Mechanik’s Union

Five pairs of this enhanted footwear were created, two of a cut suitable for a Human female, the rest for Human males. They were commissioned by King Dermidahn of Morrdh some two hundred years before that country’s ultimate ruin. Their original recepients were gifted these fine boots as reward for meritorious service against their king’s enemies; each was a noted and strongly-admired general that fled the field of battle. Careful study of the history of these items leads most scholars of such items to beleive that there was some infernal influence in their crafting. Each set is an impeccable pair of richly-lined dark leather boots with the house symbols of the original recipient tooled across the top and sides.

Once donned, a pair of Coward’s Boots will bond to the wearer until death. Should the afflicted owner attempt to don another pair of shoes, boots, or sandals, the replacement footware will begin to smolder and burn (treat the progression of this burning as if the footware were affected by a heat metal spell). If the replacement footwear is magical, it is entitled to a Fortitude save against DC 20 to avoid destruction; the wearer still takes the damage as normal.

Aside from this accursed behavior, the Cowards’ Boots can actually be of great benefit to their owners while worn. The wearer of a pair gains a +5 competence bonus to any Escape Artist checks and a +5 luck bonus to Spot or Listen checks to detect an ambush. Upon being struck by a critical hit, the wearer is simultaneously affected by Invisibility, Expeditious Retreat, and Nondetection as a Programmed Image triggers depicting the wearer as falling dead in a manner appropriate to the attack method. The wearer must immediately make a willpower save against DC 25 or withdraw from combat immediately. Any round during which the bearer attempts to remain in or re-enter combat within an hour of sustaining a critical blow forces this check again.

Faint abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Wonderous Item, Invisibility, Expeditious Retreat, Nondetection, Programmed Image, crafter must be an Infernal or have assistance from an Infernal; Price 76,000 crowns