Bringing up to date with Konis...

Items/box_of_duplication.txt

@@ -15,3 +15,12 @@ There is no known way to create one of these boxes, short of a Wish or divine in
 The AC and HP are as expected for the mundane container it appears to be. When destroyed, if it contained an item which could be duplicated as above: roll a d100; if 10 or below, the remains of the box explode with duplicates. The amount below 10 determines both the number of duplicates and the force with which they are ejected, at the DM's discretion; in general, rolling 5 or below when cloning a sharp object (like a dagger) is enough to cause several (e.g. 3d6) rolls to hit to any creatures within a range of 30', while an exact 10 may only result in 1d4 rolls to hit at a range of 10'. More massive weapons may travel further and hit harder.
 
 Per Detect Magic, the box has a strong aura, but without a particular school affiliation.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+Yep, this box was intentionally designed to wreck all economies. Sorry, not sorry.
+
+Someone in canon had, in fact, already been doing this. A little while after Froebelius hears about Knorr and its promises from Gwynn, he manages to steal one of these beauties and use it to, uh, "stock up the treasury". He's discreet and careful enough about it that it doesn't hyperinflate Antioch's currency, but it does help in that it means he (or his parliament) can carefully control inflation without worrying about how much gold they're mining (which is absolutely none). Froebelius spins some tales about a trade agreement with the dwarves in public; in private, he tells Helen about it, and uses it to supplement the resources of the Temple there, especially for the very expensive components needed for things like creating holy water, Hallowing, and, of course, Resurrection (and varieties). The clever wizard tries to make a few duplicate orbs as well, quickly determining that it doesn't work like that.
+
+In C2, the party discovers this one "hidden in plain sight" in the archive at the Mage College, and lift it from an unsuspecting archivist. When they discover what it can be used for, predictable amounts of hell break loose.

Items/evertangling_rope.txt

@@ -11,3 +11,10 @@ When the rope is withdrawn from an opaque container, however, it is always horre
 Converting a mundane rope to an Evertangling Rope requires the cast of a 5th-level transmutation spell with V, S, and M (the rope itself, which is enchanted) components which takes 1 minute, and lasts until dispelled. Enchanting an already Evertangling Rope has no further effect. The spell itself is frequently circulated as a joke spell to gullible wizards in college.
 
 Per Detect Magic, the rope has an aura of transmutation.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+I think I may have given one of these out, but I'm not sure, in all of C2 and C3.
+
+I believe this was inspired by a joke in Amsterdam, NY, while I was back for a break.

Items/focus_of_extension.txt

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ When a spell is cast with this focus present (not necessarily used as a componen
 
 If the same spell cast at the same level on the same targets (and with the same specifics and details) is cast and extended using this focus for each of 7 consecutive days, the duration extension for the final cast becomes "Until dispelled", as long as the same focus isn't used to extend another spell or destroyed.
 
+Effects that cause the spell to end normally may still dispel it. For example, if the spell says the caster may end it as an action, this can be done by the caster at anytime. (If it doesn't, any caster with access to the focus can use it to cast another spell, and, in doing so, effect the ending of the former spell.) Similarly, the spell ends if no valid target exists for it anymore--but especially powerful combinations of indefinite spells can overcome this (see below).
+
+A typical usage is to leave an environmental effect in place for as long as needed; for example, Alarm, Minor Illusion, Silent Image, and so forth. More devious users may use enchantments instead, such as Friends or Suggestion, comforted by the extended, or even indefinite, time. Perhaps the most dangerous spells are transmutation and necromancy, such as Regenerate and (True) Resurrection; the latter has effects not unlike the Necromancer's Ring (see), but it might be impossible for the target to dispel it even if they want to. Similarly, a great fiend might make permanent a cast of Dominate Person/Monster and guard their focus on their person, in a great vault, or even throw it into the open ocean, gaining--if their spell save DC is high enough relative to the target's Wisdom--a permanent slave. A permanent Wall of Force may be as powerful as Imprisonment, but the target still suffers the effects of age, lack of food/water, and, eventually, suffocation, unless those are accounted for otherwise. Not all effects are bad; indefinite Mage Armor and indefinite Longstrider can permanently increase some important statistics. All of these are examples, and the lasting effects are up to interpretation by the DM.
+
 Such foci can be created by targeting a focus with a 9th level cast of Permanency, an extremely rare and difficult-to-find spell, likely to only be a single-use scroll. [The spell is attested in 3.5e, but not in 5e; a wizard that can cast Wish should be able to emulate the effect.]
 
