Magical Locations as Treasure

Magical locations have a rich history in the fantasy genre. The power imbued in such special places allows heroes to accomplish any number of fantastic deeds.

Locations of power can be used for various purposes within a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Some, such as the earth nodes described in the Forgotten Realms product Underdark, might serve as sites for the working of especially powerful magic. Others, such as the planar touchstones, might unlock potential advancement opportunities or special abilities in characters. Still others, such as the rune circles described in Races of Stone, could allow PCs to create permanent magical effects bound to tightly confined areas. But as compelling as those ideas are, at least one interesting concept for magical locations remains unexplored—that of a location imbued with magical power that is available for the taking.

The magical locations described in the following sections grant special abilities to qualified characters who brave their particular dangers. Although the prerequisites for these abilities are matched to the character types that most directly and easily benefit from them, almost any character can qualify for a magical location’s power. Most of the locations described below confer abilities that are usable only for a specified period, or come with a specific number of uses. All the abilities reflect the nature of the locations from which they originate in some manner.

Unlike magic items, magical locations never occur as part of random treasures. They appear only when you place them within the campaign. Therefore, you decide whether or not they are within reach of the PCs. If you wish, you can allow a character created at a level higher than 1st to include one or more special abilities granted by a magical location in his overall wealth. Such powers, however, are even more subject to DM approval than are magic items the character carries.

You have the final say about where, when, and how magical locations occur within your campaign, just as you control access to magic items by determining which ones are for sale in any given city or shop. Because the various types of magical locations serve different purposes and operate under different rules, it is perfectly acceptable (perhaps even compelling) to combine more than one kind in the same adventure site. For example, a dwarf citadel could house an earth node (from the Underdark supplement), a rune circle, and one of the magical locations described here. The presence of these three sites might result from the nature of the stronghold or the influence of its powerful dwarf mages and clerics, or it might have been the reason that the dwarves settled the area in the first place.

Magical locations offer nearly limitless potential for adventuring. Because they are for the most part immobile (though one or two, such as the terrible cyst, move from time to time), they contrast well with the equally sought after but highly portable magic items that spur so many heroic quests.

In general, a magical location can be suppressed (by dispel magic), or even disjoined (by mage’s disjunction), as if it were a magic item containing a spell of caster level 10th with an object Will save bonus of +15. Such a site is metaphysically tied to its area, so destroying buildings, walls, or other physical structures in and around the location does not eliminate its ability to confer its power.

Unless otherwise specified, no creature can gain the benefit of a magical location’s conferred power more than once. Even if the power has limited uses or a fixed duration, a character cannot regain it by returning to the magical location after it expires. Furthermore, once a location has conferred its ability on a character, it must recharge its power for a specified period of time (generally 1 day to 1 year, depending on the location) before it can do so again.

However, if the creature on which a magical location has conferred its an ability dies, the location is instantly recharged and can confer its ability again immediately, no matter how much recharge time remains. A location that can confer its ability on more than one creature before needing to recharge can be renewed early only if all those who currently enjoy the ability die. If the conferred ability has a duration shorter than the required recharge period, the creature’s death still recharges the location immediately, even if the creature can no longer use the ability.

The magical locations described below are presented in the following format.

The entry begins with a description of the location in plain language.

Lore: This portion of the description provides any information available to characters about the location, along with the relevant Knowledge DCs necessary to acquire it. Bardic knowledge checks can be substituted for any of these checks at the same DCs.

Description: The first paragraph offers a physical description of the location, written in simple, declarative style. The second paragraph, if present, includes more details about the place (including sounds, smells, and tactile sensations) and details how its magical effect or special ability looks once it’s in effect.

Prerequisite: The prerequisites needed to gain the magical location’s special ability are detailed here. In addition to meeting these prerequisites, a character must visit the location physically to have any chance of acquiring the special ability it confers.

Location Activation: These paragraphs describe the rules for acquiring and using the special ability that the location bestows. Any command words or activities needed to activate the location’s power are also noted here.

Recharge: The time needed for the location to recharge is given in this section.

Special Ability: This entry describes the special ability conferred and gives the rules for using it.

Duration: This section gives the ability’s duration or number of uses.

Aura: This line describes the type of magical aura that surrounds the location.

Ability Value: This entry is the gp value of the conferred ability. (These figures are summarized in the Magical Location Values table.) Although these abilities can never be bought or sold, their gp values are provided so that you can track treasure values. You can then substitute these abilities for treasure value on a one-for-one basis, and also track them as part of overall character wealth by adding their values to the value of the character’s equipment (see the PC and NPC Wealth by Level).

The altar of the dreamwalker is a location imbued with the pure essence of dreams. Some sources maintain that it was formed by great arcane magic; others insist that it gained its power from the presence of powerful fey creatures who held sway over dreams. Still others claim that it formed spontaneously as a manifestation of some unknown connection between the physical world and the realm of dreams.

Whatever its origin, the altar grants intelligent creatures that spend sufficient time in its presence a limited ability to communicate through dreams. An altar of the dreamwalker can form in nearly any terrain or location, but it generally appears in a sylvan glade with a large stump or felled tree of great age that serves as the center of its magic. Over time, the magic of the altar works subtle changes on the nearby terrain, causing plants to flourish and infusing the air with a thin but ever-present mist. Those who visit it are aware of a certain freshness in the air and an unmistakable feeling of growth and life.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about an altar of the dreamwalker by making Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (nature) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: An altar of the dreamwalker is a magical location imbued with the power of dreams.

DC 20: Intelligent creatures that rest within the glade of an altar of the dreamwalker gain an effective but fleeting ability to communicate through their dreams.

DC 25: An altar of the dreamwalker is somehow bound to the magic of the fey as well as to the magic of of dreams, but little is known about this obscure connection.

