The Relics

Items Magical and Wondrous, from Thorn's Mystara

The origin of the dragonstones was only guessed at by the sages of Blackmoor University. They are limitless reservoirs of magical energy, but it is unclear if they draw that power from the planet, the elemental planes, or the Spheres themselves.

Red dragonstones are by far the most common, having been found just beneath the surface of the fields surrounding Blackmoor Town, as well as in clusters in the muck of the swamps of the North.

Black dragonstones were said to have been found in the deep places of the earth. Some accounts say the stones are broken from the roots of the black spire on which Blackmoor Castle was built. Others say the stones grow along the lakes and rivers of fire beneath active volcanoes.

White dragonstones are thought to be a gift from Matera, falling from the skies at regular intervals around the Autumn Equinox.

The origins of the Blue and Green dragonstones have yet to be revealed....

Red Dragonstones are of a red nearly on par with rubies, but veined with gold. They are attuned to the elements of earth and fire, and the Sphere of Energy. They can manipulate flames, exciting or dampening them as the user sees fit. They have been seen to turn solid rock to soupy mud and vice versa. Red dragonstones are also used as magical recording devices, holding entire libraries of information, viewable within the facets of the stone, or viewable by others when held before a flame.

Passive effects: Resist fire (as the cleric spell, cast at 5th level); +1 to user's Strength or Constitution

Invoked effects: 

• Alter flames (excite or dampen existing flames by varying amounts:

“Area effect”            Damage/round*    Change by steps       Time required

    Extinguish                      0/1                       1                          none

    Candle                           1/1                       1                           none

    Torch                         1d4/1d4                    2                           none

    Campfire                    1d8/1d6                    3                        1 round

    Bonfire                       2d8/2d6                    4                        2 rounds

    House fire                  3d8/3d6                    5                        3 rounds

    Conflagration             4d8/4d6                     6                        4 rounds

    Firestorm                    5d8/5d6                   7                        5 rounds

• *first listing is damage dealt to targets within the area. Second listing is the damage the user takes to fuel the effect.

• Earthquake (reduced effect from clerical spell; 30’ square, causes sharp jolts, enough to knock those in the area of effect off feet (save vs. Death Ray to remain standing); hard rock may crack, but does not open fissures.) cost 3d8 hp
• *Flameshield (shrouds user in a sheet of flames; 1d8hp/round damage to adjacent enemies) cost 2 hp to invoke, 1 hp/round thereafter
• Produce fire (as the Druid Spell, cast at 5th level) cost 2 hp per use.
• Rock to mud*: liquefies up to 30’ cube of rock, or causes up to 30’ cube of mud to solidify into solid stone. cost 3d8 hp.

    Sirens can use a red dragonstone to cancel effects of another stone within 60’

    Shrikes can use a red dragonstone to sheath their weapon in flames, dealing an extra 1d4 points of damage to a target on a successful hit. When using Andahar’s Edge in Archer-mode, the Shrike can manifest bolts of pure fire if she is out of ammunition, dealing only 1d4 points of fire damage.

Black Dragonstones are of a deep black, veined with purple. They are attuned to shadow, air, and the Sphere of Entropy. They can be used to shield the user from the sight and senses of others, deepen existing shadows, call forth impenetrable darkness over small areas. Black dragonstones are used in the binding and containment of ethereal demonic entities, and have also been seen to exhibit the same properties with the life force of material beings. 

