Artifact Magic
Magical Artifacts
To bind a spell into an item, you need the ritual Arcanovi. The penalty of the check and the cost in AE depend on the spell, the method used to bind the spell to the item, and the enchanted item itself. You cannot bind a ritual with Arcanovi. To activate a stored spell, you usually need to use a freeaction and intone a key word or make a specific gesture. Activating the artifact requires a magic check for thestored spell, rolling against attributes of 14 and a SR equalto the SP of the stored spell. The spell takes effect in the next combat round. If the spell has a variable duration, you must declare the duration before enchanting the item. The same goes for spells with variable costs (you must decide which AE cost to use before enchanting the item).
The three types of artifact are spell storage artifacts, recharging artifacts, and permanent artifacts. Spells cast from spell storage artifacts have a short duration and are used up after the duration ends. Recharging artifacts regain their powers slowly by themselves. Permanent artifacts are legendary magical items that never diminish in power.
Even if you bind a spell into an item, it is never considered a magical weapon for purposes of fighting demons and other creatures that are immune to non-magical weapons.
Spell Storage Artifacts
For the simplest variant of artifact creation, you simply bind one or more spells to an item. You must first prepare the object with the ritual Arcanovi and then anchor the spell within it. You must cast the spell directly after casting Arcanovi. If you want to anchor the same spell more than once, you must pay the AE more than once.
The ritual check for Arcanovi, as well as the spell check, suffer a penalty of 1 per additional spell activation. You cannot use spell modifications on the spell. One-tenth of the arcane points spent on Arcanovi and the spell are lost permanently when casting the spell. Note that they are considered part of the AE cost, not in addition to it (if a spell costs you 40 AE, you only spend 40 AE, but 4 of those are lost permanently). If one of the checks fails, the entire enchantment fails (in which case you do not lose permanent AE). No artifact can contain more than 7 charges.
Self-charging Artifacts
Creating self-charging artifacts with Arcanovi is much more difficult. These artifacts can draw AE from their surroundings to cast the spells bound to them, again and again. The penalty for the Arcanovi’s ritual check and the spell check differs depending on the recharging time of the artifact (day, week, or month). Checks also cost more AE based on how often the artifact recharges. Apart from that, creating self-charging artifacts is the same as creating spell storage artifacts.
Costs and Penalties
Recharge Time Penalty Cost
One Month Arcanovi -1, castspell -1 AE cost of the spell multiplied by 5
One Week Arcanovi -2, cast spell -2 AE cost of the spell multiplied by 10
One Day Arcanovi -3, cast spell -3 AE cost of the spell multiplied by 25
Permanent Artifacts
Permanent artifacts challenge even the great masters of artifact magic. They can allow a spell to remain in effect for enormous lengths of time, in some cases centuries or millennia. Some permanent artifacts even permit interruption of the spell’s effect until the owner wishes it to continue. Some mages speculate that the creation of such artifacts requires a spell called Infinitum, which stems from the school of Temporal magic. If true, that spell is known by very few Aventurian spellcasters.
Magical Weapons
To imbue a weapon with magical power (to fight against demons, for example), you need the ritual Spellblade. Aweapon thus enchanted is considered a magical weapon for the duration of the ritual. Spellblade does not have any additional effects.
Material
In theory, you can imbue spells in any object. In fact, many spellcasters like to enchant simple copper rings, wooden spoons, and other everyday items. It is known that many materials are especially well suited to enchantment, while others do not work so well. Iron and steel are much harder to enchant than the materials mentioned above. Ritual checks for Arcanovi and Spellblade suffer a penalty of 2 for objects that are at least 50% iron or steel in composition.
Some metals, like the so-called amulet metal (an alloy of arcanium, moonsilver, and quicksilver) can grant a bonus to the check and reduce the AE cost. Similarly, some jewels are especially well suited for different types of spells. For example, rubies are useful for anchoring spells that create fire or increase strength, and agate can better support healing spells. Some exotic materials, like alicorn, ambra, and certain rare plants, are helpful, too.
- Spending an additional 100 silverthalers for suitable materials can lower the cost of permanent AE by one point. You cannot reduce the permanent AE cost bymore than half.
- As an alternative, using the proper material can grant a bonus of 1 for the Arcanovi ritual check If your project fails, the materials are used up.
Side Effects
1D20 + Skill Points
1-2 A spirit moves into the artifact. This can be (roll 1D6) a demon (1), an elemental (2-3), or a ghost (4-6). It’s possible that the spirit can enter the artifact after even weeks or months have passed.
3 The artifact is strangely light, weighing only a third of the expected amount.
4 The artifact is strangely heavy, weighing three times the expected weight.
5 The artifact becomes rigid and loses all flexibility.
6 The artifact becomes as soft and flexible as hemp rope.
7 The artifact attracts cats.
8 After activating the artifact, the spell takes 2 CR to kick in.
9 When activated, the artifact exudes a strong smell of onions or sulfur.
10 The artifact’s color rubs off and leaves stains that are hard to remove.
11 You can activate the artifact only at night.
12 The artifact activates only half of the time (1-3 on 1D6). The charge is used only when you must make a check for the spell.
13 When activated, the artifact emits a clear, chirping sound. It provokes reptiles, including intelligent ones, in an area of about one square mile.
14 After a year and a day, the artifact turns into some kind of food (chosen by the GM).
15 The artifact activates whenever it is shaken, like when jostled on a cart or a horse.
16 The artifact bursts into flame after a year and a day.
17 After a year and a day, roll 1D6. A horned demon (1-3) or a djinni (4-6) appears, seizes the artifact, and vanishes again.
18 Owning the artifact has a negative effect on the owner, who is plagued by fears of loss and tries to protect the artifact from enemies, both real and imagined.
19-23 There is no additional effect.
Core Rule page 266