Darkharp's Apothecary

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From The Laughing Lass: Part Two

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Sickstone: Sickstone isn't actually a magic item. Rather, it is a rare form of magic stone that exists in the deepest reaches of the Underdark. Some believe that sickstone occurs naturally, while others believe the stuff is a remnant from an ancient civilization that wielded terrible magic on the rocks to bring them to their will. In any case, large portions of the deep caverns are shot through with sickstone deposits, making a dangerous region even worse.

Sickstone is easily distinguished from normal surrounding rock and stone, since it glows with an unhealthy silvery-green glow. This glow provides illumination to a radius of 40 feet from the edge of the field of sickstone. Living creatures within this illumination are quickly seized with dizziness, nausea, and a lurking feeling of dread and oppression as the magical energies in the stone slowly start to leach out their life forces. Upon first entering the illumination area, a living creature must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 13) or suffer 1d2 points of temporary Constitution damage. This saving throw must be repeated every hour the creature remains exposed to sickstone aura. Creatures that are immune to disease are immune to the debilitating effects of sickstone.

Small amounts of sickstone (in isolated amounts of less than 50 pounds) do not inflict sickness in their area of illumination, but a living creature who comes in physical contact with any amount of sickstone must make the Fortitude save above to avoid suffering 1d2 points of temporary Constitution damage. Sickstone can be embedded into any bludgeoning weapon so that any living creature struck by the weapon must make the Fortitude save to avoid sickness. Note that the weapon's wielder must also save. Weapons made with fragments of sickstone cost an additional 2,000 gp to create.

Despite the amount of exposure, a creature is affected by sickstone only once per hour.

Apart from its glow and sickening aura, sickstone should be treated as normal stone, with the exception that natural sunlight causes it to crumble to chalky, inert powder in a matter of seconds if it fails a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15). Exposing a large vein of underground sickstone to sunlight via spells like sunbeam can cause a localized collapse if the sickstone fails to resist the attack.

The spell transmute rock to sickstone creates a field of powerful sickstone with a much stronger aura. This same technique is what gives the sickstone golem its enhanced aura as well. Raw sickstone is still dangerous, and many have been lured to its glow only to be slain by its emanations.

From The Far Corners of the World: The Hidden Depths Below

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From The Adventures of Volo: Dragonwing Stew

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Pages From the Mages, Second Edition

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Some information on herbs and spices from the 1st Edition DMG

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

Notable plants of Cormanthor and Cormyr from Elminster's Ecologies: Explorer's Handbook

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Elmister's Ecologies: Explorer's Handbook

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Dragon Magazine #280

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=blue,2,300]Special Weapons Materials[/glow]

Each of the special materials described below has a definite game effect. Some creatures have damage reduction based on their creature type or core concept. Some are resistant to all but a special type of damage, such as that dealt by evil-aligned weapons or bludgeoning weapons. Others are vulnerable to weapons of a particular material. Characters may choose to carry several different types of weapons, depending upon the campaign and types of creatures they most commonly encounter.

Adamantine
This ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor. Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural ability to bypass hardness when sundering weapons or attacking objects, ignoring hardness less than 20. Armor made from adamantine grants its wearer damage reduction of 1/- if it’s light armor, 2/- if it’s medium armor, and 3/- if it’s heavy armor. Adamantine is so costly that weapons and armor made from it are always of masterwork quality; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below. Thus, adamantine weapons and ammunition have a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, and the armor check penalty of adamantine armor is lessened by 1 compared to ordinary armor of its type. Items without metal parts cannot be made from adamantine. An arrow could be made of adamantine, but a quarterstaff could not.

Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from adamantine. Weapons, armor and shields normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal. Adamantine has 40 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 20.



Darkwood
This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. The armor check penalty of a darkwood shield is lessened by 2 compared to an ordinary shield of its type. To determine the price of a darkwood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.

Darkwood has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 5.

Dragonhide
Armorsmiths can work with the hides of dragons to produce armor or shields of masterwork quality. One dragon produces enough hide for a single suit of masterwork hide armor for a creature one size category smaller than the dragon. By selecting only choice scales and bits of hide, an armorsmith can produce one suit of masterwork banded mail for a creature two sizes smaller, one suit of masterwork half-plate for a creature three sizes smaller, or one masterwork breastplate or suit of full plate for a creature four sizes smaller. In each case, enough hide is available to produce a small or large masterwork shield in addition to the armor, provided that the dragon is Large or larger.

Because dragonhide armor isn’t made of metal, druids can wear it without penalty.

Dragonhide armor costs double what masterwork armor of that type ordinarily costs, but it takes no longer to make than ordinary armor of that type.

Dragonhide has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.

Iron, Cold
This iron, mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. Weapons made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts. Also, any magical enhancements cost an additional 2,000 gp.

Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.

A double weapon that has only half of it made of cold iron increases its cost by 50%.

Cold iron has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.

Mithral
Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than iron but just as hard. When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor and is occasionally used for other items as well. Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0).

An item made from mithral weighs half as much as the same item made from other metals. In the case of weapons, this lighter weight does not change a weapon’s size category or the ease with which it can be wielded (whether it is light, one-handed, or two-handed). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of mithral. (A longsword can be a mithral weapon, while a scythe cannot be.)

Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Mithral has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 15.



Silver, Alchemical
A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes.

On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes a -1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can’t be applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn’t work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.

Alchemical silver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.



From the Hypertext SRD

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From The Fiendish Codex II

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Champions of Valor

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From The Unaproachable East

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=green,2,300]Alchemical Items[/glow]

The art of alchemy has produced many useful substances
that have seemingly miraculous properties. In truth, these
materials have no magical properties at all. Alchemists claim
that their creations function strictly according to natural
laws, and that might be so.

Alchemical effects tend to be less potent than comparable
magical effects. Still, magic doesn't work everywhere, and
alchemical items are typically cheap to produce. Here are
some recent alchemical inventions that adventurers of all
kinds might find useful.



Auran Mask: This mask fits over the character's nose
and mouth. The bulk of the item is a cloth packet holding
a porous, spongelike substance. It requires a move action to
put on or remove, and once a single breath is taken through
the mask, its benefits last for only 1 hour (or less if taken
underwater).
A creature wearing an auran mask receives a +5 circumstance
bonus on Fortitude saves against inhaled toxins. In
addition, the wearer can breathe underwater as if under the
effect of a water breathing spell, though immersing the auran
mask in water reduces its remaining duration to 10 minutes
(or less, if less than 10 minutes remain).

Crackle Powder: This alchemical powder creates a loud
crackling noise, like a broomstick breaking, whenever it is
jostled or struck. A single packet covers a 5-foot-radius area;
applying the powder requires a full-round action. Once in
place, the powder remains active for 1 hour and imposes a
-10 penalty on Move Silently checks made when traversing
the area.

Fast Torch: This item consists of a tube of waxed paper set
into a short wooden handle. The end opposite the handle has
a wax seal, and the whole item is about the size of a normal
torch. An alchemical substance packed inside the tube ignites
when exposed to air. Lighting the torch is as simple as removing
the wax seal, which requires a swift action.
The lit torch produces a brilliant white light that produces
bright illumination in a 30-foot radius and shadowy illumination
30 feet beyond that.
A fast torch burns for 10 minutes, even in high winds
or underwater (though it can't be ignited underwater). It's
possible to extinguish a fast torch by burying it in sand (or
a similar substance) or by grinding it out against a nonflammable
surface. Either method requires a full-round action;
once extinguished, it can't be relit.

Screaming Flask: This container is made from thick
leather with a cap sewn on tight and fitted with a ripcord.
Pulling the cord rips open the flask and activates the alchemical
substance within. The flask emits a high-pitched shriek
in a 15-foot cone. Anything in the cone takes ld8 points of
sonic damage and is deafened for 1 minute (Fortitude DC
15 negates).

Weeping Flask: This item looks like an empty halfgallon
waterskin with an airtight seal. When it is opened
and exposed to air, an alchemical substance within the flask
slowly produces drinkable water. The flask produces water at
a rate of 8 ounces per hour (becoming completely full after
8 hours). The water can be poured out as it appears or simply
kept in the container.

[glow=blue,2,300]Optional Material Components[/glow]

Spellcasters have long noted that various items and materials
aid them in spellcasting; hence the material components and
focus components that various spells require. Further study
has revealed that some rare and exotic items can enhance a
whole range of spells. These items have become widely available,
and they can be purchased just about anywhere—subject
to a community's gold piece limit.

The more potent the spell, the more of the material component
is necessary to enhance it. You must use a number of
"doses" of the component equal to the spell's level (minimum
1) for the component to have any effect. For example, if you
wanted to extend a 5th-level abjuration spell with angel down,
you would need to use five doses of the component (500 gp
value); if you used less than that, the component would be
expended with no effect.

No more than one type of optional material component can
be added to any single spell. If you include a second additional
component, only one (chosen randomly) takes effect.
Material components that apply a metamagic effect to a
spell can't be used in the casting of any spell already affected
by a metamagic feat. For example, a stilled mage armor spell
can't benefit from angel down, even though the effect applied
by angel down is different from the metamagic effect already
on the spell.



Angel Down: Popular lore has it that this fluffy golden
material is reputedly made up of pinfeathers from celestials'
wings. In fact, it is pollen gathered from various rare flowers
found growing on the Upper Planes.
When angel down is used as a component in an abjuration
spell, the spell's duration is doubled as if affected by
the Extend Spell feat.

Devil's Eye: These small, translucent stones seem a little
warm to the touch. They also at least faintly resemble an eye
with a vivid red sclera, a white or yellow iris, and a black, catlike
pupil. Despite the name, devil's eyes are natural crystals
found in volcanic areas, often streambeds or collections of
glacial debris. The warm feeling comes from a weak acid that
forms on the stone's surface. When a devil's eye is used in a
divination spell, the spell's level is increased by one (as if by
Heighten Spell).

