Veil of the Midnight Vigil

[Eric Morton]

VEIL OF THE MIDNIGHT VIGIL
Aura: faint divination; CL 5th
Slot: eyes; Price: 6,000 gp; Weight: –

DESCRIPTION
Woven from strands of prescient dreams, this gossamer veil is embroidered with the symbol of a single open eye. The veil's fabric is thin enough that it won’t interfere with a wearer’s vision.
While wearing this veil, you can sleep in any position you could maintain comfortably while awake. While sleeping, you are aware of your surroundings as though you were awake and had your eyes open. You do not dream, and cannot be targeted by spells or effects that only affect dreaming creatures. Unless you have been forced to sleep against your will, you can awaken from sleep at any time as a free action. This veil does not otherwise allow you to perform actions while you sleep.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, clairaudience/clairvoyance; Cost: 3,000 gp

[Clark Peterson]

This one is interesting. Finally, something inspired in the "dream/sleep item" category. I want to think about this one for a while. I think I like it.

[Wolfgang Baur]

Much more interesting than some, but also pretty much another warding/campout item.

Still, it's making me think of places I'd use such an item in a campaign. Elves or rangers might often have them. Even a dragon might ... while snoring away.

Lots of entertainment inherent in this if monsters use it right. Also great for small groups of PCs. Hm.

Inclined to keep this one.

[Clark Peterson]

Sure helps when you think you might be the subject of some evil dream vision sendings and nightmares.

I think it is cool.

I would like to hear what Sean has to say.

[Clark Peterson]

Come on, Sean! Whatcha got?

[Sean K Reynolds]

I like it.

[Sean K Reynolds]

Kept.

[Clinton Boomer]

A very cool and original item, and the sort of thing that I can see wanting to use at the table. I don't see it being a "broken" item, but it would be useful (especially at the price) for almost any party. For a stealth-&-infiltration-based game, this would be invaluable.

Now, it doesn't cause explosions, which is always a minus in my book ... but it's innovative and adventure-centric. I'm almost surprised that something like this hasn't been seen in a fantasy novel.

Great job, and I look forward to seeing more as the Superstar! competition rolls forward!

[Jason Nelson]

Congratulations on making it into RPG Superstar 2009!

I actually completely love this item.

It is simple and elegant in design, and yet it is fun and interesting. A very quick and economical and yet evocative and cool description. A wonderful name. A useful effect - you can sleep standing up (so you don't have to spend an action getting up), you suffer no penalties to Perception for being asleep, and can react immediately into full wakefulness. It's a great campout/guard item, and it's at a price point where elite NPC guards or scouts could realistically have them as standard equipment alongside their boots of elvenkind, +1 mighty composite longbow, and +1 cloak of resistance, and yet is handy enough that even high-level adventurers might want to get one.

It fits easily into any campaign, it does something that spells don't do. You've hit all the marks here and hit them very, very very well.

Summary: Great job! It's not flashy or gonzo, but it is well-built, useful, flavorful, and I'd buy one for my PC in a minute, and as a DM I would have no trouble finding NPCs to use these things. It's an excellent idea married executed exceptionally. (okay, now I'm being silly, but really, awesome job - this is one of my favorites)

[Jason Nelson]

Clinton Boomer wrote:

I'm almost surprised that something like this hasn't been seen in a fantasy novel.

I'm right with you, and to me this is one simple test of a great item. The one that makes you say, "Wow, why hasn't this ALWAYS been in the game?" I think I said the same about the hurricane gloves. When you get the Forehead-Slap of Obviousness, and yet it wasn't obvious enough for anyone else to have made it yet, that's inspired work.

[Rob McCreary]

I'm in agreement with my fellows here - great name, great flavor, and definitely useful. Quite a bit so, in fact. I like it, I really do, but it seems like there's just a few too many powers here. Sure, they fit the theme, but how does clairaudience/clairvoyance as a prerequisite help you sleep in armor (I'm assuming you can, since you can stand in armor awake) and protect you from dream attacks? Give me freedom of movement, protection from evil, or something else if you're going to have this many abilities tied to one 3rd-level divination spell. It's a great item, but I think it needs just a little more (or a little less).

