Awaken Magical Item

This spell is used to activate a touched magical item bearing multiple enchantments or exhibiting multiple functions. It is an alternative to the better-known enchant an item spell, but accomplishes less. To create a magical item with an awakening spell, several other spells must be used first, including eternal flame and usually wondrous web or holy vesting and various dweomerflow castings. Awakening can be used on a magical item that has been created with an enchant an item spell if additional powers are added to the item after its initial creation and enough use of the item has occurred to call upon all of the original powers at least once.

When the spell is cast, the item must make a saving throw to determine if the awakening has been successful. The item's base saving throw is the same as the caster's saving throw vs. spell, modified as follows: a -1 penalty per being other than the spellcaster who cast spells on the item during preparation or contributed magics that were put into the item before the awakening attempt (unless those beings are clergy members of the same faith as the caster of the awakening), a +1 bonus per meld and crown meld spell existing on the item, and a +1 bonus if both an eternal flame and a Veladar's vambrace, holy might, or Nulathoe's ninemen spell were cast on the item before the awakening attempt, and a +1 bonus if the awakening is cast on or before an altar of the deity of the caster's faith. These bonuses are cumulative, but a roll of 1 is always a failure.

The failure of an awakening attempt means either the item crumbles to worthless dust or explodes violently. Roll 1d6; a result of 1 or 2 means an explosion occurs similar to a fireball centered on the item that deals 1d6 points of damage per level of the awakening caster and in addition destroys the item utterly. A roll of 4-6 means that the item collapses into dust. A wind will rise from nowhere to carry this dust away, and even if some dust is somehow retained, it is magically inert and worthless.

Success of the awakening attempt means the item is awakened instantly into operation. It functions perfectly, though if the creator has been careless or inattentive in his or her preparations, the item's performance may involve some surprises. A successful awakening may be heralded by a flash of light from the item, but this effect is never a harmful discharge of wild magic or item powers.

The material components for this spell are a single priest spell scroll bearing at least as many spells as the item has functions, a gem of any sort of not less than 2,500 gp value each for each item function, and a living plant that has been altered by magic. Some sages believe an awakening is more likely to succeed (an additional +1 bonus to the item saving throw at the DM's discretion) if a random dweomer-bearing component is also used.