Middle Kingdom Loot, 808

The effect of items is as they behave on Alusia. Most other planes should be identical. Party choice-order is
Kit, Axis, Mortimer, Motley, Chesca, Braegon, Naden; Naden, Braegon, Chesca, Motley, Mortimer, Axis, Kit.
Repeat as required.

SECTION 1: General Items.

ITEM-A: Assassin's/Scout's cloak — 9,000sp. -- Naden 1st Choice

Dark gray cloak which, as long as it is held by an arm in front of the face, in a theatrically sinister fashion, confers Invisibility (E&E) on the wearer at Rank 20.

ITEM-B: Black-box of Demon-detecting — 3,500sp. -- Mortimer 1st choice

This item is of Kalimar origin & cannot be Divinated; its effects could only be deducted from experimentation. The item is a 2" black cube, with a 20" adamantine chain coming out of one face. The other faces light up when a being "native" to another plane is in that particular direction — although the direction is only appropriate: to the nearest hex facing or so, the triggering range, at which a face begins to glow is even more imprecise: some 200-500 yards, irrespective of the size, number, or power of the other-plane being [a.k.a. "demon", in the vaguest sense]. If the "demon is close (an imprecise term), the face[s] glow more brightly. Detection is NOT prevented by bound elements, walls, counter-spells, curses, concealing magics, magics of non-detectibility, or whatever.
If the chain is in contact with a being not native to the current plane of existence, then the triggerring range increases to some 1 to 3 miles only for detecting other beings from that same plane.

ITEM-C: Calligraphy brush — 3,000sp. -- Incense 1st choice

Must be employed with good-quality ink (or, failing that, user's own fresh blood). At the calligrapher's whim, the colour painted/brushed may change. Also at whim, and only when using ink, the width of the lines & density of the wash may vary. Adds 2 ranks to the effective quality of any calligraphy or painting.

ITEM-D: Bane-rock, 1st block @ 4,444sp. -- Motley 2nd choice

ITEM-E: Bane-rock, 2nd block @ 4,444sp. -- Kit 2nd choice

Heavy basalt-like rock [from the Mountains of Madness between Raniterre & Plaz'Toro]; minimum weight, for effectiveness, 250 lbs. Bane-rock does not affect corporeal, non-summoned beings. If a summoned, non-corporeal, or semi-corporeal being is in contact, then all magic in effect drops 11 ranks . If the rank drops below 0, the magic falls off; if any remaining magic is still Rank 0 or above & the being is in continuous contact with the stone for longer than the normal duration of that rank, then that magic also falls off. Similarly, the being's talents, spells, rituals, & items drop 11 ranks. If the rank drops below 0, the being may not use that talent/spell/ritual/items/charges ... but does not lose them. Shaped items that the GM deems to be Rank 11+ will still work, but the GM will have to decide whether at full or partial effect.
This reduction in rank also applies to all magic cast by a summoned, non-corporeal, or semi-corporeal being in such a way that a direct line from the caster to the target (person, thing, area, direction, etc) passes over the bane-rock. The effect is a column many miles high at least; but does not apply to magic passing under the bane-rock. Thus, bane-rock may lead to anomalous results for a single spell/item/etc — e.g., a gap in a wall-spell, a gray non-perceivable area in a Crystal vision of a distant area, ...

ITEM-F: Jade Bat — 500sp. -- Naden 2nd Choice

A small, pale green, carved talisman. When worn openly, the Bat protects its wearer from Evil Eye and confers the effect of a Lesser Enchantment spell.

ITEM-G: Acupuncture text & 12 silver needles — 4,500sp. -- Braegon 1st Choice

This rolls up in a cloth cover; total weight of the set is 1 pound. It may only be used by one person at a time. Although it has many diagrams, one must be at least Rank 6 in reading the Middle Kingdom character-script to use this item. The user, even if NOT a healer, may Cure Infection, Disease, Headaches, or Fever, or Soothe Pain, without expending fatigue and as if the user were a Rank 5 healer. If the user is in fact a healer of at least Rank 3, they gain no additional abilities; but for any healer ability, their success chance is increased & the time reduced as if they were actually one rank higher.

ITEM-H: Martial Arts text, "The way of the ultimate Fist" — 7,500sp. -- Kit 1st choice

A small book written on thick paper, weighing just under half a pound. Although it has plenty of pictures, one must be at least Rank 6 in reading the Middle Kingdom character-script to use it. If used when training for Ranks 8, 9, or 10 unarmed (in conjunction with any other training), the user gets two weeks & 20% EP discount from the time & EP costs; the user also learns a series of impressive movements that are good exercise and, when done at speed impress onlookers with the trained person's prowess. The text may only be used by one person at a time; but a [previous] user, once they have gained their rank(s) in unarmed combat, suffers no penalty from lending or giving the book to another user.

SECTION 2: General consumables.

ITEM-J: Wand, small, hard-wood, containing two charges of Rank-10 Befuddle — 3,500sp.

