Artifacts

These are magical items of surpassing power, with a deep history. Each is singular, with only one existing. No prices are listed, but it may be assumed that they will command prices in excess of most dreams of avarice. Artifacts cannot be crafted by the players, and to destroy one is an act which requires great effort. Further discussion of the possible destruction of artifacts, and their use in campaigns, is at the end of the section.

Cloak of Shadows:

Lying somewhere, in a far-off tomb, or under some forgotten trove, is a cloak. On first inspection, the cloak appears to be made of black or grey cloth, and is soft to the touch. A closer examination reveals that the cloak itself is made of shadows, woven together and formed into cloth. There are no markings or patterning on the cloak, and it seems to weigh nothing at all when worn.

A creature wearing the cloak gains the following powers:

+4 F

The cloak absorbs light, and areas within 10ft of it are never brighter than dim light.

The wearer may become *Invisible* as the spell as a move action at will.

All attacks aimed at the creature wearing the cloak have a miss chance of 2.

The creature wearing the cloak gains darkvision 60ft and is able to see perfectly even in areas of no light.

The wearer of the cloak may become incorporeal 1/long rest for a number of minutes equal to their F mod (min 1) as a swift action.

The wearer of the cloak gains light sensitivity, and may not look at the sun.

Any foods picked fresh, warm from the sun, are poisonous to the wearer of the cloak, and the wearer is automatically *nauseated* for 1d4 hours if they eat them.

Every full moon and new moon, the wearer of the cloak must build a fire at sunset, and extinguish it at midnight. Failure to do this results in the cloak not functioning until the next chance to perform the ritual.

Daybreaker:

There is a bow, carved from red wood, and strung with light. It hums softly when it is held, a sound of distant stings, as if all the world was replaced by distant symphonies. When a worthy creature takes it up, they may string it, and wield its power. The bow is carved with the sun centrally, and the engraved rays spread to the ends of the bow. When it is drawn, the arrows appear, made of the same cold light as the string.

A creature wielding the bow gains the following powers:

+4 G

The bow radiates light, as Daylight, in a 10ft radius, permanently.

The bow itself counts as a +4 weapon with a range increment of 500ft, and all arrows shot from it ignore armor and shield bonuses to AC.

The bow allows the wielder to use each of the following abilities once per long rest:

-Army Slaying: One shot is fired at every creature in a 200ft radius at least 500ft from the archer. The arrows fall from the sky like a rain of solid light. The archer is *paralyzed* for 1 round per creature slain.

-Rending: An arrow is fired from the bow at one target within 60ft. The archer takes V drain equal to the damage roll, the target takes V drain equal to the to-hit roll. There is no resist possible. V drain taken from this effect may only be healed by resting.

The wielder of the bow must always be Lawful or Good.

The wielder loses all darkvision they might have.

The bow must be exposed to the light of the sun daily, and if this is not done for three days, all granted powers are lost, until the bow is left in sunlight for at least an hour.

Empty Throne:

Under a mountain, far from the civilized world, lies a chamber, long forgotten. In this chamber is a throne, built by hands unseen, long ago. It is not made for creatures of human proportions, and is uncomfortable to sit in for all creatures. It is carved from the living rock of the mountain, and is anchored to the floor and the wall behind it. It cannot be removed from the chamber. The chamber itself seems to have been carved by water, and there are salt crystals on the walls, and the smell of brine in the air.

If a creature sits on the throne, they gain powers. The powers granted are:

+4 A

The creature may see perfectly in darkness, even magical darkness.

The creature may breathe underwater permanently, as though affected by the spell *Water Breathing*, and is unaffected by water pressure.

1/long rest the creature may cast *Freedom of Movement* on themselves as a quick action.

1/short rest the creature may cast *Darkness*.

At will the creature may cast *Create Water*.

The creature gains light sensitivity, and may only see 20ft in bright light or daylight, and is affected by the *Daylight* spell.

The creature’s base move speed drops by 10ft. (If this would reduce the creature’s move speed to 0, it is reduced to 5ft instead).

The creature gains vulnerability to electricity.

The creature is marked on the nape of their neck with a sigil of flowing waters. Only one such person may bear this mark at any time. Should another creature sit on this throne, all the benefits and penalties granted to the original creature are lost, and the new creature to sit on the throne gains the benefits.

Fang of Arktos:

This is a large tooth, belonging to some great predatory beast long ago. How it came to be removed from the beast is uncertain, but it’s nearly a foot long, and still razor-sharp after countless years.

If a creature removes one of its upper incisors, the tooth may be placed in its mouth. The tooth will resize itself to fit, although it will always be longer and sharper than the other teeth.

The possessor of the tooth gains the following benefits while the tooth is in its maw:

+4 P

They gain a bite attack which has a base damage of 1d10 for a creature with S 10. This attack counts as magic and chaotic for the purposes of overcoming DR.

They gain a +4 bonus to TEB and TED.

