Ring of Disappearance A useful item, but overuse can make one ... Disappear
Codex introduction
Full Item Description
Generally this is a plain gold ring with little to mark it as extraordinary. Careful examination may find an inscription in very small text giving the phrase to activate the ring.
History
This ring was created by a Wizard seeking a different means of providing invisibility then the common ones which worked by illusion, mental suggestion or simple redirection of light. Being an Elementalist by nature, he chose the path of Elemental Fractional Displacement to provide the desired invisibility. Unfortunately for the wizard, he overlooked the potential danger of this approach and now wanders, unseen and unheard, through his old laboratory even today.
Magic/Cursed Properties
This ring makes the wearer invisible, but by a method different then other rings. Much of the matter of the wearer is pushed into another dimension with the exception of their ‘air’ component, and a trace quantity of the other three elements. These remnants are so faint as to be invisible except in the most extreme situations:
In total darkness, a glow from tiny remnants of fire can be observed, forming a very faint outline.
In bright sunlight, small rainbow patterns will appear where the invisible figure would normally cast a shadow due to the small amounts of elemental water.
If the figure stands in bright light against a dark background, small specks of dust - the remnants of their Earth element will appear and create a humanoid image.
All of the above effects are extremely subtle and unlikely to be seen by any not looking for something unusual. In any environment not as conductive as the ones listed above, which is mostly the case, the chances of seeing a trace of the ring-wearer is remote.
As a side effect of this method, the user loses much of their ability to interact with the world, being little more then a pocket of air. They act as if they had one quarter the physical strength they normally have.
They still retain a humanoid form and cannot squeeze through very small spaces - they have much of the properties of an Areogel - but also are highly resistant to any form of physical damage.
The downside of this ring is that over time, more and more matter will get pushed into the other dimension, and eventually will leave the wearer as nothing but air and spirit. At this point the ring will drop to the ground to be found by it’s next victim, and the wearer will be doomed to float around as a form of non-undead ghost. Perhaps magic could reunite the elements of the victim, but this would not be easy. If the ring is taken off or deactivated prior to reaching the point of no return, the ‘doomsday’ counter gets reset.
It also may be possible that beings in other dimensions could severe the link between the wearer and the bulk of the Earth, Water and Fire that make up their being and condemn them to the same fate as wearing the ring too long.
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- Beans - Magic Beans! by valadaar Bound
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Pieces that link here
- Beans - Magic Beans! Alongside valadaar linked by valadaar
- Compilation of Rings Mourngrymn linked by valadaar
- Effects of Touching Powerful Evil Artifacts Alongside valadaar linked by valadaar
- New Takes on Classic Magic Items valadaar linked by valadaar
I guess many users will not care, but it is a good explanation for its effect (both the good and the bad one).
Are the elemental parts present in several dimensions, each in its own, or is it only one? Any way, it sounds like the wearer has a solid body (bodies) somewhere else... bet this is going to make things diffilcut for creatures like elementals and ghosts, who are also partially 'elsewhere'.
And while away, the elements concentrated before in one's body, become slowly dispersed across dimensions, like a faint trail of dust left everywhere the character was... the worst thing is, once the effect advances enough, not even stopping to wear the ring will help - the poor soul will shed his body eventually and be lost.
A common item on the surface, going deeper than it seems. I like it.
As to seperate dimensions or a single one, I didn't think about that, but one seems logical to me.
The 'body' would be in an odd state - being fire,earth and water - basically a 'Caloric' elemental, but it would lack any 'spirit' to animate it. I suppose an evil spirit could poach the Caloric body, again trapping the ring user in it's semi air form.
It is built with the concepts discussed in Ians' Theory of Elements in mind or more specifically, the rebuttal I added to his sub insisting that Spirit is indeed a pure element, and not a combination of the four (which, by the way, this ring would prove by it's existance :) )
One body is fine, less hassle in explaining.
Of course, a firm believer would just claim that it is the remains of the elements that make up the spirit, and were the effect of the ring stronger, it would simply displace the whole person elsewhere. But as it is, dividing the essences between two worlds cannot work forever - and ends up dividing them in a most tragic way.
Rebuttal rebutted. Or...? :)
Really like this item - as well as it's good properties (and its tie-in to Elemental Theory!) I like a 'realistic' explanation of invisibility other than the usual light-bends-around you one.
Not a ring to use too often.
Up to you just how long is too long :)
The faint runes on the ring's edge were barely legible... 'Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that invisibility can be hazardous to your health. Do not use if pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Not for use by those with heart conditions or lack of heart conditions...'
If the PCs don't expect the ring's dangerous side, this one could be nasty. On one hand (the 'Nice GM'), it would be cruel to 'hose' a PC that way; on the other hand (the 'Not-quite-so-nice GM'), it would serve them right for using a powerful magic item without doing some research.
If they aren't paranoid when they find a ring sitting on the floor in an empty corridor, they haven't read 'The Lord of the Rings' lately...
This has so much potential it screams use me. Obliterating a PC is a bit much, but hey Im a fatalistic GM I like it.
Other notes:
Even stuck in 'ghost' form, they retain about 25% of their strength and may be able to communicate their fate to others, though they are little more then a weak air elemental. Depending on the magic available in the campaign, there may be spells to undo the effect.
Sages or wizards highly skilled in Elemental magic may be able to detect the design flaw if they research the ring.
A simple plot idea could be the attempt to reunit someone who has been diselementized (new word?) - maybe even the ring's original creator.
nice one, val! An alternative twist on invisibility, and a good one at that.
Nice piece, I like the elemental aspect given to the normally mundane Ring of invisibility. Good work.
A good remake of the ring of invisibility, Val. I like it. Perhaps the ring has tiny bits of the previous wearers consciousness and radiates a faint feeling of foreboding?