[3E] The Artifact and Evocation Workshop

[Sandact6]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with something I was beating my head against.

I want to make a Revolver weapon for a modern game named "Judge", and it's two barrels being "Jury" and "Execution". I know an artifact exists for hunting down Criminals, a very good one in the form of the Black Wind, but some of the ideas don't make sense for a firearm though. I mean the blood blade imagery is great for black wind, but that is very linked to its own weapon.

I'm not asking for anyone to write it for me, but can anyone give me ideas? As I've spent days at this point looking at its fluff outline and have gotten nothing. If you'll ask about the dot level, assume any dot level you want to make it easier.

[The Unsung Hero]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with something I was beating my head against.

I want to make a Revolver weapon for a modern game named "Judge", and it's two barrels being "Jury" and "Execution". I know an artifact exists for hunting down Criminals, a very good one in the form of the Black Wind, but some of the ideas don't make sense for a firearm though. I mean the blood blade imagery is great for black wind, but that is very linked to its own weapon.

I'm not asking for anyone to write it for me, but can anyone give me ideas? As I've spent days at this point looking at its fluff outline and have gotten nothing. If you'll ask about the dot level, assume any dot level you want to make it easier.

I would look to Righteous Devil Style charms as a source for inspiration. Let it pull numbers from an intimacy you hold for justice, or for those who hold an intimacy towards something wicked. Or have it Instill in them a fear of you and your judgment, granting bonuses. It could grant bonuses to tracking an opponent, or say an evocation that says "the wicked will find no shelter from Justice" that ignore Cover. Or better yet, obliterate the cover using it as a weapon against those who hide behind it.

Just a few thoughts.

[The Unsung Hero]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with something I was beating my head against.

Alternately, if you wanted to model after Black Wind, just make it give you blood bullets instead of blood blades, but it has to have room in the chamber to form them or something.

[Grifftofer]

Perhaps giving it a mechanic that means it doesn't need reloading when used against lawbreakers. "Judgement is unrelenting in its pursuit of justice." Some kind of 'Execution' evocation would seem warranted too. Maybe a reflexive decisive attack that can be made against a crashed enemy? Possibly you could have an action that proclaims judgement against an opponent to gain certain benefits (say double 10s on decisives). In combo it could add up to make for a way of dealing massive damage to a foe you have judged as guilty and allow you to never worry about running out of ammo against them either (Assuming that is an issue :P)

[Sandact6]

A few minutes later and I already have ideas to work with.

Thanks guys.

[Ferryman]

My first impulse would be to tie some of its Evocations to the sorts of things you do with Investigation. Like being able to build a catalog of transgressions that the character has discovered evidence of, and then imbue poetic justice into the bullets themselves as they are fired. It would be pretty cool to be able to say you are not just chambering a round, but that this round is for the victim of a specific murder and forces the target to suffer the pain of that victim, as discovered during the investigation? Sort of like the Zenith anima power. It would rely a lot on the character doing more than just wishing harm upon the target, and Judge would always be willing to fire when the wielder wishes, but you have to prove the target guilty before the revolver really comes alive. Maybe it gets a passive bonus against targets that the character has previously profiled as per the Profile Character action on p. 225.

[The Unsung Hero]

So this is my attempt at taking a different approach to a Sorcery-enhancing weapon. I know there exist problems with creating passive defend-other effects, but this one doesn't seem too hard to get past and it costs sorcerous motes in addition, so it's holding up your shaping sorcery as well.

I'm VERY rough on the costs of the second evocation. It is NOT my intention to make it super-powerful, merely more flexible. I accept all advice and criticism on this one, as I expect I'll probably have overlooked something.

As usual, it'll take me a minute after posting to get my formatting correct, so if it's hard to read, hit refresh after about 30 seconds.

Conjuring Sentinel (Orichalcum Wrackstaff ****)

Unending Hammer was crestfallen. For decades, her creations had been the pride of her homeland, the coastal state of Morayy. The Southern town boasted some of the finest crafts in the land, but Unending Hammer worked with the hand of the gods themselves. However, the mighty crafter was under a terrible malaise and she feared rumor would spread of her failure to create more works. Nothing seemed interesting enough, and her depression was deepening.

Drawn by her state, her oldest friend Capala came to her and suggested she undertake a soul-searching quest to rediscover herself. With some persistent coaching, Unending Hammer acquiesced and left to walk Creation. At first, stories of the mighty smith trickled back home as she visited small towns and helped put down small disasters as the exalted tend to do. As the months passed, however, all the stories eventually stopped. Unending Hammer vanished and none could locate her. As the years stretched on, Capala wept for the loss of her friend, for fear that she had died in some terrible accident.

Three decades later, Unending Hammer appeared back in Morayy. A spark of madness flickered in her eyes when she spoke which was rarely and only to bark instructions. She brought with her a chest made of an unknown material, the contents of which she kept hidden from the world. She ignored her friend Capala who was initially ecstatic at hearing of her friend’s return, and Unending Hammer locked herself in her old forge with only a few servants and the chest.

For 5 years, the sounds of her craft echoed through the city, the door only opening when weak or dead assistants had to be traded out for new ones. Those who came out said that the exalt was channelling powerful sorcery, a skill she had lacked prior to her journey. None could describe the contents of the chest, but only that they were critical to the design of what she was creating.

Finally, the ringing of the anvil ended, the smoke from the forge died down, and the door opened to the last few servants fleeing the workshop. When Capala went inside to see her old friend, she found Unending Hammer lying dead on the ground, starvation finally having caught up to her, but her eyes frozen wide with untempered glee. On the table lay a staff of orichalcum and a strange material that resembled jade, and yet it shimmered between colors in the light. Capala wept once again, for she would never understand what had possessed Unending Hammer to create such a weapon, or why it should cost her life.

Conjuring Sentinel is an orichalcum wrackstaff that is alloyed with a strange metal of unknown origin. Best guesses of occult specialists is that it originated in the wyld, but it seems to react with the natural elemental powers of Creation. The staff has 3 hearthstone sockets along its length and has an unknown pictographic language embossed along its length. Only those initiated into Sorcery can get any unique benefits from Conjuring Sentinel.

Evocations of Conjuring Sentinel
A Solar or Dragon-Blood who spends 1 additional mote attuning to Conjuring Sentinel may gain even greater benefit from their sorcery. Successfully casting a spell invigorates the exalt, granting them 1 initiative. If the spell was a Decisive attack, this is added to their base upon resetting.

Calling the Sentinel
Cost: 6m, 1sm (+1sm/round) Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: 1 round
Prerequisites: None

The Conjuring Sentinel communes with the ambient essence of Creation, and when its wielder uses sorcery, it vibrates with joy at the humming of the natural world in response. When the exalt begins a Shape Sorcery action, if they gathered any sorcerous motes, they may pay 1 of their gathered sorcerous motes to the cost of this evocation to activate it. Upon activation, the exalt plants the Conjuring Sentinel on the ground upright in front of them where it will balance perfectly upright as though lodged. The wrackstaff will not move or be moved until the evocation ends.

Triggered by a combination of the exalt’s own essence and that of the world around it, Conjuring Sentinel forges a mass of elemental expression with a Defining Intimacy to protect the exalt. This being is the Sentinel and could be expressed in a variety of ways. If used in the forest, it could be a mass of vines and branches that move to protect the sorcerer. It could be pillars of rock bursting from the ground, or ice forged from the air in a wintery tundra. However it manifests, the Sentinel is a non-human shape that cannot traverse range bands but will defend the exalt from all attacks as long as the wielder remains within Close range of Conjuring Sentinel.

The Sentinel can only Parry, and it has a Parry score of the higher of 5 or Essence. It will constantly use Defend Other on the exalt as it can do no other actions and it has a single -0 health level. Because it lacks an initiative pool, it takes Withering damage directly to its health pool.

