T O M E O F A R T I FA C T S : E L D R I T C H R E L I C S A N D W O N D E R S

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Credits

Necromancer Games

Third Edition Rules,First Edition Feel

This product requires the use of the Dungeons and Dragons® Player’s Handbook, published by Wizards of the Coast®. This product utilizes updated material from the v3.5 revision.

Concept and Design: Bill Webb and Ari Marmell

Authors: Keith Baker, Rich Burlew, C. Robert Cargill, Michael

Gill, George Hollochwost, Khaldoun Khelil, Patrick Lawinger, Rhiannon Louve, Ari Marmell, Anthony Pryor, C. A. Suleiman

Developer: Bill Webb

Producer: Clark Peterson

Editor: Patrick Lawinger and Bill Webb

Art Direction and Design: Mike Chaney w/ Wes Mantooth

Interior Art: Jeff Laubenstein, David Day, Darren Calvert, Eric Lof-

gren, Brian Leblanc, Mike Chaney & Jeremy McHugh

Playtesters: Necromancer Games Staff

Special Thanks: To Elizabeth, for putting up with my stress. —KhaldounTo Anthony, Alex, and Natalie for keeping my sense

of wonder alive. —PatrickTo Randy Harding, for ideas and brainstorming.

—RhiannonTo Matt, Soraya, and Andrew, for being sounding boards;

to Jeff, for introducing me to most of my current gaming group; and to George, for all the usual reasons. —Ari

To my dog J.D. for inspiring one artifact, and the crew of the Origins 2005 road-trip for inspiring the other. —C. A.

Product Update Password for Tome of Artifacts: Vecna

©2007 Necromancer Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. Necromancer Games, Necromancer Games, Inc. and the Necromancer Games logo, Tome of Artifacts: Eldritch Relics and Wonders are trademarks of Necromancer Games, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places, items, art, and text herein are copyrighted by Necromancer Games, Inc. “d20 System” and the d20 System logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used under the terms of the d20 Trademark License. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. Dungeons and Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, and are used in accordance with the Open Game and d20 Trademark Licenses contained in the Legal Appendix. Creature Collection and Relics & Rituals are trademarks of Sword and Sorcery Studio.

This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters, and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised.

Check out Necromancer Games online athttp://www.necromancergames.comAnd check out Sword and Sorcery Studio online at:http://www.swordsorcery.com

PRINTED IN CHINA.

TM

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T H E A LTA R O F T H E B O N E C I TA D E L

