Reliquaries

While battle rages on, individuals have little time to rummage around their pouches for a magical item, which is why they invented reliquaries, special containers custom-made for relics of religious importance or magic items. A reliquary is specially blessed to allow anyone holding it to use the properties of the magic item contained within at will, bypassing some methods of activation.

Making a blessed reliquary requires a divine caster with the Craft Wondrous Item feat. If it was sold, a reliquary would have a market price of 10,000 gp plus the cost of the item. The most important feature of a reliquary is that it does not fill a limited space for magic items, regardless of the form it takes. A medallion reliquary could still be worn next to a magical pendant, and a reliquary pouch could hang from a magic belt with no problem whatsoever.

The second great advantage of a reliquary is that, depending on the form it takes, it helps its wielder activate the powers of a magic item by willing it so (this still takes the normal activation time of the item), and channeling its power through the reliquary, as long as the reliquary is in contact with the wielder (although shrine reliquaries have a special property that bypasses this). Items with a constant effect do not benefit much from being stored in a reliquary, as they are not active unless commanded, which may be too late to be useful in an ambush.

A reliquary must be crafted to fit a specific kind of magic item and cannot hold any other. A reliquary made for rings cannot fit a potion, for example. Reliquaries made for rings and potions can fit any ring or potion, but those made for rods, wands and wondrous items can only fit that specific item due to the uniqueness of its shape. Potions are poured inside a reliquary and the contents evaporate when their power is invoked, as if the reliquary’s wielder had imbibed the potion from a .ask or vial. Arms and armor, staves and certain wondrous items can only be placed in a shrine reliquary.

A reliquary can take a number of shapes and forms, but none of them are unassuming. They are finely-crafted items with rich ornaments or at least the symbol of a religion. In most cases when a reliquary is found as part of a treasure, it holds the magical item it was made to safe-keep, but seldom any indication that it is more than a simple container.

Reliquary medallions are slightly larger than normal, sometimes as big as the palm of an adult human. The face opens to reveal the compartment within, and it is carved with images both relating to the religion that made it and the function of the item it was made to contain.

Paladins prize this form of reliquary the most, as it allows them to use the magic item while fighting without distracting their attention from their opponent. Pommels cannot be larger than a closed fist without unbalancing the weapon.

Reliquary rings are larger than common rings, for they must have space for the magic item, which is often a gem. This is the smallest kind of reliquary.

The size of a spell component pouch, it is more a box that can be strapped to a belt than a normal pouch. The lid is secured with locks and ribbons and these are the largest of the portable reliquaries, able to hold the smaller varieties of rods and wands.