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Chapter 9: Artifacts and Magic Items

Artifacts

Artifacts are unique items forged with legendary skill, or sometimes even magic. Artifacts are virtually never found for sale, unless the seller is unaware of the quality of the item in question. The value is given for them only to aid GMs in determining treasure.

Name

Value

Weight

Artifact Weapon

+500 gp

Varies

Artifact Armour

+500 gp

Varies

Artifact Shield

+350 gp

Varies

Artifact Tool

Varies

Varies

Artifact Weapons

Artifact weapons are created by smiths of legendary skill.

  1.   "Artifact" is a modification that can only be applied to a weapon when it is being created.
  2.   Artifact weapons all have +6 toughness
  3.   Artifact weapons adds +1 to attack and +2 to damage
  4.   Iron weapons become Refined Steel, boosting their durability by +2.
  5.   Artifact ranged weapons have double the base range increment
  6.   Parry defence rolls made with Artifact weapons get +1.
  7.   Artifact weapons can be created using Engineering with the Legendary Weaponsmith technique. The DC to do so is 16. It takes a month, although for every point you beat the DC by, subtract a week. After the first three weeks have been subtracted, you subtract only a day for every point by which you beat the DC.
  8.   Artifact weapons can only be repaired only by a character with the Legendary Weaponsmith Technique.

Artifact Armour

  1.   "Artifact" is a modification that can only be applied to armour when it is being created.
  2.   Artifact armour has +6 toughness
  3.   Artifact armour adds +2 Defence to the wearer
  4.   Artifact armour adds +1 to the target score of the wearer
  5.   Iron armour becomes Refined Steel, boosting its durability and defence bonus by +2
  6.   Artifact armour can be created using Engineering with the Legendary Armoursmith technique. The DC to do so is 16. It takes a month, although for every point you beat the DC by, subtract a week (for the first three) then subtract a day.
  7.   Artifact armour can only be repaired only by a character with the Legendary Armoursmith Technique.

Artifact Shield

  1.   "Artifact" is a modification that can only be applied to a shield when it is being created.
  2.   Artifact shields have +6 toughness
  3.   Artifact Shields grant +1 to Block defence rolls
  4.   Iron shields becomes Refined Steel, boosting their durability by +2
  5.   Artifact shields can be created using Engineering with the Legendary Armoursmith technique. The DC to do so is 16. It takes a month, although for every point you beat the DC by, subtract a week (for the first three) then subtract a day.
  6.   Artifact shields can only be repaired only by a character with the Legendary Armoursmith Technique.


Magic Items

Common Magic Items

Common magic items are those that can be made simply and predictably using the Arcana skill, with the right techniques. Depending on the setting, common magic items can generally be bought for the prices given.

Scrolls

Scrolls are cheap, one-use premade spells. Each scroll has one spell scribed into it, chosen at the time the scroll is made. Casting a spell from a scroll is just like casting one from knowledge, it must be within your Magic Power and Magic Complexity scores in order for you to cast it. As part of casting the spell, the scroll is destroyed in a manner appropriate to the spell being cast ƒ if it was a fire spell, the scroll burns up, for example.

  1.   Scrolls have a cost of (Magic Power + Magic Complexity) 2 x 5 gc each, including the cost of paper.
  2.   Making a scroll generally costs half as much as its value in rare inks.
  3.   If the spell has an expensive material component, add the cost of the component to the cost of the scroll.
  4.   Spells cast from scrolls do not need a separate focus. The scroll acts as the focus instead.
  5.   Making a scroll on a more exotic (or durable) material adds the cost of the material to the cost of the scroll. Scrolls on tougher materials don't burn up in casting, but the writing (and magic) of the scroll is wiped from the page. Some examples could include stone tablets, metal sheets, or even more impromptu surfaces such as the blade of a sword or scrawled upon a wall. A scroll takes about the surface area of a sheet of paper on whichever surface it is to be scribed.
  6.   Making a scroll takes an Arcana check with a DC equal to 4 + the Magic Power + the Magic Complexity ratings of the spell, and about an hour's work. The scroll can be of a spell the character can cast normally, or any spell that the character could theoretically design with available metamagics and spell seeds. If the spell is one that the character cannot normally cast, it takes twice as long to make and the DC is +2 points higher.

Potions

Potions are like scrolls, except that anyone can use them. Grabbing a potion from a pack or pocket is a 4SA, and drinking it is another 4SA. Quick draw (or a similar ability) decreases the time it takes to grab the potion. Potions require more expensive ingredients to make than scrolls, and more effort on the creator‚s part, so they are more expensive. Anyone can drink a potion.

  1.   Potions have a cost of (Magic Power + Magic Complexity) 2 x 10 gc each, including the cost of a glass or ceramic vial. More expensive vials cost more.
  2.   Making a potion generally costs half as much as its value in rare alchemical and magical ingredients.
  3.   The person who drinks the potion is the target of the spell. If the spell has an area of effect, it is centred on the drinker.
  4.   A character can force another to drink a potion. This requires a successful opposed Wrestle check against a target who is already held.
  5.   If the potion has a spell that requires a skill check, the potion is treated as having a number of ranks equal to the highest magic power, complexity, or divine power rating of the spell.
  6.   Making a scroll takes an Arcana check with a DC equal to 6 + the Magic Power + the Magic Complexity  ratings of the spell, and about four hours of work. The potion can be of a spell the character can cast normally, or any spell that the character could theoretically design with available metamagics and spell seeds. If the spell is one that the character cannot normally cast, it takes twice as long to make and the DC is +2 points higher.

