Difference between revisions of "Quaint/modernartifacts"

Revision as of 18:29, 30 April 2015

Artifacts for my exalted modern / exalted cyberpunk setting

Here I'd like to collect some ideas for my setting. Conventional artifacts are also still in use, but obviously outdated equipment like melee only weapons tend to be at least one dot cheaper.

O thermooptic camouflage cloak // stealth shield Thermooptic camouflage is extremely useful to stay hidden, making the user hard to see even if he has no cover and also working on most sight aids. These stealth shields are usually directly integrated as cybernetic augmentation but they are also available as cloaks, which however require some attunement. Notice though that a perceptive person can make out the minor distortions of the shield and that foreign matter like rain disrupts the shield.

OOO penetrating vision googles These are heavy brass googles that allow the user to see through several walls. The image can be a bit confusing with all those layers mashed together. The googles have dials to adjust the penetration depths.

OOOO ED-Lancer universal fighter jet A hyperadvanced craft for exalted pilots. Can go several times the speed of sound, has excellent stealth capability and a multitude of weapons. It can carry only a few missiles and bombs without compromising stealth, but it has got a railgun apt to kill a tank at some 35 miles. And those railgun slugs are really small, it can carry like 400.

OO Brute Gunklaive This is a heavy chopping daiklave married to a huge gun in 40mm calibre with a revolver design. The whole weapon is somewhat brutish but the melee part can kill people in powerarmor quite easily. The gun may not be too good for mowing down hordes of enemies, even though 40mm explosive shells kill everything in a radius of a few yards, but the power is enough to make most armored vehicles into burning junk piles. Even without additional power confered by the charms of the exalted.

O The over-pistol This is a pistol, like a mortal might use it, only better. It is capable of fully automatic and controllable fire, can be silenced and has a huge magazine, maybe 60 rounds.

Magitech

There are some items of technology that go beyond normal technological possibilities but are not necessarily artifacts. There may be artifact versions of them, though.

Essence furnance

These are special generators, fuelled by strange alchemical compounds, that generate essence. Only autocthonians have developed this kind of technology well, but the applications are marvelous, especially for mere mortals. High grade equipment can have them included or hooked up to work without being attuned to an essence user and essence-fueled devices allow for stuff that is positively futuristic like energy bolts or force screens. Even the advanced autocthonian designs are much less powerful than even dragonblooded however.

Essence Magazines

Using a special crystaline matrix, essence may be stored almost indefinetely. Essence batteries or magazines of this type are available outside of Autocthonia. They store relatively little essence however and require some source to recharge. Some people go ask their friendly neighborhood god/demon/elemental/exalt but it is also possible (with the right equipment) to charge them at a manse or essence furnance.

Elemental Core This device burns up a sizeable lump of jade over several years, releasing tremendous power in a steady stream. The required fuel is rather expensive, but they are perfect if you need lots of essence for something and don't have a manse at hand. Most flying ships are powered by one or more of these. Equivlant engines that use different magical materials are possible, but not in common use. They may well have very special properties and capabilities depending on the used material.

Sorcerous Engine

These devices are pretty big and complicated but very nice. Essence goes into one side and out the other comes magic. They are too cumbersome for battlefield use but potentially allow mortals to wield great power - assembly line style. Most engines do some effect of thaumaturgy or terrestrial sorcery, but there are rumours about necrotech engines that do necromantic spells and about rare, powerful engines that produce higher grades of magic. They are sometimes hooked up to a manse or essence shunt but can also be powered by an individual essence user. Some examples include machines that produce enhanced steel for construction or lots of a specific type of alchemical remedy. There are others that call up and bind demons, day in, day out, making for a considerable force in time. A sorcerous engine that produces a thaumaturgy effect is costly, but only an artifact if its a rather high grade thaumaturgical effect (4 to 5 dots). Terrestrial sorcery and the like is rated at two dots. Celestial circle sorcery is rated at four dots and cannot be currently build - functional sorcerous engines from earlier times are probably a well guarded secret and might be worth fighting wars over. An engine performing solar circle sorcery might be theoretically possible, but is unheard of as of now and certainly can't be purchased at character generation (artifact n/a) With a large enough essence source, a sorcerous engine can weave its spells very often. But such a source is not included per se. A crew that operates the engines, performs maintenance and adjustments etc. is also needed, at least two dozens people but possibly many more. Skilles mortals suffice for this. There are also closely related machines that produce magic not directly related to a spell but who effect a huge are. Thaumaturgical weather control for example, or seeding an area with wyld (or eradicating wyld). Or machines that suppress shadowlands. Or those that blot out the sun in an area. These are only some examples.