Alter Aeon The Great Library

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Note - as with any topic, researchers should question the reliability
and veracity of these texts.  The library's aim is to preserve
documents, not verify accuracy.

AABN:  37385
Title: a book called 'Magical Items'

Magical items come in many shapes, materials and sizes. The most common are
"charged" or "consumable" items such as scrolls, wands and staffs.

Scrolls are pieces of paper, leather or other materials that have
incantations inscribed upon them. They are generally designed to be highly
portable. They are written with specially prepared inks made from strong
affiliated spell components. When recited, the incantation releases the
magic stored in the scroll, burning it out in the process.

Wands are rod-shaped objects typically made from hard materials such as
wood, bone, rock, ceramic or crystal. More rarely they are made from metal.
Wands may be plain or inscribed with written or carved runes. Wands contain
multiple charges of a spell, which can be discharged as long as the caster
can grip the wand tightly and will it to work.

Staffs are very similar to wands, though typically much more powerful. They
tend to be long enough to use as canes or walking sticks. They are often
reinforced for use as quarterstaffs in battle. When the magic of a staff is
invoked, the stored magic latches onto every creature within a small
radius. Druid staffs are the most easily crafted.

Crafted weapons can be assembled from materials with sympathetic properties
that amplify one another and the finsihed product. One of the simplest and
most widely known of these weapons is a rapier of wit. It requires a rapier
blade - any metal will do, as the thinness of the blade is the key property
needed. Add a grip carved from fruiting wood such as plum, apple, cherry or
pear and set a sard cabochon in its guard. The blade will draw mana from
the surroundings and channel it into the hilt, enhancing the
intelligence-boosting affects of the sard on its wielder.

Magic can be infused into a variety of items either during their crafting,
the addition of runes or using special magical rituals known as
"enchantments". Enchantments vary widely depending on what discipline of
magic is being practiced.

Clerics can enchant an item with a portion of their own alignment. Those
skilled with shadow magic can camouflage items by wreathing them in shadow.
Mages can instill weapons with elemental magics, making them crackle with
lightning, burn with flames or rime with frost.

There are rumors of other enchantment techniques, but they are closely
guarded secrets known to only a few.