Artifacts/Translucidity

Translucidity's Artifacts

Ninefold Brotherhood Sari

Artifact •••

Commitment: 3 (as jade)

"You will never be alone."

So it is written, woven into the patterns decorating the Ninefold Brotherhood Sari. It is not known what language the embroidery forms, yet its meaning is clear - and clearer still to those troubling the wearer.

The garment appears woven from a light, soft material that appears almost like fire in some lights, or a sea of flowing sands in others; in battle it offers no impediment to the wearer's movements, shifting and adjusting itself with their every act. If it were merely this powerful, however, it would be long forgotten - and it is not.

Its true power is revealed when aglow with the wearer's anima, either during the activation of their Caste/Aspect anima power or while their banner is flaring at or above the bonfire (11-15) level. While this condition is met and the light of their divinity shines forth, the Ninefold Brotherhood Sari acts as a prism to refract that energy. In so doing, the anima becomes filled with spectral doubles and afterimages formed of the Exalt's power to fight at their side.

Combating the wearer is thusly made awkward, as the deceptive images hide their wearer's actions... and with the elemental force of a Dragon-Blood powering it, this is further enhanced, as projections so forceful cannot be guaranteed purely illusory - doubles formed of storm-winds sometimes strike like a hurricane rather than a light breeze, doubles of fire sear those they touch, doubles of wood may deflect blows like sturdy oak rather than reeds.

Mechanically, this adds the wearer's Essence to the difficulty of all attempts to hit them, as well as to the difficulty to evade being struck by them. When worn by Exalted other than Dragon-Blooded, this is a sight-based penalty, and thus opponents attacking blind or utilising effects that negate such penalties are not subject to it. When worn by Dragon-Blooded, the difficulty increases may not be circumvented by any method.

Questions: Is this appropriate for a level 3 artifact? Should I keep a nominal commitment cost, or should it be enough to have spent that much Peripheral or activated an anima power? (they're rarely efficient, after all) Any other thoughts or suggestions? -Translucidity

I like it the way it is. Actually, I like it a whole lot. I just have a question about the commitment - would it require a Celestial 6 motes to attune the sari at all, or 3 motes to attune and another 3 to make the penalty unavoidable? - SMK

Thanks! I'd say that attuning it for double cost, with the usual Lore roll to do so, would allow you to simulate elemental power enough to get that bonus; I see no real reason to deny it to anyone else except for purely stylistic reasons. (Which, admittedly, is often all you need in Exalted) --Translucidity

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Viridian Sunset

Artifact •••

Starmetal Short Daiklaive

Speed +4 Accuracy +4 Damage +6L Defense +4

Requires: Strength ••, Dex •••• Commitment: 8

Perhaps ironically, it is not those with a martial bent who are most likely to recognise the Viridian Sunset... for it is most spoken of in demon lore, rather than common myth. Once, the Viridian Sunset was the greatest of all starmetal daiklaives, a weapon alloyed with the substance of its own fate so that nothing could bar it from its purpose. A great and terrible purpose indeed, for it was used to slay a Primordial in a single blow, and in fulfilling that act, it was undone.

Yet the Viridian Sunset's story does not end there, for the sundered fragments were collected from the battlefield, though its task was done and much of its magic destroyed. A thousand years and a day later, a lone craftsman reforged the leftover fragments into a slender daiklaive of diminished purpose but increased versatility, and quenched it in the blood of the Green Sun, for he owed the blade his existence.

Forged partly under the stars it was forged to defend, partly hidden beyond all perceptions, and partly under the sun its past destiny created, the Viridian Sunset gleams eternally with the light of its namesake, the fire of Ligier blended with that of the Maiden of Secrets herself, for it was she who ordered the blade reforged. Wielded in battle, its destiny is manifest, for only the greatest of warriors can even begin to deny its inevitable strikes.

Mechanically, this manifest destiny acts against attempts to dodge or parry by halving the successes (rounding up) of any such deed. Creatures outside of fate are unimpeded, with the specific exclusion of Ligier and his souls, who are considered a part of fate for any effect applied through an attack with the Viridian Sunset. The daiklaive's statistics include the starmetal material bonus.

Comments

I'm still not sure the Viridian Sunset isn't too powerful for a 3-dot artifact, but then again, the Ligier-swatting portion of its power is largely plot-dependent... so I'd say it's either a high-end 3 or a low-end 4. What do y'all think? - Translucidity

Well, as a ST, it could be a nice dramatic touch to hide the part about "Ligier-swatting" from the party until it DOES come into play, and then make a spectacular display of actually wounding Malfeas's fetich. That would sway me more towards a three point artifact. I allow players to buy backgrounds, so when a player buys a point in artifact, sometimes they just find out more about what they already have.