Bone Rattles exemplify hatred of youth and the lust to spread suffering, their creation demanding these passions. The intact skull of a young humanoid child impaled upon the femur of the same creature forms the rattle's head and handle. A half-dozen small finger bones placed within the sealed hollow of the skull complete its loathsome design.
Triggered by intentional shaking (a standard action), a hollow, child-like laughter emanates from the rattle's skull, swiftly growing to a full scream of pain and terror. All creatures within 25 feet of the user must succeed at a Will save (DC 13) or be bombarded with hideous mental images of pain and death. As the images play out, the victim falls prone and is forced into a bout of raucous laughter, unable to stop for 1D3 rounds or perform any other action during that time. After the mental attack ends, creatures of Good alignment are so affected by the callous nature of their uncontrollable actions that they must make another Will save (DC 13), or become shaken for 10 minutes.
The item's wielder is unaffected. Creatures with an intelligence of 2 or less are unaffected. This is a mind-influencing, Enchantment (Compulsion) effect; the secondary effect on creatures of Good alignment is a fear effect.
Prerequisite: Craft Wondrous Item, Scare, Tasha's
Hideous Laughter
Aura: Faint Mind Affecting
Caster Level: 5th
Market Price: 25,000gp
Cost to Create:
Base Cost: 12,500gp
XP Cost: 1,000
AC: 5
Hit Points: 10
Hardness: 5
Break DC: 10
Weight: 1lb.
Based on an entry in Dragon Magazine #300 October 2002 by Wesley Schneider