Enchanting

This page describes how to create items enchanted with magical effects such as imbuing, enchanting, performing rituals, brewing potions, and creating artifacts. These can be done with either arcane or primal magic and work in similar ways. Creating magical items always requires a magical workshop appropriate to the kind of magic used.

The mage who creates magical objects are mystically connected to these object. They know instantly if the object is destroyed and by concentrating a mage can determine the general direction to the magical object, but not how far away it is.

Imbuing

[These rules are adapted from Wizards and Mystics page 14.]

Imbuing is the process of storing magical energy in an object; inanimate objects for arcane magic and organic objects for primal magic. These are commonly known as scrolls and potions, but may be made of any object such as an arrow, tea kettle, or carved figurine. Imbued objects are single-use items with a specific power stored in them.

The process takes several hours in a magical workshop and $250 in materials and works like a standard power activation; a mage may only imbue powers they know. Limitations and modifications are chosen before the skill test. A critical failure causes backlash as normal and destroys the object, but does not destroy previously imbued objects. When successful the power is now stored within the object and can be activated instantly at any time by anybody who knows how to activate the imbued object, even if they have no magical ability themselves. Once an item is used it crumbles into dust.

The mage may create a number of imbued objects equal to half their skill die. Imbued objects are physical and can be destroyed by doing significant damage to the object.

Enchanting

[These rules are adapted from Arcane Devices, page 153.]

Enchanting is a more powerful form of imbuing, creating magical objects that may be used multiple times. The process requires about a week of focused effort in a magical workshop and $1000 in materials. When an enchanted object is created the mage decides which power, limitations, modifiers, and how many uses the object will have. The mage makes a magic skill test, with an additional -1 per charge in the enchanted object. A backlash destroys the object being enchanted, in addition to other effects.

When successful the power is now stored within the object and can be activated by anybody who knows how to activate the enchanted object, even if they have no magical ability themselves. When activating the object the wielder makes a skill role appropriate to the use of the object, or the creator's magic skill if nothing else fits. Critical failures will cause backlash to the user.

Enchanted objects are magically durable, it has +2 hardness. A mage may recharge the objects in the same way that it was created, adding charges to the object. They may also disenchant the object with a skill test if they are touching it. When the enchanted object is depleted of charges, it becomes a normal non-magical object.

Artifacts

Artifacts are permanent enchanted objects with unlimited uses. Artifacts are created in much the same way as enchanted items but requires at least a month of focused effort and $5000 in materials. When an artifact is created the mage decides which power, limitations, and modifiers the artifact has.

Creating an artifact requires a ritual with a total number of successes equal to 2, +the sum of all modifier penalties, and +1 per change in a number of turns equal to half the skill die of the mage leading the ritual. If any participant of the ritual has a critical failure then the ritual aborts and the backlash causes permanent damage to both the mage that failed the role and the one leading the ritual: they each gain a new hinderance, increase the level of an existing hinderance, or lose a die level from a trait.

When successful the power is now stored within the object and can be activated by anybody who knows how to activate the artifact, even if they have no magical ability themselves. When activating the artifact the user makes a skill role appropriate to the use of the object, or the creator's magic skill if nothing else fits. Critical failures will cause backlash to the user. Each activation uses one change and the artifact regenerates one charge per hour.

The process of creating an artifact involves manipulating and controlling immense magical energy. This has several side effects for the mage and the artifact. As mentioned above, the mage may suffer permanent damage. The magical energies used are so powerful that they start to blur the line between arcane and primal magic and give the artifact semi-sentience, a will and a purpose chosen by the creator.

Artifacts can only be damaged or destroyed by another artificer or extraordinary magical energy. Even bringing an artifact into subspace will only temporarily disable it's magic.

Artifact Purpose

The powerful magic used to create artifacts always results in an object with a purpose and motivation of its own. Artifacts with motivation are not alive and are not affected by most primal magic.

Arcane artifacts express their personality by glowing or vibrating and primal artifacts make the user feel content or anxious. Personalities are described below. When the artifact is used in a way that fulfills its motivation it glows softly or the user feels content. In the opposite condition the artifact vibrates annoyingly or the user feels anxious.

The creator of the artifact chooses the motivation.

