by Eloy Lasanta (Exalted | Resources)
This article came to me as a result of a daydream I had. I imagined a hero standing atop a mountain, wielding a large daiklaive, staring down at his enemy in their headquarters. Then I said, what if it wasn’t the man hunting down his own enemy, but that of the weapon he held? What if the weapon was the one with the destiny, but they just needed someone to carry them in that general direction? It got me thinking and, thus, Divine Instruments was born.
This is also not the first incarnation of this article. We ran a very successful forum game, play-testing these rules and I was able to look them over and apply them, changing many in the process. So, I hope that you like this article. It is long, but is one of the best ones I’ve written, in my opinion.
Historians and sorcerers that have delved into the creation of intelligent weapons found only a few answers. They have discovered two ways that magical, intelligent weapons can be created, although they suspect there are probably more.
The first way is that the weapon simply awakened. Some weapons have had spells and charms cast upon it to awaken, giving it endowments of power and sentience. This happens often within secret circles of sorcery and enchantment. There are many different spells that can cause this and they are guarded as items of the utmost importance. The weapon could also have been used in some momentous, historical battle and given so much importance and praise that it awakens. These weapons are usually content to be in their current form, since they sprang from complete nothingness in the first place, although there are those few that strive to become more.
The other way is for the weapon to have an entrapped spirit in it. In the past, the Spirit Courts had been known to banish criminal gods and rebels into weapons. They are sealed away and forgotten by their peers of past, only to be found again by a mortal, in the form of a weapon. These spirits and gods are known to using humanity to free them from their prison, although this is a difficult process. The fight for freedom can break a spirit, taking even a once gentle healing spirit and turning him to a despicable devil bent on freeing himself.
The weapon learns quickly to lure Hosts to itself… as it is the only way to get further along their paths.
Luring is very important to a magical weapon. Without a Host, the weapon cannot see or hear, but they can feel. They can sense mortals and other intelligent weapons within a number of miles equal to successes on an Awareness + Manipulation roll. They can feel the being’s nature and can get a pretty good idea of their virtues. They can tell what the highest and lowest virtue of their target is, but not their actual rating. If there are ties in the virtues, the Storyteller can choose which to give. This is important in choosing your Host. Some weapons prefer someone with high Compassion, while other look for those with low Compassion and high Valor.
By making an Appearance roll (with any bonuses from the Lure Background or Blessing added), the weapon can transmit an enticing feeling into a prospective Host, Luring him to it. This roll is not an Extended one and can only be attempted a number of times per scene equal to the weapon’s Intelligence. One success would be needed to simply get the mortal to turn in that general direction. Three successes make the mortal see the weapon above all else in the area. Five successes make the mortal drawn to the weapon, making him want to pick it up immediately. A weapon can use this power on any mortal within their sensing range.
Once the weapon has lured a possible Host, it must attune itself to him by making a Charisma + Manipulation roll, plus any additional from Attunement Blessing or the Legend Background. The first time a mortal touches the weapon, it makes an Attunement roll (Difficulty 3). If the roll succeeds, the Host has finished the first stage of the Attunement, and the weapon can now speak mentally to the Host and can see and hear around itself, as if it was a normal being. It can also read the surface thoughts of its Host, but cannot delve deep into their minds (even while they sleep). If this first roll fails, it can be attempted again the next day.
The second step to Attunement is fulfilling the Oath to the weapon. Every weapon has a special task that anyone who wishes to wield its power must perform. Some more sadistic weapons need to be bathed in the blood of a newborn, while a more traditional weapon may need to be used in an official duel at a certain time of day. Each weapon is different, but each does have an Oath that must be fulfilled. It can be as simple as the union of weapon and Host needing to be blessed by a monk to having to be blessed by a monk from a certain city who also has to be a certain age. When the Oath has been performed, the weapon makes an extended Attunement roll (difficulty 10), each roll is a full day before the two are one and the Host has access to the powers of the weapon.
If an Extended Attunement roll botches and has no prior successes, the Host is now unattuneable. The weapon must find another Host. A botched Extended Attunement roll with one or more prior successes, simply starts the Attunement process back off at 0 successes. Every two Curses the weapon has subtracts 1 die from the weapon’s Attunement pool.
If the Host dies, the Attunement is lost and the weapon must start again from the beginning (Luring a new Host and reattuning). The Attunement will also break if the Host does not hold or handle the weapon for one month. This can happen if they are injured and taken away, but their weapon was not collected for him. This could also happen if they simply leave the weapon, never to use it again after finding out its curses and secrets.
The weapon itself can also sever their relationship to their Host. They must first spend 1 WP point and make a simple Attunement roll, needing 3 successes. If this roll is successful, the weapon is unattuned from their Host and can then attune to a new one. If the roll fails, the weapon can try again the next day. If the roll botches, he must wait 1 lunar cycle to try again.
Magical weapons have their own Essence rating and pool that can be used for many of their various Blessings. The catch is that the weapon does not have access to their own Essence pool; it needs a Host for its power to work. The Host, or the wielder of the weapon, completes the weapon and in exchange it completes the Host. The weapon regenerates Essence at a rate of 4 per day (2 at midday and 2 at midnight). This amount is doubled if within a Manse. The Hearthstone Background can add to this rate.
It is possible for the spirit inside the weapon to free itself, but it means fulfilling their destiny. Many do not even know their destiny, but all weapons have one. An exiled god who wants nothing more than to kill his judgers, would need to be used to do just that to be freed. If the weapon was constructed for use in a war, the spirit inside may be freed if they kill the general of the rival army. Once again, this is why the weapons need humans. They can do nothing without a Host. But a weapon must first discover their destinies and be at least Essence 3, before they can fulfill them.
Note that “freedom” is different for each weapon. While some weapons think of their shell as a prison, others think of their very existence as a prison. Freedom could mean getting free and taking shape or it could also mean simply becoming non-existent, free from thought or feeling.
A magical weapon only takes damage from Aggravated sources, and they are only hurt if their opponents purposely target them. However, most are very fragile if hit. The bigger the weapon, the stronger and more durable it is. When a magical weapon is destroyed, the spirit within it is also destroyed, so it tries its best to not draw undue attention to itself in certain situations (see Hidden Magic Background) and chooses Hosts that vow to protect it. Soak is very important to a weapon, when its destruction means its death.
- Choose weapon type and personality of its spirit
- Spend 22 straight points, without the first dot in any attribute. Make sure that any choices fit the weapon and concept (daggers with high Dexterity are more believable than daggers with high Strength or Stamina).
- Strength: adds to the wielder’s Strength for the combined damage. +1 additional damage if weapon does Bashing damage. Half Strength rounded down for Bows, because damage is more dependent on arrows.
- Dexterity and Wits: determine your Speed. 0 is -1 Speed, 1 is 0, 2 is +1, and so on. The two scores are added together to give you the total initiative bonus.
- Stamina: counts for the damage the weapon can take before it shatters (+1 health levels at 1 and 2, +2 at 3 and 4, +3 at 5), as well as the Defense bonus it provides. Defense bonus is +0 at 1 and 2, +1 at 3 and 4, and +2 at
- Perception: gauges the Accuracy of your weapon. 0 is -1, 1 and 2 are +0, 3 is +1, 4 is +2, 5 is plus +3. (Bonus is +1 for bows.)
- Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance and Intelligence stay the same, but are important for other rolls (like Lure and Attunement).
- Most will purely for the weapon’s knowledge of that subject, allowing the weapon to be able to teach their Host these skills, as well as aid them. If the weapon possesses 2 or 3 dots, it gives a +1 bonus to the Host for that skill. 4 and 5 grant a +2 and +3 at 6 and 7.
- The Host can learn skills for a -1 Experience point cost as long as the weapon has at least one more dot in that skill than the Host.
- None can be above 5 without Bonus points
- Backgrounds: 7 points, none can be higher than 3 without spending bonus points
- Choose Blessings: 30 points to purchase. Can purchase powers at half price (rounded down), but other half must be used to purchase Curses (except Soul Suck).
- Choose Curses (if applicable), cannot start off with any left over
- If the player has any different Blessing or Curse ideas, please discuss with Storyteller.
- Virtues (6, none can be higher than 4 without spending bonus points)
- Record Starting Essence: 1
- Willpower: Two highest virtues
- Essence Pool: [EssenceX8 + WillpowerX2]
- Record Size: Knives 2, Bows 3, Swords/Spears 4, Daiklave/Lance 5 (the bigger the weapon, the more restrictions on who can wield it)
- Health Levels: Size + Stamina bonus + those gained from Composition.
- Soak: [Size/2 Rounded up] + [Stamina/2 Rounded down] + Composition (Magical Weapons only suffer from Aggravated wounds)
| Attribute | 5 |
| Ability | 2 |
| Background | 1 (2 if raising above 3) |
| Virtue | 3 |
| Willpower | 2 |
| Essence | 7 |
Magical weapons don’t have access to Backgrounds such as Allies, Followers or Resources. Only a couple of their Backgrounds relate anything to their interaction with mortals. Their Backgrounds deal mainly with their past: how old they are, what they are made of, etc.
