In most FRP campaigns, virtually
every magic item found is more or less
directly related to domination or combat.
Yet in a non-technological society, it
follows that some magical items would be
constructed to serve the rich and powerful
in other ways, for practical or luxurious
reasons, rather than as a means to gain
power or wreak havoc. In a way, magical
items might take the place of modern
technological conveniences ? but only
for those who can afford them.
If one forgets ?realism? and looks at
this from a referee?s point of view, such
non-violent or luxury items are a most
desirable addition to the campaign. First,
these are magic items that player characters
can acquire and enjoy without
increasing their power, unless they?re
most ingenious. Second, adventures can
be built around characters? attempts to
sell or otherwise dispose of luxury items
which the characters don?t want to keep.
A rich and interested buyer must be
found; for some specialized items, this
task might not be at all easy. Then the
item must be taken to the buyer, with all
the potential dangers that entails. . . .
And the buyer may be less than honorable
when buying time arrives.
Non-violent items are not hard to
devise, especially if you don?t mind
duplicating modern convenience items
such as toasters or hair dryers. For those
without the time to do this, below is
given a list of items (roll d% for random
selection), some of obvious derivation and
some unique. Game referees can have fun
describing items literally, with elaboration
added as requested by players. For
example, don?t blurt out, ?It?s an abacus?
(item #70) ? let the players figure this
out. Command words can also be fun ? a
few examples are given in the text.

01: A small black scarab. Anyone carrying
it will not be bitten or stung by
common insects.

02: An intricately carved mahogany
miniature bed in a bag of woven string
(netting). When placed underneath a bed,
it drives away all bedbugs and mosquitos.

03: A round, iron 9-inch pan with a
runic ?F? on the handle. It will automatically
heat anything placed therein to frying
temperature (and it?s non-stick).

04: A normal-looking straw broom.
Upon the utterance of the proper command
word (written in common on the
end of the handle), it will sweep out the
room it occupies. It does not operate outdoors.
It will attempt to sweep out all
unprocessed organic material such as dirt,
leaves, and living and dead animals and
insects, even humans. The reverse of the
command word, or completion of the
task, stops the broom.

05: A glass ball (several colors possible)
about two inches in diameter. When
someone breaks the ball, places his or her
face and upper body in the resulting
colored smoke, and thinks about the kind
of cosmetic treatment he or she desires, it
will? be instantly accomplished. One person
per ball, cosmetic effect only (not an
actual disguise). Generally found in lots
of 3-18. Different colors may signify different
capabilities.

06: A rune-covered brush of dragonbone
and animal bristles. Upon the utterance
of a command word (written in
elvish runes), the brush will begin to
groom the hair of the speaker, responding

to the speaker?s telepathically expressed
desires.

07: A white stone of a material resembling
marble. It is about the size and
appearance of a stone in the game of
?Go.? When it is thrown against or onto
a hard object inside a room, it
?explodes,? and all dirt and dust in the
room ? non-living matter only ? disappears.
The command word ?clean? must
be spoken as the stone is thrown. Found
in lots of 10-100, packed 12 to a box in
wooden boxes similar to large
matchboxes.

08: A dark green glass bottle, about the
size of a half-gallon milk carton, with a
screw top. Any liquid placed in the bottle
will maintain its current temperature
indefinitely while inside. The bottle is
light and fairly fragile.

09: A large wood-and-glass hourglass
filled with yellow particles. It records the
passing of eight hours when turned over,
after which a deep chime rings out ten
times.

10: A mechanism of gears, a projecting
lever, and three broad wooden ?leaves?
emanating from a hub, a little like a
clover but with each ?leaf? tilted out of
line with the next (like a modern electric
fan, in other words). When someone
turns or pedals the lever-handle, the fan
pushes forth air which is magically
cooled to a temperature 20 degrees lower
than the surrounding environment.

11: A 9-inch round iron pan with the
runic S embossed on the handle. Any
food fried in this pan is magically spiced
to the cook?s taste ? quite a boon in
areas where spice is scarce.

