View source for ArtifactRelay/CombinedPower

== The twenty-eighth theme is ''Combined Power'' ==

A Cascade of Artifacts from 1 to 5 that will combine into a level N/A item of Supreme Power


* back to [[CrunchRelay]].
* back to [[Artifacts]].

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'''''Coronal of the Neophyte ''''' - [[magicpreppy]]
:'''Magic material: moonsilver'''
:'''Artifact &bull;'''
:'''Commitment:''' 2 motes 

No matter how equitable the relationship, Lunars of the First Age were at core the assistants of their Solar mates. This crown was commissioned by a First Age Solar that truly relied on the assistance of his Lunar mate. During the Usurpation the pair was able to hold off several legions of Dragon Blooded giving messengers time to disperse over Creation to warn the remaining members of the Deliberative. 

The Coronal gives a +3 bonus to any Caste or Favored Ability or Attributes as long as the wearer is collaborating with another. However the very nature of this item rejects the idea the wearer can act independently. If in the presence of any other Essence user the user has a -1 internal penalty to all rolls if they are the primary actor in a roll as long as they have the motes committed. 

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<b><i>Aimyu Mask</i></b> By [[Braydz]]
 <b>Artifact &bull;&bull;</b>
 <b>Black Jade mask with Moonsilver inlays</b>
 <b>Commitment:</b> 3m

Sometimes it'd be nice to be in two places at once. Other times you just need other people to think that you are, which this artifact allows.

The user attunes to the mask, committing 3 motes while wearing it. Any person may then don the mask and appear as the user at no additional cost. The simulacrum is perfect according to how the user appeared when attuning (less the big jade mask on their face), though the wearer may don additional clothing without spoiling the illusion. The mask also allows the wearer to mimic the user's voice and mannerisms, even providing limited access to the user's personality and insight into how they would approach certain interactions but not specific information known to the user but not the wearer. All-told these effects provide +4 dice to attempts to fool others about the wearer's identity. This stacks with the bonus granted by the Anima Ability of <nowiki>Waning/Changing-Moon</nowiki> Lunars.

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<b><i>World On Your Back</b></i> by [[Han'ya]]
 <b>Artifact &bull;&bull;&bull;</b>
 <b>Cloak of red jade, moonsilver, and starmetal</b>
 <b>Commitment:</b> 4 motes

World On Your Back is a long cloak woven of hair-thin threads of <nowiki>red jade/moonsilver</nowiki> alloy. The clasps are starmetal, and a complex sorcerous diagram is embroidered on the back in starmetal thread. The cloak has a large, voluminous hood that leaves the wearer's face completely in shadow.

When the bearer takes another under the cloak, she may spend a point of temporary Willpower and, if the target has any dots in the Whispers, Destiny, or Doom backgrounds, they are transferred to the bearer for the remainder of the scene. During that time, the target may not make use of them and does not count as possessing or ever having possessed them. At the end of the scene, the dots return to their original owner.

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<b><i>The Cup Half-Full</b></i> by [[Paincake]]
 <b>Artifact &bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;</b>
 <b>Orichalcum Chalice</b>
 <b>Commitment:</b> 5 motes

The owner of the cup commits a point of bashing damage and spills their blood into the cup; the bright red turns a dusky, dark gold. When drunk it leaves its stain on the target's lips, and if used often enough the mark becomes permanent. Those who imbibe (one per two points of caster's permanent essence, limited by the caster's health) gain an Anima banner representative of their innermost self and two points in Destiny, Doom, or Whispers. This fades after the caster's permanent essence in days, whereupon the point of damage lifts from the caster. If the target already has an anima banner, it changes to reflect their Destiny, Doom, or predominant messages received through Whispers. The owner of the cup cannot drink from it until the other pieces come together.

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<b><i>The Ten Kings' Brilliant Flag</b></i> by [[Sz]]
 <b>Artifact &bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;&bull;</b>
 <b>Wrackstaff of mixed materials</b>
 <b>Commitment:</b> 10+ motes

The Ten Kings' Brilliant Flag is a 10-foot-tall Wrackstaff composed of the five Jades. Five faces of salt, Adamant, Starmetal, Moonsilver and Orichalcum are carved onto the surface between the grip, which is wrapped in dark leather, and the flag, which is made of regal red silk and adorned with electrum linings and purple threads. Once attuned, a shining image which best represents the Exalt's innermost self appears on the flag, glowing in the color associated with the wielder's Exaltation.

While the flag shines, as long as the Exalt's subordinates follows their leader's orders, they are incapable of failure and it is impossible to be otherwise. All collaborative actions related to Bureaucracy, Performance, Sail or War automatically succeeds with the minimum number of successes required before the dice are rolled, given that there is no dissension or disagreement among the ranks and that the action is in accordance with the Exalt's (current) Destiny, Doom or Whispers. Against contested rolls, the group enjoys automatic successes equal to the highest of the Exalt's Essence or Conviction. Also, while his subordinates sees the brilliant flag--which cannot be obscured by mundane means, including distance or poor visibility--the orders are delivered without vagueness. The size of the group affected by this Wrackstaff's magic may be as small as a Solar-Lunar mate or an entire army (the attunement cost increases by twice the Magnitude of the affected group.)

The flagpole is extremely clumsy as a weapon due to its immense size. When used in combat, use the regular stats of a Wrackstaff with no MM bonus. 

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<b><i>(Tentative)The Irrevocable Auspice of Kings</b></i> by All the Authors Above!
 <b>Artifact N/A</b>
 <b>Panoply</b>
 <b>Commitment:</b> 20 motes + 2x the Magnitude of Unit led.

