Artifacts

A globe of utter darkness that consumes all things. Powerful weapons created in antiquity carrying the hopes of an entire people. A simple deck of cards representing fortunes both transcendent and deadly. These are artifacts—items of incredible power, spoken of in thousands of stories and beyond the capability of modern people to create.

Stranger and more powerful than other magic items, artifacts can change the course of history in the right hands—or the wrong hands. Simply finding an artifact is a pivotal moment in your campaign, and its presence then ripples throughout your entire game, warping the story around it. Some entire adventures revolve around one artifact!

Adding an artifact to your game should never be taken lightly. Artifacts shouldn’t be found in normal treasure hoards, even at 20th level, and you’ll need to structure moments in your plot that play into the artifact’s presence.

Prepare yourself for encounters being easily overcome by the artifact. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include such encounters, since part of the thrill of an artifact is that it breaks the normal rules! Though you should include an artifact mindfully, you should allow it to have its full impact so that it can do itself and the story of your game justice.

Artifact Rules

Every artifact is an item with the artifact trait. This trait means two things: the item can’t be crafted by normal means, and it can’t be damaged by normal means.

Artifacts are always rare or unique. The ones found here are all 20th level or higher, which is typical for artifacts.

The other rules for wearing or using the item still apply.

Artifact Destruction

An artifact’s stat block usually has a destruction entry.

This details the extraordinary method needed to destroy the item. These entries can be highly specific. It could take completing an entire quest, or even an entire campaign, to finally destroy an artifact. However, the story of your game might require something different, so you can always change an artifact’s destruction requirement for your game.

Creating An Artifact

Mechanically, an artifact functions in the game just like any other item—only the scope of its abilities is different.

Artifacts can and should do things normal items can’t, so you don’t need to apply the normal limitations on creating items.

When you’re making an artifact, start by defining its role in the story. Is it meant to be a powerful weapon against the forces of darkness? A mercurial force injecting random chance? A terrible danger that needs to be destroyed? The artifact’s role in the story affects the features you give it. Come up with some story beats that make sense for the item, then create abilities that enable those moments. An artifact can have more abilities than a typical item—just make sure they all fit its theme.

Give your item the artifact trait and either the rare trait (if there multiple items of its kind), or the unique trait (if only one exists). Other traits work like they do for any other item. An artifact is usually 20th level or higher, but its specific level is up to you. Imagine who created it and what their level likely was.

Though you can disregard most of the normal limitations on items, be careful not to create an artifact that will undermine your story. If your item’s abilities are so useful or strong that the best option in any battle is to always use the artifact to annihilate the opposition, the artifact has taken over your story instead of serving it. A 5th-level character with access to 10th-level spells through an artifact can lead to incredible stories, but if the DC is so high that enemies are guaranteed to critically fail against those spells except on a natural 20, the item will probably distort play more than you intended. To avoid this, you might set the item’s DCs, attack bonuses, and the spell levels of its offensive abilities significantly lower than they would be for an item of its level, especially if they can be used at will.

You could also create artifacts that use the wielder’s spell DC instead of having their own DC, to make them more broadly usable at a wider range of levels. In addition, an artifact’s abilities should be somewhat narrow in their application; aim to make your artifacts very powerful in certain situations, rather than having broadly applicable abilities. For instance, the orbs of dragonkind each work against only a certain kind of dragon, which makes them hugely powerful when facing that one creature, but not against every foe the PCs run across.

Artifact Descriptions

Axe of the Dwarven Lords Item 26

Unique Artifact Conjuration Magical Transmutation

Usage held in 2 hands; Bulk 3

The blade of this +4 major striking keen returning speed dwarven waraxe is carved with an intricate design depicting countless generations of great dwarven warriors and leaders.

The axe has the thrown 30 feet weapon trait, in addition to the normal weapon traits for a dwarven waraxe. Strikes with the axe deal an additional 1d6 damage to orcs. While the axe is in your possession, you gain a +4 item bonus when Crafting armor, jewelry, metalworking, stonemasonry, snares, traps, and weapons. If you are a dwarf, you gain greater darkvision while holding the axe. If you are not a dwarf, you are stupefied 4 while holding the axe, and if you are an orc, you are also drained 4 and enfeebled 4 while holding it.