12: A carved miniature wooden chair.
At a command word (carved in an ancient
language on the underside of the seat), it
expands to a full-size chair. Useful for
travelers and some officials.

13: As above, but a padded couch rather
than a simple chair.

14: A one-inch cube of a hard, whitish,
translucent material, with slightly
rounded edges and corners. When placed
in no more than 16 ounces of liquid at an
initial temperature of no more than 130
degrees, it will slowly cool the liquid to
35 degrees and maintain it at that
temperature indefinitely. It will not affect
more than 16 ounces, and if placed in a
liquid hotter than 130 degrees it will
disintegrate.

15: An ordinary-looking oil lamp
which, by use of the proper command
words, may be programmed to light and
extinguish itself at a specific time each
day (with a variable of up to half an hour
per day). Used to convince outside
observers that someone is present in a
room. The command words become visible
when a little wine is placed inside the
otherwise empty lamp.

16: An ordinary-looking needle. To use
liquid hotter than 130 degrees it will
disintegrate.
the needle magically, a person says
?sew,? and it will continue to sew a stitch
on a straight line until ordered to ?stop.?

17: A quill pen. Anyone using it can
write twice as fast as normal, with no loss
of legibility. These pens are usually
found in lots of 2-12, since the quills do
wear out. The pens are appropriate for
normal writing tasks, but not for the
magical scribing of (for instance) scrolls
or spell books.

18: A clay plant pot (size varies). Any
insect entering the pot, or alighting on a
plant growing in the pot, will die if it is a
species harmful to that plant. Usually
found in groups, not singly.

19: A one-inch obsidian cube and a
metal tuning fork four inches long. When
the fork is struck, the sound is reproduced
from the cube as well as from the fork,
provided the cube is no more than three
miles away.

20: An eight-sided lantern. Each side
shines with a different color, and the
colors periodically rotate from face to face
at intervals of 10 seconds to 5 minutes,
depending on how far a button on the
bottom is pushed in.

21: A hollow wooden tube, closed at
one end, with a slot in the side. This is a
herding whistle. Each type attracts a different
herd animal and has a distinctive
note. When an animal of the appropriate
species hears the whistle (which is quite
loud), it must move to within 25 feet of
the whistler and maintain that position,
following him or her if necessary.

22: Two miniature metal blacksmith?s
anvils, one red, the other black, each
about one inch in all dimensions. If the
black one is placed in a fire, the red one
will heat to the temperature reached by
the black one. The anvils are useful for
boiling stews or for keeping food warm at
some distance (maximum range 30 feet)
from a fire.

23: A wooden drawer, about 12 by 18 by
9 inches high, which may be inserted into
a suitable desk, wall, etc. When anyone
who opens the drawer speaks the name of
an object inside it, the object pops up at
the front of the drawer, within easy reach.
If several similar objects, such as sheets of
paper, are placed in the drawer, the person
placing them may speak a word
which becomes the code word for one
particular object in the group. The drawer
?s magic works only when it is in a
proper receptacle of the correct size.

24: A miniature tree, about three inches
high, made of an unidentified material.
When carried, it adds 20% to a person?s
chance of successfully climbing a tree. (It
was made for a lame sylvan elf.)

25: A hemisphere (circumference about
10 inches) of hard but flexible material
similar to tire rubber. A steel hook is
embedded in the round side. When the
flat side is placed against a fairly flat,
smooth surface, and the command
?adhere? is spoken, the object sticks to
the surface with a strength equal to a
wizard?s lock. The command ?dishere?
(diss-here) causes it to cease sticking.
Smaller versions are often found. This
kind of item has obvious uses in a kitchen
or closet, but could also be useful to a
thief. It will not work in extremes of heat
or cold, however.

