Heru/FourRanksOfArtifice

Heru's Four Ranks of Artifice

Heru

It is an inherent fact of Creation that mortals can never reach the heights of the Terrestrial Exalted, or the Terrestrial Exalted the Celestials. Or anybody ever equal the sheer creative genius of the Solar Exalted. The reason for this is the difficulty in managing and crafting the Essence flows and channels in artifacts. Mortals, due to their inherent nature, are only able to comprehend the most basics of such things.

Upon being Exalted new doors are open, and the wealth of dreams can be made manifested. The Dragon-Blooded can produce artifacts that put to shame mortal devices, yet themselves are put to shame by the powerful artifacts of the Celestial Exalted. Lunar and Sidereal understanding of Essence is deep and mighty, yet even they cannot hope to fathom the more esoteric lessons that come naturally to the Solar Exalted. For the Solar Exalted nothing is beyond their capabilities given time, planning and patience.

It is known that those levels below one's natural level come easy to the Exalted. For example, the Dragon-Blood are able to craft Mortal-level artifacts as easily as a person breathes. This is why the Solar Exalted have such an easy time of bringing forth the growth of a civilization that they rule, they are able forge technology of Mortal, Terrestrial, and Celestial levels easily and without much preparation. If one looks at the rate of develop in the First Age Solar Deliberative one can see rapid technological growth before it levels out to Solar Level which is hard even for the Solar Exalted.

As this relates to Charms, the Dragon-Blooded have Craft Charms that make it very much easier for them to Craft First Rank Magitech. The Lunar and Sidereal Exalted have Craft and Intelligence Charms that allow them to make artifacts of Second and First Circle Magitech easily. The Solar and Abyssal Exalted have the Craft Charms for the Crafting of Third, Second and First Circle Magitechs almost as simple as riding a bike.

Theme

The entire point of this document is not to change the rules or the statistics for anything. The entire theme of this based on a fluff concept - that only certain groups can create certain types and basics of technology. This doesn't even mean construct it means design, explain and understand. That said the main point of this will be the creating of an overlay above the current Artifact system that describes what group is the principle group that can understand it and how it operates.

An example below will best explain this; take two artifacts, the Staff of Growing and the Staff of Fate Singing. Lets say they were both Level 3 Artifacts. The Staff of Growing is Terrestrial while the Staff of Fate Singing is Celestial. Despite both being Level 3, the Terrestrial Exalted can only understand, fathom and replicate the Staff of Growing. The Staff of Fate Singing, being Celestial, can only be understood and replicated by the Celestial Exalted. This can be for various reasons, but for whatever reasons one of the Level 3 is out of the Terrestrials capabilities to make while the other Level 3 is not.

Zeroeth Rank Artifice - Mortal

This is the rank that anybody in Creation can produce. Use the description of Thaumaturgical Enchantment described in the Player's Guide for what this can produce.

First Rank Artifice - Terrestrial

This is the level of produce that the Terrestrial Exalted could build. This is the common tools and equipment in existence, mighty yet not fundamentally that much greater than normal.

All artifacts that are listed as being manufactured by the Realm or Lookshy are automatically of this type. The exception to this is the early Shogunate who was able to produce levels 1 and 2 Celestial because of the existence of First Age infrastructure.

Second Rank Magitech - Celestial

These are the wonders of the world produced by Sidereals, Lunars, Mountain Folk and Alchemical Exalted. They were once common and so they can be seen a lot in ruins and scraps. In the Second Age they provide a lot of the strength of both the Sidereals and the Lunars.

Third Rank Artifice - Solar

The most powerful, world-shaking artifacts within Creation only available to Solars and Abyssals. Even the most basic Solar Rank artifacts are mighty, though very much surpassed in the other levels of Solar Artifice. For the most part the artifacts of this rank are not seen in the fallen Second Age. What is seen, though, is usually massive and more powerful than anything else. The Realm Defense Grid and the Five-Metal Shrike are great examples of high end Third Rank artifacts.

Descriptions and Explanations

Who can Craft What</b>

<b>Zeroeth Rank - Mortals 
First Rank - Terrestrials, Dragon-Kings, Ghosts 
Second Rank - Lunars, Sidereals, Mountain Folk (with Geas), Alchemicals (standard) 
Third Rank - Solars, Abyssals, Mountain Folk (before the Great Geas), Alchemicals (city versions)

Crafting Below Your Rank</b>

It is very possible for an Exalted to craft an artifact below his highest rank, say a Solar building a Celestial or Terrestrial Artifact. Or a Sidereal creating an Artifact for use by the Immaculate Monks, etc. At its base design, one cannot tell whether a Terrestrial Artifact (lets say) was constructed by a Terrestrial Exalted or by a Solar Exalted. Both are required to follow certain general power level rules based on the artifact being Terrestrial level. In addition to that, a Solar (for example) could build a Terrestrial Rank Artifact out of Orichalcum. It still would be Terrestrial, yet its Five Magical Material bonus would only be available to Solars.

