Ear Scribe (3.5e Equipment)

This complicated, mechanical-looking ear clasp adheres to a spot just behind the ear of a humanoid, fitting and staying in place magically. The wearer of this device may press a button on the clasp as a free action to activate it once per day. While activated, the wearer can deactivate it at any time by pressing the button again as another free action.

While activated, the device will record everything the wearer hears for up to 7 minutes (70 rounds) using any auditory abilities or enhancements the wearer possesses. At the end of the 7 minutes, the device automatically deactivates. If the device is deactivated before the end of the 7 minutes, it can be used again the next day to record more, picking up the recording where it left off until it has a total of 7 minutes recorded. The wearer can restart recording from the beginning (thereby erasing any existing recording) on any given day by holding the button down as a move-quivalent action, or an action as part of another move action that doesn't require at least one hand.

Anyone wearing the Ear Scribe can listen to what it has recorded by concentrating for as long as the recording lasts. Concentrating on listening is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The wearer can make a concentration check to listen the audio quickly (DC 15), taking one-tenth the time to listen to the whole audio, though still requiring a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity each round. The listener can begin the audio at any recorded point (in terms of rounds, for example six rounds into the recording) as a free action at the beginning of the round they begin to listen with a DC 10 Concentration check. Any attempt to begin the recording at a point that has no recording (like 12 rounds into a recording that's only 9 rounds long) automatically fails.

Upon being put on, the user is immediately aware of any existing recording and its overall length, though not the content of the recording or the identity of the recorder. They are also aware of how to operate the device.

This device only records auditory information. For visual recording or both audio and video, see the Eye Scribe or Journal Stone, respectively.

Prerequisites: CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item; clairaudience, ventriloquism, mnemonic enhancer; 5,400 gp + 404 XP.