Regalia of the Jaernef Crown Jewels: The history of some of these items go further back than the country itself, but at present they are known as the world's richest treasures. When Jaernef was first founded, the King deemed that a monarch should be attended like a monarch. A crown would be constructed of the finest jewels, a staff of the finest timbers, and a sword of the most tempered steel. This was the Regalia of a king.
Identification Papers: Most people of the middle and upper classes, at least in the most civilized areas of Archstedt carry identification papers with them at all times. Issued by the government and notarized by the church of Jesara, these papers present a detailed physical description of the person (the wealthy sometimes commission small portraits of themselves), the person's name and residence, and in some cases additional information about the person's affiliations (particularly including any connection to royalty or a large institution).
Letter of Credit: The venerators of Sivis operates banks throughout most of Kire. Someone who deposits funds into a Sivis bank (usually anywhere there is a church to her) can request from the bank a letter of credit, which allows them to withdraw funds from any bank branch. There is a cost of 10% of the value of the amount to create the note, and they only come in 1,000 gp increments. This is a convenient alternative to carrying wealth around in the form of previous gems, jewelry, or coins. Letters of credit are notarized with arcane marks making them practically impossible to forge. In addition, it is widely known that Sivis herself protects the validity of the letters of credit.
For amounts of 10,000 gp or less, the letter of credit is just on a piece of paper. For higher amounts, the letter of credit is inscribed onto more lasting materials. There are rumors that at the highest levels, a letter of credit is inscribed onto a sheet of adamantium itself.
These are holy symbols that are more connected to their deity. While each of these symbols grants a minor bonus to a character, they are not magic items and do not take up a slot. To gain the benefit of the item, the user must be a cleric of the appropriate deity. Some are only of benefit if the cleric has access to a particular domain. All the holy symbols cost 100 gp.
Primus: Dozens of tiny rings made from different types of precious metal form this symbol. The rings link together intricately to form a downward-pointing triangle. A leather collar the cleric wears around his neck attaches to the top edge of the triangle. The wearer of this symbol gains a +1 circumstance bonus on saving throws made to resist spells with the compulsion subtype.
Runeforged Weapon: During Thassilon’s height, many of the empire’s greatest soldiers, mercenaries, and arcane assassins wielded weapons infused with two allied schools of magic that worked together to grant the wielder additional prowess over practitioners of an opposing school of magic. Weapons steeped in enchantment and illusion magic, for example, held great power over wielders of transmutation. Such weapons were often banned in Thassilon, so wary were the runelords of their propagation, yet all seven kept champions and assassins armed with runeforged weapons targeting their enemies’ weaknesses in secret.
Each runeforged weapon opposes a school of magic. The wielder gains a +2 morale bonus on all saving throws against spells from the weapon’s opposed magic. All runeforged weapons are, to a certain degree, empathic. They enhance sin or virtue in those who wield them, so a fighter armed with a dominant weapon becomes more domineering than before, for example. Anyone wielding a runeforged weapon takes a –2 penalty on all Diplomacy checks, as her vices or virtues are magnified at the expense of personality. No weapon can have more than one runeforged weapon quality at a time, and a creature that carries two runeforged weapons (even those of the same type) takes a –5 penalty on all attack rolls, Will saving throws, and skill checks, as her mind is constantly assailed by multiple empathic urges.
Each of the seven Thassilonian schools of magic is opposed by a single runeforged weapon quality—each of these being the combination of that school’s opposition schools. Note that the first name for each type of weapon listed is its sinful name—the second is the name a virtuous character can use to refer to the weapon. In any event, a runeforged weapon functions the same, regardless of whether it magnifies a wielder’s sin or virtue.
A wielder who is considered sinful or virtuous with the same type of sin/virtue as a runeforged weapon he wields becomes more aware of danger around him—gaining a +2 insight bonus on Initiative checks and a +1 dodge bonus to AC.
The specific effects of runeforged weapons are listed below.