I still give it a thumbs up though. Congratulations on joining the ranks of RPG Superstar!

[Jason Nelson]

Rob McCreary wrote:

I'm in agreement with my fellows here - great name, great flavor, and definitely useful. Quite a bit so, in fact. I like it, I really do, but it seems like there's just a few too many powers here. Sure, they fit the theme, but how does clairaudience/clairvoyance as a prerequisite help you sleep in armor (I'm assuming you can, since you can stand in armor awake) and protect you from dream attacks? Give me freedom of movement, protection from evil, or something else if you're going to have this many abilities tied to one 3rd-level divination spell. It's a great item, but I think it needs just a little more (or a little less).

I still give it a thumbs up though. Congratulations on joining the ranks of RPG Superstar!

I thought about the sleeping in armor question too, as at first I was thinking it was a great "sleeping on watch item" cuz you could sleep in your armor, but it just says you can sleep in any position. It doesn't allow you sleep any better in armor than you normally could, or to get less sleep, or anything else.

I'd agree, though, that protection from chaos/evil/good/law would be a good prereq for the item, given its blocking of dream-magic attacks.

[Christine Schneider]

On one hand, the dream category is one of my favourites, on the other I dislike enhanced camping items, so let’s see what it will be. After giving this a bit of thought, I come to the conclusion that the immunity to dream effects as well as the nice "sleep in any position you want" made me like it.
Combined with fair pricing and formatting I am looking at a solid item.

I'd love to have a crossbow-watchman stand on his post hidden and terminator like until the PCs arrive...

Positive
Small groups nearly depend on camping items. This is a stylish one that holds up to the premise of protecting the PCs while making nightly encounters still a possibility for the DM to explore.
Good mixture of style and functionality.

Negative
I didn't spot anything…and I can do without explosions once in while :P

After reviewing all other items:
This is a solid and stylish one I might drop into my game. Good work contestant of the RPG Superstar 09!

[Eric Morton]

Thanks for the kind words, the constructive criticism, and the opportunity to present my villain concept. I'll be back with more comments in later posts.

Until then, sleep with one eye open. (Because, you know, the veil is embroidered with one eye, open. Just in case anyone missed that, my favorite little detail.)

[Mike Welham]

Nice. This definitely works around the "who's going to take watch now" issue every party faces.

When I read the name at first, I read "Veil of the Midnight Veil". Stupid optical nerves...

Congratulations!

[bitplayr]

Practical, basic... yeah, pretty much what everyone else has said. This is my kind of magic item.

[Sue Flaherty]

Nice :) Having submitted an item that didn't make it that dealt with sleep, yours is elegant in its simplicity and usability. Good job!

[R D Ramsey]

It is practical and simple, and it is quite well named.

But...

The question of wearing armor came to mind while reading it, and it's clearly an item designed to be used in situations where players would want to keep their armor on. It's a bit disappointing the question is addressed clearly. If it were in my campaign, I'd rule you could wear armor, but I'd be the one making that ruling, not the designer.

Currently on my "second tier" list.

[Carl Flaherty]

Let see,

5 x 3 x 2000 (since it is usable at will as long as it is worn?)

Is there a cost reducer that I am missing?

[Eric Morton]

Clark Peterson wrote:

Finally, something inspired in the "dream/sleep item" category.

I saw your earlier comment about no interesting sleep items in another thread a few days back, and was almost certain I'd been cut. Don't scare me like that, Clark!

Clouds Without Water wrote:

The question of wearing armor came to mind while reading it, and it's clearly an item designed to be used in situations where players would want to keep their armor on.

A fair criticism; I could have been much more specific.

Incidentally, Jason Nelson's interpretation is the correct one: the item says nothing about armor; therefore, it doesn't allow you to sleep in armor. The intent was to remove most penalties of sleep, not all of them. (I also didn't want to step on the toes of the Endurance feat.)

Clouds Without Water wrote:

Currently on my "second tier" list.

