The Seven Needles (OSR item)

The Seven Needles are slim metal needles about two inches long. Finely crafted, these will give off a slight aura of magic to those able to detect that sort of thing. Each of these needles are enchanted with an old magic and said to have been created by an old woman who wanted to feel young again. These are very rare.

To utilize the enchantment, first the user must thread the needle, any simple string will do. Next the string must be sewn into the flesh of the intended target. Once the thread has been sewn into the flesh and tied off, the magical enchantment will be transferred from the needle to the thread and the spell is complete. The difficulty lies in the fact that the needles are not marked and thus the target has no idea the effect until the sewing has been completed. Effects of the string last about twenty-four hours. At that point the string must be removed or the target will begin to suffer a 1 hp loss per day as the string attempts begins to rot in the body.

Needles are commonly found in packs of three needles but it is possible to discover the complete set of seven. Needles are reusable but string is not.

d10 Roll	Effect
1	Confers a +1 to all missile attacks and feats involving Dexterity
2	Target gains the ability to heal at twice the normal rate
3	Target does not need to eat anything, does not suffer from lack of food
4	Confers a +1 to all Saving Throw rolls and all Initiative rolls; target seems to be a little more spry and quick
5	Confers a +1 all morale checks as the target's skin tightens and they appear to be ten years younger (will not reduce actual age or height, simply makes the target appear younger and more vital)
6	Target gains the ability move at twice their normal rate with a quickness that impresses everyone
7	Target gains the ability to lift twice their normal rate and any feats of Strength seem within their grasp
8	Cursed needle; once sewn the string confers a wonderful feeling of energy and youthfulness though it does not actually provide any real benefits, instead the string will begin moving deeper into the target's body and completely disappear from view after about ten hours, at the twenty hour mark the string will reach the target's heart causing heart attack like symptoms and spasms that will incapacitate the target, the target will begin taking 1hp damage every ten minutes and suffer from terrible pain, only a remove curse spell or digging the string out will end this effect
9	Roll again; the result is a permanent needle, any string sewn into the target's flesh will remain there and confer its effect forever unless removed
10	Dead needle; using this needle has no effect as the magic seems to have worn off