Legendary Artifact

Accession of the Fall

Created and held by Juvia Felsa.
A misericorde dagger with eldritch features that appears to be formed from black metal with an iridiscent, mostly-crimson sheen. An illusory cord sprouts from the dagger's pommel whenever it is shrunken, and said cord twines its ends together if the resultant item is attempted to be worn as a necklace.

Whenever the Artifact is used by someone other than its true owner, observers can see shifting impressions of unknown glyphs temporarily appear in random places on the Artifact's surface. If whoever is wielding it had hurt the Artifact's true owner before, the aforementioned glyph impressions exhibit a crimson sheen. The noticeability of the sheen scales in direct proportion to the magnitude of the current wielder's total negative impact on the Artifact's true owner.

Whenever the Artifact is ordered by its true owner to return to them, it folds in on itself in a non-Euclidean manner, becoming more and more blurry as it does so. Then, the middle of one of the true owner's palms darkens as a single black, ever-shifting glyph with a crimson sheen emerges from it. The true owner reflexively closes its hand around it, 'catching' the glyph, but when they open it again they are instead faced with the Artifact in its shrunken form. The palm's darkening is also no longer present, as if it never happened in the first place.

All bleeding Injuries of the Artifact's true owner emit streaks of blur reminiscent of solar prominence. The parts of this phenomena that are close to the scar owner's skin faintly glow an uneasy red instead of remaining colorless and clear.

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.

If this Artifact is used by someone other than its true owner, its true owner is alerted and learns the user's appearance, direction, and distance at that moment. The true owner may use a single investigation Effect on them once at any range.

If this Artifact is in no one else’s possession, its true owner may Exert their Mind and spend two Actions to bring it to themselves.

Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their body and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Battle Scar: an ornate, inky-black mark depicting the Artifact's base form - a misericorde dagger - pointing downwards from inbetween the person's shoulder blades to the small of their back. So long as this mark exists, the person in question's blood becomes black and blurry with a crimson sheen, and all Injuries that aren't Stabilized degrade every 10 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. If observed under a microscope, anyone can see that the blood's cells have been replaced by various black, ever-shifting glyphs of similar sizes - however, despite this, the blood functions exactly the same as a normal human's blood would. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Battle Scar heals over the course of the next day.

  • "Cannot be broken" means that damage cannot render the Artifact's Effects unusable, nor can it cease to be used for its primary mundane purpose, if it has one.

Whenever the Artifact's owner thoroughly defeats or kills an opponent, the Confluence of Glyphs may save the echo of any melee weapon used by the opponent if it deems it worthwhile, adding said echo to what is best described as an archive. This artifact is able to freely change its shape to resemble any of the weapons from within the archive. The contents of the archive are recorded in the Artifact owner's Equipment section.

A blur obscures the Artifact's features while it is shape is in the process of being changed, with a crimson glint signifying that the alteration has concluded. The coloration and perceived materials of all replicated weapons partially match the coloration and perceived materials of the Artifact's base form. Some features of these weapons are distinctly different from those of their real iterations, such as text and images being replaced by unknown glyphs. If the appearance of a weapon's real iteration had noticeable technological aspects, the replica has those aspects revised to be warped and eldritch instead.

The Artifact can only be miniaturized while it is in its base form. When it is ordered to shrink or enlarge, it bursts into a swarm of black, shifting glyphs which coalesce and reform into the Artifact of the requested size.

This Artifact can be used as a knife. It is roughly the same size as a knife but can be collapsed into a miniature version of itself and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.

Attack by rolling (Dexterity or Brawn) + (Melee or Brawl), Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Bastard: You may spend a Free Action to change this melee weapon’s base stats into those of any other basic melee weapon. Changing this weapon's base type affects its size, range, Weapon Damage, and roll.
  • Blade Breaker: If you successfully Defend against a melee attack or if an opponent is unsuccessful at Defending against your melee attack, you may break your opponent's weapon.
  • Shredder: If you successfully hit your target, the value of any Armor they are wearing is reduced by 2. For material armor, this penalty lasts until it is repaired. For intrinsic armor, it lasts until the end of Combat and any relevant wound is healed.

