Legendary Artifact

Prototype: Viper

Created by Sara Gause Viper, looted by Lilith (Lily) Weider.
Currently At home.
This cybernetic limb incorporates unknown, possibly alien technology.

A black and green cybernetic arm. A dart gun module in the palm fan fire syringe like darts (Payload of 6 before reloading). The arm has a Tillinghast Resonator incorporated within that can allow it to reach through solid objects - there is a notable vibration apparent when this function spins up, & frequent users report hallucinations or other mental aberrations induced by Tillinghast Radiation - shielding has been improved in later trials.

Project Report: The framework for the VIPER protype is complete. Blood Turbines will power the Tillinghast Resonater, which will further power the arms through controlled emissions of Tillinghast radiation! We have just anesthetized Sara, telling her she is going to get braces...my hands tremble on the scalpel. Where my daughter had but weak, fragile flesh she will soon hold the legacy of our work!

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

You gain an additional limb that functions as a standard human arm and hand.

Each additional limb you posses can take one Quick Action per Round without incurring a -2 dice penalty to your main Action. Any Battle Scars that affect or remove your additional limb will heal in a single week.

Your extra appendage can be used to attack in exactly the same manner as a Taser and Dart Gun.

Your appendage is selectively incorporeal, allowing you to reach through walls or ignore grapples on it.

Your extra appendage can stretch to reach an additional 30 feet.

Your extra appendage is not connected to your nervous or circulatory systems, and you will not take damage if it is hit by an attack or destroyed.

Your Extra Appendage counts as an object and can be hacked or targeted by any Powers that affect objects or machines. Injuries to your Extra Appendage cannot be healed by Powers that affect living things but may be repaired during Downtime.

  • Your limb's incorporeal-ness doesn't enhance your attacks in any way.
  • You may stretch or retract your limbs once per Round on your Initiative.

The Tillnghast Resonator within the Viper prototype can charge darts with T radiation, allowing them to "slide" across extra-dimensional space. While this does involve a risk of T-Radiation to the environment, that concern was tabled for later development.

T Radiation can allow a single dart to carry greater payloads, arc over obstacles, ignore firing conditions in local dimensional space, & strike with unnatural accuracy, in part guided by the will imprint on the wielder.

Project Report: The Resonator is a wonder! We should be able to pull any defense contract we can find once they see the applications of the arm & it's cybernetic guidance system. Sara complains about hallucinations & has begun prattling about some imaginary friend she calls "Chitari" - I will need to increase the shielding in later models.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact and engaged in combat with Dart Gun.

You receive +2 dice to all rolls using Dart Gun. Reloading is considered a Free Action.

You also gain the following effects:

  • All-Terrain Archer: Your attacks made with Dart Gun never suffer penalties due to movement or environmental conditions. This includes sprinting, climbing, firing in the rain, etc.
  • Arc the Arrow: You may attack targets who are behind cover without any penalty.
  • Point Control: Called Shots that you attempt only require a Contested Outcome of 2 for small targets and 4 for tiny targets.
  • Payload: Your projectiles can carry a payload of up to 3 lbs without a penalty.

The Viper prototype can charge plasma collected from the interior blood turbines with Tillinghast radiation. This material can be injected into an injured subject, where the proto-plasma then seeks & replaces damaged tissue - becoming whatever is required. The injection of T radiation can cause confusion with higher planes, which can erode the sanity of the weak mined.

Project Update: This is a marvel of hyper geometry - my husband & I have decided to forgo further animal trials & test it on wounds surgically inflicted on Sara - if her mind is anything like ours, she will endure the cojoined reality without issue.

Expend a point of Battery and spend 2 Actions to activate. Select a Living target within arm's reach. Your target must make a Trauma roll when you activate this Effect. Choose a specific Injury on your target that has not yet been treated with this Effect and roll Intellect + Medicine at Difficulty 5.

If you succeed, the Injury is reduced in Severity by your Outcome. If you reduce its Severity to 0, the Injury is fully healed. Otherwise, it is partially healed and will heal the rest of the way at its natural rate.

This counts as a successful Makeshift Stabilization if the Injury was not already Stabilized; any Battle Scars caused by the Injury will remain.