The Sentinel only lasts for 1 round, but if the exalt successfully Shapes Sorcery on their next turn, they may donate an additional sorcerous mote to extend its duration for another round. Doing so resets any onslaught penalties the Sentinel may have accrued, but it retains wounds. This may be done each turn as the exalt wishes until they cannot feed it any more sorcerous motes (at a limit of 1 mote per round) or until their spell successfully casts. On either condition, the Sentinel immediately disintegrates into dust or a puddle of water or rotting vines, as is appropriate for its composition. When this evocation ends, the wrackstaff will fall over, though if the exalt is still in Close range and not clinched, they may reflexively grab it again before it falls.

Empowering the Sentinel
Cost: (1m + Xsm) Mins: Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Calling the Sentinel

The exalt’s greater mastery of Conjuring Sentinel allows them to apply their sorcery to its evocations in more ways. This evocation upgrades its prerequisite, allowing the exalt to expend additional gathered sorcerous motes to empower their Sentinel temporarily:

• 2 sm to ignore onslaught penalties for the Sentinel for one instant
• 5 sm to ignore onslaught penalties for the Sentinel until next turn
• 3 sm to increase the Sentinel’s Parry by 1 until next turn (not stackable)
• 8 sm to allow the Sentinel to Parry a single attack that is deemed unparryable without the use of magic or charms. This does not cover Incalculable Damage.

Retiring the Sentinel
Cost: 3m, 1wp Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Empowering the Sentinel

The Sentinel is a temporary being and it’s existence is meant to end. The master of Conjuring Sentinel however, can make its death meaningful. Whenever the wielder completes the casting of a spell and this causes an existing Sentinel to expire, the exalt may activate this final evocation to detonate the guardian instead.

The explosion affects all opponents out to Short range, and is a dice roll of (Wits + Occult) with automatic successes equal to half the number of rounds, round up, that the Sentinel survived for, including this round. Opponents affected may oppose this roll with a (Stamina + Resistance) roll. For each enemy that loses, the force of the explosion knocks them back 1 range band and automatically prone. All foes within range lose a point of initiative regardless of success, as they shield themselves from pieces of whatever the Sentinel was composed of raining down on them at high velocity. This lost initiative cannot push an enemy into Crash.

[Sandact6]

My first impulse would be to tie some of its Evocations to the sorts of things you do with Investigation. Like being able to build a catalog of transgressions that the character has discovered evidence of, and then imbue poetic justice into the bullets themselves as they are fired. It would be pretty cool to be able to say you are not just chambering a round, but that this round is for the victim of a specific murder and forces the target to suffer the pain of that victim, as discovered during the investigation? Sort of like the Zenith anima power. It would rely a lot on the character doing more than just wishing harm upon the target, and Judge would always be willing to fire when the wielder wishes, but you have to prove the target guilty before the revolver really comes alive. Maybe it gets a passive bonus against targets that the character has previously profiled as per the Profile Character action on p. 225.

I like this, as the wielder of the weapon is technically a Soulsteel alchemical, which meshes perfectly with... well soulsteel Alchemicals.

In other notes, an artifact I put in my Alchemical book and posted on the boards. I'll make an external link as the damn thing is aeons long.

http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted/836021-the-things-my-blade-cannot-cut-are-next-to-none-ten-no-kyougo-3e-mega-artifact

[The Unsung Hero]

Alright work has finally gotten busier for me so I haven't been able to write as much, but I put the finishing touches on a suit of armor that I was inspired to write by a forum user here. I'm happy with all of the effects, but I'm somehow finding myself unable to determine if the costs are balanced.

The Alabaster Onslaught (White Jade Articulated Plate ***)

Unsurpassed Ivory Stalker was the greatest huntsman of the Shogunate era. He was known far and wide as a peerless tracker of animals exotic and terrifying. He made his fortune hunting the remaining vestiges of mighty species that roamed Creation freely in the High First Age.