Dragon's Tear: Reputedly the dried tears of dragons,
these irregular little crystals have a milky white color with
a faint blue tinge. They are found near mineral springs
and volcanic vents (both locales with a decidedly draconic
character).
When used in any fire or mind-affecting spell, a dragon's
tear increases the spell's level by one, as if affected by the
Heighten Spell feat.

Fairy Button: These small bits of stone resemble brightly
colored mushrooms or flowers. They occur naturally in caverns
where the groundwater has the correct mineral content.
They get their name from their minuscule size and bright
colors—usually red, yellow, green or purple or some variegated
combination that includes some or all of those hues.
When incorporated into an illusion spell, a fairy button
doubles the area of the spell, as if affected by the Widen
Spell feat.

Fairy Dust: This fine powder is all but invisible in daylight,
but it gleams with a silvery sheen in moonlight. Fey
creatures supposedly collect it from newly blossomed wood
flowers each spring. In fact, fairy dust is made of the dried
and powdered cocoons of certain rare moths that breed in
the spring.
When used in any transmutation spell, fairy dust doubles
the duration of the spell, as if affected by the Extend Spell
feat.

Golden Desert Honey: Actually lumps of dried of dried
sap from a rare desert tree, this material is a vital ingredient
in expensive incenses and perfumes.
When used in a summoning spell with a casting time of
1 round, golden desert honey reduces the casting time to 1
standard action, as if affected by the Rapid Spell feat (see
Complete Divine).

Possibility Dust: This iridescent gray material is gathered
in the depths of the Astral Plane. Planar scholars believe that
possibility dust is literally distilled reality that somehow
seeps from the Material Plane to the Astral Plane, where
it settles as fine dust. This assertion is unproven; however,
spellcasters have found the substance useful when attempt
to create something out of nothing.
When possibility dust is incorporated into any creation
spell, the spell's duration doubles, as if affected by the Extend
Spell feat.

Primal Essence: This granular material appears as metallic
sand, though it actually comes from the Ethereal Plane.
Spellcasters have found that they can shape it as part of
spellcasting to take on other forms. Unlike other components
described here, spells of higher than 1st level don't automatically
require multiple units of primal essence.
A pinch of primal essence dust can be substituted for any
material component (but not a focus) that costs 100 gp or
less. Multiple pinches have an additive effect; three pinches,
for example, could substitute for the 250 gp of diamond dust
required by stoneskin.

Serpents' Tongue: This material resembles dried snake's
tongues, hence the name. In fact, it is a mixture of cured
tongues of various rare birds and reptiles and the dried stamens
of several kinds of tropical flowers. All the ingredients
must be painstakingly gathered by hand and carefully mixed
in the correct proportions.
When used in an enchantment spell, serpent's tongue
doubles the spell's duration, as if affected by the Extend
Spell feat.

Singing Shell: These little shells resemble miniature
conch shells. They come from a rare mollusk found along
jungle coastlines. Searching for the shells is time-consuming
in the murky water and exposes the gatherer to attack from
predators that lurk both in the water and on land.
When a singing shell is used in a spell with the sonic
descriptor, the spell's area doubles, as if affected by the Widen
Spell feat. If the spell doesn't affect an area, its range doubles
instead, as if affected by the Enlarge Spell feat.

From Complete Mage

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Lords of Madeness: The Book of Aberrations

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Tome of Magic

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=green,2,300]Special Substances and Items[/glow]

The special substances described here are prized by
adventurers both planar and mundane. Most of them can
be made with the Craft (alchemy) skill, but require ingredients
not available on the Material Plane. Others can’t be
made at all, but must be recovered from their native environment
or purchased.



Anarchic Water: Anarchic water damages lawful outsiders
almost as if it were acid. A flask of anarchic water
can be thrown as a splash weapon (see the Throw Splash
Weapon sidebar). Treat this attack as a ranged touch
attack with a range increment of 10 feet. A flask breaks
if thrown against the body of a corporeal creature, but to
use it against an incorporeal creature, the bearer must
open the flask and pour the anarchic water out onto the
target. Thus, a character can douse an incorporeal creature
with anarchic water only if he is adjacent to it. Doing
so is a ranged touch attack that does not provoke attacks
of opportunity.
A direct hit by a flask of anarchic water deals 2d4 points
of damage to a lawful outsider. Each such creature within 5
feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of damage
from the splash.

Antitrait Grease: Antitrait grease is made in four
varieties—evil, law, chaos, and good—using essences
collected from planes on the “opposite” side of the Great
Wheel to help moderate the effects of the opposing
alignment. When visiting a plane that is aligned, those
who smear on antitrait grease ignore penalties on their
Charisma checks that mildly aligned planes impose on
visitors of opposed alignments. One vial of grease protects
a visitor for 1 hour. The Wisdom and Intelligence
check penalties associated with strongly aligned planes
are not affected.

Atramen Oil: This substance is cold pressed from atramen
fruit that grows on shoals of Elemental Earth that
have drifted too close to the Negative Energy Plane. A flask
of atramen oil can be thrown as a splash weapon (see the
Throw Splash Weapon sidebar). Treat this attack as a ranged
touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet. A direct hit
causes the target to take a –4 penalty on Fortitude saves
for 1 minute. Every creature within 5 feet of the point
where the flask hits takes a –1 penalty on Fortitude saves
for 1 minute.

Axiomatic Water: Axiomatic water damages chaotic
outsiders almost as if it were acid. A flask of axiomatic
water can be thrown as a splash weapon (see the Throw
Splash Weapon sidebar). Treat this attack as a ranged touch
attack with a range increment of 10 feet. A flask breaks
if thrown against the body of a corporeal creature, but to
use it against an incorporeal creature, the bearer must
open the flask and pour the axiomatic water out onto
the target. Thus, a character can douse an incorporeal
creature with axiomatic water only if he is adjacent to it.
Doing so is a ranged touch attack that does not provoke
attacks of opportunity.
A direct hit by a flask of axiomatic water deals 2d4 points
of damage to a chaotic outsider. Each such creature within 5
feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of damage
from the splash.

Bahamut’s Breath: Bahamut’s breath damages evil
outsiders almost as if it were acid, while at the same time,
it heals good outsiders as if it were a potion of cure light
wounds. One ingredient for this alchemical substance is
a breath of air gathered from any of the four lowest levels
of Celestia.
A flask of Bahamut’s breath can be thrown as a splash
weapon (see the Throw Splash Weapon sidebar). Treat this
attack as a ranged touch attack with a range increment of
10 feet. A direct hit by a flask deals 2d4 points of damage
to an evil outsider. Each such creature within 5 feet of the
point where the flask hits takes 1 point of damage from
the splash. A direct hit by the flask heals 2d4 points of
damage to a good outsider. Each such creature within 5
feet of the point where the flask hits is cured of 1 point of
damage from the splash.

Celestial Cloak: Planar hunters frequently visit the Wilderness
of the Beastlands to slay and skin celestial animals,
for, when the beasts are slain on their home plane and their
hides properly treated, some of their properties reside in
their pelts. A celestial cloak looks much like an ordinary
cloak made of fur from the appropriate animal, but it has a
golden sheen that is especially evident when viewed under
the noonday sun or in the light of the full moon.
When worn, a celestial cloak confers upon its wearer resistance
to acid 1, cold 1, and electricity 1. This resistance does
not stack with similar benefi ts gained from other sources.

Chaos Flask: A chaos flask contains a small amount
of the raw stuff of the plane of Limbo. This material can
be shaped by someone with a strong enough will (DC 13
Wisdom check) into nearly any single nonmagical object,
provided the total volume is no greater than that of the
flask’s contents—with denser objects requiring more of
the material. A flask contains enough raw chaos to create
a Diminutive metal or stone object, a Tiny wooden object,
or a Small cloth or leather object. The user can even
shape the matter into a living creature of Diminutive
size or smaller, but doing this raises the Wisdom check
DC to 18.
Shaping the Limbo matter is a free action, and the user
can attempt the Wisdom check once per round. The item
so shaped persists for a number of rounds equal to the user’s
Wisdom score, and then dissipates into nothingness. The
user can cause the object to dissipate sooner with another
Wisdom check (same DC).

Elemental Loadstone: Although it appears to be an
ordinary stone about the size of a sling stone, an elemental
loadstone is, in fact, extremely dense, weighing around 50
pounds. A loadstone can be thrown (with a range increment
of 5 feet) or fired from a sling (with a range increment of 10
feet) and deals 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a successful
hit. In addition, some particularly muscular rogues
have developed an interesting tactic: slipping elemental
loadstones into the pockets of physically weaker opponents
by means of Sleight of Hand checks. With enough of these
on his person, the average wizard or sorcerer can quickly be
rendered immobile.

Liquid Embers: Liquid embers is a sticky adhesive
goo not unlike alchemist’s fire, except that liquid embers
contains ash or soot of an object burned with fire from the
Elemental Plane of Fire. A flask of liquid embers can be
thrown as a splash weapon (see the Throw Splash Weapon
sidebar). Treat this attack as a ranged touch attack with a
range increment of 10 feet. A direct hit deals 3d6 points of
fire damage. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where
the fl ask hits takes 1d6 points of fire damage from the
splash. On the round following a direct hit, the target takes
an additional 3d6 points of damage. If desired, the target can
use a full-round action to attempt to extinguish the fl ames
before taking this additional damage. Extinguishing the
fl ames requires a DC 17 Reflex save. Rolling on the ground
provides the target a +2 bonus on the save. Leaping into a
lake or magically extinguishing the flames automatically
smothers the fire.

Mechanus Eye: This 2-inch-diameter metallic orb
resembles an eye, though streamlined and idealized.
These eyes are purportedly salvaged from secret graveyard
cogs on Mechanus, where a demolished race who
once claimed the plane now lies forgotten. Anyone looking
through a Mechanus eye gains a +1 competence bonus
on Search checks.