26: A blue pill about the size of an
aspirin tablet, usually found in a group
of 2-20. When covered with spittle, the
pill expands and changes within 10
seconds, becoming a gallon of water. Customarily,
one would dab the pill in one?s
mouth and then quickly pop it into a
waterskin or bucket to expand. If the pill
is left in the mouth, the water may (5%
chance) drown the victim as it expands
and is forced into the lungs. (This chance
rises to 50% if no one is present to help
the victim. Back-slapping or some similar
action will help the victim to expel most
or all of the water out through his
mouth.) If the pill is swallowed, the victim
?s stomach may burst (10% chance),
killing him, but in any case it will cause
incapacitating discomfort.

Q: Couldn?t the water-creating pill, item
#26 in the article on ?Non-violent Magic
Items? (issue #73) be used as a poison?

A: If misused, this item could harm or kill
a careless character. (The same might be
true of other items described in the article.)
But it was not intended for combat
purposes and is technically "nonviolent.
" It does not count as a poison in
any event.
(79.14)

27: A canvas stretched on an ordinary
artist?s frame. When a magic word is
spoken, the canvas magically takes on the

<28?>

<29?>

30: An ordinary-looking canteen. Any
water which has been in the canteen for
at least 24 hours will be purified; however,
deliberately concocted poisons will
be unaffected.
dimensional space which allows up to 30
cubic feet of material to be placed in it,
provided that no single object is more
than five feet long. The backpack offers
no reduction in the weight of the materials
carried, however.

31: A leather drawstring purse about
the size of a small fist. Whether it is full
of coins or holds only a few, no noise
emanates from the purse. (Other objects
in it make a normal amount of noise.)

32: A pair of wooden knitting needles
that enable the user to knit at double his
normal speed.

33: This is a box of gears and cogs,
with a crank handle protruding from one
side. When the crank is turned, heat
emanates from the top of the box, more
heat as the crank is turned faster.
Through magical means, the energy of
motion of the crank is magnified and
turned into heat sufficient (with steady
cranking) to heat a medium-sized room in
winter.

34: This is a box about 12 by 12 by 2
inches. When a person steps onto it,
numerals indicating his weight appear in
his mind?s eye. Only the user can see the
numbers; they do not appear on the box
itself.

35: This blanket automatically maintains
a comfortable temperature for
anyone sleeping under it. It cannot maintain
a temperature difference of more
than 30 degrees, however, from the
ambient atmosphere.

36: This is a 6-inch-long stick in the
shape of a miniature candle snuffer ? a
stick with a hook at the end, ending in a
bell without a clapper. When it is pointed
at a candle while the word of command is
spoken, the candle will be snuffed out,
regardless of the range as long as the candle
is visible. It will not work on lanterns,
torches, lamps, etc. ? only candles.

37: This object, made of an unknown
substance, is formed in the shape of an
ebony candle with a flame atop it, the
whole being about 4 inches high. Whenever
an excessive amount of smoke is
present (even just from cooking), it emits
a wailing, ululating beep. (Naturally, this
cannot be used in rooms heated by poorly
made fires!)

38: This is a bronze miniature bucket,
complete with a bronze inner surface
which looks much like water. If the
bucket is brandished at a fire, as though
water were being thrown from it, the fire
acts as though a normal bucket of water
had been thrown on it, except that no
chemical reaction (such as the reaction of
sulfur with water) takes place. The bucket
can be used repeatedly on the fire. It has
no effect on anything except ordinary
fire.

39: An ordinary-appearing set of
cutlery which enables the user to eat in
accordance with the standards or manners
of the group he is eating with.

40: A thick, creamy-oily concoction,
which may be in virtually any type of
container. If a quantity is used to cover a
scar, within a few days the scar will
slough off and the skin will appear to be
exactly like the skin around it. This is
much sought after by the vain ?upper
crust,? and is fairly common, because it is
difficult to avoid acquiring scars from
childhood diseases, if nothing else, in a
non-modern world.

41: A robe of chamois-lined natural
wool or fur which keeps the wearer 10
degrees warmer than would be expected
of a non-magical robe of similar
materials.

42: Black arm wrappings. An insomniac
(or anyone else) wearing these sleeps
soundly and comfortably.

