Driftware is goods and debris that slip from other planes into the falling-down place. Once an item or creature is steeped in the essence of the plane, it becomes driftware, and cannot survive long outside the plane without fortification. While living beings fade once a year or a year of memories has passed (becoming drifters), inanimate objects have the planar dust smashed out of them within a month, unless they are scavenged or wedged in a clump of debris (where they can linger for a year, rarely longer). Driftware taken outside the plane without fortification lasts 1d6 hours, after which it dissolves into dust that slips back to the falling-down place.

Drifters often cast nets or create traps to collect useful objects from the planar flotsam. This can include conventional trade goods, memory pearls, planar dust, or even the occasional aspect. Aspects are qualities that remain intact after a bit of flotsam has been smashed. Because this happens so rarely (less than one in a thousand bits of flotsam yield an aspect), they are of particular interest to drifters. Skilled craftsmen of driftware can incorporate the aspect into a crafted object. While most aspects are cosmetic (the rich luster of mahogany, a smell of vinegar, a silky feel), some are particularly useful (the hardness of adamantine, the chill of cold iron, +2 slashing from an enchanted sword) and therefore especially valuable.

Fortification

Fortification allows drifters to shield each other and goods from the “weight” of other planes. All drifters can fortify an object or creature by spending 1 essence (in the form of planar dust) and one minute per 10 pounds, which involves scrubbing the target with planar dust. For objects, this simple fortification lasts 1 month per level/ HD of the fortifier; for creatures, it lasts 1 day per level/ HD of the fortifier. It can be undone with Mordenkainen’s disjunction or similar effects. Those familiar with driftware can make a Knowledge (the planes) check to distinguish an object or creature’s degree of fortification.

Heavy Fortification is a feat that allows a drifter to apply a stronger form of fortification. The effect takes as much planar dust as conventional fortification, but it requires at least one hour per object or creature, as special marks must be applied (either carved into the target or written onto strips and tied on). The marks inflict 1 HP per essence spent if applied to a drifter, but otherwise do no damage, becoming faint and unintelligible scratchings. In addition to the essence, the process costs the fortifier 25XP per point of essence spent. The result, however, is permanent, and can only be dispelled by deities or epic spells.

Fortification spells and powers naturally exist, as drifters are nothing if not resourceful. Lesser quick fortification is a 2nd-level effect, lasts 10 minute per level, and temporarily fortifies the target touched. It costs 100 XP per casting, and requires a dram of sand. Each HP of damage the target takes reduces the duration of the effect by 10 minutes. Greater quick fortification is a 5th-level effect, lasts 12 hours per level, and can include up to two targets plus the operator. It costs 250 XP, and a dram of sand per target. Damage taken reduces the duration by 6 minutes per HP.