Ocanthus Knife: Ocanthus knives are actually alchemically
stabilized shards of magically charged black ice gathered from
the fourth layer of Acheron. An ocanthus knife has all the melee
weapon characteristics of a dagger, except for the following:
On a successful strike, a Medium ocanthus knife deals 2d6 points
of damage (a Small knife deals 1d8, and a Large knife deals 3d6).
After striking a foe, the knife loses its stability and immediately
shatters and melts, gone but for telltale oily residue.

Pure Element: Each flask of pure element contains a small
amount of the essence of an Elemental Plane: air, earth, fire, or
water, painstakingly recreated from ancient alchemical formulas.
The bearer can pour this substance upon other beings or objects
by making a melee touch attack (which provokes atacks of
opportunity), or hurl it as a thrown weapon that targets a
creature. The pure element air, earth, fire, or water contained
within then bonds with whatever it touches, temporarily
altering the target in a fashion dependent on the element’s
nature. The effects of the pure element last for 10 minutes,
unless otherwise noted.

-Air: This clear liquid does not seem to flow from the flask
as much drift from it. Objects or creatures exposed to pure
element air weigh only one-half their normal weight; creatures
so affected gain a +2 bonus on Climb and Jump checks but take
a –2 penalty on damage rolls. Elementals with the air subtype
that are exposed to this pure element gain a +2 enhancement
bonus to Constitution. Elementals with the earth subtype, as
well as objects made of earth or stone, take 2d6 points of
damage (this effect overcomes the damage reduction or
hardness of such creatures or objects).

-Earth: This grayish-brown ooze looks like ordinary
mud. Objects or creatures exposed to pure elemental earth
weigh twice their normal weight; creatures so affected take a
–2 penalty on Balance, Climb, Jump, Ride, Swim, and Tumble
checks. The creature also gains damage reduction 1/adamantine.
Elementals with the earth subtype that are exposed to this pure
element gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution.
Elementals with the air subtype take 2d6 points of damage
(this effect overcomes the damage reduction of such creatures).

-Fire: This bright orange-yellow liquid bursts from the
flask like an explosion. A creature or object exposed to
pure elemental fire takes 1d6 points of damage and catches
fire unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Reflex save. A creature or
object that catches fire takes 1d6 points of fire damage per
round for 5 rounds. The flames may be extinguished only by
exposure to pure elemental water. Elementals with the fire
subtype that are exposed to this pure element gain a +2
enhancement bonus to Constitution. Elementals with the water
subtype take double the initial fire damage dealt by this
substance, but do not catch on fire unless they are wearing
flammable items.

-Water: This liquid appears to be a deep blue, almost
indigo water. Living creatures exposed to pure elemental
water must make a DC 10 Constitution check or begin drowning.
Each round thereafter until 1 minute has elapsed, the DC
increases by 1. Elementals with the water subtype that are
exposed to this pure element gain a +2 enhancement bonus to
Constitution. Elementals with the fire subtype take 2d6 points of
damage.

Red Tidewater: Harvested from areas of red tide on the
Elemental Plane of Water, this water is full of an algae that can
cause temporary blindness if it gets into a living creature’s eyes.
A flask of red tidewater can be thrown as a splash weapon (see
the Throw Splash Weapon sidebar). Treat this attack as a ranged
touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet. A direct hit forces
the target to make a DC 15 Reflex save or be blinded for 2d4
rounds. All those within 5 feet of the point of impact must make a
DC 10 Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round. Anyone who fails the
save has been exposed to blinding sickness (see Disease, page
292 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Touchstone Blade: A touchstone blade is a nonmagical
masterwork sword or other weapon forged from metal found at
the site of a planar touchstone—thus qualifying it as the portable
object required by the Planar Touchstone feat. The cost of a
touchstone blade is equal to the cost of the weapon plus 500 gp
(300 gp for the masterwork weapon, plus another 200 gp for the
connection to the planar touchstone). Such items are
understandably rare and sold even more rarely, given the
magical benefit they can provide.



From The Planar Handbook

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Dragon Magazone #289

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=orange,2,300]Colored Metal[/glow]

Kobolds and spellscales working together have perfected
the process of smelting certain minerals into metal ore to
create colored or tinted ingots. Any shade of red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black, or white can be
created to suit any preference with marginal effort. Though
the effect is only superfi cial, colored metal items still typically
cost 10% to 25% more due to the extra care required in
creating the items. Spellscales are the primary purchasers
of armor and weapons made from colored metal.
Colored metal has no effect on a weapon or armor’s
game statistics.



[glow=purple,2,300]Special Substances and Items[/glow]

Kobolds take credit for the following alchemical innovations,
but other races claim many as their own creations.
Both drow and deep gnomes consider sundark goggles to
be one of their race’s accomplishments, for example.

Bitterleaf Oil: Kobolds use this salve to keep their scales
healthy and shiny. Each bottle of bitterleaf oil holds enough
for ten applications. If the oil is applied each day (a full-round
action), it staves off shedding indefi nitely. In addition, on
any day when bitterleaf oil is applied, the character naturally
heals 1 additional point of damage per HD (max. 5) with a
full night’s rest.

Ditherbomb: These are spherical explosive devices
created by kobold alchemists to reduce large boulders to
rubble during mining operations. They have also been
adapted for military purposes. Activating a ditherbomb
is move action that involves violently shaking the device,
which explodes 1d3 rounds later. (Violently shaking the
bearer of a ditherbomb often sets the bomb off as well.)
Throwing a ditherbomb is a standard action.
Ditherbombs come in three varieties, each of which
deals a different amount of damage and has a different blast
radius. Weak ditherbombs deal 1d6 points of acid damage
to creatures and objects in a 5-foot-radius burst (Refl ex DC
10 half). Strong ditherbombs deal 1d4×1d6 points of acid
most potent ditherbombs, called wyrm ditherbombs, deal
1d6×1d8 points of acid damage in a 15-foot-radius burst
(Refl ex DC 15 half). The damage dealt by a ditherbomb
ignores the hardness of stone.
The more powerful ditherbombs are inherently unpredictable,
as refl ected in their variable damage values. To
determine the damage dealt by a strong ditherbomb or a
wyrm ditherbomb, roll two different dice and multiply the
results. For example, a strong ditherbomb deals 1d4×1d6
points of damage, which means that you roll 1d4 and 1d6
and multiply the result together to determine the damage
it deals when it explodes. The strong ditherbomb is thus
just as likely to deal 1 point of damage as it is to deal 24
points of damage (but is most likely to deal somewhere
around 9 points of damage). A wyrm ditherbomb’s average
damage is about 16 points.

Fire Beetle Lamp: This lamp uses the luminous gland
located above each eye of a fi re beetle as its light source.
Thanks to a special alchemical treatment, a fi re beetle lamp
shines as brightly as a common lamp (bright illumination
out to 15 feet, shadowy illumination to 30 feet) and lasts for
6 days after creation. (Most fi re beetle lamps are put into
service immediately upon creation, but some unscrupulous
merchants sell lamps after they have been used for a few
days.) Kobold miners use these lamps when they need to
see more than darkvision typically allows, specifi cally
when color might be important.

Sundark Goggles: The smoked lenses of these goggles
block light. They are typically fi xed into a band of canvas
that clasps together at the back to keep the goggles from
falling off. Sundark goggles negate the dazzled condition
experienced by a creature with light sensitivity while in
bright illumination. As a side effect, they grant the wearer
a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against gaze
attacks. A creature wearing sundark goggles can’t use a gaze
attack, since other creatures can’t see its eyes. Creatures
without low-light vision or darkvision that wear sundark
goggles take a –2 penalty on Search and Spot checks.

From Races of the Dragon

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=green,2,300]Special Substances and Items[/glow]

Air Plant: The air plant is a bizarre form of pond vegitation whose spongy structure produces and stores air, keeping the plant at the surface so it can recieve adequate light. This mass remains alive and continues to produce air even after being cut from the plant, provided it is kept moist and well lit. When placed in the mouth, a fist sized piece of this material can provide enough air so sustain a medium air breathing creature for five minutes. After that time, the submerged creature must begin holding it's breath and risk drowning. The air plant dies after use and can't be recharged and reused, another portion must be procured.

Stinkpot: This is a simple chemical weapon, consisting of a clay jar filled with a mix of noxious substances. When set alight, the mixture produces a foul smelling smoke that fills a 10 foot cube (as the fog cloud spell except that a moderate or stronger wind dissapates the cloud in 1 round). Each living creature within the smoke must suceed in a DC 15 fort save or become sickened as long as it remains and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves. Each round a creature remains in the smoke it must make another save.



From Stormwrack

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=green,2,300]Flora of the Silver Marches[/glow]

For centuries the North has yielded timber for warmer settled
lands, and yet much of it still seems the same as it has
always been—a land entirely cloaked in trees except where it
rises to snow-cloaked, rocky heights. In truth, phandars are
growing rare due to overcutting, and nowhere accessible in
the North can one find the gigantic trees common only
three centuries ago.

The damp, cool climate and increased woodcutting have
helped to keep forest fires fewer and smaller than in previous
years. Consequently, great dark forests still meet the eye
everywhere in the North. All manner of cold-loving plants
grow in profusion in the Sword Coast North, from horsetails
to lichens, but the low and small are easily overlooked when
trees soar skyward on all sides.

[glow=brown,2,300]Trees[/glow]

Various spruces and pines are the most common trees of the
Silver Marches. Most deciduous trees do not fare well except
in the lower and more southerly regions, although felsuls
can survive in surprisingly cold and rocky conditions.
As one ventures south from the frigid mountains to the
River Rauvin, hardwoods steadily increase in numbers. The
most plentiful are blueleaf, duskwood, and shadowtop trees
(blueleaf and shadowtop are described in the FORGOTTEN
REALMS Campaign Setting). Oaks and maples also appear,
giving way to birches and silverbarks in swampy areas. From
the Rauvin southward, more deciduous species appear—notably
ash, chestnut, hiexel, ironwood, laspar, and phandar.
Some foresters say almost every type of tree that doesn’t require
baking sun or bears juicy edible fruit can be found in
the North, if one looks long enough. Details of the most
plentiful or important species follow.