In that case, I'll try extra hard to make a "first tier" villain concept. ;-)

---

And now, the part of my post where I demonstrate the fact that I put WAY too much thought into an item that essentially says "you remain conscious while sleeping."

Rob McCreary wrote:

[H]ow does clairaudience/clairvoyance as a prerequisite... protect you from dream attacks?

I was envisioning clairaudience/clairvoyance protecting you from dreams the same way that closing your eyes and scrying on a creature on the far side of the world protects you from gaze attacks originating across the room. The scrying spell isn't producing some sort of magical effect that prevents the attack; the fact that you are unable to perceive the attack (for any reason) is what prevents the attack. Since the veil allows your conscious mind to perceive your surroundings, you can't be targeted by effects which require you to be exclusively engaging your subconscious mind (i.e. dreaming).

I did debate whether or not to increase the price based on this beneficial side-effect, but decided against it. I could only find three dream-related effects in the core rules (dream, nightmare, and a night hag's dream haunting), the first of which was harmless. (And all three are useless against elves.) Based on that, I decided that dream-related effects were something of a corner case, and therefore shouldn't have an impact on item pricing.

Carl Flaherty wrote:

5 x 3 x 2000 (since it is usable at will as long as it is worn?)

Is there a cost reducer that I am missing?

5 x 3 x 2000 x 2 (modifier for a minutes/level duration spell usable at will) = 60,000 gp base.

Divide by three because the clairaudience/clairvoyance effect produced by the item only includes one-third of the spell's functionality (you can see with your eyes closed, but cannot trace line of effect from outside your own space and cannot look around/through barriers).
Divide by three because no given person can use the at-will effect for more than one-third of the day (eight hours of sleep).
Arbitrary 10% discount because you can only use the item when not performing any actions. (I consider 10% to be a rather conservative discount, here. Imagine an item that gives you +6 Strength, but only if you take no actions; not completely worthless, but not worth anywhere near the full base price of a +6-enhancement-bonus item.)

[Vladislav Rashkovski]

This item offers lot of roleplaying opportunities, and can be used to put a memorable spin on an encounter - think "the treasure vault whose guardian never sleeps". Perhaps he's very powerful - the PCs have to find out his secret weakness, then steal the Veil, and the rest is history.

I'm not sure how I feel about putting it in the hands of players. I sometimes rely on dreams and visions as key points of the plot. With a little work though, I can turn the Veil into something dangerous - if you don't dream while you sleep, then you dream when you're awake. I like the mysterious, "insomnia" sort of feel to this item.

[Erik Anderson]

Veil of the Midnight Vigil has a lot of utility. I also like the "woven from strands of prescient dreams" angle. That's pretty damned wondrous.

I really dislike the idea behind it though, from a game point of view. It's very similar, theoretically, to the Ring of Sustenance. And I don't like that item all that much either.

All in all, I'm afraid, in spite of this item being fairly well written, that I just don't like it.

[Paul Worthen]

I really like the look and feel of the veil. I think it's well written and really evocative. My one concern is that as a player, I'd much rather have a ring of sustenance than this item. The ring is cheaper, allows you to be active for 22 hours a day, and provides further benefits. The veil does have a minor benefit, immunity to dream spells, but I don't think it's worth the increased cost.

[Carl Flaherty]

Epic Meepo wrote:

5 x 3 x 2000 x 2 (modifier for a minutes/level duration spell usable at will) = 60,000 gp base.

Divide by three because the clairaudience/clairvoyance effect produced by the item only includes one-third of the spell's functionality (you can see with your eyes closed, but cannot trace line of effect from outside your own space and cannot look around/through barriers).
Divide by three because no given person can use the at-will effect for more than one-third of the day (eight hours of sleep).
Arbitrary 10% discount because you can only use the item when not performing any actions. (I consider 10% to be a rather conservative discount, here. Imagine an item that gives you +6 Strength, but only if you take no actions; not completely worthless, but not worth anywhere near the full base price of a +6-enhancement-bonus item.)

Ah! That makes sense.

