The Winged Sandals of PerseusDescription: Winged sandals given to the Greek hero Perseus by Hermes that allow one to fly.
Skills Affected: Athletics
Effects:[-0]
Unbreakable. As an Item of Power, this item cannot be broken.
[-0]
One Size Fits All. These sandals adjust to fit any foot size.
[-1]
Flight. These sandals allow the wearer to fly.
[-2]
The Swiftness of Hermes. Inhuman Speed.
[+2]
Item of PowerTotal Cost: 1 Refresh
Lore: A powerful staff rumored to have been crafted by the Goddess Hecate and stolen by her daughter Circe in her greed for power. The Archmage Staff is an extremely potent focus item which infuses the owner with magic.
Effects:
Arcane Recovery: The infusion of magic into the Wizard enhances his Wizard's Constitution ability to the levels of Supernatural Recovery. The Catch is mundane electricity, which interferes with the magic infusing the wizard (doesn't quite fit I know, but best I could come up with so far).
-I chose this option because I wanted a bit of 'oomph' to the staff beyond just saying "it gives you refinement slots for cheap", since Wizard's Constitution is a result of the magic the Wizard channels I felt that upgrading that effect would be an interesting spin. I'm really not sure about the catch, I was trying to think of a decent one and it was either this or Cold-Iron, which is already overdone with the Fae. I'm interested in more ideas though.Arcane Power: The staff grants the wizard enhanced power, granting him 3 Refinement skills worth of bonuses which can only be utilized for the first two options (New Elements or Specialties). Though the staff adapts itself to the wielder and they can choose their specialties (one time only, not changing except perhaps as part of a milestone) but they
must use points to gain access to any Evocation element they don't yet have.
-Using the staff to gain different focus items or enchanted items didn't make much sense, so I limited it to new evocations types and specialties (which can apply to Thaumaturgy). I considered allowing focus item slots and making them bound to the Staff, but in the end I decided that Specialties better suited the theme of the Staff since they aren't as easily stacked and tend to be more spread out. The 'Archmage' ideal is someone who is very good at all types of magic after-all. This is also why I required that points first be spent to purchase elements. To simplify this, a new element or a specialty costs 0.5pts, buy new evo elements first, then specialties, to a total of 3.Attunement: The staff attunes itself to the wielder, consuming two focus slots. These slots can still be used as normal but are bound to the staff.
-I felt the staff needed a bit more 'investment' from the character beyond refresh levels so I added in this, it also fits in nicely with the alternatives listed below.Law Abiding: The staff will not allow it's owner to
intentionally break one of the Laws of Magic. Attempting to do so automatically results in backfire for the full effect of the spell and severs the bond until the end of the next session.
-The staff needed a bit more non-refresh based lore and restrictions attached to it. Being crafted by the Goddess of Magic (I chose Hecate, but you can choose any) I felt that having the rules of magic 'built-in' was a nice touch. However I made it 'intentional' uses only since I didn't want to overly restrict characters freedom. This is sort-of a play on the Sword of the Cross restriction, never mind a nasty surprise for a villain who gets his hands on it.Now for the point break-down:
When wielded by a Wizard:
Item of Power: +2
Supernatural Recovery: -4
Catch: Mundane Electricity +3
3x Refinement -3
Refresh Total: -2
Which brings up the question of, what if a non-Wizard grabs the staff? On the one hand, I think I prefer that mortals can't use the staff. However, it also might be interesting try to apply it's effects to a mortal, so I created the alternate version for non-Wizards which follows the same rules and even has the same refresh level. I actually sort of like it because while it's powerful, it's not quite as potent as it would be in the hands of a true-wizard. And, of course, it's still limited by that player's Discipline and Conviction.
When Wielded by a Mortal (or someone without Evocation):
Item of Power: +2
Evocation -3 (two free focus item slots are automatically attuned to the staff)
Refinement -1 (Grants access to the two other elements without any specialization bonuses)
Wizard's Constitution -0
Refresh Total: -2
Deck of Tricks [-3]
It is what it is: And that's an old deck of 52 playing cards plus jokers.
One Time Discount [+1]: A deck of cards is a small item.
Luck of the Draw[-4]: As a standard action, you may draw a card from the deck. You are granted the powers attributed to the card. The powers last for 1 scene.
You've got to know when to hold 'em...: You may spend a fate point to have your current card last for one more scene.
...know when to fold 'em: Once per scene, you may spend a fate point to immediately draw a new card from the deck, after you just drew a card as a standard action.
Luck of the draw is modeled after modular abilities. Since you can't choose your power, I reduced the modular base cost by 1 point of refresh. You'd have to have powers worth approximately 3 refresh on any card, but not all of them have to be very useful or work together very well.
Example cards:
- evocation (offensive air specialization)
- Gaseous Form
- Document Forging (stunt) + superb deceit + "Mimic document" (the card acts as psychic paper)
- channeling (fire) + focus item (+1 offensive fire power and control)
- superb driving + superb scholarship + ghost speaker
- Diminutive Size + inhuman strength
- superb investigation + Psychometry + Quick Eye (stunt)
Well... you get the idea. You can easily change the 3 refresh, if you want more or less refresh on those powers. The superb skills are based on the mimic abilities power and can be replaced by higher or lower skill levels if you like, but I would always grant the maximum skill level your campaign allows. And of course those skills are not subject to the pyramid, they are extra.
(-?) Silver Strings:
Description: The Silver Strings are a set of musical strings made of pure, untarnished silver that glitter faintly with a holy light.
