Eldritch Earth: Five Hacks Deep

Here's a tentative set of rules for crafting permanent magic items, I've had in previous games, but no one ever got high enough level to use. I've adapted terminology for 5TD.

Permanent Magic Items: To create permanent magic items requires an Enchanter’s Furnace, also known as a Cosmic Energy Chamber. This chamber is a box of biotite granite with a solid lid. The box must be in the proportions 5 feet x 4feet x 3 feet costing 5,000gp, although a double sized box (10x8x6) for 15,000gp could also be used for large items. Furthermore, the box must be permanently installed in a location that is either 39 feet above ground level (say in a tower) or 39 feet below ground level (say in a dungeon chamber) in order to act as an Enchanter’s Furnace. Most Zealots and Scholars can use an Enchanter’s Furnace to create magic items beginning at 5th level.

To create a permanent magic item the caster must first have a formula (see below). The caster places the item to be enchanted into the Enchanter’s Furnace, together with a secret ingredient determined by the DM and a number of gold pieces equal to 40% of the market price of the item. The caster must spend 1 week chanting the formula and minding the Enchanter’s Furnace for each 200 gold pieces spent. This gold (and it must be gold metal, not merely the monetary equivalent) is slowly changed into a monatomic zero-spin state, releasing binding magical energy and becoming a worthless white powder. During the creation process, the caster’s entire spell casting quota is used up each day he works on the item. He can have an apprentice mind the Furnace for 1 day in 7, but any more than that will end with the item ruined. At the end of each week of work, the creator must make an Arcana Check (scholars) or Religion Check (zealots) for the week's work to count. If the creator fails the checks 3 weeks in a row, the creation process is ruined.

Finding a Formula: A formula for making a magic item can be found “easily” by using the Divine Spell Commune or the Arcane Spell Infernal Call and asking an angel or demon, but these spells are available only to a very few high-level casters. Most casters must do research from books. Some books will have the formula for particular magic items listed as part of their descriptions and thus possessing the book, means possessing the formulae. If no such formula is possessed, the researcher will take 1d4 months to create the required formula, provided he has at least 5000gp worth of magic books at his disposal.

Special Ingredients: each formula should have its own special ingredient. However, only one “dose” of special ingredient can be harvested from any particular animal, plant or monster. So, if a Ring of Fire Resistance has a special ingredient of red dragon scales, only one ring can be made from any particular dragon.

Prices for Items: If the magic item desired is approved by the DM, but does not appear in the game's initial set of magic items or lacks a gold piece price value, use the Advanced D&D 1st Edition DMG price to find a similar item in power and use that price.