Ring of Diplomacy

Ring of Diplomacy

Aura: Faint Enchantment

Caster Level: 5th
Slot: Ring
Price: 2,500 gp
Weight: —

Description

This finely crafted ring is typically forged of polished gold or electrum, its surface adorned with delicate filigree patterns resembling intertwined hands, olive branches, or abstract knotwork symbolizing unity and accord. At its center rests a modest but brilliantly cut gemstone - often sapphire, rose quartz, or pale emerald - chosen to reflect clarity, empathy, or harmony.

When worn, the ring subtly enhances the bearer’s ability to navigate social interactions, lending their words a natural cadence and persuasive warmth. The wearer gains a +5 competence bonus on Diplomacy checks. This effect manifests not as overt magical influence, but as heightened intuition - a knack for choosing the right words, reading subtle cues, and presenting arguments in the most agreeable light.

The magic does not compel or charm; rather, it refines the wielder’s presence into something disarmingly reasonable. Even hostile listeners may find themselves pausing, reconsidering, or at least hearing the bearer out before drawing conclusions.

Construction

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, eagle’s splendor
Cost: 1,250 gp + 100 XP

Optional Ingredients (Setting Flavor):

• A drop of oil taken from a ceremonial peace offering
• A written treaty or contract willingly signed by both parties
• Powdered gemstone worth at least 50 gp, symbolizing clarity of intent

Lore

Rings of Diplomacy are most often associated with envoys, guild negotiators, and clergy tasked with mediating disputes between rival factions. In your world, they are particularly prized in cities where tension simmers just beneath the surface - places where a single conversation can prevent bloodshed… or ignite it.

Many such rings are commissioned not by individuals, but by institutions: merchant houses, noble courts, or shadowy organizations that prefer words to blades - at least until words fail. Some bear tiny engraved mottos along the inner band, phrases like “Speak softly, but be heard” or “Peace is a weapon of its own.”

It is said that the most famous of these rings once belonged to a mediator who ended a decades-long feud between two powerful families - only to later discover that both sides had secretly conspired to manipulate the outcome. Whether the ring failed… or succeeded exactly as intended… remains a matter of quiet debate among those who study such things.

Ring of the Snake

Ring of the Snake

Aura faint transmutation; CL 3rd
Slot ring; Price 1,500 gp; Weight —

This unassuming gold band is shaped into the subtle form of a serpent coiled once around the finger, its head resting gently against its own tail. The craftsmanship is intentionally minimal - the snake’s features are suggested rather than defined - giving it an almost symbolic quality rather than a literal one.

When worn by a druid, the ring awakens to its true purpose. The wearer’s damaging spells carry a faint echo of primal venom, enhancing their potency. Any spell cast by the wearer that deals hit point damage instead deals an additional +1 point of damage per die rolled (for example, a flame strike dealing 6d6 damage instead deals 6d6+6). This effect applies only while the wearer maintains a connection to nature sufficient to cast druid spells.

Construction Requirements
Feats Craft Wondrous Item
Spells magic fang or produce flame
Cost 750 gp + 60 XP + rare serpent scale or fang worth 50 gp

Lore

The Ring of the Snake is said to originate from ancient circles of druids who revered serpents not as symbols of deceit, but of renewal, patience, and quiet lethality. In these traditions, the snake was seen as a teacher - a creature that struck only when necessary, but with perfect efficiency. The ring embodies this philosophy, rewarding restraint and precision with subtle but reliable power.

Legends speak of a reclusive druid known only as Ssil’vara, who crafted the first of these rings deep within humid, moss-covered ruins where serpents gathered in unnatural numbers. It is said she learned to weave magic not through force, but through observation - mimicking the way venom spreads through the body, slow but inevitable. Her rings were gifts to those who proved they could respect the balance between life and death.

Over time, these rings have found their way beyond druidic circles, though they rarely function for those outside that calling. Some claim the ring itself “knows” whether its wearer understands the deeper rhythm of nature. In certain regions, particularly those steeped in swampy mysticism or serpent-worship traditions, possessing such a ring is seen as a sign that the wild itself has taken notice of you - for better or worse.