Activate [three-actions] envision, Interact; Frequency once per week; Effect The axe casts a 10th-level summon elemental spell to conjure an elite elemental avalanche (Bestiary 6, 147). The spell is automatically sustained, requiring no action on your part but still allowing you to command the elemental on each of your turns.

You can Dismiss the Spell.

Destruction If an orc beheads a dwarven king with the Axe of the Dwarven Lords, the axe rusts away to nothing.

Deck of Many Things Item 22

Rare Artifact Magical Transmutation

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk —

These 22 cards of heavy vellum, usually stored in a box or a pouch, bear images or glyphs depicting symbols of magical power. Looking at a card without activating it shows the card face but has no magical effect. Once the deck is face down, the cards randomize themselves—if you look at the top card multiple times, you may find it changes. Any card removed from the deck goes missing after a few seconds, reappearing in the deck.

Activate [one-action] envision, Interact; Effect You declare how many cards you will draw facedown from the deck, then draw your first card. The card takes effect immediately. Any further cards must be drawn within the next hour, and any card you don’t voluntarily draw flits off the deck and affects you anyway.

You can never activate the same deck of many things again.

Once a card is drawn, it produces its effect immediately and then disappears back into the deck, which immediately shuffles itself. (The Dullard and Jester are exceptions, as described in their entries below.)

The effects of each card are as follows.

• Balance Your alignment changes to a radically different one. If you fail to adhere to that alignment, you lose a level and all the benefits you gained at that level. Your XP total doesn’t change when you lose a level this way.
• Comet If you alone defeat the next low-threat or harder hostile enemy or enemies you encounter, you gain enough XP to reach the next level. Otherwise, you gain no benefit.
• Donjon You’re imprisoned by a 10th-level imprisonment ritual. This uses the prison option, typically sequestering you in a distant part of the world. You also lose all your items. Cease drawing cards.
• Dullard Immediately reduce your Intelligence score by 1d4+1. You can then draw an additional card, and the Dullard card then disappears forever.
• Euryale (curse) A medusa’s image curses you with a permanent –1 status penalty to all saving throws. This can be removed by only a deity or the Fates card.
• The Fates The Fates respin the fabric of reality to save you from any situation you choose. This can reverse even a past event, and you can make the decision instantly even if the event would slay you. This intervention saves only you, not anyone else affected by the event. There’s no limit on how long you can wait before using this effect.
• Flames A fiend becomes filled with anger, jealousy, envy, or some other reason to despise you. Its hatred for you doesn’t cease until either it or you is dead. It attacks you or otherwise attempts to foil you within 1d20 days. The GM determines the specifics of the fiend.
• Fool You lose 1d10×100 XP unless you choose to draw two more cards.
• Gem Gain your choice of 25 pieces of jewelry worth 200 gp each or 50 gems worth 100 gp each.
• Jester You can either draw two more cards or gain 1d10×100 XP. The card then disappears forever.
• Key Gain a magic weapon of 12th level or higher. The GM determines the item and what runes it has, if any.
• Knight A palace guard arrives and swears unfailing loyalty to you.
• Moon Roll 1d4 to determine how many wishes the card grants you, which also affects the phase of the moon depicted on the card (1: crescent moon; 2: half moon; 3: gibbous moon; 4: full moon). These wishes each take one action to speak and have the effect of a wish spell.
• Rogue One NPC ally becomes filled with hatred and immediately turns against you forever. The NPC might keep this hatred secret until an opportune moment.
• Ruin You lose all your nonmagical possessions, including any wealth and property.
• Skull You must immediately battle a lesser death. If slain in the battle, you can never be revived, except by a deity.
• Star Gain an ability boost you must use immediately on one ability score of your choice.
• Sun Gain 1,000 XP and a beneficial permanent magic item of 6th to 11th level, chosen by the GM.
• Talons All your magic items disappear permanently, except for the deck and any artifact of higher level than the deck.
• Throne You gain a permanent +4 status bonus to Diplomacy checks, and you now own a small castle in any open area you wish. You must choose its location within 1 hour.
• Vizier Upon request, you can learn the solution to any one problem or the correct answer to any one question, unless that information is obscured by a deity. This doesn’t necessarily give you the means to act on that solution. You have 1 year to take the vizier’s advice or lose its benefits.
• The Void Your mind becomes trapped forever. This card is fickle, but it often throws the psyche into a prison in an object on a distant plane or planet. Wish or similarly powerful magic can reveal your psyche’s location, but it doesn’t bring you back. Your comatose body continues to function. Cease drawing cards.

