The oracle dons the Witherheart Mask, which glows with a strange green mist. This mask is clearly magical, though seemingly only to predict the future as the oracle begins to speak their prophecy.
On mythology:
Cassiopeia has always been interested in the occult, to the point where she's done a double major involving Psychology and Classical Mythology. She's also incredibly curious about conspiracy theories, often going down lengthy rabbitholes, though part of her keeps a distance from it in that she's only reading a fictional story. With this gift she could very well bring them to life, and she's doing it all for the funsies.
On prophecies:
One has seen enough self-fulfilling prophecies in everyday life to know that people are very easily influenced by their own wills to stick to a path or stray from one completely. Though, it inevitably ends up the way it was predicted. If you were driving a car and trying not to hit a tree on the road, your focus is so solely on the tree that you veer towards it anyway. Cassiopeia is making use of this age-old hubris, this fallacy that "I'm not like them, I won't end up like this". She's not any better than this, of course she falls into this cycle too, but at least she's aware that it does happen.
On wordplay:
If she's going to use her arsenal of words learned from 4 years of being an Arts student, it's only fair to allow the listener some level of free will. Let them play their cards against what they perceive to be Apollo's blessing, when in reality it all relies on Cassiopeia's competence.
Exert your Mind and spend at least one Action. Select a Human target within 20 feet. Your target may be actively engaged in Combat. Communicate a command to your target. Roll Charisma + Occult at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If the contested Outcome is positive, your target will be compelled to follow your command to the letter-- but not necessarily the spirit-- of the command until they have completed it or for your Contested Outcome in hours. You cannot issue another suggestion to the target until 10 minutes after they have completed the first command or 10 minutes after a failure.
The target is unaware that they are under supernatural influence and feel they are acting of their own free will. If you fail, they realize that you were attempting to influence them supernaturally with your command.
Your command can be an order to take an immediate Action and a conditional request. You cannot order a target to "do nothing," and they are free to take other Actions as they fulfill your request. Your command cannot be obviously self-destructive. The Effect ends if following your command would cause a target to cross one of their Limits in a way that would necessitate a Trauma roll.
You may activate this Effect as a Reaction to contest any Action a valid target is taking, reducing their Outcome by your own. Your command has no impact beyond disrupting their Action.
Its a grenade launcher.
Why specifically a Milkor MGL Grenade Launcher? You see the MGL was made in the Rainbow Nation herself, South Africa. And Boets is very fond of his country.
This Artifact can be used as a crossbow. It is roughly the same size as a crossbow and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Firearms, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +2 Weapon Damage. Attacks do not require a successful called shot to do damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The user feels slightly more capable of performing feats of combat they could previously not imagine. The observers note that the user has their eyes completely set on them and will kill them
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact and you are engaged in unarmed combat.
+2 dice to rolls for Attacking, Defending, and Clashing without a weapon. Unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage (instead of -1).
You may Defend against melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks from any range and Clash with those in range of your Attacks. Attacking materials like steel or spikes will not Damage you unless it has an Effect that does so.
You also gain the following effects:
I can better describe it in its sheathe
The Prismfang’s Sheathe
The sheath is a seamless fusion of polished black alloy and crystalline inlays, mirroring the blade’s elegance. A single prismatic vein runs along its length, catching light and subtly shifting hues. Its ultra-thin profile hugs the blade perfectly, ensuring a silent, fluid draw.
A magnetized locking mechanism replaces a traditional strap, holding the sword effortlessly in place while allowing instant access. The sheath’s mounting brackets attach smoothly to the wielder’s hip, distributing weight for perfect balance.
When sheathed, the katana’s light-distorting properties extend to the sheath, creating a slight ripple effect around it—almost as if the sword itself resists being contained.
**The Prismfang Katana**
A weapon that **commands attention without excess**—every detail is engineered for **precision, beauty, and intimidation**.
**Blade**
The blade is made from an **unknown crystalline alloy**, looking **almost like polished glass**, but impossibly strong. Unlike traditional katanas, it has a **razor-straight spine with a subtle inward curve**, blending ancient craftsmanship with a futuristic edge. The surface shifts between **mirror-like reflection and prismatic shimmer**, scattering light in mesmerizing, controlled patterns rather than chaotic bursts.
When moved, the blade refracts light **just enough to distort its surroundings**, creating a subtle, almost **mirage-like effect**. The edge itself has a **faint, geometric engraving**, its patterns **changing subtly when viewed from different angles**—as if the sword is adjusting itself to its wielder's intent.
#### **Hilt & Guard**
The hilt is **wrapped in a seamless, synthetic weave**—cool to the touch and **adaptive to grip pressure**. Instead of a traditional tsuba (guard), the katana features a **sleek, angular frame** that extends slightly outward, glowing faintly with an **internal energy pulse** that reacts to motion. The glow isn't excessive—just enough to make it **noticeable in dim light**, a controlled beacon of deadly elegance.
At the pommel, there is a **small, embedded gemstone-like node** that serves as both an energy regulator and a counterweight, ensuring **perfect balance in any grip or stance**.