Range 180 feet; Duration: 110 seconds; E.M. 350; Base Chance 65; Resist Passive; Target Area. [Mind College] Effects: The spell affects an area with a diameter of 15 feet (+10 / Rank) centred on a point in line of sight or entity observed through the spell of Detect Minds. All entities other than the Adept within the area who fail to resist must cease their current activity and make a 1 x WP check to do any non-pass action or a 2 x WP to do a non-magical pass action. Those that do resist must make a 2 x WP check to do a new non-magical action. All success chances (other than WP checks as part of the spell effects) are reduced by 30.

ITEM-K: Xing-Xing jerky , 1st Portion @ 2,500sp. -- Braegon 2nd Choice

ITEM-L: Xing-Xing jerky , 2nd Portion @ 2,500sp. -- Naden 3rd Choice

[2oz] Confers +3TMR for 8 hours.  Moreover fatigue loss when running is halved (but only when running).  Best before Summer 817; no effect if taken after that date.

ITEM-M: powdered, dried Pin-plant, in a small silk-bag — 2,000sp. -- Braegon 4th Choice

Although the fresh plant is enough to fully restore lost fatigue, this powder has enough for about 10 standard meal portions.  It adds a savoury relish and doubles the total fatigue gain of the meal (including any herbalist bonuses). Best before Summer 811; no effect if taken after that date.

ITEM-N: Soul-fungus, 1st piece @ 1,600.

ITEM-O: Soul-fungus, 2nd piece @ 1,600.

A flat, kidney-shaped, dried mushroom that protects the eater for all damage done by Phantasms and half the damage done by Nightmares (see the spells of these names). Effect lasts 3 hours from the time it is eaten. Best before Summer 810; no effect if taken after that date.

SECTION 3: Magical Teas.

Each of these comes in a small 1-ounce packet (or large sachet) containing 12 measures; you do not have to use all of the packet at once. Making tea consumes 1 measure for the pot & 1 for each dose of brewed tea; thus a standard 12-measure packet is enough for 6-11 dose, depending on how much is brewed each particular time. Volume of each dose is approximately 1 nip. To be effective, the dose must be consumed within 5 minutes of being brewed. The magical effect of the Tea is combinable with all other magic including items — unless any other item or magic has a specific exclusion or limiting effect. All Stat-related effects of Special Tea effects may exceed racial maxima/minima. Tea that gives an effect over a duration has been prepared by the Tea-master to last 100 minutes; although that may change individually if the recipient has an unusual physiology (e.g., Grail hobbits). Taking multiple doses has no combinatorial effect; however, if under the current effect of a dose, taking a fresh dose of that tea will queue any duration effect and sustain that effect for a further 100 minutes. For example, it would be possible for a mage to gain the bonuses of Black-Dragon Tea for a 6-hour ritual by getting 3 top-ups during the ritual (if someone else did the brewing). All the teas below must be consumed by Spring 811 WK, or they will lose their magic potency.

ITEM-P: Black Dragon tea, 1st packet @ 800sp. -- Motley 3rd choice

ITEM-Q: Black Dragon tea, 2nd packet @ 800sp. -- Axis 3rd Choice

ITEM-R: Black Dragon tea, 3rd packet @ 800sp. -- Braegon 3rd Choice

ITEM-S: Black Dragon tea, 4th packet @ 800sp. -- Braegon 5th Choice

Resembles watery black ink. The dose confers an additional 2 PC & 2 MA for the duration.

ITEM-T: Gold Dragon tea, 1st packet @ 1,000sp. -- Axis 1st Choice

ITEM-V: Gold Dragon tea, 2nd packet @ 1,000sp. -- Kit 3rd choice

A glowing honey/amber colour. The dose confers an additional 3 WP for the duration.

ITEM-W: Yellow Dragon tea @ 1,000sp. -- Motley 1st choice

A sickly, foul-tasting, yellow liquid. Effect: instantaneous. The drinker is cured of any current nausea, pain, poison, or magically-induced confusion. Unfortunately this is done, a few seconds after swallowing the tea, by vomiting up any toxins or poisons ... and the drinker loses 2 points of fatigue (if they had any fatigue left at the time).

ITEM-X: Green Dragon tea, 1st packet @ 2,500sp. -- Incense 2nd choice

ITEM-Y: Green Dragon tea, 2nd packet @ 2,500sp. -- Naden 4th Choice

The dose confers, for the duration, the ability to understand the heard communications of birds or animals as if it were speech. Also, when the tea-drinker is being spoken to directly, it enables the drinker to "hear" a few unspoken additions that the speaker had specifically thought but deliberately refrained from saying — even if the speaker has a Mind Cloak or similar protection. Some examples are:
"What an unfortunate accident [but better you than me]."
"Would you like anything to drink? [you look as though you'd drink anything]."
"Can I say [without lying] how helpful you've been?"
"What a [horrid] surprise. I was not expecting to see you today [because you were supposed to be killed last night]."

ITEM-Z: Red Dragon tea, 1 packet @ 3,000sp. -- Axis 2nd choice

Tea of a rich-ruby colour that warms the drinker with an inner fire. Apart from the 100 minute duration, the drinker behaves as if under the effect of a Rank 11 Resist Cold spell: totally protected from the effects of Hypothermia, suffering 3 points less damage due to magical or non-magical cold based attacks.

Back to Ephemeral Elephants -- description of main adventure.