master can return to her own body at any time thereafter; the master can make a Charisma saving throw to do so instantly as the Totem is taking a hit that would knock it to 0 or fewer hit points. If the saving throw fails, the Totem is destroyed and the master's soul is condemned to some unknown hellish plane in a distant dimension. If the saving throw succeeds, the Totem is still destroyed, but the master's soul returns to its body. In this case, however, the Attribute points sacrificed to the Totem to tranform it are lost forever.

If the master's body is slain while her soul is in the Totem, she remains trapped everafter in the Totem!

The Totem can use whatever spells and abilities the master possesses, for in effect, the Totem is the master. Note that any requirement for material components and foci must be met, and that the Totem cannot cast any sort of curative or healing spells, even on itself (it can use healing potions, though)! The Totem can wield any weapons, though it cannot use any sort of armor.

The master does not gain any experience points for any actions taken while inhabiting the Totem.

Immunities: The Totem is immune to all forms of normal and magical cold, fire, and poison.

Resistances: The Totem suffers only half damage from all forms of normal and magical acid, electricity, and sonic attacks.

Spell Resistance: The Totem has a spell resistance equal to the level of the master.

Campaign Notes: These items are very rarely discovered, usually near Hell Pits or in strange temples dedicated to obscure gods of Evil. No one in their right mind would use such a thing, and no one in their wrong mind would ever sell such an item. However, those who are of Evil sort that resist the siren call of the Totem's power might sell the item as a curio or objet d'art to wealthy, decadent types or madmen...

[Magic Card a Go Go] Mana Prism

Mana Prisms are simple magical devices designed with two goals. The first is to generate magical energy, the second, to provide a spell matrix; the two enchantments complement each other, the generation of magical energy requiring the implantation of the spell matrix, and the use of the spell matrix requiring the provision of magical energy. These devices take many forms, though all have a large crystal or gem as the actual spell and energy matrix. The most common form is that of a simple crystal pyramid, though the gem can be of any shape and size. Some of these are implanted in fancy gauntlets, bracers, necklaces, brooches, or even goblets, and to the untrained eye appear to be little more than a fine begemmed piece of jewelry. The item must be worn or held to be used.

Each mana prism contains the matrix for casting a single spell; in this regard it is much like a scroll, however, when used, the spell matrix does not disappear. The prism also contains enough energy for a single casting of the spell contained therein. Use of the spell requires the use of the magic word or phrase that activates the prism. When used, this energy regenerates over a period of 24 hours. Thus, a mana prism can provide the user with a single spell, once per day. Note that these items are useable by anyone, not just wizards, though only wizards can use the additional powers of the prism.

The prism can also be used to power an existing spell of the same level or lower as that of the spell matrix the prism holds. This uses the prism's ability to power its innate spell; the user casts the spell he has memorized, but does not lose that spell, instead using the power from the mana prism to power the casting of the spell. For example, the energy held by a mana prism with a 3rd-level fireball spell matrix can be used to power a 1st-level sleep spell, provided the caster has sleep memorized. The casting of the sleep spell does not cause the caster to forget the spell, but it does drain the mana prism of its power for the day.

Similarly, if the caster has a spell of the same level or higher than that in the matrix memorized, he can use the energy provided by that spell to cast the spell in the matrix, even if the mana prism is out of energy. For example, a wizard with the 5th-level cloudkill spell can use the energy of that spell to power the 3rd-level lightning bolt spell matrix held in a mana prism. The cloudkill spell is effectively cast into the prism, the energy converted into the lightning bolt.

Most mana prisms contain only one spell matrix, though a very few rare ones are known to contain more, with enough energy storage capacity to power each spell once per day.

Roll a d12 to determine the level of the spell matrix and spell energy in a mana prism: 1-6 = 1st level, 7-9 = 2nd level, 10+11 = 3rd level, 12 = Roll twice. A mana prism with a 1st level spell is worth 1,500 gp and 500 EXP; a 2nd level prism is worth 2,000 gp and 1,000 EXP; and a 3rd level prism is worth 2,500 gp and 1,500 EXP. These costs are exclusive of the natural gem value and any jewelry component to which the prism is affixed.

[Magic Card a Go Go] Lightning Angel

ANGEL, LIGHTNING

NO. APPEARING: 1
SIZE: Large
HD: 4 (d8) +12 hp
MOVE: 120 ft., 240 ft. (fly)
AC: 24
ATTACKS: 2 Sword (1d8+4 or 1d8+2d6+6 vs. Evil)
SPECIAL: Angelic Immunities, Darkvision 120 ft., Divine Aura, Lightning Strike, Magic Sword, Magical +1 or Better Weapon Needed to Hit, Spell-like Abilities, Spell Resistance 6
SAVES: M, P
INT: High
ALIGNMENT: Good (usually Neutral or Chaotic)
TYPE: Extraplanar
TREASURE: See below
XP: 300 + 4/hp

Lightning Angels are lesser servitors of the Goodly Gods of Storms, Thunder, and of course, Lightning, favoring gods of Chaotic Good and Neutral Good alignments. Most take on the form of an 8' tall luminous winged female human wearing some form of modest armor appropriate to their cultural milieu (though their armor class is inherent, not dependent on the armor). Their eyes continually crackle with electricity, their skin writhes with the many hues of lightning, and their voice, though definitely feminine, booms like thunder. Their wings may appear to be those of eagles, doves, or ravens. They wield a fine magical blade in one hand and lightning in the other. They are usually sent to assist loyal worshippers who are under attack by supernatural Evil opponents or to avenge their master upon apostates.

