In the back of the 2e Tome of Magic, there was a most inspirational magic item I've used from time to time...

Trimia's Catalogue of Planar Artifacts Trimia was obsessed with artifacts; his life work was all about chronicling every artifact he could. Some, Trimia actually came into contact with, these he included in his catalogue. Whether by mishap or by planning, Trimia and his work became fused and survive to this day as the sentient Trimia's Catalogue of Planar Artifacts.
This artifact is a large book bound in heavy wooden covers that do not reveal the nature of the work. Upon opening to the first page, the owner finds the title of the book along with a table of contents listing the various outer planes.
When opened to the desired page, the owner finds either a blank page (25%) or a description of an artifact (75%) related to a particular Outer Plane and the current owner. If the owner of the catalogue comes into proximity of an artifact, Trimia's Catalogue will begin recording information about the artifact. Divinations employed by the book occur without notice or control by the owner.
Owner: Druban Drannach, Dragonborn-Druid

Outer Planes(Listed Clockwise, From Top)

Mechanus/Nirvana: Machine of Lum the Mad - Reports have surfaced from those who visit other worlds of the appearance of a bizarre device that disrupts the tranquility of civilized life. Sages who collect and study such reports say that a large mechanism, reputed to be constructed entirely of adamantine, has briefly appeared on certain worlds and planes at random to leave a trail of chaos in its wake. The purpose and origins of the device are a mystery, though it is obviously connected to the clockwork nirvana of Mechanus.
The Machine resembles a huge, iron, fully enclosed, two-wheeled chariot lacking the front bar to which horses would be harnessed. It stands about 15 feet high, 20 feet wide, and 25 feet long. Its weight is guessed to be 15 to 30 tons. Three great metal chimneys rear up from its stern, spewing sparks and flames up to 30 feet into the air. Two monstrous studded wheels enable the apparatus to cross any terrain at a constant speed night or day. Most fearsome, however, are the eight human-sized teeth at its fron, each driven by a great piston, which chew through every kind of stone, metal, or other subtance encountered. If the apparatus runs into a cliff or mountainside, it digs its way through at a slightly reduced rate, leaving a permanent tunnel behind it. Any being run over by the Machine, whether crushed by a wheel or bitten by a metal tooth, sustains 12d12 points of crushing damag and 10d10 of heat damage, if a successful Fortitude Save is made. Failure indicates death.
As the Machine travels across teh landscape, it destroys everything before it in a path 20 feet wide, moving in a perfectly straight (if not entirely level) line. Nothing, not even a wish or miracle spell, can turn it aside or direct its movements. Witnesses report that the Machine is able to survive falls from considerable heights without damage, observing that it continued on its journey as if nothing happend. The single mindedness of the Machine's movements and feats leads most observers to believe that it has escaped its original owner or creator and is now running without any intelligent control.
As it moves, part of the apparatus takes the rocky material it destroys, draws the debris into the vehicle and leaves it behind in the form of a black paved road measuring 12 feet wide, with churned earth and ground rock littering either side. The create road is exceptionally durable, having the qualities of 6 inch thick adamantine. Immediately after the passage of the Machine, however, the roaway is extremely hot, doing 5d10 damage to anyone who toushes it; it cools by one die of damage for every hour that passes after it begins to cool. Furthermore, the road contains poisonous substances that kill all plant life within 50 yards for a full year. This road, though of high quality, of course leads nowhere in particular except by random chance. Any city unlucky enough to be in the path of the Machine must be abandoned until it has departed, leaving road and ruin behind it.
The Machine travels from world to world as a result of a random plane shift power, invoked several minutes after total immersion in water. After its plane shift, the Machine reappears out of the deep waters of another world, to drive across the landscape until it reaches water again. A few wizards and clerics have discovered this aspect of its nature and exploited it by having lakes dug and fulled in its path to protect cities, causing the Machine to leave their world for another.
Owner: Unclaimed