Description: The glade in which an altar of the dreamwalker stands is peaceful and serene. Lush grass covers the ground between healthy trees of great age. In the center of a small clearing, the ancient, moss-covered remains of a long-fallen tree offer silent testimony to the age of the place. All its vegetation, from grass to shrubs to ancient trees, seems flush with life and unusually hale.

The fresh scents of wildflowers deepen the sense of peace in the glade, and even the sounds of the forest seem distant and muted near the altar.

Prerequisite: An altar of the dreamwalker confers its special ability only on a creature with an Intelligence score of 8 or higher.

Location Activation: To gain the ability conferred by an altar of the dreamwalker, a qualified creature must spend 8 hours in uninterrupted rest within 20 feet of the central stump or tree. Ethereal creatures cannot approach within 30 feet of it, and any effect that would cause a creature within this radius to become ethereal automatically fails.

Small communities of mystics occasionally gather for years around an altar of the dreamwalker to study the magic of dreams and the power of the altar.

An altar of the dreamwalker grants the dream ability to only one creature at a time. If multiple qualified creatures are present simultaneously, only one (selected at random) gains the power.

Recharge: Once it has granted a creature the dream ability, an altar cannot do so again for 24 hours.

Special Ability (Sp): An altar of the dreamwalker grants the ability to use dream (caster level equals creature’s character level) as a spell-like ability once during the next 24-hour period. If not used within that timeframe, the ability is lost.

Duration: A creature that uses the ability and then spends another 8 hours resting within the required radius of the altar regains the ability as soon as the altar has recharged (24 hours after gaining it the first time). The creature can continue this process for as long as desired, regaining the ability each day, so long as it does not leave the area of the altar. Once it passes beyond the 20-foot radius of the altar’s power, it can never again gain the ability.

Aura: Moderate illusion.

Ability Value: 2,000 gp.

When a great dragon dies while using powerful necromantic magic underground, the place of its death might be imbued with mighty arcane energies that convert it into a dragonheart tomb. Characters skilled in necromantic magic can sometimes claim some of the latent power of such a site for themselves.

Dragonheart tombs occur only underground. Over time, the magic inherent in such locations shifts and warps the terrain within the immediate area, withering any vegetation, darkening the stone, and decaying any natural substances. Creatures entering such an area become aware of an unnerving chill in the air.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a dragonheart tomb by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10: A dragonheart tomb results from the death of a great dragon.

DC 15: A dragonheart tomb forms only when a great dragon dies while using or affected by powerful necromantic magic.

DC 20: Each such location holds tremendous necromantic power that can be drawn forth and used to augment necromantic spells.

DC 25: A dragonheart tomb is always watched and guarded⁠—​not just by those who seek to harvest its power for themselves, but also by those who seek to prevent the spread of necromancy.

Description: A dragonheart tomb is a vast, expansive, foreboding cavern. Its rough floors are sloped and jagged, and the ceiling has a wealth of stalactites, clefts, and other uneven features. The immense bones of a great dragon, lying inanimate in the center of the cavern, are the most striking features of the tomb.

The cavern seems perpetually dim, and although light sources function normally within it, an impression of darkness still remains. Any illumination seems temporary and somehow fragile, as if the tomb were just waiting to return to its natural state of darkness. The air within a dragonheart tomb also has an unnatural chill, which many liken to the presence of death. Although the creeping darkness and seeping cold produce no tangible effects, creatures find their stay within a dragonheart tomb both unnerving and unpleasant.

Prerequisite: To gain the benefits of a dragonheart tomb, a creature must be able to cast at least one 2nd-level or higher necromancy spell.

Location Activation: A qualified spellcaster can sense the lingering power of a dragonheart tomb and claim a small shard of it by spending a full-round action within its confines. A dragonheart tomb holds enough power to boost the spellcasting ability of up to two qualified creatures simultaneously.

Recharge: After a dragonheart tomb has conferred its ability twice, it cannot grant its power again for one full year.

Special Ability (Ex): A spellcaster who draws forth the power of a dragonheart tomb has an effective +1 caster level for all necromancy spells.

Duration: The increased caster level lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong necromancy.

Ability Value: 2,000 gp (1,000 gp per creature affected).

When a fire-breathing dragon uses its breath weapon to destroy other powerful creatures, the site of the battle might become an ember of dragonfire. Imbued with the dragon’s magical fire, the souls of the destroyed creatures are bound into the ground where they died. This contained dragonfire causes the entire area to glow with an unsettling heat, which serves to mark the location as magical, although it causes no physical harm. While the magic of the dragonfire remains active, the affected area also glows with a dim, reddish light reminiscent of a dimly glowing ember.

An ember of dragonfire can form anywhere that a powerful creature dies in the flames of a dragon’s breath. But such sites are still quite rare, even when powerful dragons are present. Even a great wyrm red dragon might die of old age without ever causing the formation of such a site.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about an ember of dragonfire by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10: An ember of dragonfire is a magical site that holds the essence of a dragon’s fiery breath.

DC 15: Embers of dragonfire are sometimes created when powerful creatures succumb to a dragon’s fiery breath.

DC 20: Embers of dragonfire allow certain creatures to capture the essence of the dragon’s fire within themselves and breathe it out again, just like a dragon can.

Description: Because they form in a wide variety of locations and under various conditions, embers of dragonfire tend to have few physical characteristics in common. The only constants are the heat that pervades the area and a faint red glow in the area of the original embers.

Prerequisite: Only a creature with more than three character levels can sense and access the power of an ember of dragonfire.

Location Activation: Any qualified creature that enters the site senses the burning energy that suffuses it. By spending a full-round action within the confines of the ember, the creature takes this latent power into itself. If the creature is unintelligent, it instinctively draws forth the power of the site unless directly threatened by combat.

Recharge: Once an ember of dragonfire has conferred its power upon a single creature, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): A creature empowered by an ember of dragonfire can breathe a 30-foot cone of fire once per day. Every creature within the cone takes 6d8 points of fire damage, though a successful Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ empowered creature’s HD + empowered creature’s Con modifier) halves the damage. A creature gains this ability in addition to any breath weapon or similar ability that it might already have.

Duration: The ability to breathe fire lasts for 30 days.

Aura: Strong evocation.

Ability Value: 8,000 gp.

When a gate or portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire remains open for several centuries, a small area around it can become imbued with the magic of everflame. Such a location holds the magical essence of fire within it, and creatures of sufficient power sometimes draw this power into themselves, gaining resistance to fiery spells and effects.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about an everflame by making Knowledge (the planes) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10: An everflame is a remnant of a long-standing connection to the Elemental Plane of Fire that holds the essence of that fiery realm.

DC 15: Those who withstand the fires of an everflame can resist the effects of any fire.

DC 20: Anyone who stands within an everflame can draw a small portion of its magic into himself and gain significant resistance to fire damage.

Description: An area imbued with the power of an everflame is perpetually afire. Its flames burn creatures and objects brought into contact with them, but they do not spread, nor do they burn more than a few yards of the surrounding area. Because an everflame is found only where a gate to the Elemental Plane of Fire has long existed, it typically occurs near some natural source of fire or heat. For example, an everflame might be found on a rocky island floating in lava, at the heart of a vast, scorching desert, or in some other such fearsomely hot location.

Prerequisite: Only a creature with at least five character levels can access the power of an everflame, and then only if it possesses no special ability that would lessen the damage it takes from fire.

Location Activation: The fires of an everflame occupy a 15-foot-radius, circular area and provide flickering illumination to a distance of 15 feet beyond that in every direction. This magical fire deals 2d6 points of fire damage per round to any creature in contact with it.

To gain the benefit of an everflame, a qualified creature must stand unprotected within its confines for at least 3 rounds. Each incarnation of an everflame affects only five creatures at a time. If more than five creatures qualify for the benefit at once, only five of them (chosen randomly) gain it.

Recharge: Once an everflame has conferred its benefits on five creatures, it cannot confer them again for one year.

Special Ability (Ex): A qualified creature gains resistance to fire 5. A creature that already has resistance to fire from another source (even a temporary one, such as a spell or item) gains nothing from an everflame. A creature can gain this benefit only once, and its effects do not stack with any other resistance to fire the creature might subsequently gain.

Duration: The resistance to fire lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong abjuration and evocation.

Ability Value: 10,000 gp (2,000 gp per affected creature).

Throughout the long history of his people, the great elf deity Corellon Larethian has performed many wondrous deeds. Although he is a being of great peace and wisdom, Corellon Larethian has at times been forced to pit his own immense power against the foes of the elves in direct combat. In a few such battles, the divine might that Corellon exerted has forever altered the landscape around the site.

Such locations, which are known as footsteps of Corellon, are imbued with shards of the deity’s power. When discovered, these sites become sacred to the elves, who visit them in pilgrimages. In rare instances, such a location might yield up some of its intrinsic power to a worthy elf, granting her the ability to deliver terrible attacks with a ranged weapon. Sometimes a community that knows of a nearby footstep selects its fittest and most deserving elves and bids them race to the location. The elf who arrives first gains the benefit of the site and proves both her athletic prowess and her devotion to Corellon.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a footstep of Corellon by making Knowledge (history) or Knowledge (religion) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10 (history or religion): The footsteps of Corellon are sites where Corellon Larethian took up weapons against the foes of the elves.

DC 15 (history): Footsteps of Corellon are not formed every time Corellon comes to the Material Plane. They form only when he expends a great deal of his own power there.

DC 15 (religion): On rare occasions, footsteps of Corellon are imbued with some of the deity’s divine power, and powerful elves benefit from exposure to them.

DC 20 (religion): An elf who journeys to one of the footsteps of Corellon and meditates there gains the ability to make powerful ranged smite attacks.

DC 35 (history or religion): A successful check at this level allows the character to learn or recall a clue to the location of a footstep of Corellon.

Description: Footsteps of Corellon differ greatly in appearance, since their physical attributes are determined more by where the struggle took place than by any action on the part of Corellon. Footsteps of Corellon have been found in stark mountain passes, deep underground grottos, and various other strange locations in which the great elf deity brought his power to bear against an enemy of his people.

Regardless of their physical appearance, these sites are filled with a sense of peace and purpose. Any intelligent creatures that enter the area perceive this intangible quality, but it seems particularly palpable to elves of good alignment.

Prerequisite: Only a good-aligned elf with at least five character levels can gain the power granted by a footstep of Corellon.

Location Activation: To gain the benefit of a footstep of Corellon, a character must meditate uninterrupted for 1 hour within its confines. If this meditation is interrupted, the character can begin again.

Recharge: Once a given footstep has bestowed its power on a single elf, it cannot do so again for five years. This long recharge time makes the power a particular prize for the discoverer of such a site or the winner of a race to it.

Special Ability (Su): A footstep of Corellon grants the ability to make one ranged smite attack each day with a thrown weapon or projectile weapon. On a successful attack, a bonus equal to the elf’s character level (maximum +20) applies to his damage roll. This smite ability can be used against any creature within 30 feet that the elf considers a foe. He must declare that he is using the smite ability before making the attack roll. If the attack misses or if the target is farther than 30 feet away, the smite has no effect, and its use is lost for the day.

Duration: Any elf who receives the smite ability retains it for 30 days.

Aura: Strong transmutation.

Variants: If the elf deity Corellon Larethian is not included in your campaign’s pantheon, you can easily associate the footsteps of Corellon with some other deity that plays a similar role in your campaign. You can even change the elven flavor of these sites by choosing a nonelf deity known for archery. If you change the deity, however, you must also alter the name of the magical location.

Ability Value: 4,000 gp.