Angelic Immunities: Lightning Angels are not affected by any form of normal or magical acid, cold, electricity, fire, magic missile, petrification, or water attacks. They are immune to mortal poisons.

Divine Aura: Lightning Angels emanate a permanent divine aura that provides protection from attacks by Evil, summoned, and conjured creatures; all Good-aligned beings within 10' of the angel also gain these benefits. The aura provides a +4 bonus to AC and a +4 bonus to all saving throws against evil creatures and their abilities.

Lightning Strike: Once every 1d6 rounds in addition to making two sword attacks a Lightning Angel may make a lightning strike. This is a lightning bolt that emanates from her hand and can take the form of a 60 ft. by 5 ft. bolt or a 30 ft. by 10 ft. area of effect. All within the area suffer 4d6 points of electricity damage; they may make a Dexterity saving throw to suffer only half damage.

Magic Sword: Each Lightning Angel possesses a magical +1 Evil Bane long sword. Against Good or Neutral opponents it is merely +1 to hit and damage (dealing a total of 1d8+4 damage). Against Evil opponents it is +3 to hit and deals 1d8+2d6+6 points of damage. When wielding any other weapon a Lightning Angel deals +3 damage, due to her great Strength. If the Lightning Angel is slain on the Prime Plane, the sword remains behind.

Spell-like Abilities: Lightning Angels can perform the following spell-like abilities, one at a time, one per round: aid (3/day), bless (5/day), cure light wounds (3/day), cure serious wounds (1/day), detect evil, detect illusion, detect magic, detect poison, detect traps (3/day), dispel magic (3/day), hallow (1/day), healing circle (1/day), know alignment, lesser restoration (3/day), light, read magic, remove curse (3/day), remove disease (1/day), remove fear, and sound burst. They speak all languages. They may return to their home plane at will, but are only sent to the Prime Plane at their master's command or when summoned through summon planar ally. If the Lightning Angel is slain on the Prime Plane, she cannot return from her home plane for a year and a day.

Magic Card a Go Go: Every day, or thereabouts, I'll look up a random Magic: The Gathering card or three on Gatherer and devise a background and some rules. Why? Mostly because it seems like fun. When it is no longer fun, then meh...

[Magic Card a Go Go] Jinxed Idol

A Jinxed Idol looks like any other ordinary idol, 3" to 3' in height, made of wood, ceramic, copper, silver, gold, or the like, perhaps even encrusted with gems. It invariably, however, looks unpleasant to the eye, evil of cast or visage, homely and otherwise slightly unnerving. It radiates no magic, nor evil, should such be detect for by magic or otherwise, so well cloaked is the curse. It is also indestructible to normal physical and even most magical attacks. A Jinxed Idol can only be destroyed in the location that it was made (i.e., the carver's hut, the goldsmith's forge, etc.)

However, whenever it is claimed as treasure, then the curse activates. The target must make a Charisma saving throw against CL 20 or suffer the effects of the curse. The Curse of the Jinxed Idol deals 1d3 points of Constitution damage to the target every week (once initially when the curse takes effect, then every seven days thereafter). While so cursed, the target cannot heal Constitution points suffered in this manner. There are only three ways to lift the curse:

1) Application of a remove curse spell cast by a cleric of 18th level or greater, which lifts the curse from the target though does not destroy the idol; or

2) The cursed being must purposefully and with malice sacrifice a living and intelligent being to the idol. If the sacrifice is of Good alignment and Pure, the original victim may immediately choose a new target for the curse (said target need not be visible, but must be on the same plane); or

3) Destroy the Jinxed Idol in the location in which it was made; this requires no special magic, though finding the location may require no few spells, consultation with sages, or research into legends and lore.

Once the curse is lifted, the victim will heal the damage from the curse as normal.

Magic Card a Go Go: Every day, or thereabouts, I'll look up a random Magic: The Gathering card or three on Gatherer and devise a background and some rules. Why? Mostly because it seems like fun. When it is no longer fun, then meh...

[Magic Card a Go Go] Sage of Lat-Nam

The Sages of Lat-Nam are a mystical order of wizards who delve into the mysteries of the arcane with what others regard as a brazen disregard for safety or sensibility. They are known as "sages" only in an ironic fashion, for they do not truly study knowledge as other sages do. Instead, they tear it from the heart of existing magic items. To those who create such things, they are the very essence of barbarism, knowledge of arcane magic or not.