#### **Presence & Effect**
- **When drawn, it leaves a soft, fading trail of light,** as if the blade itself is slicing through existence with calculated intent.
This Artifact can be used as a sword / axe. It is roughly the same size as a sword / axe and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Melee, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +4 Weapon Damage.
This item is a living thing. When targeted, it counts as a Living Creature in addition to its other target types. If destroyed or abandoned for more than two days, it dies and becomes unusable.
You also gain the following effects:
A pendant that upon wearing, will inject nanites into the body through the pores if the pendant doesn't identify nanites in the body. It will generate more nanite and inject them into the until it is sufficient amount
These nanites are special nanites that through advanced research and technology, takes the spot of certain cells. it perfectly recycles the cells within the body, creating what is considered impossible, a infinite energy loop cycle. The pendant acting as a central motherboard. When the pendant is removed, the nanites in the body deactivates.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You no longer require any food or water in order to survive.
The user drives this tiny car in a circle two times while singing a children's song about clowns (see extended description). When the user exits the car, a small humanoid dressed as an exaggerated parody of the user follows mimics their personality and mannerisms, and communicates telepathically with the user.
Exert your Mind and spend two Actions performing the following ritual: drive this artifact in a circle multiple times. You must maintain Concentration while activating this Effect, and it fails if you are interrupted.
Summon a single Tiny Clown at your location. They will last until they are destroyed. They are controlled by the GM but will follow any commands you give. This Artifact may have at most 1 minion active at a time.
After you finish activating this Effect, you cannot move quicker than a walk (max 15 feet per Round) for one minute and suffer a -1 dice penalty for an hour. Exhaustion’s penalty and duration stacks with multiple activations.
You may only use this Effect once per day.
Dazzle Glasses are advanced "black-tech" espionage gear. They can be styled as any sort sunglasses. When the wearer is recorded, they will quickly flash a non-visible laser into the recording device, destroying it after only a moment of footage is taken.
This Effect activates whenever you are recorded. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Select a Non-Sapient Object within 20 feet no larger than a duffel bag (35 liters). Your target should be intuitively based on the triggering event. Roll Perception + Culture Difficulty 6.
If your Outcome is 4 or higher, the target will be completely destroyed and can no longer function, though it may still be repaired. If your Outcome is less than 4, the target will be partially damaged, and any attempts to use it will suffer a dice penalty equal to your Outcome.
Companions gawk at the sheer size and quantity of the equipment the survivalist stores in the Bug-out Bag, but when they open it, they find only a standard set of survival gear. Only when the survivalist opens it is its true capacity revealed.
This Artifact holds 5 times what it normally could inside of it. Objects stored inside are weightless.
Living things can be stored in this Artifact. They will have access to anything else inside and may attempt to break free, damaging or destroying the Artifact in the process.
If this Artifact is destroyed, things inside may get out, and it will cease to function until it is repaired.
When scanned or investigated without opening, the contents of this container appear normal and unremarkable.
If anyone other than you opens the container, it appears empty. Others can still destroy it to get at the contents.
The survivalist has depended on the Bug-out Bag for so long, they've formed a powerful bond with the pack. This bond renders the pack unbreakable, and grants the survivalist an understanding of what direction it's in at all times.
This Artifact cannot be broken. If this Artifact is lost and in no one else’s possession, it finds its way back to its true owner during the next Downtime.
By default, the creator of this Artifact is its true owner. The true owner may formally bequeath this Artifact onto another person within arm’s reach, after which they are its true owner. If the true owner dies or is destroyed, their ownership ends. If this Artifact has no true owner, anyone may spend one day attuning to it to become its true owner.
This Artifact's true owner is always aware of the direction and distance to this Artifact.
The Predatory Raiment has a cloak feature that allows its owner to hide themselves and their equipment with active camouflage. When viewed, they look like a slightly shifted and shimmering version of the surrounding environment.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are not at all wet and you are wearing this Artifact.
You and everything you are carrying is obscured in one of the following manners. You may Spend an Action to change the way in which you're concealed.
While this Effect is active, any Effect that would obscure you or your equipment specifically from other, additional senses fails automatically.
If someone discovers you, this Effect will not help you hide from them for the next minute. This Effect does not end early when you activate an obvious Effect, attack, or receive an Injury.
When Winter Fang's glittering string is drawn, an ice arrow crystalizes nocked and ready to fire. These ice arrows melt quickly after piercing their foes, leaving deadly wounds instead of evidence.
This Artifact can be used as a bow. It is roughly at least twice as large as a bow and cannot be concealed on your person or disassembled for storage.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage. Attacks do not require a successful called shot to do damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The airship of solitude is the mad scientist's lair and preferred mode of travel. Not only does it include a full science laboratory, it can be collapsed into an incredibly small canvas cube and easily transported. The mad scientist may pilot the ship alone or rely on its autopilot features for ultimate convenience.
This Artifact can be used as a blimp. It is roughly the same size as a blimp but can be collapsed into a phone-sized canvas cube and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.
This blimp has full science laboratory, bullet-proof envelope, and ample parachutes. Any roll to pilot this vehicle receives +2 dice.
You also gain the following effects: