Shard of Sakkrad (Magic Crystal)

According to very old legends, the original home of mankind was in the middle of a vast mountain, so huge that the sun was said to rise from one of its peaks and set on the opposite. The entire base of this mountain is the fabled emerald Sakkrad; its reflection gives the azure tint to the sky. One small piece of that emerald, this very shard, was stolen by a djinni, who subsequently vanished from existence; the shard has never reappeared. Itis said to hold unimaginable power; some say that mortal man was not meant to have it, and cannot possibly control it. Others dismiss it as pure legend. Yet despite the tales, many adventurers of great fame and power have gone in search of it; none are known to have returned.
The shard is a 3-foot long, an imperfect hexagonal crystal of azure tone, with sharp edges and pointed ends. It is active when found, and anyone who touches it immediately and magically knows all the names, details, and command words to all of its powers. However, all this knowledge vanishes immediately when physical contact ceases.
A power is granted to the user when the proper command word is spoken. It remains until used or until the user stops touching the item.
Suggested Powers: (All abilities are cast at 20th level.) Disintegrate, mass charm, polymorph any object, detect magic, planar travel (treat as a well of many worlds); telekinesis, create any monster (treat as a monster summoning VI spell); automatic healing (treat as the heal spell); shapechange (treat as a polymorph self spell); luck (duration one turn; allows user to choose the result of one die roll).
Suggested Handicaps: (1 appears when the item is first used; others appear in sequence whenever the user draws on one of the last four powers.)
* Magic error: A 25% chance of error occurs whenever a user casts a spell or utters any command words, except those used on the shard.
* Operating Costs: A user loses 10% of all treasure owned.
* Greed: Anyone seeing a user produce any visible effect of the shard's powers must make a saving throw vs. spells, with a -4 penalty to the roll, or immediately attack the user with intention to possess the shard.
* Doom: The next time a user employs one of the last four powers, there is a 5% chance that an Immortal will arrive. This chance increases by 2% each time a 100-point power is used again. If the Immortal arrives, all within sight range have the choice of watching or looking away. Each of those watching must make a saving throw vs. death magic, with a -10penalty to the roll, or die. Each of those looking away may make a saving throw vs. spell; if successful, no further effect occurs, but if failed, each must make a saving throw vs. death magic. The Immortal departs within one round, taking the user and all of his or her nonliving valuables (wherever they may be). The shard is not taken, but is teleported to a random location within 10,000 miles.
Suggested Penalties: (20% chance of appearance when any power is used; equal chance foreach.)
* Delayed blast fireball within 10' of user, set to detonate in 1d4 rounds; normal saving throw applies to all victims.
* User takes 40 points of damage.
* Healing error: When the automatic healing power is next triggered, it cures only 10 points of damage, or fails utterly to cure any other effect (poison, disease, etc.)
* The user is struck with paranoia.
* Memory lapse: User suddenly and forgets how to cast spells (if a Spellcaster) or how to use weapons for 2d10 days; no saving throw.
* User is struck by withdrawal; saving throw vs. spells applies, but with a -5 penalty.
* Antimagic 100%, 10' radius emanating from the artifact. The antimagic will remain until wished away, or until the user washes it in the water at either the north pole or the south pole.
* Saving throw penalty: A -8 penalty applies to the user's saving throws vs. fire-type attacks.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Crystals