Card Substitutions You can use playing cards or tarot cards as proxies for the cards in a deck of many things.

Card	Playing Card	Tarot Card
Balance	2 of spades	XI. Justice
Comet	2 of diamonds	2 of swords
Donjon	Ace of spades	4 of swords
Dullard	2 of clubs	2 of pentacles
Euryale	Queen of spades	10 of swords
The Fates	Ace of hearts	3 of cups
Flames	Queen of clubs	XV. The Devil
Fool	Joker (black)	0. The Fool
Gem	2 of hearts	7 of cups
Jester	Joker (red)	XII. The Hanged Man
Key	Queen of hearts	V. The Hierophant
Knight	Jack of hearts	Page of swords
Moon	Queen of diamonds	XVIII. The Moon
Rogue	Jack of spades	5 of swords
Ruin	King of spades	XVI. The Tower
Skull	Jack of clubs	XIII. Death
Star	Jack of diamonds	XVII. The Star
Sun	King of diamonds	XIX. The Sun
Talons	Ace of clubs	Queen of pentacles
Throne	King of hearts	4 of wands
Vizier	Ace of diamonds	IX. The Hermit
The Void	King of clubs	8 of swords

Destruction Trick the Grim Reaper into drawing the Skull card.

Elder Sign Item 25

Rare Abjuration Artifact Occult

Usage held in one hand; Bulk 1

This stone tablet is carved with the symbol of a five-branched twig. There are only a limited number of elder signs, and each time one is destroyed, the universe’s doom creeps inexorably closer. Reciting one of three different occult mantras (DC 20 Occultism check to do so correctly) allows three different activations. All three abilities work only on a creature connected to the Elder Mythos or a cosmic horror, such as a wendigo or gug; the activations refer to them as “eldritch creatures.”

Activate [two-actions] command, envision, Interact; Effect The elder sign casts a 10th-level banishment spell on an eldritch creature. Even if the creature isn’t extraplanar, the elder sign can still banish it, sending it back to the part of the Material Plane from which it originated. If the creature is a Great Old One, the elder sign banishes it automatically (as if it critically failed its save) but is then forever destroyed.

Activate [two-actions] command, envision, Interact; Effect The elder sign casts dispel magic on an effect from an eldritch creature, using a counteract level of 10 and +30 modifier for the roll.

Activate [two-actions] command, envision, Interact; Effect The elder sign casts dimensional lock, though it wards against travel by only eldritch creatures. Each time the elder sign casts dimensional lock in this way, the previous dimensional lock spell ends.

Destruction The only way to destroy an elder sign is to use it to banish a Great Old One.

Essence Prism Item 28

Unique Artifact Transmutation

Bulk 5

This enormous, multifaceted prism normally rests on a pedestal, eerily refracting many-colored lights even when no light source is present. In reality, the prism refracts the four magical essences into the visible spectrum (see the core rules for more on the four essences). A creature adjacent to the prism can adjust its facets with an Interact action to change between two polarities. Two essences flow from two input streams into the prism, where the prism combines them into a single output stream; alternatively, a single essence flows from one input stream into the prism and is split into two output streams. A creature that enters and stays within an input essence stream for 1 minute is slowly encased in solid magic, at which point it is paralyzed until anyone reverses the prism’s flow or finishes activating the prism. A creature stepping into an output essence stream is gently pushed back and out of the stream.

Activate [two-actions] Interact; Requirements The prism has only one input stream; Effect You alter and rearrange the facets of the essence prism, adjusting the essences to select for a single quality, which might be associated with mental essence, like a personality trait; material essence, like a physical quality; vital essence, like a belief or instinct; or spiritual essence, like an alignment component such as good or lawful. You must succeed at a secret DC 30 skill check with a skill associated with a magical tradition that uses the essence you chose (for instance, Arcana or Occultism for mental essence, as arcane and occult magic both use mental essence). On a failure, you accidentally set the prism for some other quality.

