Magical and Special Treasures (CNH)

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Many magical items and other special treasures are found only in Oriental settings.
The DM can use the magical item tables (Tables 88–110) from the Dungeon Master Guide with little modification.
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==Miscellaneous Magic==
Whenever the DM rolls up an item on one of the standard miscellaneous magic tables (Tables 95–104 in the Dungeon Master Guide) and finds that it does not suit the setting, he can substitute one of the following items instead.
: Book of One Art
: Book of One Maneuver
: Book of One Weapon
: Dragon Fog Globe
: Dust of Creaking
: Feather Tabi
: Invisible Ink
: Painter In a Box
: Talking Paper
: Yami Doko of Takeichi
===Books===
Books: A book from this list could instead be a set of scrolls or a series of tablets, as the DM chooses.
====Book of One Art====
Book of One Art: This item does not perform any magical functions. A detect magic spell cast on it reveals the presence of magic, but that magical energy comes entirely from the veneration bestowed on the volume by generations of students.
====Book of One Art====
The Book of One Art contains all information necessary to learn every element of a specific martial arts style. (The DM decides before a character obtains such a book which style it describes.) It does not instantly bestow any part of that art on a character. Instead, it acts as a martial arts master who knows the entire art. A character with this book can learn an art at the usual rate and through the usual expenditure of proficiencies, but without the necessity of seeking out a martial arts master.
====Book of One Maneuver====
Book of One Maneuver: This magical volume contains knowledge of one special maneuver. (See the rules for "Advanced Martial Arts" from Chapter 4.) If a character is a student of a martial art that allows the use of this maneuver, reading the book will grant him knowledge of that special maneuver (if he does not already know it). After the student reads the book, all the pages become blank and the book will never function again. If a character is not a student of a martial art that allows the maneuver, or already knows the maneuver described in the book, both he and the book are unaffected if he reads it.
====Book of One Weapon====
Book of One Weapon: This magical volume contains knowledge on the use of one specific weapon. (The DM decides must decide which weapon it describes.) A character reading the book receives a weapon proficiency with the specific weapon, whereupon the enchantment vanishes from the book.
If the character is not already proficient with the weapon, he obtains basic proficiency. In addition, if he is a practitioner of a martial art that permits use of this weapon (see "Advanced Martial Arts" in Chapter 4), the character receives the ability to use the weapon with the art if he does not already possess that knowledge.
If the character already possesses proficiency with the weapon, he becomes specialized in that weapon (if he is capable of weapon specialization). In addition, if he is a practitioner of a martial art that permits use of the weapon, the character receives the ability to use the weapon with the art if he does not already possess that knowledge.
If the character does already possess proficiency with the weapon but is not capable of specialization, or if the character is unable to use the weapon described by the book, he gains nothing from reading it, and the book's magic does not vanish.
====Dragon Fog Globe====
Dragon Fog Globe: The Oriental dragon is an immortal, beneficent creature associated with the sea and rainfall, and this magical item reflects these associations. The dragon fog globe is a delicate glass globe filled with smoke, the breath of an Oriental dragon. When the globe is shattered, the smoke inside spill outs, increasing in area and density, slowly following the patterns of the wind and contours of the land until it occupies an area one mile in diameter and 20 feet high.
This creeping fog is the equivalent of natural dense fog and moves into place so slowly and naturally that it seems to be perfectly ordinary ground fog. A detect magic spell will reveal its magical nature, but a dispel magic spell will not affect it; this fog is the captured spirit of an immortal being, after all.
Ninja love these very rare dragon fog globes, which help them accomplish difficult missions.
====Dust of Creaking====
Dust of Creaking: This is a small amount of dust normally found in a small silk purse. Such a purse will contain 2d6 doses of the dust.
One dose of dust can be spread over a 10'x20' area of ground or flooring. Thereafter, for the next 24 hours or until it is swept or washed away, the dust will creaked on if stepped on, exactly as would an especially creaky wooden floor.
This dust is often used by powerful leaders to give them advance warning of an intruder.
====Feather Tabi====
Feather Tabi: This is a magical pair of split-toed boots of the sort worn by ninja. The enchantment on these tabi prevents the wearer from transferring much pressure to whatever he walks on. This gives the character a +10% bonus to move silently rolls and prevents her from setting off pressure-based traps, triggers, or other items (such as dust of creaking).
====Invisible Ink====
Invisible Ink: Invisible ink comes in a small bottle or other container holding 2d20 doses, each good for the writing of a message up to one page in length.