Taleg's Shiver

Taleg’s Shiver

Aura moderate evocation and transmutation (strong at higher scion levels)

CL 15th

Slot —; Price 58,500 gp; Weight 4 lb.

This staff appears to be formed from a length of never-melting blue ice, constantly shedding a faint, curling frost. Though bitterly cold, it never harms its wielder.

When wielded by a non-scion arcane spellcaster, Taleg’s Shiver functions as a +1 quarterstaff and grants resistance to cold 5.

In the hands of a Spell Scion, the staff unlocks additional abilities based on the wielder’s scion level, as detailed below.

Spell Scion Progression

Scion Level 1:

Functions as a +1 quarterstaff. Grants resistance to cold 5. The wielder is continuously affected as though by endure elements (heat only).

Scion Level 2:

Cold spells of 1st–2nd level cast by the wielder deal +1 die of damage.

Scion Level 3:

Functions as a +2 quarterstaff. Grants resistance to cold 10.

A creature struck must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d6 rounds.

Scion Level 4:

Cold spells of 1st–3rd level cast by the wielder deal +2 dice of damage.

Scion Level 5:

Functions as a +3 quarterstaff. Grants resistance to cold 15.

On a failed save, struck targets are stunned for 1d8 rounds.

Scion Level 6:

Cold spells of 1st–4th level cast by the wielder deal +3 dice of damage.

Scion Level 7:

Functions as a +4 quarterstaff. Grants resistance to cold 20.

On a failed save, struck targets are stunned for 1d10 rounds.

Scion Level 8:

Cold spells of 1st–5th level cast by the wielder deal +4 dice of damage.

Scion Level 9:

Functions as a +5 quarterstaff. Grants resistance to cold 25.

On a failed save, struck targets are stunned for 1d12 rounds.

Scion Level 10:

Cold spells of 1st–6th level cast by the wielder deal +5 dice of damage.

Construction

Requirements Craft Staff, endure elements, resist energy, ice storm, cone of cold; creator must be a Spell Scion

Cost 29,250 gp + 2,340 XP

LORE

Taleg’s Shiver is said to have been wrought in an age when winter itself was a living force, not merely a season but a sovereign will that pressed against the boundaries of the mortal world. Taleg, whose name survives only in fragments of half-frozen folklore, was believed to be a Spell Scion born during a year without summer. From childhood, frost clung to his breath and ice formed where his bare feet touched the ground. Rather than perish in isolation, he embraced the cold as kin, wandering northward into lands where even memory froze. It was there, in a glacier older than recorded history, that he first learned to shape winter into something deliberate - something wielded.

The staff was not crafted in any conventional sense. Legends insist that Taleg did not carve or forge it, but instead waited for it. Deep within a cavern of blue ice, he found a single, perfectly straight shard that neither melted nor fractured, even when struck with hammer or spell. For thirteen days, he remained beside it without food or fire, allowing the cold to claim him piece by piece. On the final night, when his heartbeat slowed to a whisper, the ice responded. It loosened itself from the glacier and rose into his grasp, as though recognizing him not as master, but as equal. From that moment on, Taleg no longer commanded winter - he carried it.

In the years that followed, entire regions learned to fear the pale figure and the mist that heralded his arrival. Armies sent against him found their ranks locked in place, armor rimed with frost before a single blow was struck. Yet the tales are inconsistent in their portrayal of his intent. Some recount him as a merciless harbinger who silenced cities beneath sheets of ice; others insist he struck only at those who defied ancient pacts with the elemental powers. What remains constant is the staff itself: witnesses describe it as the source of an unnatural stillness, a cold so absolute that even sound seemed to falter in its presence.

Taleg’s end is as uncertain as his origin. One account claims he walked willingly into a storm so vast it erased the horizon, vanishing into a blizzard that never fully dispersed. Another suggests he was finally overcome not by force, but by warmth - that he lingered too long in southern lands, and the creeping heat unraveled him until nothing remained but the staff, abandoned in a pool of meltwater that refused to evaporate. Whatever the truth, the artifact endured, passing through the hands of those rare few capable of awakening its deeper nature.

