5e Artifacts (Appalachia)

The Manhattan Purchase Beads of Power

The most important artifacts in the Appalachia campaign are the Manhattan Purchase Beads of Power. The Dutch gnomes purchased the Island of Manhattan with 200 beads of power. Each bead contains the essence of one of the spells in the PHB. Each bead is the power core for the ability to cast one spell. If the bead is somehow destroyed, that spell can no longer be cast until a highest level gnomish artificer Constructs it again. This process takes one year. Each bead may be used by a character whose level exceeds the spell level of the spell. So a bead that is the essence of one of the fifth level spells may be used by any character of 6th level or higher.

• Each bead may be used to counteract the casting of its spell once per day. The bead gains the ability to do this again at midnight.
• Each bead may be used to cast its spell once per day. The bead gains the ability to do this again at midnight.
• Each bead may be used to detect the casting of its spell within one mile and alert the character carrying it.
• If a bead is destroyed,its spell may no longer be cast worldwide for the next year.
• If the bead is cast into the ocean, only merfolk may cast its spell for 24 hours until the bead floats to the surface and washes up on shore somewhere in the world.
• If placed on a level surface, each bead will roll in the direction of the nearest bead to itself.

Most of the beads are still held by the elves.

The beads were created by the immortal gnome alchemist - Nicolas Flamel in the 15th century. If strung together the beads can have interesting effects.

Beads

There are 24 beads of great power and 176 beads of lesser power.

1. Bead of shaping 50000GP
2. Bead of the wind 50000GP
3. Bead of the stars 50000GP
4. Bead of the Feywald 50000GP
5. Bead of Life 50000GP
6. Bead of Seeing 50000GP
7. Bead of Fire 50000GP
8. Bead of Nature 50000GP

The Elven Indians respect the great power that the Dutch traded to buy Manhattan, and therefore New York City has been allowed to remain in the hands to the gnomes and humans out of respect for that trade. They are also afraid that if they take back Manhattan, they may lose the beads.