The data gathered from Laz's age changes have now allowed a greater understanding of cellular reconstruction. Laz's device now secretes nanites constantly into the user's bloodstream through dermal absorption. Activation reads brainwave patterns to determine the envisioned form and adjusts smoothly, preventing the tearing, gore, and nudity of the previous system. Yes, bones still shift under the skin, and clothing is reconstructed but in a much less disturbing display. Further, the reconstruction need no longer be actively maintained. Once complete, it remains until changed. Releasing a form, however, does still cost the wearer an exhaustive amount of energy that must be recovered.
After the events of a previous Contract, Laz wanted to be anyone else. Eliza helped him work out how he can be. Now he finds himself doing business with another face
Exert your Mind and spend a minute.
You become disguised in a manner of your choosing. The disguise lasts until you either activate a new disguise, or choose to end the effect.
The new appearance may have a different sex, age, and race to your own, and you may alter height by up to a foot and your weight by 50%. Your disguise cannot directly mimic an existing person. You may change the appearance of your outfit. A disguise cannot affect your Attributes or other stats.
You may roll Charisma + Crafts to attempt to make your disguise Beautiful. If your Outcome is 6 or higher, non-Effect Charisma rolls where your good looks could help are rolled at -2 Difficulty. If you fail or botch, you are ugly instead, and non-Effect Charisma rolls are made at +2 Difficulty.
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.
The artifact is an image of a star. It glows slightly, a sharp white light.
Pressing one's finger over it, they feel a rush of energy. A vast nothingness pressing against their mind. A slash of void and stars open in front of them, for them to step through, and they arrive at their destination.
They can hear little bits of that nothingness at all times. Whispers telling them that they can't trust anyone.
The ability to make this item depends on a few things.
The conscious part is Vel attempting to make an item with the powers of https://thecontractrpg.com/gift/revision/58634/. They do this with carving an image of a star, and a lot of images of distance, and the night sky, trying to get more power into the concept. But some other things leaked in.
One is the residual effects of Vel diving deep into their mind, and the source of their power https://thecontractrpg.com/questionnaire/c/5226#answer-12687 .
(Basically, Vel's source of power is semi eldritch, relating to stories, and some meta nature of the contract)
The Other relates to some things which are minor spoilers for some plot lines I'm running.
Spend an Action. Select a Location which is at most 60 feet away horizontally or 15 feet away vertically. If you have activated this Effect 10 times it the last minute, you must Exert your Mind. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma.
You jump to the chosen location. If jumping blind or landing precariously, must roll Dexterity + Athletics to land safely. You will never take fall Damage from successfully landing a jump made with this Effect.
Instead of physically passing through the air, you are teleported directly to your destination. Does not allow you to go through walls, cages, or grapples.
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: The Whispers of the Universe (Paranoia). If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.
The Rune of Revival is one of the most potent runes available to the Dragon Slayer, capable of reviving them from death so long as it remains intact. Once the Rune triggers, the Dragon Slayer is pulled to their feet as a wave of magical light washes over them, repairing the fatal injury.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
If you would take an Injury that would kill you, you don’t die. Instead, you survive in an Incapacitated state. Your body leaves behind a token. You remain incapacitated until the following ritual is performed with the token: The Rune of Revival must be placed in the mouth of the corpse as they are given a last rite, the eyes closed and arms crossed over their chest.
If, while you are unconscious, your wound level rises above your rating in Body + ________, or if you take an Injury with Severity greater than your rating in ________, you die. After you return, the Injury that would have killed you, as well as any Injuries sustained while Incapacitated, are healed. Battle scars obtained during this time remain.
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.
A stiff black jacket, with a hefty set of pockets. When the user pulls the jacket to the side they reveal a radiant portal which when reached into allows them to produce a simple spear bathed in a divine hue.
This Artifact produces ephemeral projectiles that can be used as a javelin. It is roughly the same size as a javelin and just as difficult to conceal.
Attack by rolling Brawn + Athletics, Difficulty 6. Successful attacks deal Contested Outcome +3 Weapon Damage.
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.
You also gain the following effects:
The user takes a firm grasp of this artifact and lets out a solemn prayer to the Spirit of Film Noir, begging for it's aid in this time of need. Within seconds, their form is crumbling apart, leaving little of them behind but dust.
The user has been briefly transported into the World of Film Noir, the abode of Frank's benefactor. It appears as an almost endless greyscale city, its streets lined with collapsing buildings and tired denizens. Cigarette smoke forms an impenetrable smog around the city, accompanied by an ever-present smooth jazz soundtrack.
Over-exposure to this world can cause various adverse mental effects, often slowly morphing the user's mind into a flanderized mess of Film Noir tropes.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma.
You phase out of reality for 1 Round. 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.
This device is a piece of chrome the size and shape of the back of a spoon. When placed against the skin, small hypodermic needles sprout from the device and attach it to the user's bloodstream. There, it filters and releases lifesaving drugs into the bloodstream, granting complete immunity from contracting new diseases and added resiliency in all other cases.
WARNING: The immunizing drugs have been shown to reduce inhibitions in test subjects.
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:
The mad scientist can craft steel helmets that protect their wearers from mental influence and attack.
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: