Enchantment

Enchantments are permanent magical enhancements on an item or person.

# Enchantment Effects

Each enchantment provides a specific advantage. Only the owner of the enchanted item may use the enchantment, but enchantments may be able to affect other people: a wand of fireballs can harm a target, while a circlet of minor healing allows the user to heal injuries of other people. Enchantments never wear out, but may have limited uses per day or per recharge, and all enchantments require that the user spend fatigue to activate or maintain the enchantment. Enchanted items may be destroyed, which destroys all the enchantments.

## Discrete Spells

Many enchantments cast a specific spell. The user pays 1 FP to cast the spell every time they use the enchantment.

## Usually Active Spells

Some enchantments provide a continuing effect. The user pays 1 FP per hour to keep these enchantments active.

## Stacking Spells

Multiple enchantments or Engravings that provide the same type of effect do not stack with each other, even if they come from multiple items or enchantments. Only the strongest enchantment or engraving takes effect at any time.

# Buying and Making Enchantments

## Spell Design

The first step to buying or making an enchanted item is to design the underlying spell. This can be any spell as an advantage, but must have the Magic (-10%) and Costs 1 Fatigue (-5%) modifiers. Usually Active enchantments must take the Hourly Fatigue Cost (+10%) modifier.

The final cost (including enhancements and limitations) of the underlying spell in CP is the Spell Point (SP) of the enchantment.

## Item Choice

The next step is to determine the item that will receive the enchantment. The item will have an Enchantment Point (EP) modifier, which is multiplied by the SP to determine the final EP of the enchantment, which determines cost.

The item to be enchanted has a minimum value depending on the final EP of the enchantment. Divide the EP by 5 (rounding up), and look the result up on the Size column of the SSR. The Linear Measurement in yards is the % of the starting wealth of G$5,000 that the item must cost to be eligible for enchantment.

Less valuable items can be gilded, encrusted with gems, or otherwise increased in value by simply spending money.

*Example*: Alya wants to get her Colt SAA ($375) enchanted with a 43 EP enchantment. EP/5 is 9, which has a linear measurement of 70 yards, so 70% of $5,000. She must spend $3,125 on adding pearl grips, gold tracing, and gemstones to her gun before it can hold the enchantment.
Ammunition (x0.12 EP)
A single arrow, bolt, bullet, or dart. The spell takes effect when the ammunition is used with the appropriate weapon and hits a target (including missing entirely and hitting the ground); the spell is consume when it takes effect and the ammunition cannot be reused.
Amulet or Eyeglasses (x0.50 EP)
A small amulet that must be worn outside of clothing and armor, or a pair of eyeglasses worn outside of armor. Foes can grab it in combat by winning a Quick Contest of DX or Grappling skill. The amulet or eyeglasses is SM -7, DR 4, HP 4, and 0.1 lbs.
Armor or Clothing (x0.90 EP)
Armor or clothing may be enchanted. Armor and clothing cannot normally be stolen in combat or easily destroyed, but circumstances may prevent someone from wearing a particular piece of armor or clothing.
Body (x1.00 EP)
Enchantments can be inscribed directly into a person's body. These enchantments cannot be stolen and are destroyed when the person dies. A person's body can support a total of CP/5 EP worth of enchantments.
Circlet, Crown, or Tiara (x0.45 EP)
A metal headband, crown, or tiara worn on the head, outside of clothing and armor, or a pair of eyeglasses worn outside of armor. Foes can grab it in combat by succeeding on a roll against DX or Grappling skill. The item is SM -11, DR 4, HP 4, and 0.1 lbs.
Cloak (x0.50 EP)
A light cloak worn on the back. Anyone behind the wearer can grab in with an unopposed DX or Grappling skill roll and anyone else can take it by winning a Contest of DX or Grappling skill. The cloak is immune to crushing damage, takes 1 injury from impaling or piercing attacks, and has SM -1, DR 1, HP 10, and weighs 2 lbs.
Golem (x0.25 EP)
A statue made from non-living matter and animated by the Golem spell. Golems can be restrained, and anyone with knowledge of Thaumatology and an hour of uninterrupted concentration in the presence of the golem can make themselves the new master of the golem by winning a Quick Contest of Thaumatology against the current owner. A golem's size and durability is determined by it's construction and materials.
Lesser Grimoire (x0.25 EP)
A book or scroll. Grimoires do not allow anyone to cast the spell, but allow enchanters to enchant an item with a spell they do not know. Grimoires are rarely carried around, but may be stolen like any other item in someone's hand when they are. DR 1, 8 HP, 2 lbs.
Ring (x0.65 EP)
A ring, worn outside armor and clothing. Anyone who grapples the owner's hand may steal the ring by winning a quick contest of DX or Grappling skill. A thief who has a reason to touch the owner's hand (such as a handshake) may steal the win by winning a Quick Contest of Sleight of Hand vs Per. The ring is SM -11, DR 4, HP 3, and negligible weight.
Weapon (x0.35 EP for wood, x0.45 EP for metal)
A weapon that can be stolen with a Disarm attack in combat or taken while sheathed, stored away, etc. Wooden weapons have DR 2 and metal weapons have DR 6. HP and weight are determined normally for the weapon.
## Finalizing the Enchantment

It takes time for an enchanter to make the enchantment, and they must invest it with part of a soul. Most of the time is spent on spectral forging the enchantment, which takes weeks for all but the weakest of enchantments.

The enchanter must know the spell that is being enchanted, or have a grimoire of the spell.

Soul Investment
1/10th of the EP (rounded to the nearest whole number) of an enchantment must come from a soul. The enchanter may voluntarily spend CP for soul investment, trading 1 CP for 1 EP, but enchanters almost never do this for items intended for other people. On the rare instances when a soul invested item is sold, the soul investment is valued at $10,000 per EP.

Soul Stones
A soul stone is a crystal containing someone's soul. In the USC (and the civilized world in general), soul stones contain the souls of heinous criminals such as traitors or mass murderers. Each 1 CP of soul in a soul stone may be used to satisfy 1 EP of soul investment. Soul stones are valued at $5,000 per CP, plus the value of the soul stone.

Spectral Forging
The cheap but slow way to enchant an item, spectral forging consumes most of the enchanter's time as they weave mystic energy into the enchantment. Every 5 days of work, the enchanter rolls against IQ + Sorcerous Talent, and generates MoS EP to a minimum of 1. Typically, this works to 1 EP per day.

## Final Cost

The final cost of an enchanted item is the cost of the item, the cost of any empowered soul stones, and the cost of the enchanter's time. Enchanting is normally a Wealthy job worth $500/day, but some enchantments are in high demand and the enchanter can get $1,500 or more per day. Enchantments are rarely valued at more than $5,000/day, since at that point it is cheaper to use soul stones to provide the energy than spectral forging.

# Sample Enchanted Items

Glasses of Dark Vision ($12,350, 0.1 lbs)
Activating these glasses allows the wearer to see in absolute darkness.
*Spell*: Dark Vision (Magic -10%, Costs Fatigue -5%, Hourly Fatigue +5%) [23 SP]. Glasses have an EP multiplier of .5, for a final EP of 12.
Item value is at least $350, and enchanting costs are $12,500.
Medium Golem ($32,300, 450 lbs)
This is a terra golem, enchanted to be animate. Golems are valued by the US Navy as coal stokers and in many other fields were having a supernaturally strong, untiring, laborer who is immune to poison and doesn't need to breath makes up the great expense. Many enchanters spend most of their time crafting golems.
*Spell*: Golem (see Divine Favor p 14) [76 SP]. Golems have an EP multiplier of .25, for a final EP of 19.
Item value is at least $500, and golem enchanters get double wages, for enchanting costs of $31,800
Amulet of Comfort ($650, 0.1 lbs)
This amulet is one of the few magical items that do not require energy to activate. When worn, the wearer is never bothered by flying insects and never suffers from indigestion, bowel discomfort, bad breath, excessive sweat, or acne. Many enchanters who do not craft golems spend much of their time crafting these simple but desirable amulets.
*Spell*: Immunity to trivial insects perk and Sanitized Metabolism Perk [2]. Amulets have an EP multiplier of .45, for a final EP of 1.
Item value is at least $150, and enchanting costs are $500.
Although amulets of comfort can be made cheaply, they are often a luxury item and the underlying amulet is gilded or encrusted with gems to show off the owner's wealth.