Artifacts/LeftHandOfTheVoid

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Left Hand of the Void

The Left Hand of the Void was reportedly crafted by a Twilight of the first Age; tired of the troubles with unquiet ghosts in the areas surrounding Jahl`tae - the small city-state in which her primary Manse was located - the sorceress Kailona crafted for herself and her Dragon Blooded lieutenants a number of gauntlets of Soulsteel, imbuing them with a fraction of the necromantic lore she had dabbled in, so that they could handle the problem themselves rather than begging her or her advisor Broken Wing of Fire to reinforce the wards and oust the deceased troublemakers.

What Kailona, being only an initiate into the art of Necromancy, proved unable to expect were the other side effects of the gauntlets. While they served their original purpose - allowing those without other magical means to deal with spectral annoyances - numerous other abilities cropped up in the gauntlets as well, occasionally leading to problems with them.

In the end, the final irony was that Kailona had unwittingly crafted her own doom; when Broken Wing of Fire inspired her lieutenants to revolt, they murdered her with her own creations.

Statistics of the Left Hand

The Left Hand(s) of the Void are highly detailed gauntlets - though only for the left hand - made of White Jade and Soulsteel. It is unknown how many of them exist, but conservative estimates say approximately 50; each is filligreed with a high level of detail, and each has unique appearances.

The Left Hand has a setting for a single Hearthstone in the palm.

The Left Hand may be used as a Brawling Aid, with the following statistics: Damage: +1L, Speed +1, Accuracy +2, Defense 0, Rate 2.

The Left Hand is rated as Artifact ***, and costs 5 motes to attune. Abyssals attuning the Left Hand receive +1 accuracy and Essence Drain, while Dragon-Blooded recieve +3 Speed. Other Exalts (or DBs and Abyssal who prefer the other bonus) may spend double attunement and make the Wits+Lore roll as normal; they must choose which of the two magical material bonuses to gain.

Powers of the Left Hand

The Left Hand of the Void evidences several powers, some intentional, some not. They are detailed below.

• Ghostgrab</b> - Cost: 3 motes, Duration: One Scene

The Left Hand was created to allow its wearers to deal with ghosts, often in violent fashion. When this power is active, the Exalt may touch and interact with ghosts as if he were in the same state of existence; thus, an immaterial ghost may be struck by the Exalt when this power is active, however the ghost may do the same to the Exalt.

• <b>Strength of the Void</b> - Cost: None, Duration: Always On

The Left Hand possesses a strong attunement to the Underworld, rotting away fine muscle control and leaving unholy strength in its place. When the gauntlet is donned, all actions taken with the Exalt's left hand - including damage and use of Necrotic Touch- behave as if the Exalt had +2 Strength. The Storyteller is free to force Wits rolls not to crush delicate objects, if the Exalt isn't being careful about this.

• <b>Necrotic Touch</b> - Cost: 5 motes, Duration: Instant

By channeling the death essence and necromancy involved in the gauntlet's creation, the Exalt may take a Simple action and spend 5 motes; any object he is holding or has his hand laid on must immediately soak a number of Aggravated Damage equal to the Exalt's Essence (if living). If it is an inanimate object, the Exalt rolls Strength + Crafts; successes cause the object to rot away, effectively losing points of soak. An object that has been reduced to 0 soak through this power disintegrates into nothing.

• <b>Ghostsense - Cost: None, Duration: Always On

The gauntlet reverberates with the Essence of the Underworld, and pinpoints strong auras of that Essence. When in the presence of ghosts or other Spectral creatures, the gauntlet vibrates and seems to pull the wearer in the direction of the nearest such depository. This includes ghosts, hungry ghosts, spectral animals, Abyssal Exalted, and Deathlords. The effective range of this power is the Exalt's Essence * 2 in yards. This does not allow the Exalt to see such beings if they would be hidden otherwise, only that they are present and in what general direction. Attacks using Ghostgrab while this power is the only means the Exalt has of knowing the ghost is there - IE: when the Exalt does not have Spirit Sight or similar up - may still be made, but follow the Blind Fighting Rules.

• Smart Hand - Cost: None, Duration: Always On

All of these Gauntlets are made for the left hand. If a right-handed character dons one, he automatically gains the effects of the Merit: Ambidextrous, as long as actions taken with that system apply to using the gauntlet in some fashion. For Example, the Exalt could not suddenly write with his left hand, but he woul not suffer an off-hand penalty for punching someone or weilding a weapon with that hand. Left-handed or already Ambi- or Omni-dextrous people do not gain any further benefit.