Duskwood: Named for the dark, eerie appearance of their
closely clustered stands, duskwoods grow arrow-straight up to
60 feet tall. Their smooth, bare, trunks are crowned by halos
of tiny, lacy branches. Duskwoods have black bark that turns
silvery gray when newly broken or peeled. The wood beneath
is smoky gray, and hard as iron.
Most mast spars and building roof-beams in Faerûn are
made of duskwood. It is very resistant to fire, smoldering
rather than blazing. Duskwood trees tend to survive both
forest fires and the axes of firewood-seekers because of this.
Duskwood grows widely all over Faerûn.

Felsul: “A poor excuse for a tree” is the common judgement
of the felsul. Most folk agree when they first examine
these gnarled, twisted trees of a dusty cinammon hue that
constantly shed flakes of rotting bark. Felsul-wood readily
crumbles, splits, cracks, burns poorly, and is too weak and
misshapen to be usable in building or furniture making.
Early each spring, felsuls burst briefly into bloom. A sack
of vivid yellow-and-purple felsul flowers fetches from 5 to
30 silver pieces, depending on the size and lushness of the
blossoms in any particular year. The crushed petals of felsul
flowers yield an expensive perfume prized throughout
Faerûn. Felsul-root is sometimes favored for use in small
carvings such as holy symbols, figurines, and toys.
Felsuls favor cold and poor soil, and grow on crags, cliffedges,
and clefts where few other trees can find purchase. In
many rocky places in the North, felsuls are the only trees to
be seen.

Hiexel: Upright oval trees usually 30 feet in height, hiexels
can grow 70 feet tall in sheltered spots. They have gently
curved, sparse branches; brittle, green, waxy wood (called
simply “hiexel”); and silver-green bark. Hiexel rots easily
and produces profuse amounts of thick, oily smoke when ignited.
This brings it frequent use in signal fires and for
smoking meat or fish, or to drive beasts or foes out of an enclosed
area. Hiexel bark sees use in bookbinding. It’s also
used to seal the walls of wooden buildings against damp,
stuck down with wooden pegs and sealed with mud and
clumps of moss.
As they grow, hiexel trees dry out unevenly, so windstorms
often fell old or large specimens. Hiexel is unsuitable
for sledges, bridges, and other hard usages. It shouldn’t be
used in magic items, because its unstable nature will cause
breakage after a few years at most.
Hiexel trees are very common in the Dales, growing in
thickets in ravines and on hillsides. They are rarer in the
North, but can be found scattered there everywhere south of
the Nether Mountains, particularly in the Rauvin and
Delimbiyr vales.

Laspar: Evergreens of a distinctive olive-green hue, laspars
are sometimes mistakenly thought to be dead by passing
travelers. Laspars look like squat cedars, rarely topping
30 feet in height, and have thick foliage that foils most
searching eyes seeking to see under a single tree, let alone a
stand of them.
Laspar needles are flat and smooth-pointed. They grow in
spherical clusters (“shags”) at the ends of delicate branches
that swirl around a straight, strong central trunk. The trunks
have dusty green bark that tends to form a surface of many
small, interlocked concave plates. Under the bark is a goldenhued
wood that’s as easily worked as pine—but is also pitchy,
spitting too many sparks for safe burning.
Crushed needles are used in making scents and are often
worked into torches and candles of superior quality. Laspars
grow everywhere west of Thay that’s also north of the
Forest of Tethir. They thrive around Turnstone Pass, and
down Delimbiyr Vale into the Far Forest.

Phandar: Phandars grow up to 60 feet high, with terrifically
strong, springy curving boughs sprouting in great numbers
from a massive, knobbly central trunk. Triangular
leaves of mottled, varicolored green grow on branches that
form the rough shape of a horizontal egg, with its long axis
(the “tail” of the tree) pointing away from the prevailing
wind, so that a stand of phandars all seem to be pointing in
one direction. Some adventurers say they greatly resemble
the feared monsters known as ropers.
Phandar wood is greenish-brown striped with thin black
grain lines throughout, which when cut for use in the
making of jewelry form striking waves of curling parallel
lines. Tool and weapon handles and bows are often fashioned
of phandar wood, though its curving nature makes it
unsuitable for spears, wands, staffs, and other uses where
straightness is desirable.
Phandars are very hardy. Stumps often grow new trees,
and even cut, fallen boughs may sprout seedlings. This
quality has probably saved the tree from total extinction;
loggers prize phandar trunks because they’re strong
enough to support the heaviest roof, and they can be chiseled
to accept crossbeams without cracking or splitting.
Phandars are found across Faerûn, but are sparse north of
the High Forest. They are increasingly rare everywhere
due to overcutting.

Silverbark: Silverbarks are thin and straight, seldom more
than a dozen feet tall. They are plentiful, and grow in thickets.
Silverbark wood is reddish and dries out thoroughly after
it’s cut, becoming very light but also very brittle after a year
or so. The silver bark is loose and easily torn away. Silverbark
leaves are waxy to the touch, deep red in color, large and oval
with pointed tips and tiny saw-toothed edges. They are strong
enough to carry game or kindling in.
Silverbark trunks serve the poor as staffs, poles, and (once
points have been whittled and hardened in a slow fire) as defensive
stakes. The weakness of the wood makes it unsuitable
for lance shafts, fence rails, or structural work. Silverbarks
flourish in wet ground throughout Faerûn.

[glow=yellow,2,300]Shrubs[/glow]

Although trees are more noticed and valued than shorter
wilderland plants, the latter are more numerous, cloaking
almost every slope of open country in the North. Many
of these are dismissed as annoying thornbushes, from
berry canes to the strong “spiny creeper” that many a
forester has cut into lengths as a temporary substitute for
rope. Others, such as the ferns and horsetails common to
shaded, sandy areas, are dismissed as simply useless
(though again, foresters often use horsetails to scrub pots
and pans clean).
However, a few shrubs deserve closer examination because
of their utility or domination of the landscape. One of these,
helmthorn, is detailed in the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign
Setting. Others are described below.

Groundpine: These stunted, many-armed pines seldom
grow more than 1 foot high, but spread out in all directions
“like spiders turned on their backs,” in the words of one
forester. A hazard underfoot to horses, groundpines cloak
many hilltops or moors downslope in the North, flourishing
where biting winds blow and less hardy species struggle.
Their cones feed many small birds and furry creatures, and
their needles offer cover for both predators and traps placed
to harm or capture humans. As with certain spruces,
groundpine bark can be boiled to derive a searing-cool sweet
drink that refreshes but doesn’t intoxicate.

Thumberry: This globe-shaped shrub of lime-green, ragged
leaves is studded year-round with white berries the size and
shape of human thumbs. The edible, fatty berries can be
shaped into candles and burned, and they have kept many a
lost or hungry traveler alive, although their taste wins few
accolades. Thumberry-root can be boiled to yield a potent
slate-gray dye or ink.

Winterberry: These tangled vines are dusty brown in hue
and constantly shed ragged strips of bark. They customarily
form spherical coils that bulk as large as bushes, and are
often overgrown by lesser creepers so as to look quite substantial.
Winterberries shed their silver-gray leaves in fall,
but only after persistent freezing weather has come do the
apparently bare and lifeless vines split apart to reveal waxy,
white, sour-sweet berries. Many birds and small forest creatures
(and more than one hungry, desperate human) depend
on winterberries—because they can be eaten frozen, and deer
hate their taste and so let them be.

[glow=green,2,300]Herbs and Ground Plants[/glow]

So many edible or medicinally useful plants grow in the
North that even expert herbalists seldom know them all, or
the full range of their uses. From lichens and mosses to wildflowers,
broadleaves, and tubers, the wilderlands offer a rich
harvest of spices, ingredients for healing salves and draughts,
and drugs that deaden pain or give sleep.

Amaunauth (rare): Also known as “greenflower” for its
rich green leaves, which open in a starburst close to the
ground, amaunauth is a hardy broadleaf groundweed. It
grows across colder areas of the North, from the Dessarin
Valley north to where ice or snow always lies. If eaten raw,
amaunauth is harmful to humans, elves, orcs and all goblinkin,
and their half-kin, but has no effect on dwarves,
gnomes, halflings, fey creatures, and gnolls, nor on horses,
goats, sheep, rothé, and deer.
The poison called amaunauth is brewed from the sap or
internal juices of the weed. An herbalist can concoct amaunauth
by crushing the leaves of the plant, boiling whole
plants, or even dissolving the leaves in alcohol (Alchemy or
Knowledge [herbalism] check, DC 15, and one day’s work to
manufacture). A single plant can produce 1d4+2 doses.
Amaunauth: Injury DC 19, initial damage 2d4 hp, secondary
damage unconsciousness, price 100 gp.

Embramaph (common): A tall flowering plant with irregular
petals of rich purple, embramaph grows in sunny soil.
Embramaph is an antidote to many poisons, diseases, molds
and rots, but its effects vary for each individual. Its leaves and
stems, eaten or crushed and rubbed on the skin, are effective
throughout the year. Also known as fairflower because of its
beneficial effects, embramaph has almost no market value,
since it loses its potency within a day of being harvested.
A dose of embramaph confers a +4 bonus on Heal checks
made to treat poison or treat disease. A single embramaph
plant yields 1d4 doses.