Magic Weapons

Magic weapons are a staple of the fantasy setting. There are a wide variety of magic weapons, but the most common ones are those listed here. Magic weapons can be made by anyone with the proper technique in Arcana. This is a modification that can be added to an existing weapon, including an Artifact weapon.

  1.   This is a modification that can be applied to any existing weapon
  2.   Magic Weapons have Invulnerability/Magic or Cold Iron
  3.   Attacks made with Magic Weapons count as Magic attacks or regular attacks, whichever would be most beneficent to the wielder.
  4.   In addition, choose one of the following minor magical effects:
  5.   Wounding: If you beat your target‚s Target score by more than one point, you roll two damage dice, as if you had hit twice.
  6.   Celerity: The weapon attacks with preternatural speed. Any combo made with this weapon can add an additional attack.
  7.   Mighty: The weapon deals one die higher damage. If it already did d12 damage, it adds +1 damage.
  8.   Inferno: The weapon either deals its damage +1 in Heat damage or its normal weapon damage, whichever would deal the most.
  9.   Frost: The weapon either deals its damage +1 in Cold damage or its normal weapon damage, whichever would deal the most.
  10.   Bolt: The weapon either deals its damage +1 in Lightning damage or its normal weapon damage, whichever would deal the most.
  11.   Bane: The weapon deals +2 damage against one race of creature. The race varies by the weapon (for example, it could deal extra damage against Orcs, Trolls, or Dragons).
  12.   Minor magic weapons cost 200 gc more than a normal weapon of its type.

Magic Armour

Magic armour is nearly as common in fiction as magic weapons. There are a wide variety of types of magic armour, but the most common ones are those listed here. Magic armour can be made by anyone with the proper technique in Arcana. This is a modification that can be added to an existing armour, including Artifact armour.

  1.   This is a modification that can be applied to any existing armour
  2.   Magic Armour has Invulnerability/[Magic or Cold Iron]
  3.   In addition, choose one of the following minor magical effects:
  4.   Shadowy: you are always treated as if you had concealment
  5.   Quick: While wearing the armour, your movement speed is increased by +2 squares
  6.   Reflexive: While wearing the armour, you make dodge defence rolls at +1
  7.   Heat Resistant: You gain heat resistance +3
  8.   Cold Resistant: You gain cold resistance +3
  9.   Shock Resistant: You gain lightning resistance +3


Special Magic Items

Special magic items, unlike common magic items, cannot generally be bought. Their rarity, or lack thereof, is entirely in the hands of the GM when designing the setting.

Tokens

Angel Token: An angel token is a one-use magic card inscribed with an angelic motif. If you are wearing an angel token and die, the ring immediately activates. It glows brightly and then vanishes, and the wearer is returned to life as if by a successful Resurrection spell.

Shell Token: A shell token can be activated as a one second immediate action immediately after the wearer is wounded. After activation, the shell token turns to dust. The wound is negated as if it never happened, but any other effects from the attack (such as poison) remain. A shell token does not help if the attack knocked you dead or dying.

Haste Token: This one-use token is inscribed with some sort of pattern, although what it is, precisely, is unclear because the etchings are blurred and distorted. Activating it takes a one second action and causes the haste token to burn up in a small fire. To the activator, the rest of the world begins to move at a snail‚s pace. To everyone else, the character moves impossibly fast. Activating this token allows you to take an extra six seconds of action on your turn.

Mana Well

A mana well is an extremely rare and valuable magical device that amplifies the magical power of spellcasters. Mana wells come in many shapes and sizes, although they are usually in the form of jewellery weighing less than 0.1 kg. A character with the Arcana: Link technique can link with a mana well as if it were another spellcaster, drawing on its power. Mana wells add +1 to the Magic Power skill and maximum power rating, just like linking with a caster. A character can only link with one mana well at a time.

Mana wells generally look like ordinary objects, but any character with Arcane Sight can identify their presence if the object is in reach. Further, a character with the Arcana: Link technique can immediately discover their true nature simply by touching a mana well.

Wing Boots

These boots have short wings attached to the ankles. They allow the wearer to defy gravity and fly ƒ for a while. The wearer can activate the boots mentally as a 0SA. The wings grow slightly and glow a dull white, and the wearer can fly at a speed of 2 squares. After a minute of sustained flight, the wing boots falter and the wearer falls. Every hour, the wing boots recover enough magic to fly the wearer for one round. So, after two hours without use, the wearer can fly for 12 seconds.

Variants: Instead of winged boots, the magic item could be a wide, tattered cloak (for example). Also, for a more powerful item, increase the maximum flight duration or the recharge rate.



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