Activate 1 minute (Interact); Requirements The prism has only one input stream, and a creature is encased in magic in the input stream; Effect Over the course of the next hour, the creature in the input stream has its essences refracted through the prism, creating two cocoons of magic in the output streams that each contain a new creature. At the end of the process, the original creature is gone, and the two new creatures break free of their cocoons. Each creature is part of the original, separated from the rest based on the last quality set by the prism’s first activation. For instance, if you set the prism to “good,” one creature would have all the original creature’s good aspects and the other would be the original creature’s evil side. Unless you selected a physical quality, both new creatures look just like the original. The new creatures are usually 2 levels lower than the original, but if the original creature was strongly biased with respect to the quality you chose (for instance, if splitting out the good and evil side of a redeemer), the stronger creature is 1 level lower and the weaker creature is 3 or more levels lower. If calibrated correctly, this activation can also reverse the effect of the third activation.

Activate 1 minute (Interact); Requirements The prism has two input streams, and a creature is encased in magic in each of the input streams; Effect Over the course of the next hour, the essences of both creatures in the input streams are refracted through the prism, creating a cocoon of magic in the output stream that contains a new creature. At the end of the process, the original creatures are gone, and the new creature breaks free of its cocoon. The new creature is an amalgam of the originals, with a new personality blended from both, and is usually 1 or 2 levels higher than the higher level of the original creatures unless the lower-level creature was much weaker. This activation also reverses the effect of the second activation.

Destruction Forcing the essence prism to combine two incompatible demigods destroys the prism, though it might also result in a new divinity.

Forgefather’s Seal Item 24

Rare Abjuration Artifact Divine

Usage etched onto armor

This rune was created by a god of forges, protection, and strategy, and shared with his greatest artisans and warriors. Each one is nearly identical but has a different spell effect when using the reaction activation; for instance, one seal casts sunburst instead of earthquake.

A seal constantly rings with the quiet sound of a hammer striking an anvil when etched onto a runestone. A Forgefather’s seal can be etched only onto armor that can bear two or more property runes, and it is so powerful that it takes the place of two property runes. While wearing armor etched with a Forgefather’s seal, you gain fire resistance 40.

You ignore the armor’s check penalty and Speed penalty (if any); if the armor is light or medium, increase its item bonus to AC by 1.

In addition, any shield you wield automatically recovers 10 Hit Points at the start of your turn each round.

Activate [reaction] Interact; Frequency once per hour; Trigger You are hit by an attack; Effect The Forgefather’s seal glows and your armor shakes as it absorbs the blow. The attack’s damage is reduced by 100 and you cast earthquake (DC 40), centered directly on the triggering creature. You decide the area of the earthquake when you Cast the Spell, from as small as the size of the creature and up to a 60-foot burst.

Activate [three-actions] Interact; Frequency once per day; Effect You call upon on the restorative powers of the seal to repair an item within reach. The rune instantly restores the item to full Hit Points, even if the item was destroyed, using the effects of the remake spell, so long as the majority of the item is available for the repair. The seal can restore even magic items and artifacts of its level or lower. Once you have used this ability, the seal’s ability to automatically repair shields becomes inactive until the next time you make your daily preparations.

Activate [free-action] envision; Trigger You have not acted yet on your turn; Effect You call upon your faith to defend your allies and those around you, sacrificing yourself in the process. Creatures of your choosing within 60 feet recover all their Hit Points. If any of the creatures are dead, they are instead brought back to life with half of their maximum Hit Points. The chosen creatures also gain a +4 status bonus to AC and saving throws, and fast healing 15 for 1 hour.

You can use this ability to bring back to life a creature that requires a miracle spell or divine intervention to raise from the dead, as long as you choose no other creatures within 60 feet to recover.

Once you use this activation, you are turned into a perfect statue made from stone or metal that depicts you in a glorious pose honoring your sacrifice, and you can never be restored. The Forgefather’s seal remains on this statue and can be transferred to another suit of armor or a runestone as normal.