Varathar (uncommon): Also known as “moonglow” for
the pale silver-blue radiance it shows in moonlight,
varathar is a unattractive, rare ground cover that looks like
shredded, rotting brown mushrooms. A character may administer
a dose of varathar with a successful Heal check
(DC 10); a creature treated in this fashion is healed of 1d4
points of damage. The DC of the Heal check to administer
varathar increases by +10 per dose taken per day, making it
difficult for a creature to benefit more than once or twice a
day from varathar.
Varathar retains its potency for 1d4+1 days after harvesting,
and commands a market price of 10 gp per dose. A single
varathar plant normally yields 1d4 doses.



From Silver Marches

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=orange,2,300]Miscellaneous Gear[/glow]

This section presents a variety of equipment typically
crafted and used by dwarves, gnomes, and goliaths.



Blasting Pellets: Blasting pellets look like ball bearings
or stones and come in bags. One bag of these alchemical
items is enough to cover a 5-foot square. During each round
when a creature moves through an area covered in blasting
pellets (or fights while standing in such an area), it must
make a successful DC 15 Reflex saving throw to avoid breaking
one. Breaking one pellet sets off a chain reaction among
the others, and they all explode loudly, dealing 1d6 points of
sonic damage to the creature in the square. Spreading a bag
of pellets over a wider area or throwing the bag at a target
has no substantial effect.
Gnomes use blasting pellets mainly as an alarm system,
hiding the pellets under leaves or among other stones and
gravel.

Blister Oil: Blister oil is a highly refined alchemical
liquid that causes painful blisters upon contact. To use it,
a thin coat must be applied to a surface, such as a sword
hilt or door handle. One application covers roughly a
6-inch-by-6-inch square area. Once applied, it remains
effective for 2d4 hours. Each vial of blister oil contains
1d8 applications.
When the oil touches bare skin, the victim must make
a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid painful red blisters that
spring up on the affected area of skin, dealing 1d4 points of
damage per application used. In addition, the victim takes
a –2 penalty on Dexterity-based checks, including Reflex
saves, for 2d4 days. Magical healing applied to this damage
removes the blisters and the penalty. Natural healing can
remove the damage normally, but the penalty on Dexterity-
baded checks remains until magical healing is applied or
the 2d4 days elapse.

Earthsilk Jersey: One material the dwarves developed
early on in their society was earthsilk. The basis of the material
is an odd fungus known as maiden’s hair. It grows long,
thin, silken tendrils that hang down from the main mass and
collect moisture from the damp underground air. The fungus
itself is time consuming to harvest, because it is very tough
and diffi cult to cut despite its delicate appearance. Once the
fungus is harvested, the long, thin tendrils are removed and
used as thread or light yarn. This thread is called earthsilk,
and it can be woven into a fabric that rivals the fi nest silks of
the surface world for feel and sheen, though it is far heavier
and coarser than any elven silk made. Earthsilk fabric is a
staple of the dwarven wardrobe, and nearly every subterranean
dwarf owns at least one earthsilk jersey, typically worn
in place of an ordinary tunic under a vest or armor.
An earthsilk jersey retains the fibers’ natural toughness,
providing its wearer with damage reduction 1/slashing or
bludgeoning. It may be worn under another type of armor.
Once crafted, earthsilk fabric is durable unless torn. If
the wearer of an earthsilk jersey takes a critical hit that deals
piercing damage, the garment is torn and does not provide
damage reduction unless it is repaired.

Earthsilk Rope: In addition to being used for clothing,
earthsilk fibers can be woven together to form a strong, thin
rope that finds common use in many dwarf cities. Earthsilk
rope feels similar to silk ropes made in the surface world but
is roughly twice as thick, putting it between silk and hempen
ropes in bulk and ease of use. It is stronger even than silk
rope, however, and can bear heavier loads without breaking.
Earthsilk rope has hardness 1, 10 hit points, and can be
burst with a DC 26 Strength check.

Goliath Healing Kits: Many races have mastered the
use of herbs and medicines to treat injuries, and the goliaths
are no exception. They discovered the healing properties of
the items available to them in their mountain homes long
ago. Through time and experimentation, goliath healers
have come to specialize in healing methods for their own
people. Although goliaths are anatomically similar to other
humanoid and monstrous humanoid races, their connection
to the earth has granted them a special affinity for the
creatures and plants that grow in the mountains and the
dark places below.
A goliath healing kit grants a +4 circumstance bonus on
Heal checks made by goliaths and other earth-linked races,
including dwarves and gnomes. It provides no bonus on
Heal checks for a member of any other race. A goliath healing
kit has twelve uses before it is depleted.

Hearthfire: A concoction of dwarf alchemists, hearthfire
is a blue-green gel, typically poured into a large shallow
container and allowed to solidify. The substance is
then left in the pan as is or removed and cut into 2-inch
cubes. When water is poured onto the gel (1 ounce per
2-inch cube is sufficient), it “ignites,” causing blue-green
flames to spring from the substance. The flames have no
heat and will not harm anything that touches them. Each
2-inch block provides light for 24 hours when wet, shedding
illumination as a torch (20-foot radius). The hours
of use need not be continuous, so a flaming cube can be
extinguished, dried off, and used again at a later time. In
the dwarves’ underground communities, hearthfire sees
common use in city lanterns, as well as home hearths and
braziers. Hearthfire lanterns hold one dose each and are
typically hooded.

Song Collar: These iron tubes are designed to aid traveling
musicians in learning new or complex compositions
for the lute, violin, or another similar stringed instrument.
Built to fit snugly over a normal quarterstaff, this item consists
of a long metal collar that slips down over the top half
of the staff, roughly 1 foot long for a Small staff or 2 feet
long for a Medium staff. The metal’s surface is covered with
rows of small, dimpled indentations, ostensibly to provide a
better grip on the staff. In reality, these indentations correspond
with the fingering for a piece of music to be played on
a preferred instrument of the owner. Song collars are sold by
gnome maesters as training tools for journeymen, enabling
them to practice chords and notes while traveling without
attracting attention. If a character uses a song collar for 1
hour a day on seven consecutive days, he gains a +2 bonus
on Perform checks involving that particular instrument and
composition. A song collar does not prevent a quarterstaff
from being used normally in combat.

Saddle, Burrower’s: This specialized exotic saddle
allows the rider to stay safely on a mount that has the ability
to burrow. The saddle includes a secure system of straps and
buckles that holds the rider flush to the burrowing mount’s
back. In addition, a thick, round-edged piece of leather
reinforced with bone or wood rises from the front of the
shield, just before the rider’s seat, roughly to the height of
the rider’s chest. The curved piece of leather bends up and
toward the rider, allowing her to duck behind it while her
mount burrows, shielding her from most of the dirt and
rocks that might otherwise tear the rider from her perch,
straps or no straps. Similar bits of reinforced leather protect
the front and sides of the rider’s legs.
Strapping oneself to the saddle requires three consecutive
full-round actions that provoke attacks of opportunity.
Unbuckling the straps is a full-round action that provokes
attacks of opportunity. While strapped into the saddle, you
lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class and take a –4 penalty
on all attack rolls. You must be strapped into the saddle
to ride a mount while it burrows, but the saddle functions
as a normal saddle if the mount does not choose to burrow,
allowing you to ride without taking the abovementioned
penalties for being strapped to the saddle.
While strapped into a burrower’s saddle, a rider need not
make Ride checks to stay in the saddle. The rider can break
out of the straps as a standard action that requires a DC 25
Strength check and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
If its straps are broken, a burrower’s saddle functions
only as a normal saddle until they are repaired.
The burrower’s saddle comes in two varieties: pack and
riding.

Saddle, Flyer’s: This specialized exotic saddle allows
a properly strapped-in rider to stay safely on the back of
a flying or climbing mount. The saddle includes a secure
system of straps and buckles that hold the rider in place
while minimizing the time it takes to get in and out of the
saddle. Buckling yourself into a flyer’s saddle is a full-round
action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Unbuckling
the straps is a move action that does not provoke attacks
of opportunity.
While strapped into a flyer’s saddle, a rider need not
make Ride checks to stay in the saddle. The rider can break
out of the straps as a standard action that requires a DC 20
Strength check and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
If its straps are broken, a flyer’s saddle functions only
as a normal saddle until they are repaired.
The flyer’s saddle comes in three varieties: pack, riding,
and military.

Spiderlily Essence: Spiderlily essence is noxious to
most vermin (with the notable exception of spiders, which
ironically cannot detect the stuff). Fine vermin avoid creatures
that wear the essence, and monstrous vermin (except
spiders) must make a successful DC 15 Will saving throw to
attack the target. Once a vermin makes a successful save, it
is immune to the effects of spiderlily essence for 1 hour. A
single application of this alchemical concoction is enough
to affect one Small creature. For creatures of other sizes, the
number of applications needed is doubled (or halved) for
each size category larger (or smaller) than Small. An application
of the essence wears off in 1 hour.

[glow=orange,2,300]Magic Forges[/glow]

From the mighty Moradin down to the local toolmaker, a
dwarf smith’s quality is tied to her forge. Without a forge,
no smith can create even the simplest of tools. With the
right forge, a skilled smith can create masterpieces of art
and design, objects that will live through the centuries long
after the smith herself has died. Given the dwarven drive
for excellence, it is little wonder that the dwarves have perfected
magic forges to help them in their crafts and allow
them to create works that will live on beyond their deaths.
All forges are built in a specific location and cannot
normally be moved from that location. (A major expedition
with teams of mules might be able to haul a forge to a
new locale, but this would be an extraordinary event.) As
immobile magic items, the sample magic forges presented
here are priced at about 1/4 the cost of a comparable portable
magic item.

The Player’s Handbook states that a character using the
Craft skill can voluntarily increase the DC by 10 to craft
an item more quickly. In fact, a character can increase the
DC by any multiple of 10 (10, 20, 30, and so on), using the
same rules. When using magic items that grant large competence
bonuses to skill checks, such as many of these forges,
increasing the DC by a large amount can dramatically speed
the creation time for an expensive item (such as adamantine
mountain plate armor).

