Full Item Description
It is a box of toys suitable for children (ages 1 to 4). They are sturdy, wooden, comfortable, and painted brightly. The box is also brightly painted and a good toy carrier. There seems nothing amiss with it.

Magic/Cursed Properties Of course these are in the Garage Sale from Hell Codex…. you know there is something wrong with them.

The items are enchanted with three enchantments.

The first is to weaken any defenses the child’s home and play room might have.  This is a slow, draining process, that only the most dilligent might notice. This draining empowers the entire process.

The second is to encourage the child to focus on its self rather than other. Once any defenses the child might have are breached, the process begins. This is also a slow process, shifting the child from the general good to the selfish towards the Evil. The child will not be come Evil until much, much later in life. Of course, by that time… who remembers who gave him that box of wooden toys.

The third is to cause the child to trust a specific astreal being. This astreal being could be the Evil Cultist or a specific demon who helped create the toys. Once the defenses around the child are down, the astreal being can slip in. The item allows the child to see the astreal being easily, and protects the astreal being from being sense by others. This astreal being becomes the child’s imaginary friend. And that friend will help to mold the child.

This is a great item for long term plans, disrupting prophicies, corrupting future rulers, and 98 other uses.

Full Item Description
This is a silver class ring from a notable institution of higher learning.  It has an onxy stone and is in very good shape. If you were trying to appear educated, cultured, or trying to set up a false identity, this would be the perfect item to purchase. 

History
No one Knows who was the first wearer. All that is known is that he graduated from the institution over seventy years ago.

Magic/Cursed Properties
While worn, the ring provides the following effects:

1. Bonuses to casting “dark spells”
2. The ability to sense and sometimes see spirit/ astreal entities
3. Protection from dream and soul related spells
4. It also disguises “the taint of Evil”
5. A good resistance to magic spells cast upon you
6. Provides occasional glimses of the future (only occurs if you day dream, meditate, or upon occasion sleep.. though sometimes it will alert you to danger)
.

The practioner kept laying small enchantments upon the ring. It was an item he was always wearing and innocuous enough that no one would question it. It became his perfect tool of power. 

Additional Information
The ring needs to be fueled by life energy on a regular basis. The sacrifices of small animals once a moon or so should keep it sated, though if used often it may need more sacrifices.  A human sacrifice (or similarly souled creature) should empower it for a year.  If the ring is not fed (by killing something near it and willing the energy into it) it will feed of its wearer.  It will first manifest as fatigue that will not recover, then life points.

This item is a prototype for any number of Evil Cultist and Evil Mastermind objects that assist them in their evil goals.

Full Item Description
It appears to be a very nice holy book of the dominant good faith, the kind that his passed down from generation to generation. The binding is leather and quite plain, but the inside is nicely scribed and occasionally illuminated.

History
See Magic Properties. If it is a family book, then someone in your family tree is not what they seem to be. If it is of someone else’s family, they have the dark knot in the family tree.

Magic/Cursed Properties
However, if read under moonlight, something else appears. MoonInk is present. The Ink/Paint dries to be totally clear and almost unnoticable. Under moonlight, it comes forth as a silver ink. While used for Elven Art, it has other less pleasant purposes.

In this case, an Evil Grimoire is enscribed in the holy book. This grimoire has been passed down through several generations of apprentice and master. It has many ancient and powerful spells that have been thought lost. In addition to spells, it has information on a number of cults including contact points.  The controller of this book could barter these spells and information for the services of many evil cults.

Of course, many Evil Cults, once they figure out where the book is, will do anything to get it. Anything. And remember, as the owner, you might be caught in the cross fire between these cults.

Mages will often pick up lots of charms and nicknacks over their lives. Some will just be symbolic, minor pluses for casting certain spells and some will just be pretty (not quite symbolic enough). Some will be things they picked up when they vanquished an “opponent”. Some of it might be useful to an Evil mage, while others might be useful to a Good Mage. Some might even be useful for you, but probably not. Since you don’t want to release this hard earned swag (others might use it against you, or somebody might realize you eliminated the opponent since you have their stuff, or it supports mages of the other side), you just hang on to it. Given enough time and research, you might be able to determine how to use all the items and destroy those that are dangerous to you. For now, they are just in a nice jewelry box you have stashed away.

Of course then you die and all your heirs see is a box of cheap nicknacks and minor antiques. Such is the problem with being a secret Evil Cultist or magical super hero.

Full Item Description

A Lucky Piece or Special Trinket, almost everyone has one.

They are old coins that are not valuable, but said to be lucky or special. They might be tokens from subways, arcades, or fairs. They could even be a minor religious medal. They are things along the order of Bicentennial quarters, Indian Head Nickles, Old Style Loonies, those tokens you always pick up at fairs, or St Roger Medals (novelties).  No one would think twice about anyone carrying one of these. Yet they should.

Magic/Cursed Properties
Each of these coins has been enchanted with a tiny clerical enchantment: deflection of detection magics. So while one’s soul might be dedicated to The Dark Forces, no one of the clerical persuasion can detect your taint while you carry the coin. Unless the Minion of Evil is actively using Evil Magic or performing an Evil act, then the presence of Evil is too strong for the simple deflection spell..  Each cult has its own “lucky pieces” that it issues to its members. Without these items, no Evil Cult could survive.

Follow Up and Plots
Now imagine if you innocently have one of these items, picked up at a garage/ estate sale or from your Uncle Walt. Some Evil Cultist type will think you are one of them, and talk to you cryptically (assuming that you already know the score). Some “Force of Evil” might seek you out, assuming you are one of the"tainted”. Some paranoid paladin, half mad with the realization that EVIL is everywhere sees you have one of the tokens… assumes you are a hidden Evil Cultist… and attacks!!! The comedic and dramatic possibilities are endless. And your poor characters will have no clue.

The man struggled mightily against his restraints. Eyes darting wildly in terror, bulging muscles straining in hopeless desperation, he could do nothing against the complex of knots wrapped about his body builder’s physique.

“Look how strong he is,” said the leader, adorned in his crimson robes. “He will make an excellent sacrifice to the mighty Jugann.”

The cultist to his right shook his head in annoyance. “I don’t know why you insist on using these dumb oxen, Xannath. Certainly their empty heads are too high a price for the power you so enjoy.”

“Bah! Enough with your scheming Sahamish. Jugann himself enjoyed feasting on such strong flesh. So then shall we.”

The man was lowered onto the heavy iron bars of a large brick grill, his attempts at screaming through the gag seeming pathetic to those surrounding him.

“We begin,” the leader’s voice boomed out. The others formed an unbroken circle and began chanting in unison as Xannath stepped forward, raising the ritual knife.

“We dedicate this sacrifice to Jugann, the great Feaster whose name is known to but a precious few.”

A quick flash of the blade left a raw wound in the victim’s side. As soon as the dripping blood touched the surface of the grill, Xannath stepped back with a grin.

The grill itself came to life. Blades flashed from within. Rope and skin flew from the side. Blood splattered about amid near-inhuman screams. Bones flew and the occasional organ splattered. And then the flames shot up, sending that most delicious mixture of smells, charcoal and fine pork, wafting into the air.

At the end, several perfectly cut and cooked chops lay on the cooling grill. After Xannath chose the finest piece, the other cultists set to with little ceremony as they savored the meal.

“You see, Sahamish,” Xannath said, exposing and flexing biceps that had grown in the last few minutes, “Jugann smiles upon us.”

History

Until it acquired the Altar, the small cult of Jugann survived many centuries by maintaining secrecy and limiting the number of sacrifices. The core tenants of the cult held that Jugann gained power through consuming the flesh of the strong. By emulating the demon, the cultists believed that they too could grow in strength and thereby gain favor.

The high priest before Xannath conceived of the idea for the grill as taking another step toward the way of Jugann. It was he who built the device, he who imbued it with the power to prepare the sacrifice and to transfer the attributes of the sacrificed to the consumers of the flesh.

After the grill was finished, Xannath turned on his predecessor and secretly ate him.

Xannath’s lust for power could not be controlled. He went after more and more powerful prey, becoming obsessed with the feeling of drawing another’s life force into his own. Eventually, his activities became too blatant to be kept secret and the cult was brought to heel.

Members who were able to flee did so, although most died under the executioner’s axe or the headsman’s noose. Xannath, drunk with power and believing in his own invincibility, went down under the combined might of a score of city guardsmen.

Though the authorities became aware that the cult was consuming its victims, they were never able to uncover the existence of the Altar. Thus it was that the abandoned Altar became a curiosity once discovered, with no knowledge of its powers or history. Only that it was excellent at cooking whatever was placed upon it. There are no arcane markings of any kind upon the Altar. It looks like an innocuous cooking device of brick and iron.

Powers

If an animal of any kind is placed upon the Altar and blood drips upon the bars, the Altar will dutifully dress, butcher, and cook the meat. Most who have used the Altar discover no more than that.

However, if a live animal of any sort is placed upon the Altar, an additional power comes into play: attributes of the animal will be transferred to whoever consumes the meat.

The altar does not distinguish between desirable and undesirable attributes. The amount and duration of the transfer can vary considerably.

Sample “Animals”

• Cow: Added strength, “bull”-headedness, herd mentality.
• Fish: Ability to breathe underwater; unfortunately, breathing air becomes difficult.
• Human: Depends on the individual. This can be added strength with reduced intelligence or vice verse.
• Troll: Regeneration, difficulty speaking, susceptibility to fire
• Vampire: Sudden hunger for blood, allergy to sunlight

‘And a bright light shone from the stone hand of Caedmon, the lost God. The statue having lost most of it’s features from the passage of time, it’s only discernable feature left was the crest about the shoulder of the Horned Eye of Caedmon. The triangular shaped stone was smooth and warm to the touch, a small diamond glistening in the middle. A voice spoke, booming and ominous upon removing the amulet. “My children are many and strong in the shadows, take great care that leading them will send you down a path of shadows. Accept it and become stronger than any living being, deny it and crumble to dust at my feet. The choice to make is yours, the power to give is mine.”

I told Sir Ursus not to take the amulet, to leave it be in it’s resting place. But he would not listen. We now trek to his place of hiding to remove the amulet and return it, and to destroy that which Ursus has become. ’

- Arch-Danath Maccalas of the Dark Step Tribe

Full Item Description
The Amulet of the Damned was a device created by the lost god Caedmon, or one of his more powerful of followers. It is a dark stone of flecked white that is smooth like a river stone, caressed over the ages by nature. A small diamond seems to have grown directly in the center of the stone, a natural beauty from natures vault.

History
Its original purpose behind its creation was to allow the wearer to control the undead minions that flocked to Caedmon’s call. When Caedmon was alive and twisting the fate of the mortals below to his whim, the undead began flooding to his call in the hopes of reward beyond death. While there were the intelligent Souless and wraiths able to control their undead minions, a living mortal could not. So the Amulet of the Damned was needed.

Through the creation of captured souls and a trapped piece of heartstone, the amulet gave the wearer the ability to control the undead, unerringly. Every command was followed obediently, even if it meant their destruction. A follower by the name of Trai Calis commanded the undead armies of Caedmon during the War of the Gods, fighting back the mortals on the island now called Isle de Sangellaso. The Island of Blood. However, his greed took over him and he tried to go beyond the boundaries of Caedmon’s control. During the War of the Gods, Caedmon fought for his divine life and failed. When he disappeared, Trai’s control over the undead wavered and his fate was sealed. He still controlled the undead, but he began to waste away himself until one day he awoke and the sun hurt his eyes to view it, and food and water failed to quench his belly. The Amulet of the Damned and the souls within had taken control over him and had slowly turned him into that which he controled.

Unable to control the undead horde, they immediately tore him to pieces and hide the amulet in a destroyed temple of the now lost god, Caedmon. Every century a hapless innocent will find the amulet and gain control of the dead for a short time, until they themself turn to a decaying husk.

A few have been able to wrest control even after their death with knowledge of their mortal life still usable. Mages and priests of the dark gods said they still had answers to their questions, replys to their prayers. It is a horrible day indeed when a dark soul is turn by the Amulet of the Damned and they are able to withstand the horde of undeath that wishes to repay them for their indenture.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The item gives full control over the undead. Commands will be followed without reluctance and with complete obedience.

The wearer feels completely refreshed the moment they wear it, feeling warm and revitalized. It will also heal all minor injuries, but only the first time it is worn.

It is a given fact that once the amulet is worn and control of the undead are forced to obey, the wearer must keep the item on or suffer the wrath of the undead they have commanded. Any undead they have not commanded will have no other feelings of hatred toward them, so will not actively hunt them.

Cursed
The item is cursed. Trai Calis had worn the amulet for a total of one hundred and three days before he began to change. Once the amulet is worn, the body will slowly begin to die. The wearer will not feel this happening as they will always feel refreshed. Once the item is worn for one hundred and three days, the change is complete. They awake to a frightful dream of their heart stopping and their breath not coming to their lungs, even on command. They awake to find their life has changed.