Dominant/Commanding (opposes transmutation): A union of enchantment and illusion magic, a dominant weapon functions as a bane weapon against transmuters and against creatures with the shapechanger subtype. As long as the weapon is carried, it can absorb up to three harmful transmutation effects (such as baleful polymorph or petrification) inflicted on the wielder per day.
Jealous/Trusting (opposes necromancy): A union of abjuration and enchantment magic, a jealous weapon functions as a bane weapon against necromancers and against undead created by necromancy spells (not against self-manifested undead or undead created by the create spawn special ability). As long as the weapon is carried, it can absorb up to 3 negative levels inflicted on the wielder per day.
Parasitic/Symbiotic (opposes enchantment): A union of necromancy and transmutation magic, a parasitic weapon functions as a bane weapon against enchanters and against creatures that are charmed, dominated, or otherwise under another creature’s magic control. The first time each day that this weapon strikes a creature under the effects of an enchantment spell, it automatically makes a dispel magic attempt to dispel the enchantment. If the attempt is successful, it siphons that energy into the wielder, healing her of 6d6 points of damage (hit points in excess of maximum are gained as temporary hit points that last for 1 hour).
Ethillion: What appears to be quicksilver, this metallic liquid is a rare substance invented by the Abjurant Lords.
Ethillion can be safely transported in anything that can transport water. A character who drinks a flask of the stuff becomes infused with magical potentiality, and gains a +2 bonus on his next skill check made to craft a magic item. In addition, the time required to create the item is reduced by 1 day (to a minimum of 1 hour). Multiple doses of ethillion stack; the effects persist until the first time the drinker attempts to create a magic item.
Alternatively, a character can use a flask of ethillion as an additional material component for any abjuration spell. Doing so causes that spell to resolve at a caster level 2 higher than the user’s actual caster level.
A single dose of ethillion is worth 2,500 gp.
Libre Blaspheme: This document is tattered and missing major portions of its content. It is written in Infernal, and contains many detailed drawings of humanoid anatomy. It can be used to create a blaspheme from a recently deceased human. It can only be attempted on a corpse of a close blood relation.
Anathema Archive: This unusually heavy scroll consists of a rather long sheet of supple, impossible-to-tear parchment wound between two rods. When the anathema archive is opened, it presents a tangle of runes to the observer. Each time the scroll is unfurled, the runes are in a different order, the contents of the archive shifting according to the user's state of mind and desires each time it is used. The archive itself can be used for two purposes: to cast ancient spells and to divulge lore about hateful secrets and hidden horrors.
When using the anathema archive to cast spells, the user can either simply open it (in which case it randomly opens to one of these spells: Blood Money, Covetous Aura, Deathwine, Raiment of Command, Sign of Wrath, Swipe, Unconscious Agenda) or the user can attempt to force the anathema archive to open to a specific spell from that list or to any arcane spell she knows how to cast. Doing so requires a Spellcraft check (DC = 20 + double spell level)—failure indicates the archive opens to a random spell from the seven earlier options. Whatever spell the anathema archive is opened to, the user may cast that spell from the scroll as if she were casting a spell from a normal scroll, save that the spell is not consumed from the anathema archive upon being cast.
When used for research, the anathema archive grants a +10 insight bonus into any one Knowledge check associated with sinister or frightening ancient topics (subject to the GM's discretion—sample subjects include evil outsiders, runelords, evil religions, or undead). This allows a character to make the Knowledge skill check untrained.
Each time a character uses the anathema archive, her mind becomes increasingly haunted and unhinged. Upon using the archive, the user must make a Will save (DC = 15 + twice the total number of times the user has used the anathema archive). Failure results in the user taking 1d4 points of Wisdom drain and becoming confused for a number of rounds equal to 1 + the total number of times she has used the artifact.
The anathema archive closes automatically each time it is used, and cannot be opened again for 24 hours by any force.
Slot none; Aura strong (all schools); CL 20th; Weight 2 lbs.