Destruction Using the Forgefather’s seal ability to bring the dead back to life on an evil demigod causes it to shatter in a violent explosion that destroys the seal and the statue made as part of the sacrifice, erasing all knowledge of the user from existence. It does, however, bring the evil demigod back to life.

Horns of Naraga Item 26

Unique Artifact Invested Magical Necromancy

Usage worn headwear; Bulk 2

This imposing helm bears the horns of a powerful black dragon. While wearing the Horns of Naraga, you gain greater darkvision and immunity to acid. If you are undead, you gain resistance 40 to positive damage. If you are not undead, the helm quickly saps the life from you, dealing 10d6 negative damage to you every round. If you die from this damage, you rise as an undead of an equal level in 1d4 rounds.

Activate [free-action] envision; Trigger You touch a creature as part of an unarmed attack or melee spell attack roll; Effect The creature takes 5d6 negative damage. If you are an undead, you regain Hit Points equal to the negative damage the creature took.

Activate [three-actions] command; Frequency once per day; Effect The Horns of Naraga transform into Naraga, an ancient black dragon. Naraga appears in an adjacent appropriate space, and if no such space is available, she does not appear. Naraga follows your commands without question. She remains for up to 1 hour or until you use an Interact action to dismiss her, after which she reverts back to the helm. If Naraga is slain, she immediately reverts back to the helm and can’t be summoned for 1 week.

You don’t receive any of the helm’s other benefits while it is transformed.

Destruction The helm is utterly obliterated if crushed between the jaws of an ancient black dragon’s skull located in a desert while the sun is at its zenith.

Mirror of Allure Item 25

Unique Artifact Enchantment Magical

Usage bonded (see below); Bulk L

The silvery glass of this oval mirror displays alluring sights. Its dark wooden frame is studded with small green gems and is carved with the shapes of a male figure on one edge of the glass and a female figure on the other side.

The mirror can form a bond with a spellcaster who has legendary proficiency in Arcana or Occultism, who becomes the mirror’s owner. Regardless of where the mirror is, as long as the bond remains, the owner is aware of everything the mirror is currently reflecting and can use the mirror’s activations.

Whenever an intelligent creature looks in the mirror, they see an image of a person, creature, or item they find irresistible—most often one they find attractive. The specific image varies depending on the observer, even when more than one creature is looking into the mirror at the same time. Observers are fascinated by the images in the mirror unless they succeed at a DC 35

Will save each round. On a failure, they stare blankly at the mirror for as long as it remains in view, and if it leaves their view, they stare toward the last place they saw the mirror for several minutes thereafter. This is an emotion, enchantment, incapacitation, and visual effect. Creatures that are fascinated by the mirror are so deeply entranced that they don’t end their fascinated condition automatically even if a creature uses hostile actions against them or their allies; instead, they can attempt a DC 30 Will save to end the fascination. At the GM’s discretion, a truly innocent creature or a creature that has renounced all worldly pleasures might be immune to the mirror’s fascination.

Activate [two-actions] envision (emotion, enchantment, incapacitation, visual); Effect You force a creature looking at the mirror to attempt an additional Will save against the mirror’s fascination effect, even if they succeeded at their save.

Activate [three-actions] command (emotion, enchantment, incapacitation); Requirements The target must be fascinated by the mirror; Effect You control the target for 30 days, with the effect of a critically failed saving throw against dominate. If the victim sees the mirror again at any point before this duration expires, the control extends for an additional 30 days from the moment it looked at the mirror again. While there is no initial saving throw, the DC to break free due to commands against the creature’s nature is 35.

Destruction The Mirror shatters into a thousand pieces if an intelligent but completely innocent creature resists the mirror’s attraction and then accidentally drops it.

Orb of Dragonkind Item 25

Unique Arcane Artifact Enchantment

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk 1

Each of the legendary orbs of dragonkind contains the essence and personality of a powerful dragon, with each of the 10 most famous orbs preserving a different type of metallic or chromatic dragon’s spirit. It is believed that orbs for other types of true dragons exist, though that theory is yet to be confirmed.

While holding an orb of dragonkind, you are immune to the breath weapon of the dragon variety associated with the orb. An orb of dragonkind also grants a number of additional senses.

