Whatever part of the body is in motion during a fight seems to blur slightly, as if with excess speed combined with vibration-like wavering through all paths for a successful movement before taking the optimal one. On an injuring impact, the target's body blurs in a similar fashion for a moment, resulting in their silence.
Instantaneous analyzation of probability in the moment guides the user in what to do next.
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:
When the belt wearer first pushes past new stress or other issues, their eyes briefly flash gold.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
Your Stress from Injuries and Mind Damage is reduced to 0.
If you are Stunned, asleep, drugged, or otherwise made unconscious for any reason other than being Incapacitated, you may Exert your Mind to wake up. Any penalty which was caused by this condition is removed.
Throwing knives which look like made out of quicksilver
This Artifact produces ephemeral projectiles that can be used as a throwing knife. It is roughly the same size as a throwing knife and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +2 Weapon Damage.
You also gain the following effects:
When the Artifact owner decides to embody their grief, they and everything that was equipped by them - except for the Artifact itself - suddenly turns to water, which naturally splashes to the ground. The Artifact falls down as well, always landing in at least some of the water created by this. Slowly, the water begins to pull itself towards the Artifact, the gemstone eye of which had started to glow with increasing brightness, and soon even the water itself lights up with a cyan shimmer as if filled with bioluminescent algae. The longer the Artifact has been accumulating this phantasmal glow-water, the greater its shimmer becomes, and the more the Artifact's undulations quicken.
Eventually, the Artifact owner and the Artifact itself complete their merger. The result is an otherworldly, ephemeral centipede the size of a scarf, wearing the now-enlarged, dark purple-brown Artifact as its exoskeleton and having equally-dark gray metallic mandibles, legs and antennae made up of the cyan phosphorescent water which was finally collected fully, and a mint-colored, glowing, lantern-esque eye. The main body of it is covered by a thin film of glow-water as well.
When returning back to human form, the Artifact portion of the creature simply coils up and begins to gradually shrink, while the water loses all glow and collapses. The latter progressively coalesces over time, loosely forming the Artifact owner in their fetal position, equipped with everything they were equipped with originally. Then, the shrunken Artifact uncoils and swims through the watery figure, ending up curled around the left hand's ring finger. As it locks into place, a glowing wave spreads from that point all across the figure's surface and reverts all the water back into its original materials.
If anything attempts to interrupt either transformation before it finishes, the waters involved in it lash out at the target with shining, piercing stabs.
The Artifact owner remains transformed even beyond this Effect's duration, reverting only when they elect to end the Effect manually as a Free Action. Instead, this Effect's duration simply dictates how long the Artifact owner is able use to their Active, Targeted, and Trap Powers while transformed. To regain access to the usage of the aforementioned Power types, the Effect must be reactivated.
Exert your Mind (unless you win a coin flip) and spend an Action.
You transform into an abyssal centipede for 30 minutes. You have access to all of your Powers while you are an abyssal centipede, and you can use your equipment. Your Battle Scars, Injuries, and physical Liabilities are carried over between forms. Reverting from your Alternate Form cannot cause your existing Injuries to kill you. Instead, you remain Incapacitated.
While transformed, your Dexterity is increased by 2 and your Perception is increased by 2. You do not suffer any Stress while transformed.
Your alternate form is its own deadly weapon. Unarmed attacks made in your alternate form deal +3 Weapon Damage (instead of the typical -1).
You may end this Effect prematurely as a Free Action.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see a growing, undulating, supernatural centipede.
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: Whispering Waves. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.
Whenever the Artifact is called by its true owner to return to them, its gemstone eye glints and begins to glow as the rest of the Artifact's body darkens until it becomes wispy and shadow-like. The eye flashes brightly a single time, and then the Artifact lunges 'forward' - though, since the Artifact is curled up, the lunge is merely a rapid rotation of its body as the head attempts to chase down the tail. While this happens, there is a gradual increase in the Artifact's wispiness, and it essentially dissolves into nothingness during the sudden burst of movement. Moments later, a glowing mint-colored spark nigh-instantly traces the circumference of the Artifact's true owner's left ring finger, coalescing into the gemstone eye as the rest of the Artifact assembles from shadowy mist.
This Artifact cannot be broken. If this Artifact is lost and in no one else’s possession, it finds its way back to its true owner during the next Downtime.
By default, the creator of this Artifact is its true owner. The true owner may formally bequeath this Artifact onto another person within arm’s reach, after which they are its true owner. If the true owner dies or is destroyed, their ownership ends. If this Artifact has no true owner, anyone may spend one day attuning to it to become its true owner.
This Artifact's true owner is always aware of the direction and distance to this Artifact.