If your Outcome is greater than the Severity of the Injury you were attempting to treat, you may apply any excess Outcome to other Injuries on the same patient.

  • Unstabilized wounds do not degenerate during treatment.
  • 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.

The Tillinghast Resonator can warp space around the wielder, although doing so breaches so-called "Tillinghast Space" allowing creatures that move freely in alternate dimensions to be seen, & in some cases, see us. The field of warping, shifting reality will protect the wielder from harm, & the creatures from beyond may attack those who interact with the area of warped space - often in a violent manner.

Project Note: We are ready for the final test! We acquired rifles to test the event horizon of the Tillinghast Field! Not a moment to soon, as Sara has become all but useless now, a gibbering wreck. No matter - once they see the T-Field eat a hail of bullets fired at a helpless girl, they will be unable to doubt our brilliance!

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action or Reaction to activate. Make a Trauma roll when you activate this Effect. Roll Intellect + Science at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome + 4 Damage. Half the damage absorbed is reflected back at the attacker, which they can Defend against as normal. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. You may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, or if it absorbs the full amount of Damage. When a barrier falls, you cannot use this Effect again for a minimum of 2 Rounds.

Any target that is or was under the protection of your Barrier in a given Round cannot take an Injury greater than Severity 6 that Round.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see a field of corsucating energy engulf the wielder, in which alien creatures swim through alternate paralell dimensions.

  • If you use this Effect as a Reaction to dodge, you still need to make a roll to dodge. The Effect will occur regardless of the Outcome of this roll, but if you fail you will be hit by the relevant attack prior to the Effect occurring.
  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
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Community Artifacts

JPM's "Big Boss" Suit Coat

Created and held by JPM (Jackson Pierce Morgan).
JPM's personal military-style full-wool-suit coat: goes all the way down to his knees, is big enough to be a blanket on most people: weighs much more than a few pounds due to hearty Scottish Harris Tweed Wool Weaving... more than enough to walk through any Tundra, more than enough to cook a man alive in the Sahara. Gold buttons, extended flap inner pockets, "JPM" tag on the inside, inner suit coat pockets, double-breasted, on it's own durable... but with JPM's special flavoring... about as, if not more, protective than a full-body bulletproof vest.

JPM has the ability to create purchasable protection for the rich elite upper-class: these items can be a suit, can be shoes, can be anything, but to anyone who'se not of Rich stock... their mundane, and useless.

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

You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. Called Shots may circumvent your Armor, depending on its coverage.

Hippocratic Infiltrator Armor

Created by Vel, given to Dr. Theodore "Laz" Lazcowicz.
A pendant with a shield made of 2 wings on it. Circuitry patterns now outline the wings and thread through the chain, and a neuron-map engraving is etched in fine detail in the center of the shield.
Crafted by Vel

This armor is projected outward from a smaller object (such as a ring or bracer). It appears as a slight shimmer in the air, with a purple color whenever it reflects damage.

This armor is infused with the idea of protection and the Hippocratic oath. The armor must have an image which resembles a shield, likely wings that look like a shield.

It is made with a ritual that uses
- Strong metals, titanium
- A write up of the Hippocratic oath
- Shield Iconography
- A shield pattern worked into the armor

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

You have 6 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack.

You may spend an Action or Reaction and Exert your Mind to double your Armor rating for one Round.

Your Armor cannot be destroyed, and it always provides a minimum of 2 Armor regardless of any Armor penetration. It cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.

Your Armor’s rating is increased by 2. If you Attack, Clash, or initiate a Contested roll, your Armor’s rating is decreased by 3 for one minute. This penalty does not stack with itself.

Crafted by Dr. Theodore "Laz" Lazcowicz

The data gathered from Laz's age changes have now allowed a greater understanding of cellular reconstruction. Laz's device now secretes nanites constantly into the user's bloodstream through dermal absorption. Activation reads brainwave patterns to determine the envisioned form and adjusts smoothly, preventing the tearing, gore, and nudity of the previous system. Yes, bones still shift under the skin, and clothing is reconstructed but in a much less disturbing display. Further, the reconstruction need no longer be actively maintained. Once complete, it remains until changed. Releasing a form, however, does still cost the wearer an exhaustive amount of energy that must be recovered.

