Staff of Black Magic

This staff stores charges of five Black Magic spells: Circle of Darkness, Disguise, Detect Presences, Infernal Circle of Flame and Repel. They blot out an area with darkness, give the bearer another humanoid's looks, sense hidden beings nearby, raise a ring of infernal fire and push living creatures back with an aura of evil. Staves are usually wooden, 5-7 ft. long and 1-1/2 to 2 in. thick, carved with marks at the head by primitive casters or fitted with metal bands or a headpiece by civilized ones. A staff holds up to 21 charges, can be recharged, and may be enchanted +1-3 to hit.

It needs a minor magic item's materials (1,000 G.P. or more of incense, herbs and other offerings, a staff of superior quality) and a month plus a day per charge of enchanting, about 12 hours daily. Success is 99%, but missing a day spoils that week's work and missing two spoils everything. It sells for at least double its materials, plus 1,000 G.P. per week of work and 500 G.P. per storable spell.

A spoken command word fires a charge instantly, though no magic item works more than once a round; non-casters need Read Magic.