 The focus retains its usual AC and HP. When destroyed, the spell it is extending, if any, ends.

Items/leaded_restraint.txt

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Lead has an ability to block the effects of many spells, including but not limit
 
 Similarly, while worn, a creature cannot cast spells, nor can it invoke its spell-like (Sp) and supernatural (Su) abilities, but it spends any resources required to attempt to do so. [Although not recorded in DnD 5e, spell-like abilities are innately-castable spells, and supernatural abilities are other feats granted to creatures whose basic implementation is contingent on magic (such as dragon's breath, or the Change Shape ability). As a litmus test, both types of abilities would be ineffective within an Antimagic Field.] The effect has no area (unlike Antimagic Field), but is localized to the wearing creature--in particular, the wearer can be affected by spells as usual.
 
+[In a fairly stunning reversal from 3.5e, which explicitly declared a dragon's breath weapon as supernatural, Jeremy Crawford seems to have declared breath weapons in 5e as extraordinary, preventing it from being nullified in this effect--see "Sage Advice Compendium (2019)" [https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf], Section "Monsters", "Is the breath weapon of a dragon magical?", page 17. The context of the question mostly describes the intent, and a very handy checklist, for abilities which are "explicitly magical", which quite cleanly avoids having to specify Su/Sp/Ex everywhere (instead, the word "magical" in a description normally suffices, but must be explicit). The specific ruling considered is whether or not, e.g., a white dragon's ice-based breath weapon is nullified in an Antimagic Field (Crawford says it is not--DEX SAV). However, in this case, it means that the dragon is no longer "naturally casting" for the purpose of this item template. Although not a strictly plot-important distinction for C3 (indeed, Change shape is explicitly "magical", and was the purpose for the introduction of this template--see Mechanics, below), I recommend what the compendium itself recommends: do whatever is fun. (If you're looking for a precedent, I still consider breath weapons to be supernatural.)]
+
 Lead is a soft metal. If the restraint itself is made principally of lead, a typical set of manacles for a medium humanoid would require STR SAV (DC 20) to break (difficult, but not impossible).
 
 Lead is also quite heavy, at ~700 pounds per cubic foot. Even if not binding the body, as with manacles, add a restraint's weight to the carrying weight of the creature; if the carrying weight exceeds that creature's carrying capacity, it becomes restrained (as in the status effect) until it is released, or its carried weight falls below its carrying capacity.
@@ -27,3 +29,22 @@ Example items of this template:
 - Lead collar (gargantuan size): STR CHK DC 50 to break free (1/day); DEX CHK DC 25 to pick the lock with tools; AC 18, HP 100--risk of damaging the wearer on miss, weight 50 pounds. Produced with a matching key.
 