<b>Crafting Above Your Rank</b>

Crafting above one's rank is not possible. Each rank signifies more than points on an artifact scale. A Rank symbolizes an understanding of Essence flows and the channels that power the item. It represents being able to force Essence to gather and pool itself into the crafted channels of the artifact. It is, in truth, a level of the power that the Exaltation provides to the person.

A Mortal is inherently limited in what they can do with Essence. Even a mortal with Awakened Essence cannot channel or understand the Essence flow of the world to a degree equal to the Terrestrial Exalted.

The Terrestrial Exalted are entirely of Creation, those that go beyond it are beyond the Terrestrial Exalted's understanding. Celestial Rank Artifice requires an understanding of Yu-Shan and/or the Wyld. It requires knowing about the power that exists beyond the elements.

The Celestial Exalted do not have the area of perfection that embodies the Solar Exalted. They go beyond an understanding of what it means to channel the Essence already existent in Creation. In fact, they are able to fathom the secrets of Elsewhere and bridge the gap between the two realms. This creates artifacts that contain a little bit of Elsewhere within Creation. No other group can understand or direct the sort of energy granted to the Solar Exalted through their patron the Unconquered Sun. The Abyssal and Infernal Exalted are changed and altered (some would say damaged) Solar Shards, and as such their sheer power is equivalent to what the Solars can achieve.

Official Artifact Examples in the Ranks

<b>Core Book Artifacts</b>

Within the list below are those items described in the Core Rulebook. They have been categorized according to this system of Ranks.

<b>Lesser Wonders

• Color of Dawn's Cleansing Light - Terrestrial
• Hearthstone Amulet - Terrestrial
• Yasal Crystal - both Terrestrial and Celestial
• Drago Tear Tiara - Celestial (unless common in Second Age, then Terrestrial)
• Hearthstone Bracers - Terrestrial
• Mask - Terrestrial

Artifact Melee Weapons

• Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Grand Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Reaper Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Reaver Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Short Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Wavecleaver Daiklave - Terrestrial
• Dire Lance - Terrestrial
• Goremaul - Terrestrial
• Grand Goremaul - Terrestrial
• Grimcleaver - Terrestrial
• Grand Grimcleaver - Terrestrial
• Grand Grimscythe - Terrestrial

Artifact Martial Arts Weapons

• Bloodspike Harness - Terrestrial
• Dire Chain - Terrestrial
• God-Kicking Boot - Terrestrial
• Razor Claws - Terrestrial
• Serpent-Sting Staff - Terrestrial
• Sllayer Khatar - Terrestrial
• Smashfist - Terrestrial

Artifact Thrown Weapons

• Sky-Cutter - Terrestrial
• Sling of Deadly Prowess - Terrestrial
• Infinite Jade Chakram - Terrestrial

Powerbows

• Short Powerbow - Terrestrial
• Long Powerbow - Terrestrial

Artifact Armor

• Breastplate - Terrestrial
• Chain Shirt - Terrestrial
• Lamellar - Terrestrial
• Reinforced Buff Jacket - Terrestrial
• Reinforced Breastplate - Terrestrial
• Articulated Plate - Terrestrial
• Superheavy Plate - Terrestrial

Earthshaking Wonders

• Lighting Torment Hatchets - Solar
• Singing Staff - Solar
• Daiklave of Conquest - Solar

Wonders of the Lost Age</b>

Below is a listing of the vehicles from the Wonders of the Lost Age and how they fit into my four Rank structure.

<b>Air Ships

• Excellent Air Boat - Terrestrial
• Chariot of the Infinite Heavens - Terrestrial
• Warbird - Celestial
• Indomitable Conquest Platform - Celestial
• Manta-class Transport - Terrestrial
• Traveling Pagoda - Terrestrial
• The Five-Metal Shrike - Solar
• Kireeki-class Assault Skyreme - Terrestrial
• Windblade-class Perosnal Transport - Celestial

Hover Vehicles

• Swift Rider - Terrestrial
• Battle Carrier - Celestial
• Mobile Repaior and Fabrication Platform - Terrestrial

Ground Vehicle

• Siege Strider - Celestial

Sea Vehicle

• Resplendent Dolphin-class Undersea Courier - Celestial
• Swift Midday Brilliance-class Light Warship - Terrestrial
• Whirliging-class Courier - Celestial
• Glorious Dragonfly-class Patrol Boat - Terrestrial

• Dawning Sun Indomitable-class Heavy Battlecrusier - Solar

Commentary

The document got so large with comments that I created a new Commentary Page here: Heru/FourRanksOldComments.