The item can be removed but their change from living to undead can not be reversed. Once the item is worn and the undead are commanded, their fate is sealed as once they take the amulet off, the undead that were commanded seek vengence.

This Folio is a sealed on, containing some scrolls of great age. The scrolls will be of a language of great antiquity.  Some of these scrolls might be cut up and pressed flat into a leafed book.

If you can read the scrolls, which usually require a language known to religious scholars, you will find a collection of works from the time of a holy man who is the foundation of current religion. These are notes, letters, and “unreleased” scriptures from the holy one and his disciples. After reading these work, you come to the understanding that the current church is not following the true wishes of the holy person… that the orthodox view is wrong… corrupt even… or what we believe to be true is totally wrong.

Examples:
An ancient scroll in Aramaic: The Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ… giving directions to all his disciples (which lists a few different names than the accepted ones) and goods going to his wife and son, the rest going to his synagog congregation.

Confession Scrolls telling of some of the miracles being hoaxes (He really did not rise, we just said he did) by one of the minor figures in the holy texts. And the paper from the Old Government denoting his suicide.

Pieces from a personal journal that tells how certain “religious miracles” were carefully staged with a bit of magic and some ingenuity.

Historical papers from the Old Empire that refutes the mythological/ scriptural account.

Sciptures from The Great Sage that explains he made all this up, but it is all allegory, rather than real.

Creation myths and holy prayers that are different, but somewhat similiar, to the orthodox one.  So while the orthodox one shows that men should dominate women, and there is a racial order to the universe (elf/ human/ dwarf/ orc/ and lesser races), the real one shows that women should be in charge of most of life and that their is a spiritual order, not racial order to souls.  In short, the foundations of the religion is wrong.

Or some other holy scripture from long, long, ago, that blows the orthodox religion of the time apart.

History
The cultist could of been studying it, could of been holding it for safe keeping for the cult, or it could be a carefully constructed hoax.

Plots
Some people are looking for it to “save it” and present it to the public.

Some groups are are looking to destroy those papers, lest their secrets be revealed.

Some organizations want them for their own purposes, to use them as leverage against either of the two previous types of groups.

And Secret Dark Cultists trying to steal it back from you, because it is theirs.

Note: This books is also known as the DarkStar Codex.

Full Item Description
This is a tripod-mounted camera of the olden type, handheld flash bulb and all. It seems to have seen much use, and the original owner was known to be an avid photographer.

History
Every evil cultist knows that humans provide the best sacrifice to evil gods and rituals, but kidnapping isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Often the victim will struggle, and might even kill themself once captured if they get wind of what use their body will be put to.

Humans also make for the best servants, but finding those who would willingly serve the forces of darkness as a mere platter-holder is another arduous task. One cultist, a famous photographer, decided to solve both problems in one fell swoop, in an ingenious and subtle way. He was eventually captured and executed, but this camera survives him.

Magic Properties
This camera and it’s plates are enchanted to trap the soul of the subject within the image plate. The plate itself must be handled carefully, because touching it to bare skin will allow the soul to escape the volatile enchantment within the plate and attempt to displace the toucher’s soul.

A person who’s soul has been captured this way is uncreative and a bit listless. Because the body is still linked to the soul, if they are idle, they will always end up staring in the direction that their soul-plate lies. If a plate is destroyed with a soul in it, the soul is released and must find it’s way back to it’s body within a weeks time, or the body will wither and fade away, leaving them as a wandering ghost.

They are also extremely susceptible to suggestion, making them easily commanded servants. Being so amiable to suggestion allows the cultist to have the target meet at a prearranged time and location where they can be reunited with their soul and sacrificed with a minimum of fuss.

Some of the more twisted might consider taking them to bed, but such persons make mediocre lovers at best.

They are beautiful bits of ribbons of the proper width and length for women to add to their hair.  This ribbons are quite nice.  If she uses them, her hair seems nicer. It is softer, shinier, has more bounce and curl (or is straighter depending on her needs). It will add a simple plus to appearance initially, but the bonus will grow. After a short while, they add a good plus (+3 for a 3d6 range) to the charisma/ appearance of the female who uses them. (Her hair will stay softer, shinier, etc for quite a while even if she does not wear the ribbons with some of the pluses). They will also add to her self confidence and poise.

Unfortunately, the ribbons will start to engender jelousy among the other women who see her. Most of it will be of the catty backstabbing nature. However, someone always “goes to far”: working to actively break up a relationship, manipulating events, lying, and even commiting murder (sometimes the woman, sometimes her love).

History
These are demon enhanced ribbons, probably from a demon posing as a trader or a boyfriend who then left her.

Full Item Description
It appears to be a bit and bridle set. A bridle is a harness, consisting of a headstall, bit, and reins, fitted about a horse’s head and used to restrain or guide the animal. The leather used in the bridle are made of a fine leather, much softer and thinner than a normal bridle. It looks like it would break if any one pulled hard. The leather is tooled with a swirling scrolling pattern that echos celtic scroll and knot work. The bit is always shinny, appearing to be silver. The spooling (the outside edging) has a distinctive knotwork design, with four strands bound by one.

It is interesting to note that the famous Keladon Riders, with their distinctive red uniforms, use that same design on their buttons and as a pseudo heraldic device for the riders. They do not use magic to work with their horses.

History
This is a classic enchantment, one found in many a grimoire. This enchantment is not as old as horse brass and other horse talismans that draws their roots from older shamanistic magic. This is ancient sorcery that is now difficult to perform because it is so old and so very different than current magics.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The Bit and Bridle works on both the horse and the rider. It grants the rider a greater understanding of the mount and its quirks. For the horse, it makes them calmer (not duller, just more focused and less excited) and more responsive (obedient). The horse is also less distracted by other things outside of what its rider wants it to focus on, making it suitable for crowded situations.

Game Mechanic
Significant pluses to riding rolls (as good a master class skill). The horse receives similar bonuses to avoid spooking, tripping, and floundering.

Alternate Versions
This item can be used for any animal that fits it. There are probably versions for every riding beast out there on a magical world. The basic enchantment is the same, only tailored for the beasts.

The Giant Tiger Riders of The Prallan Lands use harnesses like this to actually tame their battle cats.

These are also called Bit and Brides of Command and Harnesses of Skill.

Garage Sale
You might notice that this has a link to the Garage Sale. So some evil cultist, not known for his horse riding, might have one of these hanging around. The reasons?  Put the bit in a victim’s mouth, the harness over the head, and you have an obedient victim, who is focused on going where you tell them, and won’t notice anything else if they happened to be freed. Good for kidnapping.

The Master Craftsman
Ashmont Sleightor poured the ingredients into the dram vial with agonizing precision, for he had a reputation to uphold, at least among the extremely specialized masters of his unusual profession.  He reflected upon the good fortune that had allowed him to find patrons among the most elevated families of the land as he carefully melted the neck of the vessel to close it off and establish a hermetic seal.

As he worked, he ran the list of ingredients over in his head:  Dried blood of the crested demodand, ground finely; blossom of the black orchid, gathered after Midsummer’s Night; Cranial bone from an ancient liche; pitchblende, ground coarsely; virgin’s tears; fresh shoots from the death’s whisker vine; and purest mummia, imported from the distant Sallvian desert.  Each had to be gathered at precisely the right time, with the correct ritual phrases applied, or the magic would not function properly.  Few craftsmen were willing to oversee the entire operation from start to finish, but that was why Poisonmaster Sleightor’s skills were so highly prized.  Blissmort was not a toxin that could be produced by amateurs.

The Death of Darkest Delight
Blissmort, also known as "Dawn Blossom Toxin" or "Soulblack Venom", is a rarely encountered necromantic poison that is generally added to alcoholic beverages.  It has a sweet, flowery fragrance and a distinct fruity taste that is conspicuous in most foods but blends well with that of strongly flavored wines or fruit drinks.  If undetected, it is difficult to treat, as there is no known antidote and its necromantic nature blocks many of the usual measures taken to defeat poisons.

In small doses, this toxin produces a pleasant euphoria, a feeling of power and energy that is especially pronounced when the imbiber physically touches another person.  The effect is strangely reversed for the person touched, who will often feel drained and weak afterward.  Continued use accentuates this effect, as the user begins to sense the energies of each living thing around him.  The body will recover from small doses, but once the victim begins to sense life energy, there is no hope for them.

The End, and Beyond
Despite this blissful euphoria, the lethal drug seems to drain the energy from its user as quickly as he draws it from those around him.  If a lethal dose is consumed (a few droplets is enough), he will feel increasingly drained and chilled, until the insatiable craving for more energy becomes unbearable.  Eventually, the user dies, his life energies drained.  After death, a strange metamorphosis can occur:  He may rise up as a sort of Black Revenant or Gravewight, ravening for life energy and draining it with its embrace.  These undead creatures are often easily distracted by the things that were important to them in life, and may spend their time trying to recreate a life that is now denied them, draining those around them to make them into undead much like themselves.

Not all who fall to the effects of this poison return as undead, however.  Those who have spoken with these debased creatures have been told that they chose to return; apparently the soul of the poisoned dead has the choice whether to return to their mortal shell or not.  Those of strong moral character can allegedly resist the draw of becoming undead and can proceed to whatever reward awaits them. 

In some cases, this poison has been successfully administered to the recently dead, who have arisen as Black Revenants, breaking the bonds of death.  The most tragic of these legends have involved women who died in childbirth, who have returned from beyond death only to drain the life from the husband that foolishly brought them back and those of their beloved children.

The Noble’s Cellar:  A Tale of Unfortunate Ambition
Once upon a time, an ambitious young nobleman attempted to simplify his inheritance issues by placing several bottles of a valuable, rare vintage within the cellar of his childless uncle.  He hoped that the elderly man would enjoy a final, fatal bottle and pass on, leaving his estate to his doting nephew.  Unfortunately, before the ruthless young man could do more than pick out an elegant vintage cloak to wear while mourning, his uncle inconveniently suffered an attack of religious enthusiasm and ordered his servants to empty his cellars, sending the wine as gifts to noblemen throughout the land.

Perhaps the fine young gentleman should have settled for some lesser poison, rather than the unnatural toxin Blissmort.  He will certainly repent of his scheme, once the leading families of the land are reduced to ravenous undead.

When this book is opened, its text is very specific to the reader, and whoever opens this book is compelled to read it, and read it aloud. Only those of strong will can stop themselves.

The book is inhabited by a rather powerful spirit, which will not only manifest the reality which is read, but will also put the book right back where the adventurers drop it.

Closing or destroying the book will stop the manifestations, but the book will be restored by the spirit a short time later. Beating the manifestations will drain the spirit enough that destroying the book will leave it permanently unable to restore it. Killing the reader will prevent them from continuing.

The reader will be startled to find the book starts off describing the situation that they currently find themselves in. For instance “When planning an eventful evening, it is important to first put the group at ease, take for instance the would-be heroes who stood in the dark mage’s library. One of them, the most curious, stood, holding a book not meant for his eyes, and read the text aloud to his friends. He spoke of things creeping in the darkness, to descend upon them…” and at this moment the ‘things’ would descend upon them.

The spirit is diabolical, but it does not have unlimited power. It may manifest only a few creatures, and will therefore attempt to match the creatures to the weaknesses of the individual adventurers. The creatures summoned will attack their target, but may be engaged in combat by anyone else, and will defend themselves. This is the best way to combat the spirit, which cannot be harmed directly.

The book was originally made by a dark wizard, who placed it as a trap in his library, which lay on the way to his vault, which he found was being frequented all too often by thieves (ie, heroes). Even if he did deal with the thieves (heroes) himself, he didn’t like to have to keep doing it. So, he placed this in the most valuable looking place in his library, placed inside a glass case and all, to make it look as important and valuable as possible.

When confronted by this book, a thief (hero) could barely stop themselves from taking it, and attempting to take a quick gander at its contents. This was usually the last of the thief (hero) as far as anyone else was concerned.

Plot hooks:
While this is mostly good for an encounter, I can think it might be a good way to get the players thinking about matching their strengths to their enemies weaknesses, if an enemy does it to them.

Or, perhaps the item is in a dungeon just unearthed. Perhaps the local ruler has sent an expedition down there and nobody has returned. Not wanting to risk any more of his subjects’ lives, he turns to the adventurers to help him out. It might turn out that the expedition came across this book, and couldn’t help themselves. The adventurers would find the bodies of the expedition, and the book sitting there, in the same room, looking untouched. Perhaps it would be an idea to have the beginning of the book written out for the unlucky player who ends up reading the book, and have them narrate the battle until they either win, or lose, or the hero manages to gather the willpower to close the book.

Magical Properties:

The book will compell the reader to continue reading, and read aloud, the story of his group’s demise. He, or she, may do nothing other than read the book unless they find the strength to wrench themselves away. The story will attempt to become fact while the reader still reads. The creatures created are real in every way, but will vanish once the story is done. The reader is quite aware of what is going on around him, but cannot take his eyes off the story.