Skills Affected: Performance
Protective Muse: ***This needs to be cleaned up.*** The Strings are a subtle weapon against evil. By playing an instrument using the strings, their bearer can use Performance to ward off malign supernatural influence. The bearer spends a fate point, and for the scene can use Performance to create blocks against psychomancy, possession, incite emotions, or similar mind-affecting or physically controlling supernatural abilities at GM discretion. This can be done as a supplemental action to other uses of Performance.
Divine Purpose: ***This needs to be cleaned up.*** They're a less aggressive item than the Swords, but still have a purpose. That purpose is to spread peace and to protect the innocent from supernatural evil. The weilder can use them for personal gain (IE, playing for money), but they cannot be used in a deceptive manner, or be used to harm someone who has not harmed an innocent in the bearer's sight (including, say, using Pointed Performance to hurt someones' reputation). Also, the bearer cannot use them to forge a mortal contract (so no recording deal). If the bearer uses them in a manner against their purpose, they immediately produce a discordant twang, the Performance roll fails, and they unstring themselves but do not break. The bearer will not be able to restring them until he proves his faith again.
Holy: The Strings are a powerful holy symbol. The touch of a weapon strung with them is like a cross, holy water, or other symbol of faith backed by the belief of their wielder.
They're Strings: The Silver Strings always take the form of a set of strings for a musical instrument. Their number, length, and the exact key of each string vary, but always fit the chosen instrument of their current wielder.
Good Vibrations: The Silver Strings are of exceptional quality. When played in keeping with their purpose, they add +1 to any Performance roll made using an instrument stringed with them.
Unbreakable: As an Item of Power, the strings cannot be broken except through a specific ritual dedicated to subverting their purpose. This protection extends to the instrument they are currently in.
Jabir ibn Hayyan’s Grimoire [-1]Description: You possess the grimoire of the mad artificer Jabir ibin Hayyan who sought knowledge at the cost of his sanity. Tread lightly on when retracing his path to knowledge, lest it plunge you into the same madness which took him.
Musts: You must have the Thaumaturgy power.
Skills Affected: Lore, Varies.
Greatest Artificer of Merlin’s Age. The Grimoire contains extraordinary alchemical insights. Gain 2 Specializations which must be spent on crafting (strength or frequency). These are subject to all normal limitations applied to Specialization bonuses. Enchanted items lose these bonuses if you don't have the Grimoire available.
Methods of Madness. You may boost the power of an enchanted item or potion upon use. This bonus may not exceed your Lore skill. When doing so, you must roll Discipline against the total power of the item, as if you were defending against an attack. Failure to do so results in mental stress as if from an attack plus additional mental stress equal to the bonus from this effect. Psychological consequences that result are set by the GM, in line with Jabir’s agenda.
The Mind of a Madman. You gain +1 on any skill roll made in keeping with Jabir’s agenda (often having to do with seeking out knowledge and magical power at all costs). When doing so, you must roll Discipline against the result, as if you were defending against an attack. Failure to defend results in mental stress as if from an attack; psychological consequences that result are set by the GM, in line with Jabir’s agenda.
Keep a second specialization pyramid "Without Grimoire" for reference incase you lose it.Unbreakable. As an Item of Power, it cannot be broken, save through dedicated magical ritual predicated upon perverting its purpose.
It’s a Book. The Grimoire is a large, ancient tome. A caster may spend Focus Item slots to use the Grimoire as a focus item.
Discount Already Applied. As an Item of Power, the Grimoire already includes the one-time discount (YS167). This means that if you possess more than one Item of Power, the one-time discount will not apply on that second item. If Jabir ibin Hayyan’s Grimoire is the second or subsequent artifact the you gain, the refresh cost is -3.
Item of Power: Eye of Vengeance
Cost: -1
Description: A highly polished black spheroid made of some sort of gemstone the size of a human eye.
Must: Must have a high concept or template appropriate to being chosen by Nemesis.
Effects:
- Your Purpose is Not Yet Fulfilled: Grants the wielder Inhuman Recovery (-2)
Catch: XXXX is thy Bane
- Bypasses Inhuman Recovery, preventing more than mortal healing.
- The Guilty Cannot Hide: Grants the weilder The Sight (-1)
- Discount Already Applied: +2
So... if i understand this correctly. The overall Possible catches....
- Weapons made from non-terrestrial materials.
- Penitence: An attack by someone who is genuinely sorry for their transgressions
- Serenity: 'Truly Serene' - not sure how to word this
- Forgiveness: 'Truly Forgiving' - not sure how to word this
Item of Power: Sword of Justice
Cost: ?
Description: Each bearer of the sword finds that when he or she first touches it, it conforms to the bearer's tastes, skills and aptitudes but it is still a finely made sword at least the size of a gladius and no longer than a claymore.
Must: Must have a high concept or template appropriate to being chosen by Nemesis
Effects:
- All creatures fear justice: (same as All Creatures are Equal before God)
- Divine Purpose: The sword was created to bring balance to the scales and therefore can only be wielded against creatures who have seriously wronged someone. The sword will not harm an innocent at all and if the 'wrong' does not merit death (as determined by the Goddess herself), the sword will not kill them.
- Holy: While the deity that created the sword may not be the Christian one, the weapon is no less a holy artifact and acts like holy water or other symbol of faith backed by the belief of the wielder.
- Its a sword: In it's current form it is a beautiful swept hilt rapier (Weapon: 2)
- Unbreakable: It cannot be broken save through a ritual designed to pervert it's purpose.
That brings me to the last two powers Cloak of Shadows and Inhuman Agility. For lack of a better idea I just attached them to the sword. Frankly though I'm not sure they fit the sword itself. Should I internalize those powers? Or would something like Modular Powers make sense: like the sword grants X points of abilities that vary based on the wielder to make the job he is going to do possible?
1Inhuman Agility - Just made this one up based on the other Inhuman X traits. Effectively this would give you Peter Parker level agility.