After the events of a previous Contract, Laz wanted to be anyone else. Eliza helped him work out how he can be. Now he finds himself doing business with another face

Exert your Mind and spend a minute.

You become disguised in a manner of your choosing. The disguise lasts until you either activate a new disguise, or choose to end the effect.

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.

After this Effect ends, you cannot move quicker than a walk (15 feet per Round) for one minute and suffer a -1 dice penalty for an hour.

  • 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.
  • ‘Appearance’ includes voice, bone structure, skin quality, hair length and color, eye color, muscle tone, flesh texture, and generally anything perceivable about your body.
Crafted by Jacob Sterns

An object brandishing these neuron-like engravings infuses the wearer with a magical energy that let's them stay mentally active for 24 hours a day. The user can also decide to put themselves into a sleep-like full body stasis, making them independent from any need for resources, while keeping their mind awake.
If you want to study faster, 30% more waking hours are a very efficient way to do it.

These magical markings let the body synthesize an unknown chemical which keeps the glymphatic system active during waking hours, so body and mind are able to keep functioning without restriction.

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

You no longer require any sleep in order to survive. You no longer age naturally, and supernatural attempts to age you fail.

You may spend one minute entering a state of hibernation, during which you are inanimate and unaffected by any requirements for life. You may still perceive the outside world and may spend 3 Rounds ‘waking up’ to end it.

Comfort WareTech Suit

Created and held by Ware.
A discreet powered exo-skeleton meant to be worn under clothes. Helps its wearer with combat tasks, mobility, and communication. Has the same peer-to-peer encryption features as most other WareTech suits, but is lacking any of the rest of the mundane tech.

A thin disc of plasma materializes in the user's hand from the device's glove, which can then be thrown to splatter against its target. It seems to eat through anything it splatters against, and only the device wrapped around the hand protects the user's fingers from a similar fate.

The plasma thrower has its own power source which is used not just to create the plasma itself, but also as a beacon for Ware's Extra-Dimensional Translator device - allowing the rest of the artifact to be Translated to her personal space until it is called for again.

This Artifact produces ephemeral projectiles that can be used as a shuriken. It is roughly the same size as a shuriken but can be collapsed into a bracelet and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.

Attack by rolling Dexterity + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +0 Weapon Damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Magic Quiver: Instead of throwing this Artifact, it is an object that produces an endless supply of temporary throwable objects. For example, bracers that allow you to throw ethereal javelins, or a sack of throwing rocks that doesn’t shrink when you withdraw one.
  • 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.
  • Created projectiles last only until they strike their target and cannot be shared or stockpiled.
  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.

When wearing the artifact, it connects through the base of your skull and glows slightly there when activating its defenses.

A small disc plugs into the brain stem of the user, similar in appearance (when plugged in) to a "data-jack" type device. It allows anything with the correct kind of plug (Anything Ware has created, or modified to work with it after the fact) to monitor brain activity, and upon removal seals up the area with anesthetic and surgical glue.

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

You get +2 dice to any Mind resistance rolls you make. You also gain the following effects:

  • Compartmentalizing: You can take a maximum of 1 Mind Damage per Round.

  • If you have an Effect that allows you to Exert your Mind more than once per Round, each Exertion still causes one Mind Damage.
  • These bonuses apply only to Mind rolls made to resist Effects and other supernatural phenomena. They do not apply to Trauma rolls or self-control rolls.

When activating this effect, a little finagling is required to get the prototype to actually work - but once it's active, the artifact uses prediction technology to put itself in the way of danger, and actively protects the wearer: Either moving them out of the way or blocking hits for them with the light shimmer that outlines the exo-skeleton under their clothes.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Roll Intellect + Crafts at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome +4 Damage. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. This Artifact may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

The barrier will fall after two hours, or if it absorbs the full amount of Damage. When a barrier falls, you cannot use this Effect again for a minimum of 2 Rounds.

  • Effects which circumvent Armor completely also circumvent your barrier.