Arcadia: Triplicate Cage - This device appears as a palm-sized metal sculpture representing the outlines of geometrical shapes. The largest shape is a six-sided cubic cage made of 12 silver rods. Within this cube is a four-sided pyramid, also made of silver rods. Inside the pyramid is a circle of silver. The Triplicate Cage is useful in the formation of long-standing contracts and articles of law.
Owner: Master Magus Zelmus


Mount Celestia: Sol Orb - A Featureless sphere of gold, three inches in diameter. This artifact would look like nothing more than a golden bauble if not for the constant golden glow it always radiates. The Sol Orb is reputed to have a significant connection to the positive energy plane, with devestating powers over the undead and those of the shadow plane.
Owner: Lord Hildegard, Knight of Solamnia


Bytopia: Cubit - A featureless cube of silver measuring three inches on a side. If it is carefully examined, four nearly invisible buttons will be visible. If the four buttons are pressed in the correct order, the cube splits in half. Each half must be held in a seperate hand to use the artifact's active features.
Owner: Jun Kimura, Shugenja of Tabot.


Elysium: The Enelysion - A sturdy currach, a primitive vessel made from thick hide stretched over a wood-and-wicker frame. This device functions as a normal ship capable of sailing any waters infallibly. When first encountered, the ship appears to be encapsulated in a bottle, no larger than a mans hand. Uncorking the bottle unleashes the ship, leaving an empty bottle. Replacing the cork returns the ship to its' resting place.
Owner: Ren o' the Star, Greyhawk - city of.


The Beastlands: Leaf of Yggdrasil - A leaf sculpted of gold, two inches long and wrought in fine detail. The Leaf of Yggdrasil is often found as the fletching of an arrow or decoration to a spear or javelin. The Leaf of Yggdrasil significantly enhances the weapon on which it is placed, causing the item to never be lost, always return to hand within seconds of dropping, and can slay a creature with its touch.
Owner: Prince Talisid of Brux


Arborea: Chariot of Sustarre - Flames of silver constantly engulf this platinum chariot. The Silverfire also forms a quartet of horses, hitched to the chariot. Capable of flying through the air or the sea, the Chariot of Sustarre looks like a comet when in use. This same silvery-comet protects those within from the rigors through which they travel, providing air, etc., as needed. The compartment of the chariot is capable of holding 6 medium-size creatures and their equipment with considerable comfort or upto 12 medium creatures with virtually no equipment.
Owner: Unknown


Ysgard: Gladsheim Gem - A plain, unadorned crystal, the Gladshiem Gem is a perfect prism. Typically, the Gem is mounted to a rod or some other device, as the prism itself is capable of devouring the souls of those it touches. Pulsing with a dull inner light, the gem is particularly potent in the hands of a proud-paladin, set in the pommel of his sword.
Owner: Unknown


Limbo: Chaos-Crystal - This massive fountain of liquid silver, flows so smoothly as to function just like a mirror. However, everything aside from the viewer is reflected in a constant state of flux. Bricks from the walls begin to float, flames drift across the room, clothes unravel, etc.
Owner: Special - this artifact cannot be moved easily. Location: Zerth Ad Lum


Pandemonium: Pipes of Pandemonium - these pan-pipes are constructed of glittering gold and silver, with so many etchings upon the surface as to confuse the viewer, indeed there is no deciphering these etchings for they jumble too greatly. Playing these pan-pipes is done like any other pipe, sliding the instrument back and forth to blow over the desired individual pipe. Playing the instrument is easy enough, causing the intrument to funtion fully is another story; a song must be played with every note off by one key. The jarring sounds are like the howling winds of Pandemonium.
Owner: Unclaimed


Abyss: The Endless Pit - Not unlike a portable hole, this circular piece of silken-black cloth is used by spreading it out on any flat, horizontal surface. This creates a gate directly to the Abyss. If the true name of an abyssal inhabitant is known and spoken, that creature will emerge from the black pit within a few minutes, operating under its own free will. Otherwise, the Endless Pit can be used to summon any common entity of the Abyss. Such common entities arrive the following round and act in all ways as though summoned by a Summon Monster IX spell, as cast by a 30th level spellcaster.
Owner: Dak Tsoreth, Arcanaloth housed on Gehenna


Carceri: Trident of Tarterus - This dull-red trident is the favored possession of Apomps, lord of Agathys, who has long since used the trident as a symbol for his demodand. It is a rather plain and unadorned weapon, and though dull in appearance, the tips of the trident are supernaturally sharp. The weapon is capable of anchoring its target, preventing any action as long as the trident pierces the target's flesh, akin to imprisoning the creature.
Owner: Apomps, Ghereleth Lord of Agathys.


The Grey Wastes: Scepter of the Blood War - This sceptre appears to be nothing more than a lead rod, some three feet long and weighing well over forty pounds. It is tipped at either end by a lead bulb. The scepter grants the user considerable combat prowess, though they're quite likely to begin a painful transformation into a yugoloth before long.
Owner: Unclaimed.


Gehenna: Pyroclastic Pearl - These pearls form at random places throughout Gehenna, each with the potential for serious devestation. Shattering a Pyroclastic Pearl is like unleashing the effects of a volcano at that very spot. The larger the pearl, the more potent the pyroclastic blast.
Owner: Special - multiple pearls exist.


Baator: Nanorian Stone - The heart of a Pit Fiend, the Nanorian Stone still pulses with the inner fire of that creature’s captive-soul. Oozing blood with every beat, the stone looks exactly like a human heart, if not for its' granular, stone-like consistency. The Nanorian Stone is said to have the ability to restore life to those that do not seek it. Outsiders incapable of revivification have sought out the Nanorian Stone as prevention to their untimely demise.
Owner: Unclaimed


Acheron: Pandora's Box - A cube of cubes, this puzzle has five cubes on each side (125 total cubes form the single Pandora's Box), each a little less than a cubic-inch, and each with a different color on each side of the cube. These smaller cubes move fluidly while remaining attached to one another. It is possible to form a hollow within the box, which opens the way to the magic of Pandora's Box.
Owner: Unclaimed


TRANSITIVE PLANES

Astral Transitive Plane: Heward's Mystical Organ - Heward's Organ has 77 great and small pipes, a console with many keys of black and white beneath 13 ivory stops and three great foot pedals. The bellows, which sends a rush of wind to the pipes, is said to be worked by a conjured and chained air elemental of huge size. Each stop causes the pipes to sound in a different voice, while the keys vary the notes. No one is certain what purpose the foot pedals serve. Despite the ravages of time, which have silenced some of its pipes, and abuse and neglect, which have supposedly made some keys and stops unworkable, the Organ can still work mighty magics when properly played.
The would-be conjurer must be most careful, however, when attempting to work this artifact, for pulling the wrong stops can cause the summoning of something undesired or the casting of the wrong type of spell. If the wrong keys are depressed -- or the right ones are not -- something called up might be unbound or the magic might backfire.
The exact location of the Organ is unknown, even to this day. The possibility that the organ now resides on the dried-out husk of the once demi-god hero, Heward, and lost forever to drift the astral void is the popular theory.
Encyclopeda Magic vol4. page 303
Owner: Unclaimed.


Ethereal Transitive Plane: Ethereal Compass - This device looks like a massive amulet with a cobachan cut diamond about the size of a child's fist. The flat facet of the diamond displays information pertinent to the user. The compass can be setup with multiple conditions for its markers. Instead of true north, it could find the location of a specific object or creature. Furthermore, the diamond can be viewed through as a monocle, the viewer gaining information about anything viewed, from resistances and immunities of a creature, to the properties of an item.
Owner: Maggy Nuss, Loremaster - Waterdeep.


