Magic Missile-Based Devices

Magic Missile-Based Devices

Short Bow of Missiles

A standard, unadorned short bow, of the type used by Elves and Foresters, this device will function as a normal bow at any time. By speaking a command word as the string is drawn, however, the user may transform the nocked arrow into a Magic Missile, with all the effects and abilities of the spell of the same name. This power may be used up to three times per week. It is advisable to use normal arrows when invoking the Short Bow’s power, as magical arrows lose any plusses or other powers when transformed. A tiny number of these Bows may have +1 enchantment, which does carry over to the Magic Missiles. There is one Short Bow +2 of Missiles in existence, called Gwylleach (gwih-LEE-ak). It is inlaid with silver and gems, and has a string of spun silver enchanted to be as supple as a normal bowstring. It is part of the royal treasury of Wendar, and so belongs to Gylharen, although he is presently unaware that it is anything more than a simple Short Bow +2.

Shield +1, Magic Missile Protector

These shields are manufactured by the Sheyallia elves of Graakhalia; they are simple wooden devices with lizard skin stretched across the surface. It is this skin, taken from Sa’grukk lizards*, which enables the shield to hold enchantment to +1 and grants it the power to absorb Magic Missiles cast at the wearer. Each Missile "caught" in this fashion drains one charge from the shield. A newly-made shield will hold 12 charges; one found elsewhere will have 1d6+2 charges remaining. Once the final charge is used, the shield also loses its +1 enchantment. If returned to its place of origin, an exhausted shield may be recharged (for a price); of course, the trick is finding the place of origin...

*Note: A Sa’grukk lizard is a small gecko-like native of Graakhalia; its iridescent hide is unusually receptive to enchantment. It takes a whole skin, split along the belly, peeled from the body and softened in vats of water to make it elastic, to cover a single shield; if split - which is only possible when its enchantment fades, and it is struck by a bladed weapon - the skin can no longer hold magic, and the shield is useless.

Wand of Magic Missiles, Mindfeeder

This singular device is a foot-long wand of blackened mahogany with a yellow diamond at the tip. The command word ("Lhomond") is inscribed along its side. It was created by Prince Brannart McGregor, and incorporates the power of the Radiance in its construction (making it detectable by Rad’s Wand of Amber, of course). It was designed to be an easily-rechargeable wand; the wielder, assuming he or she was a spellcaster, could recharge it by casting spells into the wand, which would then convert that energy into stored power. Since the Nucleus of the Spheres was altered to draw its power from Entropy, however, the wand’s abilities have changed. When first found, it appears to be a normal Wand of Magic Missiles, and holds 1d6+5 charges. Once exhausted, however, its curse comes into effect; the wand will randomly drain 1d6 spells from the mind of its wielder (if a spellcaster; otherwise, it draws its power from the nearest available friendly mage or cleric - typically, one of the wielder’s party - never from a spellcasting opponent) in order to recharge itself. No matter the level of the spells it absorbs, the wand always gains 1d6+5 charges from its "feeding". Once the wand has "fed" once the bearer of the wand becomes irrationally attached to it and will not willingly give it up, despite its unfortunate side-effect (particularly unfortunate, if it is a companion who suffers the spell-draining effect!); in fact, it will become a favoured weapon, supplanting any other missile weapon in the bearer’s affections. Its owner may even give it a pet name. If stolen or lost, the distraught bearer will go to great lengths to recover it; however, if not found within 3 months, the effect of the curse fades, although the former bearer will always feel a pang of longing when he/she thinks of it. An early experiment, Brannart lost it years ago - long before the WotI - and therefore never experienced the curse; he has, in all probability, forgotten its existence by now.

Ring of Missile Catching

The idea for this ring was conceived by Doleran Forsuph, Guild Master of the Greycloaks, a small-time thieves’ guild operating on Belissaria around 1950 AY. Tired of his highly-trained cutpurses and housebreakers being struck down by any low-level mage with a Magic Missile spell to hand, or by the wands of Imperial Boltmen, he paid a small fortune to a reclusive mage to create rings which would not only shield the wearer, but allow him or her to strike back. If the wearer of a Ring of Missile Catching is the target of a Magic Missile spell, he or she may attempt to catch it (save vs. spells at a bonus of +2), so long as at least one hand is free (either hand may be used, not merely the one wearing the ring), and the wearer is not magically held, paralysed etc. If the attempt succeeds, the spell is absorbed by the Ring, and may be cast from it at any target by the wearer in the next round. If not used in this time, the spell dissipates. Any number of bolts may be caught at once by the Ring, as long as they all come from the same spell or item; the catcher may hurl back an equal number of missiles at his or her choice of targets. The wearer may not catch a spell in the same round as he is hurling one. Most of these rings are plain gold bands, with a sigil engraved on the inside of the ring (the mark of the Greycloaks). A few have been created since by other wizards, however, so Rings of Missile Catching with different designs may be encountered.

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