You can communicate verbally and visually with the bearers of other orbs as if you were in the same room with them.

You know if there are any dragons within 10 miles of you at all times; this extends to 100 miles for dragons of the type associated with the orb. If an associated dragon is within 1 mile, you know which direction the dragon is from you and the dragon’s age, such as young, adult, or ancient. Each orb grants a 10th-level arcane innate spell that you can cast at will, determined by the specific orb.

The Orb of Gold Dragonkind can convey the innate spells of any of the other orbs, as well as their activated abilities, but it can grant each individual power only once per day. In addition, the bearer of the gold orb can use its 3-action activation to attempt to cast dominate on the bearer of another orb if they are within 1 mile, as if that bearer were a dragon of the associated type within 500 feet. The last reports of the Orb of Gold Dragonkind indicate the orb has been destroyed, however. GMs might decide the gold orb is still intact for their campaigns.

Bearing an orb of dragonkind earns you the enmity of all dragonkind forever because you profited from the enslavement of the dragon within the orb, even if you later lose the orb.

Spell Granted (DC 40) black dragon (darkness), blue dragon (hallucinatory terrain), brass dragon (speak with animals), bronze dragon (control water), copper dragon (hideous laughter), green dragon (entangle), red dragon (wall of fire), silver dragon (detect alignment [evil only]), white dragon (wall of ice)

Activate [three-actions] command; Frequency once per round; Effect You cast a 10th-level dominate spell (DC 40) on a dragon of the type associated with the orb within 500 feet, except the effect lasts for 1 month rather than unlimited. The dragon does not receive its status bonus to saving throws against magic. The dragon is then temporarily immune to further domination via the orb for 24 hours.

Activate [two-actions] envision, Interact; Frequency three times per day; Effect You breathe an elemental blast that deals 25d6 damage (DC 40 basic Reflex save) in either a 60-foot cone or a 100-foot line (your choice). The breath’s damage type matches the Breath Weapon of the dragon type associated with the orb of dragonkind (acid for the black orb, electricity for the blue orb, and so on).

Destruction An orb of dragonkind violently shatters and explodes when exposed to the Breath Weapon of a dragon who is a descendant of the dragon trapped within. The explosion deals damage as the 2-action activation above to all creatures within 90 feet.

Philosopher’s Extractor Item 28

Rare Artifact Evocation Magical Transmutation

Bulk 8

This bizarre machine is a complex arrangement of flasks, tubes, and other alchemical equipment. The philosopher’s extractor is designed to create the ultimate alchemical concoctions.

The extractor functions as an exceptional set of alchemist’s tools, granting a +4 item bonus to Crafting checks related to alchemy. When using the extractor to Craft an alchemical item or with infused reagents as part of your daily preparations, you can create impeccable alchemical items. An impeccable alchemical item always uses the maximum numerical value possible for any rolls it requires, such as dealing maximum damage with alchemist’s fire or restoring the maximum number of Hit Points with an elixir of life. If the impeccable item has a duration, it lasts twice as long as normal. Finally, an impeccable alchemical item never has a drawback.

Activate [three-actions] Interact; Frequency once per minute; Effect You use the extractor to produce an alchemical item of your level or lower whose formula you know. The extractor can create 56 levels’ worth of items per day in this way.

For example, the extractor could create two true elixirs of life (19th level) and two moderate elixirs of life (9th level), or eight comprehension elixirs (7th level), and so on.

Activate 1 hour (Interact); Effect You take a sizable portion of a creature (at least two-thirds of its original mass) and filter it through the mechanisms of the extractor. After the end of the process, the philosopher’s extractor creates a transmogrifying mutagen that imparts the essence of the creature to the drinker. The extractor can make several transmogrifying mutagens simultaneously using the same activation if enough mass is provided at once, up to a maximum of 10 concurrent mutagens. Drinking a transmogrifying mutagen imparts you with one of the creature’s unique abilities for 1 hour. This could grant one of several abilities such as a dragon’s Breath Weapon, darkvision, flight, frightful presence, or immunity to sleep. The ability functions as it did for the original creature, except it uses your class DC or your spell DC (whichever is higher) instead of the creature’s DC.

