Homebrew Artifacts

[Deionscribe]

I'll be using this thread for whatever Artifacts I put together (including my concept for a Sarira). If anyone has Artifacts they'd like to share, feel free to post them here.

[wyrdhamster]

Was thinking about doing general 'Crystal Skull' Artifact template, now after Sariras preview, as I love to give them in Ruins of Time Before for archeomancers character. Closest for now is this:

Line: 'Successes scored indicate the maximum Artifact dots that can be separated, with an absolute limit of 5, though the mage can opt to cut away something with a lower rating of her choice.' - Seems to indicate that maximum Artifacts dots of each part can be 5. With 2E rules of Artifact Merit, it seems to indicate one spell of 5th dot, or multiple combinations with lower spells.

So those Crystal Skulls can have one Master spell or few lower spells. I wonder what would it be to store Rotes in it - Would it simply work as Sarira part having spell itself to cast? Any help would be appreciated.

[Mrmdubois]

They don't store Rotes by default, but I'd let a Master study the mystery of the spells with FMS and when they crack that it could make it easier to develop a Rote based on what they learned.

Something like 9-again on the rolls to create a Rote, or only needing 3 successes per dot of the spell instead of five, etc.

[wyrdhamster]

I was having Crystal Skulls to this day as memories and Rote stores in games. With Artifacts being 'mobile casting centers', I was thinking it would be fitting by characters to be able to really learn those spells from it. Especially now, as Skulls being literal heads of dead mages having Rotes in their own memories that probably are powers of Sariras themselves.

[wyrdhamster]

Beside preparing Crystal Skulls as Artifact Template shown below, I'm looking for some Astral specifics items as I want to place next archeomancy trip to the Anima Mundi Realm of Earth's Moon. Any ideas on Inner Realms related Artifacts, guys?



Crystal Skulls ( ••• to ••••• )
In sites of Time Before, archeomancers sometimes find strange human ( or human-like ) Skulls made wholly of crystal. They are humming with power and secrets – and showing pieces of long forgotten magic or memories. Most popular theory is that they are smaller Sariras from Awakened of Time Before, but nature of items and era they are taken makes it hard to uncover final origin of those. Maybe collecting many of this Artifacts will reveal their true purpose?

Mechanics:
Crystal Skulls are storing fragments of long lost memories and spells. Artifact can have as many memories as Storyteller seems fit, but it’s can only have up to Artifacts dots in dots of Rotes in spells. To experience those phenomena, user need to stare intensively in the Skull’s eyes and make mental contact with minds imprint locked in item. Then he will start to have visions and Imagos shown in his own mind’s eye.

Rotes locked in the Skull can also be used directly – user only need to take Skull in his hand and form Imago of the spell, with eyes of the Skull turned on the subject of casting. Skull use it’s own Mana reserves to pay for the spell activation, but can later be charged with Prime magic. Any spell cast by the Skull is treated as coming from Ruling Arcanum of caster. It can also summon specific Nimbus effects. For casting purpose, Skull has Gnosis level 1 to 3 and Arcanum level of highest Rote of it locked in Skull. ( See Artifact Merit write up for determine Skulls traits – Mage 2E page 100. ) Artifact have up to twice it’s dot levels in Mana. When using Skull to cast Rote, user can take his own Skills dots as Mudra Yantra of Rote to casting pool. Skulls are treated as Path Tools of Paths most closely suitable for Arcana of Rotes in them.

[wyrdhamster]

Looking to create new Artifacts I went over to old sources - real world myths and legends. Some good inspirations list. I will try to prepare some Artifacts based on those ideas.

• 10 Amazing Mythological Items
• Mythology Wikia - Items in Greeks myths
• Mythology Wikia - Items in Norse myths
• Wikipedia list of mythological objects

[wyrdhamster]

The Cintamani Stone (•••••)

Most people are familiar with the concept of the Philosopher’s Stone, but few have heard of the Cintamani Stone. Said to be lost somewhere in Southeast Asia, the stone is the Oriental equivalent of the Philosopher’s Stone. The stone is thought to be a relic of Buddha, and is able to grant wishes. Supernatural powers aside, the stone represents Buddhist values and teachings. It has never been found (of course), and there has never been any solid evidence of its existence.

Mechanics: Works as Supernal Philosophers Stones.

The Seven-League Boots (•••)

The Seven-League Boots are a recurring artifact in numerous European fairy tales, and the boots themselves allowed one to travel seven leagues (roughly five kilometers or three miles) per step. The boots aren’t very well known, and they are featured primarily in the French fairytale Hop-o’-My-Thumb.
In the story, Hop-o’-My-Thumb is a small boy who is extremely intelligent. When his parents abandon him and his brothers, he becomes the (very tiny) man of the house. When an ogre decides to make a meal of the brothers, Hop-o’-My-Thumb steals their magical boots to escape and make his fortune for his family.

Mechanics:
Boots can be activated with version of spell Ground-Eater ( Space 1 ) for one scene with Advanced Scale up to 5 kilometers steps. Character can move with each step up to Size of campus or a small neighborhood. Boots are assumed to have Space 3 Arcanum and Mana pool of 6 points.

The Ring Of Gyges (•••)

Plenty of us have seen the Lord of the Rings movies and are familiar with the One Ring, the cursed ring that grants invisibility but eventually corrupts the souls of those who wear it. Luckily, mythology has a ring that grants invisibility without the nasty side effects. The Ring of Gyges was a ring from a story told by the famous philosopher Plato. In the story, Gyges is a shepherd who finds the ring after an earthquake reveals a cave near where he herds his flock.
Upon entering the cave, Gyges finds the ring on the finger of a corpse that doesn’t seem human. When he places it upon his finger, he discovers he can become invisible by adjusting it. Gyges then goes to the palace of his local kingdom, woos the wife of the king, then kills him and becomes King of Lydia. So . . . maybe we were wrong about the soul-blackening part.

Mechanics:
Ring can be activated with spell Invisibility (Forces ••) for one scene. Ring is assumed to have Forces 2 Arcanum. / Thinking how much should be Clash of Wills to bypass Invisibility spell? /

[thenate]

Pocket Pal
An unassuming cell phone that just happens to have a very nice bit of mapping software installed. The cheap little camera isn't terribly impressive, either, until someone notices that the filter options actually map to each form of Mage Sight. Zooming onto an object provides focused Mage Sight. One extra mode seems to do nothing more than clarify and sharpen the image, but the resulting image happens to count as a direct piece of the subject matter for purposes of sympathy. The images may be transferred elsewhere but copies are mundane images of supernatural things.

Null Rock
A large boulder, roughly the size of a semi if you include the buried parts, sticks up out of the ground in a park.The only known effect is that it dispels any supernatural effect that touches one specific protrusion. Unfortunately, it's a sacred site for a pack of werewolves, so details are scanty.

[wyrdhamster]

The Hand Of Glory (•••••)



This is an item you better hope a burglar never gets his hands on. The Hand of Glory was fashioned from a condemned murderer’s hands. A wax candle was affixed to one of the fingers, and the dead man’s hair was used as a wick. It had the power to unlock doors and freeze people in place. Its flame could only be extinguished by the thief who wielded it, and it would have been a vital tool to the criminal trade if it ever existed. In its day, the Hand of Glory was considered to be the product of extremely black magic.

Mechanics:
Hand of Glory is semi-spontaneous created Artifact when Supernal Summoning from Arcadia was done near corpses of condemned murderer. When hand of that corpse was changed by Sleepers recipe, Artifact can be activated by lighten hand. It has effect of Remote Control (Matter •) and variant of Temporal Stutter (Time ••••) with changed Primary Factor for Duration and that locks subject in the same place for whole Duration of spells. Hand have Gnosis 3, Arcana 4 and Mana pool of 10 points.