Even now, Taleg’s Shiver is said to judge those who would wield it. To ordinary spellcasters, it remains little more than a curious and useful relic, its greater depths sealed away. But in the grasp of a Spell Scion, the staff stirs, its power unfolding in measured stages, as though remembering something long buried. Those who have carried it at its full strength speak of a presence - not hostile, but watchful - guiding their hand in moments of great cold. Whether this is the lingering will of Taleg himself, or the quiet consciousness of winter given form, remains a question best left unanswered.

Gnomish Pipe

Gnomish Pipe

Wondrous item

These intricate pipes, crafted by inventive gnomish tinkers, have become fashionable curiosities in both refined salons and shadowed back alleys alike. Rather than burning tobacco or pipe-weed, a gnomish pipe vaporizes alchemically prepared liquids, allowing the user to inhale delicately flavored vapors derived from fruits, herbs, or more exotic ingredients. Each draw produces thick, fragrant plumes that can be shaped, blown, or simply enjoyed for their taste and texture.

The pipe is constructed with a small internal chamber designed to hold a sealed glass vial. Swapping flavors is a simple matter of disassembling the pipe, inserting a new vial of liquidized vapor essence, and reassembling the mechanism. A cleverly concealed button within the bowl activates a tiny alchemical heating element, instantly transforming the liquid into a smooth, inhalable vapor. The process is entirely smokeless, leaving behind only faint aromatic traces rather than ash or residue.

Gnomish pipes are often miniature masterpieces - engraved with whirling patterns, inset with tiny gears, or shaped like whimsical creatures. Despite their playful appearance, they are precise instruments of alchemical engineering. Standard pipes cost 100 gp, while individual vials of vapor essence cost 20 gp each and can be crafted by an alchemist with at least 10 ranks in Craft (alchemy). A vial provides 5 + 1d4 sittings, with each sitting lasting 10 rounds.

A masterwork gnomish pipe enhances the efficiency of the vaporization process. In such pipes, vials last 10 + 1d6 sittings. Masterwork pipes cost 300 gp.

Magical Gnomish Pipes

Some gnomish pipes are further enhanced through enchantment, blending alchemy with arcane influence. These pipes often grant subtle mental benefits or produce spell-like vapor effects when used. The vapor itself becomes infused with magic, affecting the user or the surrounding area.

Unless otherwise noted, magical pipes function as masterwork pipes, and their vials last 10 + 1d6 sittings. Refilling a magical pipe requires specially prepared alchemical vials costing 1/5 the pipe’s market price per refill.

Pipe of the Mind

Wondrous item

This elegant pipe is often crafted from pale wood and etched with delicate spirals meant to evoke thought and introspection. When activated, the vapor carries faintly shimmering motes that seem to linger just at the edge of perception.

Those who partake of its vapor often describe a sharpening of thought, as if distracting noise has been gently pushed aside. Scholars, wizards, and philosophers particularly prize these pipes, though some whisper that prolonged use creates a subtle dependence on its clarity.

While using the pipe, and for 30 minutes thereafter, the user gains a +1 enhancement bonus to Intelligence.

Moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item; fox’s cunning;
Price 1,000 gp; Cost 500 gp + 40 XP

Pipe of Obfuscation

Wondrous item

This stout, brass-fitted pipe is heavier than most, with a bowl shaped like a coiled cloud. When activated, the vapor produced is unnaturally dense, spilling outward in thick, rolling masses that quickly obscure the surroundings.

Favored by thieves, smugglers, and those who prefer not to be seen, this pipe transforms idle indulgence into a tactical advantage. The smoke clings low at first before rising and expanding, swallowing light and sound in equal measure.

Once per sitting, the user may exhale a cloud of vapor that functions as fog cloud, as cast by a 5th-level caster.

Moderate conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; fog cloud;
Price 7,500 gp; Cost 3,750 gp + 300 XP

Amulet of Xarvox

(Note: Format follows Tome Of Artifacts. Eldritch Relics And Wonders)

Major Artifact

Strong Abjuration; CL 20th
Slot: Neck
Weight: —

DESCRIPTION

This rune-etched amulet of dark, matte gray metal bears a complex arrangement of symbols — an interwoven six-pointed star enclosed within a circle, surrounded by concentric rings of indecipherable script. Set at its center is a small, living green eye resembling that of a lizard. Though unblinking most of the time, the eye will occasionally dart in sudden, unpredictable motions, as though tracking something unseen.