The mutagen grants only abilities based on a creature’s physiology and never grants magic-related abilities such as innate spells or spellcasting ability. The GM ultimately decides what ability a transmogrifying mutagen grants.

Unlike normal for mutagens and polymorph effects, you can drink multiple transmogrifying mutagens and gain benefits from each. When you drink transmogrifying mutagens made from different creatures, you receive abilities from each creature. When you drink multiple transmogrifying mutagens made from the same type of creature, such as multiple mutagens made from trolls, you gain an additional ability for each transmogrifying mutagen you drink, and the duration of the abilities from that creature type increases by 1 hour for each additional concoction you drink.

However, these additional benefits come with a risk; if you drink a transmogrifying mutagen while at least one other is active, after drinking it, you must succeed at a flat check with a DC equal to the total number of active transmogrifying mutagens you’ve consumed. On a failure, you fully transform into a member of the species of the latest transmogrifying mutagen you drank, and you almost always go berserk from your change. The transformation may leave some amount of your personality and memories intact, at the GM’s discretion.

Destruction Simultaneously feeding the philosopher’s extractor sizable portions of an aeon, angel, archon, azata, daemon, demon, devil, protean, and psychopomp, each of at least 14th level, along with a philosopher’s stone causes the device to jam, overheat, and explode. Creatures within 60 feet of the explosion must succeed at a DC 55 Reflex save or become covered in an alchemical slurry that transforms them into a horrifying amalgam of at least two of the creatures used to destroy the machine.

Serithtial Item 23

Unique LG Abjuration Artifact Divine Intelligent

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk 1

Perception +28; normal vision and hearing within 60 feet Communication empathy (partner only)

Skills [God] Lore +29, Religion +26, [God] Lore +29

Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +2

Will +30

This legendary blade is said to have been forged by a goddess of honor, justice, and valor. She is an intelligent +4 major striking holy bastard sword. Although the sword is made of steel, Serithtial is also treated as cold iron and silver, allowing her to deal more damage to certain supernatural creatures.

She glows as bright as a torch, but you or Serithtial can suppress or resume this glow as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. In addition, Strikes with Serithtial deal an additional 2d6 damage against creatures that are worshipers of Zon-Kuthon, and while wielding Serithtial, you constantly benefit from death ward and freedom of movement spells that function only against effects created by followers of Zon-Kuthon.

Serithtial was forged as a bastard sword, and she reverts to this shape when no one wields her, but she can also detect what sort of blade her current wielder prefers and transform into it (choosing from dagger, shortsword, longsword, scimitar, falchion, greatsword, rapier, or bastard sword) using an action, which she does when first held. The wielder can empathically tell Serithtial to transform at any time by using a single action, which has the concentrate trait, after which Serithtial uses an action to transform.

Serithtial is willing to work with a partner of almost any alignment as long as they are dedicated to defeating the great wyrm Kazavon and the forces of Zon?Kuthon. If you ignore those threats and pursue your own agenda instead, before long Serithtial attempts to seize control of your body (DC 45 Will save to resist her control), though she typically remains in control for only long enough to find a more worthy partner.

You can attempt a new Will save each day to retake control of your body.

Activate envision; Frequency once per hour; Effect Serithtial spends the appropriate number of actions and casts a 9th level heal or zone of truth spell (DC 45 for either of the two spells).

Destruction If Kazavon or a great wyrm shadow dragon who is a worshiper of Zon-Kuthon uses its breath weapon on Serithtial while she is unattended, the sword melts into a pool of mundane iron.

Shot of the First Vault Item 23

Rare Artifact Divine Evocation

Ammunition any

Legends claim that some long-forgotten god stole the original bundle of shots of the First Vault from the god’s repository.

Since then, individual pieces have turned up throughout the multiverse. When you pick up a shot of the First Vault, it immediately reshapes itself to function with any ranged weapon and establishes you as its owner until another creature picks it up. As its owner, you can use the shot’s single-action activation after shooting it.

Instead of rolling weapon damage dice, a shot of the First Vault deals 25 damage plus any bonuses or additional damage as if 25 were the result of the weapon’s damage dice; the damage type matches that normally dealt by the weapon. Upon damaging a creature, the shot of the First Vault shatters, and the fragments ricochet to hit any other enemies within 30 feet, making attack rolls with the same attack bonus. The shattered fragments remain lodged in the creatures they damage; the creatures are clumsy 2 while the fragments remain in place. A total of 3 actions, which have the manipulate trait, are required to remove the fragments from yourself or an adjacent creature; alternatively, a single action and a successful DC 30

Medicine check can be used. A critical failure on this Medicine check deals 10 persistent bleed damage to the creature with the embedded fragment.

Activate [one-action] command; Effect You recall the shot of the First Vault, which automatically reloads itself into your weapon. If the shot had fragmented, the fragments violently dislodge themselves, dealing 15 persistent bleed damage to each creature in which they were embedded.

The fragments then unite to re-form the shot of the First Vault, which automatically reloads itself into your weapon.

Activate [three-actions] Interact; Requirements The shot is loaded in your ranged weapon, or at hand if your ranged weapon has a reload of 0; Effect You line up a perfectly aimed attack directly toward the First Vault.

You Strike a creature, then the shot of the First Vault attempts to bring your target with it as it returns to the First Vault. Unless your attack roll is a critical failure, the creature must attempt a DC 45 Reflex save; this effect has the incapacitation trait. Regardless, the shot of the First Vault returns to the First Vault.

Critical Success The creature is unaffected.

Success The creature is moved 1d20×50 feet in the direction you fired. If this causes it to hit a solid object, it takes 50 bludgeoning damage.

Failure The creature is transported to a random location on the plane of Axis.

Critical Failure The creature is transported to the First Vault.

Unless it is capable of eluding the god’s precautions, it is likely unable to escape the Vault on its own.

Destruction If 10 shots of the First Vault are all fired at the same group of keketar or izfiitar proteans within 1 minute of each other, each shot was a hit, and the shots are then recalled, the shots collide as they attempt to re-form and crumble to dust.

Sphere of Annihilation Item 27

Rare Artifact Magical Transmutation

Bulk —

A sphere of annihilation is a floating black sphere that pulls any matter that comes into contact with it into a void, destroying it utterly. Anything or anyone destroyed by the sphere can be brought back only by a deity’s direct intervention. The sphere can’t be counteracted by dispel magic or similar effects.

The sphere stays entirely still until caused to move by a creature controlling it. Taking control of the sphere requires succeeding at an attempt to activate it. A talisman of the sphere (see below) makes it easier to control the sphere.

Activate [one-action] command; Requirements You are within 40 feet of the sphere; Effect You attempt a DC 30 Arcana or Occultism check to take control of the sphere. If someone else already controls the sphere, this check uses their Will DC if higher. If you succeed, you take control of the sphere. If you fail, the sphere moves 10 feet closer to you (or 20 feet on a critical failure).

You keep control as long as you remain within 80 feet of the sphere and Sustain the Activation each round.

When you Sustain the Activation, you must attempt a DC 30 Arcana or Occultism check. If you succeed, you direct the sphere to move up to 10 feet in a straight line (or up to 20 feet on a critical success). On a failure, you lose control of the sphere, and it moves 10 feet closer to you in a straight line (or 20 feet on a critical failure).

Destruction When a gate spell is cast such that its rift overlaps a sphere of annihilation, roll d%. On a result of 1–50, the sphere is destroyed; on a 51–85, the spell is disrupted; and on a 86–100, everything within an 180-foot emanation of the sphere is pulled to another plane through a tear in the spatial fabric. If a rod of cancellation touches the sphere, both items explode, dealing 14d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 35 basic Reflex save) to everything in a 60-foot burst from the point of their destruction.

Talisman of the Sphere Item 20

Rare Artifact Evocation Magical

Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk —

This loop of adamantine can be slung on a chain to be worn as a necklace, but must be held to convey its benefits. A creature that can’t cast either arcane or occult spells takes 8d6 mental damage just from picking up the item, and they take that damage again at the start of each of their turns if they continue to hold it.

If the wielder can cast arcane or occult spells, they can use the talisman of the sphere to more easily control a sphere of annihilation. This reduces the DC of the check to control the sphere or Sustain the Activation by 10.

Destruction The talisman of the sphere is destroyed if touched by a sphere of annihilation.