Some magical weapons have existed since the time of the Primordials or the Dragon Kings. Others have been recently crafted by Solars, gods and sorcerers for their petty wars of Creation. This background gauges how old the weapon is and confers more power the older the weapon is.
X – Recently made within the last 5 years. No bonus Blessing points.
• – Created in the last 20 years. +3 Blessing points.
•• – Created in the last 50 years. +6 Blessing points.
••• – Created in the last 100 years. +9 Blessing points.
•••• – Created in the last 500 years. +12 Blessing points.
••••• – Created over 1000 years ago. +15 Blessing point.
This background is the combination of what the weapons is made out of, as well as the protective spells placed upon it during its creation. This also gives a feeling of how important the artifact was to his maker. If the crafter spent his whole life working on this weapon to create the best possible item, it would be a 5, while someone who worked on it only in his spare time would most likely have none or a rating no higher than 1.
X – Made from normal materials and no special spells. No bonuses.
•– Made from normal materials with minimal spells. +1 to soak.
••– Made from enchanted materials with minimal spells. +1 to soak and +1 Health level.
••• – Made from enchanted materials with greater spells. +2 to soak and +1 Health levels.
•••• – Made from pure jade with greater spells. +2 to soak and +2 Health levels.
••••• – Made from orichalcum, moonsilver, starmetal or soulsteel, with legendary spells. +3 to soak and +3 Health levels.
This background determines how much you can look like a normal weapon. Most magical weapons were created to be very ornamental, so someone looking at your form would definitely tell how special of a creation you are. But weapons with this background can cloak their magical properties and look, creating the appearance of being only a mundane object. This power last for the scene and can be turned on a number of times per scene equal to the weapon’s Wits with a Intelligence + Essence roll (Difficulty 2), but a weapon cannot Lure if Hidden Magic is in effect. For Example: a weapon with Wits 2, may activate Hidden Magic when entering a new town, to not draw attention, but when a confronted by criminals, he uncloaks himself to better intimidate them. He can then go back under Hidden Magic again, but could not do it a third time within the same scene.
X – Out for all to see. You cannot hide how special you are.
• – Adds +1 to the difficulty to sense the weapons magical properties.
•• – Adds +2 to the difficulty to sense the weapons magical properties.
••• – Adds +3 to the difficulty to sense the weapons magical properties.
•••• – Adds +4 to the difficulty to sense the weapons magical properties.
••••• – Adds +5 to the difficulty to sense the weapons magical properties.
This background gauges the weapon’s access to ancient knowledge that it remembers in all its time in Creation. This background can never be higher than the weapons rating in Age. To try to remember lost knowledge and forgotten lore, the weapons will roll its Intelligence + Forgotten Lore Background to determine if they can remember anything about it. The Storyteller should set a fair Difficulty for the roll, but it should probably by no harder than Difficulty 4 on any question.
Note: Forgotten Lore differs from the Lore skill, as it can go much deeper and much farther back in history than anything that could be remembered or known by the beings that exist in Creation these days.
X – Didn’t study ancient texts.
•– Adds +1 to rolls for forgotten lore.
•• – Adds +2 to rolls for forgotten lore.
••• – Adds +3 to rolls for forgotten lore.
•••• – Adds +4 to rolls for forgotten lore.
••••• – Adds +5 to rolls for forgotten lore.
This Background gives bonuses to the Weapon’s Lure pool, enhancing its ability to call to prospective Hosts. There are many treasure troves that attract adventurers and many weapons find it as their final resting place. But, if their Lure is high, then they can make themselves stand out from other general items and can Lure mortals to it from miles away.
X – Nothing too flashy.
• – Adds +1 to Lure rolls.
•• – Adds +2 to Lure rolls.
••• – Adds +3 to Lure rolls, plus 1 mile to Lure range.
•••• – Adds +4 to Lure rolls, plus 5 mile to Lure range.
••••• – Adds +5 to Lure rolls, plus 10 mile to Lure range.
Many weapons exist in legend and others are long forgotten myth. Either way, this Background gauges how well known the history and legend of the weapon is to the normal world. The higher your level, the easier it is to attune yourself to your Host, as they already believe in your power and usually already covet what you may give them. Many will already know what it takes to gain your interest as well and finish your oaths as well.
X – No special stories about you.
• – Adds +1 to Attunement rolls and Lore rolls about you.
•• – Adds +2 to Attunement rolls and Lore rolls about you.
••• – Adds +3 to Attunement rolls and Lore rolls about you.