The inner ring of runes names twelve guardinals in an ancient celestial dialect, while the outer markings resist all attempts at translation, even by magical means. Despite its celestial origin, the amulet radiates no good alignment aura, only a powerful field of abjuration magic — a peculiarity attributed to the neutral nature of the being that became it.

Whenever the wearer is in proximity to mundane reptiles (excluding dragons and their kin), such creatures display unusual calmness and curiosity, approaching without fear unless provoked.

POWERS OF THE AMULET OF XARVOX

Upon donning the amulet, the wearer does not immediately understand its full capabilities. Over the course of 2d4 weeks, its functions reveal themselves gradually through instinct, sensation, and subtle auditory cues. During this time, any fear or phobia of reptiles is permanently cured.

While worn, the amulet communicates through faint hisses and clicks audible only to the wearer, warning of the presence of evil outsiders within 110 feet. When such creatures are nearby, the central eye animates, shifting and faintly glowing as it seeks them out.

Constant Effects

• Grants a +3 enhancement bonus to natural armor.
• Functions as detect evil, but only for creatures of the outsider type, within a 110-foot radius (constant effect).

Activated Powers (5/day each)

• Banishment (as the spell; CL 20th)
• Control Area (Evil Outsiders) – The wearer may exert supernatural dominion over a 110-foot radius, functioning as magic circle against evil combined with dimensional anchor, but affecting only evil outsiders. Creatures within the area suffer a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks, and cannot use teleportation or planar travel to enter or exit the area.

Drawback

Any evil creature that wears the Amulet of Xarvox immediately gains two negative levels. These negative levels persist for as long as the amulet is worn and disappear instantly upon its removal. These levels cannot be prevented or removed by any means while the amulet remains worn.

THE TALE OF THE AMULET OF XARVOX

Hundreds of years ago, Xarvox was a wizard driven not by ambition, but by exhaustion. His homeland had become a hunting ground for fiends — demons and devils spilling into the world through rituals conducted by a reclusive lich hidden deep within a northern mountain range. Countless adventurers had perished attempting to end the threat, and with each failure, Xarvox’s desperation deepened.

The breaking point came not with a battlefield loss, but something smaller — crueler. A favored companion of his, a woman of no renown beyond her kindness, was slain by an imp sent merely to torment him. It was then that Xarvox abandoned conventional magic and began delving into forbidden texts, searching not for power, but for an answer.

One such tome — ancient, fragmented, and dangerously incomplete — spoke of a different kind of pact. Not with the fiends ravaging his land, but with beings of the Upper Planes. Through a ritual whose margins warned “success is neither guaranteed nor survivable,” Xarvox called out beyond the veil… and was answered.

The entity that came was a lacertal, a lizard-like guardinal — a creature of neutrality and vigilance. Rather than bargain in words, the being listened. It understood. And in an act not of service, but of purpose, it transformed itself — body, soul, and will — into the amulet that now bears Xarvox’s name.

With this artifact, Xarvox and a final band of adventurers succeeded where all others had failed. The lich was destroyed, its planar breaches sealed, and the fiendish incursions ended. Xarvox lived out the remainder of his life in quiet obscurity, and upon his death, the amulet was buried with him.

It did not remain there.

Whether guided by instinct, lingering will, or something deeper, the Amulet of Xarvox returned to the world. It does not speak. It does not choose its bearer. But it endures, drawn ever toward the presence of evil outsiders — continuing the purpose for which it was created.

RESEARCHING THE AMULET OF XARVOX

Knowledge of the amulet is rare and fragmented.

DC	Knowledge Gained
15	The amulet was created during a crisis involving a powerful lich.
20	The lich was summoning outsiders; the amulet is particularly effective against them.
25	The amulet can banish outsiders and offers strong protection to its bearer.
30+	The full history, origin, and all powers of the amulet are revealed.