  • If there is not enough free space to expand the object, it cannot be expanded. You cannot expand this Object as an attack.
  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.

Whenever the Artifact's owner allows it to temporarily expand their perception, an aggressive red glint can be seen shining for a split second from within the center of the dagger's crossguard. Likewise, the Artifact's silhouette momentarily blurs as well.

To the Artifact owner, during their period of otherworldly awareness, all opaque materials become partially transparent. Crimson, glowing, ever-shifting glyphs start to frequently appear floating inside all of the aforementioned opaque-turned-transparent objects and terrain. Normally, the glyphs themselves aren't distracting, and tend to be somewhat faint, however some decide to trace the outlines, edges and corners of seen-through surfaces instead of simply floating without purpose - these ones are quite more noticeable, being a bit more numerous and bright. The Artifact owner is mentally aware of all such glyphs within this sense's range.

The difficulty of discerning the less obvious details within a given area dictates how colorful the glyphs in said area appear: for example, glyphs within the first and thus unobscured wall that the Artifact's owner could see are of a strong red hue, while glyphs in an object that's behind several usually-opaque surfaces or deep underground would be darker - both in color and in brightness.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action.

You may perceive things within 75 feet of you with perfect clarity as though there were no walls or obstacles blocking your view for the next 30 minutes.

You may perceive through up to 15 feet of material. The Difficulty of all Perception rolls made through a wall are increased by 1 per wall.

  • This does not satisfy the Line of Sight requirement for targeted Effects.

Whenever the Artifact owner attempts to enter or leave the pocket realm, space contorts and either folds in on itself or unravels in a non-Euclidean manner, either swallowing or revealing their existence as well as the existence of any selected nearby targets. Observing this effect is uncomfortable to spectators.

The void of the pocket realm is formed from unknown, barely-visible, ever-shifting black glyphs. Sparse crimson motes reminiscent of eldritch rubies float throughout this space, providing a bit of light if they are close to the space's theoretical center. Additionally, the Artifact owner's lover is manifested within the pocket realm as well.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action.

You phase out of reality for up to 10 minutes. During this time, you cannot affect the outside world but may take mental and self-targeting Actions. You cannot move. Nothing can interact with you in any way.

When you phase out, you may bring up to 1 additional target in arm's reach with you. While phased out together, you may interact as if standing in an empty void that extends infinitely in all directions.

When you activate this Effect, you may limit its duration to a period of your choosing. If you are able, you may also end it as a Free Action on your initiative.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see nauseating, non-Euclidean space-warping which outlines horror-evoking phenomena beyond perception.

  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
  • You may use your Free Movement on the Round you phase back in, but you cannot take an Action.

Whenever the Artifact owner requires concealment through subterfuge, a swarm of unknown, static, glowing crimson glyphs emerges from the Artifact. Each of these glyphs has at least one prolonged, pointy end. Immediately, the swarm disperses to fly over to the areas chosen to be disguised, and, after a miniscule pause, the glyphs begin to sequentially pierce the areas in question in a motion akin to sewing. Several seconds later, accompanied by a finalizing blur, the change is complete, and all glyphs fold out of existence.

When piercing flesh, all wounds caused by the glyphs heal in a manner of seconds, and any spilled blood is absorbed by blurry ripples; when piercing clothing, the glyphs instead temporarily merge with the pierced surface and emit a single red pulsating glint each. The total amount of glyphs present during this phenomenon scales in direct proportion to the cumulative surface area of the affected parts of the Artifact owner's body and apparel.

Spend 2 Actions.

You become disguised in a manner of your choosing. The disguise lasts for two hours, or you may end it early at will.

The new appearance may have a different sex, age, and race to your own, and you may alter height by up to a foot and your weight by 50%. Your disguise cannot directly mimic an existing person. You may change the appearance of your outfit. A disguise cannot affect your Attributes or other stats.