And so he continued on in this manner until he crossed the Ghost Dragon. An unbelievably massive albino ox-dragon that bested Ivory Stalker in the hunt and cost the Earth Aspect his left hand. The beast was twice as large as any other ox-dragon he had ever seen, with scars covering its body from centuries of territorial contests. However, its horns were its most amazing quality, for were gleaming spires of pure white jade.

Unsurpassed Ivory devoted his life to hunting the Ghost Dragon, forsaking family, fortune, and fame to essentially disappear from the world. His only focus was his target, his only desire the hunt. So in the twilight years of his life, the Dragon-Blood finally cornered the ox-dragon in a canyon. A mighty contest between the two occurred which devastated the surrounding landscape, but in the end Unsurpassed Ivory Stalker prevailed, running the Ghost Dragon through with his spear.

Broken and bloodied, Ivory Stalker felt nothing but respect for his fallen prey and vowed to make its death meaningful. He carved out the beast’s jade horns and brought them back to the Blessed Isle. His granddaughter, a skilled armorsmith, was granted the horns with the instructions to make a masterwork from the materials. Unsurpassed Ivory Stalker would not live to see the result, a magnificent white suit of articulated plate armor which would be passed down the family line thereafter.

The Alabaster Onslaught is a white jade suit of articulated plate armor. Motifs of horns are carved and shaped throughout the suit, giving it an unusually primal appearance. Wearing the armor makes the exalt feel mighty and strong, giving them the sense of a hunter stalking prey. The Alabaster Onslaught has 2 hearthstone sockets, one in the center of the chest and one at the collar.

Evocations of The Alabaster Onslaught
A Solar or Dragon-Blood who spends 2 additional motes to attune to The Alabaster Onslaught gains a single automatic success to Rush actions, knockback effects, and attempts to resist being knocked back or prone. Opposed rolls for these actions that tie favor the wearer of The Alabaster Onslaught.

Ox-Dragon Charge
Cost: 4m Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Decisive-Only
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisites: None

The ox-dragon is a terrifying beast, known to all who travel the forests of the East. The might of its visage is surpassed only by that of its charge. When the wearer of Alabaster Onslaught activates Ox-Dragon Charge, they choose a target in any range band that they are able to perceive.

They must begin moving towards the chosen target and are explicitly permitted to perform Rush actions at any range band while this evocation is in effect. For every range band the exalt crosses in pursuit of their foe, they generate 2 initiative. This initiative continues to build until they close to Close range with the enemy and make a Decisive attack. If the exalt takes a movement action that does not bring them directly closer towards the charged enemy, makes a withering attack, or attacks a different enemy, Ox-Dragon Charge ends and the exalt loses all initiative built up with this attack.

Stampeding Might
Cost: 5m, 1wp Mins: Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisites: Ox-Dragon Charge

The power of The Alabaster Onslaught is relentless and primal, giving its wearer the might of a legendary beast. When Stampeding Might is activated, the exalt’s Strength is treated as (Essence) higher for Feats of Strength to demolish or break scenery. Such actions can become reflexive when used with Ox-Dragon Charge to smash through obstacles in the exalt’s path to their target.

Finally, all attacks while Stampeding Might is active gain the Smashing tag. If the weapon used already has the Smashing tag, ignore the Initiative cost of a Smashing action.

Unstoppable Juggernaut
Cost: (+3m, 1wp) Mins: Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Decisive-Only
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisites: Stampeding Might

The beast in full charge is unrelenting… undefeatable… unstoppable. Unlocking the pinnacle power of The Alabaster Onslaught, the exalt becomes the personification of the bestial might of an ox-dragon, and for a moment when this evocation is activated, an image of the colossal creature seems to flash around the wearer of the armor, giving them a threatening presence. Unstoppable Juggernaut is an upgrade to Ox-Dragon Charge, enhancing it for an additional cost.

