Legendary Artifact

Jacob's Promise

Created and held by Jacob Cruz.
A necklace of copper, given to Jacob by his father. Engraved is the image of a carabao, a beast known for its perseverance and strength. I’ll save you guys. I promise.

After a moment, gray mist is emitted from the necklace. The cloud then coalesces into cloaked, wraith-like beings that surround you.
The wraiths use the voices of the innocents that have been harmed by the user’s actions.
What they’re saying is nearly incomprehensible to others due to the sheer quantity of voices attempting to whisper over each other.
The wraiths taunt and mock the user. Unlike the others, the user recognizes each and every voice and how they are related to the user. A familiar voice overwhelms the others: “Live.”
Wraiths
They're translucent and wouldn't inhibit vision.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action or Reaction. Roll Intellect + Investigation at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome +6 Damage. Any Damage absorbed by the barrier is reflected back to the attacker, up to a maximum of 6. Their Armor applies in full. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. This Artifact 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. As long as it does not fall, the barrier regenerates back to full strength at the end of each Round of combat.

  • Effects which circumvent Armor completely also circumvent your barrier.
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Community Artifacts

Stele

Created and held by Angel Cooper.
A steel-reinforced wooden bat scratched in red pen with runes of varying legitimacy, sturdy, a bit bloodstained, and well loved

Stele’s name comes from the Shadowhunters franchise that Angel loves so much- a stele in this case is an intricate thin tool made of adamas, heavenly metal. Most of its bullshit runes come from that franchise. When the bat is in use, all of these runes, bullshit or not (he really doesn’t know), flare up in their inky, energetic red. Whichever rune is most in use with the effect flares the brightest.

Activated Rune: Bind To

This Artifact cannot be broken.

If this Artifact is lost and in no one’s possession, it finds its way back to its creator during the next Downtime.

This Artifact's creator is always aware of the direction and distance to this Artifact.

This Artifact's creator must have it with them to have restful sleep. They cannot regain Mind or Source while separated from this Artifact.

  • "Cannot be broken" means that damage cannot render the Artifact's Effects unusable, nor can it cease to be used for its primary mundane purpose, if it has one.

Angel hefts up a bat or anything similar and swings it from a ways away. Despite the lack of physical contact, the target is struck across the face and put into a pleasant, smiling daze like Angel’s previous default. They may look around or ask questions like “Why am I here again?”.

Activated Rune: Calm Anger

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. Roll Brawn + Influence at Difficulty 7.

If you succeed, the target will suffer a dice penalty equal to the Outcome for the next 3 Rounds. Dice pools may be reduced all the way down to 0 by this penalty. This breaks Concentration.

  • This Penalty is not removed if a character Exerts their Mind to ignore penalty.
  • If a character has a dice pool reduced to 0, they cannot attempt that action.
  • 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.

Angel Cooper takes up his bat and grins in anticipation, then swings it down or around towards his target. If and when he hits, the reverberation one feels when a bat connects with something rings through him. It makes every rune on his bat that’s been activated flare up on the bat itself, as well as Angel’s forearms, searing like hot red ink until he can calm his mad adrenaline.

Angel’s strikes may “build up” reverberation on a successful enough attack. In these instances, the target feels a painful buzzing sensation as the energy of the swing penetrates bone and shatters an extremity to uselessness.

Activated Rune: Power

This Artifact can be used as a club / improvised weapon. It is roughly the same size as a club / improvised weapon and just as difficult to conceal.

Attack by rolling Brawn + Melee, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Blade Breaker: If you successfully Defend against a melee attack or if an opponent is unsuccessful at Defending against your melee attack, you may break your opponent's weapon.
  • Pin: If you Injure a target with an Attack, you may choose to leave your weapon. If you do, the target is “pinned” to that location until the weapon is removed. Removing the weapon increases the Severity of that Injury by 2.
  • 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.

  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.

Zombie Hearse

Created and held by Urick.

....

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

This Hearse has ________. Any roll to pilot this vehicle receives +2 dice.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Daredevil: Damage you and your passengers take from vehicle collisions is reduced by 2, and any Injuries suffered are limited to a maximum of Severity 4.
  • Steady As She Goes: The motion of your vehicle never causes your passengers dice penalties, and you do not suffer dice penalties from the unsteadiness of any vehicle you are riding in.

...

This Artifact can be used as a container. It is roughly the same size as a back of hearse and just as difficult to conceal. Unless can only hold dead/undead bodies, this Artifact behaves as its mundane counterpart.