The Book Of Thoth ( Grimoire, •)



The Book of Thoth was a book of ancient magic used by the Egyptian god of wisdom and magic, Thoth. The Book of Thoth was said to contain two spells—one to understand animals and one to understand the mind of the gods. In an ancient Egyptian story, a prince of Egypt found the book after avoiding a series of traps. As punishment for finding the book, the prince’s family was killed, and the prince committed suicide.

Years later, a new prince found the book but was warned by the old prince’s ghost not to take it. He didn’t listen and was promptly convinced by a beautiful woman to humiliate himself and kill his children. However, he discovered that the whole thing was an illusion created by the old prince’s ghost as a warning. He placed the book back into the old prince’s tomb and left.

Mechanics:
Book of Thoth is ancient Grimoire, known from pre-Egypt times. It is rumored to be written by Thyrsus, as it contains two spells - Speak With Beasts (Life •) and First Tongue ( Spirit • ), language of ‘gods’. Copies are popular in Diamond Orders, especially for Mysterium sorcerers.

First Tongue ( Spirit • )
Practice: Unveiling
Primary Factor: Duration
Suggested Rote Skills: Animal Ken, Empathy, Persuasion
The subject gains the ability to speak in First Tongue – native language of Shadow Realm spirits. Even for werewolves he sounds ‘true’, but some language related spirits can found nuances in his speech, pointing to his non-spirit nature.

Helmet Of Invisibility (•••••)



Another Greek legend, the Helmet of Invisibility was a helmet once owned by the hero Perseus that could grant—you guessed it—invisibility. Perseus wore the helmet in his quest to slay Medusa. It prevented her petrifying gaze from affecting him when he went into battle. Perseus returned with Medusa’s head, so his quest went quite well.

Mechanics:
Helm is one of Corithian style. Artifact has two effects – one is, of course, Invisibility ( Force 2 ), but second is also Mental Shield ( Mind 2 ) with Reach options used on resisting Mind Arcanum and Mind-related supernatural powers. By this, Helmet also resist all Nightmares from Begotten Beasts, like Medusa eyes. Invisibility is activated on just by positioning of Helmet on one head, but Mental Shield need password in High Speech to be used. Helm has Gnosis of 3, Arcana of 4 and Mana pool of 10. It also works as proper Helm – Rating 1/1 ( half of Lorica Segmantata ), Strength needed 2, Defense–1, Location Head ( see Hurt Locker, p. 142 )

[wyrdhamster]

The Spear Of Destiny (••••••)



The Spear of Destiny is a sacred relic in the Christian faith. It is said that the spear that pierced Christ’s side was imbued with unique powers. Supposedly, only the owner of the Spear of Destiny could control the world. Many a conspiracy nut will tell you that Hitler, while dabbling in the occult, took the spear for himself and went on to conquer most of Europe. Later, when General Patton arrived in Nuremburg, he took the spear from the city, and Hitler’s reign of terror soon ended.
Mechanics:
Spear of Destiny, as name suggest, is catalyst of greatest fates. Artifact grants effect of Miracle ( Fate 5 ) spell for the user, as he grabs Spear in at least one hand. Character has limit of 5 Intercessions until he empty hands and grab Spear next time – or until next dusk, whichever event is later. Character can use Spear like Miracle with Reach option on low-probability events. Artifact has Gnosis 3, Arcana 6 and Mana pool of 12 point. Spear is still weapon and has those traits: Damage +2, Initiative -2, Strength 2, Size 4. ( For details on spears, see Hurt Locker, p. 139 )

The Argo (••••••)