If this Artifact is in no one else’s possession, its true owner may Exert their Mind and spend two Actions to bring it to themselves.
This Artifact's true owner must have it with them to have restful sleep. They cannot regain Mind or Source while separated from this Artifact.
When the Artifact owner attempts to shroud themselves from danger, they use their eye's lantern-light to detect ripples, currents and various other eddies in the environment around them. This dizzying array of glinting and partially unnatural phenomena is then complimented by the Artifact owner's own glow-water brightening for a split second. The former, through the Artifact owner's efforts, is temporarily hidden until the right moment. Any incoming harm beyond that point which manages to disturb the illusion also reveals the force and, in turn, causes it to lash out.
Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. This Effect cannot be used unless you are an abyssal centipede. Roll Perception + Stealth at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, you create a Barrier extending out 15 feet from yourself, which absorbs 2 times the next (Outcome +4) Damage. Only applies to attacks which originated outside the 15 foot radius, and protects anyone who is within that radius. 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.
The Artifact owner's myriad of phantasmal limbs offer mobility greater than even that of the centipedes they mimic.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are an abyssal centipede and you are wearing this Artifact.
You may move easily and without a roll in any of the following situations.
The Artifact owner's unnatural physique and their equally-intricate movements allow for effortless mitigation of incoming damage, turning would-be precise strikes into simple glancing blows. Additionally, some of their watery limbs lash out at nearby attackers in retaliation.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are an abyssal centipede and 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.
When you take Damage from a source which is within 5 feet, deal back as much Damage as your Armor prevented.
Whenever the Artifact's owner focuses their attention onto someone whom they wish to impede, the intensity of their eye's beam of lantern-light momentarily increases as it burns open a multitude of watery holes across the illuminated portions of the target. Though this process is nearly painless, it is uncomfortable and rather gruesome to watch. A moment later, an infinitely long, glowing, wispy centipede phantasm appears as it leaves from one of the aforementioned holes and begins entering and exiting every other hole, one by one, restricting the target's movements all the while. If the target is successfully petrified in the process, a thin film of glow-water spreads all over the target's body as well, originating from each of the holes which glisten from within.
Once the bindings are made to disperse - be it through the intent of the Artifact's owner or due to the target breaking free of their own accord - the centipede phantasm dissolves into thin air, and all of the watery holes close up and disappear.
Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action. Select a target within 45 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless you are an abyssal centipede, the target is within your eye's beam of lantern-light and you keep the target at the center of your cone of vision throughout the entirety of the Effect. If line of sight is broken, the Effect ends prematurely. Roll Perception + Alertness at Difficulty 6. the target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
If you succeed, your target will be restricted at their location by an intangible, ethereal binding. They cannot move to a new location, and, if your Contested Outcome was greater than their Mind divided by 2, they are encased and cannot take any physical Actions until they break free.
Restricted targets may attempt to break the binding and escape by spending an Action and rolling Mind at Difficulty 7. Breaking free requires a total cumulative Outcome equal or greater than the original Contested Outcome.
You may use this Effect as a Reaction to contest any physical Action a target is taking. Excess Outcome does not restrict the target. This interrupts Concentration.
Your bindings affect intangible beings like ghosts.
You may end this Effect prematurely as a Free Action.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see your eye's beam of lantern-light burn open watery holes across the illuminated portions of the target, through which an infinitely long, glowing, wispy centipede phantasm can be seen entering and exiting as it restricts the target's movements.
...
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Non-Sapient Object within arm's reach no larger than a large luggage bag (75 liters). Roll Intellect + Crafts 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.
When activating this Effect, you may spend an extra minute and maintain Concentration. If you do, it has no Exertion cost, and you may destroy an object which has up to 3x larger dimensions, or up to 27x larger volume than the normal maximum size.
..
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. The area within 25 feet of you immediately and obviously becomes imminently dangerous. Roll Intellect + Crafts at Difficulty 6. Targets inside the radius may attempt an appropriate Reaction at GM’s discretion. Finding a physical barrier to use as cover will cut total Damage taken in half (applies after Reaction roll but before Armor).
If the Outcome is positive, your blast hits everything within 25 feet of you with Damage equal to your Outcome + 4. If you botched the activation roll, you will also take full Damage from the blast, otherwise it will not hurt you.
Finely tuning the magic of the rod, it ca now break weapons and armor in combat.
This Artifact can be used as a thrusting sword. It is roughly the same size as a thrusting sword and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Dexterity + Melee, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +4 Weapon Damage.