Appearance
It appears to be a classic cameo, worn upon a tight black choker which is often the style. The portrait is a flawless image of the Queen from some time ago. It has all the appearance of a family heirloom.  In fact, most women remember their mother (or loved female role model) having either this piece, or one just like it. (which is part of the enchantment… as the mother might never of had such a piece.)

Magic/Cursed Properties
Upon wearing the Cameo, the victim’s dark self is released. It is a second personality, one that is less inhibited, seductive, sensual, hedonistic, greedy/ self satisfying, and frequently power seeking.  Speech and mannerisms change, as does the preferred manner of dress. The Dark Self will frequently slip off into the night for secret meetings and other things.

If the Cameo is given to a woman by a man (or a man was the last one to touch it before it is sent to her), the woman will be drawn to that man. The longer she wears the item, the more she will be “under his spell”. Eventually the female becomes responsive to suggestions or directions the man makes.

The Dark Self knows everything the Good Self (first personality) does. It will sometimes pretend to be the “good girl”, “accidently” arranging those around her to have cross feeling, anger, fear, depression, or inappropriate lust. The first personality does not know about any of what the Dark Self does, except maybe in dreams.  The Good Self is often left with a compulsion to put on the cameo at certain times (so the Dark Self can have its secret meetings).

The Dreams only occur for some women. Those dreams tend to be of a woman, an ancestor perhaps, who was vibrant, alive, and of course just a bit evil. If the wearer has the dreams, these dreams become seductive… enticing the Light Self to be more and more like the Dark Self. Eventually the Light Self will give over completely to the Dark One, and the person she once was will be lost to the Dark.

This is not an item of alignment/ spiritual polarity reversal.  If a woman who is already given over to her Dark Self wears it, it is merely a beautiful item. Well that is not true, the “drawn under the spell” effect is still in play and the few inhibitions the Dark Woman has might fade away.

History
Such items are made for Cultists by Demons Servants. Trade a soul, get a new item. It is the basic economy of Dark Servatude.

The name of this item comes from its normal use. The Head of the Evil Circle always wants a “bride” that he can not have. So this item is used to corrupt the beautiful “Good Girl” so she will be his. Hence, the Queen of the Dark Circle wears the item.

You know. I have been running horror games for way, way to long. I am just too good at making these kind of things. I know what Evil Cultists would need and how they would operate. Hmmm. I wonder if I am being set up to be recruited.

Full Item Description
It appears to be a large chamberpot, heavily made. It has an exceptionally thick bottom. 

History
Note: Nobody calls it a Chamberpot of Holy Blessings. It is just another chamberpot.

It appears to be a large chamberpot, heavily made. It has an exceptionally thick bottom.  If one is alligned with the Darkness (or your soul is heading there because of your acts), it provides you a serious venerial disease.  If you are not alligned with the Darkness, it will cure said disorders or any issue having to do with bowel or urinary movements.

Why is this an Evil Item you ask?

The Pot was made to be part of an Evil Rite. Incorporated into the thick bottom of the pot is The Holy Symbol of Kriteris. This holy item, which contains bone fragments of the Great Ascended Cleric Kriteris, is a legendary relic. It has great healing powers if touched to the right body parts AND provides additional holy energies to any who believe who wield it. The cultists were going to attack the faith of Kriteris by utilizing the pot ritually. The pot is also enchanted to hide the item’s presence.  But something happened. Anyone who knew where the item was, had a small adventurer accident. Now this great relic is currently lost to time.

Magic/Cursed Properties
See Above

Full Item Description
A chess journal is a two part book.  The first part is normally a rule book for chess, with many of the classic strategies and games being played out. The second part is a journal where you can record your own games (to be reviewed for future strategies and proficiency) and jot down ideas on strategies. Usually the first part has margin notes and cribs as well. This is really a workbook.

So far this is pretty benign.

It is when you carefully read the second part, you realize that the chess being played is not with pieces.  It is being used as a symbolic code to plot treachery and intrigue. Each “plan” is a different game on a different page. It all falls into place in a “coded” area. Certain pieces of certain games are given abreviations on this page near the back. Some of them are distinctive, like the local nobles/ royals Prince Bertrand of House Strompson, esq   RP B HSt Esq is obvious to anyone with heraldry skill.

The fun part is that the players, if they have been local for a while, will find their initials in the book.  They will find themselves as pawns for the “black side” in a couple of middle games. (They might be white pawns in newer games… if you want to make them feel good.)

Once the PCs realize that this Journal is imporant, they will start looking at anyone serious playing Chess as a potential Evil Cultist. Chess Journals start becoming “red flags”. What would be fun if the mage or tactically savy soldier/ warrior in the group already had such a journal in their possession early in the game (and was using it normally). Mistrust and suspission will abound. (Cue Evil GM laugh).

A demon was on the rampage, and dozens of children were found dead with their eyes and hearts ripped out…
Why? Pure malevolence? No, not simple as that? Sustenance? Neither.
The demon killed out of compassion, ending the existence of mistreated children before hatred, despair and cynism could taint their souls and condemn them to hell…it also killed cruel caretakers, rapist parents and brutal slavers, but those retained their eyes.
The investigators were hard pressed to find the beast to end its rampage, as they called in, and sooner or later every one of them found a teddy bear or plush dino or fluffy puppy in his room, that had there unbelievably real eyes and was always warm, and seemed even to have a harbeat if you took it with you to bed and listened carefully while falling asleep…they were puzzled both by the presents they got and by the ease with which the demon eluded them, until one found out that the plush critters walked around and moved their eyes! When the detectives began probing the plushies, they weeped real tiers and cried like kids, until no-one could endure it any longer.
A hired wizard was called for aid, and discovered the connection - all those toys were linked to a demonic being and infused with its power, but also with tiny shards of children’s souls…and other plushies began to pop up in the toy boxes of kids all over the duchy even as more children died…
What has come to pass here? Well, the demon made those to keep an eye (or two) on both the investigators and nice kids who might need aid or comfort - and the freed children have given a tiny piece of their souls as a thanks for the rescue and to aid other kids, animating the plushies carrying their eyes and hearts!

With the mage’s aid, the detectives managed to steal a toy from the demon’s influence, and force it to spy on its maker, thus tracking down the demon.
An epic battle ensued, and severy outnumbered and badly wounded, the demon fled.
Long, there was nothing to be heard of it, and the people thought it dead for good, bled to death in some gutter and eaten by rats, when ... another child was found dead, eyes and heart missing…

Magical Properties:

The toy is able to move on its own as well as its form allows, and can transmit any visual impression to the master - who may be the mysterious fiend, or a wizard who has gained the control of a plushie.

It cannot hear, but one can use lip-reading to discern what was said.
One holding the toy and concentrating can send thoughts to the master of the plushie if he has some inborn talent or knows a few communication spells, whithout a range penalty ... but his does not work for mind-control or mind-reading.
The master of the toy can always intuit its location with a precision of 1/100 of his distance from it, and can use a teleport spell or ability to teleport to it with significant reductions of difficulty and/or mana cost.
The master can play-back anything the toy has seen in the last 4 hours, and can show it to others without error if he knows a simple illusion spell.

The teddy is most difficult to destroy, for you must destroy the soul-shard within, otherwise it will reform within 24 hours (so, if you burn it, the ashes will first form a tiny whirlwind around the soul-bit, then become pink and solid again, finally regrowing the eyes and heart again.

What does such a teddy mean? Either, a wizard is spying on you, or, more probably, the self-appointed angel of mercy has taken interest in you…
A child owning such a toy will be under the protection of the creature, and should you harm it, prepare to have your ass torn out, for the thing thinks itself an angel, but is NOT nice to people who harm kids…you hit a kid, it drops its pretty teddy, and the toy stares at you with weeeping eyes, and later that night, a clawed hand grasps your neck, and a motherly female voice speaks with regret: “I am most disappointed with you. Now, burn in hell!” as the clawed hands, sharp teeth and wicked horns rip the life out of you.

Of course, a variant of this could exist: a golem given the eyes of a cild, devoted to the protection of some kid.

At the estate sale of one wealthy merchant (who happened to be an Secret Evil Cultist) someone found several lengths of black silk cord, the kind that is used for trim and piping. A local seamstress purchased those odd lengths and the remaining bolt cheap and turned out two or three cloaks using the thin black silk cord as trim.

Misfortune has followed the owners of the cloaks. Sure some of their enemies have died grusome deaths and certain tasks have magically been performed, but most of their families and loved ones have died or been injured after a simple disagreement. Many owners of the cloaks have died soon after loosing loved ones (probably after saying, they no longer wished to live without their loved one). 

The cut cords were enchantments. They were “leashes” used to control semi-mindless undead/ demonoids. These creatures spend much time in the caves and sewers not far from the estate where they were penned long ago.  The creatures are still leashed and must obey those who hold those knotted cords. (they are the collar cords for the three cloaks). They follow any commands to do harm or task. These command are given innocently these days.

Imagine being mad and saying, “I hate that man. I wish he went away”. A day or so later he would disappear as the monsters kidnap him and keep him in the pen with them. When he dies, they eat him.  Say, “Go to Hell” and the monsters will drag them as close as they can. “I wish someone would clean up this mess… ” and sometime later a monster will creep in and do a pretty bad job of cleaning up.

Few understand what power they possess. They accidently visit death and mayhem to those around them. Some do understand the power, and they are dangerous… of course they will do more death and mayhem but for “constructive purposes”.

Full Item Description
A multifaceted lead glass paperweight found in any stationary store. It is palm sized.

History
A common enough ancient enchantment, if you study dark tomes. The origins of the spells are lost to the depths of history. The triggers for said items are normally “evil”, those that are selfish. That negative emotional energy is the tiny bit of energy needed to release the effect.

Magic/Cursed Properties
By holding this crystal so you can see it and another person, and having envy or greed or evil intent in your heart, you can trap the target’s soul in the crystal. The person in question becomes a souless shadow of themselves.  They act like themselves, but without the “spark”.  They are dull, unimaginative, and fairly unemotional.  By concentrating hard on the crystal, you can take control of the souless one’s body.  The process is somewhat taxing, but can be done for hours at a time.  The soul trapped inside the crystal empowers the magics, so eventually it can be worn down.  If another is taken into the crystal before the first one is gone, the soul is kicked out as a ghost.  It may or may not find its way back to its body, it all depends on the abilities of the soul. 

A pity this crystal looks like a multifaceted lead glass paperweight found in any stationary store. It can be kept in plain site and nobody will know.

A greter pity is that you can stuff your own soul in it, if you catch your reflection in the crystal and stare at it long enough (with evil thoughts in your mind).

Full Item Description
Devouring Beds are a devious magical item of villianous disposition. The headboard and footboards are made of high quality hardwood, complete with top quality staining and carven posts and decorations. The mattress is filled not with straw or down, but with horsehair taken from mane. These beds come in two types, with one being of a larger size and bearing the inscription Master in highly ornate and archaic writing, and the smaller beds bear Guest in the same style.

Magic/Cursed Properties
Devouring Beds are made in sets, and without at least one Master bed and one Guest bed surviving, the magic behind the beds is broken. The Guest beds are the devourers, sapping the life force from those who sleep in them, transferring this vital essence to whomever is sleeping in the Master bed.

Devourering Beds can come in degrees of power, but a bed that leaves an occupant a withered and dry husk through the course of one night, or a few hours is going to be very rare. Most of these beds steal years from the end of someone’s life. If a game system has a set maximum age, the bed takes from this number at a steady rate, generally a few months of life a night. Unless someone uses a devourering bed for months on end, they will not notice anything other than that their sleep is uneasy and they are not well rested. The occupant of the Master bed adds these stolen months and years, minus a small amount for the bed’s magic, to their own lifespan.

Plot Hooks of Devourering

Full Item Description
It appears to be an older, above average quality taptestry.  The subject is unimportant, so some are religious, others are landscapes, others portaits of kings/ queens, some portray ancient cities. They seem to collect more dust than everything around them.  Even a exceptional servant will not be able to keep it perfectly pristine.

Magic/Cursed Properties
If you duck behind said tapestry, hiding like a child in the drapes, you will “disapear”.  Anyone looking down the hall will see the tapestry hanging normally and no feet will be appearing from behind it. If you lift the tapestry and look behind it, nothing will be there.. though you might be able to hear the breathing or noise the person behind the tapestry is making. You can even wave your arm behind the tapesty and nothing will be there. It only work if you hide behind it.

If you tear the tapestry down or cut it/ burn it, the person behind the tapestry will “fall out”.

The person hiding behind the tapestry sees nothing but the tapestry’s back. (If two or so hide back there, they can see each other). They can see the hand print of someone touching the tapestry through the back.  If they make a good listen/ perception die roll, they can hear the muted sounds around the tapestry.

The item hides anyone behind it and appears as if no one is there.

