Purple Cores
Source Alien Archive 4 pg. 105
Price 10% of price of equipmentDescriptionWhen a purple orb dies, its perfect spherical shape gradually collapses, condensing into a jagged crystalline object known as a purple core. Sapient purple orbs mourn the loss of their kind, but they reject the remnant crystals as anything other than inert (albeit magical) matter—there is no reverence for physical remains among purple orbs. However, other species have come to value the orbs’ crystalline cores for their magical properties, with some evil individuals even contracting assassins and poachers for the purpose of obtaining them.
Purple cores are a special material that can be incorporated into crafted shields and armor. The cost of enhancing a piece of equipment with a purple core is equal to 10% of the price of the equipment. A piece of equipment can benefit from a maximum of one purple core.
Purple core–enhanced equipment glows a deep purple and emits a fine lavender mist; this mist has no mechanical effect. The first time each combat that a character wielding a shield or wearing armor enhanced by a purple core is hit by an attack, the equipment erupts in excandescent light, and the attacker must succeed at a Reflex saving throw (DC = 15 + half the level of the equipment) or be dazzled for 1d4 rounds. If the attacker rolls a natural 1 (the result on the d20 is a 1) or fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is blinded for 1 round instead.
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