Passive effects: Infravision, 30’

Invoked effects: 

• Blind (as clerical spell, cast at 5th level); cost 6 hp/use
• Call lightning (as the druid spell, cast at 5th level); cost 3d6 hp
• Darkness, 15’ radius (as the clerical spell, cast at 5th level); cost 3 hp
• Deepen Shadows (shadows are twice as effective for concealment; effectively doubles thieves’ “Hide in Shadows” effect for 1 turn per 3 hp)
• Invisibility (as the magic user spell, cast at 5th level); cost 3 hp/turn
• Obscure trail (erases or confuses tracks up to 100’ per level or for 3 turns) cost 3hp
• Shocking grasp (charges hand with electrical energy, dispersed on contact, or can be hurled up to 30’; deals 1d6 hp/level); cost 1d6 hp/level
• Soulbind (living target must save vs. Death Ray or be compelled to do user’s will; cost 6d6 hp/turn; dead targets animate and do user’s bidding at a cost of 1d6 hp/target’s HD/turn)

    Sirens can use a black dragonstone to trap a demon’s ethereal essence (treat as an inside-out Magic Jar effect on the demon’s ‘soul’)

    Shrikes can “burn” the essences trapped within a gem, using the demon’s hit points instead of her own to fuel dragonstone effects.

White Dragonstones aren’t actually white, but clear, veined with gold. They are attuned to the elements of air and water, and the Sphere of Thought. White dragonstones exhibit properties of passive defense and evasion, as well as healing, foresight and warding.

Passive effects: Regeneration, 1 hp/turn/stone*; Blur (+3 to AC after first attack, lasts 3 rounds); Sanctuary (if totally still in combat situation, viewers must Save vs. Spells to notice user)

Invoked effects: 

• Cure Light/Moderate/Serious Wounds (heals user for 3, 6, or 9 hit points, or can be used on others at a cost of 1/2 the hps restored)*
• Detect danger (as the druid spell, cast at 3rd level); cost 2 hp
• Light (as the magic user spell, cast at 3rd level); cost 1 hp/3turns
• Remove Fear (as the cleric spell, cast at 3rd level); cost 3 hp/turn

• damage dealt by Red Steel cannot be regenerated, and the dragonstones’ healing properties will not work against wounds inflicted with such weaponry.

Blue Dragonstones are alike in color with brilliant, deep sapphires, but shot through with a fine veinwork of silvery threads. These burn with a bright white light when the stone’s powers are activated, causing the entire gem to shine with a cold blue light.

Blue dragonstones are attuned to elemental air, and the Sphere of Thought. They can be used to command the winds, but also shield the user’s mind from all forms of invasion or detection. They can be used to imprint thoughts and memories. They can also be used to aid in deciphering, decoding and cataloguing the information contained in those stored memories.

Passive Effects: Detect Evil, the radius determined by the phase of the moon: New: 5’ ; First quarter: 10’; Half moon: 15’; Three quarter: 20’; Full: 30’; the cycle repeats in reverse as Matera wanes. The stone manifests a mindmask, lasting as long as the gem is worn or carried against the skin. The user is immune to magical charm-like effects, and gains a +3 to Saving Throws vs. other mind-affecting magics.

Invoked Effects: The following spell-like effects can be cast by the dratonstone’s user:

• Analyze, as if the user were of 5th level (unless actual level is higher) (1st)
• Read Languages (1st)
• ESP,  but omnidirectional (2nd)
• Lore (5th)
• Control Weather (6th)
• Harness the Wind (1st through 6th; see below)

Strength Area Affected Brew Time

Puff (1) 5‘ radius    none

Gust (1) 25’ radius 1 round

Blow (3) 300’ radius 3 rounds

Roar (5) 1 mile radius 5 rounds

Howl (6) 10 mile radius 7 rounds

• Summon Air Elemental (8HD) (8th)
• Imprint: Upon the death of the user, their consciousness is sealed within the stone as it was up to the very moment of death. The user is not technically alive, nor is the soul itself captured. It is not possible to bring the user back to life using the imprinted consciousness. However, with certain rituals, the imprinted consciousness can be evoked, even interacted with for brief periods.

Blue dragonstones gain their powers from the minds of their users. The invoked effects are powered by the memories of their users, devouring a spell slot of a given level with each invoked effect. If the user does not have spells of that level, it takes any remaining spells that add up to that level (one 3rd and one 2nd level spell rather than one of 5th level). In cases such as this, the effect is only half as potent. If the stone’s user does not have enough spell slots to power the effect, the power does not manifest, and leaves the user’s thoughts muddled. Intelligence checks must be made for the next 4d6 hours to recall such things as names, places, and events within the same amount of time.