Robe of Astronothama

Created and held by Gillian Sun.
A garment consisting of white robes that can cover the whole body. It seems to glisten and shed shining dust when the stars are out.

The robe has a silky smooth texture that almost feels divine, and covers the body from head to toe (it has a hood). Whenever the user is moving at speeds beyond their normal movement, they create an afterimage in their wake of colors reminiscent of stars-- blues, reds, whites, yellows, etc.

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

You can run at three times your normal movement speed.

  • Any Encumbrance penalty to your movement still applies, but you do not suffer from any sort of exhaustion.
  • Damage from a collision depends on your speed at the time, as well as what you hit. GM's discretion, but generally moving faster than a car on the freeway and hitting a dense, solid object like a wall or a tree should be lethal. Mundane armor will not apply, but any supernatural forms of protection will.

Black Mask

Created by Kester Jackal, given to Adam Carter.

Everyone knows that you can hide your identity by simply putting on a mask.

Spend 2 Actions to activate.

Your appearance changes to The Man/Woman in Black. The disguise lasts for an hour and a half, or you may end it early at will.

You are only able to shift into the one predefined appearance. This new appearance must have a similar sex, age, and race to your own. You cannot significantly change your height and weight. 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.

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

  • While you may alter your outfit's appearance, this does not grant or store equipment.

Stock Legendary Artifacts

Wipe Memory

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Location within within arm's reach. All Sapient targets within 20 feet are affected. This Effect cannot be used unless the target is looking directly into the device with uncovered eyes. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.

If the contested Outcome is positive, the most recent 1 hour from your target’s memory is either replaced with new memories or forgotten entirely. This is recorded as a Condition. The level of detail and completeness of the alteration depends on your Outcome. If you fail, the target realizes that you are attempting to alter their memories.

The period is chosen either by time (i.e. “last Friday night”) or by reference to a specific event (i.e. “when the murder occurred”).

  • You do not gain mind-reading through this effect, so your ability to alter their memory is limited by your knowledge of what they might know.
  • The target's roll to realize their memories have been altered can be made a maximum of one time per day.
  • 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.

Cloak

You gain the following benefits as long as you are not at all wet and you are wearing this Artifact.

You and everything you are carrying is obscured in one of the following manners. You may Spend an Action to change the way in which you're concealed.

  • Hearing: You are completely obscured from hearing. You produce no sounds while this Effect is active. All attempts to detect you via hearing fail. Attempts via other senses where hearing would assist are rolled at -2 dice.
  • Sight:You are partially obscured from being noticed by sight. All attempts to detect you using sight are rolled at a -3 dice penalty, and all attempts to detect you where sight would assist are rolled at -1 penalty. Anyone who detects you cannot determine any visual details about you beyond your general shape.

While this Effect is active, any Effect that would obscure you or your equipment specifically from other, additional senses fails automatically.

If someone discovers you, this Effect will not help you hide from them for the next minute. This Effect does not end early when you activate an obvious Effect, attack, or receive an Injury.

  • GMs should use their discretion when determining the exact impacts of this Effect, particularly in conjunction with environmental factors. Standing still against a complex background may render you impossible to detect, and footprints in snow may make it easy. A chance to detect you is not guaranteed.

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.

Personal Shield Generator

The device itself is a metal hexagon that is worn on the belt and glows when active.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action or Reaction.

You phase out of reality for up to 4 Rounds. During this time, you cannot perceive or affect the outside world or take any Actions. You cannot move. Nothing can interact with you in any way.

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.

You leave a golden glow shaped like yourself at your location.

  • If you use this Effect to dodge as a Reaction, it succeeds without the need for a roll. Cannot be used as a Desperate Defense.
  • You may use your Free Movement on the Round you phase back in, but you cannot take an Action.

The Skeleton Key

At first glance, this appears to be a standard, modern house key made of ivory. A close observer might compliment its skull-shaped head or usual material. No one would suspect it to be one of the Thief's most prized possessions: The Skeleton Key.

Spend an Action.

You may lock, unlock, and/or open any number of doors, containers, knots, or locks within arm's reach of you. Cannot be used on Alien technology.

If you successfully operate a lock, you may choose to destroy it, rendering it inoperable.

  • 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.