Anyone familiar with classical mythology is probably familiar with The Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, the tale of Jason and his team of heroes (the Argonauts), who quested to gain the Golden Fleece in Colchis—so that Jason could claim his throne. The ship itself was said to be under the protection of the goddess Hera and was made from the timber of the forests of Dodona, which held the power of prophecy. When the quest for the Golden Fleece was done, the Argo was placed into the heavens as a constellation.
Mechanics:
Argo is looking as technologically styled gallery, perfectly sustained, even millennia after Jason travel. It has two constant effects on it – one is Monkey’s Paw ( Fate 3 ) with Reach option for sharing it’s blessing anyone touching it, bonus equal to 4 points. Second is Prophecy (Time 4 ) spell with asserted Potency 4. Argo has Gnosis 3, Arcana 4 and Mana pool of 12 points. It’s also capable of sailing seas and deep rivers.

Dragon’s Bones (•••••••)


Dragons are the quintessential monster of European folklore: giant, fire-breathing lizards that may have been the medieval explanation for dinosaur bones. The Greek legend of Cadmus states that, in the days of yore, Cadmus killed the sacred dragon of the god of war—Ares. Athena, Ares’s sister, told Cadmus to plant the teeth, which grew into a fresh crop of soldiers. He then threw a precious gem in amid the soldiers, who fought each other for it until there were five survivors. These five later went on to found the city of Thebes. To this day, to “sow dragon’s teeth” means to cause something that breeds dispute.

Mechanics:
( Based on Secrets of the Ruined Temple book ) Dragon Bones are powerful Artifacts, that can create Demesne everywhere they are placed. Most popular theory says they are Sariras of Supernal Beings who Diamond Orders worships as symbols of magic - i.e. Dragons. All that is needed are Bones laying in nearby. As long as Bones are in vicinity, place is treated as Demesne. What’s even more intriguing, there seems to work with ALL 10 Arcana as Ruling in this place. maybe it points to the theory that Bones are truly pre Fall, if this even ever where real.

[Horodrigo]

It might need a few adjustments, but here's my artifact:



Ghillie Dhu Cloak (••••)
Rotes: Honing the Life (Life 3)
The user receives 2 dots in Strenght. (1 scene/hour)
Activation: The cloak activates itself when the user is trying to rescue, protect or aid younglings.

It is inspired on the Ghillie Dhu folklore.

[Shadowjim12]

Heart of Calypso
This artifact looks like an organic cocoon of ichor and ephemera, the size a humanoid organ. It resembles a mammalian heart but of no know species. When attached on a creature, hallow or locus it starts to root out, spreading an ebony ephemeral tissue and veins around it.
Stats:
Materialized Ephemeral Heart, Size 2, Corpus 7 (indestructible), Spirit 5, Prime 5, Space 4, Gnosis 6, Mana 24
Notes:
One can destroy the artifact momentarily by reducing its Corpus to zero but it re-materializes by consuming one of its own mana one scene later. The heart's existence is bound to the concept of “Despair” and “unrequited love”. As long as these concept exist, the heart is bound in the Fallen world. The "veins" rooting out of it are the materialized platonic forms of desperation and depression one feels rooting in her heart when the flux of her desires are crushed by another's indifference. The artifact is gradually being corrupted by the Fallen World and slides more towards "despair" than "love" each year.
History:
Calypso, was daughter of the Old Gods. Her father, Atlas, was imprisoned with the rest of the Titans when the Olympians won the Titanomachy. In the aftermath, Zeus had her banished in an acre of land, called Ogygia; one of the infamous Places that Aren't. It was there that she rescued then trapped the Homeric hero Odysseus. After some time, the Gods of Olympus demanded Calypso to let Odysseus go. Sleeper Legend has it, that she was angry but let Odysseus off her spells to go his way. Supernal theories claim on the other hand that when Calypso couldn't persuade Odysseus to stay with her, she carved her own heart out and gave it to him as a desperate token of love, freeing him from her prison.
Mysterium scrolls indicate that the Artifact's last appearance was during WWII when countless Nazi Seer Pylons invaded a Nameless Hallow/Locus in the Greek Island of Crete resulting in geomantic and spiritual upheaval in the area. Traces of the Artifact are lost ever since.
Powers:
Immortal's Heart (Unknown Practice of Spirit, Mind and Life, Unknown Supernal Substance):
The item's substance is an amalgam of perfected flesh and ephemera that have sympathetic connections in the Astral Realms of "Love", "Unrequited Love" and "Despair". This is the power that created the item and as far as mages can tell is indespellable by mortal magic.