Table of Contents

Foreword, by Dave “Zeb” Cook 3

Introduction 4

Altar of the Bone Citadel, by C. Robert Cargill 6

Al’Qabir’s Inscrutable Floating Parlor, by C. A. Suleiman 10

Ashen Heart of Barrat Sûn, by Ari Marmell 15

Ashrune, by Khaldoun Khelil 22

Bastard of Exalted Heroism, by C. Robert Cargill 27

Black Coal Citadel, by Khaldoun Khelil 31

Black Crystal Spiral, by Michael Gill 37

Book of Stasis, by Michael Gill 41

Bow of Night, by Patrick Lawinger 45

Brooch of the False God, by C. Robert Cargill 50

Carpet of Contemplation, by Rhiannon Louve 53

Celestial Machine, by Anthony Pryor 61

Crown of Ice, by Rhiannon Louve 70

Darkwood Heart, by Keith Baker 76

Divinity Sphere, by Michael Gill 82

Earth Seed, by Michael Gill 87

Ebony Skeleton of Mol-Tet, by C. Robert Cargill 91

Eldros’ Panoply, by Anthony Pryor 96

Emerald Scales of Veerak, by Rich Burlew 102

Erangoul’s Filthy Cloak, by Khaldoun Khelil 108

Fang of the Devil Tigers, by G. Holochwost 115

Flayed Skin of Kruk’Tha, by C. Robert Cargill 119

Forge of Medzigar Salight, by Patrick Lawinger 123

Fortune’s Breath, by Patrick Lawinger 129

Ghost Reaver, by Patrick Lawinger 134

Golden Pearl of the Elder Tortoise, by G. Holochwost 138

Holocaust Stone of Gun’ta, by C. Robert Cargill 142

Horn of the Archangel, by Ari Marmell 146

Hungry Stone, by Keith Baker 153

Irruwyn’s Cauldron, by Ari Marmell 159

Joval’s Equilibrium, by C. Robert Cargill 165

Juggernaut of Shaddar Khan, by Ari Marmell 169

King’s Pepper Grinder, by Rhiannon Louve 176

Korridar, the Crown of Kings, by Keith Baker 182

Lamentation Engine, by Ari Marmell 187

Lucky Coin, by Rich Burlew 193

Masks of the Gods, by Anthony Pryor 200

Orb of the Wight, by Patrick Lawinger 205

Petrified God, by Ari Marmell 211

Rug of Lords, by Patrick Lawinger 217

Sha’gahr’s Bones, by Anthony Pryor 221

Siege Hound of Dhula’zar, by C. A. Suleiman 229

Skiff of the Ferryman, by Ari Marmell 236

Skullcup of the Nagaraja, by G. Holochwost 242

Soul Brushes of Gartigan, by Patrick Lawinger 246

Soulblade, by Michael Gill 251

Una’s Shield, by Rich Burlew 258

World Tree, by Rhiannon Louve 264

Appendix A: The Chosen One, by Anthony Pryor 272

Appendix B: Random Artifact Creation, by C. Robert Cargill and Ari Marmell 281

Appendix C: Compiled Mechanics 314

Appendix D: Legal 317

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ForewordSo, here we are again. There is an undeniable strain in fantasy for the bigger,

better and more powerful: bigger spells, better weapons, and, of course, more powerful (even godly!) characters. It is from that desire that artifacts came into the role-playing world, über-powerful magical items that would make my character completely unique from yours (and, of course, cooler).

When artifacts first started appearing back in the days of 1st Edition, players seized on them — but not always for the better. It was true that artifacts were supposed to be hard to find, with powers that were difficult to deci-pher and even more difficult to use. There were outlines of conditions, restrictions, and drawback to their use. Nonetheless, that did not seem to stop DMs and players from freely handing them out. Somewhere along the line, the point of artifacts was lost. Those of us at TSR at the time became used to seeing letters (in the days before email) describing entire parties loaded down with the weaponry of the gods, players who had storerooms filled with every artifact mentioned from the Wand of Orcus to the Hand and Eye of You-Know-Who. And for some, it wasn’t enough.

Somewhere along the line, the point of artifacts had been lost. Yes, they were items of immense power and cool, rule-breaking abilities — but they were also sup-posed to be campaign builders, things you could hinge an entire world (or at least a country) and player career on. A player could spend his life, or at least a good chunk of it, in search of the Doodad of Lubik, find it, perform one great character defining act with it, and then retire.

The problem was artifacts weren’t meant to be just weapons, they were meant to be campaigns. To make that happen, artifacts need background — and more than just “this is the weapon of the Black God who hates elves.” Artifacts are personalities as much as player characters and NPCs. Their stories shape their powers, define their use, and create adventure. So with the 2nd Edition book of artifacts we expanded their personalities: created mini-stories for each item and tried to find ways for them to play a role in campaigns without destroying them.

For me, another major goal was to return mystery and magic to a fantasy game. Odd to say, but in many ways creating a fantasy game lost the magic of fantasy. What is fantastic after all about a sword +1? Where is the mystery and wonder? The magic of legend and fairy tales isn’t about numbers or utilitarian crafting. It’s about using the footfall of a cat, the beard of a woman, the roots of a rock, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird to bind the Fenris wolf. It’s about spinning straw into gold. Wondrous magic is about using the illogical and mysterious to accomplish the impossible. With artifacts, I wanted to encounter those kinds of items once again, to face magic beyond the comprehension of players jaded to the collection of utilitarian spells, armor and weapons that permeate the game.

Of course, there had to be a use for them. All the great magic of tales is powerful and can accomplish great things. But it also had to be in balance. Again, a common theme in legend was that all things come with risk. The monkey’s paw doesn’t just grant wishes. Artifacts needed their limitations, their risks and their flaws. These were as much a part of their character as their powers. In many ways it is these flaws that create the adventures around artifacts. It is the flaws that humble the mighty, overturn the order of the world, and keep the cycle going. After all the destruction of great heroes in the process of doing good is a classic tale.

It makes me very happy then to say that this new Tome of Artifacts captures that spirit. In here are artifacts to drive campaigns, create adventures, and just be wondrous. What use is the Altar of the Bone Citadel but to create adventure? Will the Bow of Night corrupt and destroy its wielder or will he be truly heroic and cast it aside once the need is gone? Better still, the information here expands and improves with more emphasis on rumors, research-ing and campaign suggestions (those hooks we all love) for use in your game.

And so, here we are again. Artifacts have returned, stronger and more interesting than ever.

David “Zeb” Cook

Table of Contents

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T H E A LTA R O F T H E B O N E C I TA D E L

There’s something to be said for the classics.Whether you’re an old-school gamer, with memories

of play that predate the days of THAC0, or whether 3rd edition is your first experience with fantasy role-play, you’ve almost certainly made use of some of the game’s most classic concepts. Old-school spells, which appear in the arsenal of almost every spellcaster. Foul and vicious monsters as old as the game itself. Winding dungeons, where danger lurks behind every kicked-in door.