You may roll Charisma + Crafts to attempt to make your disguise Beautiful. If your Outcome is 6 or higher, non-Effect Charisma rolls where your good looks could help are rolled at -2 Difficulty. If you fail or botch, you are ugly instead, and non-Effect Charisma rolls are made at +2 Difficulty.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see many pointy crimson glyphs sequentially piercing the areas that are being disguised in a motion akin to sewing, which is visibly painful when affecting flesh.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 1.

Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their mind and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Trauma: Cognitive Neuropathy. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.

  • While you may alter your outfit's appearance, this does not grant or store equipment. This does not allow you to change the appearance of Artifacts or conceal their Alien appearance.
  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
  • ‘Appearance’ includes voice, bone structure, skin quality, hair length and color, eye color, muscle tone, flesh texture, and generally anything perceivable about your body.
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Community Artifacts

Withering Sunglasses

Created by Harold Polk, given to Harold Ford.
“He was staring into my soul”

When wearing these shades which are not courtroom appropriate attire. If staring directly at an individual when they lie to you there’s a good chance they will feel nerve wracking guilt.

This Effect activates whenever When An Individual Lies to the wearer. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Select a Living target within 45 feet. “Your target should be intuitively based on the triggering event. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. Affected targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6 -3 dice.

If you succeed, for the next minute, your target will do things they otherwise wouldn’t have done, inspired by Guilt. They will not necessarily display their emotions in an obvious way.

Actions they take will be in keeping with their character and the way they tend to deal with strong emotions. They will be unlikely to change their mind about any actions taken or decisions made until after the Effect ends.

If any affected target takes or deals Damage, this Effect ends.

  • When triggered, the Effect activation resolves immediately after the triggering Action. It is not Reaction speed.
  • Common emotions and the actions they inspire
    • Anger (shouting, cruelty, denying requests, attacking)
    • Pity (stopping an attack, executing an injured target)
    • Happiness (generosity, dancing, joking, socializing)
    • Sadness (finding solitude, openly crying, demotivation)
    • Fear (running, attacking)
  • If you succeed, the target MUST take at least one Action they otherwise would not have. Hey, GM who is reading this, I'm talking to you. You have to enforce this. Remember: Gifts must feel powerful.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Handheld Chem-synthesiser/Injector

Created and held by Orion Bradley.
A stainless steel handle with a rubber grip, attached to a stainless steel cage for a glass container that has an injection needle on one end and a series of tubes going in and out of a steel container in the other. There is a trigger, similar to that of a firearm, on the handle, and a keypad on the back, connected to the chemical synthesiser.

a code is entered into the keypad, to determine the injectors effect, and then the syringe is plunged into the target, causing their body to warp as they are rapidly mutated into a hypothetically evolved state.

Expend a point of Battery and Spend an Action. Select a Living target within arm's reach. Roll a single D10 as a critical failure check. If you roll a 1, the Effect fails, and you create an effect opposite of what was intended. A negative battlescar becomes a beneficial mutation, and vice versa. Roll Intellect + Science at Difficulty 6. The target may roll Body, Difficulty 7, as a Free Action to resist.

If you succeed, the target receives a new Battle Scar of your choosing, limited by the contested Outcome:

  1. A Minor Battle Scar E.g. an aesthetic-only body modification (a disfigured face, a pig's tail), impacted hand or foot, or vocal changes that complicate communication
  2. A Major Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed hand or foot, an inability to speak, an impacted major sense, removal of a minor sense, impacted movement.
  3. A Severe Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed arm or leg, deafness, aesthetic changes that are nearly impossible to conceal.
  4. An Extreme Battle Scar E.g. removal/disabling both hands or both legs, blindness, a full-body deformation that leaves the target humanoid but makes it difficult to use clothes, vehicles, and equipment designed for humans.
Refer to the stock Battle Scars on the Character Sheet for specific systems.