If the person using the dragonstone is not a spellcaster, the stone takes 1d4 hours’ of memories per spell level indicated (or 1d4 significant memories), at random intervals within the user’s lifetime:

d%         Time past

01-05 10 years

06-10 8 years

11-15 6 years

16-25 5 years

26-36 4 years

37-49 3 years

50-65 2 years

66-73 1 year

74-89 6 months

90-97 3 months

98 Past Month

99 Past week

00 Past day

Spells ‘eaten’ by the stone can be relearned after a full night’s rest. Memories return sporadically, trickling back to the blue dragonstone user’s at a rate of one (or one hour’s worth) per each night’s rest.

Those memories are permanently ‘burned’ into the stone. These memories trigger if another user takes up the stone, flashing into the new user’s mind in times of high stress (i.e. on a missed non-lethal Saving Throw)

Sirens can coax full non-detection from a blue dragonstone, being immune to all forms of scrying, clairaudience, clairvoyance, ESP, and any other means of detection.

Shrikes can use a blue dragonstone to empower a leap into short-distance flight (as if using the fly spell, limited to 3 turns’ duration), or can arrest a fall from great heights, reducing the effective range of a fall by 2/3 the actual distance.

All known blue dragonstones contain an imprint of a fallen siren. If the specific siren is not known, roll 1d4x 1000 to determine the “age” of the siren, and gauge her knowledge from that point in history.

Green Dragonstones are of a shade nearly on par with emeralds, but veined with gold. They are attuned to the element of water, and the Sphere of Time. As such, they can be used to alter the flow of time, and manipulate water and ice. Minor green dragonstones saw common use in water clocks and Blackmoorian Timekeepers.

Green dragonstones gain their power from the lifespan of their user, speeding the effect of time with each use of an Invoked effect.

Passive effects: Water Breathing (active as long as the stone is kept next to flesh); Resist Cold (active as long as the stone is kept next to bare skin); Longevity (one-time gain of 1d4X10 years of life upon activating the stone)

Invoked effects: 

• Purify Water (1 L per HD/level of the user); cost: ages the user 2 months
• Create Water (as above), cost: ages the user 4 months
• Precipitation: cost: ages the user 3 months
• Obscure: (cast at 5th level); costs 1 month per turn
• Lower Water: ages the user 6 months
• Current (ages the user 4 months per round)

Strength Area Affected Brew Time

Lazy Flow 5‘ radius   none

Swift Current 25’ radius 1 round

Cascade 300’ radius 3 rounds

Torrent 1 mile radius 5 rounds

Cataract 10 mile radius 7 rounds

• Haste/Slow; cost: ages user 1 year
• Polymorph Any Object: ages user 1 year
• Ice Storm/Wall cost: ages the user 1.5 years
• Anti-Magic Shell cost: ages the user 2 years
• Disintigrate (as the Magic User Spell); cost: ages the user 3 years
• Timestop: (as the Magic User Spell); cost: ages the user 5 years

    Sirens can use a green dragonstone to assume Gaseous Form for up to six turns. They can return to their normal form by concentration. Touching a green dragonstone to a still body of water (puddle, bowl) allows a siren to use that water as a Crystal Ball.

    Shrikes can use a green dragonstone to rime their weapon in ice, dealing an extra 1d4 (d6 for fire-based opponents) points of damage to a target on a successful hit. When using an Andahar’s Edge in Archer-mode, the Shrike can manifest bolts of ice if she is out of ammunition, dealing 1d4 points of cold damage.

The Soulbound Construct

Alien species for the Alternity rules system

Form and Physiology

The soulbound construct is an organic shell housing a fragment of another beings’ consciousness. The shells are magically grown and incubated in Blackmoorian stasis chambers, kept in a twilight state between life and death, sleep and dreaming until such time as they are fused to a host fragment in a ceremony involving the Blackmoorian Well of Souls.

The only known shells that currently exist on Mystara are the clone-stock of the Andahar twins, Rowena and Leansethar, and thus they all appear the same: small, slender sidhe girls, of maiden’s age, with blonde hair. Depending on the host consciousness, their eyes are either silver or gold to match their Tenser-locked Val’kira bracers.

Upon awakening, the soulbound construct is templated with the language of the dominant culture, which is drawn by touch from the first sentient being with which they come into contact.

History

The soulbound construct is the pinnacle of Blackmoor’s Artificial Life research, fusing technologies from the Galactic Federation, the Egg of Coot, and Wizard’s Cabal.

They were once fielded by the thousands in the wars with the Beast Men and Afridhi. Since the activation of Andahar’s Engine, their presence in the world has declined significantly, numbering perhaps a hundred across the entire surface of Mystara.

Culture

Soulbound constructs do not have a culture of their own, but integrate themselves as best they can within their host culture. When left to their own devices, they fall back on Blackmoorian customs and etiquette.

Psychology

Soulbound constructs are driven by their primary purpose: to defeat and contain the demonic threat to their world. While they are inherently of a hive-mind and tied to their mother-consciousness, they are at the same time highly independent. 

They are keenly aware that they are simply tools, cogs in the great machinery that keeps the demonic threat at bay; one does not befriend a sword, or a plow, and thus they keep themselves distant from others. Still, those that do form bonds with “outsiders” do not do so lightly.

Ability Scores

STR 4/12 INT 4/14

DEX 7/15 WIL 8/14

CON 4/14 PER 4/13

Because of their small size, Daughter-based soulbound constructs are not as physically strong as normal humans. Their machine-like intelligence and linkage to the thoughtshare network tends to isolate them from others, hampering their ability to interact with those they are sworn to defend.

Also due to their small size, they are often more agile and quick than humans or demihumans. Because they must harness and tame the magic within dragonstones, they need a strong Will.

Advantages

The Thoughtshare: Soulbound constructs maintain a latent psychic link to their mother-consciousness, and through that are dimly aware of all others of their kind throughout the network. All of those memories and experiences “pool,” and the soulbound construct is able to dip into that, drawing out diffused knowledge that others of their kind might have, even going so far as to manifest skills not possessed by their own consciousness-fragment.

Due to their thoughtshare network connection, soulbound constructs resist mind-affecting magics at -3 steps.

Soulbound construct shells are inherently tougher than normal bodies, and exhibit some regenerative abilities. They start with the “Enhanced Healing” mutation from the PHB, page 219.

Soulbound constructs using magic of any kind cast at a -1 step bonus due to their highly magical nature and connection to the dragonstones.

Weaknesses

Soulbound constructs can only pool so much dragonstone energy, and most of that goes towards powering the shell. Diverting energy to their Enhanced Healing comes at a temporary drain to their Constitution, manifesting as the “Temporary Weakness, moderate” drawback mutation. (PHB, p. 224)

Soulbound constructs also exhibit what others perceive as a faulty memory: Because of the thoughtshare matrix, their memories are cycled into the collective on every “downcycle,” and the soulbound construct must make a conscious effort to recall information more than 48 hours old, requiring more effort the older the memory. This manifests as the "Forgetful" flaw (PHB, page 108)

Soulbound construct shells operate at a higher internal temperature than most of the other races. If targeted by a race with infravision, they suffer a +1 step penalty to their Strength and Dexterity resistance modifiers. Fighting while Tenser’s seals are unlocked increases these penalties to +3 steps.

Skills

All soulbound constructs begin with the following free skills:

Ability Free Broad Skill

Strength Athletics

Dexterity Stealth

Constitution Stamina

Intelligence Knowledge

Will Awareness

Personality Interaction