 - Leaded dimensional shackles: STR CHK DC 30 to break free (1/30 days); weight 5 pounds. Fits small to large creatures; the using creature, and any creatures they designate at time of use, can unlock them.
+
+For the descriptions above: "risk of damaging the wearer on miss" means "if you miss the AC of the object, but hit against the AC of the wearer (penalized appropriately for, e.g., not contributing DEX if the wearer is trying to allow this hit), roll damage and apply it to the wearer; if you hit the object, but go over the damage required to destroy it, apply the excess damage to the wearer (the item still breaks)." In general, wantonly swinging sharp things at some creature's neck to wallop the metal band there should be a supremely bad idea. Considering the placement as well, the DM has an actionable threat of effecting "vorpal" decapitation should "overkill" (e.g., nat 20) occur.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+The suggested use of this template is especially large creatures ("monsters") with supernatural abilities, but also for generally powerful spellcasters (and there are plenty of those in 5e).
+
+The inception of this item was around the loose wording of the Imprisonment spell, in particular; all of its variants trap the target, of course--some in various ways that involve Demiplanes, indestructible gems, or uninterruptible sleep. While the sleep is fairly unambiguous as causing incapacitation, some variants--especially chaining--are silent on whether or not it prevents the bound creature from casting. Assuredly, a bound creature is incapable of casting S components, and would almost certainly have a hard time manipulating M components, but there are powerful spells--like Teleport--which have only a V component. Rules are further muddled with things like Teleport and Wind Walk as to whether or not they take things which are worn--house rules often assume they do--but, if they do, are the chains considered "worn"? Still more perniciously, certain monsters, like the metallic dragons, have supernatural or spell-like abilities with seemingly no components at all--such as Amon's ability to Change shape, as if by effectively indefinite Polymorph, which is what inspired this item in the first place--as a CR23 Ancient Silver Dragon, she would have no issue polymorphing into some CR 0 beast to worm free of whichever shackles bound her.
+
+In summation: rather than argue about whether or not spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, etc., are curtailed by Imprisonment, it was easier to introduce this item specifically as restraining a caster--even an innate spellcaster, like a dragon--while allowing them to be targeted. I'm sure it has other, more mundane uses, too; the collar form is particularly convenient for a plot where a being must be separated from powerful magic forces, but otherwise free in movement--Velos, given an Elemental Curse of Fire, comes to mind.
+
+Yes, "gargantuan size" is for dragons. Yes, DC 50 is pretty high. Basically, even for creatures with +10 STR at the limit, only a nat 20 will help. Based on the hard caps, I learned later that +10 is the limit for an ability score bonus (not saves, mind you), so a DC of 30 would have also sufficed. Just in case other home-rule things break that cap any harder, though... (Unsurprisingly, restraints should be pretty hard to break for the wearer.)
+
+Pure lead can be scratched with a fingernail, but even slightly impure lead alloys can be surprisingly strong. I believe adding 4% bismuth makes something quite a bit more durable, for example. Let's assume lead, in this setting, has some beneficial impurities.
+
+See also the note in the brackets above about Jeremy Crawford disagreeing with my understanding of dragons' breath weapons, departing also from the 3.5e description.
+
+My use of a prop of exactly this kind is vindicated through the 5e module "Storm King's Thunder", wherein a similarly "locked collar" (of nondescript kind, with the rest of the restraints being iron) has a magical ward to prevent Felgolos, The Flying Misfortune (a kind but unintentionally imprudent bronze dragon who's being tortured by the episode's villain for information he doesn't possess) from using his Change Shape ability. To deal with Crawford's ruling above, they also invented a "locked iron muzzle covering his snout" to reduce breath weapon range to 5', allowing him to only "speak with some difficulty". Like Amon above, he was also bound, but with mundane manacles (that were nonetheless sized for an adult bronze dragon) rather than Imprisonment.

Items/orb_of_magic_concentration.txt

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ This palm-sized blue orb appears to be a crystal ball, but emits a blue glow, an
 
 This powerfully-magic orb attracts the magic weave as if by a magnet, granting its holder incredible power to manipulate it to their will. For the touching creature: all positive (conducive) quantities (such as damage, bonuses, saving DCs, durations, ranges, etc.) for a cast have their effect multiplied by 6 within their full range, and all negative (counterconducive) quantities (such as cooldowns, delays, penalties, etc.) divided by 6. For each range increment (of the full range of the original spell), the factor/quotient decreases by 1, up to a maximum of 5 increments (granting 6 times the range to the spell with "normal" effect at the fringe). A range of "Self" or "Touch" implies an increment of 0 (there is no range increase). This effect is unconditional, not "at will", for any creature touching the orb.
 