While this was created for the Garage Sale from Hell, this is not an Evil Cultist item per say, but it is something they have use for. It is a general magic item, that comes in dozens of forms and formulas. It’s other use is for noble homes, who would need these to hide from raiders or while sneaking about. And unofficially, it is a thieves best friend. In fact, some thieves have been known to send future victims these tapestries (under the guise of normal tapestries), so they can later sneak in and hide in them while doing more extravagent roberies.

A black wooden egg cup, very hard, smelling a little of charred wood. It is resistant to fire (it needs to be: see magical properties) and and it is delicately carved with relief images of fruit and vines and other fertility symbols.

Magical Properties:

An ordinary egg is inserted into the egg cup of summoning. The cup is placed in a lighted hearth and the egg slowly begins to warm up. Incantations are read, and powders thrown onto the fire, and the egg will hatch into the summoned creature.

Addled eggs produce deformed demons or chaotic familiars. This can be troublesome.

Double yolks produce twin familiars, and larger eggs naturally yield larger summonees.

Beautiful Chess set: A beautiful set of “ivory” chess pieces, actually carved from human bone.

The bedspread of nightmares: If someone sleeps beneath it they will have nightmares, initially quite mild but which get worse the more nights they sleep under the bedspread.

The Pictureframe of Souls: Any portrait in this frame will change, bit by bit, over the course of a week to reveal the current state of the souls of anyone in it. The cultist used it to find True Innocents to sacrifice.

Butterknife of paralysis: Doesn’t do any more damage than a regular butterknife, but someone being cut with this can’t do anything but watch you saw into them very slowly. This is from a wish made to a demon long agon. The wisher is long dead, dammed to hell, the butterknife is still here.

The Locket: Beautifully made from shining gold, this locket would be a perfect gift for the wife, girlfriend, mother or daughter of a nobleman, but for one hitch: It’s welded shut.

Essentially, a really nasty demon is bound in the locket, to give strength to the cultist. If the locket is ever actually opened, boom, he comes out and tries to kill everything. He wants revenge. Perfect thing for a PC to give a love interest…

Mirror of Inevitability Ornate haging wall mirror, complete with polished silver backing, antique brass frame, and several years of tarnish. Anyone looking in the mirror will see themselves reduced to a withered, rotted corpse. Other than that, it has no magic. The mirror has to be polished before any sort of reflection can be seen in it, and that task should take some time to complete.

Haunted Chamberpot Obsessed with the thought of releaving himself on his foes, the champion of immortal evil bound the spirit of a hated enemy into the confines of a very finely made chamberpot, in fact, the finest chamberpot this side of the king’s constitutional. When the pot is ‘used’ it emits horrified sounds, howls, and screams. Imagine trying to use that first thing in the morning!

Fine Leather Gloves These gloves are very comfortable, and well fitting to the first person who tries them on. After prolonged wearing, the PC discovers a sudden ability to pick pockets, do sleight of hand tricks, and pick locks. Closer examination will reveal the gloves to be made of human skin, taken from the hands of a master thief who ran afoul of the Champion of Immortal Evil.

Dinnerwear of the Damned Crafted from tortured souls fused with steel and magic, this is a full set of plates, cups, bowls, and saucers. Each contains a soul that cries to be released, and really makes horrible groanings and moanings when someone scratches a fork, or knife across the surface to hard.

Sausage Grinder of Immaculate Taste Perhaps the Champion of Immortal Evil was a chef of some skill. The meat grinder was enchanted to propperly season the meat inserted into it to make the best tasting sausage, depending on the blend of meat used. PCs find sausage made from beef, pork, and poultry have no flavor added to them, as the grinder was never used for such fare. Perhaps it can learn, or they will discover it’s other talents for sausage making. Elven links anyone?

Portraits, and paintings A large collection of assorted family portraits, and perhaps portraits of people defeated, destroyed, or killed by the Champion of Immortal Evil. Some other art pieces could include macabre interpretations of religious texts, paintings of torture, and dismemberment, or pastoral scenes with many fluffy rabbits and general cuteness.

Evil Wizard’s Wardrobe An impressive collection of robes, casual clothing, cloaks, and the like. As cutting edge, or painfully out of fashion as desired. Most have unpleasant odors, or lingering stains. Some others might be haunted with the ghost of pervious wearers who bemoan their defeat by the CoIE.

Zombie Whistle - an innocuous looking whistle fashioned from a smooth white material, bone to the experienced eye. When sounded in the proper tone causes corporeal undead to halt for as long as the tone is sounded. A left over from the days when the CoIE was still new to the art of sarcomancy.

Mummified Cat - one time familiar that sadly perished. The animal was solemnly wrapped in linens, and blessed with a form of immortal life, so that it would be able to continue serving the CoIE. Upon his death, the cat-mummy reverted to a dormant state and is now a quality museum piece.
Responds to the command word: Sassy

Full Item Description
A well crafted but otherwise ordinary steak knife.

History
It was forged by a bored demon that wondered what would happen if mortals were cursed with the craving his kind have for the bloody flesh of all things.

Magic/Cursed Properties
Anyone who uses this knife to carve up his meat, slowly finds himself obsessed with the different kinds of meat that one can eat.Why stop with boring things like chicken, beef, and fish, the mind of the cursed one will tell him, urging him to try eating the flesh of about every living thing there is. Soon,it will reach a point where that so annoying pet of one’s wife mysteriously vanishes. Two birds killed with one stone,no? No more harpy of a wife to nag you and a delicious dish made from a totally new kind of meat to feed your craving for meat.

Note:Process only begins if the knife is used on flesh. Otherwise,it is just an ordinary knife.

Full Item Description
On True Power is a good sized book with a dark brown hard leather cover and metal hinges. The book mark ribbon that is part of the binding is embrodered with a celtic knot pattern. The inside of the book is illuminated by somewhat skilled scribes. It is quite old. The paper (is it even paper?) is dry and crackles as it turns.

“On True Power” is an ancient book. It is Phobi-can’s thesis on “the ultimate weapon” and man’s natural state. It made much a powerful statement, that the man’s name came to mean fear (Phobia’s)

Exerpt from the Introduction:
I know the ultimate weapon. Humans commit folly after folly because they are afraid. Fear was once Humankind’s most powerful ally, giving enormous potency to the instinct for suvival. Now, fear has become Humankind’s greatest enemy, and such is the obtusemenss of my species that is members do not realize it is the most powerful element of Human existance.

It is what drives them to embrace leaders who offer nothing more than false promises of security and doctrines that assure them that they are exempt from the inevitable consequence of being born, and to destroy the planet with insane consumption that does nothing more than distract them from their own mortality. They venerate charlatans and deny what is necessary to their own well-being because they are afraid. The situation is exacerbated by one of evolution’s cruelest jokes, the capability to deny to themselves what they are doing even as they are doing it.

I have taught the followers of the crown that to overcome fears they must first face it. Once cannot change until one has accepted oneself fully. I have also instructed the minions in manipulating the enemy’s fear, in the use of fear as a tactical weapon. With it, the minion of the crown are invinsible.

Fear is my weapon. I shall use fear.

This book is not a modern copy. This is a very old one. One that was translated from the Original. This one includes the spells and mental techniques that Phobi-can used in his teachings about fear and his use of Fear as a weapon. The language is quite old (requiring some obscure skills to read), but the spells are as effective today as they were centuries past.

This is the true spell book of a phobiamancer
Included are
Senses of Fear: finding the fears in the mind of others

Bolts of anxiety, Bolts of shock.

A variety of illusions to generate images of fear

Voice of Fear: The caster’s voice carries a quality that generates a fear check in the listeners. Multiple checks need to be made if the target has multiple fears that are played upon AND the caster makes an oratory/ public speaking roll.

Flash Invisibility: The target remains invisible as long as they don’t move. When they do, it projects a bolt of startling. They gain significant bonuses in terms of ambush.

Sneaky hands ( minor TK)

And remember that the text of the book shows one, step by step, how to utilize fear as a weapon to immobilize and control an individual, small group, or even an entire nation state.

Full Item Description
The Locket is usually a quite good looking piece. It is suitable for a gift and special token of affection.  It is of an average size and shape, so most painted minature portraits of the day will fit.

Like a number of items, this item can be any number of things.  The only caveat would be that the item would need a secret or not so secret compartment that is difficult to open. In the Locket’s case, there is a secret space behind one of the images.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The person given the locket will be inclined to wear it (a nature of the enchantment).  The person who wears the locket will, over the space of a few weeks or months, become calmer, happier, and more passive.  The Locket absorbs their will power, initiative, and drive (a tiny fraction of that energy empowers the spell in the locket). So eventually, the person become very passive, calm, and responsive to suggestions. At this point, they will be unable to resist mental spells and psionics.

The effects can be reversed, if you open the compartment holding the will power/ drive/ initiative of the target. The quickly will will return in the next day or three.

The Cloak is grey, quite warm, comfortable but of no outstanding design. Only a little skull symbol sewed on the inside pocket hints at something strange. It was created for a lowly ranger, to help him to hide better in nature. The pale mage could not resist to add a little bit of irony. Despite the disturbing effect, the cloak is not cursed, it serves its purpose well… maybe not the way his first wearer would like, but it works.

Magical Properties:

1. It raises the chances of its wearer to hide. A minor adaptive ability, it can partly blend into enviroment. Let’s say a +2 bonus to the respective roll.

2. If the wearer cloaks himself completely, and he does not move at all for a while (especiallly if concentrating on hiding), the cloak… vanishes. It becomes both invisible and immaterial, leaving its wearer normally visible. But it in fact creates another ‘masking’ effect:

The wearer starts to look like a corpse in an advanced state of decay, and most creatures sense him and behave to him as such. The corpse is complete with the illusion of stench and worms merrily feasting on it. Some creatures will avoid it, others (scavengers) in turn seek exactly these kind of bodies. Those in pursuit of the character will be able to identify the body as his, and depending on their mood and intents they could just leave it so, drag away, or kick it from anger. Or hack apart…

The cloak does does not hinder anyone from looting the corpse, or an animal to have a bite. It gives the usual (small) bonus to defense.

All of the behaviour above is valid IF the wearer does not move. A moving corpse will probably scare away animals, but intelligent pursuers are likely to use their weapons against one.

Duration:
This illusion stays for as long as the wearer is tightly enveloped in the cloak, and does not move much. Once this is no longer true, the maggots creep back, and the rotting flesh starts to heal fast, etc. In a short time, the “corpse” turns back to normal.

Uses:
Smart players will surely find a way to use it. The DM can have some fun if the second power is not known…
“You wake up in this chilly morning and suddenly find your friend Ugrun the barbarian is a rotting corpse!”

Full Item Description
It is a silvery mask of the kind worn to an upper class fancy dress masquerade ball. The light silver mask is in the style of the classic drama twins (comedy or tragedy). It is comedy mask - the smiling one. The eyes and mouth are obscured by a black gauze that can be seen through. It ties easily around the head and hangs comfortably.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The magic is subtle. It takes three solid presses in a row on the mask to activate (it could be done accidently but…..). If the mask is smiling it will copy the face beneath the mask, the base face.  The mask will still smile until placed upon a target, and pressed three times against their face.  The mask will then frown and the target\‘s face will be stolen and they will have the copied face once the mask is removed (eventually the hair of the target will become the color, length, and style, of the base face’s hair).  The stolen face can be taken by donning the mask and pressing it three times (then the mask will smile again). 

A marvelous tool to impersonate someone. A horrific tool if you don’t know what is going on and accidently activate it.

Keep in mind, there is only one copy of a face at a time. This is not a duplicator, it is a swiper.  So you need to keep your victim alive, if you want to get your face back.

History
Another enchantment that has been long known, but is morally questionable. Normally these items are a demonic gift, (give a soul, get an item), but they are in many an grimoire of a cultist.

This is always a personal journal. It is often hidden in innocent libraries. It can appear as an ordinary journal or diary from the outside. In the spine or binding there is always a tiny strip of metal that other components and symbols are attached. It is this addition that makes this special… only a master wizard could make such an item without that addition. Inside, it appears as a regular journal or as a blank book. It can show the reader what ever it wants, in terms of text or illustrations (if the person was artistic); sometimes even “sucking the reader in” mentally speaking, so they experience a moment in the person’s life. A pity you can only observe such events from the memory’s point of view.

Embedded in the book is a “MEMORY” a copy of the person at a certain age (usually the age or within a few years of the current age). This memory can show people what it wants, all in an attempt to make them do what it thinks is important (or has been told what is important by its maker).

Of course, if the memory is cunning enough, it can utilize the body of a reader who is “lost in the experience”. Thus it can cause all sorts of mischief. However, it will always be careful as to not to reveal itself. If the person is tired, weak, and not mentally strong enough, the person could be “displaced” by the memory permanently… (trapped in the back of their own head with the memory being in charge). 

This is a great item for ensuring that you will be immortal. It is not tied to your soul, so it is independent of any “retirement plan” activities you might take. It will ensure, that sometime in the future, you will live again. So be warry of reading some of the journals in the library’s Special Collection.

