Heavy Thing (3.5e Equipment)

Heavy Thing
Summary::The heavy thing is bane to all creatures mobile, as it slows them down to the point of staggering.

A heavy thing is a popular cursed item invented by a mage that was tired of adventurers stealing his stuff. Heavy things come in many different shapes, sizes and weights (some even have variable weight), though one thing they all have in common is the fact that they are absolutely, undeniably heavy. A scrawny rogue or spellcaster may have trouble pushing it around, and even a powerful warrior might find himself considerably encumbered. Carrying something this heavy is obviously very tiring and a complete waste of energy, but it's impossible to stop carrying this heavy thing.

If the holder of the heavy thing lets go of it for even a single second, he incurs a number of negative levels equal to half his character level for as long as he isn't holding or otherwise touching the heavy thing. A first-level character, who doesn't have any levels to lose, will effectively find his or her Constitution score halved upon letting go of the heavy thing. Negative levels or Constitution drain remain for as long as the heavy thing is not held and cannot be removed by any restorative spells or effects while the curse is in effect. However, the curse never results in permanent level- or Constitution loss. Needless to say, this is all very annoying and counterproductive and extremely detrimental to the whole 'going on adventures and killing things for loot' business.

To make things worse, a creature cursed with ownership of the heavy thing can't just enlist the help of his allies or his magic in order to carry it. The heavy thing is immune to any magical, spell-like, supernatural, psionic, psi-like or extraordinary ability that lifts or otherwise moves objects, such as telekinesis and the like. Similarly, the heavy thing cannot be teleported or otherwise spatially, temporally or dimensionally displaced except by tedious pushing or pulling or using equally tedious mundane equipment, like a cart or a wheelbarrow, in order to displace the heavy thing by hand or mule.

The ownership of a heavy thing is determined and transferred by touch. The creature that touched it last becomes its owner and the new recipient of its curse. This makes knowledgeable adventurers understandably reluctant to share this particular burden.

Creatures with an intelligence score less than 3 are immune to the effects of the heavy thing, and do not cause the curse to transfer when they touch it. Furthermore, the effects of multiple heavy things (besides their weight, obviously) do not stack.

The curse of the heavy thing can be broken by a remove curse cast on the heavy thing, or a break enchantment (DC 11 plus the caster level of the creator) on the cursed creature if the heavy thing cannot be found or is unreachable. Likewise, disjoining or otherwise completely obliterating the heavy thing rids the afflicted creature of its curse. Otherwise, if no convenient Mount Doom is available, the only way to get rid of the curse is to trick some other poor schmuck into taking the heavy thing. Good luck finding someone with a low enough Wisdom score.

Prerequisites: CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item; burden. Effective added value 500 gp plus 40 XP.