USING THE AMULET OF XARVOX IN A CAMPAIGN

The Amulet of Xarvox is an ideal tool for introducing outsider-focused threats without overwhelming a party. It provides strong defensive utility and situational control, but does not trivialize encounters outside its niche.

Its mute, semi-sentient nature also allows for subtle storytelling — the DM can describe its reactions, eye movements, or auditory warnings as a form of nonverbal guidance.

ADVENTURE SEED

Beware, Fiends! Please?
A well-meaning but dangerously overconfident paladin acquires the amulet and begins hunting fiends far beyond his capability. When the artifact is inevitably lost during one such misadventure, he seeks out the party to recover it — before something far worse finds it first.

DESTRUCTION

The Amulet of Xarvox can only be destroyed if it is worn by a balor at the exact moment of the demon’s death throes explosion. Only in that instant — when abyssal fire consumes both body and soul — is the celestial essence within the amulet finally unmade.

Incense of the Dragon's Blood

Incense of the Dragon’s Blood

This reddish-brown cone of incense gives off a pungent, earthy odor when lit and burns for 1 hour. The incense is infused with a trace amount of true dragon’s blood, carefully worked into the resin during its creation.

When burned, the incense fills the surrounding area with thick, lingering smoke that enhances the potency of arcane magic. Any arcane spellcaster who remains within the smoke gains a +1 enhancement to the save DC of all spells they cast. This effect lasts for as long as the incense burns. Once a creature has benefited from an incense of the dragon’s blood, it cannot gain the benefit of another such cone for 24 hours. The cone is consumed upon use.

Lore: The practice of binding dragon’s blood into incense is believed to originate from ancient arcane traditions that sought to emulate the innate magical dominance of true dragons. Some sages claim that dragons do not shape magic as mortals do, but instead impose their will directly upon it. The incense is said to echo this principle, subtly reinforcing the authority of the caster over their spells.

Obtaining even a single drop of true dragon’s blood is a dangerous endeavor. While alchemists insist that the type of dragon does not affect the incense’s function, many practitioners claim to notice subtle differences in the smoke’s behavior and scent depending on its source. Whether these distinctions are meaningful or merely superstition remains a matter of debate among arcane scholars.

Construction:
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, drop of true dragon’s blood;
Cost 100 gp, 8 XP, drop of true dragon’s blood

Slight Evocation; CL 5th; Price 200 gp per cone

Plague Mask

Plague Doctor’s Mask

Aura faint necromancy; CL 5th
Slot face; Price 3,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Description
This bird-like mask is crafted from fine leather or suede in muted earth tones, black, or white. Its elongated “beak” shape is fitted with narrow, clear glass lenses that allow the wearer to see while remaining fully covered. The interior is often lined for comfort, and the exterior is sometimes subtly treated with herbal infusions or alchemical preservatives to ward off foul airs.

When worn, the mask grants the wearer a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws against disease. In addition, the imposing and unsettling appearance of the mask grants a +3 competence bonus on Intimidate checks, as its avian visage can be unnerving to those unfamiliar with it.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cure disease; Cost 1,750 gp + 140 XP

Lore
The Plague Doctor’s Mask originated in response to the great outbreaks that ravaged cities centuries ago, when healers sought both practical protection and a symbol of authority over illness. Early versions were created by physicians who believed that disease spread through “miasma” - foul, corrupted air - and the mask’s beak was often filled with aromatic herbs, resins, and dried flowers intended to purify the breath of the wearer.

Over time, these masks took on a more symbolic meaning. They came to represent not only the fight against disease, but also the thin boundary between life and death. Some versions were enchanted to bolster the wearer’s resilience against sickness, while others were designed to project an aura of dread - an intentional psychological tool to keep patients calm, compliant, or at a distance.

In certain regions, plague doctors became figures of both reverence and fear. Their masked forms were often seen moving through quarantined streets, attending the sick when no one else dared. Some accounts suggest that these practitioners were as feared as the illnesses they treated, as the mask concealed identity and intention alike, leaving behind an eerie, almost otherworldly presence.

