An Artefact is an item which has unusual properties. They are extremely rare in the world, and news of items of this nature tended to spread quickly before the upheaval. Artefacts can either be made by people with the right talents, or very occasionally found. They are almost certainly not for sale anywhere.
Potential sources of power for an artefact include:
Separate from the above sources of artefacts, there is another type of artefact which can only ever be found (not created). These are the first examples of an item, which seem to hold special abilities. A FIRST item (e.g. the first bow, the first book) cannot be shattered, and is incredibly resistant to any sort of alteration. Successful alteration can have serious repercussions on the world.
As of Oblitus Mundi, any artefact (first or otherwise) can be permanently expended for a greater effect than described at GM discretion. This will permanently destroy the artefact.
Making an artefact is a difficult business which requires extraordinary measures. An artefact's creation will have involved at least 2 (and probably more) of the following:
An Artefact doesn't have to be made all at once. In fact, the best ones tend to have multiple steps involved in their creation. The creation of artefacts should be a major “on-screen” undertaking and any artefact must have at least some steps of its creation be a focal point of at least an encounter. If you want to do something towards an artefact on an adventure, let the GM know in advance so that they can definitely work it in.
Steps in the production of an artefact:
An artefacts powers are effected by the materials that were used in the forging, as well as the powers of the people who were involved in the forging, the tools used, and the places that the forging steps were taken. The final abilities of the artefact will be decided by the larpo in discussion with the player creating the artefact. These abilities might range from replicating skills or providing access to additional uses of abilities to truly unique and world altering effects.
A potent artefact, forged in death by the Builder Priest Reginald Drake. The Hammer of Ruin was constructed to shatter the barriers trapping his companions and free them from their imprisonment, and it is known as a tool of destruction, not creation, seemingly unusual for an item of a priest of the Builder. It currently lies in the Church of the Founders. Those seeking to take it will find it lying atop a great silver anvil, the metals fused. It is said that if one's cause is noble, they will be able to take it unimpeded. About the altar acolytes of the builder wait in guard.
To take the hammer one must first pass the guards, though they will be more amenable to any marked as holy by the Builder's power, as the hammer has been known to mark those it deems worthy. Regardless they will question those who would approach and see if their cause is worthy.
GM Note The hammer will not be freed unless the cause is important enough. Saving acryn yes, putting up shelves no. Taking this item should involve some roleplaying and not be something people can trivially do (i.e. usually an encounter).
Abilities:
Counts as mastercrafted, counts as a weapon type the user could wield, allowing them to use their calls. Grants 1 shatter (against an item struck in melee) and 1 mass strikedown (by striking the ground) per encounter, and is immune to shatters, and indeed most ways of destroying it, being a potent builder artefact. Additionally twice per adventure the user may utilise the hammer's power to attempt to destroy some kind of barrier, metaphysical or otherwise. This will require a time freeze and GM adjudication.
The hammer may fail if used against 'the interests of Acryn'. This includes both the general well being of the city and notably the hammer may fail against those who would seek to restore the rule of individuals, rather than that of a council. The GM may call damage or disarms to the person holding the item as the hammer burns in their grip.
No flux artefact has yet been created or discovered, but it is assumed by scholars to be entirely feasible. It is simply that the upheaval is still so recent that no-one has yet been skilled enough to produce such a thing.
All First items are immune to shatter. They are also incredibly resistant to change of any time. Successfully changing a first item will have serious repercussions on the world. All first items are creations from the very early creation of the world, during the time of the Primals.
This artefact can be used to convert a standard melee weapon call into a ranged call. This uses up your use of the call as normal. You must have sufficient weapons on your person for each ranged call you make (as you loose your weapon into your opponent). These weapons can be gathered up at the end of the encounter.
Once per an adventure can be used to cast a ritual which counts as one mana higher (a minimum of one mana must be put into the ritual), this can push the mana in the ritual to higher than the usual maximum of the caster.
Once per an adventure the implement can be used to store the effects of a ritual, allowing the ritual to be deployed by melee strike. The implement can only contain one ritual at a time.
Contains all knowledge. Cannot be comprehended.