Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh

Aura strong necromancy and transmutation CL 17th Slot head and headband; Price —; Weight 5 lbs.

Carved from gold and inlaid with cobalt, lapis lazuli, and onyx.

When worn, the mask occupies both the head and headband magic item slots. After 24 hours, the mask attunes itself to its wearer, granting its wearer a +2 enhancement bonus to one of his mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). The wearer chooses which ability score is enhanced the first time he puts on the mask. If the mask grants a bonus to Intelligence, it also grants ranks in skills as a headband of vast intelligence: first in Knowledge (nobility), then, as the bonuses increase, in Knowledge (history). Once the mask is attuned to a wearer, the enhanced ability score cannot be changed unless the mask attunes itself to a new wearer (which takes another 24 hours). In addition, the mask provides its wearer with deathwatch as a constant spell-like ability. The mask cannot be detected by any sort of divination magic, and grants its wearer a constant nondetection effect.

Once attuned, the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh has additional powers based on its wearer’s alignment. If worn by an evil character, the mask enhances the wearer’s control over undead, doubling the number of undead the wearer may control with animate dead, control undead, the Command Undead feat, and similar effects. Additionally, the wearer can cast animate dead once per day as a spell-like ability.

If worn by a good character, the mask grants its wearer immunity to disease, including supernatural diseases such as mummy rot. In addition, the wearer can cast death ward and speak with dead each once per day as a spell-like ability.

A neutral character who is neither good nor evil must choose to be treated as either good or evil when he first dons the mask. Once made, this choice cannot be reversed. A neutral character who uses the mask to create undead gains 1 permanent negative level for each Hit Die of undead created. These negative levels cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells), but they are immediately removed if the undead creatures are destroyed.

The Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh reveals additional powers as its wearer increases in levels. At 7th level, the mask’s enhancement bonus to a mental ability score increases to +4. Also at this level, an evil wearer can cast create undead once per day, and a good wearer can cast eyebite once per day instead.