•••• – Adds +4 to Attunement rolls and Lore rolls about you.
••••• – Adds +5 to Attunement rolls and Lore rolls about you.
Many magical weapons are created, using precious hearthstones as their center of magic. Some are encrusted with one large Hearthstone, while others feel the power of many smaller stones in their hilts and blades. This Background determines how powerful the stones used in the creation process, which leads to a higher regeneration rate for Essence. The extra Essence gained from this background is given twice a day (Hearthstone 1 would give +1 Essence at midday and +1 Essence at Midnight). This Background does not add additional powers.
X – No Hearthstones to speak of. Regeneration of 4 Essence per day.
• – Made with a small hearthstone. Adds +2 Essence regeneration per day.
•• – Made with a few small hearthstones. Adds +4 Essence regeneration per day.
••• – Made with a medium hearthstone. Adds +6 Essence regeneration per day.
•••• – Made with a few medium hearthstones. Adds +9 Essence regeneration per day.
••••• – Made with a large hearthstone. Adds +12 Essence regeneration per day.
| Attribute | x5 |
| New Ability | 3 |
| Raise Ability | x3 |
| Blessing Points | 2 for 1 |
| Virtue | x3 |
| Willpower | x2 |
| Essence | x10 |
The powers of magical weapons are powerful and dangerous and all need a Host to use. The number in parenthesis next to the name of the Blessing is the cost is in Blessing Points to purchase the power for use. Cost is the amount of Essence or Willpower needed to fuel the power.
Each weapons begins the game with 30 Blessing Points (plus any gained from the Age Background). With these points they can purchase Blessings from the list below (or any Storyteller approved Blessings). But there is another way to get the most out of your Blessing Points.
By purchasing your Blessings at half price (rounded down), you can gain many more powers. The other half of the point cost goes into your Curse Point pool. This is referred to as “Buying it Tainted”. For Example: To buy “Blast”, normally costs 10 Blessing Points. But you can buy it Tainted instead for 5 Blessing Points. The left over point (the other 5) go into your Curse Pool. Remember that the Blessing Point cost is rounded down, so buying “Shape Change – Animal” (which is normally 15 Blessing points) tainted would cost 7 Blessing points, but would put 8 Curse Points into you Curse Pool.
Attribute Boost (8)
Cost: 5 Essence per dot
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Reflexive
Some weapons bless their Hosts with great strength or speed, while others improve their Intelligence. This Blessing raises one of the Host’s attributes by one for the rest of the scene. This Blessing can be bought up to 4 times.
Attunement (6)
Cost: 0
Duration: Permanent
Type: Reflexive
Each purchase of this Blessing gives a bonus of +2 dice for all Attunement rolls. This Blessing can only be purchased a number of times equal to the weapon’s permanent Essence score.
Blast (10)
Cost: 5 Essence per shot
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Each purchase of this Blessing gives 6 dice to roll for damage from a beam shot from the sword. Can be any kind of energy that fits the theme. While one weapon may shoot flame from its hilt, another weapon might fire arrows made from pure sunlight. This can be bought a number of times equal to the weapon’s Perception score.
Elemental Control (15)
Cost: 2 Essence per Success (1 Willpower, optional)
Duration: varies
Type: Simple
Each purchase of this Blessing allows 3 dice for the purposes of fueling, shaping or extinguishing an element. Items that are summoned or fueled magically are permanent, but powers such as fire wards only stay for the scene. Shaping powers also only stay for a scene, but the Weapon can spends Willpower point to make the effect permanent.
Fueling/Creating: This allows the weapon to create that element or fuel the element if it already exists. Fire can be created that deal damage equal to successes or can be made twice as big for each success. One gallon of fresh water can created per success and the currents can be made to go twice as fast for each success. A room can be filled with 1-minute of fresh air per success or can increase the speed of the wind by 10 MPH per success. One pound of a certain type of metal or rock can be summoned per success or can unrust 1 pound of metal per success.
Extinguishing/Banishing: Fire can be warded against up to giving +1 to soak vs. that element per success or can half the size of a fire by half per success. One gallon of water can be evaporated per success or currents can be made to slow. A room could be made a vacuum removing 1 minute of breathable air per success or can slow the current of the wind. Can shatter or melt metal up to 1 pound per success.
Shaping: This allows the weapon to shape the elements to their will. They could harden air to create a wall that could withstand 1 damage per success or turn dirt to clay to stone to metal, needing one success for each notch traveled on the scale. Fire can be formed into fireflies or wisps to confuse and hypnotize enemies and water could be hardened to walk on it up to 50ft per level. The effects of shaping can range dramatically and should be ST approved.