Infinite Staircase Transitive Plane: Carrion Golem, swarm - These diminutive creatures looks more or less like an adamantine horse fly with intricate mithral and gold filagree. The creatures always travel as a swarm , devouring anything they come into contact with. Not only do the creatures swarm, they're also golems individually. None have discovered the methods needed to create such a creature, let alone control it. Fortunately, the Infinite Staircase is the only known location of these roving swarms, with at least half a dozen constantly patroling the stairs to clean things up. An encounter with a swarm of Carrion Golems would be a bad situation for most, and flight is often the recommended solution. When these creatures appear, they look like a shimmering, fluttering cloud of insects with a slightly metallic buzz preceding their arrival. It is believed that these creatures were created singularly, as a device to actively spy upon one's enemy and passively clean any region needed. The latter command followed by the swarms to this day.
Owner: Unclaimed


Mirror Transitive Plane: The Accelerator - This device is massive, typically the size of a trebuchet or larger, and as with all weapons, size counts for the accelerator. This weapon is capable of supporting an artillery role in battle, receiving a spell cast by the user and magnifying the effects to normally unachievable levels. Any ranged Invocation spell of third level or lower that is cast while seated in the throne-like chair at the base of the weapon can be affected in one or more of the following ways;
· Increased Area: Base + Caster Level + Spell Level x 5 Feet.
· Increased Range: Base + Caster Level + Spell Level x 100 Feet.
· Increased Damage: Base + Caster Level + Spell Level for Variable Dice Damage
· Modified Area: Effect is changed to one of the following; Burst, Cone, Emanation, Line, Spread, etc.
· Modified Damage: Effects with Elemental Damage can be substituted for an alternate energy descriptor.
- http://grus.berkeley.edu/~jrg/MIDDLE/melbourne1.jpg


Shadow Transitive Plane: Shadowshiv - This object appears to be a shard of shadowstuff made rigid and harder than any material substance. The edges appear to be constantly shifting, and at a distance the shard's size is easily confused. Shadowshiv can be wielded in battle with the properties of a rapier, though it is a light weapon. In combat, it functions as a +6 Epic weapon, with the Keen, Unholy Burst, and Speed properties, and bypasses Damage Reduction and hardness. Damage from the Shadowshiv is demi-shadow in nature, with only 50% of the damage real and the other imagined. There are far more powers and abilities to the weapon, all of which are demi-shadow centric, such as the ability to duplicate any spell as a demi-shadow spell.
Owner: Malefluent, The Shadowdragon.



MISCELLANEOUS PLANES

Concordant Plane of Opposition (The Outlands): Rod of Element Transmogrification - this diamond shard is about the size of a shortsword, and can infact be used as a +5 Anarchic/Axiomatic/Holy/Unholy/Vorpal Shortsword. It's true purpose is the ability to change base elements of one type into another type; making the air suddenly turn into water or fire, or even solidify into earth, or vice versa.
Owner: Unclaimed.


Far Realm: Xaxox - This is a relic from the Material Plane—a stone keep securely lashed to the trunk of a desiccated tree a mile in diameter. It was an outpost of adventurous wizards who desired to explore and study the bizarre and mysterious Far Realm. Their expedition was disastrous, and the survivors have lost all traces of rational thought. Some powerful wizards and their servants yet wander amid the wreckage of a laboratory, barracks, kitchen, small library, and specimen cells.
Daruth Winterwood was the elven wizard in charge of the expedition; his brain is now literally filled with spiders. He still seeks to return Xaxox to the Prime Material plane intact. Once in a while, he manages to open a small portal, allowing the essence of the Far Realm to seep onto some random plane, which causes the dreams of those nearby to be affected. If someone manages to assist Daruth from the other side of the portals, a permanent portal could open between the Far Realm and the Material Plane, creating utter chaos. Anticipation of the wave of insanity that would follow is what continues to inspire Daruth's mania.
Owner: Daruth Winterwood