You also gain the following effects:
The user yanks on the top and tiny particulates of various diseases stream out toward the target. Thousands of different plagues and illnesses permeate the body and cause the target to wither and runes made of sores form across their chest. The gown makes the shoulder of the wearer weak and prone to dislocation. The diseases will be cleared by a simple red delicious apple, decreeable by reading the runes.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Living target within 25 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless the target has hurt anyone. Roll Intellect + Medicine at Difficulty 6. Your target may resist by rolling Body at Difficulty 8.
If you succeed, the target is afflicted with a Condition that causes any number of the following symptoms:
The affliction is not treatable by modern medicine. It may be diagnosed by rolling Intellect + Occult at Difficulty 6, and can be cured by eating a ‘red delicious’ apple.
Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their body and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Battle Scar: shoulder subluxation. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Battle Scar heals over the course of the next day.
Every time The Maiden fires, the arrows it's decorated with flash a brilliant green along side the muzzle. The wounds left behind glow a verdant green and blood flees from the newly provided exit as if possessed.
A gift from the Goddess Artemis, the Agrotera. It's wielder pledges themselves to the Hunt, and must care for the gun as if it was a member of their family, or risk Artemis revoking the boon she so kindly gave.
This Artifact can be used as a shotgun. It is roughly the same size as a shotgun but can be collapsed into an icon of Artemis 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:
A carving of a sunrise that slowly, almost imperceptibly, shifts to follow the position of the sun.
When unattended, a pair of ghostly green hands hold the weapon. It appears to move of it's own violtion, though it serves Edith faithfully.
When recalled, The Maiden disintegrates into nothingness, then reconstitutes itself with arm's reach of Edith.
Artemis' brother, Apollo, has noticed her interest in this mortal. She appears to be preforming great feats and makes for an excellent ballad. The only issue is that Apollo hasn't gotten in on it yet, so he has granted The Maiden a Mark of the Dawn. Giving it his personal protection. In the event it gets lost, he'll even pick it up on his chariot and deliver it back to Edith. It wouldn't make for a very good story if it just got lost in the woods somewhere, now would it?
With the twin gods blessing's, The Maiden has awakened, gaining the ability to operate almost independant of Edith.
This Artifact cannot be broken. If this Artifact is lost and in no one else’s possession, it finds its way back to its true owner during the next Downtime.
By default, the creator of this Artifact is its true owner. The true owner may formally bequeath this Artifact onto another person within arm’s reach, after which they are its true owner. If the true owner dies or is destroyed, their ownership ends. If this Artifact has no true owner, anyone may spend one day attuning to it to become its true owner.
If this Artifact is in no one else’s possession, its true owner may Exert their Mind and spend two Actions to bring it to themselves.
Whenever this Artifact is unattended and within 300 feet of its true owner, it will fly back to them. When not held or stowed, it floats beside its true owner, moving with them. While within 10 feet, the true owner does not need to touch it to use it.
This Artifact's true owner must have it with them to have restful sleep. They cannot regain Mind or Source while separated from this Artifact.
The "Reaper" Assault Helmet is the signature piece of the Future Soldier's arsenal. It has a sleek, design and is made of a mysterious matte-metallic alloy. The wearer's face is exposed normally, but when activated, a blue holographic visor flickers to life in front of the eyes. This HUD contains information about the soldier's ammunition and shield status, but more significantly can detect enemy combatants. Anyone nearby who is holding a weapon is painted with a red dot that follows them in real time. This allows the Future Soldier to fire at painted targets in the dark, detect ambushes lurking around corners, and grants an overall tactical advantage.
Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action.
You automatically detect all people wielding weapons within 300 feet of you for the next hour. This includes any who come within range during the duration. You have a sense of how many valid targets are nearby, as well as their distance and direction.
The Future Soldier's PSG is capable of briefly supercharging its effectiveness with a jolt of Omega Cell energy. While active, the future soldier glows with an extremely bright golden light.
While the shield is supercharged, the Future Soldier cannot move or see the outside world, but they are completely isolated from anything that occurs outside the shield.
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.
The Predatory Raiment has a cloak feature that allows its owner to hide themselves and their equipment with active camouflage. When viewed, they look like a slightly shifted and shimmering version of the surrounding environment.
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.
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.
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.
If the Selkie's seal skin is worn close to the body, any contact with salt water will cause them to transform into a seal. While transformed, they have full access to their normal suite of Powers.
This Effect activates whenever you are submerged in salt water. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Your target should be intuitively based on the triggering event.
You transform into small for two hours or until you choose to end the Effect. See the Extended System text for stats.
While transformed, you cannot use any equipment (including Artifacts and Consumables), and you cannot use your Active, Targeted, or Trap Powers. However, you can use your Passive Powers. Any equipment you are wearing transforms with you.
Injuries and Wound Level are carried over between forms. However, transforming can never kill you; you merely remain Incapacitated until your Injuries are sufficiently healed.