+For creatures which have natural spell-like or supernatural abilities, the orb affects those casts or uses as well. [Supernatural abilities are abilities predicated on the existence of magic--they'd be ineffective in Antimagic Field, for example. Breath weapons and metallic dragon's shape changing might be considered supernatural, as in 3.5e; 5e moved to "explicitly magical" only in the description, and drops breath weapons to effectively "extraordinary" (non-magical), but see the discussion in the Leaded Restraint template (I still usually treat it as magical).]
+
 The orb's manipulation of the weave is not without cost. Whenever a touching creature casts a spell, regardless of whether or not it uses the effect above: unconditionally roll a magic surge or, at the DM's discretion, a powerful magic effect of their choice may be substituted, usually related to the spell just cast.
 
 The orb is hard, having an AC of 17 and an HP of 15; if it is destroyed, roll 2d6 magic surges with no particular caster and create an explosion of 10d10 force damage centered on where the orb previously was intact, in that order.
@@ -17,3 +19,16 @@ Creating such an orb takes a full week of constant spellcasting on a crystal bal
 Per Detect Magic, this orb has a strong aura, but no particular school affiliation.
 
 The effect of having multiple such orbs does not stack; the weave can only be warped so much.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+This is the first magic item I ever created. As such, it's not particularly balanced. If you don't want seriously powerful game breaking (such as 1400 damage from a single Animate Objects cast, dozens of magic missiles doing hundreds of damage, etc.), don't put this item in--or at least use it sparingly.
+
+If you're going to use it anyway, perhaps don't use a giant surge table that also includes, amongst other fun things, Wish. (Or hope that someone gets supernova'd.)
+
+It's been suggested to me that a fair balance for its power is to multiply the casting time accordingly. I leave this to someone else to playtest.
+
+As an unrelenting powergamer, this is one of Froebelius' favorite items; him and an orb go together like a hot dog and a bun.
+
+As the first item, this item set the template for all other items I would prepare. I'm happy with the repleteness of its structure (physical description, mechanical description, statistics (like HP), creation, Detect Magic properties, effect of cardinality), and, indeed, virtually all the other items were written using this structure as a template. I haven't added any new parts since (though the mechanics have only minorly changed--mostly to clarify "orbing" supernatural effects, like Faisal's lightning breath weapon in C2--but see also the discussion of Crawford's ruling in the Leaded Restraint template).

Items/potion.txt

@@ -72,3 +72,18 @@ Additional ingredients may be added to the preparation for various effects:
 Per Detect Magic, the aura presented about the fluid is the aura of the spell it contains.
 
 Casting Extended Magic Aura on a potion causes it to change both the appearance of the fluid, and the aura per Detect Magic.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+There you have it: the longest item description I've written so far--mostly due to the exhaustive descriptions.
+
+It's an extremely flexible template, far more so than the potions listed in the Dungeon Master's Guide, and reasonably powerful. I was hoping to have this used both for some of the homebrew spells as well as any of the usual player spells, and tried to balance for both. (Some of the inspiration does, indeed, come from contingency.)
+
+The big cost of making potions is the fact that the material components are universally consumed, even if they wouldn't be. If they would be, this isn't much of a bane. The "two levels higher" seems like a reasonable cost in some cases (though it doesn't much affect cost since spellcasters refresh their spell slots at the end of long rests anyway), and also sets the effective cap of a "potionable" spell at 7th level, which seems reasonable. Again, with proper preparation, the "double casting time" is hardly a limitation.
+
+As a concession, you can make up to two casts from one potion; affect 1L of fluid, divide it into two 0.5Ls, and use both.
+
+The most significant use of this is extending the range of a touch-range spell. Another not-understatable use is to store hundreds of cantrips worth of spells to release on some unsuspecting creature all at the same time. Still another is to simply invest in saving spell slots in the future by having these ready before the big adventure.
+
+I wrote this template between C2 and C3, about the same time I expanded the "Campaign" directory to have spells--and its first spell, Movement Bind (a touch range spell).

Items/ring_of_enlargement_reduction.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+Ring of Enlargement/Reduction
+----------------------------
+
+Rarity: Very Rare
+Aura: Transmutation
+
+These rings appear to be nondescript precious metal bands; often, they are sized for the largest finger of a medium humanoid creature, which may fit it to the smallest finger of a large humanoid creature, or on the thick thumbs of a small humanoid creature.
+
+When equipped: a Ring of Enlargment enlarges a creature, or a Ring of Reduction reduces the size of a creature, as with the spell Enlarge/Reduce. No save prevents the effect, and it lasts until the ring is unequipped. For the purpose of the spell, the ring counts as "worn" and changes size correspondingly.
+
+The effects of multiple rings stack, as does it stack with effects of the Enlarge/Reduce spell. However, finding rings to fit progressively larger than Large, or smaller than Small, creatures quickly becomes daunting.
+
+Such a ring can be created by a modified form of three simultaneous casts of Enlarge/Reduce at at least the 5th level (presumably by three synchronized casters), or two simultaneous casts of the same at 7th level. It can also be made with a single modified cast at the 9th level by a single caster. In all cases, the spell retains its usual V, S, M (pinch of powdered iron) components, and additionally requires M (the progenitor ring), which becomes the Ring of Enlargement/Reduction. The duration remains 1 action. The choice of a Ring of Enlargement or Ring of Reduction is made at casting time.
+
+The ring inherits the AC and HP of its progenitor ring. On destruction, the effect merely ends.
+
+Per Detect Magic, the ring has an aura of transmutation.

Items/ring_of_greater_enlargment_reduction.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+Ring of Greater Enlargement/Reduction
+-------------------------------------
+
+Rarity: Legendary+
+Aura: Transmutation (strong)
+
+This ring is the same as the Ring of Enlargement/Reduction, with the following exceptions.
+
+Unlike the separate Rings of Enlargement or Reduction, there is only one kind of Ring of Greater Enlargement/Reduction.
+
+When equipped: the creature can, as an action, change its size up to three classes larger or smaller from its original size. (For example, an originally-Medium creature may change its size to any of Diminutive, Tiny, Small, Medium (cancelling the effect), Large, Huge, or Gargantuan.)
+
+This effect does not stack with the effects of other Rings of Greater Enlargement/Reduction, but does stack with typical Rings of Enlargement/Reduction, and effects of the Enlarge/Reduce spell.
+
+The ring can be created from a progenitor ring only by three simultaneous 9th level casts of Enlarge/Reduce; the details are otherwise the same as for the Ring of Enlargement/Reduction.
+
+The ring inherits the AC and HP of the progenitor. When destroyed while worn: roll 1d2; if 1, the change in size caused by this ring becomes permanent. In either case, the effect of this ring then ends.
+
+Per Detect Magic, the ring has a strong aura of transmutation.

Items/ring_of_stamina.txt

@@ -17,3 +17,12 @@ The AC and HP are the same as the progenital mundane ring. When broken, its effe
 Per Detect Magic, the ring has a strong aura of enchantment.
 
 When wearing multiple such rings, the effects do not stack. A worn Ring of Greater Stamina supersedes (and includes) all effects of a Ring of Stamina.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+Despite its low rarity (which I am not changing right now), this is easily one of the most broken items in this collection. It expands the expected value of all consumables by a little over 1.5 times--which doesn't sound like much, until you realize that the consumables it covers are things like bardic inspiration, luck dice, portent dice, 9th-level spell slots, tides of chaos, ...
+
+Not knowing this, the creation method is overly simple and easy for something of this power. E.g., in this setting, Amon and Helen can basically create them freely.
+
+If you take this item, you may want to adopt a harsher rarity. (And, for goodness' sake, _never_ give away a Ring of Greater Stamina, or a Greater Anything, for that matter.)