The message, when written, is completely visible. However, the next word the writer speaks over the message becomes its "control word." When the writer speaks the word, the letters vanish, and no chemical method will reveal them. Thereafter, when anyone speaks the control word over the paper, the message reappears. It will disappear again if the word is spoken again.
The ink will disappear a total of 10 times; thereafter, it reappears and will not disappear again.
Messages created with invisible ink cannot be read by a read languages spell. A detect magic spell will reveal faint traces of magic. A dispel magic spell cast on such a message will make the letters go away forever if they are currently invisible, or fix them in place, never to disappear again, if they are currently visible.
Ninja and other sneaky characters use invisible ink to send messages to confidants. The bearer of the message may be carrying the control word (in his memory; it is not written down), or the recipient of the message may already know it.
Tricky users of this ink might write a message in it, say the control word to make the message disappear, then write another message in the same ink and use the same control word. Thereafter, until the ink runs out of magic, saying the control word will cause the two messages to "trade places" on the surface of the parchment or paper. Once the ink runs out of magic, both messages appear, making the letter unreadable.
====Painter in a Box====
Painter in a Box: This is an intricate miniature diorama contained in a beautiful lacquered box about 1'x2'x6". When opened out, the diorama reveals a small (12 inch) puppet painter with paints, brushes, and a canvas scaled to his size. The wielder of the painter in a box orients the miniature painter toward some scene or view, then speaks the command word associated with the box.
Over a period of only one round, the puppet paints an accurate reproduction of the scene it sees before it.
This item is a valuable tool to a ninja who needs to sketch troop layouts or the faces of lords attending a conference of conspirators. It is also a good way to produce charming little presents for someone whom the character wants to impress.
The painter in a box can be used 2d6 times before it runs out of magical canvases. These canvases cannot be restocked.
====Talking Paper====
Talking Paper: A set of talking paper consists of two identical pieces of expensive paper at least 2'x3'. Whatever is said in the presence of one piece of paper is magically reproduced in the vibration of the other. If a character can sneak one piece of the paper into a room, he can sit in the presence of the other piece and hear whatever is said in that room.
The paper will transmit anything said (and any other noise made) within 20 feet of it, if the noise does not originate beyond an intervening wall or barrier. The matching paper will pick up and reproduce that noise if the papers are within 10 miles of each other.
Both pieces of paper must be stretched rigid on frames. For this reason, and because of the need to keep the item inconspicuous, talking paper is often embellished with a beautiful painting or calligraphed proverb, which is presented to the intended victim of the espionage.
The piece of paper that is placed with the person being spied on is called the "listening" piece, and the piece kept by the spy is called the "talking" piece. But those names are not precise, because both pieces of paper act as listeners and talkers. Anything said in the presence of the talking piece can be heard by someone in the presence of the listening piece. For this reason, the talking piece is usually placed in a room where no one is allowed to speak.
A detect magic spell will reveal the presence of an enchantment on the paper. Talking paper is very rare.
====Yami Doko of Takeichi====
Yami Doko of Takeichi: Named after the wizard who created it, this man-sized kite is capable of far more than the ordinary yami doko.
The yami doko of Takeichi provides its rider and operator with a +3 bonus to Giant Kite Flying proficiency checks, or it can be flown by anyone with a default proficiency score of 12. It loses altitude at a much reduced rate: –1 foot of altitude for every 50 feet traveled. It weighs only 20 lbs. and collapses down into its own backpack case with one round of effort.
==Magical Weapons==
The following magical weapons are especially suited to Oriental campaigns. Any of them can be modified according to the Intelligent Weapon rules in Appendix 3 of the Dungeon Master Guide.
===Weapon List===
: Arrow, Shouting Humming Bulb
: Bo, Barrier
: Chu-ko-nu, Self-loading
: Fukimi-bari, Loyal
: Gunsen of Blinding
: Gunsen of Summoning
: Kama of Revealing
: Katana, Blinding
: Katana, Honor
: Kawanaga, Crawling
: Kiseru of Smoke
: Nekode, Monkey Paw
: Serpent-Chain
: Shaping Stick
: Shuriken, Hunting
: Shuriken, Sawing
: Tetsu-bishi, Explosive
: Tetsu-bo, Earthquake
===Weapon Descriptions===
====Arrow, Shouting Humming Bulb====
Arrow, Shouting Humming Bulb: This object looks like a normal humming bulb arrow. However, it is not carved to shriek or whistle while flying. Its user can speak over it before firing it, and it will repeat what it is told in a voice equivalent to a man's shout. First, the user tells the arrow how many times it wants the statement repeated—for example, "Three times I tell you" means "Repeat this three times." Then, he makes a simple statement of 10 words or less, which the arrow will repeat. The arrow shouts out the statement once while it is in the air. After it has hit its target, it repeats the statement once per round until the number of times has been reached (up to a maximum of 100 times).
