The Contractor would flip the back of the cellphone and pop the cover door open, revealing the slot for a good sized battery, that he just replaces with a new one. The door is closed as he would quickly boot it up and start to use it, the screen glowing yellow as it connects to the nearby device, the screen going dimmer and dimmer until finally the hack is complete.
Exert your Mind and spend 1 minute. Select a Device within 300 feet. Does not work on Alien technology. You must use up Batteries in order to activate this Effect. Roll Intellect + Technology, with the Difficulty set by the GM depending on the security of the system you are hacking. Sapient targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, you may issue a single command to the targeted system. This command must have a specific outcome or be a request for specific login credentials. The command you issue must be within the machine's current capabilities. For example, you cannot order a standard security camera to grow legs and walk around.
Your command does not have to take effect immediately. Instead, upon a successful Hack, you may specify a condition under which the specified command is issued or simply suspend the Command until you desire to activate it.
If your command does not require bypassing the security of the target (for example, typing on a computer that is unlocked), you do not need to Exert your Mind to activate this Effect, and activation only takes a single Action.
Your Hack cannot be reversed through mundane means for a number of hours equal to your Outcome.
When targeting non-computer devices, you may operate switches, buttons, dials, levers, and latches.
Every hack you make leaves behind Glowing Yellow Screen in the system as a personal "calling card" that informs anyone who uses the system that the hack occurred.
Pressing the special app on the phone, a side panel opens up, which the user flips down the grip and trigger, revealing the handgun mode in its glory, ready to be used to defend the user and fellow contractors in the field.
This Artifact can be used as a handgun. It is roughly the same size as a handgun but can be collapsed into a cellphone and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Firearms, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +4 Weapon Damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The rod glows with green light, and the participant being targeted glows the same color. The energy has some kick back, causing a shadow of the harm of the poison on the wielder of the rod.
The rod is burns with purifying energy that drives the malady from the target. It draws from the symbol of the Asclepius.
This rod was made by a ritual focused on the symbol of the Asclepius, and experimenting with it. Vaccines, anti-virals, stories of miracle cures were all part of the creation process.
Take a Severity-1 Injury and spend 1 Action. Select a Living target within arm's reach.
You may cure any Non-Alien diseases, toxins, or poisons afflicting your target even if you have not diagnosed or fully understood it. You may cure diseases or poisons even if they are not treatable through modern medicine. During treatment, the malady you are treating does not progress or cause additional Damage or other effects.
After you finish activating this Effect, you cannot move quicker than a walk (max 15 feet per Round) for one minute and suffer a -1 dice penalty for an hour. Exhaustion’s penalty and duration stacks with multiple activations.
The artifact faintly glows when it comes into contact with bare skin. It is either frigid or warm, but no one can tell.
Upon pressing a raindrop-shaped button on its side, the LCD monitor displays the local weather within 60 feet.
It is always raining...
On the usage:
In the past, this artifact had activated upon contact with any skin. At some point Delphyrion was using it as a paperweight, only for it to activate when they tried to move it. Soaked documents were not fun to replace, but thank goodness there weren't any water-reactive chemicals exposed. Delphyrion also intended to use this artifact as a hand warmer or cooler during winters and summers respectively, but their indecisiveness led to the artifact being both warm and cool.
On dihydrogen monoxide:
Portable water is always useful especially when traveling by plane, though at some point people have started to think that Delphyrion is carrying an extremely deadly poison called dihydrogen monoxide. Often they decide to play into this, though it has gotten them into trouble at the airport.
On impracticality:
Normally people tend to choose more immediately useful gifts, perhaps for healing or damage. Delphyrion, upon being asked about what power they'd need, was thinking about the amount of times they'd wished it was raining outside. It isn't for work-related reasons; clear days are much better for outdoor experiments and camera exposure. In fact the extra moisture would mess up certain reactions instead. Basically, Delphyrion sometimes wants it to rain so they could sit by the window with a book and a warm beaker of tea to romanticize life. It is a little odd to do so in a lab, not to mention they haven't needed rain in their contracts so far.
However, everything Delphyrion does is inefficient anyway; what's one more inconvenience?
At least they are now saved from a long and grueling trip to the sink.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Location within 60 feet of you. Choose a 3-D shape that will define the borders of your Effect.
