Henry takes a seat in front of the workbench, letting out a breath. The materials assembled, there was only the last step. Transferring control over to Lith, he tried to relax.
Activating the AAIA protocols requires embedded complicated arrays of nanotechnology into the item in question, and the only good source is currently the forges inside of Henry's bones. It's an unpleasant process, having your bones mined. But one must grit their teeth and tolerate it. Occasionally, various tools from the workbench are used, using copper and silicon in the place of missing pieces.
At the end, assuming the process worked as intended, the item lifts off, emitting an ultrasonic burst identifying its serial number and the fact it's currently slaved to Lith.
Stellar Navy regulations strictly prohibit the allowance of artificial intelligence operating independently of its master. However, as with all regulations, they can be bent, or broken, in emergency situations. AAIA Protocols are a set of protocols that allow such independent operation.
Typically Henry could activate them verbally, but a malfunction in one of the coproceessors in his suit leaves it unwilling to activate the protocols automatically. A manual process is... unpleasant.
Take a Severity-1 Injury and an Action. Select a Inanimate target within arm's reach which could fit inside a rolling luggage bag (50 liters). This Effect cannot be used unless the user is in front of an electronics workbench. Roll a single D10 as a critical failure check. If you roll a 1, the Effect fails, and you you suffer the 'lost hand (left) battle scar, and the item you are attempting to animate is damaged. You must use up a set of carbon rods, along with a small pile of copper and silicon in order to activate this Effect.
Your target will become Animated indefinitely. You may choose to end the effect at will, as a Free Action. This Artifact can maintain a max of 4 targets animated at once.
Animated Objects have the following restrictions and capabilities:
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see the user's left hand is disassembled with a set of lasers, exposing the bone. They then begin to remove some marrow from inside, fusing it into the item being animated. This is an exceedingly painful process.
While chanting the incantation the Roman Collar releases a dim light and a smoky incense begins to steam off the Father's shoulders. When the rite is complete a set of brilliant white feathers burst forth from his back and form a set of wings. A total wingspan of about 7 feet, but are often furled up behind the Priests back. He grows a few feet, gaining wisdom and strength beyond a regular man.
Exert your Mind and spend two Actions performing the following ritual: Pro, Mater, tuum laudo sacrificium.. You must maintain Concentration while activating this Effect, and it fails if you are interrupted.
You transform into Angel for 3 minutes. You have access to all of your Powers while you are Angel, and you can use your equipment. The Injuries and Battle Scars of your Alternate Form and your true form are tracked separately.
While transformed, your Brawn is increased by 1 and your Charisma is increased by 1. You do not suffer any Stress while transformed.
The user watches the pocket watch tick down in a irregular pattern, sharp purple eyes can be seen closing slowly as the dials spin. The user then clicks the winder once the eyes are closed and they burst open with a soft rumble, opening doors and safes with a mere gaze to feed the desires of the user.
In car form, the same is done via the headlights/taillights.
The pocket watch grows in power.
The user feels it watching them in the night, watching their movements, their desires, their pleasures. It studies them.
Spend an Action.
You may lock, unlock, and/or open any number of doors, containers, knots, or locks within 300 feet of you. Cannot be used on Alien technology.
The user opens the book to the marked page, which opens to an ever-shifting geometric equation. They must attempt to solve it to draw the shapes and graphs in the bloody ash. Once it is complete, the runes are revealed to be a dark and bloody map, complete with cryptic keys sprinkled nonsensically throughout it.
Expend a point of Battery and spend a minute to activate. Investigate an area with a radius of up to 500 feet You must use up a small jar that is half filled with black ash and half filled with fresh virgin blood in order to activate this Effect. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Science at Difficulty 6.
You learn the following information about the area:
The eye hardens Grace's mental defenses, protecting the collection of dead children from unwanted intrusions.
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:
With the button press, a red, glowing blade extends from the thick steel handle, ready to cleave and melt.
This Artifact can be used as a great sword / giant axe. It is roughly the same size as a great sword / giant axe and just as difficult to conceal. Unless it has power, which you expend with each attack. You can charge the weapon with Batteries (1 charge each), or with taking electrical damage (d10, Difficulty 6. Success gains the Damage taken number of charges and reduces damage taken by 2. Failure increases damage by 1.) You begin with 10 charges, and each hit you must flip a coin. Heads, you retain charge, and Tails you expend one, this Artifact behaves as its mundane counterpart.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Melee, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +6 Weapon Damage. The target's fully effective
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. It is roughly the same size as a javelin but can be collapsed into a pair of bronze bracers and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +4 Weapon Damage. The target's Armor is fully effective against this Damage. Attacks
You also gain the following effects:
The airship of solitude is the mad scientist's lair and preferred mode of travel. Not only does it include a full science laboratory, it can be collapsed into an incredibly small canvas cube and easily transported. The mad scientist may pilot the ship alone or rely on its autopilot features for ultimate convenience.
This Artifact can be used as a blimp. It is roughly the same size as a blimp but can be collapsed into a phone-sized canvas cube and concealed. Collapsing or expanding it costs a Quick Action.
This blimp has full science laboratory, bullet-proof envelope, and ample parachutes. Any roll to pilot this vehicle receives +2 dice.
You also gain the following effects:
Companions gawk at the sheer size and quantity of the equipment the survivalist stores in the Bug-out Bag, but when they open it, they find only a standard set of survival gear. Only when the survivalist opens it is its true capacity revealed.
This Artifact can be used as a container. It is roughly the same size as a 80 liter backpacking pack and just as difficult to conceal.
Your 80 liter backpacking pack holds 5 times what it normally could. Objects stored inside are weightless.
Living things can be stored in your 80 liter backpacking pack. They will have access to anything else inside and may attempt to break free, damaging or destroying the 80 liter backpacking pack in the process.
If your 80 liter backpacking pack 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
The survivalist has depended on the Bug-out Bag for so long, they've formed a powerful bond with the pack. This bond renders the pack unbreakable, and grants the survivalist an understanding of what direction it's in at all times.
This Artifact cannot be broken.
This Artifact's creator is always aware of the direction and distance to this Artifact.
Standard issue in the Future Soldier's home time, the Personal Shield Generator (PSG) projects a protective energy barrier around the body. It absorbs damage far better than traditional armor, but its battery is quickly drained. When depleted, the PSG must spend a few seconds recharging.
When struck, the normally-invisible field of the PSG flashes, revealing a bright yellow honey-comb pattern encasing the body.
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.
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.
Any time your Armor prevents damage, your total Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 1. Whenever you go two Rounds without preventing any damage, it is restored back to its full value.