Natural Magic Items of the Sea

These Natural Magical items are found in the water or around the water. These items help in sailor or water based life and society. To locate these items the Referee can make up a encounter chart or replace items in the Book 4 Natural Magical item charts. All of these items have a base chance to find in a store of 1-5% only. But these stores are in coastal or river towns. For other towns the chance is half of that. Items listed are in no particular order.

Sachranium - Plant

This plant only grows along riverbanks and some swamp areas. They are common when the water overflows its banks and the seeds of this plant are unearthed and take root. They will then grow as the water goes back to its normal level. Each plant grows only about 3 feet tall but has up to 2D6 red berries. These berries must be enhanced magically to get their benefit. Each berry itself will give 1D6 Mana Points for Water Powers. If at least 10 berries are crushed and mixed together with water and then drunk it will give 10 Mana Points for Water Powers. This effect will last for 24 hours but a berry once picked, unless preserved, will only last 48 hours. A berry that is not enhanced tastes tart but is good for a quick burst of liquid.

Sea Giant Heart Stone - Animal

When Sea Giants are killed before their natural time their hearts will turn into water and melt. But in this process it will create a round stone the size of a golf ball. This stone is magical and already enhanced. It gives those who hold this stone or wears it in some fashion Mana Points for Sea Powers. It will give 10 Mana Points for Sea Powers per day. It also allows the person who holds it the ability to shape change (as for the spell) at MEL3/EL3. This ability to change is only for water based animals (sharks, whales, fish, etc.). These rare stones are very difficult to obtain as once a giant dies it will go under the water. So the true trick is getting the stone or keeping the giant above the water.

One scholar believes a Merman King has such a stone and uses the stone as a centerpiece of his power. For him its more ceremonial than functional.

Sea Giants do not get fearful of humans but if a giant sees a person wearing this stone he may be so stunned into inaction. The exact response from shock, surprise to inaction will have to be determined by the Referee. To see the stone is to show their own mortality. In some cases it can even make the giant so upset in his anger he will kill without mercy anyone he sees.

Casone - Plant Resin

This plant is found in swamps mostly but can be found in rivers and in some cases the ocean coastline. This plant which looks like a long pole with a fluffy top in the shape of a torch (like cat of nine tails). These grow as high as 6 feet tall above the waterline. The top, if crushed, creates a paste which can be smeared along the rim of a person's eyes (must circle the eyes completely). Once this paste is enhanced it allows the wearer to see clearly underwater without interference from salt water as if wearing a mask. One plant makes enough paste for 2 eyes only and it will last for 2D6+EL hours. The EL is the EL of the spell enhancement used. The paste will stay on the eyes until wiped by a dry cloth or if the person exits the water for more than an hour. The eyes of the person will not be affected by pain or fatigue using this paste. Person will still need to blink but otherwise can keep them open to see underwater.

The only drawback to this paste is that the scent attracts small fish to inspect the person's head. Most small fish will not get near the person but a brave one might approach the eyes to inspect the paste. In most cases the fish are scared off by the movement of the person's arms.

Chi Frog Slime - Animal

The Chi frogs are only found along the rivers in Katai. The orange frogs create a lot of slime on their bodies as a defense strategy against predators. The slime is a mild irritant for those who touch it. But if at least 16 ounces are contained in a metal flask it can be used in magic. Unenhanced it allows a person to smear the lotion on their hands (must have enough to completely wash the hands with it). This prevents a person's hands being shriveled up for a full day. But if the flask is enhanced it creates a drinkable liquid which gives a EL3 immunity against any acids or poisons for 48 hours. This liquid must be drunk in total (16 ounces) and is not harmful. If not drunk the liquid will stay in its new form for 24 hours before it reverts to slime and can't be enhanced again. For fisherman this is good since many fish create poisons and acids. Most fisherman build a natural immunity up to such by their daily operations. So this tends to be used by visitors on a ship not used to the daily grind of fishing.

