Knowstones
In the most distant prehistory, ancient sorcerers crafted the first mortal magic items, some of which rivaled divinely forged artifacts in raw, untamed power. While most of those ancient items tore themselves apart by the sheer force of their barely bound eldritch might, a few lesser items survived. Recently, some modern sorcerers have allegedly uncovered the techniques for fashioning knowstones.
Note: DMs should note that knowstones are an optional rule and should be fully versed and comfortable with this concept before allowing knowstones.
Knowstones
A knowstone is a semi-precious stone containing the formula for casting a spell within.
Physical Description: A typical knowstone is a small, smooth semi-precious stone inscribed with an ancient arcane symbol. The stone itself typically has a value no greater than 25 gp before the etching of the arcane symbol.
Activation: A knowstone provides its bearer with knowledge of the inscribed spell, which he can then use his spell slots to cast normally (as if the inscribed spell were among his known spells). The knowstone's bearer need not make any conscious decision to use the knowstone apart from deciding to cast the inscribed spell. (This is considered part of the spellcasting action.) Any spontaneous caster can use a knowstone, provided that the spell it includes is on his spell list and he can cast spells of its level. For example, a bard may cast crushing despair from a knowstone of crushing despair if he can cast 3rd-level spells, whereas a sorcerer must be able to cast 4th-level spells to employ a knowstone of that spell.
A knowstone always appears in a piece of jewelry but does not occupy a magic item slot. It takes 24 hours for a knowstone to attune to a new bearer, after which time the knowstone grants its inscribed spell.
Creation: You can create a knowstone for any spell you know. Grafting a knowstone takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its base price (500 gp total price for a 0-level spell). The base price of a knowstone is its the spell level squared x 1,000 gp + expensive material components or focus (if any). To craft a knowstone, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of this base price. Creating a knowstone requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat.
Sample Knowstones
0—Knowstone of disrupt undead Faint necromancy; CL 1st. Craft Wondrous Item, disrupt undead; Price 500 gp; Weight —.
1st—Knowstone of identify Faint divination; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, identify; Price 1,100 gp; Weight —.
2nd—Knowstone ofMelfs acid arrow Faint conjuration; CL 4th; Craft Wondrous Item, Melfs acid arrow; Price 4,000gp; Weight —.
3rd—Knowstone of lightning bolt Moderate evocation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, lightning bolt; Price 9,000 gp; Weight —.
4th—Knowstone of stoneskin Moderate abjuration; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, stoneskin; Price 16,250 gp; Weight —.
5th—Knowstone of feeblemind Moderate enchantment; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item,feeblemind; Price 25,000 gp; Weight —.
6th—Knowstone of programmed image Strong illusion; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item, programmed image; Price 36,025 gp; Weight —.
7th— Knowstone of reverse gravity Strong transmutation; CL 14th; Craft Wondrous Item, reverse gravity; Price 49,000 gp; Weight —.
8th—Knowstone of clone Strong necromancy; CL 16th; Craft Wondrous Item, clone; Price 65,500 gp; Weight —.
9th—Knowstone of Mordenkainen's disjunction Strong abjuration; CL 18th; Craft Wondrous Item, Mordenkainen's disjunction; Price 81,000 gp; Weight —.