Filled with the raw, unknowable force of nature itself, a garden of nature’s rage is a wellspring of power that is overlooked by those who delve into the mysteries of the arcane or master the rituals of the divine. In these few rare places, the raw anger of nature manifests and pours directly into the servants and defenders of wild places, increasing their power dramatically. Certain powerful druids can draw the power of a garden of nature’s rage into themselves to make their wild shaped forms more powerful in combat.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a garden of nature’s rage by making Knowledge (nature) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: Gardens of nature’s rage are wild, powerful places filled with the pure essence of nature’s might. Their power is connected in some way with the powers of the druid orders.

DC 20: A druid who roams a garden of nature’s rage gains some special enhancement to his druid abilities.

DC 25: A high-level druid who successfully bonds with a garden of nature’s rage draws some of its power into herself. After this process is complete, she uses this power to enhance her physical prowess while in wild shape.

DC 35: A successful check at this level allows the character to learn or recall a clue to the location of a garden of nature’s rage.

Description: A garden of nature’s rage is always a wild and untracked stretch of wilderness. It can occupy an area as small as a few miles across in each direction, or as vast as an entire continent. Regardless of its size, the garden is filled with lush and healthy plant life, wild and powerful animals, and a variety of fey creatures. The animals in a garden of nature’s rage grow larger and stronger than others of their kind, and dire animals frequently prowl these magical sites.

The sounds of nature fill a garden of nature’s rage. Massive dire animals crash through dense vegetation and underbrush in search of prey, while smaller animals clamor and call to one another.

A druid who claims the power granted by a garden of nature’s rage takes on a feral and twisted appearance when in wild shape. For example, she might have longer, more vicious fangs and a feral cast to her features in the form of a dire wolf, or jagged stone spikes protruding from her body in earth elemental form. Her normal form is unaffected except for a gleam of power in her eyes.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher druid can access the power contained within a garden of nature’s rage.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a garden of nature’s rage, a qualified druid must roam the area for one week, living off the land and sleeping in the open. Her animal companion can accompany her, but otherwise she must undertake the ordeal alone. While wandering the garden, the druid uses her spells and abilities normally, but she must befriend and aid the natural creatures she encounters and fight only against those who would do harm to the natural world.

Recharge: Once it has granted its ability to a single druid, a garden cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Ex): Once per day, when the druid assumes a new form through the use of her wild shape ability, she gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution. These increases last as long as the druid maintains the wild shape. She decides whether or not to use this ability upon activating her wild shape.

Duration: The enhanced wild shape ability lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong transmutation.

Ability Value: 8,000 gp.

Great concentrations of magical fire sometimes imbue the places where they occur with an inner fire of their own. These locations, known as hearts of flame, form from large outpourings of magical fire, the presence of several extremely powerful fire elementals, or even the opening of a gate or portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. Despite the fact that they arise from a variety of sources, hearts of flame are extremely rare.

Since magical fire touches almost any sort of place, hearts of flame vary considerably in appearance and location. One might be a cave whose dark stone walls seem to flicker with buried fire; another could be a forest glade that somehow radiates heat and light without producing actual flame. Whatever their outward nature, however, all such places draw their power from the purest essence of magical fire.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a heart of flame by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A heart of flame is a mystical location imbued with the purest essence of fire.

DC 20: The magical essence of fire contained in locations known as hearts of flame somehow augments fire-based magic.

DC 25: Spellcasters of sufficient skill who journey to a heart of flame can pull some of this power into themselves to increase the power of their fire spells.

Description: Though hearts of flame vary greatly in appearance, all have some similar characteristics. Such a site always seems unusually warm, and the ambient temperature is never lower than 70° Fahrenheit. If the normal ambient temperature of the surrounding area is higher than 70°, the temperature within the heart of flame is warmer still⁠—​usually at least 10° to 15° above the norm. In addition, the entire area glows dimly with a red, flickering light, as if unseen flames were reflecting off the walls, the ground, or even nearby creatures. This flickering light provides dim illumination throughout a heart of flame.

Flames seem to spring from the body of any spellcaster who has successfully drawn power from a heart of flame whenever she casts a spell with the fire descriptor. But although this fiery nimbus looks impressive, it deals no damage of any kind.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher spellcaster can access the power contained within a heart of flame.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a heart of flame, a qualified spellcaster must stand within its confines and draw its power into herself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a heart of flame has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): A spellcaster who draws forth the power from a heart of flame has an effective +1 caster level for all spells with the fire descriptor.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong evocation.

Ability Value: 3,000 gp.

In a manner similar to its antithesis, the heart of flame, a heart of ice is a place imbued with the magical power of cold. A heart of ice results from the death of a powerful being with the cold subtype, the presence of powerful cold magic, or a long-open gate or portal to a plane of great cold. Despite the fact that they arise from a variety of sources, hearts of ice are extremely rare.

Since magical cold touches almost any sort of place, hearts of ice vary considerably in appearance. Most are in arctic climes, hidden away in deep crevasses or ice caves of great size and awe-inspiring beauty. Regardless of its other characteristics, however, a heart of ice is always frigid. Stones, vegetation and objects within its confines quickly become rimmed with frost, the air is uncomfortably cold, and the ground is slippery with ice.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a heart of ice by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A heart of ice is a mystical location imbued with the purest essence of cold.

DC 20: The magical essence of cold contained in locations known as hearts of ice somehow augments cold-based magic.

DC 25: Spellcasters of sufficient skill who journey to a heart of ice can pull some of this power into themselves to increase the power of their cold spells.

Description: Though hearts of ice vary greatly in appearance, all have some similar characteristics. Such a site always seems unusually chilly, and the ambient temperature is never higher than 40° Fahrenheit. If the normal ambient temperature of the surrounding area is lower than 40°, the temperature within a heart of ice is cooler still⁠—​usually at least 10° to 15° below the norm. In addition, the entire area glows dimly with a dull, blue radiance, which provides dim illumination throughout a heart of ice. The air in such a place is always crisp and clean.

The air around any spellcaster who has successfully drawn power from a heart of ice drops a few degrees in temperature and takes on a crisp, icy clarity whenever he casts a spell with the cold descriptor. This inherent coolness deals no damage of any kind.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher spellcaster can access the power contained within a heart of ice.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a heart of ice, a qualified spellcaster must stand within its confines and draw its power into himself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a heart of ice has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): A spellcaster who draws forth the power from a heart of ice has an effective +1 caster level for all spells with the cold descriptor.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong evocation.

Ability Value: 3,000 gp.

Hearts of stone always form underground, in spots where strange and wondrous events have occurred. These rocky caverns might form around a powerful concentration of earth magic (such as the earth nodes described in the Forgotten Realms supplement Underdark), but more often they result from powerful earth-based spells, the presence of several earth elementals, or a gate to the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Although they look like normal caverns, the closed-in spaces that make up a heart of stone are filled with the unadulterated power of the earth. Most creatures that visit such a spot know that it is a special location, even if they cannot identify its exact nature.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a heart of stone by making Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15 (arcana): A heart of stone is a mystical location imbued with the purest essence of elemental earth.

DC 20 (arcana): The magical essence of stone contained in locations known as hearts of stone somehow augments abjuration magic.

DC 25 (arcana): Spellcasters of sufficient skill who journey to a heart of stone can pull some of this power into themselves to increase the power of their abjuration spells.

DC 35 (dungeoneering): Each heart of stone consists of only one kind of rock. The area around such a location can sometimes be identified by the unusual purity of its stone.

Description: Hearts of stone are always found underground. Though they vary greatly in location, size, and appearance, one common feature sets them apart from natural stone formations: each heart of stone is composed of only one kind of stone or mineral, as are the areas in its immediate vicinity. This uniformity occasionally helps a skilled dungeoneer find these rare locations.

Any creature affected by a spell that has been augmented by the power of a heart of stone takes on a vaguely crystalline appearance. The edges and ridges of its form are sharper than normal, as though the creature’s body had been carved from crystal. This change in appearance is merely cosmetic and lasts only as long as the spell’s effects do.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher spellcaster can access the power contained within a heart of stone.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a heart of stone, a qualified spellcaster must stand within its confines and draw its power into herself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a heart of stone has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Sp): A spellcaster who draws forth the power from a heart of stone channels spell energy into damage reduction. He casts a particular spell from the school of abjuration, but instead of benefiting from the spell normally, he gains damage reduction equal to twice its spell level with respect to adamantine. The ability can be used once per day and lasts for up to 10 minutes. The damage reduction can be dispelled as if it were a separate spell cast by the spellcaster.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong abjuration.

Ability Value: 2,000 gp.

In a manner similar to its antithesis, the heart of stone, a heart of wind is a place imbued with the magical power of elemental air. A heart of wind results from the presence of several powerful air elementals, the use of great air-based magic, or even the opening of a gate or portal to the Elemental Plane of Air. Despite the fact that they arise from a variety of sources, hearts of wind are extremely rare.

A heart of wind forms in nearly any kind of place⁠—​even deep underground. Typically, however, it forms high above the ground’s surface⁠—​either at the peak of a great mountain, or suspended in the air high above an open plain. A strong wind blows constantly through a heart of wind, though its direction and exact strength might change from time to time.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a heart of wind by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A heart of wind is a mystical location imbued with the purest essence of elemental air.

DC 20: The magical essence of elemental air contained in locations known as hearts of wind somehow augments the use of magic.

DC 25: Spellcasters of sufficient skill who journey to a heart of wind can pull some of this power into themselves to gain the ability to cast spells normally delivered by touch as ranged effects.

Description: Hearts of wind are typically located so high above the ground that even normal flying creatures have difficulty reaching them. But air elementals, djinn, and other creatures of elemental air do not share this difficulty in attaining the extreme altitudes at which a heart of wind is usually found. In addition to the difficulties imposed by the altitude, those seeking a heart of wind must deal with the fact that it is made out of air and nothing else. See invisibility, true seeing, and similar spells are of no help in locating a heart of wind, but a Spot check (DC 50, reduced as appropriate for distance) reveals it.

Unlike most other magical locations, hearts of wind are mobile, and they tend to act like bubbles of pure, magically charged air moving through the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Thus, finding one usually requires both powerful divinatory magic and a great deal of luck. A few such locations are stationary, and occasionally one moves slowly enough that a determined searcher can learn relevant clues about its location. The more mobile hearts of wind, however, leave no traces of their passage and are impossible to locate if they are not within range of a divination spell.

A fierce gust of wind jostles the hair and clothes of a spellcaster who has successfully drawn power from a heart of wind whenever she casts a touch spell at range (see Special Ability, below). Although this breeze is not strong enough to adversely affect the spellcaster or other creatures, all those nearby hear and feel the rushing of air.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher spellcaster can access the power contained within a heart of wind.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a heart of wind, a qualified spellcaster must stand within its confines and draw its power into himself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a heart of wind has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): A spellcaster who draws forth the power of a heart of wind uses touch spells at range. Once per day, she treats the range of any touch spell of 3rd level or lower as if it were 30 feet. The spell affects the target normally, just as if the spellcaster had made a successful melee touch attack. If the spell actually is used as an attack (that is, against a foe), the spellcaster must succeed on a ranged touch attack instead of the melee touch attack that would normally be required. This ability has no effect on spells whose ranges are other than touch.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for 30 days.

Aura: Strong transmutation.

Ability Value: 2,000 gp.

Centuries ago, a group of powerful dwarf warriors was given a desperate mission—to hold the underground passage leading to a great dwarf city against an encroaching horde of hobgoblins and bugbears while the city was evacuated. When the intrepid band of dwarves beheld the onrushing foes, they knew that their chances of holding out long enough for all their fellows to escape were vanishingly small. Looking to one another for courage, the dwarves swore a powerful joint oath to hold the passage⁠—​not for the safety of the city and not for their own honor, but for the brotherhood they had built among themselves.

