This section covers magic items and other special equipment in the Known Lands Campaign Setting. The following topics are explored in greater depth:
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As the Known Lands campaign setting aims at somewhat reduced character levels, this is a table of the general availability of spellcasters by size of community. Although there are circumstances where these guidelines may be violated for campaign purposes, these are the general guidelines for the highest levels of spellcasters that characters will encounter in the following community sizes:
| Community Size | Divine | ArcanePsionic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thorp | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
| Hamlet | 4th | 2nd | 2nd |
| Village | 5th | 3rd | 3rd |
| Small Town | 6th | 4th | 4th |
| Large Town | 8th | 7th | 7th |
| Small City | 10th | 9th | 9th |
| Large City | 12th | 11th | 11th |
| Metropolis | 14th | 13th | 13th |
Permanent Magic Items: The lowest level at which magical arms and armor can be created is 5th level, which indicates that a Small Town would be the smallest size in which such weapons could be produced by an NPC. The lowest level at which other permanent magic items can be created is 9th level, which means that artificers for such are typically found only in Small Cities and larger communities. Occasionally, a higher level caster or manifester may settle into a smaller community, but they are few and far between.
Very High Level Casters: Finding spellcasters and manifesters capable of 8th- and 9th-level spells and powers lies in the realms of adventures and special locales, as they are rarely found in most population centers.
Below are unusual weapons that are present in the Known Lands Campaign Setting.
| Exotic Weapons | Cost | Dmg-S | Dmg-M | Critical | Range | Weight | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Handed Melee Weapons | |||||||
| Swordstaff1 | 50gp | 1d6/1d6 | 1d8/1d8 | x2 | -- | 6 lb. | Bludgeoning or slashing |
Notes: The following notes apply to the weapons above:
1Double Weapon.
Within the Known Lands campaign setting, characters can find a variety of special materials that have innate special properties.
If a character makes a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, they get the benefit of only the most prevalent material. However, they can build a double weapon with each head made of a different special material.
Each of the special materials described below has a definite game effect. Some creatures have damage reduction based on their creature type or core concept. Some are resistant to all but a special type of damage, such as that dealt by evil-aligned weapons or bludgeoning weapons. Others are vulnerable to weapons of a particular material. Characters may choose to carry several different types of weapons, depending upon the types of creatures they most commonly encounter.
This ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor. Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less than 20. Armor made from adamantine grants its wearer damage reduction of 1/- if it's light armor, 2/- if it's medium armor, and 3/- if it's heavy armor. Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below. Thus, adamantine weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check penalty of adamantine armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary armor of its type. Items without metal parts cannot be made from adamantine. An arrow could be made of adamantine, but a quarterstaff could not.
Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from adamantine. Weapons, armor and shields normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal. Adamantine has 40 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 20.
Table: Adamantine Cost Modifiers
| Type of Adamantine Item | Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +5,000 gp |
| Medium armor | +10,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +15,000 gp |
| Ammunition | +60 gp |
| Weapon | +3,000 |
Deep crystal is crystal of above-average quality found at the hearts of large veins or deposits of mundane crystal (see below). Deep crystal is renowned for its strength and its psionically resonant nature. Mundane crystal is used for many items of psionic manufacture, such as dorjes, power stones, and psicrystals. Deep crystal is a better grade.
While a weapon made of deep crystal is no different from a mundane crystal weapon for a nonpsionic character, a psionic wielder of a deep crystal weapon can focus psionic power through it, increasing the damage that weapon deals. As a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the wielder can channel psionic power into a melee weapon or ranged weapon made of deep crystal. For 2 power points, the deep crystal weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage. The weapon will stay charged for 1 minute or until it scores its next hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings bestow this power on their ammunition. All missile weapons lose this effect if they miss. However, they may be recovered and charged again.
Any weapon made of deep crystal costs 1,000 gp more than its noncrystal counterpart. Any item could potentially be made out of deep crystal. Because deep crystal armor is considered to be made out of metal, druids cannot wear it.
Deep crystal has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 10.
Mundane crystal can be used in place of metal in weapons or armor, using a special forging process. The fortified crystal possesses the properties of a similar masterwork steel weapon or armor, except for visual appearance.
Weapons and armor made of mundane crystal cost the same amount to make as their masterwork counterparts. Any item could potentially be made with mundane crystal. Because mundane crystal armor is considered to be made out of metal, druids cannot wear it.
Mundane crystal properly forged has 25 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 8.
Campaign Note: Darkwood can only be harvested within the Bloodborder Woods, and elves are loathe to sell it, even to members of their own race. Items made of darkwood have occasionally been given as gifts to those elves that travel beyond the borders in service to their race, but have never been given to a non-elf. Most darkwood items in non-elven hands are usually the results of successful battles against blood elf patrols along the perimeter of the Bloodborder Woods.
This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. The armor check penalty of a darkwood shield is lessened by 2 compared to an ordinary shield of its type. To determine the price of a darkwood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.