Squid Ink - Animal

If one is good to find squid ink or capture a squid to milk for its ink they can use it in two different ways. Unenhanced and mixed with regular ink it gives a +1 EL in using Code/Decode spell in writing down on scrolls. This mixed ink will last as long as the regular ink lasts. Mixture should be at least one ounce of squid ink to every 10 ounces of regular ink to be effective. If enhanced and there is enough ink to spread around the caster in a full circle it will give a +15 on success rolls for Sea Powers except Water Breathing. Once the sea spell is cast the ink evaporates or will then automatically evaporate within 30 minutes.

Recently a Ticasi scholar has found a new use for the squid ink. If enhanced as above and mixed with lemon juice (not regular ink) it can create invisible magical ink. This ink can be used to make secret scrolls or maps. To uncover the writing one only needs to apply regular unenhanced squid ink (enough to cover the area of invisible ink). The mixture of lemon juice and ink should be 2 ounces of lemon juice for every 10 ounce flasks of ink. Pirates have been known to use this technique for making secret treasure maps.

Seal Fur - Animal

If a person can obtain enough fur from a seal to create a vest or coat the material can be enhanced for magical benefit. If enhanced it gives the wearer a EL8 Warmth spell effect. This allows a person to virtually enter cold water with no effects on the body. The magic covers the entire body in protection. For arctic style water it allows a wearer to enter arctic water for a short period with no effect. This coat only works in cold water and not in cold climates from air so it is only useful in water environments.

Aerated Lava - Stone

This stone is rarely found since most of it tends to be on the bottom of the sea. But in some cases it may float to the surface or taken to shore near the sea coastline by storms or currents. Otherwise this stone material is found on the sea floor near underwater volcanoes usually mixed with other hard lava or silt. If there is enough stone of this material (size of a golf ball or larger) to fit in a cloth covering connected to a tight necklace (one that is tight around the neck rather than floating freely), it should be fashioned as such. If this stone which contains air bubbles, is enhanced it will allow the wearer to float with little difficulty as if wearing a life jacket. If the stone leaves the contact against the body the effect is gone but the stone itself will float in full buoyancy. Sailors like this material especially when storms approach and they have to work on deck. This stone is formed only in certain situations where a volcanic vent mixes with underground structures (like caves) where it cools almost instantly in the air and keeps the bubbles in. Only enough material can be found for every 30 tons of volcanic lava in a volcanic field. Most of these stones are trapped in the earth until released by more volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslides or storms that affect the sea floor. A powerful wizard might be able to summon a sea supernatural force to obtain the material. But it could be dangerous so the wizard should be able to offer the force something in return.

Ayan - Herbs

This series of herbs is found only naturally along the coastline of Lake Cholchara along the Asichi city coastline. Merchants have tried to export it and grow it in other areas but with limited success. This herb can be used when grounded into a fine powder and then crushed together into a solid pill like form through methods only a few know about. Once in pill form this herb can be magically enhanced to get its full benefit. Eating one pill will give the person the ability not to be dehydrated for a full 24 hour period. It is useful for emergency supplies on board a ship when ship water is gone. The problem is these pills are hard to make and take a lot of herbal material. So their price tends to be high and the supply low. This anti-dehydration effect works for the entire 24 hour period and the person does not need to drink any water even in the most extreme climate and temperatures. The person will not suffer from heat stroke or other heat issues that is caused from dehydration. Only master herbalist who are specially trained with the knowledge to create pills can make these items. Otherwise cheap versions are brittle "pill" like cakes which crumble when touched. Because of this rare technique the price is MEL+EL SC per pill. For the cakes they are MEL+EL CC per cake.

Blue Seaweed - Plant

Seaweed is common on the shoreline and oceans of the world. Blue seaweed is unique in two ways. First the name is from its color that of a light blue not the normal green or brown. The second is this seaweed is only found in one place, 225 miles due west of Djanesborg city. The location is a floating virtual island of blue seaweed that is so packed together light weight animals and birds can walk on it. Collecting this seaweed can be dangerous however. There are creatures including Eels, poisonous squid and a whirlpool which hinders this collection. The whirlpool is ever shifting and can come up without warning to sink ships nearby this floating seaweed mass. As a result not many merchants know of this location. Those who do keep the secret to themselves if they can.

