Artificer (Fae only)
"The world is full of whispers—metallic voices, promises of power, bargains you cannot hear. I alone can shape them."
Artificers are craftsmen of the forbidden. They draw Aether spirits from the unseen world into the physical, killing them in the process. What remains is Whispering Silver, a strange, living metal that murmurs secrets no sane ear can decipher. To most, it is myth; to a select few, it is the most coveted substance in existence. With it, Artificers forge blessings, curses, charms, and terrible weapons that blur the line between miracle and monstrosity.
An Artificer’s work ranges from subtle glass-encased lucky charms, hearth stones that sip and hold Quintessence to the grand and terrifying: blades that drink blood, armour woven with silver light, or relics that can twist the very flesh of their maker into something half-beast.
This power does not come without price. Summoning Whispering Silver burns the body as though black fire races through the veins, leaving the Artificer wracked with agony and scarred by their own craft. Blood is the hammer and willpower the forge; no working is completed without some sacrifice of the self.
The world at large does not know of Artificers. To the common man they are unknowable; to those who do know, they are coveted, feared, or hunted. Governments wish to bind them, secret societies wish to steal their secrets, and the clergy whispers of vampires and dark alchemists in their stead.
An Artificer lives by secrecy, by cunning, and by their creations. For all their power, they walk a narrow line between greatness and ruin.
You have a natural ability that with force of will you can pull Aether spirits from the vicinity into the physical realm. They cannot survive in the physical realm and die. In death in the physical realm they become a soft metal substance that can be worked into various forms and items made or enhanced by it.
Acceptance
Not known about by the common man. Governments, secret societies and some business interests know and are very keen to track down and monopolise these talents. Those that do know of artificers are likely to consider them practitioners of the dark arts or vampires.
Requirements.
Skill Artificer at Least +1
Merit: Artifcer
Cost: In quintessence
You know all abilities bellow
Summon Aetherium
Cost: 1
Range: 3 yard circle
Difficulty: 0
Duration: rounds
Preparation time: One hour
You may summon Aetherium from the other world into this one. It manifests as falling shard(s) of a silvery metal, streaked with black striations. Each piece of this whispering silver measures roughly three inches in length and half an inch in width, tapering to fine points at either end. It is always warm to the touch and never cools.
Before it is worked, those with keen hearing may detect a faint murmur emanating from it—soft whispering, indistinct and possibly meaningless. Whether this is language or mere noise remains unknown.
The metal may be manipulated, melted, and fashioned as desired. Each shard weighs approximately one ounce.
For every piece of whispering silver summoned, the summoner suffers one lethal wound. The sensation is as though their veins burn and blacken, an effect that is briefly visible upon the body before recovery.
The quantity summoned in a single sitting is at the discretion of the summoner, though it is limited by location. Suitable sites are difficult to identify, as no reliable method exists to detect areas rich in Aetherium. Some experienced artificers instead seek out places frequented by the mad, or enlist the aid of a cooperative exorcist.
One dram or 1/16th of a ounce will produce temporary effects
One pound to produce a permanent item.
- 1 ounce (oz) = 16 drams (dr)
- 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz)
- 1 pound = 16 ounces = 256 drams.
Create Lucky Charm
Needs rabbit foot, 4 leaf clover or similar cultural lucky charm
Cost: 2
Range: touch
Difficulty: 0
Duration: rounds
Aetherium: 1 dram
Skill requirement: Craft Glass Blower 2
These charms are especially made for one person and needs some of their blood to create (1 health). The charm is encased in a bubble of glass at the end of the process, while the vessel is whole and on their person the owner gains +1 Luck.
Create Hearth Stone
Cost: 2
Range: touch
Difficulty: 0
Duration: rounds
Aetherium: 1 dram
Creation time: 6 Hours
Skill requirement: Craft Stone Mason 1
A stone repeatedly warmed by fire and dusted with Aetherium now imbued with Quintessence. These stones are made especially for one person and must have something of that persons blood applied to them (1 health). They can be used by others but at half effectiveness. A Hearth stone can store up to 12 quintessence taken from the Artificer at creation. Such stones can be refilled or topped up using the same process.
Of note the Artificer needs to have the quintessence to channel into the stone, if they only have 6 quintessence that is the stones limit.
Sharper than Sharp
Cost: 2
Range: touch
Difficulty: 0
Duration: special
Aetherium: varies
Creation time: varies
This ability has three uses
- Sharpen a normal blade with a single piece of unprocessed Aetherium, for the next three uses (combats) the blade does a extra +1 damage. Skill requirement Craft Blacksmith 1, time 1 hour.
- Coat a Blades edge with Aetherium the edge provides an extra +3 damage for three uses (combats) it total before it needs to recoated. Each blade coated by the artificer must be used to draw their blood three times before it is truly sharp (takes 1 health) other wise the same as sharpening a normal blade. Skill requirement Craft Black smith 2. Aetherium needed one quarter ounce (4 drams). Time 1 day.
- Forge a blade folded with Aetherium. This takes a week at the forge ( required Blacksmith 3) and the blade must be quenched in a fresh vat of the artificers blood (takes 3 health). Uses 1 pound of Aetherium for a sword, half a pound for a smaller blade. Provides a blade layered with veins of black and silver that is always warm to the touch and emits a slight yellow glow only visible at night. The blade provides +3 damage until it is melted down.
Armour
Cost: 2
Range: touch
Difficulty: 0
Duration: Special
Aetherium: varies
Creation time: varies
This ability has three uses
- Grinding up a dram of Aetherium into a fine powder then mixed with a paint or glue and (1 health of the artificers blood) to be applied to clothing or armour providing +2 armour value to a single location, this lasts until the protected area has been struck 3 times. Takes about a hour to make and apply. No skill required.
- A fine silver like lace mesh, can be applied to a piece of armour of clothing to enhance its protection to any lethal damage. Each use covers a single hit location and lasts until it has protected that area three times. It grants +4 Armour value to the item. The mesh takes one quarter ounce of Aetherium (4 drams) and the blood of the artificer (1 heath) per location reduced or increased dependant on size (Pixie - Centaur ). Skill required Craft Armourer 2, Time 1 day per location.
- Forge a set of metal armour interlaced with Whispering Silver. This creates a very protective set of armour (+6 Armour value over conventional) that is also very light (half weight, half any penalties) its appearance is that of a dark polished silver that can emit a faint glow at night. During forging the metal must be continually quenched in the artificers blood(3 heath worth). When used in crafting armour for a person this uses 1/2 pound of Aetherium (8 drams)for each location covered, if used for other armour Aetherium must be 1/16th of the armour weight before adjustment. Skill required Craft Armourer 3. Time of a week per location covered.
Flyer Crystals
Neutral buoyancy
Cost: 2
Range: touch
Difficulty: 0
Duration: Special
Aetherium: varies
Creation time: varies
Skill required: Craft Stone Mason 3 or Jeweller 3
Totally useless by themselves but when assembled as part of a Aetherite device are used in flying machines.
Lycanthropy
Cost: 3
Range: self
Difficulty: 3 for creation, variable for use
Duration: hours
Aetherium: 1 prepared dram to be snorted
Creation time: 3 Hours
You may, with warning, assume a half-bestial form manifesting claws, fangs, or other animalistic features. When you attempt this transformation, choose how many black dice to add to the roll. Each black die increases both the power of the transformation and its difficulty.
For every black die committed:
- Your unarmed attacks gain +1 damage
- You gain +1 bonus die to a single sense (appropriate to the chosen beast)
- You gain +1 to a single physical stat (also appropriate to the form)
All bonuses scale together and must be declared before the roll.
The transformation takes 2 actions to complete. During this time, the pain is overwhelming you struggle to move or act (12 Black dice). If a roll is failed the transformation starts to occur but reverts in the 2nd action.
It is worth noting that, while under this effect, the Artificer is seen as a monster by any who lay eyes upon them, regardless of their true nature
Aetherium Staff
Cost: 2
Range: Self
Difficulty: 3
Duration: minutes
Aetherium: 1 prepared dram to rubbed into palms with a small amount of your own blood.
Creation time: instant
This operation creates a long staff of your height, the staff appears to be made of flickering black flame confined in a precise cylinder. It may be wielded like a staff or club, using Dexterity + Melee Blunt Weapons or Melee Cumbersome to hit opponents. The staff does 8 dice of bruise or Lethal damage (decided upon before roll), but upon hitting an opponent or being hit herself, the Artificer must make a Resolve + Concentration roll at the appropriate difficulty or the spell ends immediately. Aetherium staffs may only be parried by other Artificer created or effected weapons, but they may be dodged normally.
Life Leech
Cost: 3
Range: Self
Difficulty: 3
Duration: Rounds
Aetherium: 1 prepared dram with a small amount of your own blood coated over your finger tips.
This operation grants the Artificer the Life Drain ability. You add half the final damage (round down) dealt by unarmed attacks (usually Fisticuffs) to refresh your lost Health. If your target is unable to defend them self you do max possible damage/ leeching.
Most Artificers avoid this dark art considering it crossing a line save in dire emergency.
Enhance the spirit
Cost: 3
Range: One item
Difficulty: 3
Duration: permanent
You spend allot of time with a object, you mature the items spirit, you bring out its personality. Something that would other wise take a millennia can be done in a few simple weeks of company with yourself. This only works on items made of material that was once living and they must be regularly bathed in your blood (1 health a week) .
If successful the spirit inhabiting the object becomes conscious with the capability to animate itself to a limited degree. A harp could play music, draws could open and close them selves. Such spirits are normally friendly a appreciative to you depending on how you treat them. You cannot communicate with the spirit once conscious but they can understand your mood.
Mystical materials
Cost: 2
Range: One item
Difficulty: 0
Duration: permanent
You can craft using materials from the natural world that would normally not be appropriate. You could weave spiderwebs into a cloak, Thistledown into armour, a length of fine birch into a rapier. You still need the appropriate skill to fashion the item. Any items crafted this way must be anointed with your blood (1 health). They can appear very different are always half the weight but offer no other advantage or disadvantage compared to a item crafted with the expected materials. This does mean you could use carpentry rather than black smithing to make a sword. This only works for relatively simple products complex technological items like guns or steam engines cannot be crafted from Mystical materials.