Forge of the Armorsmith: This magic forge grants a
dwarf who uses it a +20 competence bonus on Craft (armorsmithing)
checks made using the forge. In conjunction
with voluntarily increasing the DC by 20, a smith working
at this forge can craft expensive armor in a dramatically
reduced time.
Strong conjuration; CL 18th; Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate,
creator must be a dwarf with 20 ranks in Craft (armorsmithing);
Price 10,000 gp.

Forge of Sustenance: A dwarf using this forge for any
purpose need not eat, sleep, or even breathe while he continues
to work at the forge, and he can work indefinitely
without tiring. When using the forge to craft an item, the
user multiplies his check result by the item’s DC and then
by 3 to determine his progress on a weekly (in sp) or daily
(in cp) basis.
Strong conjuration; CL 15th; Craft Wondrous Item, create
food and water, regenerate, creator must be a dwarf; Price
8,000 gp.
Forge of Thautam: A dwarf using this forge can create
magic weapons and armor as if he had the Craft Magic Arms
and Armor feat.
Strong conjuration; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item, permanency,
creator must be a dwarf; Price 15,000 gp.
Forge of the Weaponsmith: This magic forge grants a
dwarf who uses it a +20 competence bonus on Craft (weaponsmithing)
checks made using the forge. In conjunction
with voluntarily increasing the DC by 20, a smith working
at this forge can craft expensive weapons in a dramatically
reduced time.
Strong conjuration; CL 18th; Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate,
creator must be a dwarf with 20 ranks in Craft (weaponsmithing);
Price 10,000 gp.

Furnace of Flames: This magical forge provides
spell prerequisites for a dwarf who uses it to craft magic
items. The forge allows its user to create magic items as
if he were able to cast any spell with the fire descriptor,
using his character level as the caster level. The forge
does not replace any other prerequisites or costs, including
item creation feats, minimum caster level, and gold
and XP costs.
Strong evocation; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous
Item, fireball, flame blade, or flame
strike, creator must be a dwarf; Price
20,000 gp.

From Races of Stone

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Expedition to Undermountain

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=green,2,300]Alchemical Items[/glow]

The drow have created several innovative alchemical substances
to help them negotiate the tunnels and caverns of
the Underdark.



Bile Droppings: Distilled from the venomous excreta of
certain breeds of monstrous spiders, this substance is a thick,
viscous fluid. You can throw a flask of bile droppings as a
ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet. Upon
hitting a target, this sticky fluid deals 1d6 points of acid damage
in the first round and 1d6 points of acid damage in the second
round. If the target takes a full-round action to scrape it off,
he takes no damage in the second round.
In addition to causing acid damage, a flask of bile droppings
releases a powerful stench when broken open, forcing anyone
within 5 feet to make a successful DC 13 Fortitude save or be
sickened for 1 round. Anyone actually struck by the vile stuff
takes a –4 penalty on the save.
Bile droppings can be created with a DC 15 Craft (alchemy)
check and the proper raw materials (the spiders that create the
droppings are bred by the dark elves, so these materials are
readily available in a typical drow city).

Darkvision Powder: This plain gray powder clings to surfaces
and cannot be seen with normal vision from more than
10 feet away. It glows brightly when viewed with darkvision,
and thus is useful for creatures that have darkvision and wish
to write messages that other creatures can’t read. Each vial
contains enough powder for a message of up to 25 words. By
adding a mixture of spider silk oil, an ink can be created with
the same properties as the powder.
darkvision powder can be created with a DC 20 Craft
(alchemy) check.

Dwarfblind Stone: These small stones are treated with
a substance that gives them a faint purple sheen. When you
throw a dwarfblind stone as a ranged touch attack with a
range increment of 20 feet, it releases a burst of violet light
upon striking a hard surface. This burst illuminates a 10-foot
radius for an instant and interferes with darkvision. Creatures
within the area of the burst must make a DC 15 Refl ex save
or lose their darkvision ability for 10 minutes. A dwarfblind
stone has no effect on normal or low-light vision.
Since it doesn’t need to hit a specifi c target to be effective,
you can simply aim a dwarfblind stone at a particular 5-foot
square. Treat the target as AC 5; if you miss, see Throw Splash
Weapon, PH 158, to determine where the stone lands.
A dwarfblind stone can be created with a DC 25 Craft
(alchemy) check.

Shedden: This gray paste is brewed from the exoskeletons
of monstrous spiders ground with silk-based oils and mixed
with various chemicals and reagents. When spread on your
exposed fl esh, it temporarily hardens your skin, granting
you a +1 bonus to natural armor for 2 minutes. This bonus
stacks with any other natural armor you already have. It takes
1 minute to apply shedden to your entire body and obtain its
benefits.
Shedden can be created with a DC 20 Craft (alchemy) check.
Certain master alchemists can create shedden that provides
natural armor bonuses of +2 to +5, but doing so raises the
Craft DC by 4 for each additional point of natural armor and
increases the price as follows: 200 gp for +2, 500 gp for +3,
1,000 gp for +4, and 2,000 gp for +5.

Spelunker’s Oil: This clear, slick substance is derived
from several types of slimes and certain mineral oils. As a
full-round action, you can apply a flask of it to your body and
gain a +2 alchemical bonus on Escape Artist checks. This oil
is especially useful to cave explorers who have to squeeze
through tight quarters. However, when the oil is effective it
bestows a –5 penalty on Climb checks.
Spelunker’s oil can be created with a DC 20 Craft (alchemy)
check.

Stoneburn Acid: This substance is a weaker form of alchemist’s
mineral acid. It harms only stone and other minerals.
It is not effective as a splash weapon, because it requires both
contact and pressure to fully dissolve the exposed material.
Otherwise, it just makes small pocks in a surface. When you
apply it with pressure against rock or other minerals, it ignores
hardness and deals 2d6 points of damage. This dissolution
happens almost instantly, after which the acid becomes inert.
Therefore, it is only useful for digging small divots into a stone
surface or small openings in very thin walls. It works best
when used with stoneburners (described above).
Stoneburn acid can be created with a DC 22 Craft (alchemy)
check.

Vilegrip: This misty substance enhances the adhesive
qualities of a web. A single vial contains enough mist to fi ll a
10-foot cube in a single round. All webs in this area become
stickier and stronger, increasing the DC to avoid or break free
by 2 for 1 hour. Vilegrip can also be used on the webs created
by a web spell.
Vilegrip can be created with a DC 25 Craft (alchemy)
check.

[glow=red,2,300]Poison[/glow]

The drow excel at making poisons culled from various creatures
and substances at hand. Below are a few poisons that can
be found smeared on drow weapons or lacing a beverage.



Darklight Brew: Darklight ore (see page 154) is powdered
and cut with a mild acid to create this poison. The radiation
of the ore is diminished greatly in this process, but its effect
becomes acute when it is introduced into the bloodstream.
This poison can be made with a DC 28 Craft (poisonmaking)
check.
The blindness from the poison lasts for 1 hour.

Fish Glue: The body oil of captured kuo-toas is used to
create this poison, which is named for the rigidity it causes in
the joints of the victim and its characteristic fishy smell. It can
be crafted with a DC 18 Craft (poisonmaking) check.
The sickness from the poison lasts for 1 hour.

Illithid Mindscorch: The brain matter of recently slain
illithids can be distilled, capturing some of its psionic potential
and creating this extremely rare poison. Though it is a liquid
in its basic form, it is ineffective unless reduced to an aerosol
and absorbed through the nasal passages of the victim. It can
be created with a DC 27 (poisonmaking) check, though the
DC is reduced by 5 if the creator has ranks in Knowledge
(psionics) or Psicraft or has levels in a psionic character class
(see Expanded Psionics Handbook).
Illithids immediately try to devour the brains of anyone
they catch with this substance.

Psychotropic Rot: Distilled violet fungus and other chemicals
can be mixed together to create this insidious toxin. It can
be created with a DC 17 Craft (poisonmaking) check.
Roach Paste: This brown paste is made from the crushed
bodies of the carrion-eating giant roaches found in the Underdark.
It is known for its horrendous smell. It can be created
with a DC 15 Craft (poisonmaking) check.
The nausea from the poison lasts for 1 round.
The disease it transmits is fi lth fever (DMG 293).

Underdark Blight: Running a chemical solution over certain
rare ores and minerals found in the Underdark creates this
poison; it is effective at removing spell resistance. Lost spell
resistance returns at the same rate and by the same means as
ability score damage. Underdark blight can be created with a
DC 20 Craft (poisonmaking) check.

[glow=orange,2,300]Magic-Infused Poison[/glow]

As masters of their craft and natural manipulators of magical
energies, cruel drow alchemists have discovered ways to
infuse spell effects into the venoms they concoct. Immunity
to mundane poisons provides no resistance to these new substances,
nor does spell resistance; however, neutralize poison
and slow poison are still effective. A successful dispel magic
against a caster level equal to 1/2 the poison’s Fortitude save
DC likewise removes its effects.
These poisons are created not only with the Craft (poisonmaking)
skill, but also with an appropriate spell (which must
be cast by the creator).



The Calling: This lumpy black paste is magically infused
with spider eggs and can be hidden in a dish of food, in which
it is detectable only with a successful DC 20 Profession (cook)
check. If it is consumed, and if the victim fails the initial save, a
swarm of spiders hatches within the victim’s stomach, dealing
the initial damage. The swarm is then digested and destroyed
without further harm, unless the second save is failed. In that
case, it bursts forth from the victim’s nose and mouth, dealing
the secondary damage and coalescing as a spider swarm
(MM 239), attacking everyone in the area. This poison can
be created with a DC 28 Craft (poisonmaking) check and a
summon swarm spell.

Creeping Nullscourge: Used during bouts of drow infi ghting,
on failed save this poison drains 5 points of the target’s
spell resistance. The secondary damage also drains 5 points of
spell resistance. Lost spell resistance returns at the same rate
and by the same means as ability score damage. This poison
can be created with a DC 25 Craft (poisonmaking) check and
an assay spell resistanceSC spell.