When Unstoppable Juggernaut is active the exalt gains multiple benefits for the duration of their charge. They become immune to knockdown and knockback effects. Rush actions ignore the mobility penalty of The Alabaster Onslaught. If the resulting Decisive attack is successful, the target of the charge is knocked back 1 range band for every 2 range bands the exalt crossed getting there (to a minimum of 1).

Finally, against each additional target before the focus of the charge that the exalt crosses in their path, they may roll a reflexive knockback attempt against them. This is a contested roll consisting of their unenhanced Decisive attack pool with Essence automatic successes, versus the opponent’s (Dexterity + Dodge) or (Stamina + Athletics). This attack deals no damage, but knocks the opponent either prone or back 1 range band.

[Volivat]

Alright, that was a splendid artifact! Very similar to what I had in mind when i tried to inspire you to create an armor artifact One of the few artifacts, I really want my char to actually get!

Some errors in the text: Best instead of beast (The best as twice as large as any other ox-dragon ). Also the second evocation has a sentence that just goes nowhere (Additionally, the exalt )

Ill take a better mechanical look this weekend, when I will post my N/A sword as well

[Myradmir]

The Sentinel can only Parry, and it has a Parry score of the higher of 5. It will constantly use Defend Other on the exalt as it can do no other actions and it has a single -0 health level. Because it lacks an initiative pool, it takes Withering damage directly to its health pool.

Out of curiousity. The higher of 5 and what? Because I might ask for this from my ST, though only with your permission of course.

[Mockery]

All right, I've been tossing out questionably balanced artifacts for the game I'm running, and what follows are a few of those...

Backstory:

This is one of the first artifacts acquired by the PC's, in the immediate wake of their Exaltation. Being within a Solar tomb--really more like a slumbering prison until seconds prior--I gave them free reign to find a few dots' worth of merits in the wreckage. One of the players (by far the most familiar with the game) created the image of this one, and I filled in the blanks. Since I was primarily hammering out desired mechanics and making them fit with the aesthetic, I feel like the flavor text is a little lacking on some of these.
Ivy Carillon

Nearly every spear made has one thing in common with the rest of its kind: each comes to a sharp point at its business end. Not so the weapon called Ivy Carillion, whose cubit-long blade is of equal width its entire length, culminating in a chisel point every bit as sharp as its edges. Whether the spear was forged thus by request of its first wielder or as a statement on the properties of magical materials by its crafter is lost to time. The spear is tipped and shod in orichalcum, the blade inlaid with green jade steel ivy leaves no bigger than a child’s thumbnail; its shaft three cubits of green jade steel shaped like twining vines. A hidden mechanism causes the weapon to sound bells on a pentatonic scale when wielded, making music of warfare.

EVOCATIONS:

In the hands of a Lawgiver or Terrestrial, Ivy Carillon's shaft becomes flexible and supple at a thought. In addition to gaining the Flexible and Grappling tags, the wielder may pay 2 Initiative to make a melee attack at short range.

Lazy Vineyard Summer-Song
Cost: 5m, 2a Mins: Ess 1
Type: Simple
Duration: One Scene
Keywords: Perilous
Prerequisites: None

Cause ivy to grow around the Exalt out to Short Range, as though on an intricate series of invisible trellises. Does not impede physical actions, but does provide a +1 defense from Light Cover.

The Exalt can feel everything that passes through the vines of Lazy Vineyard Summer-Song, both Material and Immaterial, and while this charm grants no ability to interact with spirits, she can feel their presence and location as certainly as if they were a fly crawling on her arm. This awareness grants her a +2 bonus to rolls to detect attacks from stealth, and the capacity to sense spirits in her immediate vicinity. The swelling buds of the vines burst into bloom with a jangling silvery ring if an ambush or sneak attack is successfully detected by this.

