Bracers of the Grove

Bracers of the Grove

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 7th
Slot wrists; Price 12,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION
These supple bracers are formed not from dead plant matter, but from living ivy that coils and weaves itself into a resilient, ever-growing lattice. Tiny leaves unfurl and recede with the wearer’s pulse, and faint motes of green light drift from them in dim natural settings. When worn by a druid, the bracers subtly root themselves against the skin without causing harm, creating a constant, symbiotic connection to the natural world.

Once per day each, the wearer may cast command plants and speak with plants as spell-like abilities (caster level 7th). In addition, while worn, the bracers grant the user a +2 competence bonus on Handle Animal and Survival checks made in forested or overgrown environments, as the surrounding flora subtly aids and guides the wearer.

If worn by a non-druid, the ivy becomes inert and brittle, losing all magical properties until removed and donned by a suitable wearer.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, command plants, speak with plants, creator must be a druid; Cost 6,000 gp, 480 XP, plus freshly harvested living ivy from an untouched grove worth at least 200 gp

LORE
The first Bracers of the Grove are said to have been cultivated rather than crafted, grown over the course of a full turning of the seasons by a reclusive circle of druids who refused to shape nature by blade or fire. Instead, they sang to the ivy, whispered to it, and fed it with water drawn only from sacred springs. When at last the bracers formed, they were not tools, but willing partners - an extension of the grove itself.

Among druidic circles, these bracers are often given as a mark of trust rather than achievement. To wear them is to be recognized as one who listens as much as they command. Many stories tell of would-be wielders who sought to dominate the wilds, only to find the ivy withering at their touch, rejecting arrogance as surely as fire.

In darker corners of the world, however, there are rumors of corrupted versions - ivy blackened and thorned, grown in blighted soil where nature has turned spiteful. Such bracers do not guide or commune - they bind and compel, forcing the will of twisted groves upon the living. Druids speak of these in hushed tones, for they are not merely items… but warnings of what happens when the balance is broken.

Lute of the Spirits

Lute of the Spirits

Aura moderate conjuration; CL 5th
Slot —; Price 1,800 gp; Weight 3 lb.

DESCRIPTION

This finely-crafted lute appears unremarkable at first glance, fashioned from polished mahogany with silver-stringing and subtle inlays along its neck. When played, however, faint echoes seem to accompany each note, as though unseen performers linger just beyond the veil of hearing.

A lute of the spirits grants its wielder a +3 competence bonus on Perform (string instruments) checks. In addition, five times per day, the wielder may use ghost sound (caster level 5th). When activated through performance, these sounds typically manifest as eerie but harmonious accompaniment - distant drums, soft flutes, whispering choirs, or low chanting - perfectly synchronized with the user’s music.

The conjured sounds are not random; rather, they seem to “know” the melody being played, enhancing the performance with an uncanny awareness. Many bards claim the instrument does not merely create sound, but channels something older - an echo of performances long past.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, ghost sound;
Cost 900 gp, 72 XP, plus 50 gp worth of rare woods and silver stringing

LORE

No two lutes of the spirits are ever said to sound exactly the same, and many scholars insist this is because each instrument is subtly attuned to a different lingering presence. Some believe these lutes capture fragments of performances from beyond the mortal world - echoes of ancient courts, lost festivals, or funerary dirges that refuse to fade.

Among traveling performers, possession of such a lute is often considered both a blessing and a quiet burden. While the instrument can elevate even a modest bard to greatness, there are whispered accounts of musicians hearing their spectral accompaniment continue long after they have stopped playing - faint notes drifting in the silence, as though the spirits were unwilling to let the song end.

In certain circles, particularly among those who traffic in the arcane or the occult, these lutes are believed to serve as subtle bridges between worlds. Whether they draw upon harmless echoes or something more aware is a matter of debate - but seasoned performers know better than to ask what, exactly, is playing along with them in the dark.

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.