43: A piece of jade carved in the shape
of an insect one inch long, suspended
from a light chain. This amulet keeps
fleas and other insects of similar size from
approaching within three feet of the
wearer. It does not force them out of an
area or location, however, so it could not
be used, for example, to clear a bed of
fleas.

44: Two black flexible oval objects,
each about an inch long, connected by an
inch-long flexible white strap and, from
opposite sides of the ovals, by another
strap about ten inches long. (In other
words, like a pair of swimming goggles
without the transparent plastic.) When
the ovals are placed over the eyes, held on
by the straps, the wearer can see under
water twice as well as expected, and no
water touches his eyes.

45: This carved stone miniature door,
about 4 by 1½ by ½ inch, can be tuned to a
particular door, set of doors, or gate by
use of the proper magic words. Thereafter,
when its knob is pressed, any such
door or gate within 20 feet will swing
open by itself.

46: This is a large leather glove. When
a person puts his or her hand into it, the
fingernails of that hand are painted and
polished to a color that will most suit his
or her present attire. (A matched pair is
needed to do both hands.)

47: This is a wooden ladder 10 feet
long. The user may at will cause it to
expand to a maximum of 50 feet in
length; it will retain the same strength it
had at the 10-foot length, but remember
that it is a wooden ladder, not metal.

48: This 9 by 5 by 3 inch box contains
several miniature metal figures playing
instruments. When the command word is
spoken, the figures emerge from the box
and play simple popular tunes for five
minutes, then return unless the magic
word is spoken again. The music is about
as loud as a person speaking normally.

49: An ordinary horse?s nose feedbag.
Many horses can feed from this nosebag,
yet it will continue to be full of grain.
However, if more than 10 different horses
feed from the bag in one day, the magic is
lost forever. No grain can be poured from
the bag.

50: A wine cup. Once per day this cup
turns ordinary water within it into highquality
wine. No magic word is required.

51: A strongly constructed metal box
(size can vary) with a key. When the user
utters the word of command (?heel?), the
box stays exactly where it is presently
located, even if the user lets go. It is
anchored to the ether, and any force
strong enough to move it will inevitably
destroy it in the process.

52: This is a black, covered pitcher or
cylinder with one button on it. Objects
are placed in the cylinder, the button is
pushed one or more times, and the lid is
closed; the item then blends, smashes, and
breaks up whatever is inside. However, if
anything harder than food or similarly
soft materials is blended, the item will
probably permanently cease to function.
Chunks of ice are about the hardest usable
material, and only if they are in a
supporting liquid. The number of times
the button is pushed determines how
long the smashing goes on.

53: A large oil lamp. Although it
appears to be nothing more than an ordinary
flame, the light of this lamp is equivalent
to ordinary-strength sunlight for
purposes of growing plants indoors.
Without the special oil or without the
lamp itself, there is no magic. Generally,
the lamp will be placed in the center of
an array of plants. The wick and oil
extend far up a slender cylinder in order
to be above the plants, yet shed light
down on them.

54: These leather, calf-high dress boots
can be brought to a brilliant shine by a
single swipe of a cloth. Events violent
enough to break through the leather will
destroy the shine permanently.

55: A pair of onyx dice. The dice will
give whatever result the roller desires.

56: A wooden log about eight inches in
diameter and two feet long. Regardless of
how often this log is burned, it remains
whole and ready to burn again the next
day. (It burns out as a normal log would,
but leaving a large husk rather than a
pile of ashes, and then ?regenerates? over
the course of the following 18 hours.) As
a bonus, it is very easy to ignite.

57: A bone-and-bristle brush of untidy
and uninviting appearance, this imple-

58: A blank parchment scroll. Anything
written upon it can be read only by the
ment nevertheless immediately untangles
writer and by those whose names are written
on the scroll. It can be reused several
the hair of anyone who uses it, without
times, until the scraping required to
pain.

<remove the old ink has worn through the
parchment.>

59: Any woman wearing this necklace
of polished non-precious stones appears
to be attired in elegant, expensive clothes
appropriate to the place and time of day.