Your alteration "heals" over the course of the next month, after which it is fully cured.

  • Remember: A Contractor’s Body rating is reduced by 1 for each Battle Scar after their fourth.
  • You may opt to inflict a Battle Scar that is less severe than what your Outcome allows.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Strange leather coat

Created and held by Jason Kyle.
It is a body conforming, rugged leather coat.

Due to the constant exposure to undead liquids and creatures of a similar nature, the strange leather coat has developed a protocol allowing the suit to force its user's neurons and muscles to fire much faster than they ever could beforehand, allowing for greater feats of physical strength. Wrapping the user's extremities in the coat's substance, allowing the user to attack objects without harm back to itself.

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, Grappling, 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:

  • Finesse: When Attacking a single being, you may limit the Severity of any Injury you inflict or determine a maximum Wound Level, including Incapacitated. You may also choose to make this Injury properly or improperly stabilized, or to keep it unstabilized.
  • Ghost Wrangler: You may grapple incorporeal, liquid, or gaseous entities.
  • Precision Strikes: You may use Dexterity instead of Brawn to Attack and Defend. If you would successfully incapacitate a target using Finesse, you may opt to knock them out for one hour instead of having them suffer an Injury.

  • Unlike the Ability Brawl, this Effect does not affect small weapons such as knives.

Dreamlands Writ

Created by Minerva McAlaster, given to Polamedes.
A small piece of parchment, covered in some kind of a glossy substance. It has on it a writ issued from the Castle of Light permitting the bearer to enter the Dreamlands unmolested, and for the entities there to offer help. It's signed 'The Lady of Light'

The one bearing this map kneels, and holds it tightly in their hands. They close their eyes, and let out a breath.. and their mind slides into the Dreamlands. To people observing, the traveler appears to simply sleep kneeling.

To the one in the Dreamlands, they are in an unmapped part of the Dreamlands. The world around them is raw chaos, ever-shifting. It requires an incredible act of will to force this to resolve into something that can be understood. For not only are all potentials represented here, all times are. With focus, one can will the chaos into an image of something that happened in the past.

Spend a minute. Investigate an area with a radius of up to 20 feet At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6.

You learn the following information about the area:

  • You choose a specific type of event and receive a vision of the last time it occurred here.
The quality and specificity of information gained depends on your Outcome.

This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Creator’s Band of Body and Mind Stabilization

Created and held by David Vance.
Body and Mind Stabilizing Band: Synchronizes a person’s “shell”, the outline of their soul, with their body and now mind (thanks to a necromantic technique for Soul finding that seeks out a more complete version of a person’s “elemental) to keep them focused. Appears as a metal band bracelet with a human outline shaped hole in it, with a halo having been carved out around the head of the outline. A small maker’s mark on the inner rim reads “For myself, a mark of my commitment to bringing Bobby back”
Crafted by Bankston Battle

The User unfurls a Search warrant from the device and clearly states that they have the authority to search the premises pointing it at the target, the paper glows slightly and the door open/closes. When a door has been sealed by this power an insignia of a howling humanoid holding a scale and sword is burnt into the door.

Spend an Action. Select a door, container, knot, or lock within arm's reach. This can be used on Alien targets.

You may lock, unlock, and/or open your target.

You can open and close doors which are already unlocked at your full range with no Exertion cost.

You may Exert your Mind and spend two Actions to seal a lock or a closed door. Sealed doors / locks cannot be destroyed, removed, or operated by mundane means. When sealing a door, you may specify a passphrase which grants access.

  • Operating some locking mechanisms through this Effect may have a secondary effect, such as a turn-key ignition on an older or cheaper car causing it to start or stop. Note that the locking mechanism itself must satisfy the standard targeting requirements (including line of sight), not just the vehicle.
  • Any mechanism that requires a key, keycard, key fob, or combination may be considered locked, at the GM's discretion. This Effect may be used on doors and containers secured with control panels or other electronic locks, but not computer security systems at large.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.
Crafted by David Vance

When the band made by the above ritual is worn, it occasionally (every 4 hours or so) briefly flashes a translucent outline of its wielder’s body at peak condition (this is their “elemental”, the shell or outline of their soul), and the wielder is able to focus as if they themselves were at peak condition.

