Xian Items

The Xian Items are a seemingly ordinary if disparate group of items which are only linked by the fact they all hold strange enchantments and were all created by the same man. The Archmage X crafted these items for the use of the first Surface Exploration Team however, the items were lost and scattered across the continent of Valorim as the team died one by one. The second exploration team managed to retrieve the items during their travels across the surface.

Despite the prestige of owning such items most of them were said to have little practical use to an adventuring party.

The Items

Xian Ale

An attractively crafted ale bottle. Reportedly, despite the bottle being empty it would cause entire groups to become inebriated at random intervals but at the same time it would infer blessings.

Xian Chain Mail

Although being well made and providing adequate protection, this chainmail is said to be enchanted to hinder rather than help it's wearer.

Xian Coins

Looking like the typical mish-mash of coins found in Avernum at the time the Xian Coins were one of the few useful Xian Items. When placed in a purse, after few days there would be more coins in there than went in.

Xian Pouch

Rediscovered in a trophy room of some Hill Giants the Xian Pouch is considered one of the most dangerous of the items. It would alternately poison, paralyse or slow it's bearer.

Xian Rock

The Xian Rock was best used as a missile weapon as it was enchanted to return to it wielder. It is said that it also caused rocks to appear in it's owner's pack each night.

Xian Shrub

An interesting item. This small shrub could make other plants grow around it at great speed no matter where it was kept. It is reported by one of it's owners that they would find small plants growing on their belongings.

Xian Slacks

Also known as lucky pants the Xian Slacks seemed to be enchanted to make give their wearer luck although they caused the wearer to feel less able.

Xian Skull

The strangest of the Xian Items, the Xian Skull was a human skull which was enchanted to have some sort of intelligence. Said to have been worshipped by some Ogres until it was retrieved by the Second Party. The Skull is said to have spoken constantly, little of what it said was useful, Allegedly it was quietened down when it's owner bought it a hat.

Xian Tome

No one knows what this book was originally about (Except possibly it's creator.) as whenever it is opened different text from another book is seen. Perhaps it would have be best owned by a scholar rather than an adventurer.

Xian Vest

A highly decorated vest it is reported to have protected it's wearer from the elements at the cost of weakening it's wearer severely.

Impact of the Xian Items

Despite being impractical for mundane use intellectuals find the Xian Items to be fascinating. In Mage circles the subject of the Xian items has lead to several intellectual exercises on how to enchant other everyday items. Regrettably for the Encyclopedia Ermariana such debates have been lost to history.

The real question in the present day is why X would entrust people such ludicrous items when they had such an important mission. Several theories have been brought forward; their enchantments had become tainted; Only the originally owners could use them without ill effect; they were part of a long term experiment of X's. The only individual who could shed light on these enigmatic items is X but he is said as private as he is talented.