A Sage of Lat-Nam can "de-construct" a magic item in order to learn one aspect of the magic that created it. Doing so is a simple process requiring a laboratory and a single eight-hour day of labor; at the end of the day, the item in question is reduced to mere bits and bobs, with no remaining magic, and the spare parts useless and utterly without value (gems are shattered, gold is spoilt magically, etc.) At the end of the destruction of the item, the sage makes an Intelligence check; instead of his level as a bonus, he uses the highest-level spell level he can cast.

If he fails to meet his target number, he has failed, and learned nothing at the cost of the destruction of a magic item.

If he at least equals the target number, however, the surplus of the difference between the roll and the TN is the highest-level magical "secret" he can rip from the experience. He may only learn one new spell, however, regardless of how many spells he might potentially learn. And of course, if the highest-level "secret" is still too high for his roll, then he fails to learn anything at all. If there are multiple spells to be learned, then the CK determines which one is learned randomly.

The sage must thereafter scribe the learned spell in his spell book as normal, requiring the usual amount of time and expenditure of inks and materials as would normally be required.

Other wizards use the name "Lat-Nam" as a curse, comparing the wizard of old who developed the pyrrhic rituals and formulae to the most savage of barbarians of yore...

Magic Card a Go Go: Every day, or thereabouts, I'll look up a random Magic: The Gathering card or three on Gatherer and devise a background and some rules. Why? Mostly because it seems like fun. When it is no longer fun, then meh...

[Magic Card a Go Go] Day of the Dragons

DAY OF THE DRAGONS, Level 7 wizard
Casting Time: 1
Range: 50 ft.
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Save: see text
Spell Resistance: yes
Components: V, S, M, F

This potent advanced form of the polymorph other spell causes the target creature(s) to assume the body, abilities (physical, supernatural, and otherwise), and the consciousness of dragons. These creatures are completely under the control of the spell caster, and they will perform any duty or action required of them, including that which is patently suicidal. Unwilling targets of the spell can resist the effect with a successful Wisdom saving throw.

For each level of the caster above 12th, she can target one creature.

For every level of the caster above 12th, the dragons can have up to the size, HD, AC, DB, SR, and other abilities of a dragon of that Age; thus, dragons created through this spell by a 17th level caster can have up to the abililties of Adult (Age 5) dragons. The caster can choose, at the time of casting, to cast the spell with a lower Age effect (and thus, weaker abilities though with lower material component cost) for each target independently.

When the spell is cast, the targets gain a new hit point total based on their new Hit Dice. When the spell ends, they revert back to their previous hit points, and all damage suffered while in dragon form disappears. However, if slain in the dragon form, the subject remains dead.

The dragon color depends on the magical Focus used in the casting of the spell. The required focus is the mummified heart of a dragon of the appropriate type. If the caster posseses more than one heart from different dragons, she can choose which type of dragon each subject becomes.

The material component, expended in the casting, is 1,000 gp in diamond dust per Age per subject (thus, three transformed targets each of 5th Age would require 15,000 gp in diamond dust).

Magic Card a Go Go: Every day, or thereabouts, I'll look up a random Magic: The Gathering card or three on Gatherer and devise a background and some rules. Why? Mostly because it seems like fun. When it is no longer fun, then meh...

[Magic Card a Go Go] Order of the Sacred Torch

The Order of the Sacred Torch is an order of knighthood dedicated to the eradication of Black Magic. Its paladins are especially efficacious at dispelling any sort of enchantment, curse, spell, or effect brought into being through the Black Arts. The Order was founded centuries ago, predicated on the legend of the Sacred Torch. The Sacred Torch, also known as the First Brand, is said to be the very first flame gifted to men by the gods. This brand was passed from shaman to shaman, tribe to tribe, passing on the Secret of Fire and the Spark of Civilization in the Elder Age. The Sacred Torch is said to burn still at the heart of the Tower of Flame Imperishable, though only the paladins of the order are allowed in the Holy of Holies to gaze upon its flames. Those who contemplate upon it for hours at a time are said to be granted visions in its flames, visions of wrongs to be righted and hidden evils to be fought.

Paladins of the Order of the Sacred Torch possess the ability to dispel magic rather than turn undead. They can only use the ability to dispel a spell created by an evil caster or creature; any other attempt to use the ability automatically fails. The paladin uses his Charisma rather than Intelligence to determine if the ability was successful. Each use affects only one single spell or effect. If the use of the ability is unsuccessful, the paladin cannot use the ability on a spell cast by that same spell caster for a whole day. The paladin can also attempt to use this ability to counter spell a spell as it is being cast. He may only do so once per round; if he has already acted in the round, the attempt suffers a +3 to the CL. When used to counter a spell as it is being cast, the paladin suffers 1d6 points of damage per level of the spell being countered, whether or not the spell counter attempt was successful.

Magic Card a Go Go: Every day, or thereabouts, I'll look up a random Magic: The Gathering card or three on Gatherer and devise a background and some rules. Why? Mostly because it seems like fun. When it is no longer fun, then meh...