Amulet of Malcanthet (3.5e Equipment)
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Amulet of Malcanthet
- A demonic amulet which prevents one's true form from being detected among other effects.
This amulet looks like a crimson-flecked purple gem with the Abyssal rune for “Love” carved into it. The rune is concealed by a rosegold piece of smooth metal and a symbol of Malcanthet can appear or disappear from it by the wearer’s will. When the symbol is visible, it can be used as an unholy symbol focus.
The amulet is a magical wondrous artefact that prevents one’s true nature, and the amulet’s enchantments, from being detected by skill checks (arcana, investigate…etc.), magic or supernatural abilities.
Additionally, any item (such as Reversal Potion or Form Breaker), spell, or effect (such as Revealing Waters Technique) that would force the wearer to transform back into their true form does not affect the wearer.
Finally, the amulet also alters the wearer’s voice (illusionary only), scent (illusionary only), thermal temperature (illusionary only), and aura (illusionary only) to match the form they are assuming.
While being worn, only the creature wearing the amulet is immune to items (such as Lens of True Form and Shifter’s Sorrow), spells, effects, saves (such as will saves), and abilities (racial, class, spell resistance…etc.) that would reveal the wearer’s true form.
Examples include, but are not limited to, arcane sight, assume true form, Bigby’s interposing hand, discern shapechanger, detect illusion, detect shapechange, force shapechange, glyph of warding, mark of the unfaithful (although the effects remain), Moonfire, reveal true shape, sentinel's watch, stalking brand, symbol, true aspect, true form and witch sight.
The amulet also functions like a Talisman of True Faith, granting +4 to concentration.
The amulet must remain equipped in the throat slot in order to function, although the type of necklace that it hangs from does not affect it and can be switched out. Its magic is not affected by being covered with clothing or armour or from magical shields or wards. The amulet must be attuned to the wearer in order to function.
Although not a unique item, it is exceedingly rare; only Malcanthet’s 7 Lilitu and her most chosen worshippers would ever have one and would constantly have it equipped, even when naked. When the amulet has been unequipped by the one attuned to it for longer than 48 hours, or if the one it is attuned to dies, then the amulet returns to Malcanthet through a gate spell targeted at and only large enough for the amulet.
This amulet was enchanted directly by Malcanthet’s magic and cannot be disenchanted or dispelled unless the spellcaster succeeds a DC 37 arcana skill check.
The amulet does register as magic if detect magic is used upon it, although the spell that enchants it cannot be discerned, due to it being a spell invented by Malcanthet.
The amulet is overpoweringly Chaotic Evil aligned, although due to its enchantment, the alignment cannot be detected. It will however damage lawful and good aligned creatures that touch it; if the creature is lawful or good, it deals 6d6 chaotic evil aligned vile damage as a touch attack; if the creature is lawful and good, it deals 12d6 chaotic evil aligned vile damage as a touch attack; this damage is repeated each time the same creature touches the amulet, or at the start of each of that creatures turn that it continuously touches the amulet.
Malcanthet can scry through the amulet and cast spells through the amulet. If she notices anyone that she did not choose wearing, handling or attuned to the amulet, she will deal 10d6 Chaotic Evil aligned vile damage to that target as a touch attack and afterwards she will gate only the amulet back to herself. If Malcanthet attempts to scry upon the amulet and discovers that it has been dispelled, or her enchantment removed in some way, she will gate the amulet back to herself and enchant it again, sending one of her servants to deliver it back to the one that she gifted it to, although she’s also likely to also punish the recipient for the inconvenience. If the amulet is destroyed, Malcanthet will create a new amulet and send one of her servants to deliver it to her chosen target, and will most definitely severely punish the recipient for their carelessness.
Creatures with sufficient reason to do so, and high enough related skill checks, may still become suspicious of the one wearing the amulet, but do not gain the benefit of detecting that the wearer is not in their true form, nor disbelieving the disguise, illusion or otherwise altered form.
The amulet’s magic does not work on gods, but does work on demi-gods and those with similar powers, such as Demon Lords and Arch Fiends.
A creature with True Sight may attempt a perception roll of DC 37. On a pass, that creature may see through the enchantment. On a failure, that creature may not make another attempt for 24 hours and believes that the wearer is what they present themselves as.
Creatures immune to illusion can perceive the wearer’s true form only if the wearer is under the influence of an illusion, but not if the wearer is changed by other means.
Seeker Demons are the only known creature that is naturally immune to the effects of the amulet.
The effects of the amulet may be temporarily negated by the ability of an Oath of the Ancients Paladin.
The amulet does not function in areas that suppress magic, such as antimagic fields.
The amulet defends against the detection of visible means of changing one’s appearance, but does not defend against detecting, dispelling, or seeing invisibility on the wearer; neither does it defend against detection or dispelling of effects such as blur, displacement or other illusion spells on the wearer, or cast by the wearer that are not related to the wearer’s personal physical appearance.
The amulet does not protect against spells that target the wearer to scry upon them or discern their location.
The amulet does not protect against spells cast by others that would change the appearance of the wearer.
The amulet does not protect against spells, abilities, items, effects or otherwise any means that force the wearer to transform (such as suggestion), or force the wearer to tell the truth about their true form and true identity; neither does it prevent others from speaking of the wearer’s true identity.
The amulet does not suppress nor revoke any abilities of the wearer despite their appearance (with the exception of polymorph or shapechange), nor does it grant the wearer any new abilities.
The amulet does not protect the wearer from damage or effects that target the wearer’s alignment, race or gender, regardless of the wearer’s appearance.
The amulet does not defend the wearer from having their thoughts read to discover their true identity.
The amulet does not disguise or prevent the detection of the wearer’s truename. If the wearer changes its creature type with a spell such as polymorph, its personal truename doesn’t change. Alterations to self, disguise, glamour, metamorphosis, polymorphe, seeming, shapechange, veil, wild shape—none of these change a personal truename. Only the ritual of renaming can change a personal truename.
Lastly, the wearer still reverts to their true form upon death, unless an item such as a corpse puppet is used to prevent this.
Malcanthet wears an amulet that looks identical, although hers is far more powerful, can fool even the gods, and has additional effects.
It can be only destroyed in the same way that all demonic amulets can be destroyed:
Melted in the forge where it was smelted, cause it to be devoured by an ancient dragon, crush it under the heel of a Deity, or cause it to be immersed in the blood of Tiamat, the brain fluids of Bahamut, or the ichor of Juiblex.
Immersing it in the River Styx will remove its enchantment but will not destroy the physical amulet.
Note: This item is inspired by the "Dark Heart Amulet" from the Demon's Choice story written by Sam Landstrom.
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