The Enchanted Portico of Derwa te Tale is a curious item that is a closed over portico, almost like a large gazebo, made of gold and unidentifiable gemstones, and it allows a passage between the realms of air and water. The Ice Chandelier is a curious chandelier, not made of ice (it is constructed, apparently, of platinum and diamonds) but emanating a magical field of cold, with curious properties. And finally, the Mosaic of Dhuul is a tiele inlaid floor that has a pattern, which if walked, will grant specific magical gifts to the user.
All of these items, as all of those constructed for the Harmalan Sorcerers, have some risk of harm or personal cost associated with their use (or misuse). [This is part of the feel of the Valley of the Old Ones campaign - magic, other than the spells a spell caster normally employs, should be mysterious, and should have a certain risk associated with its use.]
Enchanted Portico of Derwa te Tale - This object is a very large structure, similar to a gazebo - there is a broad floor, outer columns, and a ceiling/roof covering the whole structure. It is constructed out of gold, and set with unidentifiable gemstones. The gold pillars have alternating carvings of birds and fish. This object is actually one of a pair of identical objects. One is normally placed on dry land, and one underwater - the locations being chosen by the user as somewhere particularly interesting, and deserving of being linked together. Beings inside either one of the objects have concurrent awareness of what is going on in and around both at one time. Also, those beings exist in both places at the same time. If a person were to walk into the one on dry land, they would also exist inside the space of the one underwater. While inside the Portico, the visitor is able to breathe and function normally (for them) in both environs simultaneously. So, while a person might be able to walk and breathe both in the dry land portico, and also in the one undersea - a mermaid would be able to swim and breathe in the one underwater, as well as the one on dry land. Once, when someone first enters the Portico, they must make a saving throw vs. spells. If it is passed, then there is no effect, although a new saving throw must be made each turn (10 rounds) that they remain within the portico. If the save is failed, the person loses consciousness immediately, and must make a second save to also avoid losing a point of intelligence. This is all due to the mental overload of having full consciousness of two different realities simultaneously. The portico is named for the original inventor, Derwa te Tale - who loved an apprentice of his, but she was a were shark. The portico was the means by which he carried on the love affair, until she went somewhat native, and a protective bull shark ate Derwa.
Ice Chandelier - This object consists of an ornate and elaborate Chandelier - the type used to provide light within a great keep's hall - made of platinum and diamonds. Once it is installed in a room, it will begin to chill that room, down to an incredibly cold temperature, and frost and swirling snow will become a permanent feature of the space the Chandelier is installed in. The magical cold and swirling snows and winds are of such a nature that they have a strong effect on all in the room. First, anyone with a resistance to cold or cold based attacks, loses that resistance while in the room (if this is from an item - such as a ring, or boots, etc - then the item retains its power, it just "shuts off" while in the room). Second, there are no saving throws allowed vs any cold or frost magic. All such spells will have their maximum effect while in the space of the Chandelier. Finally, once per turn, a small group of winter wolves (1d3+1) will pass through the region that the Chandelier is affecting. If anyone is in the space, the winter wolves will attack. A new group will pass through once every turn (10 rounds).
Mosaic of Dhuul - The mosaic is a large tile maze, that covers an entire floor within the room where it is constructed. It consists of a mystical mandala, which if traversed will actually temporarily transport the person entering the maze into an alternate dimension. Note that good clerics and paladins may not traverse the Mosaic - it has no effect and will not work for them. The traveler that is tracing the mosaic will be in a trance-like sleepwalking state during a period of time of 1 turn (10 rounds). At the end of which, they are (astrally) in another place. Dhuul who constructed the Mosaic originally, was a secret worshipper of Dralizar, the night fox. The mosaic leads to his realm, which appears as a vast desert of black and blue shadow, with a single white orb in the sky, illuminating the landscape with a harsh blue-ish white light. The traveler will be stuck on the plane for some indeterminate period of time, and then will be attacked by a Grue appearing out of the night. The type of grue will be random, but attacks with surprise.
| dice | grue type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chaggrin (soil beast) |
| 2 | Harginn (flame horror) |
| 3 | Ildriss (wind terror) |
| 4 | Varrdig (fluid brute) |
The traveler must do combat with the grue that attacks out of the dark, and may not use spells. If the traveler wins, they have successfully traversed the Mosaic and may claim the prize (below). If the traveler fails, they permanent lose a level, but suffer no other immediate effects (all hit points are restored). In either case, the traveler finds them self back in on the floor of the mosaic, unconscious but otherwise unharmed (except, possibly, for the loss of level).
A successful traveler gains the ability to cast telepathic bond, once per day, regardless of their own class (i.e. even successful fighters and thieves can gain this ability). The ability will not be able to bond with good clerics or paladins.
A failed traveler, other than losing a level, will now forever be hunted by grues. At any time that the traveler finds themselves in a very dark place, there is a 10% chance that a random grue will appear and attack, with surprise, the character. This hunting can only be stopped by a remove curse spell.
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