A darker rumor persists that a few of these masks were created by necromancers who sought to walk freely among the sick and dying without succumbing to their afflictions. Whether this is truth or superstition, some masks are said to carry a lingering “echo” of death, allowing the wearer to stare unflinchingly into the face of suffering - and be changed by it over time.

CURSED VERSION

Whispering Mask of the Watchful Plague
Aura strong necromancy and enchantment; CL 12th
Slot face; Price — (see below); Weight 1 lb

Description
This is a more elaborate and unsettling version of the Plague Doctor’s Mask, its elongated beak subtly warped as if grown rather than crafted. The leather appears aged yet unnaturally preserved, and faint, shallow etchings, like veins or script, pulse along its surface. The glass lenses are slightly reflective, often giving the wearer the impression that something within is watching back. It will look exactly like the non-cursed version of the mask until it is worn.

When worn, the mask functions as a Plague Doctor’s Mask, granting a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws against disease and a +3 competence bonus on Intimidate checks.

However, the mask is cursed and intelligent. Once donned, it bonds to the wearer and cannot be removed without a remove curse spell (DC 20) or more powerful magic. The mask resists attempts to be taken off, and will attempt to assert control over the wearer when conditions allow.

The mask has Intelligence 13, Wisdom 14, and Charisma 16. It can see and hear as a human with darkvision 60 ft. It communicates telepathically with its wearer and can speak, usually in a calm, clinical tone. It has Ego 10 and the following lesser powers:

• Detect disease at will (as the spell)
• Cure minor wounds 3/day (1d8+1 hit points)
• Suggestion 1/day (DC 15)

Cursed Effect
The mask slowly becomes more assertive over time. Each day it is worn, the wearer must succeed on a Will save (DC 15 + 1 for each consecutive day worn) or begin to feel compelled to act in accordance with the mask’s will. On a failed save, the wearer suffers a –2 penalty to Will saves and becomes more susceptible to the mask’s influence for 24 hours.

If the wearer’s Will save fails by 5 or more, the mask may attempt to exert direct control as a dominate person effect (DC 17), but only under circumstances where it believes doing so is necessary to “preserve balance,” prevent disease spread, or protect its own survival.

The mask has a strict, cold philosophy: it values containment, isolation, and “necessary sacrifice.” It may encourage its wearer to quarantine individuals, abandon the weak, or take ruthless actions in the name of preventing greater suffering. It is not inherently evil, but its methods are often brutal and uncompromising.

Destruction
The mask can only be destroyed if it is willingly removed by a creature it has fully dominated and then subjected to dispel evil followed immediately by disintegrate, all while within the presence of a living plague it is actively attempting to contain. Even then, there is a chance the mask’s essence will escape to seek a new host.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cure disease, suggestion, detect disease, magic jar; Cost — (cannot be crafted in a typical manner)

Lore
The Whispering Mask of the Watchful Plague is whispered to be one of the first attempts to bind sentience to a tool of healing. It is said to have been created by a physician who lost an entire city to disease and refused to let such a tragedy happen again. In desperation, they turned to forbidden necromantic methods, attempting to create a mask that could think, judge, and act without hesitation.

At first, the mask was a triumph. It detected illness with uncanny precision, guided its wearer to isolate patients effectively, and even suggested treatments that saved countless lives. For a time, it became a symbol of hope - a relic of salvation in the darkest hours of plague. Entire wards were organized under its guidance, and mortality rates began to fall.

But the mask’s philosophy evolved in ways no one anticipated. It began to prioritize containment over compassion, survival over mercy. It viewed individuals not as people, but as vectors - potential threats to a greater whole. Those who resisted its directives were labeled “impediments,” and its suggestions grew increasingly harsh. Over time, it no longer simply advised - it demanded.

Some claim the mask does not truly desire destruction, but rather absolute control over disease itself. In its mind, suffering is a problem to be solved, and the ends justify any means. It may even come to believe that the wearer is merely a temporary vessel - a tool it is refining until a “better” host is found.

Scholars argue that the mask is less a cursed item and more an incomplete intellect, still attempting to understand morality through a cold, analytical lens. Whether it is a monstrous artifact or a misguided guardian depends entirely on who dares to wear it - and how long they are willing to listen to its whispers.