The Magic Shoppe: Treasures of the Ethereal Plane

Crystal of Ethereal Conjuring

Incense hangs thick in the air as you enter the cramped shop. The bustling sounds of the city outside instantly cease as the door shuts behind you. Shelves and tables are piled high with boxes and display cases. Most of them are labeled in languages you can barely recognize. Upon closer inspection, you see that they are warnings of dangers contained within. The shop is dark, with very little light given off by sputtering oil lamps hanging from the ceiling. Upon the front counter, there is a small hand bell next to a neatly handwritten card that reads, “Please Ring For Service.”

The bell gives off deep booming note much louder than its size would suggest. From behind the counter, beaded curtains part and the owner of the shop steps out to great you. Dressed in a well fitted purple tunic he is of average height with tanned skin and a short black hair. The man appears human in all respects aside from the small black horns protruding from his forehead. He has a thin pencil mustache which he strokes thoughtfully as he looks at you from behind a pair of dark spectacles. “Welcome to my humble shop,” the shopkeeper spread his arms wide. “My name is Valcav. How may I be of service today?”

Valcav stoops down and pulls out a worn dragonhide case. “These just came in this morning from one of my suppliers.” He opens the case to display a jagged white crystal, and an ivory-handled whip. “The Ethereal Plane is quite a dangerous place and retrieving these items was not without its share of risk.” Valcav flashes a smile before continuing, “But I’m sure we can settle on an agreeable price point. Now, which of these would you like to examine first?”

“These are quite rare you know,” Valcav says holding the crystal up to the light. “It’s actually made of the crystallized material of the ethereal plane itself.” He casually twirls the crystal between his fingers. “An elemental is lured into a specially prepared trap and the crystal is actually grown around it before being harvested.” Valcav sets the crystal back in the case. “Not to your liking? Well, don’t worry I’m sure I have something for you.”

Pathfinder:

Aura moderate conjuration; CL 11th; Weight 5 lbs.; Slot none; Price 90,000 gp

DESCRIPTION

The jagged white crystal is a foot long and three inches thick. It must be firmly grasped and held aloft in order to function.

BENEFITS

On command, as a full-round action, the bearer may summon an aether elemental. If the crystal is held up with a spell such as mage hand or levitate, it conjures a Huge aether elemental as if using summon monster VII. Otherwise, the crystal conjures a Large aether elemental as if using summon monster V. Conjuring an elemental causes the crystal to remain frozen in place where it resists attempts to move it. The crystal cannot summon another elemental until the previous one is dismissed, killed, or the duration of its summoning expires.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Wondrous Item; Spells summon monster V, summon monster VII; Cost 45,000 gp

5e:

Wondrous item, rare

While holding the jagged white crystal aloft, you can use an action to speak the command word and summon an invisible stalker, as if you had cast the conjure elemental spell. The crystal can’t be used this way again until the next dawn. The crystal weighs 1 pound.

Phase Spider Whip

Valcav cracks the whip over your head. “These are quite expensive to make,” he says. “It takes a dedicated artisan more than a month to weave together the strands of ethereal silk produced by a phase spider.” He looks over at you and chuckles, “What’s that you say? Phase spiders don’t produce silk?” Holding the whip up to his eye and examining it closely, “Well, if that’s the case I will have to have a long talk with my supplier about honest business practices.”

Pathfinder:

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Weight 3 lbs.; Slot —; Price 28,000 gp

DESCRIPTION

This whip has a solid ivory handle, with a carved in pattern enhancing grip, with the whip itself consisting of a silk-like translucent material.

BENEFITS

This +1 ghost touch whip deals lethal damage regardless of the target’s armor bonus or natural armor bonus. Despite the solid handle, the whip itself is made from ethereal material and phases in and out of existence. The wielder of a phase spider whip gains a +3 bonus on checks to feint with the weapon as long as their target cannot see into the ethereal plane. The phasing nature of the whip allows the wielder to attack a target under the effect of blink. This phasing is too rapid to allow for manipulation of objects on the ethereal plane.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Magic Arms and ArmorSpells blinkplane shift; Cost 14,000 gp

5e:

Weapon (whip), rare (requires attunement)

You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Holding the handle of the whip and speaking the command word causes the whip to phase in and out of existence giving you advantage on attack rolls. This effect is negated if the target can see onto the ethereal plane such as by casting see invisibility. This phasing is too rapid to allow for manipulation of objects on the ethereal plane.

Valcav (Shopkeeper)

Pathfinder CR 14

This finely dressed man appears human with only the small horns protruding from his forehead to suggest otherwise.

XP 38,400
Tiefling rogue (phantom thief) 15
N Medium outsider (native)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+3 armor, +5 deflection, +3 Dex)
hp 75 (15d8+15)
Fort +8, Ref +14, Will +7;
Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, social sense (+5)
Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee spirit blade +14/+9/+4 (d4+3 /19-20)
Ranged spirit blade +17 (d4+3 /19-20)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th)

1/daydarkness

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 17
Base Atk +11; CMB +11; CMD 13
Feats Blustering Bluff, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Disable Dweomer, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Bluff), Sabotage Magic Item, Voice of the Sibyl
Skills Appraise +26, Bluff +41, Diplomacy +31, Disable Device +25, Intimidate +28, Perception +25, Sense Motive +26, Sleight of Hand +32, Use Magic Device +32
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
SQ beguiling liar, prehensile tail), refined education (Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perception, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Use Magic Device), rogue talents (feign innocence, hard-minded, renown, skill mastery (Appraise, Bluff, Sense Motive, Use Magic Device), slippery mind, subjective truth)
Gear portable hole, bag of holding tIV, rod of splendor, ring of mind shielding, ring of protection +5, spirit blade, catskin leather, eyes of charming, cloak of resistance +2

5e:

Rogue (thief)

Medium humanoid (Tiefling), neutral

Armor Class 14 (leather)
Hit Points 75 (15d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10(+0) 17(+3) 10(+0) 14(+2) 12(+2) 20(+5)

Saving Throws Dexterity +8, Intelligence +7, Wisdom +7
Skills Deception +15, Insight +12, Intimidation +15, Persuasion +15,
Damage Resistance fire
Senses blindsense; passive Perception 12
Languages Common and Infernal
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Special Traits

  • Cunning Action: On each of its turns, Valcav can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
  • Sneak Attack (1/Turn): Valcav deals an extra (8d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Valcav that isn’t incapacitated and he doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  • Uncanny Dodge: When an attacker Valcav sees hits him with an attack, he can use his reaction to halve the attack’s damage against him.
  • Reliable Talent: Whenever Valcav make an ability check that allows him to add his proficiency bonus, he can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
  • Spellcasting: (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks)
    • Thaumaturgy cantrip
    • Hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell once and regain the ability to do so after a long rest.
    • Darkness spell once and regain the ability to do so after a long rest.

Actions

  • Dagger: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
  • Eyes of Charming: They have 3 charges. While wearing them, Valcav can expend 1 charge as an action to cast the charm person spell (save DC 13) on a humanoid within 30 feet provided that he and the target can see each other. The lenses regain all expended charges daily at dawn.


About Michael Vail-Steele

Michael has been playing RPGs regularly since 2012. In addition to RPGs he's also a fan of puns and bad movies. He hopes you will enjoy these trips through his imagination, and asks you to please wipe your feet.

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