60: An ordinary rug. When a command
word is spoken, the rug rises up and
shakes itself free of dust and dirt. (It does
not take itself outside.) The rug may be of
any form, from a small throw rug to a
large carpet.

61: This is a very small flexible strip of
metal. When placed around the leg of a
bird, its magic prevents the bird from getting
out of the building it occupies,
except when carried out by someone. The
band is too small to fit any bird larger
than a hawk or a macaw.

62: A gold-colored metal pen with a
replaceable quill tip. Only statements
believed to be true by the writer can be
written with this pen.

63: Any item of clothing (but not
armor). This magically fits any person
who tries it on. It wears out through
normal use.

64: This appears to be an ordinary
stone oven. There is no place for feeding
the fire, however; the oven is heated via a
connection with the elemental plane of
fire. A small number (10%) of these ovens
are defective, however, such that a crea-
<>

65: This looks like a curved metal pipe
closed at one end. When the command
ture from the fire plane may come
word inscribed on the side is spoken, hot
air streams from the open end. It is ordi-
?through? the connection (5% chance per
narily used to dry things, especially hair.
month, non-cumulative, for any defective
oven).

66: A soft chamois cloth one foot
square. This cloth magically polishes
anything it is rubbed against, immediately,
provided that it is possible to polish
the object. Human faces, for example,
cannot be polished.

67: An animal harness/bridle. When
placed on a recalcitrant beast, it forces the
creature to obey the ordinary commands
of its master. It will not, however, force
an animal to do something it is afraid of
(for example, run into a fire), nor will it
have any effect when unusual orders are
given ? the beast being given the orders
simply won?t understand. The harness is
particularly useful for mules and camels.

68: A horse?s saddle. This saddle will
never fall off a horse, even if the straps are
undone and the rider is inexperienced. It
can be lifted off in the ordinary way.

69: Another saddle. This one enables
even a novice rider to remain on a speeding
horse, provided the rider is in control
of his own faculties.

70: This is a wooden frame, about 8 by
10 inches, across which several heavy
wires are ?strung? parallel to one
another. On each wire are ten wooden
balls. (In other words, an abacus.) When
mathematical formulae involving
numbers and simple operations (add, subtract,
multiply, divide) are spoken near
the object, the balls shift about and the
answer to the equation is spoken aloud
by a disembodied voice.

71: A stuffed chair. Although this chair
looks and is extremely comfortable,
anyone sitting in it cannot go to sleep. (It
was made for a doddering family patriarch
who didn?t want to embarrass
himself.)
mathematical formulae involving
numbers and simple operations (add, subtract,
multiply, divide) are spoken near
the object, the balls shift about and the
answer to the equation is spoken aloud
by a disembodied voice.

72: Any article of clothing. This need
never be washed because it sheds dirt
when left in a dark place overnight.

73: Any kitchen knife. This utensil
always retains a sharp edge.

74: This is any prosthesis (artificial
arm, leg, etc.). The item magically enables
the ?wearer? to hide the fact that he
has lost a limb, eye, etc. It won?t necessarily
allow full use of the body part as
though it were ?real,? but the magic will
prevent any observer from noticing the
wearer?s inability to use it fully.

75: A flat oval stone, about half an inch
thick and four inches long. When placed
between two hands, the stone becomes
very warm.

77: A miniature brass boot. When
rubbed against the worn heel or sole of a
shoe or boot, restores it to its original
strength and thickness (but without a
?new? appearance). Usable once per day.

76: A chess set or other game set. This
item plays against a person, moving the
pieces magically. It gives a creditable but
not truly expert game.

78: A small, dark-crystal, covered bowl,
rather like a sugar bowl. When the user
places both hands on the covered item,
and speaks the name of a delicacy (e.g.,
?caviar?), the bowl fills with one ounce
of same. The magic may be used 10 times
a week, whether all 10 times for the same
item or for a mixture of items. Only
delicacies ?implanted? in the bowl may
be produced. Such bowls usually are
implanted with 1-6 delicacies; a particular
one might produce caviar, frog?s legs,
fried ants, gooseberry jam, and port salut
cheese.

