Mirror of Life Trapping

• Category: Wondrous Item
• Rarity: Very Rare

When this 4-foot-tall, 2-foot-wide mirror is viewed indirectly, its surface shows faint images of creatures. The mirror weighs 50 pounds, and it has AC 11, HP 10, Immunity to Poison and Psychic damage, and Vulnerability to Bludgeoning damage. It shatters and is destroyed when reduced to 0 Hit Points.

If the mirror is hanging on a vertical surface and you are within 5 feet of it, you can take a Magic action and use a command word to activate it. It remains activated until you take a Magic action and repeat the command word to deactivate it.

Any creature other than you that sees its reflection in the activated mirror while within 30 feet of the mirror must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be trapped, along with anything it is wearing or carrying, in one of the mirror's twelve extradimensional cells. A creature that knows the mirror's nature makes the save with Advantage, and Constructs succeed on the save automatically.

An extradimensional cell is an infinite expanse filled with thick fog that reduces visibility to 10 feet. Creatures trapped in the mirror's cells don't age, and they don't need to eat, drink, or sleep. A creature trapped within a cell can escape using magic that permits planar travel. Otherwise, the creature is confined to the cell until freed.

If the mirror traps a creature but its twelve extradimensional cells are already occupied, the mirror frees one trapped creature at random to accommodate the new prisoner. A freed creature appears in an unoccupied space within sight of the mirror but facing away from it. If the mirror is shattered, all creatures it contains are freed and appear in unoccupied spaces near it.

While within 5 feet of the mirror, you can take a Magic action to name one creature trapped in it or call out a particular cell by number. The creature named or contained in the named cell appears as an image on the mirror's surface. You and the creature can then communicate.

In a similar way, you can take a Magic action and use a second command word to free one creature trapped in the mirror. The freed creature appears, along with its possessions, in the unoccupied space nearest to the mirror and facing away from it.

Placing the mirror inside an extradimensional space created by a Bag of Holding, Portable Hole, or similar item instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane. The gate originates where the one item was placed inside the other. Any creature within 10 feet of the gate and not behind Total Cover is sucked through it and deposited in a random location on the Astral Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one-way only and can't be reopened.

Tactical Applications

Combat Strategy: Can trap creatures in mirror dimensions and release them as allies or prisoners. Exceptional for crowd control, ally storage, and tactical prisoner management.

Class Synergies:

• Any Class: Universal utility for creature capture and dimensional storage
• Tactical Controllers: Perfect for characters specializing in battlefield control and crowd management
• Summoning Specialists: Essential for characters wanting to store and deploy captured allies
• Prison Wardens: Excellent for characters requiring secure creature containment

Build Considerations: Requires strategic deployment and creature management. Most valuable for characters wanting long-term creature storage and tactical deployment options.

Acquisition Methods

Crafting Requirements: Requires dimensional magic, life trapping enchantments, and mirror realm access. Creation cost 75,000-150,000 gp and takes 8 months.

Common Sources:

• Dimensional researchers and planar magic specialists
• Treasure hoards of legendary summoners and creature collectors
• Commission from master enchanters with dimensional expertise
• Found in the collections of planar scholars and dimensional wardens
• Rewards from grateful organizations for completing epic dimensional quests

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in dimensional rifts or obtained from major planar encounters.

Value & Trade

Estimated Value: 100,000-200,000 gp, considered extremely rare and valuable due to dimensional capabilities.

Trade Considerations: Artifact-level rarity means most acquisitions involve dimensional politics or epic quests rather than purchase.

Character Integration

Roleplay Elements: Suggests mastery of dimensional magic, creature management expertise, or completion of epic planar quests.

Character Concepts:

• Dimensional warden with creature containment and planar expertise
• Summoning master specializing in creature collection and deployment
• Character with extensive planar travel and dimensional magic experience
• Prison keeper requiring secure containment for dangerous creatures

Adventure Hooks

The Creature Collection: Missions to capture specific creatures for research, alliance, or containment purposes.

The Dimensional Prison: Scenarios where secure containment prevents dangerous creatures from causing harm.

The Ally Storage: Adventures where storing friendly creatures enables tactical deployment and protection.

The Mirror Realm: Exploration of dimensional spaces where trapped creatures create complex interactions.

Variants & Customization

Greater Mirror of Life Trapping (Artifact): Enhanced capacity and ability to contain more powerful creatures.

Dimensional Master's Mirror (Legendary): Includes additional dimensional abilities and enhanced creature control.

Specialized Containment Mirror (Very Rare): Optimized for specific types of creatures or containment scenarios.

Specialized Variants:

• Warden's Mirror: Enhanced for prison applications with improved security features
• Summoner's Mirror: Optimized for ally storage with enhanced creature deployment
• Collector's Mirror: Focused on creature research with improved containment and study capabilities

Lore & History

Origins: Created by ancient dimensional masters who needed reliable methods for creature containment and dimensional storage.

Historical Significance: These mirrors enabled crucial planar discoveries and the development of advanced dimensional techniques.

Cultural Impact: Represent the mastery of dimensional magic and the ability to manipulate creature existence across planes.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates legendary understanding of dimensional magic and the complex enchantments required for life trapping.

Balancing Notes

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 12-18 when dimensional magic becomes accessible and creature management is significant.

Campaign Impact: Provides major creature control capabilities that should be central to dimensional campaign storylines.

Ethical Considerations: Life trapping raises moral questions about creature imprisonment and dimensional ethics.

Encounter Design

Recommended Challenges:

• Dimensional encounters where creature trapping provides tactical advantages
• Prison scenarios where secure containment determines success
• Summoning missions where stored allies enable victory
• Planar adventures where dimensional storage advances the plot

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters must account for potential creature trapping and dimensional storage capabilities.

Related Items

Dimensional Items: Other items that affect planar travel and dimensional manipulation.

Creature Control Equipment:

• Items that enhance creature management and summoning abilities
• Equipment for dimensional research and planar interaction
• Tools for prison work and secure containment

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance dimensional magic or provide creature control capabilities.

Roleplay Opportunities

Dimensional Mastery: Characters develop expertise in planar magic and dimensional creature management.

Creature Ethics: Life trapping creates moral dilemmas about creature imprisonment and dimensional rights.

Planar Politics: Dimensional capabilities create involvement in planar conflicts and dimensional power struggles.