And then, just possibly, artifacts.Artifacts have been a part of every major version of the

game since the late 70s, and they’ve always held a special place in the pantheon of DM tools. They are magic items of wondrous power and horrific curses, in-depth history and story potential so great they can drive entire cam-paigns. Even in this — arguably the most systematic and mechanically consistent version of the game — artifacts follow no rules but their own. They are the DM’s final trump card, the legendary items that appear only when and where he wants, and that inevitably bring much adventure, and much trouble, to the characters who are (un)fortunate enough to find them.

The best artifacts are, of course, far more than a col-lection of potent abilities. They bear with them a storied and fascinating history, one that should inspire the DM at least as thoroughly as the item’s description itself. Unfortunately, most of the artifacts presented throughout the various incarnations of the game have been relatively short of detail, constrained by the requirements of word count.

It was during the latter days of 2nd edition that arti-facts were given the attention they deserve, as an entire book of artifacts presented many of these wonders in unprecedented detail. And in many ways, that book is the spiritual father of this one.

For this is what the Tome of Artifacts: Eldritch Relics and Wonders aspires to be: Nothing less than the quintes-sential book of artifacts for the current edition.

We’ve pulled out all the stops, in the hopes of honoring both our predecessor in the field and the concept of the artifact itself. The Tome of Artifacts is a joint produc-tion of Necromancer Games and Lion’s Den Press, two companies made up of people who have been writing

and developing D20 material almost from the beginning. We’ve assembled a skilled team of writers, made up of both talented newcomers and industry veterans, including quite a few names you’re almost certain to recognize.

ContentsAll right, so enough with the lead-in. What, exactly,

does the Tome of Artifacts offer you?The bulk of this work consists of nearly 50 artifacts, all

ready for use in an existing campaign, or to serve as the foundation of a brand new one. No matter your style of game, you’re almost certain to find something useful here, from myth to fairy tale, classic fantasy to the truly bizarre. Your PCs might face the undead armies of the Altar of the Bone Citadel, travel the planes on the Skiff of the Fer-ryman, battle the horrible mutations of the Lamentation Engine, get lost in the halls of Black Coal Citadel, garb themselves in the Emerald Scales of Veerak, destroy cities with the Holocaust Stone, or even pit the Juggernaut of Shaddar Khan against the Siege Hound of Dula’zar in a rampaging battle worthy of downtown Tokyo.

Artifact FormatEach artifact follows the same general format, for ease

of use. Each begins, of course, with the artifact’s name, as well as any other soubriquets it might possess in various myths and legends. Each artifact is clearly marked with the name of its writer as well. This is partly to facilitate their use as Open Content, but also because each and every one of our writers deserves credit for their fantastic work.

Each artifact has a tale to be told, and this tale forms the first true section of each entry. Some are myth, some fairy tale, some rumor and some simple fact, but all provide not only a context for that particular item, but a wealth of ideas and plot seeds on which the DM can draw.

This is followed by a sidebar on researching the artifact. This gives the necessary skill checks for such research, as well as the information provided at each level of success. Most entries conclude with lists or suggestions of false information, the sort of erroneous facts PCs might learn if their checks aren’t quite high enough for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Introduction

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Next is a section on the artifact’s physical properties: what it looks like, what it feels like, and how (or if) it reacts to divination spells.

Now we’re into the meat of the artifact: the powers themselves. Constant powers are those that require no voluntary activation; they remain functioning at all times. These can include everything from AC or save bonuses to emanating auras. Activated powers, obviously, are those that require an act of will, a particular trigger, or some other means of deliberate invocation.

Every good artifact, however, has its hazards and down-sides; after all, if they were nothing but free power, what fun would that be? These are given next, and range from curses that afflict the wielder to widespread calamities that may make the artifact more dangerous than any villain.

Two optional sections often follow, discussing any ambi-ent effects the artifact has on its surroundings, and how it reacts to spells and magics other than divinations.

As we’ve mentioned, artifacts are extremely potent and possess detailed back-stories, and their use can be a somewhat daunting prospect. The next section offers advice for DMs, suggesting not only means of incorporat-ing the artifact, but providing specific adventure seeds and suggested means by which the PCs may be able to finally destroy the item.

Finally, most of the entries end with one last “goody.” Some of these are new spells, new monsters, new feats, new NPCs, new magic items, new planes — anything and everything we could include to enhance game-play even further. Even better, most of these are fully usable even in campaigns that don’t use

the artifacts themselves, giving DMs maximum flexibility in choosing the material they want to incorporate.