Plane of Faerie: Faerie Distillate - There are places within the Plane of Faerie that are so steeped in Faerie magic, that the effects of the plane congeal and form a substance which grants the imbiber many of the qualities of the Faerie. Only one such source is known, and is believed to be tied to Yggdrasil, which has branches in the Plane of Faerie. Every century or two, a sapling springs from Yggdrasil, rooted to the Plane of Faerie, this tree bears one fruit after some twenty-five years of growth, if allowed to mature. Once ripe, the imbiber of this fruit gains several effects related to the fey, such as the Creature Type, the Animal and Plant Domains, and several supernatural and spell-like abilities. Unfortunately, the imbiber is also apart of the Faerie Court, and subject to the King and Queen without fail.
Owner: Oberon, King of the Faerie.


Spirit Plane: Soulreaver - This weapon has no consistent appearance, conforming to the desires of the owner, though it has a predeliction for Scythes. Soulreaver is meant to harvest the souls that have escaped their final place in the multiverse. The weapon is capable of siphoning power from the those with a planar connection such as Elementals, Outsiders, and Undead. Such targets of the weapon do not take normal damage, rather the wounds are considered 'Spirit' in nature. This means that the wounds can only be cured on specially prepared lands requiring a casting of the (Un)Hallow spell before magical healing will cure the damage. In no case do the wounds heal naturally, by regeneration or fast healing, regardless of the source. Furthermore, the siphoned energy can be used by the wielder to devestating effect, unleashing blasts of Spirit-energy to harm others or heal himself. Woe betide those thinking they're immortal!
Owner: Name Unknown, Possibly Mortal Offspring of Kelemvor and Mystra


Region of Dreams: Dreamcatcher - Like those created by aboriginals, this Dreamcatcher is a spiderweb of gossamer mithral strands framed in platinum with jeweled anchors for the mithral webbing. It is believed that a slumbering person touched by the Dreamcatcher will find his memories and dreams altered by the bearer of the Dreamcatcher. The extent of the artifact's abilities are not fully known; it can modify memories, read minds, implant suggestions, force mental maladies, cause nightmares, or even solicit the depths of the mind for lethal purposes. The former owner is believed to have met his demise during an attempt at dominating some foul fiends, sent to the deep ethereal.
Owner: Unknown, Deep Ethereal?


Temporal Plane: Piece of Time - a small pocket watch which keeps perfect solar-based time of upto 20 seperate locations. The watch is solid gold and has two long, thin gold chains that run through a metal loop at the top of the watch. The Piece of Time can affect the fabric of time, allowing trasit to the past or future as well as other Temporal-based effects.
Owner: Lyndor of Lyndorium


DEMI-PLANES

Common Ground: The Commons - Common Ground is filled with artifacts, items which are immutable, indestructable, and permanent. Everything from the cutlery, dishware, tables, and chairs are artifacts in regards to their indestructability. Furthermore, none of these items can be removed from the Demi-plane of Common Ground.
Owner: Common Ground


Neth, The Plane that Lives:


Observatorium: Trimia's Casting Cabinet - This is no small device, thought it is considered mobile. Like a stool, perhaps a foot off the ground, a foot wide, and two-and-a-half feet long, the Cabinet is fashioned in an odd, asian manner; capable of being used as a stool, straddle the lap of a seated user, or sit atop a Table. Compartments and drawers are situated on either side of the lap-desk/bench, capable of holding all manner of spellbooks, components, and other necessities of spellcasting. Though the cabinet is composed entirely of Teak, the top surface has a plate of ivory, clamped in place with gold and adamantite anchors. This surface is inscribed with all manner of runes and glyphs. Spellcasters use the Caster Cabinet by sitting in front of it and using the top surface as apart of their Spell Component.
Eschew Components (su): When seated before the cabinet, the user need only consider the spells they're going to cast for the needed components to appear on the working surface.
Enhance Casting (su): If the casting time of a spell is increased by one increment (Rounds become minutes, etc), then the caster may increase their effective Caster Level by their Primary Casting modifier.
Metamagic Melding (su): If the casting time of a spell is increased by one increment, (Rounds become minutes), then the caster may include Metamagic Feats on the spell that is being cast. The caster need not have the Metamagic Feat and the metamagic feat is doubled in effectiveness. Only one Metamagic Feat may be included in this fashion. Using Enhanced Casting and Metamagic Melding would modify a Standard Action Casting Time spell to 1 hour (1 round becomes 1 minute, which becomes 1 hour). Multiple Metamagics can be included, increasing the casting time by another increment. Total Casting Time cannot exceed 1 week. During periods requiring more than 8 hours of casting, only 8 hours are cast within a day. Any interuption, alternate casting, or lack of rest during this casting time ruins the spell.
Owner: Druban Drannach, Dragonborn-Druid


Ravenloft:


Union: No singular item is associated with the Plane of Union, though it is believed that many of the occupants retired from adventuring life here either having possessed one at one time or still holding onto a powerful artifact.


INNER PLANES
Each inner plane has an Orb associated to it. This orb holds the pure, raw energy of the plane. Anyone holding the orb is immune to the effects of the plane, and can summon legions of elementals. Each has a few additional powers, tied specifically to the Inner Plane associated to the artifact.

Traditional

Air; Control Winds (PH) / Fly (PH) / Whirlwind, Greater (CDiv)

Earth; Move Earth (PH) / Stone Shape (PH) / Undermaster (SC)

Fire; Animate Fire (CArc) / Blast of Fire (CArc) / Fire Storm (PH)

Water; Animate Water (CArc) / Tidal Surge (CDiv) / Tsunami (SC)



Non-Traditional

Force; Magic Missile (PH) / Orb of Force (CArc) / Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere (PH)

Metal; Ring of Blades (CArc) / Iron Body (PH) / Keen Edge (PH)

Negative; Animate Dead (PH) / Enervation (PH) / Harm (PH)

Positive; Deathward (PH) / Hallow (PH) / Heal (PH)

Wood; Animate Plants (CArc) / Deadfall (SC) / Unyielding Roots (SC)


PARA-ELEMENTAL PLANES (Produced where the Elemental Planes come into contact with each other)

Ice (Air & Water); Field of Icy Razors (SC) / Ice Storm (PH) / Otiluke's Freezing Sphere (PH)

Ooze (Earth & Water); Acid Storm (SC) / Ooze Puppet (SC) / Vitriolic Sphere (Carc)

Magma (Earth & Fire); Earth Reaver (SC) / Metal Melt (SC) / Transmute Rock to Lava (CArc)

Smoke (Air & Fire); Bottle of Smoke (CDiv) / Incendiary Cloud (PH) / Gaseous Form (PH)



QUASI-ELEMENTAL PLANES (Produced where the Elemental Planes come into contact with the Energy Planes

Ash (Negative); Pyrotechnics (PH) / Destruction (PH) / Rain of Black Tulips (BoED)

Dust (Negative); Disintegrate (PH) / Glass Strike (SC) / Glitterdust (PH)

Lightning (Positive); Arc of Lightning (CArc) / Lightning Bolt (PH) / Lightning Ring (SC)

Minerals (Positive); Fist of Stone (CArc) / Heart of Stone (CArc) / Stoney Grasp (CArc)

Radiance (Positive); Blistering Radiance (CArc) / Brilliant Aura (CDiv) / Prismatic Ray (PH)

Salt (Negative); Blight (PH) / Horrid Wilting (PH) / Withering Palm (SC)

Steam (Positive); Magic Miasma (SC) / Miasma (SC) / Murderous Mist (SC)

Vacuum (Negative); Airwalk (PH) / Featherfall (PH) / Sphere of Ultimate Destruction (SC)