There is a 1-in-10 chance that the arrow will break when it hits its target, and it is easy to break by anyone meaning to do so. Once broken, the arrow will no longer repeat its statement.
This item is a good diversionary weapon. It can make guards believe that someone has penetrated their walls or make hunters believe that their quarry has gotten past them.
====Bo, Barrier====
Bo, Barrier: This weapon looks like an ordinary bo staff. However, when it is twirled and its command word spoken, the wielder can release the weapon and it will continue whirling in midair. It continues to whirl for 10 rounds, behaving in many ways like the priest spell blade barrier. Any creature attempting to pass through the bo barrier suffers 4d6 hp damage, with no saving throw allowed. The wielder of the bo can decide whether the plane of rotation is horizontal, vertical, or at some angle in between. The barrier is 7 feet in diameter, so it is best used to block a narrow door or hallway. Once the 10-round duration has expired, the bo returns to the hand of its wielder, flying to that character at a Movement Rate of 24.
====Chu-ko-nu, Self-loading====
Chu-ko-nu, Self-loading: This enchanted repeating crossbow cocks itself, giving it a firing rate of two shots per round.
====Fukimi-bari, Loyal====
Fukimi-bari, Loyal: These enchanted mouth-darts look out for their owner in an interesting way. Poison spread on these fukimi-bari will not affect the owner when the fukimi-bari are held in the mouth. When held in anyone else's mouth, the poison on them acts normally. A batch of such fukimi-bari are tied to a command word chosen by the wizard who creates them. When a character speaks the command word before putting the fukimi-bari in his mouth, the darts treat him as their owner.
====Gunsen of Blinding====
Gunsen of Blinding: These war-fans are polished to a magical shine; they glow brilliantly even in darkness. For this reason, ninja use them only infrequently, and carry them inside sealed bags when they are not in use. Once per round, the wielder can turn the glow on an enemy's face. The wielder must make a normal attack roll but treats all enemies as though they were AC 6. An enemy who is hit must save vs. petrification (with a +2 bonus if wearing a helmet). Success means he is unaffected, but failure means he is blinded for 1d3 rounds. The wielder of a gunsen of blinding is in some danger himself. On any natural roll of 1, he accidentally blinds himself for 1d3 rounds (no saving throw possible). An enemy can use a mirror or highly polished shield to reflect the glow of a gunsen of blinding against the wielder.
====Gunsen of Summoning====
Gunsen of Summoning: This war-fan is enameled with a beautiful illustration of one type of monster or animal. When its command word is spoken, the gunsen casts a variant monster summoning III spell, calling forth one example of the type of creature represented in enamel.
There are rumors of the existence of gunsen of summoning enchanted with monster summoning IV or even more powerful summoning spells. Regardless of the power level, though, the gunsen will summon forth only one creature.
The magical function of the gunsen of summoning can be used once per day. It can be used as a normal gunsen at any time.
====Kama of Revealing====
Kama of Revealing: This weapon has powers related to its original purpose. To use its magical functions, the wielder hurls the kama at a grain field. The kama goes to work, flying on its own volition, cutting down the grain in the field (to a height of 6 inches) at a rate of 400 square feet (equivalent to a 20'x20' area) per round. It continues to do this until its wielder calls it back or an area of 1,000,000 square feet has been cut down.
The kama of revealing can be used in this way once per week. The rest of the time, it can be used as a normal kama. While the threshing power can certainly be destructive to the local economy, in times of danger it can reveal small armies hiding out in nearby fields, and at harvesting time it can save one community a lot of work.
====Katana, Blinding====
Katana, Blinding: This sword has a blade so polished that it can be used to blind an opponent. The rules for its use are identical to those for the gunsen of blinding. Wakizashi and tanto blades can also be enchanted in this way.
====Katana, Honor====
Katana, Honor: An honor sword is the katana representing a family or clan. In a fantasy setting, honor swords are almost always created using the rules for intelligent weapons, and they are always the object of desire or avarice. The family that loses its honor sword will do everything it can (within the range of its ethics) to retrieve the sword. This could mean that the finder will be hunted by vengeful family members or by family representatives willing to pay him a fabulous amount. If all the members of the blade's original family are dead, someone else is most certainly hunting the sword: the slayers of the family, ruthless masters who want to learn the secrets possessed by the mind in the blade, etc. Honor swords can be wakizashi as well, or daisho (katana/wakizashi pairs).
====Kawanaga, Crawling====
Kawanaga, Crawling: This weapon looks like an ordinary kawanaga except for one important difference. Instead of a grappling hook, there is an articulated metal hand at one end. The hand understands simple commands (such as "Hold on to what you are now touching and don't let go") and has a 90% climb walls thief skill. Crawling kawanaga built with the intelligent weapons rules could follow much more involved commands.
Crawling kawanaga have no move silently skill, so they are not quiet when crawling up walls.
The metal hand is the enchanted part of the weapon. If the rope is cut, the hand will still function.
====Kiseru of Smoke====
Kiseru of Smoke: This pipe instantly emits a large cloud of dark smoke when its command word is spoken. The smoke is equal to dense fog and fills an area up to 30 feet in diameter; it lasts for five rounds. The smoke itself is nonmagical and so cannot be dispelled.
The kiseru of smoke can issue its smoke cloud twice per day.
====Nekode, Monkey Paw====
Nekode, Monkey Paw: These nekode are very reliable, giving their user a 99% climb walls skill roll while worn.
====Serpent-Chain====
Serpent-Chain: This is a manriki-gusari with a difference. When thrown to entangle, it grips with the strength of a snake spirit, making it especially hard to break out of (a –3 penalty to the saving throw vs. paralyzation). Once it is cast free, or when commanded by its wielder, the serpent-chain crawls back to its wielder with the speed of a serpent (MV 9).
====Shaping Stick====
Shaping Stick: This magical device is a tool kit of weapons. In its normal form, it appears to be a bo (staff), but the wielder who knows its command word can make it take different configurations. At his command, it can turn into a three-section staff, a pair of jo, or a pair of hanbo. A repetition of the command word returns the weapon to bo form. No matter what form the shaping stick takes, it fights as a +2 magical weapon.
====Shuriken, Hunting====
Shuriken, Hunting: These magical throwing stars have a +2 bonus to hit and damage and a much-improved range (10, or 100 yards, treated as Short range; there is no Medium or Long range). In addition, if a hunting shuriken is touched with an object belonging to a character just before it is thrown, and that character is within range, the shuriken will fly unerringly to that character and strike him (no roll needed to hit).
====Shuriken, Sawing====
Shuriken, Sawing: These throwing stars behave normally if thrown at living targets but have a special effect if thrown against inanimate object. When thrown at a nonliving target, a sawing shuriken will hover in place, spinning like a buzz saw blade, and gradually cut its way through that substance. The sawing shuriken cuts a notch through five square inches of wood, one square inch of soft stone, or a half-inch square of hard stone or soft metal per round; it will not affect harder substances. After 10 rounds, the shuriken stops sawing and cannot be used again that way for a full day. These weapons are of great use when the character needs to get through a doorway, soft metal bars or chain links, or another obstacle he cannot otherwise affect.
Sawing shuriken are roughly as quiet as a circular saw; this is not a stealthy tool to use.
====Tetsu-bishi, Explosive====
Tetsu-bishi, Explosive: These items look like normal tetsu-bishi but are enchanted to explode when stepped on by living creatures. The explosion does 1d8 hp damage to the victim, and the saving throw vs. paralyzation to avoid being lamed is made at a –4 penalty. The victim must then pull out the fragments of the explosive device or take an additional 1d4 hp damage for every 10 feet walked.
====Tetsu-bo, Earthquake====
Tetsu-bo, Earthquake: This iron-shod staff acts as a +1 weapon when used against normal targets, but has a special power when hammered against the ground or floor: It causes a very strong but localized earthquake. The blow does 3d6 hp damage to the surface it hits. The resulting earthquake affects everything within a 60-foot radius. Every wall in that area must make a saving throw vs. crushing blow, with failure resulting in collapse of the wall. Every person in the area takes 1d6 hp damage (saving throw vs. petrification for half damage) and falls down (making the same saving throw prevents this result). However, the wielder of the earthquake tetsu-bo does not suffer these effects.
The earthquake power of this weapon can be used only once per week.