Items/ring_of_the_mastermind.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+Ring of the Mastermind
+----------------------
+
+Rarity: Legendary
+Aura: Generic (Strong)
+
+These rings appear to be nondescript precious metal bands; often, they are sized for the largest finger of a medium humanoid creature, which may fit it to the smallest finger of a large humanoid creature, or on the thick thumbs of a small humanoid creature.
+
+These rings significantly improve the mental agility of the wearer. They're a favorite specifically amongst wizards, but their effects are useful to any spellcaster.
+
+When equipped: the creature gains a +2 INT bonus, maximum 20 (unless some other effect, ability, or trait grants a higher maximum). Additionally, the creature can cast two spells with concentration simultaneously (concentrating on both). If a concentration check fails, all concentration spells are dispelled, as normal.
+
+When more than one such ring is worn: the amount of concentration spells simultaneously allowed increases by one for each ring. The INT bonuses do not stack.
+
+The only known method of creating one is to Wish one into existence.
+
+The ring inherits the AC and HP of its progenitor ring. On destruction, the effects end; if the wearer is at concentration capacity before destruction, the caster must choose one concentration spell to end. If this was the last ring, the INT bonus decreases, affecting all checks, saves, SDCs, and so forth--but not, e.g., spells prepared, which reduce after the next long rest.
+
+Per Detect Magic, the ring has a strong aura, but no particular school affiliation.

Items/story_stone.txt

@@ -15,3 +15,14 @@ As a free action, a creature knowing any language can tell the Story Stone a sto
 Only one Story Stone exists in the world; it has existed since times prehistoric, being informed slowly throughout the years by the sages who have held it. The current form of the Story Stone has the same AC and HP as a mundane stone of the same form. When destroyed, a new stone somewhere within the material plane is randomly selected (by the DM).
 
 Per Detect Magic, the Story Stone has a strong aura of divination.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+This is a neat item, but it has some overlaps with Legend Lore--something I discovered later. I like to sometimes call it the "Exposition Stone" because it gives me an excuse to let one of the characters in on a potentially-enlightening part of the (quite complex) lore of the setting.
+
+The coinflip is intentionally supposed to be dismal. When the effect is cumulative, players can assume that an overused Story Stone is _always_ lying, so the truth must always be different--and thus they gain some information. By having it be a coinflip, it's always up in the air as to how accurate the stone was any time past the first.
+
+This stone was created first, and the Talking Stone later, as I realized that its "store and recall" mechanics could be distilled in other ways.
+
+At least the 5e modules agree with me on having a rarity class of "unique". Naturally, the world would be a boring place if the stone didn't end up in the hands of some powerful mage over the years, so assume that--with some intelligent guidance--it always manages to. Goodness, a Cult of the Stone is not out of the question in some settings.

Items/sword_of_separation.txt

@@ -8,21 +8,21 @@ This item appears to be a sword (of various kind and construction), prepared for
 
 The sword is magic, and may be granted +1, +2, or +3 to hit, depending, e.g., on the fineness of its construction and material, and the skill of its preparer.
 
-On hitting a creature or item: roll damage, but do not deduct it from the target's HP; instead, if the total damage amount would succeed against the target's AC, the creature or item "separates" in space without being severed--if two entirely decoupled parts remain, for example, they can be moved apart independently. For creatures especially, such severed parts remain "physiologically" connected and as healthy as the creature would be without separation, but that creature cannot command or will the parts to move in any particular direction (e.g., a severed leg can bend, but a head alone would unlikely have the musculature to locomote on its own).
+On hitting a creature or item: roll damage, but do not deduct it from the target's HP; instead, if the total damage amount would succeed against the target's AC, the creature or item "separates" in space without being severed--if two entirely decoupled parts remain, for example, they can be moved apart independently. For creatures especially, such severed parts remain "physiologically" connected and as healthy as the creature would be without separation, but that creature cannot command or will the parts to move in any particular direction (e.g., a severed leg can bend, but a head alone would unlikely have the musculature to locomote on its own). Separated objects lose their mechanical linkages and strength across the separation, as if they had cleanly been cut, but may still pass other energy (electrical, arcane, etc.) and working fluids from seam to seam, and can be rejoined flawlessly if the seams are brought together (see below).
 
-Particularly when an item is targetted: roll damage twice, and use only the higher of the two rolls. (Id est, the damage roll "has advantage".)
+Particularly when an item is targeted: roll damage twice, and use only the higher of the two rolls. (Id est, the damage roll "has advantage".)
 
