Magic Items: Item of Servitude

Item of Servitude 

Background

     These insidious items were first created by Zadok the Enchanter, a powerful salient lich. He spent long years crafting many items of great quality and workmanship. Each of these he placed all over the Empire of Ralifon, the Chi'in Empire, the Kingdom of Saxara and many other places around Xaqi. He continues to manufacture more Items of Servitude to help him increase his army of undead minions. Every item he makes is indistinguishable from a normal magical item of the same type. If he can get an already existing item in his clutches he will add this evil enchantment into it.

Powers

     An Item of Servitude functions as per other items of the same typeand shall bear the following curse as an additional hidden power.

     This curse affects the will of the wearer. The wearer is subject to the orders and whims of the item's creator. The curse cannot be removed by any means short of a wish spell. If the item is removed from the wearer they will attempt to regain the item at any cost, even the death of loved ones or themselves. Should they die in the pursuit of the item they will suffer the effects of the curse as if they still possessed the item.

     The control exerted by this item is not detectable by normal magical means, but is susceptible to certain psionic disciplines. When the wearer is ordered to do something opposed to their alignment they are allowed a saving throw vs. death magic to resist. If the save is successful, the creator can issue the order again in 1d4 hours. The wearer's save is made at a cumulative -1 each time that the order is reissued. The more orders issued contrary to the wearers alignment will shift it towards the alignment of the actions they are being forced to make.

     Upon the death of the wearer, their spirit is trapped within the item. The wearer cannot be resurrected or raised in any way. After 1d8 days the spirit is forced into a state of undeath by the item creator, who may choose the type of undead that the wearer becomes, only corporeal undead are allowed. The item creator has complete control of the undead as long as the item is still worn by the undead creature. If the item is removed from the undead wearer, they disintegrate in 1d4 rounds, unless they can get the item back and put it on again.

     After the undead wearer is destroyed, either by the above means or by any other means, the item will act just like any other item of its kind for a period of 1d4 years. At which time its more sinister properties will emerge again.

Notes

     This curse can only be added to permanent magical items as well as rechargeable magic items, such as wands or staffs. Single use items, like potions and most scrolls cannot bear this terrible enchantment. Artifacts and relics can be altered to bear this enchantment.