OK, I must begin with admitting that I haven't read the whole HC yet, since I just received it yesterday. There was one thing that caught my eye though. It was listed that Vhalantru had a simulacrum suit and that was why he could keep the alternate form for so long. Am I missing something? The wording for the spell simulacrum in the SRD is as follows:
Simulacrum
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 12 hours
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: One duplicate creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Simulacrum creates an illusory duplicate of any creature. The duplicate creature is partially real and formed from ice or snow. It appears to be the same as the original, but it has only one-half of the real creature's levels or Hit Dice (and the appropriate hit points, feats, skill ranks, and special abilities for a creature of that level or HD). You can't create a simulacrum of a creature whose Hit Dice or levels exceed twice your caster level. You must make a Disguise check when you cast the spell to determine how good the likeness is. A creature familiar with the original might detect the ruse with a successful Spot check (opposed by the caster's Disguise check) or a DC 20 Sense Motive check.
At all times the simulacrum remains under your absolute command. No special telepathic link exists, so command must be exercised in some other manner. A simulacrum has no ability to become more powerful. It cannot increase its level or abilities. If reduced to 0 hit points or otherwise destroyed, it reverts to snow and melts instantly into nothingness. A complex process requiring at least 24 hours, 100 gp per hit point, and a fully equipped magical laboratory can repair damage to a simulacrum.
Material Component: The spell is cast over the rough snow or ice form, and some piece of the creature to be duplicated (hair, nail, or the like) must be placed inside the snow or ice. Additionally, the spell requires powdered ruby worth 100 gp per HD of the simulacrum to be created.
XP Cost: 100 XP per HD of the simulacrum to be created (minimum 1,000 XP).
I can't see how an magic item with this spell effect would work the way described in the adventure. On the other hand, I haven't read the whole book from cover to cover yet, so maybe there's another description of this magic item somewhere in there? Maybe the item has nothing at all to do with the spell simulacrum?
IIRC the magic item itself is based on polymorph rather than simulacrum.
-M-
Creative Director
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The whole point of the simulacrum suit was to explain how Vhalantru is able to remain undiscovered as a humanoid for so long. The magic item uses the base idea of simulacrum as a starting point, but the effect produced by the item is far, far different than that you get by casting the spell. That's why it requires two spells (simulacrum and limited wish) to create said magic item.
There are several other magic items in the game that have effects that aren't exactly duplicated by extant spells, such as the mirror of opposition or the glove of storing or the ring of shooting stars. It's good to have magic items that do things that spells can't, since it makes these magic items all the more unique and interesting.
OK, this issue made me discover an error in the table of contents. The TOC says "Appendix II: Feats, Spells and Magic" NOT "Magic Items" that I was looking for. (I know, stupid, but that's what happens when you're just browsing the contents). Perhaps something to correct for a 2nd printing?