D-Hopper

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D-Hopper (Dimensional Hopper)


Wondrous Item

Aura strong conjuration and transmutation; CL 13th
Slot —; Price 72,000 gp; Weight 2 lb.

DESCRIPTION

The D-Hopper is a precision-crafted cylindrical device of brass and blackened steel, composed of six independently rotating rings, each engraved with the full alphabet. When aligned, these rings form a six-letter Dimensional Code, corresponding to a specific, fixed destination beyond the standard planes.

Activating the D-Hopper is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When a valid six-letter code is entered, the device activates with a subtle harmonic vibration and transports the user and up to seven additional willing creatures as though by plane shift, with the following modifications:

  • The destination is a specific dimension tied to the entered code, rather than a general plane.

  • The arrival point is precise, placing travelers within 1d10 × 5 feet of the intended location.

  • No forked metal focus is required.

The D-Hopper may be used without limit, provided the user correctly inputs a valid code. After five uses, a one hour recharge period takes place and the D-Hopper cannot be used during this time.

Dimensional Codes

Each accessible dimension corresponds to a unique six-letter code. These codes must be learned, discovered, or acquired, often at great expense or risk. The device itself provides no guidance or validation prior to activation.

Attempting to guess a code requires 10 minutes of focused manipulation and a DC 35 Intelligence check. Failure results in a misfire (see below).

Incorrect Code Consequences

If an invalid code is entered:

  • The device misfires, producing a warped dimensional discharge.

  • The user and all creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be affected as though by greater teleport to a random plane or demiplane (no accuracy).

  • All affected creatures must then succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or take 2d6 damage from minor dimensional distortion.

  • Affected creatures are also confused for 1d6 rounds.

On a natural 1 on either save, the creature becomes partially phased, suffering a 20% miss chance on all attacks and actions for 1 minute.

LORE

Among those who traffic between worlds, the D-Hopper is less a curiosity and more a commodity - albeit an exceptionally dangerous and expensive one. While many attribute their origin to brilliant mortal inventors, those familiar with interdimensional trade know the truth: these devices are most commonly manufactured and distributed by the enigmatic mercantile race known as the Deveels.

Deveels treat the D-Hopper not as a marvel, but as a product. They negotiate prices with unsettling enthusiasm, often bundling known Dimensional Codes into their deals… for an additional fee, of course. Buyers quickly learn that the device itself is only the beginning of the expense. Knowledge - reliable, verified knowledge - is where the real cost lies.

The clientele for such devices is as varied as it is concerning. Professional assassins prize them for their ability to appear and vanish across realities. So-called “demons” - short for dimensional traveler rather than fiends - use them as tools of trade and exploration. Others acquire them through theft, inheritance, or sheer misfortune, often without fully grasping the implications of what they possess.

Despite their relative availability, D-Hoppers are rarely treated casually for long. Even seasoned users develop habits bordering on ritual when setting codes, double-checking each letter with almost superstitious care. For all their utility, these devices have a reputation - not for failing, but for working exactly as instructed, regardless of whether the user truly understands the destination.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, plane shift, greater teleport, analyze dweomer;
Cost 36,000 gp + 2,880 XP

Special Materials:

  • Precision-forged rotating ring assembly worth at least 5,000 gp

  • A stabilized planar attunement matrix

  • At least one verified six-letter Dimensional Code used during construction

KELWYN’S NOTES

One must, I think, admire the Deveels for their consistency.

Where others might cloak such a device in mysticism or reverence, they instead present it as a product - something to be negotiated over, priced, and, inevitably, marked up beyond what any reasonable individual would consider fair. There is a certain honesty in that approach, even if it is paired with a rather unapologetic enthusiasm for profit.

I have, on more than one occasion, made use of a D-Hopper rather than expending the effort to traverse dimensions by my own means. It is, quite simply, efficient. Six letters, properly aligned, and the matter is settled with admirable precision. No incantation, no expenditure of will beyond the act of choosing where one intends to go.

That said, I have never mistaken convenience for understanding.

The device does not know where you are going. It does not question, interpret, or warn. It merely accepts the sequence provided and acts upon it with unwavering fidelity. In this, it is perhaps more reliable than many spellcasters… and considerably less forgiving.

Still, I would be remiss not to acknowledge its utility. There are moments when one does not wish to engage with the full complexity of dimensional transit, when the destination is known and the journey need not be an ordeal. In such cases, the D-Hopper performs its function admirably.

One simply has to accept that, in doing so, one is placing a great deal of trust in six very small decisions. One wrong letter choice can, instead of sending you to the Dimension of Very Horny Nymphs, send the unlucky user to Lovcruft...

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