Darkwood has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 5.
Campaign Note: Given the rarity of dragons in the Known Lands, dragonhide is not available for purchase. Instead, a dragon must be located and slain. The costs below are reflective of the skill and work required to create items from dragonhide.
Armorsmiths can work with the hides of dragons to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality. One dragon produces enough hide for a single suit of masterwork hide armor for a creature one size category smaller than the dragon. By selecting only choice scales and bits of hide, an armorsmith can produce one suit of masterwork banded mail for a creature two sizes smaller, one suit of masterwork half-plate for a creature three sizes smaller, or one masterwork breastplate or suit of full plate for a creature four sizes smaller. In each case, enough hide is available to produce a small or large masterwork shield in addition to the armor, provided that the dragon is Large or larger.
Because dragonhide armor isn't made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.
Dragonhide armor costs double what masterwork armor of that type ordinarily costs, but it takes no longer to make than ordinary armor of that type.
Dragonhide has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.
This iron, mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. Weapons made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts. Also, any magical enhancements cost an additional 2,000 gp.
Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.
A double weapon that has only half of it made of cold iron increases its cost by 50%.
Cold iron has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.
Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than iron but just as hard. When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor and is occasionally used for other items as well. Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0).
An item made from mithral weighs half as much as the same item made from other metals. In the case of weapons, this lighter weight does not change a weapon's size category or the ease with which it can be wielded (whether it is light, one-handed, or two-handed). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of mithral. (A longsword can be a mithral weapon, while a scythe cannot be.)
Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.
Mithral has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15.
Table: Mithral Cost Modifiers
| Type of Mithral Item | Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +1,000 gp |
| Medium armor | +4,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +9,000 gp |
| Shield | +1,000 gp |
| Other items | +500 gp/lb. |
A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes.
On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes a -1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can't be applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn't work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.
Alchemical silver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.
Table: Alchemical Silver Cost Modifiers
| Type of Alchemical Silver Item | Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Ammunition | +2 gp |
| Light weapon | +20 gp |
| One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon | +90 gp |
| Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon | +180 gp |
The Known Lands campaign setting has a number of magic items that are unique to the milieu. Examples of such items include:
Below are the specific descriptions of magic items found in the Known Lands.
A suit of armor or a shield with this property normally has a pristine appearance. The armor absorbs the first 5 points of chaos damage per attack that the wearer would normally take (similar to the resist chaos spell).
Faint abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist chaos; Price +6,000 gp.
As chaos resistance, except that the armor absorbs the first 10 points of chaos damage per attack.
Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist chaos; Price +18,000 gp.
As chaos resistance, except that the armor absorbs the first 15 points of chaos damage per attack.
Strong abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist chaos; Price +30,000 gp.
This rose-gold +1 greatsword, given as a gift by the Daughters of the Rose, bears the bane property against chaotic outsiders, allowing it to act as a +3 greatsword and inflict an additional +2d6 damage versus outsiders with the chaotic subtype. In addition, once per day as a standard action, the wielder may cast Bull's Strength (as if cast by a 3rd level wizard), granting a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength for 30 minutes.
Moderate conjuration; CL 6th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull's strength, summon monster I; Price 10,350 gp.
This charcoal gray cloak is indistinguishable from a masterwork cloak worn by nobility and the affluent. However, when worn with the hood drawn up around the head, it gives the wearer a +5 competence bonus on Stealth checks. In addition, the cloak allows its wearer the ability to cast the Blacklight spell (as if cast by a 5th level wizard) once a day as a standard action.
Faint evocation; CL 5th; Craft Constant Item, lesser enhanced knowledge, blacklight; Price 9,150 gp; Weight 1 lb.
In addition to serving as a symbol of the Mithral Ring, these hammered mithral bands are often imbued with magical abilities. While there are variations depending on one's personal tastes or frequently encountered situations, most Mithral Ringbearer's Rings tend to contain multiple protective spells. While this is considered the standard among most members of the Mithral Ring, accomplished Mithral Ringbearers sometimes craft (or have crafted) rings of greater power, with higher caster levels or different spell selections.
The Mithral Ringbearer's Ring allows the wearer to activate one of the spells as a standard action, each once per day, as if cast by a 3rd level caster: mage armor, shield, protection from arrows.
Faint abjuration, CL 3rd; Craft Constant Item, mage armor, shield, protection from arrows; Price 8,910 gp.
The first wizard's circlet was created by Nikolo the Ringbearer, and has since become a somewhat popular item among affluent wizards. When worn on the head, this mithral circlet bestows two gifts upon the wearer: a +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, and a +5 enhancement bonus to Spellcraft skill checks.
Moderate transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Constant Item, fox's cunning, lesser knowledge enhancement; Price 7,750 gp.
(Please note that this bonus to Intelligence does not grant extra skill ranks during character advancement.)
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