79: A dull gray stone ball the size of a
child?s marble. When placed in open air
(as opposed to a bag, pocket, or other
closed container), the stone attracts all
unintelligent avians which pass within 50
feet. Each avian will approach the ball
and stay within five feet for five minutes,
unless frightened away, as (for instance)
by the obvious presence of unfamiliar
humans. (This is used by the rich to
enhance bird feeders, rock gardens, etc.)

80: An ebony flute. When a magic word
is spoken, the flute plays a haunting tune
(something like Greensleeves) for five
minutes, without human participation.

81: A broom. Like the classic broom of
Sorcerer?s Apprentice, this one will begin
sheaf of papers put into the case is magically
inserted among the contents in
alphabetical order, if the person putting
the item in the case enunciates a word to
represent the item.

<
82.

83.

84.
>

85: This looks like a wooden sundial
without numerals, about four inches in
diameter. Close examination will reveal
that there are 16 marks rather than 12.
When the command word is spoken, the
?fin? or ?hand? of the dial points due
north. It does not work underground.

86: A wooden wand. When used with
the proper words, the wand points toward
any animal lost by the person holding the
wand, or by his employer. The wand
cannot detect any animal over the
horizon.

87: An elegant wooden pipe. A person
smoking this pipe can blow beautiful,
perfect smoke rings at will.

88: A glass half-gallon open pitcher.
Each day up to five gallons of water can
be poured from this pitcher, provided it
has not been tightly covered at any time
in the preceding 24 hours.

89: A ceramic object shaped like a scroll
two inches long. When it is placed on an
open scroll, it holds the scroll open and
flat, regardless of any tendency in the
scroll to roll itself up.

90: A metal box the size of a breadbox.
Anything put into this box is magically
preserved from the effects of time. For
example, food therein will be as fresh,
when removed, as the day it went in.

91: An ordinary oil lamp. This lamp,
however, needs no oil in order to burn
indefinitely.

92: A short hollow wooden tube with a
slot cut out of it. This whistle attracts all
animals of a given type, usually some
herd animal, within hearing.

93: An oil lamp. This lamp automatically
ignites whenever any person
approaches within 10 feet of it, going off
when no person is within 10 feet.

94: A soft suede leather pouch (size varies).
Any glass or ceramic item in the
pouch will not break as long as the
pouch itself is not penetrated or destroyed.
For example, a hammer blow on
the pouch would not affect the glass,
unless the hammer blow was so powerful
that it broke through the leather.

95: A small pouch containing 2-12
pills, each shaped like a huge teardrop. If
a pill is dissolved in water, and the water
is immediately consumed, any effects of
alcoholic hangover being experienced by
the drinker will disappear.

96: A nondescript small box. For
approximately eight hours after a button
on the side is pushed, this item is set to
make a cacophony of noises similar to the
approach of a large group of people
when, and only when, a person comes
within five feet of it. (The idea is to scare
off burglars.)

97: Two circles of glass, in the same
plane, connected by an odd-shaped piece
of metal with projections; from opposite
sides of each glass circle, perpendicular to
the plane of the glass but parallel to each
other, extend thick metal wires which
hook at the end. This contraption (which
will obviously be understood to be spectacles,
to characters in a world where
spectacles are known to exist) enables the
wearer to see at night twice as well as
would be expected. (This is enhanced
vision, not infravision.)

98: Any utensil or plate. When left in a
bucket overnight, the object sheds all dirt,
which gathers on the bottom of the
bucket to be discarded. While in the
bucket, the object cannot be reached by
insects, and no odor is emitted.

99: A cloak (for outdoor wear) or ring
(for indoors). Anyone wearing this item
appears to be 5- 10% lighter in weight
than actual. Generally, the effect is to
make overweight people look normal or
normal ones look quite slim.

100: A simple silver band ring. The
wearer of this ring is able to speak and act
in a courtly manner, regardless of his
upbringing or familiarity with social
conventions.