Calypso's Grip (Spirit 4, Opener of the Way/Bind Spirit Combined Spell):
Any non-keyed creature touching the artifact becomes instantly grappled by black tendrils as the artifact tries to shove a spirit through the creature's orifices. If successful, one spirit residing inside the pocket dimension fetters to the subject (see below). The creature becomes Urged to find a Hallow (or Locus) then root the heart there by activating "Path to Ogygia" (see below) then gradually Claimed (once the spirit becomes stronger).
Titan's Charm (Spirit 4, Space 2, Bind Spirit/Prime(keyed) Combined Spell):
Any creature claimed by the artifact that experiences despair but manages to overcome it before successfully being claimed, becomes keyed as the Artifact's owner, ending the artifact's (and its spirits') influence on it. At any time, she may key creatures to safely use the artifact by performing acts of love (ex: kissing them). If an owner already exists they start a Clash of Wills for control, but both are considered keyed to the artifact.
Path to Ogygia (Spirit 5, Prime 5, Space 4, Reaching/Create Locus/Hallow Dance/Geomancy Combined Spell)
Visual Representation

This ability is activated when the artifact comes into contact with a hallow (or locus).
The artifact starts to root in, slowly covering the area with materialized veins and bones of ephemera. A pool of dark ichor forms itself around the Hallow, with the veins creating something resembling an Isle in the center. Each day, the place gains one dot of hallow or locus until it has equal dots in both. Existing resonance changes into "Unrequited Love" at the same rate as the closest ley lines of "Despair" and "Love" converge to create a Node. Both physical and supernatural attempts to remove the artifact from the source are contested by one the Guardian Spirits of the Artifact (Rank 4, Power 8, Finesse 12, see below), with a Power+Resistance+(lowest of Hallow or Locus). Destroyed ephemeral tissue that covers the area grows back within seconds. Successfully removing the artifact ends and reverses the effect. Ephemera melts away, while the place reverts back to its previous state within hours.
The artifact doubles as an Iris to the "Ogygia, the Temple of Calypso", a pocket dimension parallel to the Shadow. While the artifact is not planted, the dimension is disconnected from the rest of the Shadow but one can still use the artifact as an Iris to the Temple. Once planted, the material place becomes an Iris leading to the Shadow, while an obsidian Hellenistic Temple starts to form, superimposing itself where the hallow/locus' shadow counterpart was. Once the transformation is complete (days required), a gate in the Temple opens, allowing access into the pocket dimension. The keyed creatures are always aware when an entity enters the domain. Any attempts to enter the pocket domain without being keyed triggers a Clash of Wills. Failure cancels the attempt and materializes the subject in the shadow, outside the gate, to face the wrath of the Temple's Guardian Spirits. A newly planted Temple usually has about ten lesser Spirits (Rank 1-3) and one Harbinger Spirit (See sidebar).
Sorrows of Calypso (Spirit 5 Create Spirit Spell);
The spirits represent manifested emotions of love and despair
While the temple is planted, by spending the appropriate amount of mana equal to their Rank, the owner can create any of the following Spirits;
Love Leech (Rank 1, Size 1-2); it grows towards size 3 then transforms
Love/Despair Parasite (Rank 2, Size 3-4); it grows towards size 5 then transforms
Love/Despair Manifested (Rank 3, Size 5+)

Inside the Temple in Ogygia lies the Spirit of Calypso (Rank 5)

[Shadowjim12]

I would love if the OP could rearrange the first post to include all the Artifact entries into a comprehensive list with a short description. It's ok now, but it would be difficult to skip through all 1 year later.