AppendicesThe artifacts themselves could easily make up the

entirety of the book, but we had a bit more we wanted to offer.

Appendix A presents the Chosen One, an artifact in human form. It contains a series of modifications that can be applied to a character selected by fate or by the gods for a higher purpose.

Appendix B is a monster of a chapter, presenting nothing less than a system and charts for random artifact generation. Obviously it can’t fill in the specific details for you — you’ll need to breathe the last spark of life into your artifacts with your own ideas and creativity — but it can provide you with a solid skeleton from which to work, and is capable of producing literally millions of different artifacts.

Finally, Appendix C serves as a reference for the many new spells, feats, monsters, and other goodies scattered throughout the book. With this appendix, you can easily find the proper page numbers for any such feature you’d like to use.

So what are you waiting for? Dig in, and discover the many wonders and horrors, tales and adventures, that await you in the Tome of Artifacts. We hope that you’ll find the material within at least as inspir-ing as we did.

Ari Marmellfor Lion’s Den Pressand Necromancer Games

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A LTA R O F T H E B O N E C I TA D E L

By C. Robert Cargill

The Tale of the Altar of the Bone Citadel

Centuries ago, before the destruction of Ellir Jarville (see Orb of the Wight), the great lich trained an apprentice in the ways of magic and death. This was Mol-Tet, a powerful necromancer who would grow to be nearly his master’s equal in power, and his superior in ambition.

Long after he left his master’s side, Mol-Tet sought to conquer the known world with a vast army of undead warriors. Originally headquartered in a nigh unreachable mountain pass, Mol-Tet found that he needed to be more accessible to his armies as the breadth of his empire grew. Thus he crafted the first of his two famed artifacts: a mas-sive and intricately engraved altar, carved out of a single bone from some unknown colossal creature. (Some tales suggest that this was nothing less than the leg bone of a long dead god.) Infused with bizarre necromantic magics, the Altar of the Bone Citadel animated the nearby bones of fallen soldiers and commanded them to collect additional corpses. Quickly and methodically, these skeletons dug out and crafted an underground catacomb to protect the Altar, and then began construction on a tower high above it. Depending on the number of casualties on any given battlefield, a new bone citadel could be constructed in just a few short weeks. With the Altar in tow, Mol-Tet could build a new base of operations in any land he con-quered, the tower standing testimony to the awful terror that befell those who dared oppose him.

Many attempted to raid Mol-Tet’s citadel, in hopes of destroying Mol-Tet himself. None returned. It wasn’t until Mol-Tet’s own megalomania drove him to create an even more powerful artifact that he met his end by his own hands. With Mol-Tet dead, his army fell soon after. Mol-Tet’s artifacts and belongings were soon scattered, and his hulking citadels torn down. The dead were buried and the great war against the undead menace became one of history’s great cautionary tales.

The Altar of the Bone Citadel, proving to be completely indestructible, was hidden, buried deep in a cave that lay sealed shut for generations. There it stayed until an-other power hungry necromancer excavated it in hopes of accomplishing what Mol-Tet could not. He, too, met defeat and death, and the Altar has changed hands many times since.

Researching The Altar of the Bone Citadel

While the Altar of the Bone Citadel has a solid place in history, few actually know that the Altar itself was responsible for the monolithic citadels that once dotted the land. A Knowledge (history), Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) check can shed some light on the subject.

DC Knowledge Available10 Once, centuries ago, a mad sorcerer

constructed great towers of bone, and a powerful artifact in the form of an altar.

20 It was the Altar of the Bone Citadel itself that constructed these towers, using animate dead to build those unholy places.

25 The Altar is capable of animating any nearby dead, who then build a maze of catacombs around it. The Altar also commands its deathless minions to bring it additional bod-ies, providing an endless stream of skeletal servants.

30+ No mortal may fully command the powers of the Altar, but they can avoid its wrath. It is said that at the stroke of the witching hour, the Altar resets and repairs its servants, and that those servants are much more deadly and capable than skeletons raised by mere necromancers.

Many rumors persist that it was the Altar of the Bone Citadel itself that created Mol-Tet’s vast army, when in truth it was not. Rumors also claim that anyone who owns the Altar also commands the undead it creates. One story has it that the Altar may be sundered by the Bastard of Exalted Heroism, but there seems to be no truth to this rumor either.

Studying the Altar of the Bone CitadelThe Altar of the Bone Citadel, a massive artifact weighing

upward of 800 pounds, is intricately etched and carved from a single bone. Foul symbols, recognizable only to those who

Altar of the Bone Citadel

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