Magic Items

Using the Formal Magic system, characters can create magic items which contain spells. You might also find these as treasure. These magic items may have a specific spell active within them which you can activate as if you had cast the spell yourself, even if you are not a caster.

Each Magic Item is made up of one or more Ritual Batches. Each Batch has a set duration and combination of Rituals. Individual Rituals fall into three types: Permanent, meaning that they are always in effect; Times Ever, meaning that they can only be used a certain number of times before their magics permanently burn out; or Logistics Periods, meaning that their magic will slowly fade over a certain amount of time. For items with a duration of a certain number of Logistics Periods, at the start of each event the item is brought to, one Logistics Period will be marked off for each Logistics Period of the event.

All items created through the ritual system that have a Permanent or Logistics Period duration are considered to be indestructible. These items cannot be destroyed using normal means like Shatter or physically breaking them. Keep in mind that items which only have “Times Ever” or Spellcrafted Rituals are not made indestructible in this way.

This in no way implies that ritually summoned or created creatures cannot be killed. Magically created Constructs and summoned creatures will still follow all effects listed on their monster card; for example, golems will still take damage from Shatter. Effects listed on the magic item tag (or in the case of transforms, summons, and created creatures, the monster card) may alter this effect.

In order to use a magic item which duplicates a spell (such as Enchant or Spell Store), you must say “Activate <spell verbal, including amount and effect>” and then throw a packet (or touch-cast), following all other rules concerning spellcasting.

If you have the ability to cast the spell contained in the magic item on your own, you merely have to say “Activate <amount if applicable> Spell <effect>” without the rest of the spell verbal included. This is true even if the magic item was not made with your particular school of magic.

''Example: Belthivis finds a magic item which contains the spell Shun. As a celestial caster, he has the ability to cast 4th level celestial spells, so when he uses the item, he says “Activate Spell Shun” and throws a packet. He can do so even if he does not have that particular spell in his spell book.
Later, he finds an item that contains a Purify spell. He does not have the skill to cast 8th level earth spells, so when he uses that item, he has to say “Activate I call upon Earth to Purify you.”
Finally, he finds an earth item which contains the spell Weapon Shield. He cannot cast any earth spells, but he has the ability to cast 2nd level celestial spells, and Weapon Shield is a spell that is available at that level for both earth and celestial casters. When he uses this item, he merely has to say “Activate Spell Weapon Shield.”''

Magic items in your possession can be used when bound or otherwise incapacitated so long as you are able to speak. Obviously, they cannot be used when Silenced, gagged, or otherwise unable to speak (such as when under the effects of a Prison or Paralysis).

Under normal circumstances, you must be the only conscious person having sole clear possession of an item to activate its abilities. The item need not be in a hand to activate; it may be in a pouch or other container, so long as it is clearly possessed by a single individual with the ability to activate the item.

It is also possible to activate a magic item that is in another person’s possession, so long as all rules for safety are abided by (i.e., you may not tackle or grab someone that you are currently or about to be in combat with and activate their items, but if your friend Bob is dead, and you know he is in possession of a Life item, you can activate the Life while carrying him away). You should make it clear to the player out-of-game that you are activating their magic items rather than your own.