Sprawling Undergrowth Trick
Cost: 5m, 1i per target Mins: Ess 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Perilous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Lazy Vineyard Summer-Song

Allows the Exalt to ensnarl any target within their Lazy Vineyard Summer-Song anima, as a Clinch gambit paying 1 more initiative for each target after the first (this is in addition to the cost of the charm itself). This Evocation explicitly can grasp dematerialized beings, and such creatures may be struck by Ivy Carillon without the aid of further charms as long as they remain entangled. This clinch only inflicts the basic mobility penalties on the targets.


Strangling Kudzu Surprise
Cost: 1i per target Mins: 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Perilous
Duration: One Action.
Prerequisite Charms: Sprawling Undergrowth Trick

The Lawgiver may use this Evocation to directly control the clinches of Sprawling Undergrowth Trick; she may Savage, Immobilize, or Drag them as she sees fit. Any initiative gained by these clinches joins a single pool separate from the Exalt's; she may not use it to power her own native charms or attacks, but it can fuel the Evocations of Ivy Carillon. Asan exception to the normal rules, the wielder of Ivy Carillon may use its Perilous evocations in crash if she can pay any Initiative cost out of this direlance's pool.


Morning Glory Shroud
Cost:10m, 15i, 1 wp Mins: Ess 4
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-Only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite charms: Sprawling Undergrowth Trick

All clinches erupt into bloom with an alarum roar, and deal damage as though they had been aborted to throw. Excess Initiative possessed by Ivy Carillon becomes part of the damage rolled against targets, divided as evenly as possible. Targets killed by this attack disintegrate into motes of essence, and the flowers surrounding where their body was waft golden sweet-smelling pollen that gives an additional drip of Initiative for several rounds, adding 1i to the wielder's pool for a number of turns equal to the total Permanent Essence of the slain; if Lazy Vineyard Summer-Song is active, the vegetation created by this charm joins with it and increases its range by one band for the rest of the scene.

[Mockery]

Another weapon from the selfsame wreckage, further info here. I described this to the wielder as "Basically making you the monster in a slasher movie."
Killdeer's Sorrow

New Keyword: Nightmare - This Evocation works on a target with an intimacy of Fear toward the user. Some charms with this keyword still function without such an intimacy, but gain increased function with it. Charms with the Nightmare Keyword but no increased function do not work without an appropriate intimacy. If taking advantage of this keyword, the target must be aware of the user's presence by the time the action resolves, if not their exact location.

A Solar, Lunar, or Abyssal attuning to Killdeer's Sorrow immediately learns Hungering Wolf Scent

Hungering Wolf Scent
Cost: 1m Mins: Ess 1
Type: Reflexive
Duration: [Essence] Years
Keywords: Nightmare, Decisive-Only
Prerequisite Charms: None


If the wielder of Killdeer's Sorrow deals a Health Level of Damage to a target, she gains +1 die for the duration of this charm to track, investigate, or be alerted to the presence of that target. As a Nightmare effect, this bonus increases to the bonus appropriate to the Intimacy's strength, and lasts as long as the Intimacy does. The wielder can taste or otherwise sense the target's fear when she takes advantage of this bonus, and is aware if the Intimacy has grown or diminished since the last time she checked.

Pinning the Devil-Hart
Cost: 3m, 2i Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Withering-Only, Nightmare
Prerequisite Charms: None


Those who would flee the wielder of Killdeer's Sorrow find too soon that to fly from them is to play into their hands. After any action wherein a target attempts a Disengage action against the wielder, or moves a range band away directly and deliberately away from the wielder, she may immediately make a withering attack against them as though at Short Range. As a Nightmare effect, she may exceed the usual range, able to attack a fleeing foe as long as they remain visible to her naked eye.