Slowswarming: Unlike swarming spiderbite below, this
poison is for those drow caught in acts of treachery or blasphemy.
It is usually administered to a prisoner over several
days; each dose creates a slower and more agonizing biting
sensation similar to that caused by swarming spiderbite,
but also disfi gures the body with horrifi c red boils. It can
be created with a DC 21 Craft (poisonmaking) check and
a poison spell.

Slow Taint: This poison reduces the target’s speed by
10 feet on a failed save. The secondary damage reduces
speed by another 10 feet. The target’s speed cannot be
reduced below 5 feet. The poison can be created with a
DC 18 Craft (poisonmaking) check and a slow spell. Its
effect has a duration of 1 hour.

Swarming Spiderbite: Usually taken to ensure an
honorable death (or to avoid torture) by drow defeated in
battle, the effect of this poison is like the biting mouths
of venomous spiders starting from the extremities and
advancing throughout the body. It can be created with a
DC 26 Craft (poisonmaking) check and a poison spell.

From Drow of the Underdark

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

From Dragon Magazine

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=purple,2,300]Drow Feats and Class Options[/glow]

Master of Poisons

You are highly trained and adept in the use of toxic
substances.
Benefit: You can apply poison or oil to a weapon as a swift
action, without provoking attacks of opportunity. In addition,
you never risk accidentally poisoning yourself when applying
poison to a weapon.
Normal: Applying poison or oil to a weapon is a standard
action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When applying
poison to a weapon, you have a 5% chance of accidentally
poisoning yourself.

Poison Spell

You can mystically transfer a poison to the target of your
spells.
Benefit: You can add a contact or injury poison as a material
component to a melee touch spell you are casting. Doing
this entails the same risk of poisoning yourself as applying
poison to a weapon (DMG 296).
The target of the spell, in addition to being subject to the
normal effects of the spell, is also exposed to the poison. (A
melee touch spell must deal damage to deliver the effect of
an injury poison.)
The dose of poison used as the component is expended
when you cast the spell, whether or not the spell or poison
successfully affects the target.

Venomous Strike [Ambush]

You know where to place your sneak attacks to deliver a highly
effective poisoned strike.
Prerequisite: Poison use, sneak attack +2d6.
Benefit: If you are wielding a poisoned weapon as part of
your sneak attack, the poison’s save DC increases by 2.
Using this feat reduces your sneak attack damage by 1d6.

Drow Rogue

Rogues are common in drow society, fewer in number only
than clerics and wizards. They are silent killers, spies, and
informants. It falls to them to gather intelligence about rival
houses and to eliminate challengers within the hierarchy.
For these tasks, drow rogues cultivate the ability to safely
utilize poison.

Poison Use
Poison is used widely in drow society. For the dark elves, it is a
vital tool in the race for survival. From the popular drow sleep
poison to the bevy of spider venoms extracted from Lolth’s
favored creatures, drow have mastered a variety of toxins that
wreak havoc with their opponents’ bodies.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain
the trapfi nding ability gained at 1st level.
Benefit: You are trained in the use of poison. You are never
at risk of accidentally poisoning yourself when applying
poison to a weapon.

Drow Bard

When adventurers think of drow arcanists, they picture the
horrifi cally deadly drow wizards or the demonically imbued
warlocks. The bard would almost certainly be at the bottom of
the list of arcane classes associated with the drow. What surfacedwellers
fail to realize, however, is that the drow have an ancient
bardic tradition—one that transforms the traveling entertainer,
trickster, and storyteller of the surface into one of the most
horrific taskmasters and assassins of the Underdark.

Deadly Knowledge
Drow bards do not travel the world, and thus do not gain the
broad range of understanding other bards have. Instead, they
study a means of death-dealing normally associated with
other classes.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain
the standard bard’s bardic knowledge ability. In addition, you
can use your bardic music one fewer time per day than other
bards (minimum 1).
Benefit: You are trained in the use of poison. You never risk
poisoning yourself when applying poison to a weapon.

From Drow of the Underdark

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=red,2,300]Poison[/glow]

Many aquatic creatures are horribly venomous and produce
deadly natural poisons. Some of these are commonly
harvested by aquatic races and used against their foes. See
the accompanying table.
Inhaled poisons generally do not work underwater.
However, one inhaled poison (yellow urchin extract) is a
thick, milky fluid that is manufactured for use underwater.
A single dose creates a faint, milky cloud 10 feet by
10 feet, that hovers in the water for 10 minutes before
dispersing (or only 1 minute in a strong current). A
creature with the aquatic type (or a creature using water
breathing or a similar effect) who enters the poisoned
water breathes in this poison, but a creature holding its
breath does not.



[glow=orange,2,300]Disease[/glow]

Dangerous diseases found in or around the sea often
plague maelstrom environments. See page 292 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide for an explanation of diseases and
their workings.

Disease Descriptions

The following diseases are often encountered in seafaring
environments.

Coral Scratch: Characters who take damage from
contact with coral must make Fortitude saves or contract
coral scratch. If a character contracts coral scratch, the
hit point damage dealt by the exposure to coral does not
heal naturally until the character recovers or is cured of
coral scratch.

Sea Rot: Usually found in the worst sort of sargasso,
sea rot is caused by contact with infected creatures. When
a character takes damage from sea rot, he or she must
succeed on another save, or 1 point of the ability damage
becomes permanent ability drain instead.

Sea Sores: Contracted from eating or drinking food or
water of poor quality, such as that found in the stores of
poorly provisioned ships.

Suntouch: Caused by heat damage in dead calm (see
page 13). Characters reduced to 0 Wisdom by suntouch
are rendered insane instead of comatose, acquiring an
overpowering compulsion to immerse themselves in the
sea and/or drink seawater.



From Stormwrack

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=purple,2,300]Alchemical Items[/glow]

The Alchemy skill allows characters to make many
marvelous substances. The items below expand the
list of alchemical items available.

Bladefire: Similar to alchemist’s fire but less
volatile, this thick, adhesive liquid ignites when
exposed to air. Bladefire is typically poured along the
length of a bladed weapon, causing the weapon to
burn for a short period of time. A weapon treated
with bladefire burns for 1d6 rounds. While burning,
the weapon sheds light as a torch. A weapon treated
with bladefire deals 1 additional point of fire damage
with each successful hit. Applying bladefire to a
weapon is a full-round action that provokes an attack
of opportunity. Bladefire is thick enough that once
applied, it does not flow down the weapon, preventing
it from harming the user. Each round that bladefire
burns, it also deals 1 point of fire damage to the
weapon that it coats, but most weapons have sufficient
hardness to ignore this damage. Wooden
weapons coated with bladefire ignite, however,
taking 1d6 points of fire damage each round until
extinguished. Setting flammable items alight requires
more contact than just an attack. To light a flammable
item requires a full-round action if the item is unattended
or a successful grapple check against the
opponent wearing or using the item. If your opponent
breaks the grapple before your next action, no
items catch fire. If you don’t release the grapple on
your next action, any flammable item you wear or
carry also catches fire.

Bullet, Acid: These hollow glass sling bullets are
filled with acid. When they strike a target, they
immediately shatter, dealing 1d4 points of acid
damage in addition to the normal damage from the
sling bullet. To hold sufficient acid, these bullets
must be larger than normal. The increased size makes
the bullets awkward and unwieldy to launch, imposing
a –2 penalty on the attack roll.

Bullet, Flame: These hollow glass sling bullets are
filled with alchemist’s fire. When they strike a target,
they immediately shatter and the alchemist’s fire
ignites, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage in addition
to the normal damage from the sling bullet. To hold
sufficient alchemist’s fire, these bullets must be larger
than normal, imposing a –2 penalty on the attack roll.
See Catching on Fire in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON
MASTER’S Guide for information on targets wearing or
carrying flammable material catching fire.

Bullet, Priest’s: These hollow glass bullets are
filled with holy water. When they strike a target, they
immediately shatter, dousing the target with holy
water. Undead and evil outsiders take 1d4 points of
damage from the holy water in addition to the
normal damage from the sling bullet. To hold sufficient
holy water, these bullets must be larger than
normal, imposing a –2 penalty on the attack roll.

Candle, Focusing: This large, green taper candle
burns quickly, lasting only an hour despite its size.
While burning, the focusing candle fills the air with
a fresh, crisp odor. The candle is a great boon to
those engaged in strenuous mental activity, sharpening
most cognitive processes. Characters within 20
feet of a burning candle of focus gain a +1 circumstance
bonus on the following skill checks: Alchemy, Appraise,
Decipher Script, Forgery, Scry, and Search.
When making a skill check that takes
more than one action to complete (such as attempting
to identify a potion with Alchemy or using the
Scry skill with the scrying spell), characters only
gain the bonus from a focusing candle if they spend
the entire duration of the skill check within range
of the burning candle.

Candle, Restful: This thick blue candle burns
slowly, filling the air with a sweet, relaxing scent for 8
hours. These candles, although slow to function, have
tremendous restorative abilities. Characters that
spend a night of rest sleeping within 20 feet of a lit
candle heal at twice the rate they normally would.
After a day of light activity, characters who rest under
the influence of the candle heal double their level in
hit points and 2 points of ability damage. After a day
of complete rest, characters who sleep under the
influence of the candle heal three times their level in
hit points and 2 points of ability damage. The benefits
of a restful candle stack with those provided by someone
providing long-term care with the Heal skill.

Clearbreath: This vial of gray smoke temporarily
dulls the sense of smell when someone inhales the
contents through the nose. Clearbreath provides a +4
alchemical bonus on Fortitude saves made to resist
unpleasant odors (such as a troglodyte’s stench). The
effects of clearbreath last for 1 hour.