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1. Addict: active when used to overindulge in something.
2. Architect: active when used to build something that will last.
3. Artist: active when used for creative creations, or in the presence of art.
4. Autocrat: active when used to seek power and prominence for its own sake.
5. Barbaric: active when in the midst of a large battle, or the site of a large battle.
6. Benefactor: active when used to protect the people around you.
7. Bloodlust: active when attacking helpless or innocent people.
8. Braggart: active when used to needlessly show off or demonstrate skill.
9. Bravo: active when used to bully others into submission.
10. Capitalist: active when used to make trade good and services for profit.
11. Caregiver: active when used to console others or show compassion.
12. Caretaker: active when used to provide safety and sustenance.
13. Competitor: active when used to compete against somebody.
14. Conniver: active when used to convince others do your work for you.
15. Coward: active when used to flee from danger.
16. Crusader: active when used to fight for an ideal strongly held by the user.
17. Curmudgeon: active when foretelling a disaster.
18. Detective: active when used to solve a riddle or mystery.
19. Deviant: active when flaunting laws or traditions for no personal gain.
20. Director: active when used to lead others in a quest or cause.
21. Explorer: active when discovering or visiting new places.
22. Faithful: active when used to ignore logical answers and take action based only on belief.
23. Gallant: active when used to seek attention and adulation from others.
24. Gambler: active when used to attempt a very unlikely task.
25. Gregarious: active when at a party or large gathering.
26. Guru: active when used to lead others to spiritual fulfillment.
27. Hunter: active when used to hunt animals for food.
28. Judge: active when used to arbitrate an argument logically.
29. Lazy: active when used to avoid responsibilities.
30. Leader: active when used to set an example for others to follow.
31. Loner: active when nobody else is nearby.
32. Lover: active when used in romantic situations.
33. Maniac: active when used to push beyond the limits of physical exhaustion.
34. Martyr: active when used to sacrifice yourself for the greater good.
35. Masochist: active when used to inflict suffering on itself or its user.
36. Masquerader: active when attempting to hide your identity from authority.
37. Meddler: active when attempting to aid others without their knowledge or consent.
38. Omega: active when used to submit to the commands of another.
39. Paragon: active when used for honest straight dealings and obvious purpose.
40. Pedagogue: active when used to teach others.
41. Perfectionist: active when redoing work to achieve a better result.
42. Playful: active when used to play which children.
43. Rebel: active when used to oppose established authorities.
44. Reflective: active when used to meditate or daydream.
45. Rogue: active when used to take what belongs to others for your own gain.
46. Sadist: active when used to inflict pain and misery on others.
47. Schadenfreude: active when bad things happen to others, through no action of your own.
48. Scientist: active when used to understand the world through analytical methods.
49. Shock Jock: active when used to inspire shock and disgust for show.
50. Sneaky: active when attempting to hide from something or somebody.
51. Sociopath: active when used to bully or oppress weaker people.
52. Soldier: active when used to fulfill your official duties.
53. Temperamental: active when you get angry over inconsequential things.
54. Thrill-Seeker: active when used to intentionally seek danger.
55. Trickster: active when used to set a non-lethal prank for others.
56. Troublemaker: active when attempting to cause a fight or sow unrest.
57. Tycoon: active when used to acquire wealth and status.
58. Unpredictable: active at random and inconvenient times.
59. Vigilante: active when in the presence of a creature intent or harm.
60. Wanderer: active when traveling to faraway places.

Delver Alchemy

Delver alchemy is the practice of altering the properties of inanimate, non-organic objects. Most often this is a simple change in the properties of an object but they can also create devices that mimic power effects.

Delvers create devices to harness and direct elemental energy and always use those devices to activate powers. Delver devices use slightly different rules for imbuing and enchanting; to outsiders a delver device looks like a mechanical device with an elemental power source. Delvers create a new device for each power and these devices can be used by anybody that knows how; but only the alchemist that created the device can recharge it.

Alchemists use their alchemy skill to modify and activate devices, non alchemists use the science skill to activate the device. A failed roll indicates that the device malfunctioned and must be repaired. A critical failure indicates that the device failed catastrophically and must be rebuilt.

Devices can only be built and modified inside an alchemical workshop. Building a device requires at least a week and repairing or modifying a device usually only takes a few hours. When modifying a device, such as changing power modifiers and limitations, make an alchemy skill check modified by the new power modifiers. If the roll is successful then the modifications were successful; if it fails then the device will need major adjustments and requires an additional week in the lab. These changes persist until the device is modified again.

Delver Imbuing

Novices can only create single-use power sources. Neither the power source nor the device are ruined after use and the power source can be re-charged. Recharging requires an hour inside an alchemical workshop with no roll necessary. Power sources are small crystal or metal objects, no less than an inch in any dimension, and can be any shape.

An alchemist can create a number of power sources equal to half their skill die. Each power source will only work in a specific device but the device can be reloaded with a new single-use power source.

Delver Enchanting

Seasoned alchemists can create large power sources and devices with multiple functions. An "enchanted" device can hold a larger power source with multiple uses and have power modifiers that can be turned on and off without further modification.

When creating an enchanted device choose which power modifiers will be available on the device. Creating an enchanted device is an easy dramatic task with no time limit. Each roll represents a week of effort and requires a number of successes equal to the number of modifiers; a critical failure destroys all progress and the task must be started over. The roll to activate the device has a penalty equal to the modifiers, chosen by the user when the device is activated.

Enchanted devices do not have swappable power sources but can have a power source large enough for multiple uses, with a maximum equal to the alchemy die. Only the alchemist that created the device can charge it and it must be recharged in an alchemical workshop. One day in the workshop is enough to fully change a device, no roll necessary.

Delver Artifacts

Delver artifacts are an upgrade to an enchanted device, adding a regenerating power source. Creating a regenerating power source requires at least a month in the workshop and the alchemy roll has a penalty of -1 per maximum change in the power source and an additional -1 per 2 charges recharged each hour. This can be offset by slowing the recharge rate, for east step reduce the penalty by 1: hour -> day -> week -> year. For example, a power source with a maximum charge of 4 that recharges 1/day would have a total penalty of -2 (-4/2 charges, -1 charge per hour, +1 hours -> days). A failure ruins the device and it must be rebuilt; a critical failure indicates a catastrophic failure that destroys the workshop.

Regenerating power sources are always an integral part of a specific device and can not be removed without destroying the device.

Delver devices with rechargeable power sources do not have a purpose, as described above for magical artifacts.

Sylvani Rituals

Sylvani always use powers as rituals.