Ring of the Tailor's Wardrobe

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
Slot ring; Price 18,000 gp (18 pp); Weight —

Description

This elegant silver ring is engraved with an endless pattern of needles, thread, and flowering vines. Tiny gemstones set into the band subtly shift in color to complement whatever garments the wearer currently possesses.

Three times per day, the wearer may speak a command word while mentally visualizing a complete outfit. Over the course of 1 full round, their current mundane clothing transforms into a new ensemble matching the wearer's mental image.

The wearer has complete control over every aspect of the outfit's appearance, including its style, cut, colors, patterns, apparent fabrics, embroidery, trim, heraldry, insignia, and decorative details. The ring may create accessories appropriate to the ensemble, including cloaks, gloves, scarves, hats, belts, boots, decorative jewelry, and similar articles of attire.

The ring may create clothing suitable for virtually any social or professional role, including commoners, nobles, merchants, sailors, scholars, priests, entertainers, travelers, hunters, servants, or diplomats. The garments are always perfectly fitted, immaculately clean, and appropriate to the wearer's size.

The ring cannot create armor, shields, weapons, tools, containers, masterwork items, magic items, or any object that provides a game effect. Likewise, it cannot create clothing that grants an armor bonus, skill bonus, enhancement bonus, energy resistance, damage reduction, or any other mechanical benefit. The clothing is entirely mundane despite its flawless craftsmanship.

Any article created by the ring remains only while worn by its owner. If a created garment is removed from the wearer for more than one round, it immediately crumbles into a fine gray dust. A cloak loaned to another creature, boots removed before retiring for the evening, or a hat left upon a table all vanish in this fashion.

If the ring itself is removed while conjured clothing still exists, every article created by the ring disintegrates into dust one round later unless the wearer has already changed into ordinary clothing.

The ring cannot alter the wearer's body, race, age, gender, height, weight, or physical features. It affects only clothing and decorative accessories.

Construction

Requirements Forge Ring, major creation, prestidigitation; Cost 9,000 gp (9 pp) + 720 XP

Lore

The Ring of the Tailor's Wardrobe has long been prized by those whose success depends more upon presentation than upon martial prowess. Diplomats carry one to ensure they are appropriately attired for every court they visit, merchants use them to present an image of prosperity regardless of the hardships endured upon the road, and performers delight in changing costumes with impossible speed. Even seasoned adventurers have been known to keep one tucked away for those rare occasions when appearing respectable is more valuable than carrying another weapon.

The earliest examples are believed to have been commissioned jointly by master tailors and accomplished transmuters in one of the great trade cities of the ancient world. Their goal was not to replace the tailor's craft, but to create a magical wardrobe that could adapt instantly to changing circumstances without diminishing the value of genuine clothing. To that end, the enchantment was deliberately designed so that no garment could exist apart from its wearer, ensuring that the ring could never flood markets with counterfeit finery.

Collectors have noted that authentic Rings of the Tailor's Wardrobe invariably produce clothing of remarkable quality regardless of the wearer's own knowledge of fashion. The magic seems to understand proportion, balance, and elegance instinctively, often producing garments more refined than the wearer consciously imagined. Despite this subtle intelligence, every attempt to force the ring to create armor, protective equipment, or permanent goods has failed, suggesting that its enchantment is bound by carefully crafted limitations established by its original creators.

Kelwyn's Notes

I have often maintained that clothing is a language every bit as expressive as speech. Before a single word is exchanged, one's attire announces station, profession, confidence, wealth, and sometimes even intent. Those who dismiss such things rarely understand why doors seem to open more readily for others.

There exists a temptation among younger wizards to rely upon illusion whenever appearances matter. I have never shared that enthusiasm. An illusion invites suspicion from those trained to recognize magic, whereas a finely tailored coat is seldom questioned. Reality, even magically created reality, possesses a credibility illusion seldom achieves.

I find the ring's refusal to create armor particularly wise. Clothing serves comfort, dignity, ceremony, and expression. Armor serves survival. Confusing the purposes of the two has led more than one overconfident noble to discover precisely how little embroidered silk contributes to one's defense.

The enchantment's insistence that abandoned garments dissolve into dust is equally sensible. Were these outfits permanent, every marketplace in the realm would soon overflow with flawless clothing requiring neither loom nor tailor. Honest craftsmen would find themselves competing against inexhaustible magic, a contest few professions could survive.

Wear this ring to express who you are, or perhaps who circumstances require you to become for an evening. Just remember that no garment, however magnificent, can disguise poor character forever. Eventually every conversation reaches the point where appearances fall silent, leaving only the substance of the person wearing them.