Blackmoor Technology part 3
Conversions by Traianus Decius Aureus
Communicator2 800 gp ½ lb
Glow Wand2 200 gp —
Medkit2 400 gp 5 lb
Power Pack2 100 gp —
Snoopers2 3,000 gp 1 lb
Translator Badge2 2000 gp 2 lb
Communicator (Talk Box) (Blackmoor)
This item is a gray egg-shaped device that fits in the palm of the hand. A retractable metal clip extrudes from one end.
This communicator lets the user have a two-way conversation with anyone who has an implant or communicator or with any device that is plugged into the alien communications network (a computer, for example). Communicators have a range of 48 miles. They can always receive anything being transmitted on their band. When in transmit mode, they transmit all sounds within 12" inches.
A character activates a communicator by giving the transmit signal (a verbally communicated alphanumeric code, in most cases). The small clip is a belt clip that can be thumbed out for carrying or thumbed out of the way when the device is in use. If the user tells the communicator to "translate", it automatically translates everything that it receives into whatever language the user is speaking. His own words are not translated. Squeezing the base of the device causes it to eject its power pack. A new power pack can then be slid into the base. Each pack can power the device for six hours of continuous use (about 24 conversations).
As this item is ancient technology, a character must succeed in a DC 20 Wisdom check or Knowledge (Ancient History) check in order to use this item.
Glow Wand (Magic Torch) (Blackmoor)
This item is a six-inch long, one-inch diameter gray metal tube with a translucent cap of some smooth, dense material at one end. The tube has parallel ridges running along its length.
The item is a sophisticated portable light source. The "cap" is actually a combination lens/light source. To make it emit light, the user twists it clockwise. The lens immediately begins to cast a diffused glow. The further it is turned, the brighter and more focused the light becomes. Turning the lens in the opposite direction decreases and diffuses the light. Turning it all the way in the opposite direction shuts the light off. The glow wand is powered by a standard power pack inside the tube. The pack can be removed or replaced by pressing against one of the tube's ridges, causing an access panel to spring open. The panel snaps shut when pressed back into place. Each power pack is good for 24 hours of operation.
When in diffuse mode, the glow wand clearly illuminates a 30-foot radius, and provides shadowy illumination out to a 60-foot radius. When focused, the glow wand provides clear illumination in a 60-foot cone and shadowy illumination in a 120-foot cone.
Medkit (Cube of Healing) (Blackmoor)
This item is a smooth, white 4-inch white cube. One side of the cube is covered with flashing lights and strange symbols. There is a small stud in one corner. The opposite side has dozens of shallow indentations. The remaining four sides are blank.
When the side with the shallow indentations is placed next to a character's skin and the medkit is turned on by twisting the stud, the item performs a medical exam on the character and displays the results (including its diagnosis, if any) by flashing lights and changing the symbols displayed. The results include a readout listing any treatment that it is performing. If the machine is not turned off within 10 seconds of a course of treatment being indicated, the medkit executes the treatment. This may include debriding and sealing any wound over which it is placed, slathering ointments of various kinds on burns or irritations and/or spray-injecting the patient with one or more drugs. They only work on humans. Medkits don't use power packs; they have their own internal power source. They may treat up to 10 patients before becoming useless.
In game terms, the Medkit will quadruple the patient’s natural healing rate for 2 days. If used on a non-human, the victim must make a fort. Save vs DC12 or be poisoned, taking 1d4 Con damage (both primary and secondary).
As this item is ancient technology, a character must succeed in a DC 20 Wisdom check or Knowledge (Ancient History) check in order to use this item.
Power Pack (Blackmoor)
This is a standard item is a standard 1" x 2" x 1/2" pack that powers most of the Blackmoor technological devices and weapons. All power packs are fully charged when discovered, and all standard power packs are interchangeable. Useless once drained, the only way to recharge them lies within the ruins of the Beagle.
Snoopers (Far Seers) (Blackmoor)
This item consists of a pair of short tubes joined along their sides by some rigid material. The tubes are filled with layers of some clear substance and can be seen through. Connected to the tubes is a strap of some flexible stretchy substance.
This item is actually a set of goggles that are held in place by an elastic strap. The "short tubes" contain lenses through which the user looks. Sensors in the sides of the snooper goggles react to the focus of the user's eyes, multiplying the effect of natural focus so that the harder the user looks at an object, the more it is magnified. At maximum focus, the user sees up to four times as clearly and four times as far as other characters. When the user stops focusing, the magnification steps back. Similar sensors give the character low-light vision and darkvision while using the snoopers. Snoopers are very delicate, and any direct damage to them immediately destroys them.
Translator Badge (Medallion of Speaking) (Blackmoor)
This item is a one-inch diameter button fixed to a pin, so that it can be attached to clothing. The button has two parts, a stationary center and an outer circle. A metal rim around the center contains a small arrow pointing toward the outer circle. The circle contains runes and revolves when turned. The center of the button contains two glowing runes one of which matches runes on the outer circle. Depressing the center causes the runes to change or disappear.
This item translates the spoken word into other languages. The words of the wearer are translated into the languages represented by the outer circle; all other speech is translated into the languages represented by the center. The arrow in the metal band is an indicator used to show the language into which the wearer wants his words to be translated. The item has a tiny speaker that broadcasts its translation in such a way that the translated words seem to be coming from the mouth of the speaker. Pressing the center of the item turns it on and off or changes the language into which the words of speakers other than the wearer are being translated. The glowing runes in the center correspond to the languages into which the various speakers' words are being translated. One of the runes on the outer circle is a "wild card" that represents the language of the first speaker whose words are heard by the device after it is turned on. If the speaker's language is unknown, the device gradually builds up a vocabulary and grammar for that language by recording and analyzing the speaker's words. In order to assist it in this task, the button contains a small imaging device for use in recording noun referents and body language. A translator badge can learn the language after being exposed to it for at least 30 minutes. Translators can be plugged into computers and can then download the data they contain directly into computer. They have their own built-in power source and are designed to be thrown away when power is depleted (after 5-20 months).
As this item is ancient technology, a character must succeed in a DC 20 Wisdom check or Knowledge (Ancient History) check in order to use this item. In addition, most of the languages known by the badge have long since fallen from use. A character that succeeds in a Knowledge (Ancient History) check vs DC 25 may understand at least one language the badge knows. While the badge is building a database on a language, it can be difficult to understand. A DC 15 Intelligence check is required to understand the translation.
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