[BlueWinds]

Excuse the thread necromancy here, but it seemed better to put this in an existing thread rather than start a new one.

Ring of Heaven and Earth

Artifact •••••••••• (10) - Size 1, 20 Mana, Gnosis 5, Prime 5, Forces 4, Matter 4

Ring of Heaven and Earth is an impossibility - an Artifact created in modern times. None the less, it exists. The Obrimos who created it, a youngster with a penchant for industrial magic and hypermath, is in as much shock as anyone else. She was testing the limits of her skill, Imbuing as much mana and as many effects as possible into a ring of Perfected metal when something... shifted. The resulting drain of her power nearly killed her, and she wouldn't do it again even if she knew how.

To mundane sight, this artifact is a seamless and unmarked ring 10cm in diameter. Laying flat on a table, one side is made of a shiny, silvery metal, while the other is dull grey. It's always cool to the touch, regardless of surroundings - the Ring is safe to handle even if taken straight out of a furnace. Matter magic - or a good microscope - will reveal the surface to be utterly smooth down to the atomic level.

The ring has one purpose with many facets - to mediate between Heaven and Earth - or to put it less poetically, to consume the Truth in some things in order to burn away the Lie in others. For the effects below, "passing through" the ring is as much a conceptual act as a practical one - withdrawing a partly inserted item (or entity) doesn't undo the effects.

Energy passing through in the Earthly direction is consumed - material objects chilled to slightly below room temperature, batteries and Imbued items drained, tass dissolved as the ring stores the energy for later use. Most magical items are rendered at least temporarily inert (Supernal Dispallation, Lasting if the item had mana to consume, 1 day duration otherwise). Supernal entities would be broken down for energy as if they were tass. Sleepers weaken rapidly if they wear the ring, and even Mages must succeed on a Prime + Willpower roll to avoid having a point of Mana drawn out of them each round. Looking through the ring in this direction shows the Lie, and the Abyss in particular, as grey and black whisps permeating the world and moving sluggishly through it (an aspect of Prime mage sight).

Pushing an inanimate object through in the Heavenly direction will result in intense heat as the ring burns away aspects of the Lie, but end up stronger for the experience (similar to Lasting Alter Integrity). A metal bar passed through the ring would be heated to glowing, while less durable materials would be heated to - but not beyond - the point of destruction. Abyssal entities would be severely harmed in the supernal direction, their Lie burnt away. Sleepers wearing the Ring in this direction come under the effects of Stealing Fire. If worn and used as a yantra, it grants double 8s (As Above, So Below). Looking through the ring in this direction shows mana and geomancy as glowing Truth flowing through the world (a different aspect of Prime mage sight).

I'd love to hear people's thoughts and suggestions. The effects are a bit of a grab-bag, but they're all closely tied to the theme - any of them seem out of place or in need of tweaks? Others that should be here? It's designed to be the 'keystone' to in my Mage's story, her lasting contribution to the world that allows her to found a new Legacy.

Also, I'm not entirely sure how to rate this for dots. >.> Going by the book's descriptions, it might be 12 dots? Some of the powers are pretty limited though, so 10 felt more appropriate. My Mage can already do all these effects more versatilely herself, but given to another character who wasn't already Prime 5, Forces 4, Matter 4, it'd be crazy valuable.

[Hardwire99]

Multivitamins (Artifact •••••)
This bottle of Multivitamins produces pills that allows the user to strengthen their body, Fight of illness, or Remove toxins. The wielder of this Magnificent Device need but think of the desired effect and pull one pill out of the bottle.
Each pill produced takes one Mana from the Bottle and can be used by only one person.

Mana: 10
Gnosis: 3
Arcanum Rating: •••
Effects: Honing the Form (Life •••), Purge Illness (Life ••), Cleanse the Body (Life •)