Your back of hearse holds 5 times what it normally could. Objects stored inside are weightless.

Living things can be stored in your back of hearse. Time is frozen inside your container.

If your back of hearse is destroyed, things inside may get out, and it will cease to function until it is repaired.

Only you may open and close the container. Others can still destroy it to get at the contents

  • There is no cost to use your container.

...

This Artifact cannot be broken.

If this Artifact is lost and in no one’s possession, it finds its way back to its creator during the next Downtime.

  • "Cannot be broken" means that damage cannot render the Artifact's Effects unusable, nor can it cease to be used for its primary mundane purpose, if it has one.

Clicking Rifle

Created and held by X-402 Unknown.
A sniper rifle that looks like its made of gears instead of normal machinery.

A sniper rifle that looks like its made of gears instead of normal machinery.

This Artifact can be used as a Heavy Sniper Rifle. It is roughly the same size as a Heavy Sniper Rifle but can be collapsed into a watch and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Free Action.

Attack by rolling Dexterity + Firearms, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal 3 Weapon Damage +3 Bonus Damage. The target's Armor is fully effective against this damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Silencer: Shots you fire can be made silent at will.

Badge

Created and held by Connie Charles.
A plastic badge that has a pin on the back.

When activated, the badge will glow lightly and the shield will not appear unless attacked, which then the shield will appear as if the attack hit a glass window, and either bounce off or shatter the window.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action or Reaction to activate. This Effect cannot be used unless you are being attacked. Roll Dexterity + Firearms at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome Damage. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor, and is treated like Armor by any effects such as Armor Penetration. 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.

Possession of this Artifact causes the following Trauma to manifest over the course of a day: roll self-control to give someone this item. If you lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next month.

  • 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.

Masters’s Cape

Created and held by Lucas Wilder.
“A classic vampire cape”

The Cape is a dramatic, flowing garment made from a mysterious fabric that appears to be a blend of deep, shadowy black and dark crimson. The outer surface is silky smooth and reflective, glinting ominously in the light, while the inner lining is a rich, blood-red velvet that feels both warm and comforting to the touch. The collar is high and stiff, reminiscent of classic vampire attire, and it clasps at the neck with an ornate, silver brooch shaped like a bat with ruby eyes.

This Artifact cannot be broken.

If this Artifact is lost and in no one’s possession, it finds its way back to its creator during the next Downtime.

This Artifact's creator is always aware of the direction and distance to this Artifact.

This Artifact's creator must have it with them to have restful sleep. They cannot regain Mind or Source while separated from this Artifact.

  • "Cannot be broken" means that damage cannot render the Artifact's Effects unusable, nor can it cease to be used for its primary mundane purpose, if it has one.

When Lucas activates the barrier, the cape undergoes a dramatic transformation. The outer fabric darkens significantly, absorbing surrounding light and casting a shadowy aura around Lucas. Spectral, gnashing teeth appear along the edges of the cape, moving and clamping as if eager to bite. A faint, sinister hissing sound accompanies the visual, enhancing the eerie atmosphere.

As an attack comes towards Lucas, the cape responds by flaring out, the spectral teeth gnashing more fiercely. The attack is visibly absorbed by an invisible barrier that forms around Lucas, the impact creating a ripple effect through the darkened fabric. Observers would see the attacker’s blow deflected and feel the supernatural force of the cape’s defense.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. Roll Dexterity + Alertness 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.

Stock Legendary Artifacts

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.

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.

Winter Fang

A massive bow made of solid ice.

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:

  • Infinite Ammo: This weapon never runs out of its standard ammunition.
  • Leave No Trace: Your projectiles crumble or vanish after impact, leaving no meaningful trace of your assault beyond the wounds they leave. If your attack would kill or incapacitate your target, they make no sound, even incidentally, for the next Round.

  • This Artifact cannot be disguised or morphed with other Effects like Shape-Changing object.
  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.

Umbrella Identification

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.

The Axe of Legend

This electric guitar has one edge sharpened into a deadly blade. It can be used as either sort of axe.

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:

  • Mjolnir: You may call your weapon back to your hand as a Quick Action if it is within 50 feet of you. Can only be used on melee weapon that you have wielded in the past hour.
  • 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.

  • Reminder: additional Weapon Damage granted by this Effect does not stack with any other bonus to Weapon Damage. Instead the largest bonus is used.