The band captures a person’s elemental, the shell of a person’s soul that is left behind in its movement, according to some of the occultist Helena Blavatsky’s teachings. By briefly redisplaying this shell over the user’s form, the user can synchronize their body with their soul at a healthier time. A necromantic ritual for “soul finding” has recently allowed David to find a more complete version of a person’s elemental, allowing this technique to synchronize a previous healthier mind as well.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.

Your Stress from Injuries and Mind Damage is reduced to 0.

Stock Legendary Artifacts

Winter Fang

A massive bow made of solid ice.

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:

  • Infinite Ammo: This weapon never runs out of its standard ammunition.
  • Leave No Trace: Your projectiles crumble or vanish after impact, leaving no meaningful trace of your assault beyond the wounds they leave. If your attack would kill or incapacitate your target, they make no sound, even incidentally, for the next Round.

  • This Artifact cannot be disguised or morphed with other Effects like Shape-Changing object.
  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.

Dazzle Glasses

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.

  • When triggered, the Effect activation resolves immediately after the triggering Action. It is not Reaction speed.
  • The penalty from an object being damaged will stack with itself if a target is hit multiple times, but the object is destroyed when it reaches a total penalty of -4.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

255TE "Lancer" Rife

A metallic disk that, with the press of a button, expands into a futuristic-looking rifle.

This Artifact can be used as a rifle. It is roughly the same size as a rifle but can be collapsed into a metallic disk and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.

Attack by rolling Dexterity + Firearms, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +5 Weapon Damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Silencer: The report of any shots you fire may be made silent at will.

  • If there is not enough free space to expand the object, it cannot be expanded. You cannot expand this Object as an attack.
  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.
  • Rifles are +1 Difficulty to use in melee range. Sniper Rifles are +3 Difficulty to use without a tripod or in melee range. Setting up a tripod takes an Action.

Umbrella Identification

This Artifact can change its appearance. When not transformed, it is roughly the same size as a passport but can be collapsed into a wallet and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.

Spend a Quick Action to activate. This Artifact changes its appearance into a chosen Object. This lasts until you decide to end the Effect, which may be done as a Free Action.

The new object's appearance can mimic specific items (such as a particular painting, a certain person’s ID, etc), but must be of a similar size and weight to this Artifact.

The new appearance is illusory; it will hold up to scrutiny, but its composition is not altered and it gains no new functionality. Any attempt to use it for a function which it cannot perform (for instance, making bread look like a knife and then trying to stab someone) will cause the illusion to fail or allow a Perception check to see through the illusion, at the GM's discretion.

When used as identification and scanned, the scanner will act appropriately and bring up appropriate generic information. Further searches for the identity in the computer will turn up no results. This will not open security doors on its own.

  • If there is not enough free space to expand the object, it cannot be expanded. You cannot expand this Object as an attack.
  • Changing the Artifact’s appearance does not allow you to conceal its Alien nature while any of its other Effects are in use.

Umbrella Identification

This Artifact can change its appearance. When not transformed, it is roughly the same size as a passport and just as difficult to conceal.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate. This Artifact changes its appearance into an Object within the category of forms of identification. This lasts until you decide to end the Effect, which may be done as a Free Action.

The new object's appearance can mimic specific items (such as a particular painting, a certain person’s ID, etc), but must be of a similar size and weight to this Artifact.

The new appearance is illusory; it will hold up to scrutiny, but its composition is not altered and it gains no new functionality. Any attempt to use it for a function which it cannot perform (for instance, making bread look like a knife and then trying to stab someone) will cause the illusion to fail or allow a Perception check to see through the illusion, at the GM's discretion.