Against all expectations, the Brotherhood of the Ironsworn held the evil humanoids at bay for three entire days. Only when word came that the last dwarf was safely away from the city’s gates did the remaining Ironsworn finally fall. Because of the Ironsworn’s devotion and extreme heroism, the spot where they made their last stand gained mystical powers of its own.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about the Last Stand of the Ironsworn by making Knowledge (history) or Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15 (history): The Last Stand of the Ironsworn is a dwarven legend about a group of warriors who held off a large horde of humanoids bent on attacking a city.

DC 25 (history): The Last Stand of the Ironsworn is one of the greatest tales of dwarven military might, and the site of these heroic dwarves’ last stand is said to have magical powers.

DC 25 (arcana): The Last Stand of the Ironsworn is an obscure magical location that allows groups of goodaligned heroes to swear a powerful oath of mutual protection.

Description: The Ironsworn made their final stand just inside the gates of their great underground city. A grand passage, once lined with the artistry of proud dwarven craftsmen, leads to a gaping hole more than 40 feet high and nearly as wide. Beyond this gap lie the ruins of the great city itself. Once, a magnificent pair of adamantine doors kept unwelcome visitors out, but the same great forces that shattered the Ironsworn’s might pulled these gates down and used the adamantine as raw material for several powerful magic weapons and suits of armor.

The skin of creatures bound to the power of the Ironsworn gains a vaguely metallic sheen when they call upon the bond they share. This change in appearance provides subtle but noticeable visual evidence of the Ironsworn’s magic.

Prerequisite: Only a group of good-aligned allies who stand together at the site of the Ironsworn’s last stand can draw the power from this unique magical location.

Location Activation: To claim the power of the Last Stand of the Ironsworn, a group of good-aligned allies must stand together at the site and forever bond themselves as comrades in arms. The magic of the location, enhanced and made manifest by the devotion and courage of the Ironsworn, grants the group a greater than normal ability to stand together against foes.

Recharge: Once it has conferred its power on a group of up to five allies, the Last Stand of the Ironsworn cannot grant the ability again for one year. Most DMs link the number of creatures that the Last Stand of the Ironsworn can affect to the number of characters adventuring together, so that no player feels excluded from the benefits. This option also creates a game mechanic that reinforces the party’s natural desire to continue adventuring together.

Special Ability (Su): Once per day, a group of allied creatures that have stood together at the Last Stand of the Ironsworn can call upon the power of the site. To do so, one of them must spend a standard action yelling, “Remember the Ironsworn!” Each ally within 30 feet of another ally immediately gains a number of temporary hit points equal to twice the number of eligible allies. These temporary hit points last for up to 1 hour. For example, if a group of five heroes who have stood together at the Last Stand of the Ironsworn are all within 30 feet of each other, and one of them spends a standard action to call forth the site’s power, each gains 10 temporary hit points that last for up to 1 hour.

Duration: The conferred power lasts for one month. It ends prematurely for all creatures in the group if any of the allies who stood together at the Last Stand of the Ironsworn dies before that time.

Aura: Strong transmutation.

Variants: Unlike other locations described in this section, the Last Stand of the Ironsworn carries its own specific history. However, a DM wishing to use the abilities of the Last Stand of the Ironsworn in another way can easily change the details of this history. Warriors of another race, nation, or affiliation could easily provide the impetus for such a magical location at any site where they made a desperate last stand against overwhelming odds. Simply changing the name and back story of the location allows you to place the magical effects in any area of your campaign world.

Ability Value: 10,000 gp (2,000 gp per affected creature).

A necropolis of dread is a dark and twisted grave site that seems to draw all light into itself. Its lusterless black walls and pale bones create a gloom-filled impression of death and hopelessness. These rare sites usually result from strong necromantic magic, the creation of powerful undead, or massive slaughter in the name of some evil power. Whatever its location, the landscape within a necropolis of dread is forever changed, and never again does the area feel clean or wholesome to living creatures.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a necropolis of dread by making Knowledge (religion) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A necropolis of dread is a magical gravesite full of unknowable terrors.

DC 20: A necropolis of dread grants some of its fearsome power to any skilled necromancer who manages to brave its horrors.

DC 25: A necromancer who masters the power of a necropolis of dread casts fear-inducing magic with greater facility. In addition, creatures that brave the necropolis are more resistant to other fear-inducing effects, even if they have no ability with necromancy or fear-inducing magic.

Description: A necropolis of dread is as dark and fearsome as its name implies. Its black walls seem to absorb light, and even the brightest days take on a dim and cheerless aspect within its confines. An unearthly stillness pervades its grounds, and even the slightest sound seems jarring amid the silence of the dead.

When a spellcaster who has withstood the horrors of the necropolis uses its power to enhance a fear-inducing spell, his body is wrapped in a shadowy cloud that seems to pulse and writhe with power.

Prerequisite: Only a character with five or more character levels can access the power contained within a necropolis of dread.

Location Activation: The obelisk at the center of a necropolis of dread sends a magical spear of fear through each creature that approaches within 50 feet. The effect is identical to that of a fear spell (Will DC 18). Only a creature that spends a full-round action while within 50 feet of the obelisk benefits from the site’s power. Activating the site in this manner provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a necropolis of dread has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): Any qualified spellcaster who draws forth the power of a necropolis of dread gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against fear effects. In addition, whenever he casts a spell with the fear descriptor, or uses a spell-like or supernatural ability that induces fear, the DC of the required saving throw increases by 1.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong necromancy.

Ability Value: 3,000 gp.

This strange pool of magic water is akin to an everflame but opposite in effect. Formed by the presence of powerful cold magic or a long-standing portal to a particularly frigid section of the Elemental Plane of Water, a pool of frozen souls resembles a pool of extremely cold water. Regardless of the outside temperature, the water in a pool of frozen souls never freezes, and it remains frigid to the touch even in the hottest ambient temperatures. Because the magic of the pool is tied to its location, not to the water within it, any water removed from the pool is simply normal water. A pool of frozen souls that is completely drained of water loses its magical abilities.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a pool of frozen souls by making Knowledge (the planes) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10: A pool of frozen souls is the remnant of a longstanding connection to the Elemental Plane of Water, and it holds the essence of that watery realm.

DC 15: It is said that those who withstand the chill of a pool of frozen souls can resist the effects of any cold.

DC 20: Those who stand within a pool of frozen souls gain significant resistance to cold damage by drawing a small portion of its magic into themselves.

Description: The area around a pool of frozen souls is perpetually filled with an unearthly chill. The cold of the air and the water of the pool painfully freezes creatures and objects in contact with them, but these effects do not spread beyond the small area around the pool itself. Because pools of frozen souls are found only in areas that have held gates to the Elemental Plane of Water for long periods, they almost always occur near or within some great body of water. Such a site might include an island on which land-bound creatures forged the gate, but more often they are submerged in water.

Prerequisite: Only a creature with at least five character levels can benefit from the effects of a pool of frozen souls.

Location Activation: A pool of frozen souls is continually lit by a dull blue glow that emanates from the water itself. This magical pool deals 2d6 points of cold damage per round to any creature in contact with its water. To gain the benefits of a pool of frozen souls, a qualified creature must stand unprotected within its confines for at least 3 rounds. Each incarnation of the pool affects only five creatures at a time. If more than five creatures qualify for the benefit at once, only five of them (selected at random) gain it.

Recharge: Once a pool of frozen souls has conferred its benefits on five creatures, it cannot confer them again for one year.

Special Ability Activation and Effect (Ex): A qualified creature gains resistance to cold 5. A creature that already has resistance to cold from another source (even a temporary one, such as a spell or item) gains nothing from the pool. A creature can gain this benefit only once, and its effects do not stack with any other resistance to cold the creature might subsequently gain.

Duration: The resistance to cold lasts for one year.

Aura: Strong abjuration.

Ability Value: 10,000 gp (2,000 gp per affected creature).

A magical event of great power sometimes gives rise to a spellward of arcane might. Such areas are imbued with so much raw arcane energy that the very air seems to hum with unfocused power. Like other magical locations, spellwards of arcane might are extremely rare, and the conditions that give rise to them are poorly understood. A spellward of arcane might could arise from battles between multiple powerful spellcasters, the creation of an artifact or a similarly powerful magic item, the use of multiple wish spells in the same spot, and similar titanic releases of arcane power.

Although spellwards form anywhere, most are indoors. Magical glyphs of vibrant blue energy continuously form and fade on the walls, ceilings, and floors of these spaces. While only a few such sigils are ever present within a spellward, their glow provides faint illumination within its confines.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a spellward of arcane might by making Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A spellward of arcane might is a wellspring of magical power.

DC 20: A spellward of arcane might allows a spellcaster to alter spells as they are cast.

DC 25: A spellward of arcane might is a magical location that grants an experienced spellcaster the ability to spontaneously quicken a small number of spells.

Description: Spellwards of arcane might are usually found indoors. Every interior surface of such a location is covered in glyphs that glow with a magical light. This faint glow provides dim illumination throughout the spellward.

When a spellcaster enhances a spell with the power of a spellward, glowing blue runes form in the air around her. These runes vanish almost immediately, but their presence is a visible reminder of the power granted by the spellward.

Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher arcane spellcaster can access the power contained within a spellward of arcane might.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a spellward of arcane might, a qualified arcane spellcaster must stand within its confines and draw its power into herself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Recharge: Once a spellward of arcane might has conferred its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Su): An arcane spellcaster who draws forth the power of a spellward of arcane might casts certain spells faster than normal. Once per day, she can cast a spell of 3rd level or lower that normally has a casting time of 1 standard action as a swift action instead.

Duration: The conferred ability functions for 30 days.

Aura: Strong transmutation and universal.

Ability Value: 9,000 gp.

Imbued with the martial perfection and power of an exceptionally skilled warrior, a shrine of the weaponmaster is a hallowed place associated with great displays of martial skill. Most often, the death of a great warrior gives rise to a shrine of the weaponmaster, but it can also result from a significant display of martial prowess by a living warrior or group of warriors. Though called a shrine, such a location has no connection to divine power and can be found anywhere.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a shrine of the weaponmaster by making Knowledge (history) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: A shrine of the weaponmaster is the site where a famous warrior fell, or where one or more warriors displayed great martial prowess.

DC 20: A shrine of the weaponmaster holds some of the martial skill of the great warrior or warriors who fought there. Those who visit the location can pull some of this power into themselves.

DC 25: A shrine of the weaponmaster is a magical location that allows a skilled warrior to bond with a specific weapon, thereby gaining amazing skill with the weapon.

Description: The power embodied in a shrine of the weaponmaster stems from the events that transpired there, not from any physical aspect of the location. Thus, shrines vary widely in appearance, though many are found in areas of extreme danger, since such locations tend to require the exceptional feats of arms that give a shrine of the weaponmaster its magic.

Prerequisite: Only a character with a +5 or higher base attack bonus and proficiency with all martial weapons can access the power contained within a shrine of the weaponmaster.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a shrine of the weaponmaster, a qualified warrior must stand within its confines and draw its power into himself by force of will. Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of opportunity. A shrine of the weaponmaster holds enough power to affect up to five qualified creatures simultaneously.

Recharge: Once a shrine of the weaponmaster has conferred its ability on five creatures, it cannot confer it again for 30 days.

Special Ability: The magic of the shrine grants the affected warrior great insight into the use of weapons. Each morning after he acquires the power, he can spend 15 minutes practicing his newfound martial knowledge and attuning himself to a single melee weapon with which he is proficient. After completing this simple ritual, he gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls for attacks made with the attuned weapon. The warrior stays attuned to the weapon until the following morning. At that point, he can repeat the ritual with the same weapon or a different one. Failure to perform the ritual on any given day means he does not gain the bonus on damage rolls for the following 24-hour period, but he still retains the ability to perform the ritual on subsequent days until the ability expires.

Duration: The conferred ability lasts for 30 days.

Aura: Strong divination.

Ability Value: 10,000 gp (2,000 gp per affected creature).

Terrible cysts are near-organic lesions in the earth itself that crop up in nearly any terrain. These cancerous blemishes form in nearly any above- or belowground location. The presence of a terrible cyst causes nearby plant life to turn black and cancerous, stone to crack and crumble, and metal to rust. A terrible cyst might form where a powerful demon has lingered for a long time, or where a creature of great good turned suddenly to evil, or where an item of powerful evil magic was created. Such conditions do not always create terrible cysts, but they seem to increase the chances that one might form.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a terrible cyst by making Knowledge (the planes) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 15: Terrible cysts are small lesions in the earth caused by the presence of great evil.

DC 20: A terrible cyst persists until a powerful evil creature draws power from it.

DC 25: An evil creature that draws forth the power of a terrible cyst focuses it into a devastating physical attack against a good creature.

Description: A terrible cyst looks like an oozing, cancerous blemish in the earth itself. Each cyst occupies only a 10-foot-by-10-foot area, but its horrid stench extends much farther. The vegetation in the affected area lingers in a state of rot, and the ground itself reeks of carrion. The whole area glows with a dim, sickening red light.

An evil creature imbued with the power of the cyst glows briefly with the same red radiance when it makes a smite attack against a good creature. Although this glow sheds no useful amount of illumination, it does give the creature’s countenance a rough, demonic cast. In addition, the cyst’s connection to the Abyss twists the creature’s visage into a horrible mask of pure hatred. These effects are only momentary, and the creature returns to its normal appearance as soon as it completes its smite attack.

Prerequisite: Only an evil creature with at least five character levels can draw forth the power of a terrible cyst.

Location Activation: Any qualified creature that enters a cyst immediately becomes aware of the dark power held within it and knows intuitively how to access that power. To claim the ability granted by a terrible cyst, the creature must stand within its confines and draw its power into itself by force of will. Doing so requires three full-round actions and provokes attacks of opportunity.

During this process, the cyst shrinks and is absorbed into the surrounding terrain, as if the abyssal infection afflicting the land were actually healing. A cyst that is healing has no ill effect on creatures within it, but the terrain does retain a lingering aura of evil until the cyst has completely healed.

Recharge: If an evil creature dies while holding the power of a terrible cyst, a new one forms at the spot where its body falls. Thus, any given terrible cyst confers its power only once, but the death of the creature that absorbed this power regenerates the cyst in a new location.

Special Ability (Su): Upon draining power from a terrible cyst, a creature gains the ability to smite a good foe once per day. On a successful attack against a good-aligned opponent, the creature adds its character level to its damage roll (maximum +20).

Duration: The conferred ability lasts until the creature that holds it perishes.

Aura: Strong transmutation.

Ability Value: 2,500 gp.

Though less obvious than other acts of heroism, heroic vigilance also leaves its mark on the very ground where it occurred. A watchpost of vigilance, as such a site is called, might form on a distant mountain peak where a lone druid watched over the northern lands for decades before finally bringing word of an approaching army to the communities in the nearby foothills. Alternatively, it could form in an ancient dwarf redoubt, or in an elf watchpost concealed in the forest’s high branches.

Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of information about a watchpost of vigilance by making Knowledge (history) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given below.

DC 10: A watchpost of vigilance forms because of some heroic act of vigilance that took place at the site in question.

DC 15: A successful check at this level allows the character to learn the basic details of the specific act of heroism that created a particular watchpost of vigilance.

DC 20: A watchpost of vigilance is more than a simple footnote to history. The power held within it grants those who stand watch there sharper eyes and quicker reactions to danger than normal.

Description: Although watchposts of vigilance vary in size, most are no greater than 20 feet by 20 feet. Regardless of its actual appearance, a watchpost of vigilance commands an excellent view of the surrounding areas. Even in the tight confines of a dwarf stronghold, such a site might occur at an important crossroads, or in some other place that grants a relatively wide view of the area.

Prerequisite: Only a creature with an Intelligence score of 5 or higher can benefit from the effect of a watchpost of vigilance.

Location Activation: To claim the power of a watchpost of vigilance, a qualified creature must spend a minimum of 8 hours within its confines and draw its power into itself by force of will. A watchpost of vigilance holds enough power to affect up to five qualified creatures simultaneously.

Recharge: Once a watchpost of vigilance has conferred its ability on five creatures, it cannot confer it again for 24 hours.

Special Ability (Su): A watchpost of vigilance sharpens the awareness, vision, and hearing of an affected creature and quickens its reaction times. The creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus on initiative rolls and on Spot and Listen checks as long as it remains within the watchpost and for 24 hours after leaving it.

Duration: Each incarnation of the watchpost of vigilance affects creatures while they are within its confines, and a full 24 hours after the creature leaves the small area of the site.

Aura: Moderate divination.

Ability Value: 1,500 gp (300 gp per affected creature).

Utilizing magical locations as treasure is a great way to provide characters with a new and interesting alternative reward instead of still another +1 longsword. Since magical locations are supplements to regular treasure, each is assigned a gp value, so that its benefits can be directly substituted for treasure that characters would otherwise receive. For instance, if overcoming a particular challenge normally calls for a treasure reward of 5,000 gp, you could substitute a dragonheart tomb whose power affects two PCs (a 2,000 gp value) for part of that amount and award only 3,000 gp worth of standard treasure. Other types of locations, such as touchstones or earth nodes, confer powers that require a character to give up a feat slot or pay some other cost to gain their benefits, so they are not considered to be treasure.