You create a zone of rain in the chosen shape, originating at the chosen Location, with a radius of 60 feet. and lasting for 5 minutes. The area inside your zone is affected in any number of the following ways:
A thin coating of nanite material has been applied to this plastic card, which can now change its outer form to become a driver's license, Passport card, government employee ID, security system badge, or any other form of ID or security pass the bearer wishes, including affecting the chip, mag stripe, or NFC components to generate valid responses on scanners.
This Artifact can change its appearance. When not transformed, it is roughly the same size as a Blank SLE4442 Chip Card and just as difficult to conceal.
Spend a Quick Action to activate. This Artifact changes its appearance into an Object within the category of Identification & Security cards. 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.
Your body becomes wreathed in protective flames whenever something tries to attack the wearer, softening the blow and cauterizing sufficiently severe wounds.
This armor used to be the mask Edith made for her hunting garb, but thanks to her adventures and dedication to her Goddess, it transformed. The armor itself is actually alive, in a way. Loyal to its owner and thirsting for adventure. When Edith dies, it will find its way into the hands of another contractor, just to help grow its legend. It has also inherited Edith's distaste for the christian church, and makes it known with the help of its owner.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
Your Armor cannot be destroyed, and it always provides a minimum of 2 Armor regardless of any Armor shredding or penetration. It cannot be circumvented with Called Shots. When shredded, it returns to full potency in one hour.
Any Injury received from Damage that was reduced by this Armor is considered Makeshift Stabilized and will not degrade further, and any Battle Scar caused by them is reduced by 1 level. You may attempt a single Proper Stabilization on such Injuries.
Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their mind and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Trauma: If you encounter a symbol of christianity, roll self control to not immedietly and loudly denounce it. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.
Holding your arm out as if holding a bird and calling the eagle’s name, Aurelia, will cause the bird to appear in a puff of smoke about 5 feet from you, landing on the raised arm.
Her talons might hurt if she lands too hard, but she means well.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action.
Summon a single Eagle at your location. They will last until they are destroyed. They are controlled by the GM but will follow any commands you give. This Artifact may have at most 1 minion active at a time.
You may only use this Effect once per day.
When you activate this Effect, roll a single D10. if the result is 5 or lower, you receive a Severity-1 Injury and a Minor Battle Scar.
The Axe of Legend's blade has been imbued with the metal of the dark lord of rock and roll. It shreds chords and flesh. The rock god commanding it may recall it to their hand at will.
This Artifact can be used as a sword / axe. It is roughly the same size as a sword / axe and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Melee, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +4 Weapon Damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The spy can do up their passport to take on the appearance of any valid form of identification they may need.
This Artifact can change its appearance. When not transformed, it is roughly the same size as a passport and just as difficult to conceal.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate. This Artifact changes its appearance into an Object within the category of forms of identification. 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 Winter Fang's glittering string is drawn, an ice arrow crystalizes nocked and ready to fire. These ice arrows melt quickly after piercing their foes, leaving deadly wounds instead of evidence.
This Artifact can be used as a bow. It is roughly at least twice as large as a bow and cannot be concealed on your person or disassembled for storage.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage. Attacks do not require a successful called shot to do damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The lightning bracers can be activated to summon a thunderbolt into the wearer's hand. Throwing these thunderbolts makes an incredibly loud boom. Once a thunderbolt is in hand, the wearer can throw as many as they wish. The electricity from these bolts will jump between nearby targets.
This Artifact produces ephemeral projectiles that can be used as a javelin.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage.
You also gain the following effects:
Dazzle Glasses are advanced "black-tech" espionage gear. They can be styled as any sort sunglasses. When the wearer is recorded, they will quickly flash a non-visible laser into the recording device, destroying it after only a moment of footage is taken.
This Effect activates whenever you are recorded. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Select a Non-Sapient Object within 20 feet no larger than a duffel bag (35 liters). Your target should be intuitively based on the triggering event. Roll Perception + Culture Difficulty 6.
If your Outcome is 4 or higher, the target will be completely destroyed and can no longer function, though it may still be repaired. If your Outcome is less than 4, the target will be partially damaged, and any attempts to use it will suffer a dice penalty equal to your Outcome.