Darkvision Powder: This plain gray powder is
unassuming; it can’t be seen with normal vision from
more than 10 feet away. When viewed with darkvision,
however, it glows brightly. Creatures that have darkvision
commonly use this powder to write messages
that other creatures cannot read. Each vial contains
enough powder for a reasonably lengthy sentence.

Defoliator: This vile liquid has a muddy brown hue
and smells of rotten plant life. You can throw a flask of
defoliator as a grenadelike weapon. On a direct hit, it
deals 2d4 points of damage to plant creatures and kills
normal plants of Medium-size or smaller. The splash
damage from defoliator deals 1 point of damage to
plant creatures and kills normal plants that are smaller
than Medium-size. The damage is not limited to living
plants: wooden objects such as doors and wooden
weapons also take damage from defoliator, though
their hardness applies.

Dehydrated Food: Explorers and adventurers of
all sorts benefit from alchemically dried food.
Although expensive, dehydrated food weighs only
half as much as an equivalent supply of trail rations,
making it ideal for long journeys where water is plentiful
and food is scarce. Characters eating dehydrated
food must consume twice as much water per day as
they normally require or suffer the effects of going
without water (see Starvation and Thirst Dangers in
Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER’S Guide).

Dwarfblind: Dwarfblind stones are small stones
treated with alchemical substances, giving them a faint
purple sheen. You can throw a dwarfblind stone as a
grenadelike weapon. When it strikes a hard surface, it
releases a burst of violet light. The light illuminates a
20-foot-wide area for an instant and temporarily interferes
with the darkvision of those caught in its effects.
Creatures within a 10-foot radius of the stone’s impact
point must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 15) or lose
their darkvision ability for 10 minutes. Dwarfblind has
no effect on normal and low-light vision.

Farflame Oil: This thin, light blue oil burns with a
blue flame and illuminates a wide area. When used in
a lantern, farflame oil sheds light in a 40-foot radius.
In a bullseye lantern, it illuminates a cone 80 feet
long and 25 feet wide. A pint of farflame oil fuels a
lantern for 3 hours. A pint of farflame oil covers a 5-
foot square area if poured on the ground. If lit,
farflame oil burns for 1 round and deals 1d4 points of
damage to each creature in the area.

Fleetfoot: This thin blue liquid temporarily
loosens the imbiber’s muscles and joints, allowing
her to run faster and jump farther. When running, a
character under the effect of fleetfoot moves at five
times her speed. The effect lasts for 10 rounds + 1
round per point of Constitution modifier. The effects
of fleetfoot stack with the Run feat, allowing a character
to run at six times her speed and jump half again
as far as normal with a running jump. Fleetfoot does
not grant a character the ability to exceed her maximum
jump distance.

Ghostoil: This clear oil has a slight tint of gray, and
strange, wispy forms seem to swirl through it. When
applied to a weapon, ghostoil allows it to affect incorporeal
creatures normally for the next 2 rounds. One
flask of ghostoil contains enough liquid to coat one
weapon of Large size or smaller. Applying ghostoil to
a weapon of any size is a full-round action.

Gravebane: This thick white liquid evaporates
almost instantly upon contact with air, creating a thin,
nearly invisible smoke. The smoke is nearly odorless,
and is has no effect on most creatures. Undead, however,
are repulsed by the smoke and can only pass
through it with an effort of will. When opened (usually
by throwing it on the ground), a flask of gravebane
fills a 5-foot-square area with smoke. Undead
cannot enter an area filled with gravebane smoke
unless they succeed on a Will save (DC 10). Undead
can attack into a gravebane-filled area normally as
long as they don’t enter the area to do so. Gravebane
ordinarily lasts for 1 minute, although strong winds
may decrease this duration.

Hawk’s Ointment: This thick, acidic gel temporarily
sharpens the user’s vision. Once its beneficial
effects wear off, however, the gel burns and stings
the eyes for a few minutes. After spreading the gel
over her eyes, a character gains a +1 bonus on
Search and Spot checks for 2 minutes. After the
duration expires, she takes a –2 penalty on Search
and Spot checks for 10 minutes. Characters who
spend a round washing out their eyes with clean
water halve the duration of the penalty. Applying
hawk’s ointment is a full-round action that provokes
an attack of opportunity.

Instant Rope: When poured from a flask, this viscous
gray liquid forms into a long cord usable as a
temporary rope. Upon being exposed to air, the liquid
rapidly increases in both volume and viscosity,
swelling to the diameter of a typical hemp rope, then
quickly drying. A flask of instant rope forms a 30-
foot-long cord; it takes 2 rounds for it to solidify and
dry enough to be used. The instant rope can be
moved during this period without damaging it, but it
cannot support more than 10 pounds of weight without
breaking. Once completely dry, instant rope can
support as much weight as normal hemp rope. After
an hour, instant rope becomes too brittle to support
any weight and quickly crumbles into dust.

Longbreath: This thick, brown-tinted smoke is a
great boon to anyone who needs to go without air for
more than a few rounds. After inhaling longbreath, a
character can hold his breath for 3 rounds per point
of Constitution, rather than 2 rounds per point. Longbreath
can be used after the character begins holding
his breath, but it provides less of a benefit. If a character
inhales longbreath after beginning to hold his
breath, simply multiply the number of rounds that
the character could continue holding his breath by
1.5. Once a character begins making Constitution
checks to continue holding his breath, longbreath
provides no benefit.

Motelight: This flask contains a clear liquid filled
with faintly glowing sparks of light. You can throw a
flask of motelight as a grenadelike weapon. When it
strikes a hard surface, a flask of motelight creates a
small area filled with rapidly moving sparks. The
sparks are distracting, but they cause no damage.
Creatures within a 5-foot radius attempting to cast a
spell must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 5 +
spell level) or lose the spell. If the caster must make a
Concentration check for another reason, the motelight
applies no additional penalty.

Nature’s Draught: This tiny vial contains a
murky, pungent liquid. When consumed, nature’s
draught cause subtle changes in the user’s scent.
Animals respond well to a character who has consumed
nature’s draught, finding her less threatening
and easier to trust. Drinking a vial of nature’s
draught provides a +1 circumstance bonus on
Handle Animal and Animal Empathy checks made
during the next day.

Polar Skin: This dull white cream provides limited
protection against cold-based damage. Polar skin
becomes ineffective once it has absorbed 5 points of
cold damage. Regardless of whether it absorbs any
damage, polar skin loses its effectiveness 1 hour after
application. Polar skin does not stack with magical
protection from cold. Magical effects such as the resist
elements spell supersede the protection provided by
polar skin. Applying polar skin takes 1 minute.

Signal Torch: These simple items are normal
torches treated with a variety of alchemical substances
to color the flames. Signal torches each burn
with a differently colored flame. They are available in
a variety of colors, the most common being green,
blue, and yellow.

Sparkstone: These alchemical devices actually
resemble fist-sized lumps of hard, gray clay. You can
throw a sparkstone as a grenadelike weapon. When a
sparkstone hits a target, it releases a short, violent arc
of electricity. A direct hit by a sparkstone deals 1d6
points of electricity damage. If there is another creature
within 5 feet of the target, the electricity arcs to
that creature, dealing half of the initial damage. The
sparkstone only creates one secondary arc, so if more
than one creature is within 5 feet of the target, roll
randomly to see which creature is affected. If no creatures
are within 5 feet of the target, the sparkstone
causes no secondary effect.

Stonebreaker Acid: This special form of acid
affects only stone. You can throw stonebreaker acid as
a grenadelike weapon. Acid ordinarily deals half
damage to objects (see Attack an Object in Chapter 8
of the Player’s Handbook). A direct hit on a stone surface
ignores hardness and deals 3d10 points of
damage. On the round after a direct hit, stonebreaker
acid deals a further 2d10 points of damage.

Verminbane: This tightly sealed flask contains a
pale green smoke. When released into the air, the
smoke fills a 5-foot-square area. Most creatures are
unaffected by the smoke, although humanoids generally
find the smell unpleasant. Vermin, however, find
the smoke almost intolerable. To pass through an area
filled with verminbane, vermin must succeed on a Fortitude
save (DC 15). Verminbane lasts for 1 minute,
although strong winds may decrease this duration.

Vicious Bleeder: This thick blue gel is a powerful
anticoagulant. A wound caused by a weapon coated
with vicious bleeder continues to bleed for 2 rounds,
dealing 1 additional point of damage on each of those
rounds. Applying vicious bleeder to a weapon (of
any size) is a full-round action that provokes an
attack of opportunity. Once applied to a weapon,
vicious bleeder lasts for 1 minute before it evaporates.
One flask of vicious bleeder contains enough to coat
one weapon of size Large or smaller. Vicious bleeder
does not affect constructs, elementals, oozes, outsiders,
or undead.



From Arms and Equipment Guide

[Masterbard Alyster Darkharp]

[glow=red,2,300]New Poisons[/glow]

Some poisons described in Table 2–7: Poisons have
special effects, described below.

Aboleth Oil: Transformation takes 1d4+1 minutes.
A transformed creature must remain moistened
with cool, fresh water or take 1d12 points of
damage every 10 minutes. See the Aboleth entry in
the Monster Manual for more information about the
transformation.

Alforna: Fatigue caused by the secondary effects of
alforna is treated normally.

Gray Whinnis: Paralysis caused by the secondary
effect of gray whinnis lasts for 1d6 × 10 minutes.

Lockjaw: Characters affected by lockjaw can’t
speak or use spells with somatic components.

Scorcher Fumes: Creatures affected by scorcher
fumes lose the scent ability, if they had it, for 1d6 ×
10 minutes.

Thever Fumes: The blindness caused by thever
fumes is permanent unless removed by cure blindness
or similar magic.

Thever Paste: The blindness caused by thever
paste is permanent unless removed by cure blindness
or similar magic. If thever paste is heated, thever
fumes are the result—the two poisons are derived
from the same base compound.





From Arms and Equipment Guide