When the attuned dons the Coronal of the Neophyte, the Aimyu Mask, the World on Your Back, and wields the Ten Kings' Brilliant Flag, he may drink from The Cup Half Full. Consecrating the actions of his Host in his own blood, under the approval of the Incarna, Gaia, and all the gods, he alters the very fabric of Fate and recreates Destiny.

All those who follow the Artifact wielder gain his background's worth in dots of Destiny, Doom, or Whispers, and an anima banner concurrent with this new trait that goes off when they are under stress. (combat, say) (If the artifact owner has 4 dots of Whispers, he may instead provide 4 dots of Destiny or Doom, whichever the Exalt may desire.) The effects of the wrackstaff are no longer perfect only if obeying orders; they are also perfect if in line with the Destiny, Whispers, or Doom. When activating the cup, which must be kept in hand in order for the effect to persist, the Exalt can make a contested roll against the Weave to alter his Destiny, or Doom. Additionally, the Exalt may block out, for once in his existence, the Whispers of his dread masters; he knows this instinctively. If he should choose to do so, their retribution is great; he gains Doom equal to his previous Whispers background. 

The army sharing their leader's Destiny and face also gains his intentions; through the Coronal, all of their efforts become synchronous, granting them the Coronal's bonus as long as they are in line with the intent of their leader. When used during the scene in which the Cup Half Full has been supped from, the Cloak strips away an opponent's Destiny, Doom, or Whispers permanently. This effect may only be used on a foe who has been rendered unconscious or is otherwise helpless to resist; the only requirement otherwise is that they be prone or kneeling.

The ten king's brilliant staff grants its owner the appropriate mm bonus, and becomes a one-handed weapon with the same stats as a wrackstaff; it streamlines itself to be less cumbersome in the hand, and its glorious pennant throbs brightly with each step taken towards achieving the fated end to which is has been called and made.
=== Comments ===

I like the concept for this, but I have no idea if it is any good. [[magicpreppy]]
:I think this is a neat concept, an artifact to benefit the people working in the Background. - [[ArabianNinja]]

Beg pardon [[Han'ya]], but I'm not quite sure I follow the effect. Whose Doom is transfered where? I mean it sounds cool but I'm just not quite following it.<br>
~*~[[Braydz]]~*~
: The Doom/Destiny/Whispers are transferred from the target to the bearer of the cloak. The bearer cannot take his own Doom or Destiny and give it to another. I hope you like the artifact, [[magicpreppy]] I'm thinking of further effect.. is it powerful enough as it stands? - [[Paincake]]

Paincake, I like it. Are you continuing the "mess wid mah Destiny" schtick or is it just a coincidence? - [[Han'ya]]

Well my thought is that someone acting in concert for caste and favored abilities most likely will be built for them. Now that you bring it up Lunars have so few favored abilities I added the "or favored attributes." My thought is on a prayer roll lets say a charisma 4 performance 4 character can perform a three dot stunt, wear this artifact, and almost double their dice pool without any charms or specialties added in.  That is the potential for a lot of extra dice for the primary actors dice pool.A -1 is allways annoying, but even the smallest stunt can make up for it. Is there a flaw in my thinking, or do you have a suggestion on amping it up while keeping it a lvl one? [[magicpreppy]] 

:I dunno. It seems okay to me. - [[Han'ya]]

Totally continuing that theme, it just seemed right. Thanks for the inspiration. =D [[Paincake]]

Here's my contribution to an awesome but rather neglected relay. Is it too overpowered for a five dot Artifact? :| Also, would someone need to describe the combined N/A effects of the Artifacts? Or do I get to choose the next theme? :d [[Sz]]

If I were you, to get this awesome but indeed neglected theme finished, I would either contact [[magicpreppy]] for the finale, or describe the n/a artifact combination with [[magicpreppy]]'s blessing and choose a new theme. Hell, if we can all have a shot at the N/A, provide some detail or minutiae, that would be awesome possum too. I would definitely archive this now though, for the sake of getting the ball rolling. [[Paincake]]

:Well then, I'll archive this then, since the original goal of having 5 entries was reached. We could make the N/A effects in the archived page or something. :p - [[Sz]]

::Hey Sz, I like. - [[Han'ya]] and also [[Paincake]]
::: Thanks. [[T_T]] I should contribute to relays more often but I keep getting this dread of self-criticism whenever I try. - [[Sz]]
::::Don't doubt yourself! You are the cheerleader in your mind. Be kind to you! I like your style. I'm kicking off the N/A, and [[magicpreppy]] better show up to add to it, too. Toss in your hats, this is an N/A party! [[Paincake]]

Further possible N/A powers: The Coronal's bonus extends to the attuned's Essence in allies. The mask causes everyone in the army to flash through each other person in the army's appearance to the eyes of the enemy, including the artifact owner; the dots of Destiny or Whispers or Doom taken through the cloak are the artifact owner's to use, and may be permanently stripped from an opponent. The Wrackstaff becomes a one-handed weapon, with a m/m bonus. Feel free to trim, edit, and suggest above! - also [[Paincake]] 

:Perhaps the Aimyu Mask binds the identity of all the allies of the Exalt, representing the new destiny they are now sharing. Aside appearing identical to their opponents, they could have a sort of hive mind, allowing them to share ''intentions'' so they may act together in a more wholesome manner. - [[Sz]]

::I approve of the tentative N/A Artifact. - [[Han'ya]]
:::I approve of you, Mr. Han'ya. Is this a wrap? [[Paincake]]
::::Yes, it is. [[Han'ya]]