I was a bit worried about making "discretionary" discounts like that, because the rules appeared to be - on their face at least - a little cut and dried. And I didn't know how strict the judges would be.

I probibly should have discounted, my own item. :)

[Eric Morton]

Erik Anderson wrote:

It's very similar, theoretically, to the Ring of Sustenance. And I don't like that item all that much either.

Yeah, if you don't like the ring of sustenance, you might not like the veil of the midnight vigil.

I, for one, love the ring of sustenance; its the second utility item my character buys (after a handy havesack). And at higher levels, if the GM allows it, I commision someone to craft a double-cost ring of sustenance that doesn't take up a ring slot.

Paul Worthen wrote:

I'd much rather have a ring of sustenance than this item.

I'd much rather have both at the same time! ;-)

[Russ Taylor]

Seeing a lot of themes I played with in my recent design effort in this contest, I hope it's a case of great minds thinking alike rather than just me being unoriginal :)

The starting flavor item is just great. The ability is useful, and the drawback more pronounced than my own version (which just keeps you alert while resting).

This is in my top 2 so far for the contest.

[Charles Evans 25]

(edited)
Either 'veil' means something different in US English to what it does in UK English (if US English is what Eric Morton has been writing in) or this item is on the wrong slot (eyes) in my opinion. A veil might hang down in front of your face (think any number of romantic films/soap-operas with wedding scenes & brides wearing veils), but in my opinion this should be a (hat) slot item, since on top of your head (unless a veil has an alternate meaning in US English) is where it would primarily be worn.

Other than that solid work, although like others I am slightly leery (even having seen the carefully thought through explanation) of why the item should make you immune to dream/nightmare effects. Fortunately there may be Paizo created spells (such as traveling dream from Gods & Magic) which might fit the item better and the explanation that you seem to me to be trying to give.

[Mike Speck]

I don't have much to add to what's already been said -- this is a nice, tight utility item. I don't have any problem with dream immunity, personally -- it's a reasonable side effect of this item, just giving a little extra boost. For me, though, while it certainly passes Jason's "Forehead Slap" test, it doesn't excite me much. But that's a question of taste!

Congrats on making Top 32!

[Cpt_kirstov]

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

(edited)

Either 'veil' means something different in US English to what it does in UK English (if US English is what Eric Morton has been writing in) or this item is on the wrong slot (eyes) in my opinion. A veil might hang down in front of your face (think any number of romantic films/soap-operas with wedding scenes & brides wearing veils), but in my opinion this should be a (hat) slot item, since on top of your head (unless a veil has an alternate meaning in US English) is where it would primarily be worn.

no - you're thinking of the right thing... doing a quick google image search for 'wedding veil' about 3/5 of the ones that come down and cover the face adequately for this effect would take hat slots.. the other 2/5 look to be attached to headbands, or connected in such a thin manner that hats can easily be worn over them, thus not taking up that slot in my mind

[Murkmoldiev]

One of the players in my campaign just freaked when he saw this item.
Hes an arch Psion being done over by a Wild mage Using This spell...

Pilpin's Nightmare (Enchantment/Charm, Necromancy)

Range: Plane of casting
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: Special
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Special

This spell allows the wizard to enter a creature's dream and attempt to control it, but the spell can backfire and destroy the wizard. Creatures that do not dream are not affected by this spell (i.e., undead, non-intelligent monsters, etc.). The creature must have been asleep for at least one hour before the spell will work.
The wizard goes into a deep trance for the duration of the spell and is totally oblivious to the surrounding environment. If the wizard is disturbed, the spell ends.
The wizard projects from the trance into the creature's dream. The wizard will appear in the dream as an observer, unable to influence the dream or say anything. There is a 5% chance that the dream projected into is hostile to the wizard (see below for the effects of a dream hostile to the wizard).
Once in the dream, the wizard attempts to take control of the dream. If this first saving throw is successful, the wizard does not take control of the dream and cannot try again for a week. At this point, the wizard can leave, or remain as an observer. If the wizard chooses to remain, there is a 5% chance per round that the dream turns hostile to the wizard. If the creature fails the saving throw, the wizard takes control of the dream and can make anything happen in that dream. If the wizard causes the dream to become hostile to the creature (i.e.: turning it into a nightmare), the target creature must make a saving throw versus death magic or die in its sleep. If the creature's saving throw is successful, the wizard loses control of the dream, but the target creature still takes physical damage equal to 25% of its maximum hit points. The target creature will not awaken due to the physical damage caused by the nightmare, but may be awaken by another, who witnesses the damage suddenly appearing on the creature.
After the first attempt at turning the dream to a nightmare there is a 50% chance that the dream turns hostile to the wizard. The wizard can again attempt to take control of the dream or leave. If the wizard regains control of the dream, he can again attempt to kill the target. If the target saves versus death magic again, the wizard loses control of the dream and the target takes another 25% of its maximum hit points in damage. The dream now automatically turns hostile to the wizard.
The wizard can continue to go through this, each time the creature can either fail its saving throw and die, or successfully save and take 25% of its hit points in damage. If the target creature saves and takes damage four times, it dies from physical damage.
If at any time the dream turns hostile to the wizard, the wizard can attempt to control the dream in the usual manner, or attempt to leave the dream. If the wizard chooses to leave, a successful saving throw versus spell is required (leaving a non-hostile dream does not require a saving throw), if the saving throw fails, the wizard is trapped. If the wizard unsuccessfully attempts to control the dream (i.e., the target saves against the attempt), the wizard is trapped.
A wizard trapped in a dream hostile to himself cannot make the dream hostile to the target again and must make a successful saving throw versus death magic or die for each round trapped. If the saving throw is successful, the wizard loses 25% of his hit points due to physical damage (a wise wizard will have somebody watching in case this starts to happen). If the wizard is not awoke by another, he must regain control of the dream before he can attempt escape. If unsuccessful in gaining control of the dream, the wizard will die in four rounds from physical damage, if not sooner from a failed saving throw versus death magic.
The material components are a personal possession from the target creature and a lock of hair from a night hag.

[Eric Morton]

Murkmoldiev wrote:

Pilpin's Nightmare

Wow, I didn't know about that spell. Pilpin just got owned by a camping item.

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

...this should be a (hat) slot item...

[stuff about veils sitting on heads, or being headbands, or not taking up slots]

Deciding what body slot this item should take was probably the decision I agonized over the most. I spent the last few minutes before clicking the submit button wavering back and forth on body slot.

For completeness, a lengthy (and boring) exposition about agonizing over veils and body slots follows:

Spoiler:

On the one hand, most of a veil sits on your head. On the other hand, the only veil in the Magic Item Compendium uses the face slot. And anything on both your head and your face is also covering your eyes. So that gives three possible body slots. Plus, there's no physical reason you can't wear a hat, goggles, a mask, and a veil at the same time.

That gave me four possible options (head, face, eyes, no slot). Since physical location wasn't getting any more specific than that, I just went with the body slot that was both covered by a veil and most relevant to its magic (sensory). That made it eyes by default. The veil is physically on your head and your face, possibly with a hat and mask beneath it, but the magic of the veil is sympathetically linked with your eyes.

I was also inclined to favor eyes because I decided the veil and googles of night should be mutually exclusive. If you don't have darkvision and you're going on a midnight vigil, it should be a candlelight vigil. (No mechanical reason for that preference. The image of a candlelight vigil was just more aesthetically appealing than someone standing around in the dark.)

In the end, I probably could have gone any way with it.

[Craig Johnston]

Eric Morton wrote:

Erik Anderson wrote:

It's very similar, theoretically, to the Ring of Sustenance. And I don't like that item all that much either.

Yeah, if you don't like the ring of sustenance, you might not like the veil of the midnight vigil.

I, for one, love the ring of sustenance; its the second utility item my character buys (after a handy havesack). And at higher levels, if the GM allows it, I commision someone to craft a double-cost ring of sustenance that doesn't take up a ring slot.

Paul Worthen wrote:

I'd much rather have a ring of sustenance than this item.

I'd much rather have both at the same time! ;-)

Ring of Sustenance + Handy Haversack = Every Adventurer's Basic Survival Kit. ;)

And I immediately thought of using both RoS & VotMV at once for some nice handy brokenness. Although I must admit I also thought that it would allow you to sleep in armour as well. Oh well.

Still a very nice item. I like it.
And Congrats on the Top 32.

[Charles Evans 25]

Epic Meepo wrote:

Murkmoldiev wrote:

Pilpin's Nightmare

Wow, I didn't know about that spell. Pilpin just got owned by a camping item.

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

...this should be a (hat) slot item...

[stuff about veils sitting on heads, or being headbands, or not taking up slots]

Deciding what body slot this item should take was probably the decision I agonized over the most. I spent the last few minutes before clicking the submit button wavering back and forth on body slot.

For completeness, a lengthy (and boring) exposition about agonizing over veils and body slots follows:
** spoiler omitted **In the end, I probably could have gone any way with it.

Hmm. But your item is based on the user still actually being asleep (although aware in a sort of 'sixth sense' manner of their surroundings), and from a DM point of view I would dismiss any notion that items such as goggles (which effectively stack with or enhance 'normal' vision) function with such a state.

However congratulations on reaching the top 32.

Edit:
In the Pathfinder Campaign Setting, the minor deity Sivanah (detailed on page 172) is mentioned as having strong connection with veils, so no doubt at some point we will see veil magic items from Paizo.

[Charles Evans 25]

Further update, on veil items in Paizo products...
In 'Gods & Magic' (Pathfinder Chronicles line) on Page 60 there is a magic item associated with the church of Sivanah, 'Veil of Veils', which occupies the 'mask' slot. (I guess that that would equate to face. :D )

[Neil Spicer]

Very well done item! I like the execution of it a lot. Nice powers all woven together in a way that makes sense. My only worry is that I'm torn on the notion of whether this abusable (i.e., never worry about posting sentries overnight anymore). And I'm wondering over how often it would be used in a game. Only during nap-time?

Regardless, welcome to the Top 32. I'm still making my way around everyone's items to try and comment on them. Good luck in the next round!

My two-cents,
--Neil

[allen trussell]

This is neat, evocative and useful. "Woven from strands of prescient dreams...", that's a good line! It makes me think of Dune. Congrats!

[Matt Banach]

Certainly one of my favorite items. This has a beautiful synergy of style and utility, and it was an item that would want my character to have.

The 'sleep with one eye open' motif is extremely clever without being cheezy at all. Kudos.

[Eric Morton]

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

In 'Gods & Magic' (Pathfinder Chronicles line) on Page 60 there is a magic item associated with the church of Sivanah, 'Veil of Veils', which occupies the 'mask' slot. (I guess that that would equate to face. :D )

Well, that settles that issue.

Were I to do it over again, I'd probably have made it a face slot item to fit the Pathfinder Chronicles precedent.

EDIT: And again, thanks to everyone for all of the kind words and constructive criticism. I'm off to put some finishing touches on my villain concept.

[Steven Helt]

I am generally disinterested in camping items as a gm..but you've heard all that already. I like the image of someone sleeping standing up, with a veil over her head, and when the goblins get close enough she yells "Sneak attack!!".

I take issue with the comment about inspired dream items, but only to be silly and make fun of myself.

Congratulations.

[Carl Flaherty]

Steven T. Helt wrote:

I am generally disinterested in camping items as a gm..but you've heard all that already. I like the image of someone sleeping standing up, with a veil over her head, and when the goblins get close enough she yells "Sneak attack!!".

I take issue with the comment about inspired dream items, but only to be silly and make fun of myself.

Congratulations.

SNEAK ATTACK!!!

[Joel Flank]

I really like this item also. It does something that nothing else in the game does, and it' inexpensive on top of that. I know lots of players who would pick one of these up for their characters. I look forward to seeing your villain.

[Lilith]

Very different, and this kind of "staying watchful while resting" item is quite nice. Good for guardian-types, but also good for a creepy villain torture method.