-The DM has some latitude with determining what and how gets severed, or what chance the attempt has at succeeding (as with vorpal blades, the blade must generally be at least as long as the cross-section diameter to sever). As usual, the player may specify a target more closely than just "a creature" (such as a creature's neck or wrist specifically), and the DM shall propose an effective modifier to the AC for that specific scenario.
+The DM has some latitude with determining what gets separated and how, or what chance the attempt has at succeeding (as with vorpal blades, the blade must generally be at least as long as the cross-section diameter to sever). As usual, the player may specify a target more closely than just "a creature" (such as a creature's neck or wrist specifically), and the DM shall propose an effective modifier to the AC for that specific scenario.
 
-If the object or creature cannot be severed (due to a low roll, improper blade length, etc.), the sword harmlessly passes through, and no damage is dealt.
+If the object or creature cannot be separated (due to a low roll, improper blade length, etc.), the sword harmlessly passes through, and no damage is dealt.
 
 Separated parts which are pressed together along their seam (in matching orientation) rejoin. Any damage to the parts is retained; in particular, deforming the object along the seam may cause a fissure on rejoining. If this happens to parts of a creature, for example, appropriate damage may be applied.
 
-A creature cannot benefit from any sense on a severed part which doesn't have a sensory organ there (bar exceptional sensory traits, such as blindsight or tremorsense). For example, a distant severed leg may easily sense when it is touched or moved, but cannot see nor smell, and can hear only through feeling.
+A creature cannot benefit from any sense on a separated part which doesn't have a sensory organ there (bar exceptional sensory traits, such as blindsight or tremorsense). For example, a distant separated leg may easily sense when it is touched or moved, but cannot see nor smell, and can hear only through feeling.
 
-Damage to the severed part of a creature is applied to that creature. At the DM's discretion, severe damage may destroy the part, at which point it loses the ability to rejoin or cause further damage.
+Damage to the separated part of a creature is applied to that creature. At the DM's discretion, severe damage may destroy the part, at which point it loses the ability to rejoin or cause further damage.
 
-Whenever one part of a severed object is irretrievably destroyed, the seam on the other part disappears, and the object or creature continues as if a thorough slashing injury had afflicted it there.
+Whenever one part of a separated object is irretrievably destroyed, the seam on the other part disappears, and the object or creature continues as if a thorough slashing injury had afflicted it there.
 
 The AC and HP are as for the progenitor weapon.
 

Items/talking_stone.txt

@@ -21,3 +21,14 @@ Such a stone can be created by casting Magic Mouth at 5th or higher level on the
 The stone retains its AC and HP. When destroyed, the recording is lost irretrievably.
 
 Per Detect Magic, the stone has an aura of Illusion.
+
+Mechanics
+---------
+
+This item is another fun item, originally inspired by the Story Stone--indeed, this is a loosening of its mechanics that brings it to "uncommon" rarity.
+
+The most obvious use of the stone is to get around issues caused by Silence or gags; creatures passing a stone back and forth can converse freely. A less obvious use is its ability to store V-only cantrips and use the touching creature as the caster (though this is a very small class of spells). A more insidious use, as in C3, is to store command words or other special rituals (as the "words that end the world" to summon Tiamat there). Still more insidious: such stones can surreptitiously pass whispers between spies, and be completely and irretrievably cleared of their espionage the moment the message is heard (this would be nice for dead drops).
+
+Note that the stone has no "length of message" requirement. You can drone into this thing for hours. Playing it back, though, takes the same amount of time, every time, and there's no seeking. This could be used to the benefit of some incredibly sardonic plot to record "several minutes of silence" followed by some actually-important message.
+
+There's no provision for copying these, but it can be home-ruled. For example, you might have it such that one who prepares to "record" on one stone can bring the source stone in contact, and receive two stones with the same message effectively instantaneously. Alternatively, you may eschew this option, and just have it so that the only way to copy properly is to have a creature painstakingly re-record the message for the same length of time (or longer, if they need to listen to it multiple times), hoping that there are no transcription errors. (The likelihood of such transcription errors increases appreciably if the listener is not hearing the message spoken in its native tongue.)