They gain one Exploit Feat they qualify for.

If the fang is not placed in the mouth, it may be used as a +3 dagger, SM 6, which deals 2d4 damage, crit 25x3. No other powers are gained while the tooth is wielded this way.

The possessor of the tooth may never turn down a challenge of combat. This does not mean they have to fight every creature they encounter; rather when they are directly challenged, they must fight.

If the possessor goes three days without seeing combat, the tooth no longer functions until they have won a fight.

Hunter’s Horn:

A horn from the head of some great beast, carved with scenes of the hunt. The mouthpiece is made of bronze, and the horn itself is gilt in several sections, with the engraved figures having faces and hands of gold.

Any living creature may blow this horn if they have a mouth.

The bearer of the horn gains the following abilities:

+4 V

1/long rest the horn may be blown, and a pack of wolves summoned (3d4 wolves). The wolves will stay for 10 minutes, and follow orders of the bearer of the horn.

The horn may be blown once per long rest as a standard action in combat, all allies of the bearer who hear it heal 1d8 damage per two levels of the bearer.

If the horn is blown at night on the summer or winter solstice, the wild hunt is summoned. The hunt does not harm the bearer of the horn, but also will not follow their orders.

Once every three days the horn may be blown to summon a swarm of wolves. The swarm stays for 10 minutes and follows the orders of the bearer.

Any undead creature who touches the horn must make a DC 39 ER or explode, permanently destroying them.

The bearer of the horn must pay proper respects to any animal they kill in a hunt, and must eat the flesh of a creature they hunted and killed once a week. Failure to do either of these things causes the horn to stop functioning for that bearer.

Mummer’s Boots:

These are a pair of plain, soft leather boots. The heels are hard, but the soles are otherwise flexible. They are clearly old, but in remarkably good shape. The origin of these boots is debated.

The boots may be worn by any bipedal humanoid creature.

These boots grant the following powers to the wearer:

+4 E

1 /3 days: They may cast *Mummer’s Dance* as a full-round action, this does not require the normal material components for resurrection. For every pair of people dancing, the DC of the check is reduced by 1. If the participants dance incorrectly, the DC is instead raised by 1.

1 /3 days: they may cast the reverse of the *Mummer’s Dance* as a full-round action, and whichever creature they choose as a partner must make a DC 40 R resist or join in the dance. At the end of the dance, the other dancer dies. This is a death effect, but undead creatures are not immune to it.

Whatever creature wears the boots is immune to death effects.

Any creature wearing the boots may not be brought back to life, and once the boots are removed and the spell cast, they may not be put back on.

The boots may not be worn by an undead creature, and any undead creature which touches the boots must make a DC 40 ER, or they drop the boots and dance wildly for 4d4 rounds.

The wearer of the boots must rise at the dawning of the day, and dance for 10 minutes to the rising sun. In the evening, they must dance for 10 minutes as the sun sets and the light leaves. If these dances are not done daily, the powers of the boots do not function.

Primal Staff:

In Arcadia there grows a tree, of a sort not found on any other plane or realm. There is but one such tree, full of life, and power, and potential most of all. One of its branches was cut, so it is said, and from it was formed this staff, an item of potent magic. The staff is well trimmed, and well worn, and is carved with runes of power in innumerable languages.

This staff may be wielded by any creature with a MB.

The wielder of the staff is granted the following powers:

+4 I

1/long rest, the wielder may cast any spell which normally requires a standard action or shorter as a swift action, as the feat Swift Spell. This does not affect the spell’s level or resist DC and may be cast in the same round as other spells.

1/long rest, the wielder may double the damage dice for any spell which requires a touch attack or ranged touch attack to hit a target, as if a critical hit had been scored. Activating this power requires no action.

The wielder gains SI equal to 15 + their level.

The raw energy of the staff is immense, and the wielder loses 2 points of P. This loss remains even if the staff is no longer used.

The wielder may not use other rods, staves, or wands while possessing the staff.

If used by a caster, they may cast 1 fewer spell of each level they have access to than normal. If this takes the number of spells available to them at a given level to 0, they may only cast spells of that level if granted them by high ability scores.

Razgovar’s Blade:

This is the sword used by the first king of the elves, Razgovar, when he made his conquests. It is a bastard sword of surpassing quality, with a green gem set in the pommel, and runes inscribed on the blade. The runes read: “For the glory of war was I forged.”

The sword is a +5 weapon, and is never dull. Its blade is never stained by blood or rust.

The sword grants the following powers to those who wield it:

Spells with a range of touch may be delivered via an attack with the sword. This delivers the full damage of an attack, along with the effect of the spell. Spells delivered this way have their resist DC increased by one. This delivery replaces the normal touch attack made when casting the spell.

The wielder may use *Decapitate* as a spell like ability once per short rest.

The wielder gains 2 points of P, I, and E, and two Equipment Feats they meet the prerequisites for. The bonuses only apply while the sword is held.

The wielder may cast one spell of level 7 or below once per short rest without expending a slot. This requires a standard action, and may not be done as part of a full-round action. The wielder must normally be able to cast spells to use this ability, but may use it even if they may not normally cast spells of that level. They may only cast spells off a list they have access to.

Any creature wielding the sword gains the drawbacks Extreme Hatred -Dwarves, Humans, Orcs, and Dragons. Any creature of those species may not wield the sword comfortably, and is *sickened* if they do.

The sword must be used to slay one creature in combat every three days, or the bonuses will not work.

The sword’s wielder may not have any levels in a divine casting class, and the sword will not function with divine or eldritch spells. Any holy water brought within 10ft of the sword is despoiled, and the wielder must make a DC 30 E resist to bring the sword into any area which has been affected by the spell *Hallow*.

Silver Pocket Watch:

This is a pocket watch, made from silver, with surpassing design. It is engraved with Protean runes which read “Time is fleeting”. The workmanship is unsurpassed, and if sold as a non-magic item it would be worth 40,000 gp. The watch never needs winding, and is always exactly correct. The origins of the watch are uncertain, but it is clearly quite old.

The watch grants the following powers to the bearer:

+4 R

1/day: They may stop time and think for a minute. They may only do things which require no action. Taking any other action ends the stoppage of time.

1/day: They may stop time as *Time Stop* for two rounds. Each time this ability is used, they age a year.

All equipment and clothing used by the bearer of the watch does not degrade with use, and will not need to be repaired while the watch is in their possession.

Any creature wielding the watch must honor any promises made, with a failure to do so by intention causing them to age by a year.

The wielder of the watch knows their maximum lifespan, should they not die in battle.

Any creature able to cast eldritch spells is unable to use the watch.

While in possession of the watch, the wielder does not age physically, although mental advancements still occur. The only physical aging they undergo is as a result of the watch’s use. If they lose the watch or come out of its possession for a minute, they age the delayed amount instantly.

The Tear:

Gods can die. It is rare, an event so surpassingly seldom that its occurrences may be numbered on the fingers of one hand. Notable among the dead is Hanikal, slain by Ksvelier during his plotting, before the great war of the second age. His power consumed, he faded into myth, and passed from living memory. As he lay dying, in his seat upon the prime, a single tear was shed, and in there was entombed the last echoes of his power and psyche. Even the remnants of a god are more power than a mortal may wield easily, and so it is with the tear.

The tear appears to be a flawless gem, equal in volume to a human skull. It is a diamond, in the shape of a teardrop, and if sold as a gem would fetch a price of at least 100,000 gp. Any creature who touches the gem with their bare skin must make an Ego resist of DC 40, or fall under the thrall of Hanikal.

The tear grants the following powers to those who wield it:

1/short rest, they may take two full-round actions during their turn.

1/long rest, they may cast *Heal* upon themselves.

1/long rest, they may heal 1d12 points of ability drain they have suffered.

The main power of the tear, however, is the potential magic it represents. It is the last remnant of a dead god, and as such has two potential uses. The wielder may perform one of two rituals, both long, difficult, and dangerous. At the end of the first, the god Hanikal is reborn, and all his power restored. At the end of the second, all of the remaining divine power is consumed, and the officiant of the ritual becomes a minor deity of their own. Performing either ritual causes an irrevocable 1d12 sanity damage to the celebrant, regardless of the success of the ritual. The exact components and requirements of the ritual are left to the GM, but should be suitably difficult and dangerous to acquire.

The tear exacts the following costs on those who wield it:

No deity save Hanikal may be worshipped, and any powers gained from faith are lost, unless the faith is transferred to Hanikal.

Their sleep is always interrupted with dark dreams, and four extra hours must be taken for the effects of a full rest to activate.

They must seek out and destroy those who work with Outsiders, and cannot tolerate their existence.

**Destroying Artifacts**:

Some artifacts are of surpassing power, but most are dangerous, and many may be considered more trouble than they are worth. Any attempt to destroy an artifact must not be undertaken lightly, and none can be destroyed by normal means. Each artifact should have a unique method for destruction, and suggestions for such are given below.

The artifact must be cast into:

The Sun

The river Lethe

A pool of the tears of Angels and Demons

The burning heart of Anadar, the star that hates

The bottomless Abyss

The artifact must be smelted down by:

The crucible in which it was forged

The core of the earth

The unquenchable fire of hell

The artifact must be crushed/smote by:

The heel of a god

The blade of time on the eternal clock

The doors of the universe

The unstoppable rock of Kazar-Mah

The artifact must be buried under:

The wellspring of all-waters

The rays of the first dawn

The roots of the last tree

The skull of a god

While not all of these will destroy an artifact outright, they will neutralize its power, and prevent it from remaining a threat. The actual means for destroying any given artifact should be concealed from the players, and be quite difficult to determine.