Stalking Nightmare Attitude
Cost: 5m Mins: Ess 1
Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Withering-Only
Prerequisite Charms: Hungering Wolf Scent

With the whisper of a passing arrow, the wielder of Killdeer's sorrow lets her target know without words of her presence, and of her intent.
By using this charm, the Exalt's attack roll doubles as an Instill roll to create a minor tie of Fear toward her. While this does not give her position or identity away in and of itself, it will override pre-existing Intimacies regarding the wielder if they come into direct conflict.
This charm can only be used once per target, although it may be reset by killing another being in the target's presence. If she is seeking to reinforce the intimacy, rather than rebuild it, then her supplementary victim must be the recipient of one of her target's intimacies at or above the level he is at currently (i.e. To boost the Intimacy from Minor to Major, the wielder might kill one of her target's friends to whom he has a Minor Tie of Friendship)

Hound-Unleashing War Cry Cost: 8m, 1 wp, 3i Mins: Ess 3
Type: Simple
Duration: [Intimacy's Bonus] Turns
Keywords: Nightmare, Withering-Only, Perilous
Prerequisite Charms: Pinning the Devil-Hart, Stalking Nightmare Attitude

Out of shadows and around corners loom giant, mastiff-like dogs, formed of mist and shadow. These appear within Close range of the target, and with slavering night-black jaws pen him in, countering any attempts to disengage with a pool equal to the Initiative gained by this attack (which is otherwise forfeit). Turns in which the target is crashed do not count against the duration of this charm.
This charm may only be used once a Scene
.
Heart-Racing Speed Salvo Cost: 1+i, 6m, 1wp Mins: Ess 3
Type: Simple
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Nightmare, Withering-Only, Perilous
Prerequisite Charms: Stalking Nightmare Attitude


The wielder of Killdeer's Sorrow may flurry an attempt to re-establish surprise with her attack, using her full archery pool as both rolls; this explicitly allows her to relocate anywhere within her range band in relation to the target, and if her attempt is successful she may spend extra successes to make an immediate attempt to surmount hurdles to moving--picking a lock, climbing over a wall, etc.
The Exalt using this Evocation may only focus on her target; her next three attacks must be directed at him if at all possible. This does not penalize her awareness or ability to defend herself from others.
This charm may only be used once per scene

Spreading Horror Legend
Cost: 10m, 2wp Mins: Ess 4
Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Nightmare, Decisive-Only
Prerequisite Charms: Hound-Unleashing War Cry, Heart-Racing Speed Salvo

Striking the killing blow on her prey, the Exalt finds new targets in the same breath.
Upon filling in her target's final health level, she may immediately use the damage successes rolled on this attack against all the target's allies within Medium range, using Stalking Nightmare Attitude to build or reinforce an Intimacy of Fear. She gains an instinctive glimpse of the face of all those effected, and may choose to commit motes as though she had wounded them with Hungering Wolf Scent. This impression is neither lasting nor perfect: if she does not commit Essence then the face fades from memory, and while the bonuses of Hungering Wolf Scent will likely correct any misunderstandings in due course, any disguises the target wears will likely fool her for the moment.

[Mockery]

This one came later, looted from the body of a Terrestrial warrior who was prepared to stand strong and hold them off at the cost of his own life...only to make a quintuple botch on his opening strike. He died moments later.

Crucible

Appearance: The amount of red jade within the plates of Crucible is deceptively high; at rest it has a glossy black finish that seems more like fine lacquer, only its exotic design and tall serrated spikes obviously betraying its nature.

With use, though, the armor's nature shows through--practiced wielders find themselves able to deal crushing blows while maintaining an edge in combat, and as their momentum builds, the armor itself begins to glow cherry-red, then orange, then finally a blazing white-hot.

Wielders have learned, however, that they must maintain equilibrium--if they find themselves losing focus, their grip on the powerful Essence within the armor can easily slip though their fingers, with painful results for everyone.

Evocations:
The wearer of Crucible feels its fire in her body he moment she attunes to it, a flow of heat and pain that is far from unbearable; most who have worn it describe it as pleasant, like a dry sauna in the soul.
Those who wound the Exalt find out just how literal this heat is: if the wearer suffers lethal damage as part of a decisive attack, or otherwise bleeds, her blood pours out thick and white-hot. While this does not cause any further harm to the Exalt, the spatter retaliates against a foe in close range, requiring a Dexterity + Dodge roll to avoid a Lethal Health Level of damage (Any such wound automatically cauterizes itself, as a small mercy).

Soul-Stoking Excitement
Cost: 1+i Mins: Essence 1
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Withering-Only
Prerequisites: None
Upon successfully making a Withering Attack, the Exalt may convert up to (Her Stamina) in Initiative gained to Heat. Heat is neither used as part of the damage for Decisive Attacks, nor does it reset, nor can it be directly removed by a Withering Attack on her, but it does count as Initiative for the purpose of the Exalt’s turn order, and is used to power certain further Evocations.
The Exalt may still be Crashed if her Initiative is reduced to zero, regardless of how much Heat she possesses. If this happens, all Heat is released as a one-time Environmental Hazard, resisted by everyone present with their Stamina + Resistance (the wearer of Crucible may substitute her Integrity for Resistance if it is higher). The damage of this hazard is the Heat pool; the Exalt only takes half damage, but cannot apply Crucible’s hardness as the damage is from her own erupting Essence.
The exalt’s Initiative resets, if she has not pulled herself out of Crash, after her action in the next round.

Furious Forge Retaliation
Cost: 6m, 1wp (+2/3a) Mins: Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Dual
Prerequisites: Soul-Stoking Excitement
The inferno contained with Crucible--and by extension, its wearer--is terrifying. Those who have seen the bleeding wounds of the wearer have some idea. Those who have seen a surfeit of Heat turn on its wearer have a bit more.
The rare survivors of this technique probably know better than the others.
When wounded by a decisive attack, the wearer of Crucible may make a counterattack at up to short range. If her attacker is further, she may spend anima levels to extend this to Medium or Long range as her armor glows brilliantly in the spot she was struck, then temporarily bursts like a blister to release a searing arc of Essence. This attack uses the statistics of a Heavy Thrown Artifact weapon, (although the wearer may target with their Stamina + Integrity, and calculate Withering Damage with their Charisma if these values are better) adding the number of levels of damage done to the wielder to its accuracy. If a Decisive attack is made, Heat may be immediately converted back to Initiative before damage is rolled.

Invigorating Moxibustion Overdrive
Cost: 3a, 1bhl Mins: Essence 4
Type: Simple
Duration: One turn
Keywords: Perilous
Prerequisites: Soul-Stoking Excitement
Taking the roar of her anima and the power seething through her armor, Crucible’s wearer channels them through her body, feeling a moment of healing, cauterizing pain that leaves her red and sore, but healing quickly.
When this charm activates, the Exalt spends as much of her Heat as she desires.

• 3 Heat reduces a Lethal level to Bashing. 5 does the same for Aggravated.
• 1 Heat removes a Bashing level, but it cannot be one that the Exalt also downgraded with this Evocation.
• The Exalt may also channel refining Heat through her body and soul to remove other impurities; She gains a roll against any diseases, poisons, or other negative influences she might roll upon; This pool starts at her Essence; she may spend Heat on a 1-for-1 basis to raise this pool to its normal maximum. If the roll has a terminus this power does not count against it.

Invigorating Moxibustion Overdrive can only be activated once a scene.

[The Unsung Hero]

Alright, that was a splendid artifact! Very similar to what I had in mind when i tried to inspire you to create an armor artifact One of the few artifacts, I really want my char to actually get!

Some errors in the text: Best instead of beast (The best as twice as large as any other ox-dragon ). Also the second evocation has a sentence that just goes nowhere (Additionally, the exalt )

Ill take a better mechanical look this weekend, when I will post my N/A sword as well

Corrected. I appreciate it. I think the second evocation was supposed to have an additional effect, but I must have gotten distracted and I can't think of it right now. The smashing bonus is probably sufficient for the cost and I don't want it any more expensive than that.