The Apparatus (Magic Apparatus)

This huge machine stands over 30 feet tall and it is 20 feet wide at the base. A glass globe, 15 feet high, rests upon a massive tripod made of wood and steel. The tripod lifts the globe over 15 feet from the floor. The globe encases a great, spinning ball of sulphur. A network of rings, made of cold-forged steel, tops the enormous glass sphere.
Two smaller globes, each the height of a man, are suspended below the large one. The pair, linked by a narrow glass neck, looks like an hourglass on its side. A 3-foot-wide trap door opens from the bottom of each smaller globe. A steel, tubular arch links each smaller globe to the mother sphere above.
A third, and still smaller series of globes rings the entire base of the tripod, linked together like a chain by thin glass tubes. A bewildering array of metal and glass—rods, wires, and plates—joins the circle of spheres to the two human-sized glass chambers.
Lightning energizes the apparatus. The steel rings on top focus electricity into the mother globe. To fully charge, the apparatus requires 12 lightning strikes within the span of three hours; over a longer period, the charge fades. The energy is converted into a magical force by the spinning ball of sulphur within the globe.
This contraption can perform a number of monstrous and misguided tasks. The first is a "transpossession." It can cause the exchange of minds, between two intelligent subjects—even an intelligent creature and a man. The subjects must stand in the formidable glass chambers. On the 12th lightning strike, the psyches of the two individuals are exchanged. All mental abilities go with the psyche, all physical abilities stay with the body. Both subjects fall unconscious for Id3 turns. Any attempts to determine the alignment or true nature of a transpossessed subject fails. Spells such as know alignment, detect evil or true seeing act as if the subject had a truly neutral alignment.
The second function of this machine requires the rod of Rastinon. When the rod is placed in the glass tube connecting the two large chambers, a subject's personality can be split in two. An intelligent subject must stand in one of the big globes. On the 12th lightning strike, the psyche splits. In a flash, a duplicate of the subject appears in the adjacent chamber. Physically, they are almost twins. Mentally, they are unique. As of this writing, the split has involved only good and evil, separating the dark side from the light. Other divisions may be possible.
The "dark side" is a being of such evil that Ravenloft's dark powers envelop him or her, granting a lordship and a domain. They may also give great powers, and transform the character physically. The individual immediately seeks to destroy the other half, because only then is he or she secure.
According to legend, the apparatus can also rejoin the psyches it has divided. Both halves must occupy the globes, with the rod of Rastinon in place. On the 12th strike, their psyches join, and the original subject is restored. Theoretically, two normal subjects—each unique and whole— might be forced to share one body through this process. The stronger body would harbor the two psyches, while the weaker body would become a withered, empty shell.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Apparatus