Recently, in a moderately sized city, there have been a number of assaults. There have been no deaths yet, but it is worrisome nonetheless. All the victims sport numerous bruises, lumps and other signs of light blunt trauma. All of the attacks have so far happened within about fifteen minutes walk of the local prison.

The city’s prison guard, torturer and executioner, a half-orc named Goadle, has a guilty secret. His one true joy is the small teddy bears that he makes from scraps of clothing belonging to the condemned.
He recently executed a singularly vile criminal who happened to have been arrested wearing a fine wool jacket. Unknown to Goadle, the jacket had been soiled with the blood of so many innocents that it had become an evil item, in and of itself. As Goadle lovingly stitched it into stuffed bears, it’s evil was passed on.
At night, while the prison slept, the bears would sneak into town and attack people. Lacking any actual force (they’re teddy bears after all), they have yet to succeed at causing any real damage. Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time until they find Goadle’s needles (Either sewing or torture), and Goadle still has a decent amount of the evil wool left.

While the teddies themselves are somehow… less than intimidating, they do have one rather frightening quality: they learn. In a few months, they tend to be as intelligent as an average human, and they still continue to learn. If they aren’t stopped soon, they will not only be able to devise surprisingly diabolical plans, but they will eventually discover the secret of how they were created, and nothing is stopping them from creating more evil wool. Should that happen, the teddies will disperse and try to build more of their kind.

Goadle has no idea that his teddies are alive, as they simply need to go limp to look like a raggedy teddy bear. If they are detected for magic, they will have a very faint aura about them. Lacking proper mouths, they are incapable of speech, though they will quickly learn to write.

During one of the recent attacks, one of the bears was pinned underneath the unconscious victim and is now in custody of the local guard. They have no idea that it is one of the creatures responsible for the attacks, but they think it might have something to do with it. Their current guess is along the lines of a ‘calling card’.

Full Item Description
The collar is a dark leather of medium width and average thickness. It is a large collar for a large neck. The buckle and collar ring are both silver over steel.

Magic/Cursed Properties
If worn by a LARGE dog, they become totally obedient and magnicently well trained. They could give Lassie or an AIBO with a remote control a run for their money. The person who leashes the dog is well respected and treated as if they were the owner. If they were the owner of the animal, the effects are magnified.

Can’t be worn by small dogs. If worn by another animal besides a dog, they will begin to exhibit a dog like behavior traits.

If worn by a person (an adult sized Human or other species as long as the collar can fit around their neck), they begin to act like a well trained pet dog. They are unable to speak a language, but able to understand.  They can still make barking, growling, and wimpering noises. They become incapable of using their thumbs or walking upright. They will also be fairly obedient, as obedient as the person who is wearing it (if they were a free spirit, then they will be one as a dog). If leashed by someone, then the victim will act as if the person holding the leash is their beloved owner (even after the leash is removed). If worn long enough, the effects will creep into the victim’s regular personality… first the obedience, then the animal traits.

History
Another standard item in the Evil Cult spell book. These items are used to train and break people, so they will do the Evil Cultist’s will. Using it is a lot of fun when humiliating people who you dislike.

There are not a lot of these items floating around, as it is not as effective as many items to achieve a Cultist’s goals. However, if their taste run towards dominance, this is a perfect tool for them.

Of course, this item has made its way into more standard spell books, as items for animal control.

Full Item Description
It is your standard fluffy feather pillow. The stitching on the borders are quite elaborate, but it looks more like a sign of quality rather than arcane patterning.

History
This is a classic enchantment, part of most spell colleges. The creator of this enchantment has been lost to history.

Magic/Cursed Properties
Soon after one lays on or sits upon the item, they will feel relaxed. They will then feel drowsey. Soon they will drop into a deep deep sleep.  If kept in contact with the pillow, they can not awaken for at least 8 hours, possible more if they are used to sleeping in, fatigued, or tired.

This is not an Evil item per say. It is a handy part of the Evil Cultist toolkit.

This is an excellent tool for evil cultists, allowing them to kidnap people out from their beds or couches with a minimum of fuss or muss. They can even give it to the victim’s spouse/ sleeping partner, so they can then kidnap the victim and no amount of screaming or noise will wake them. It just takes another break in to eventually reclaim the pillow.

Full Item Description
This item can be a ring, a pendant, belt buckle, or even a pair of boots. The items tend to be of metal (or have metal parts to embed the spell) as they last technically forever.

History
Being aligned with Evil does tend to make the afterlife a little less appealing. Unless one can somehow claw their way up the hierarchy immediately, one should be looking towards a long, long, long, time of torture and servitude to greater spirits, before any chance of reincarnation will occur.

In short, the True Retirement Plan sucks.

One of the first things Smart Evil Cultists and Priests learn is how to avoid final death. Having a familiarity with spirits and binding gives them a head start in this area.

The smart evil cultist binds their own soul to an item in such a way that it will be retrieved from any spiritual location or magical binding. Unlike most of these binding spells, there will be no compulsion for obedience and no limit on their magical power. In addition, the item will be enchanted to enhance magical mind control or enhance the possession attempt of a spirit. If there is time, a compulsion to wear the item as much as possible is given.

The item is then given to an appropriate young person as a gift. The young person should be strong, good looking, and well connected. (Some people give said items to young cultist recruits, just so they will still be part of the organization).

So when they die, their soul is yanked back to the item after a time. From there, the Smart Evil Cultist, will then begin to work their will upon the wearer. It depends on their skills, enchantment they have access to, and personality that determines how the subject is replaced. Slowly the cultist dominates the subject, either just controlling their mind or possessing and dominating them. (the advantage of control is that if something bad happens, the spirit in the item can take over the next wearer, the disadvantage is that they can be lost or captured - never to see the light of day again).

It can be the ultimate escape hatch. The Evil cultist’s mind is now buried in the Duke’s Sweet Young Daughter. Who would suspect her? And if the Evil cultist bides their time, they will be drawn into the world of nobility and power… where a few subtle self serving spells will cement their noble power.

Full Item Description
A normal black riding crop with some red thread woven into the handle, making it distinctive and quite handsome.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The item only works when being tucked under the arm, or in hand. It is primarily an object for men. When a man holding it, he seems more handsome than he is. Everyone feels his commanding presence and in many cases feels slightly inferior to him. This gives him an edge in dealing with people. Sometimes the weak willed or those of low self esteem will automatically follow his commands.

This feeling translates into pluses to charisma related abilities and skills, as everyone feels slightly inferior to him (minor minuses to charm or mind control to a spell saves against him if holding the crop). if the crop is used in the command (like “sit”, swatting the chair or the person), then additional bonuses are added.

History
This is a cunning item. It is uncommon, even in the magic teachings of the Evil Cults. Some trades souls for it, others learn the spells related to it. The form might vary some, but it is always an item of direction (a maestro’s baton, a lion tamer’s whip, etc).

Note
If a female finds the crop in her regular possession, a few things occur.  She initially appears more beautiful because of her commanding presence.  That illusion slowly wears off as she who wields it becomes overly dominating, excessively loud and demanding, and more forward than is socially acceptable. With continued usage, she will physically change.. getting more athletic, but taking on more handsome, than beautiful look.  Of course, the commanding presence grants all the bonuses it does to a man.

Sometimes, when it is too hard to kill or kidnap someone who is investigating a cult and the person cannot be bribed to go away, some other way must be used.

This gold ring (sometimes a signet ring), within an hour of wearing it, causes lazyness. The wearer will be distracted from work (or any cause they believe in) by the slightest thing. He would much rather rest or enjoy him or herself. If ill, it makes the illness seem worse then it really is so the wearer will want bed rest for days beyond what is needed. It does not in fact make the illness worse in reality, at least, not directly.

After a few days, if the wearer tries to take the ring off, he/she will be too lazy to do so. The wearer will never become too lazy to eat or drink, but might easily lose his/her job.

Should someone take the ring off, for a few hours the wearer will be hyperactive.

A dagger with an 8-inch blade and a bronze handle with a copper spiral inlay for grip.

The origins of this blade go back many years.  It once belonged to a simple shoesmith who carried it for protection.  His wife was an overbearing woman who slept around and abused him verbally, both in public and in private but he was a coward at heart and never stood up to her.  Sometimes when he was alone he would clutch his dagger in his hand and think of doing horrible things to his wife with it, of torturing her slowly to make her pay for all the bad things she’d ever said and done to him.  In the end, his wife killed him with the help of his own brother.  They pawned off many of the poor shoesmith’s old possessions, including his dagger.  Since that time it has passed from hand to hand, no one possessing it for more than a few months at a time, all falling victim to it’s deadly curse.

Magical Properties:

The dagger is infused with all the hatred and rage of the shoesmith.  It is capable of inducing only the tiniest of injuries (never more than a few hit points) regardless of how much force is put behind the blow.  Any cut it makes is razor thin and any stab wound is only a prick, but these wounds cause the victim agonizing pain.

Once the owner makes the first wound with this dagger, they will find themselves overwhelmed with the urge to use the knife on someone again.  Men, women, children, animals, it doesn’t matter.  Just as long as it bleeds.  If there is no one nearby, the owner will begin to cut themselves until they find someone else.  After a few weeks of this, most people become gibbering madmen, kidnapping people and torturing them to satisfy the hatred of the dagger.

Attempting to take the knife away from the curse’s latest victim will send them into a frenzy that only death or repossesion of the dagger will appease.

Full Item Description

Sekkitan blood diamonds come in a variety of cuts and settings, but they are all flawless in appearance.  The stones are completely colorless, without inclusions or flaws, and reflect light to a perfect sparkle.  They are of varying sizes, though their perfection often puts them at the centerpiece of rings, necklaces, crowns, etc.

History

The inhabitants of the tiny island of Sekkita were known for two things: the incredible diamonds mined from the island, and the fanatical zeal with which they worshipped their god Seenu.  The two were inextricably linked, as the Sekkitans worshipped Seenu with their diamonds.  Each year, on Seenu’s feast, the Sekkitans present the most glorious diamond of the year before Seenu’s shrine, which is taken up in the night by the god himself.  Though Sekkitan diamonds were prized throughout the world, the Sekkitan people traded only a handful of their diamonds each year, guarding closely the gems they considered sacred to their god.  They were able to do so because of the island’s abundant agriculture and fishing that kept Sekkita self-sufficient and isolated.

All this changed 200 years ago, when a massive typhoon struck Sekkita.  The crops were destroyed, the fish killed, and foodstuffs ruined.  The devastation was massive, wiping out the very soils and reefs the Sekkitans reaped their harvests from.  The island elders realized quickly that they needed to import food and supplies or the nation would not last.  Trade with other nations seemed the only option.  Unfortunately, the isolation and xenophobism of the Sekkitans left them vulnerable: they were completely unfamiliar with trade strategies and economic systems.

By a stroke of luck, the famous gem merchant and sorcerer Korzen Bowerblade came to the island to offer his commercial expertise to the Sekkitans.  Bowerblade trained the island elders in modern trade agreements and economic strategies.  The businessman even went as far as to trade with the Sekkitans himself, writing up a contract that would supply Sekkita with enough food and supplies for years until it recovered from the typhoon disaster.  Bowerblade was hailed as a savior, until the elders read the contract: Bowerblade Holdings would provide Sekkita with an influx of vital foodstuffs, in exchange for 65% of Sekkita’s annual diamond yield.  The concerned elders consulted Bowerblade, who explained to them that the diamond trade had fell recently and even the perfect Sekkitan diamonds were in poor demand.  In fact, Bowerblade explained, he was doing them a favor for offering supplies at such a bargain rate.  Though this was a blatant lie, the isolationist Sekkitans had no reason to disbelieve the silver-tongued merchant.  They agreed to sign the contract on one condition: though Bowerblade would select which 65% of their yield, the Sekkitans would select one diamond a year to offer to Seenu on his feast.  Bowerblade, seeing no harm in allowing one select diamond a year, agreed.

For three years, the contract went splendidly.  The Sekkitans lived healthily off of Bowerblade’s food and were well on their way to fulling rebuilding.  Korzen Bowerblade meanwhile became a even more immensely wealthy, dominating the gem trade with Sekkita’s perfect diamonds.  The island elders annually chose a pick stone from the yield, usually the largest and most perfect.  Bowerblade was unfazed, as he was still making hand over fist even if the natives did take the best diamond.  The Sekkitans meanwhile were blissfully unaware of Bowerblade’s highway robbery, perfectly happy with their business arrangement.

All this would change a few months before Seenu’s feast on the fourth year.  The yield had been lower that year, and the Sekkitans were concerned they would have to offer Seenu a lesser stone than usual.  The island’s shamaness, Tas-Vessina, led the Sekkitans in prayer, begging Seenu to provide them with a worthy gem.  The god answered them: six weeks before the feast, the miners extracted an enormous, perfectly clear and colorless diamond.  Bowerblade’s appraiser estimated the raw gem to be at least 5000 carats, easily the largest diamond in the world.  Bowerblade was overjoyed, and immediately made plans to cut and mount the gem for his own personal collection.  He went as far as to come to Sekkita himself to acquire the prize.  On his arrival, however, the Sekkitans presented him distressing news: they wished to keep the stone and offer it to Seenu on his upcoming feast.  Bowerblade struggled to keep his composure, infuriated that these primitive savages would not provide the stone.  Legally, he knew there was nothing he could do.  But the stone took possession of him, plaguing his dreams, becoming his ever-waking thought.  Bowerblade requested that the men of the village come to a meeting at midnight three weeks before Seenu’s feast in order to present a gift from Bowerblade for Seenu.  The meeting was to take place in the primary mine caves of the island.

The night of the meeting, the island’s men gathered deep in the mines as had been requested.  There they found Bowerblade, dressed in his best robes and carrying his sorcerer’s stave.  As Bowerblade began to address the crowd, he suddenly vanished.  Using his magic abilities, Bowerblade teleported above the cave and launched a great fireball downward.  The force of the blast collapsed the mine, crushing all the island’s men beneath.  Meanwhile, Bowerblade’s cronies, who had been waiting in ships on the leeward side of the island, raided the capitol, kidnapping the island’s women and children, now widows and orphans.  Bowerblade took possession of the massive diamond and returned triumphantly to the mainland.  He fabricated a story to authorities, saying the savages turned on him and attempted to cannibalize him.  His brave crew came to his rescue, and the remaining Sekkitans fled the island.  Bowerblade took possession of the island to guard his investments.  The women and children were secretly traded in the underground slave market, and a few he kept for his own.

Bowerblade rebuild the mine, but the yields were terrible.  Bowerblade’s geologists declared the mine spent, and he abandoned the island.  As he left the island in his yacht, he brought forth one of his Sekkitan slaves, the old shamaness Tas-Vessina.  He had heard she told spectacular stories, and he wished for some entertainment for the boring journey to mainland.  Insulted and enraged, Tas-Vessina chanted forth a curse:

“In the Black, dead souls creep
Seeking vengeance without sleep.
Sacrificed for precious stones,
Rend they now flesh and bones.
Bloody stained and drenched in tears,
Stones cry out to one who hears,
‘Treachery has sown the seeds!
Now you’ll be the one who bleeds!
Wear us well, you who brave,
Next you’ll be in the grave!’”

Unamused, Bowerblade dismissed her and had her punished.  To pass the time, he instead gazed upon the enormous diamond, which he began to call the Bowerblade Diamond and carried with him whenever he travelled.  As the night went on, he noted with amused irony that it was the feast of Seenu.  “No gift for you this year, Seenu,” he chuckled.  As he continued to admire his gem, he distressingly noticed a clear red inclusion deep within the stone.  Before his eyes, the inclusion grew and the entire stone turned blood red.  Horrified yet fascinated, Bowerblade continued to watch.  The stone then turned from red to jet black.  As the last bit of the stone turned black, Bowerblade felt a sudden jolt.  With a shudder, he fell dead onto the diamond, his heart having exploded.

During the dividing of Bowerblade Holdings to its various successors, the Bowerblade Diamond was cut into several smaller diamonds for the shareholders.  When it was found, the gem was still in its natural colorless form.  A year later, the successors to the Bowerblade fortune died suddenly under mysterious circumstances.  These stones were also recut, then dispersed throughout the world.  A number of the Sekkitans that were taken as slaves either escaped or were released from bondage, and returned to their ruined homeland.  They did not reenter the mine for fear of vengeful spirits, but did rebuild a shrine to Seenu outside of the caves.  These few Sekkitans, now scattered, return to their ancestral homeland each year on the Seenu’s feast, praying that justice be done for their slaughtered fathers.

Some say that Seenu has listened.

Magic/Cursed Properties

The gems made from the Bowerblade Diamond are even more perfect than other Sekkitan diamonds.  One who gazes upon a Sekkitan blood diamond will be transfixed by it; only those with very strong wills can resist its charm.  When set into jewelry and worn, the wearer will seem more charming and beautiful.  Once a year, however, at midnight on the feast of Seenu, the stone will change color from clear to red, and then to black.  The wearer, and any onlookers, will be unable to turn away.  When the stone turns completely black, the stone’s owner’s heart will burst, causing instant death.

There is only one place that the jewels will not curse their wearer: on the now-abandoned island of Sekkita.  Seenu protects his patron island and allows his sacred gems to remain pure while in Sekkita.  Ancestors of the Sekkitans, no matter where they dwell, can also carry the gems without being cursed.

Plot Hooks

Fit for a King - The local prince’s sixtieth birthday—diamond anniversary, as it is known—is coming up, and the royal court has found a perfect diamond to affix to his diadem for the occasion.  The court’s resident mage has warned the nobles repeatedly that the jewel is cursed, but it is dismissed as envy and the wizard is eventually locked in the tower for spoiling the prince’s surprise.  The party believes the wizard and, being the loyal patriots they are, wish to save the prince.  A travelling merchant is willing to sell a nearly identical (and non-cursed) stone for a hefty price.  Perhaps the party could buy the stone, sneak into the heavily-guarded palace treasury, and switch the diamonds before the prince’s birthday.  Did I mention that the prince’s birthday happens to be Seenu’s feast day?

Last Wish - While travelling through an impoverished port city, an old woman approaches the party.  She explains that she is a Sekkitan and wishes to offer Seenu a diamond for his upcoming feast.  She produces the gem, and asks the party to travel to Sekkita and present the gem before Seenu’s shrine on her behalf, for she is too old to travel.  Even if the party politely refuses, she insists and thrusts the gem in one of the player’s hands.  She then prompty suffers a stroke, dying in the streets.  Seenu’s feast is in four weeks, and Sekkita is a three week sail in good weather.  There’s also a rumor pirates are trying to reopen the Sekkitan mines and are guarding the island fiercely.  They’re surely using the isolated island as a treasure storage as well.  Can the party get to Sekkita and fight off the pirates before Seenu’s feast?  And can the players, some mystically obsessed with the diamond, stop bickering with each other for long enough to hatch a plan?

Calvinus was one of the finest sculpters known to history. While he created many an exceptional piece of historical figures, he is best known for his “inspired” pieces - pieces he created out of his own memory.  He said he would go into his studio alone, then just “bang out” a piece without break.  This process explains his prodigeous output.  There are several dozen exceptionally lifelike women (and a few men). Most are beautiful and scantily clothed, but his “Old Washer Woman” is a master piece. Many countries consider Statues by Calvinus to be national treasures.

History
Since the statues are listed in the Garage Sale from Hell thread and has a “villanous” subcategory, you know something must be wrong with them. Calvinus was a highly ranking Evil Cultist.  He had to provide his masters with soul energies so he could continue to create.  After a few odd deaths to produce several exceptional works, he discovered how to kill two metaphoric birds with one real stone. He learned a charm to “freeze” a person, eventually turning them to stone. Once initially hit, he would have some time to pose and even redress them (if they were not already posing for him). When the petrification process was over, their souls would be bound, to be given over to his master.  (He might also do some touch up on the statue… after all things too real and without tool marks would be obviously become a problem).

Follow Up
Instead of Calvinus being dead, he could still be alive. Though he might be far away from you, as the statues do travel.

His petrificiation charm might be bound in an innocuous piece of stone. Thus freeing up his own personal energies for more Evil Work. It could be floating around somewhere.

Also he might not of had time to sacrifice his last victim. The soul of this petrified victim might be haunting his last piece, their ex-body.

All has the makings of a good scenario in one place.

A Caedea is a thin black cloth glove. They never come in pairs, and the glove is invariably a left handed, or sinister glove. There are few of these dark trinkets still wandering around, and the secret of their creation is a hotly hunted commodity. Many a thief or dark mage would give much for the powers of a Caedea.

The Caedea is evil both in intent and in it’s ease of creation. The teeth of a wolf are required, with those of either a rabid, or wolf that died of starvation being preferred. The blood of a murderer is also required, though a few drops from a sadistic serial butcher are as effective as a gallon of blood from a man who accidently killed another man in a brawl. Finally, the black shroud of a false saint, or charlatan is used to make the physical glove. The teeth are placed in the fingers, and the blood is poured into the glove while recitations of black liturgies are repeated under the shadow of the New Moon.

The glove at first appears to simply be a thin black cloth glove. Once donned, the wearer becomes aware of his surroundings with the instincts of a predator, a human hunter. While there is no increase in the abilty to sense smells, or supernaturally divine the emotions of others, the wearer becomes attuned to what their senses can detail. Characters that are not of evil, or chaotis bent will find wearing the glove disconcerting and unpleasant. The longer the glove is worn, the stronger the urge to kill becomes.

The real power of the Caedea becomes most obvious when an opponent is strunk with a barehanded strike in combat. The glove easily seeks out weak points in armor, and in defences. The fingertips bite into flesh with the ease of a wolf taking a deer by the throat, tearing deep into delicate flesh. The glove consumes the blood gluttonously, passing some of the victims’ vitality to the wearer and retaining what it needs to maintain itself.

The wounds inflicted by the Caedea are vicious and take twice as long to heal and almost always leave disturbing scars. Those wearers who regularly wear the Caedea become addicted to the altered perception granted by the glove and the steady boosts of vitality gained through murder.

Plot Hooks
A Taste of Evil - A PC gains a Caedea and is able to use the altered animalistic perception to their advantage for a few days before succumbing to the base desire to kill. If the PC engages in combat, the rush of vitality given by a solid strike might draw them into more and more combat. Standard remove cursed item plot follows with the problem that the item isn’t cursed, the wearer just doesnt want to be rid of it. Dispel curse - It didn’t work…Damn, this must be a potent cursed item.

Hidden Killer - An assassin or thief has found a Caedea and is using it to kill his victims in a brutal Jack the Ripper fashion. The PCs have been brought in to end the string of murders that leave the bodies of the dead in the worst contortions. Who would suspect the elderly gentleman with the immaculate black gloves. (C’mon, no one says you cant find another glove to match a Caedea in appearance.)

Yardsale from Hell - An unwitting person has acquired the Caedea and has accidently killed someone with it. It becomes even more interesting when the person is either a powerful and important person, or an ally of the PCs. They have to find a way to destroy the glove, exonerate their ally, and keep themselves from being caught up in the carnage.

Full Item Description
The cutting board is made of wood and there are pictures of apples etched to the corners. It is a very pretty object and when out of use. You can detect no “wrongness to it”, if not counting a slight smell of onions. But, when things are cut on it, they quickly start rotting and wrinkling. Sometimes maggots appear from nowhere, squirming out of the food. Even things that are not food will start aging on the board - paper turns yellow, metals corrodes and so on - but it’s slower with them.

History
This item was created by a demonic pact with a demon whos tastes rant to the rotten. It has passed from owner, to owner, to owner, as people often wish to be done with it.

Magic/Cursed Properties
See Above.

For normal people the only good use for this item would be to put raw vegetables on it and watch them turn ripe, but they have a good chance of rotting instead. It can also make items look like antique but if left too long on the board, they will turn into a powdery form.

Full Item Description
The crucifix (or insert holy pendant of your good mainstream religion of choice) is fairly old, more elaborate than normal, and would usually only be worn by someone of great piety or a female of some piety. 

It was worn (and enchanted) by an Evil cultist of some skill. She made this a special tool for her cult work. (It was her “class ring”, personal tool.) The crucifix was an ironic choice of tools for her.  The item has the following abilities.
1) The item is invisible to all but the most powerful detection of mystical energies.
2)The ability to control undead and spectral minion
3) The ability to call undead and spectral minion
Aids in the ability to create undead/ spectral minion (adds energy to make it easier)
4) The ability to transfer damage from one person to another, giving the illusion of healing in many cases.
5) And lastly, makes the wearer appear to be “tainted” by the opposite celestrial force.  So if one is bound to an Evil Celestrial being, one appears associated with a positive/ good one. However, it works visa versa as well.

History
The item allowed her to appear as a pious female of the clerical persusasion, her “cover” for many years.  Since her death, this “relic” has floated about from hand to hand.  It has lead to many confusing situations. Everyone thinks it is a great holy item that allows the repulsion of undead and exceptional martyr healing, but it is odd.

Full Item Description
This is a large, heavy mask of Ahursian make, made with tarnished gold and lapiz-lazuli, as well as ivory. It has the appearance of a great crocodile head, and requires a harness to wear properly (i.e., without falling over). The teeth, such as they are, are made of real crocodile teeth, but many of these are missing. The one remaining eye is a ruby. Many of the slats of lapiz and ivory have been pried out at some time.

Legends attribute many abilities to the Mask, or make reference to using the Mask as focus for spells or as a component for spells. Most of these references are old.

The Mask has no magic. It was originally a relic of an obscure Ahursian cult called the Children of Sebak, who worshipped a crocodile god. The Children of Sebak were destroyed in the Ahursian War of Priests, in which cult slaughtered cult, and their holiest item, the Mask of Sebak, was stolen by marauding Gedrosi. It disappeared for 200 years.

It reappeared in the hands of the Gedrosi chieftan Monster-of-Gaddi, who wore it as his battle garb. Monster-of-Gaddi was slain on the borders of Parsis, however, and the Mask was taken to the Parsi capitol, Suza, where it mouldered among the Parsi Emperor’s other countless treasures for 20 years.

It was sent as a gift to the King of Braza-Jaha in Izada, who, likewise, sent it as a gift to the King of Mysia. The Mask was then lost in the palace fire in the Mysian capitol of Hartacon.

History
In its current state, in the belongings of a former evil mastermind, the Mask is slightly smoke-stained, and needs a good cleaning and polishing. If properly cleaned, it would be incredibly valuable, despite missing jewels and overall poor condition.

The following is a series of excerpts from the private journal of Lord _________, which was found by an adventurer in the lord’s abandoned (and some say haunted) manor.
________________________________________________

Entry 1
I have just gotten the most wonderful gift for my wife. ‘Tis a full length mirror in an ornate, gilt frame. Elisabet adores it. I am glad to know I made a good purchase.

Entry 2
The scholar Fellis visited my home today. It was a fine visit, until he saw the Elisabet’s mirror. He became quite agitated. He claims it’s a dangerous thing to have about and that it should be destroyed. He upset Elisabet a great deal. I have never seen Fellis behave in such a manner. It worries me.

Entry 3
I am becoming quite disturbed. Elisabet spends all of her time in front of that mirror, staring into it in fascination. I have never known her to be an extraordinarily vain woman, but the mirror seems to have made her so. She no longer wants to leave the manor or play with the children.

Entry 4
Lately the children have complained of nightmares. They say that their mother’s mirror is a monster, waiting to eat them up. I console them as best I can. Elisabet has ceased to even acknowledge me or the children or anyone else outside of that damnable mirror. I’m beginning to realize that Fellis may have been right.

Entry 5
The children are still having nightmares, and apparently they’re getting worse. I daren’t tell them that I’m starting to have them too. So are the servants, judging by the way they avoid Elisabet and the mirror. I worry for her health; she has stopped eating properly. One of the maids has vanished. I assume she was frightened away. I shall write to Fellis and ask his opinion on matters.

Entry 6
I have become irrationally terrified of that mirror, to the extent that I avoid it when I can. Fellis promised to do what he could about the mirror, but I’m afraid it may be too late to save Elisabet. She has not moved nor, to all appearances, slept in three days. Everyone in the manor has continued to have nightmares centered on it. The servants are talking about leaving.

Entry 7
God help us all. I’m certain now that there is a malevolent intelligence in the mirror, and it’s taken Elisabet. True to his word, Fellis arrived to do what he could concerning it. I had assumed that Elisabet would pay no heed to him, as she does to everyone else. I told him all that has occured, then left him to do his work. An hour later, I came to check on his progress. I found him dead in the hallway. There was a look of terror on his face. I found Elisabet the same way she had been when I left. But there was blood on her dress.

Entry 8
I dealt with the death of Fellis as well as I could; money does wonderous things. But it cannot give me back my friend, nor my wife as she was. Many of the servants have left. Those who remain refuse to go near my wife or it. I have written to my sister; I feel I must get the children away from this place. Away from her. Away from it .

Entry 9
The children are gone, my sister has taken them. All but three of the servants have fled, and those three will not stay long, I fear. Were it not for Elisabet, I would leave. But I still hope that she could be saved. Her health has declined, but not nearly as much as it seems it should have. The nightmares have continued to worsen, and I make no secret of the fact. I feel like I should look in the mirror, though I have not done so yet. I fear to.

Entry 10
All but Calun are gone now. Calun has been with me for years, and has sworn not to abandon me. Last night, he caught me sleepwalking towards the mirror room. He has also confessed that he feels driven to look at the mirror. I have taken the precaution of locking the doors. I no longer hold out any hope for Elisabet. She seems more like a porcelain doll than a woman now. I have begun making plans to leave.

Entry 11
I’m afraid that I shan’t be able to go after all. Every time I try to, I find myself stopping for no reason. I’ve stopped sleeping, for everytime I do, I have those horrid nightmares and feel that compulsion to go to the mirror room. What worries me, though, is that I cannot find Calun.
Addendum: It has Calun. I found that doors to the mirror room had been forced open. Calun was there, standing behind my wife, staring into it as raptly as she. It seems that the effect is much more rapid now.

Entry 12
god help I saw help so many faces key wheres the key musn’t get me too the lord father faces the Lord Father which art in heaven saw the Lord Father in heaven looked sawfaceshelpmirrortheLordFatherwhichartinheavenhallowedbethynamefaces ... Note:From here it becomes unintelligible scribble.

Addendum: I’ve calmed down now. When I realized where I was, I was locked in my study saying the Lord’s Prayer over and over again. I looked. God help me, I looked, a split second before I realized what I was doing. I saw Elisabet and Calun in the reflection, of course, but so many others as well. I saw the maid who had vanished, and Fellis, and many others that I didn’t recognize. I believe it was instinct that made me run and lock myself in here. Something must be done.

Entry 13
It almost had me again. If I look again, I’ll be lost. I have decided. I must break the mirror.

Entry 14
I have done it. Before I (or anything else) could stop myself, I smashed the mirror. I had given Elisabet and Calun up for lost. When I swung the heavy candleholder I had picked up, there was a scream as if from hell itself. Calun and Elisabet leapt at me, to try to stop me, but they were too slow. When I broke the glass, they fell as if dead. When my heart stops beating so fast, I shall go and check.

Entry 15
It’s… what have I done? I cannot write…
Addendum: I am lost. When I went back to the mirror room, I found a scene that horrified me. The mirror was intact, though I still bore the cuts I had recieved from falling glass. Where Calun and Elisabet had lain, however, was only a pile of clothing and shards of bloodstained glass. I am intuitively certain that I indirectly killed them. I am also certain that sooner or later, I’ll drop my guard and the mirror will have me. And I fear it may be sooner. I can hear whispers in the hall.

There are no further entries. The final entry is immediately followed by a large inkblot and a good deal of a brown substance that bears a disturbing resemblance of dried blood.
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Some ideas:

The lord got the children away from the mirror before it could get them, but that is not to say that the children were unaffected. So maybe the children have become evil, and end up having some Spooky Psychic Powers involving mirrors. So you might have a few evil adults doing Bad Stuff, and it leads back to the lord and ultimately the Mirror. Alternatively, this could be a much more recent event, but when someone goes looking for the children, they’re missing. Quite possibly doing Bad Stuff. Possible origins include being some necromantic/demonic focus or Experiment Gone Horribly Wrong. People the mirror takes? Possibly energy sources so people can do Bad Stuff, or maybe the mirror ‘feeding’ itself.

Another thought: the mirror protects itself. In the diary, it is strongly implied that it used the wife to kill the guy who was gonna mess with it. People who get too close or who know what it is should watch out.

Could it be that it is a family thing that the mirror is after or else the servants may have been more affected.
Perhaps it is after only those with noble blood as a primary objective while any others may be convenience kills or simply extra challenges that don’t really matter.
Fellis seemed to know something, what kind of house does he run and what would somebody find there if they went searching?

Ready Made Adventure: Have the characters get a letter requesting help. (the noble may be a relation, acquantence, friend of the family…) When they get there they find the scene as described and find the journal able to read the events while they were enroute.
When the characters go to find the children then they find that the sister has been murdered and the children gone like Ria mentioned. Could either be the noble went to reclaim them in his madness or the children were already turned by the mirror.

Magical Properties:

No one knows for sure.  But they are Spooky! so make note of this.

This fine garment is made of rich, black velvet, adorned with cut designs and detailed embroidery done in couched gold.  Its deep hood shadows the wearer’s face, emphasizing the skin’s pallor.  None can doubt that the cloak’s wearer is truly suffering from a season of woe.

Originally, this elegant cloak was worn by the grieving widow of the famous paladin Torner the Fearless, after he died leading a small band that sacrificed themselves to keep a murderous horde from a small village.  Many commented on his widow’s persistence, as her mourning stretched on year after year, but none could deny that she did mourning well, with an entire wardrobe of elegant attire, all in shades of funereal black.

Many noble mourners have worn the cloak in the years since Torner’s widow went to join her heroic husband, and it has been frequently noted that those wearing the cloak have been unusually stricken with grief and are prone to dramatic bouts of horrible sorrow.

Why Wear the Cloak, Then?
The cloak’s secret is that, despite the public displays of mourning and the outbursts of grief, the wearer feels a hidden exultation.  Touched by the moods of the widow that first wore it, they start to feel that they are somehow purer and more noble that those who grieve less (or less publicly).  Perversely, they become filled with pride at their dutiful mourning, a pride that pushes aside most of the sadness or emptiness that they would otherwise have felt.  This feeling slowly fades when the cloak is not worn, so the wearers generally desire to wrap themselves in its folds at any opportunity.

The Curse of the Cloak
A handful of the realm’s rumormongers have begun to note another interesting fact:  Several of the cloak’s owners have been indirectly responsible for their loved ones’ deaths.  Torner the Fearless’ wife was a demanding woman, insistent that he prove his valor and contemptuous of any sign of weakness in her devoted husband.  Some accused her of driving him to foolish acts of bravery with her criticism.  Other decedents have had similar sad tales, ranging from a nobleman that hanged himself over a hidden dishonor, to a young girl that pined away, refusing to eat because of her ‘unfashionable’ figure.

It is possible that the Cloak preys on the minds of its owners, influencing them to drive their family members into the embrace of death.  No one knows for certain, but it is clear that those with reason to feel guilt over the death of their loved one will find that this feeling is completely suppressed while the cloak is worn; clad in the cloak, they will be unburdened by pangs of guilt or conscience.

It is quite an elegant garment; it would be a shame for it to just rot in a wardrobe without being worn…

Marcus Diellus was one of the greatest artists of his time.  His work was much in demand, and he became quite wealthy.  That was before he ran afoul of a dark wizard.  For reasons lost to history, Diellus was afflicted with a terrible curse, which ultimately drove him to madness and suicide.  But the curse did not end there.  It lives on, in the very canvases and paint of the last set of paintings he ever created.

The last paintings are generally said to be Diellus’s finest works, even if they seem very dark and foreboding.  There are several of these paintings, of different subjects.  Landscapes, portraits, vistas, still lifes, etc.  All are of dark, sininster, and somewhat frightening subjects, such as a grove of dead trees, graves, a portrait of a rather evil looking family, a stormy sea, etc.  And every one of them carries the curse, manifesting it in different ways.  One kills veiwers outright.  One brings the curse of misfortune and sickness.  Another attracts ghosts and evil spirits to wherever it is located.  Still another drives people mad.  Other things like that.  Oddly enough, many are not aware of the curse, and will pay handsomely for one of the last Diellus paintings, not knowing what evil they are.  Some do know, and are willing to use the paintings for their own dark purposes.

Magical Properties:

Each painting carries a different strain of the curse, and therefore does something different.  Some of the paintings are triggered by someone looking at them, some are triggered by being touched, and some are triggered merely by location.  The number of paintings and the nature of the curses are left to the GM.  The paintings are always in good condition, even if in an abandoned house, so as to attract victims.

Full Item Description
It is an antique gold ring from a minor noble house. It is a signet ring, used to press the house seal into hot wax sealing documents or showing their authenticity. It appears nothing more.

History
Long ago, one of the possessors of the ring worked with the Dark Powers to gain power. It is supposed to be the Third Duke, but that is not confirmed. The ring’s properties have been (mis)used or ignored by his ancestors since then.

Magic/Cursed Properties
It “seals the soul” of any it touches (with intent). What does this mean? 

*) A soul is sealed to the body and can not leave. This prevents the soul from passing over upon death.  This prevents the character from re-incarnating or becoming a ghost.  The soul is trapped in the decaying form, eventually to go mad unless released. Sometimes in its madness it burst free from its decaying prison as a destructive spectre, a viscious non human spirit. If a character dies with this ring on, and has not promised their soul to the Dark Ones, they will be trapped in their body without release.

*) A given soul can be marked for ownership by the Dark Powers that brought the family to power.  This mark fades with time, but if the character dies soon after being marked, their soul (unless claimed by another- i.e. the subject is actively religious) will travel to the realm of Dark Powers. A marked character will be detected as Evil by detect evil senses and spells that are not discrimatory. 

One side effect of being marked or wearing the ring, the person is brought to the attention of The Dark Powers. The Dark Powers will pay attention to the character and its needs, so the character will be able to make a deal if they need to. 

*) The Signet ring allows those of a mystic inclination to find anyone marked by the signet ring.  Spells that require touch can be cast upon those who have been marked, with extra effort upon the casting.  Those mystically inclined will also be able to talk with any sealed spirit bound to a corpse (usually to make a deal to become a skeleton or some such).

Note: There are many signet rings and stamps with this power. This is a common demonic “gift”.