Once collected the unenhanced form, dried and given as a food (in a single portion, around 25% of a plate) to eat cures joint pain like arthritis for up to EL+1 days. Usually this portion is around 3 ounces of plant. The taste is bland but most folks eat it with orange juice mixed on it to cover the bland taste.

The enhanced form can be used to repel large sea creatures like squid and sharks. It must be collected into a string or ball of plant like rope which is tied onto or through a item. This item is then thrown into the water. The effect is to repel these creatures around the item at MEL+EL hexes. Sailors use this for diving operations or for those who fall overboard in shark infested waters to save them. In this form it stays pure for years. If it is burnt though it is useless. Intelligent sea creatures like Merman may also be affected. The chance to affect such creatures is (EL+1)x10% on a D100. The EL is the EL of the enhancement spell used on the plant. There must be enough material there must be enough collected to match the EL of the spell. If the EL is 5 at least 5 feet of blue seaweed must be collected. Then that material must be tied or balled up in some material which has direct contact to the sea (seaweed should not be in a bag for example). Common examples are ropes, necklaces around sailors or stones on a chain with the seaweed wrapped around it. In either form blue seaweed floats on the surface of the water. So if it needs to be taken below the surface it should be weighted with something.

At least one scholar from Fomoria has discovered this rare patch of sea plant. He has spent several years studying the mystery of its location and why its there. He believes the patch is actually magical in its own right and may have been home to some ancient magical creature or even a god long gone.

Pearl - Concretion

Pearls are common items in the Perilous lands. I only mention the item here as they are already covered by the rules. But the concretions are common for ship and sailor life. Basically as Book 4 states they help in aging, death powers and combat. For full details see Book 4.

Toadstone - Gem

This Gem is already covered in the basic rules. For naval and ship life they are used often. In enhanced form they are known to detect and cure poisons. The other major benefit of this gem is that no ship the wearer of this stone rides on can't sink. For the full effects consult Book 4.

Agrimony - Plant

This plant is also covered in Book 4. it is mentioned here as many sailors use it to help sea related diseases that sailors on long treks are prone to get.

Coral - Concretion

As for the Book 4 description. This water based NMI helps to prevent diseases sailors tend to get.

Blue Emerald - Gem

This emerald must be swirled in a cup of water for 3 seconds for its effects. The emerald is typically on a chain. A person can then drink the water to prevent sea sickness while on a ship. The effect lasts for 24 hours. The gem must be enhanced for the effect. The stone can be used EL+1 times per day in this process. The EL is the enhancement spell EL of the wizard. The person drinking the water has a side effect of losing the sense of taste for 10-EL hours. All food and drink is bland for this period. But the person who drinks it does not get sick in the least even in rough or stormy seas.

Summary

Name	Type	Notes
Sachranium	Plant	2D6 Berries each gives 1D6 Mana for Water Powers
Sea Giant Heart	Animal	Stone gives 10 Mana - Sea Powers, Shape Changing
Casone	Plant	Paste allows clear seeing underwater
Chi Frog Slime	Animal	Prevents drying, EL3 Immunity to acid/poisons
Squid Ink	Animal	Helps Code/Decode spell, Invisible ink magic
Seal Fur	Animal	EL8 Warmth effect in cold water
Aerated Lava	Stone	Allows person wearing stone to float in water
Ayan	Herbs	Prevents dehydration effects
Blue Seaweed	Plant	Helps joint pain, repels sea creatures
Pearl	Animal	Helps in aging, combat and against some spells
Toadstone	Gem	Helps against poisons, ships can't sink
Agrimony	Plant	Helps against diseases
Coral	Animal	Helps against diseases
Blue Emerald	Gem	Prevents sea sickness effects

Scott Adams