Crafted Artifact

Withering Sunglasses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mirage of the Royal Flush

Created and held by Daniel Kalypso.
Currently At home.
My aura reeks of confidence, a controlling smile on my face. You can tell I'm serious about this, you better fold while you still can. This radiant Ruby sits atop a golden veneer, placed on my tooth to utilize it's power. There is nothing more to gain from being here any longer, you've already lost.

I'm here to clean house, and nobody's going to stand in my way. My aura reeks of confidence, a controlling smile on my face. This radiant Ruby sits atop a golden veneer, placed on my tooth to utilize it's power. There is no point to testing your luck, you don't have the winning cards. You should leave now before you lose everything to me.

As I flash my winning grin, you can see the glint of a golden veneer on my tooth. Perched atop it is a radiant Ruby, the gem of my Pot-Winning Bluff. With the curl of my smile, the room seems to shimmer with anticipation. The Ruby sparkles, emitting a red hue across the table. A psychic repulsion field emanates from me, extending out in every direction for 45 feet. It's like a force field of confidence, daring anyone to challenge my hand.

Any fool who can't see past my bluff knows that they're going to bust. They're trapped in their own defeat, pushed back to the edge of the radius like the pill of a spinning roulette wheel. They realize they've already lost before the first card is even dealt.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. Any Animate targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.

Create a repulsion field which extends out 45 feet from you in every direction, and lasts for the next 5 Rounds. Any Animate targets within the field that failed to resist cannot move any closer towards you. If they were within 45 feet from you when you activated the effect, they are immediately pushed back to the edge of the repulsion field.

You must maintain Concentration during this Effect.

When you activate this effect, you may designate any number of specific individuals to exclude from the Effect. Anyone designated in this way is unaffected by the repulsion field, and can approach you as normal.

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.

Sparky

Created and held by Katherine DeLacey.
A customized Barret Light 50 that, instead of bullets, shoots balls of lightening.

The 255TE "Lancer" Rife fires extremely deadly balls of lightening at its targets. It comes standard with a volume control, allowing the soldier to mute its normally fearsome lightning crack report for stealth missions. When not in use, it can collapse into a small silver dogtag that can fit into any utility belt and hangs in a place of honor on Kate's neck (making this weapon a part of her standard kit.)

This weapon came as payment for https://www.thecontractrpg.com/contract/4065/

No Spoilers here, but in journal.

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

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

You also gain the following effects:

  • Infinite Ammo: This weapon never runs out of its standard ammunition.
  • Virtuoso's Vessel: When using this Device for its primary purpose, you always roll a minimum of 8 dice. Excludes Effect activation rolls.

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

Virtual Armor

Created by Wren, given to Norman Dredge.
neon virtual armor

Panels pull apart from her chest as she reaches in, crudely ripping something from herself. Oil spills onto the floor as she shoves thick cords back into her cavity before the panels close once more. The thick, grey disc in her hands drips oil as she chooses a target to slap it on. Once the item is placed on the target, a neon purple outline coats them in an opaque armor.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. Roll Brawn + Alertness at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome + 2 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.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see panels move apart and Wren rips an item out of herself, cords and oil spilling from her chest cavity..

  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.

Golden Cufflinks

Created and held by Victor Setalvo.

They appear to be gold cufflinks that have a very mechanical look to them, sort of like what you'd see inside a watch.

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

+2 dice to rolls for Attacking, Defending, and Clashing without a weapon. Unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage (instead of -1).

You may Defend against melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks from any range and Clash with those in range of your Attacks. Attacking materials like steel or spikes will not Damage you unless it has an Effect that does so.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Jiu-Jitsu:When you successfully grapple an opponent, you may choose to also deal damage to them equal to the Contested Outcome on the grapple roll.
  • Meat Shield: If you have successfully grappled a target, you may use a Reaction to redirect any incoming attack to them instead of you.

  • The total damage of a ju-jitsu grapple-attack is equal to your Outcome minus their Outcome. Bonus Damage from the Bonus Damage Parameter does not apply to damage dealt through this Enhancement.
  • Unlike the Ability Brawl, this Effect does not affect small weapons such as knives.

Victor's cufflinks glow a golden hue as time seems to stop only for a moment as thin golden tendrils extend from his fingers, going through one or multiple doors. With a few tugs of his fingers, the targets are unlocked/locked.

Spend an Action. Select a Non-Alien door, container, knot, or lock within 20 feet.

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

  • 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.

Parasitic Leather Doctor's Bag

Created by Bruno Pegul, given to Dr. Theodore "Laz" Lazcowicz.
A classic leather doctor's bag with a buckle clasp and a wide opening. Any medical instruments stored in the bag are suspiciously clean when removed.

Bruno creates a bag by coating the inside of the bag with his blood. After a day, the bag absorbs the blood and comes to life. It requires raw meat to live. A new owner can bond to the bag by feeding it some of their blood over two days. The bag can't see, but it can purr, growl, and whine based on its mood.

This Artifact can be used as a container. It is roughly the same size as a shoulder bag and just as difficult to conceal.

Your shoulder bag holds 3 times what it normally could. Objects stored inside are weightless.

Living things can be stored in your shoulder bag. They will have access to anything else inside and may attempt to break free, damaging or destroying the shoulder bag in the process.

If your shoulder bag is destroyed, things inside may get out, and it will cease to function until it is repaired.

When scanned or investigated without opening, the contents of your container appear normal and unremarkable.

If anyone other than you opens the container, it appears empty. Others can still destroy it to get at the contents.

This item is a living thing. When targeted, it counts as a Living Creature in addition to its other target types. If destroyed or abandoned for more than two days, it dies and becomes unusable.

  • There is no cost to use your container.

Stock Artifact Crafting Gifts

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

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

  • Survivor: You are immune to all non-Alien diseases.
  • All Brawn No Brain: You suffer a -2 dice penalty on Mind resistance rolls.

  • These bonuses apply only to Body rolls made to resist Effects and other supernatural phenomena. They do not apply to other contexts such as attacks made while under the Creature Transformation Effect.

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

You get +0 dice to any Mind resistance rolls you make. You also gain the following effects:

  • Naturally Resistant: Any time you make a Mind resistance roll, the individual who you are resisting must Exert their Mind, or your resistance succeeds automatically.
  • Clash Of Wills: If you fail to fully resist an Effect, your Outcome is considered to be 0.

  • 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.