Full Item Description
The description of the items is quite simple. They are things that were once in the players’ possession. The items were stolen a while back.

History
The characters were on an “adventure”. Their property was stolen, presumably by Evil Minion. When they defeated the plans of the Evil Mastermind, they expected to find their stuff, but they didn’t.

Yet here it is, quite a while later, in an estate sale of a recently deceased important peson. How did it come into the possession of the King’s Cousin (or other important person), when the items were supposedly stolen by an Evil Minion? 

Magic/Cursed Properties
Any.

Inspired by Strolen’s One Line Entry in the original thread.

Full Item Description
It is a beautiful tube of lipstick. It is a dark greenish black color with an intricate “weave” etched in it.  If viewed under bright moonlight (or blood is dripped on the case), certain mystical runes and symbols… and not those of a good variety… will become apparent. Of course, few will actually notice said runes.

History
The origin of the item is unclear. Some believe it is a “gift” from a succubus.

Magic/Cursed Properties

The shade of the lipstick is Dark Blood Red. When first applied, it is that color. Yet almost imperceptively, it changes to “the perfect shade of red” for the person wearing it. The woman who is wearing it, unless she is mystically trained, will see it in that shade. In fact, it is such a perfect shade, it makes her look prettier than she is. (She wants to wear the lipstick often). Men are attracted to her like bees to honey. She is beautiful and captivating. They crave her kiss. Women are both repulsed by her (“What has she got that I don’t have?” and attracted (she is pretty and if I hang around her maybe I will get her secret as well as her “left overs”).

If a woman wearing the lipstick truly kisses someone, a point/ pawn/ unit or so their personal power are drained. A magic user might notice this lack of energy (or loose a stored spell), but most people will be unaware of the loss until they approach no personal energy left (then they will be fatigued, feel like they have the flu, and be undermotivated). If she kisses someone enough times over, they will suffer they symptoms of over extending their power use and even die.

The power gather thus empowers the glamour of the lipstick. It also renews the color in the tube, so it never “runs out”.  If left “unfed” for a while, the next kiss will be quite draining.

Oh yes… if the woman ever kisses a mirror to kiss herself (which she might want to do eventually, given the confidence, attention and ego the lipstick will evoke in most people, she will suck her own soul into the lipstick and promptly die.

None could stand against them, for their foes ate of the food of bitterness and drank of the wine of despair…

Crowds thronged the streets as the victorious cavaliers returned, their high-stepping palfreys resplendent in bright, new barding.  Behind them trundled wagons, each loaded with captured arms and other booty.  As they rode triumphantly through the streets, cheering crowds threw boughs of evergreen before the hooves of the returning heroes.

At the head of the bright column rode Captain Beorht, the resourceful leader of the returning company.  Slumped in his saddle, forlorn and devoid of hope, he came home a broken man.  In the heart of the battle, the captain had ridden forth alone to face the enemy’s champion in single combat.  Treacherous and wicked, the minions of the foe had rushed forth to overwhelm the solitary captain before he could finish off their weakening champion.  In the end, they had paid a fatal price for their treachery, but rescue came too late for the captain.  In the hands of the enemy, they had forced a bitter draught down their foe’s throat, the terrible Wine of Despair.

A Vintage of the Damned
This dark burgundy liquid, redolent with the scent of wormwood, may appear to be little more than a dry red wine, but even a sip is enough to curse the drinker for months afterward.  Those drinking this accursed vintage will be unable to feel joy, satisfaction, or triumph; they are instead possessed by feelings of regret, depression, and hopelessness.  Bitter and frustrated, many of the wine’s victims end their own lives.  Others lose themselves through drink or indulge in increasingly damaging diversions, desperately seeking to recapture some hope and excitement in their lives.  Consumed by despair, it is common for victims to pine away, doing nothing but sleeping, barely eating, spending months withdrawn and alone.

Love’s Embrace:  Not a Good Year
The Wine of Despair first appeared long centuries ago, when the master vintner Vigo Telaggio had first purchased the famous vineyards at Vilgres.  Already renowned for wines almost magical in their effects, Master Vigo was sure that he could bring the world an even better vintage.  Announcing his plan to brew the best wine ever tasted, he worked tirelessly to produce a vintage superior to anything ever known to the vintner’s art.  Developing a new hybrid grape, he carefully selected a few extra ingredients that would go into each vat, thoughtfully balancing the herbs and spices so that, once aged, his wine would be amazingly subtle and flavorful.

He named this new wine “Love’s Embrace” in the extravagant fashion of his time.  Inspired by the beauty of his lovely betrothed, a damsel renowned for her grace and sweet nature, he slaved night and day to prepare his masterwork.  Connoisseurs throughout the land gossiped eagerly of this legend among wines; all could see that this was a labor of love.

Then his beloved suddenly fell ill and died of a strange fever.  In the delirium of her final hours, she did not even know him, instead calling out in her fevered visions for a childhood love that had passed away years before.  The vintner was crushed; he prayed that the gods would grant him merciful death before asking him to live without the beautiful maid he had loved.  He fell into a black despair, but his sense of responsibility was too strong for him to remain away from his life’s work.  Even as he pined away for his lost love, growing weaker and more haggard with every passing week, he labored to complete the perfect wine that he had poured his soul into.  As the last vat was filled and put away for the long process of aging, the broken-hearted vintner died, his wasted body falling to rest among the vats.

Years later, when Vigo’s successors decanted the resulting wine, they were shocked to discover what had been wrought in that dark time.  The wine was not the perfect wine that had been expected, but instead had an unusual and subtly bitter taste.  Despite this, there was massive demand for “Vigo Telaggio’s Last Vintage”.  They had distributed many bottles of the vintage to eager nobles and connoisseurs before they realized the true potency of its curse.  Even after it became widely known, some still sought out the terrible beverage:  The jaded, romantic, or melancholy, who hoped that its dark magic would somehow touch their souls with inspiration.

Since that time, some few vintners have tried to reproduce the infamous recipe of the “Wine of Despair”.  Many have produced inferior vintages, while others have brewed wines renowned for years afterward.  A few vintners, haunted by heartbreak of their own, have been visited by the phantom of Master Vigo.  Their hand guided by that of the heartbroken spirit, they too have produced the deadly vintage of Master Vigo.

Hope for the Hopeless
Those suffering from the terrible effects of this dark wine are not totally without hope.  If true love finds them while they are under the wine’s influence, or if they experience a joy as powerful as the vintner’s heartbreak that originally gave the drink its dark potency, they may be freed of its effects.  For most, however, all that they can do is endure its curse until time heals their wounded souls.

Of course, I would be more than willing to allow the constable and his hounds to inspect the grounds, I wish to help in any way possible. Of course they should smell her around here, this is her home she’s gone missing from. What did you honestly expect, sir?

Full Item Description
The Waresian Wardrobe is a large wardrobe made of Black Alder, a very dark and handsome wood. The double doors open outwards, revealing an interior compartment lined with pockets, a section for hanging expensive clothing and four cubby holes at the bottom, two on each side stack atop one another. The interior is lined with red crushed velvet, though the bottom two cubbyholes are bare wood.

The front corners of the wardrobe sport a pair of carved wooden faces, beatific women whose hair is whorled with black winged ravens and shapes that appear sinister to the eye. The panels sport a bondage motif, the right door shows a man hanging from his feet, stretching towards the area above the cubbyholes. The left panel is a naked woman, he feet bound, and she reaches for some sort of portal above her. some viewers call this the surface of the water and speculate that she is a swimmer seeking for air. Others claim that she has been placed in an oubliette and yearns for human contact.

The side panels have mountainscapes on them. A canny and erudite admirer might recognize that the left hand side is an image of the infamous Chateau Quaonia, where 300 virgin women were kept as prisoners for refusing the then heir-prince to the throne of Waresia. The stories of sadism and torture from Quaonia are the stuff of horror and nightmares. The right hand side panel has a slightly less evil aspect. The wood has been shaped to resemble the wooded slopes of Mount Tanuefell. While not patently evil, that mountain was long rumored to harbor the soul of a demon, and many voyaged there for pacts of demonic power, or to curse rivals.

The rear panel of the wardrobe, the face always presented against the wall has a wood carving of a massive cathedral. Unlike the front panels that are interrupted by the workings of the doors and covers for the cubbyholes, the rear panel is one uninterrupted piece. While nominally a pious work, closer inspection shows that all of the faces going into or out of the church are masks of agony, pain, and suffering.

Ah, this, I’m sure if it is handsome or just imposing. It rather takes over any room I could think to put it in. My Gran adores it though. Seems she might have known the artisan who carved some of this. Yes yes, it is quite old, but so is Gran, which is why I am so concerned about her. Do please keep me informed of your progress inspector. Yes, I assure you that should I learn even the barest hint of a clue I shall inform you directly.

History
The Waresian Wardrobe was crafted almost a century and a half ago. The lumber that went into it’s creation was highland Black Alder, a rare and expensive wood. The original wardrobe was thick sided and scarcely adorned with anytihng more than a bit of trim around the crown and the foot. The interior was bare also, and there were no cubbyholes.

The wardrobe belonged to a now obscure and almost forgotten noble family, where it played a dark role in their downfall. The children of the noble were fond of playing inside the wardrobe, but in a prank, one of the children was trapped inside. Gripped by anxiety and panic, the child had a violent fit and perished inside the wardrobe. The mother assumed that father had killed their child, and vice versa. The spiral of intrigue that followed left a dozen people dead of poisoning and daggers in the back, included all but one of the children. The wardrobe was among the possessions sold in the liquidating of the estate.

The next owner was a sorcerer of some skill, and with his magical acumen, he was able to discern the dark secret of the wardrobe. The death of the child inside had left a mark on the heavy piece of furniture. The sorcerer worked for several years, hiring carpenters to put in the cubbyholes and artisans to install the velvet liner, and the carve the images on the panels. Most were curious why the largest piece would be on the back, where it would never be seen.

This done, the sorcerer completed the enchantments on the looming piece of furniture. When opened in the correct fashion, an interior space is revealed, no more than eight feet by ten. This is of course, much larger than the outside of the wardrobe. The door leaving this pocket cell cannot be opened from the inside, only from the outside. Unlike other magically created artificial spaces, aside from a steady supply of air, there is nothing else inside the wardrobe cell.

Wake up Gran, I’ve brought you a bite to eat and some water. I hate to leave you in here, the constable and the inspector are both looking very hard for you. They won’t find you I’m afraid. Tsk tsk, if you would just tell me where you secreted the family treasures away to I could let you out and stop lying to everyone. Don’t make that face Gran, you’ve known me since I was as tall as your knee. I wouldn’t lie to you…

Magic/Cursed Properties
The Waresian Wardrobe is a secret prison with space enough for one prisoner. Aside from the flow of air, the wardrobe provides nothing other than four walls, a floor and a ceiling. If the owner of the wardrobe doesnt provide for sanitation, and food to sustain the prisoner, the prisoner will die. Any prisoners who do perish inside the wardrobe are absorbed into the wood and their likeness appears somewhere on the back panel, their face a death mask. given the nature of the wardrobe, there are quite a few faces on the back. Sound cannot escape the wardrobe, so no amount of shouting on banging on the walls will rouse even the slightest of attention.

Plot Hooks
The Estate Sale - The former owner of the wardrobe has been missing long enough that he has been declared dead and his possessions have been divided up and are being sold. The wardrobe has rumors about it, but the piece is not easy to give up secrets, or the corpse of the former owner.

We All Go Crazy, Sometimes - The PCs benefactor has gone missing, and the benefactor’s not quite right in the head heir is beside themselves with worry, in public. In an effort to get the benefactor to give over their wealth and power, the heir has trapped them inside the Wardrobe and it is up to the PCs to save their backer before said person dies.

Showcase Showdown - As a reward for completing a difficult quest, the PCs are bestowed with the wardrobe for their troubles. The benefactor says they can sell it for the moeny it would bring, it is a collectors piece, regardless of the dark reputation around it.

Originating in the conquered lands of a powermad archmage (and aren’t they all?), this yellowish metal is identical to normal gold according to every possible test.  However, this is a cursed substance.  It brings a slow and inevitable sickness, and eventually death, to all who possess it.  Within a few days (for a handful of coins) to a few hours (for a lifesize statue) cursed Vridian gold causes first fatigue, then nausea leading to vomiting, headache, and diarrhoea.  Next the hair falls out, followed by the teeth.  With continued exposure, the curse causes lifetime sterility, hemorrhaging, and eventually death. 

The curse is viral, it infects other gold.  It is suspected that any gold in contact with cursed Vridian gold picks up its curse, and this has resulted in entire chests full of coins & jewellery to be burried or cast into the sea. It is certain that any gold mixed and reforged with Vridian gold definately takes on the curse, regardless of the proportions of the mix.  Several thousand Bizzannite coins were minted with the cursed gold, and these were believed to be all completely accounted for, but some cursed gold coins could have made it to the open market…