Empathic Control (15)
Cost: 2 Essence per Success (1 Willpower, optional)
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Simple
Each purchase of this Blessing gives 3 dice for the purposes of creating, extinguishing or inflating emotions. The amount of successes needed is based on a sliding scale of emotions. The scale is the following: Neutral, Subtle, Normal, Very, Extremely. A successful Perception + Socialize roll will reveal where they are on the scale for the emotion in question. If they target is not currently feeling the emotion, they are Neutral. To inflate or extinguish the emotions by one in either direction needs one success. This power usually lasts a scene, but the weapon can spend a Willpower point to make the effect last for a number of days equal to its Essence rating.
- Extinguishing and Inflate: This ability lessens or heightens the strength of a certain feeling. The target must at least be at “Subtle” on the emotion scale. It requires 1 success to move one notch.
- Creating: To make someone feel an emotion they were not already feeling at all, it takes a bit more work. All targets start at “Neutral” and it takes 2 successes per notch on the scale they wish to move the target’s emotions.
Gills (8)
Cost: 3 per 100 feet descent
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Simple
The Host can breathe underwater and is protected from crushing depths damage equal to the weapon's stamina each turn, if the weapon chooses this Blessing. They shouldn't go too deep, or the weapon's protection may have no effect.
Healing (20)
Cost: varies
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
The wielder, with this blessing, can heal others for 1 Lethal or 2 Bashing health levels per 5 Essence spent, or 1 aggravated per 10 Essence spent. The process takes up a full turn and the Host and target must be at rest. If used in times of stress, the costs are doubled.
Immolate (10)
Cost: varies
Duration: 1 Scene or 1 Turn
Type: varies
This Blessing creates a force field of a certain element around the caster. Not only does the field offer +4 Soak against that specific element, it will also do 2 dice of lethal damage to anyone's skin it gets in contact with. For example: a fire shield would give +4 versus fire damage and would do 2 dice of fire damage to an opponent. 8 Essence makes it last for the scene as a Simple action, or the wielder can use it for just one turn for 2 Essence as a Reflexive Action.
Invisibility (18)
Cost: 10 Essence
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Simple
This Blessing grants the power of invisibility to the Host. Only those with supernatural senses, charms or performing a Perception stunt can see them, but the wielder can also not make any aggressive actions or the invisibility is dropped and initiative goes as normal. Any small items (ones that can normally be concealed) that the Host picks up after using this ability are turned invisible as well.
Luck (6)
Cost: 3 Essence per 2 dice
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Reflexive
With each purchase of this Blessing, the weapon can bestow +2 dice bonus to a single roll per scene for the cost of 3 Essence. Multiple levels can even be used on the same roll. For example: the weapon who has bought this ability twice, could spend 6 Essence to add 4 dice to any single roll or could add 2 dice to two separate rolls.
Lure (4)
Cost: 0
Duration: Permanent
Type: Reflexive
Each purchase of this Blessing gives a bonus of +2 dice for all Lure rolls. This Blessing can only be purchased a number of times equal to the weapon’s permanent Essence score.
Mind Shield (10)
Cost: 5 Essence
Duration: 1 Scene
Type: Reflexive
This Blessing grant a +2 difficulty to any mind effecting magic/charm attempts on the Host. This power can bought a number of times equal to the weapon’s Intelligence score. It costs 5 Essence no matter many times this Blessing is purchased.
Mystic Armor (12)
Cost: 8 Essence
Duration: 1 Scene
Type: Reflexive
The weapon activates a magical armor that will surround its Host. Each purchase of this Blessing adds a +4 bonus to either Bashing and Lethal soak rolls or 2 against Aggravated only. This power can bought a number of times equal to the weapon’s Stamina score. It costs 8 Essence no matter many times this Blessing is purchased.
Rapid Strike (20)
Cost: 5 Essence per action per turn
Duration: 1 Turn
Type: Reflexive
Each purchase of this Blessing allows for an additional action at full dice pool to be taken with the weapon each turn. It costs 5 Essence each turn used per action. For Example: a spear that had purchased this Blessing twice can spend 10 essence to attack 3 times this round or can spend 10 essence to attack twice this round and twice the next.
Regeneration (20)
Cost: 10 Committed
Duration: varies
Type: Reflexive
Some weapons make their wielders almost unkillable. While wielding the weapon, it regenerates the Host's health levels 1 Bashing per hour, 1 Lethal per 4 hours and 1 Aggravated per 24 hours. Each level must be regenerated individually. The healing order is always Bashing, Lethal and then Aggravated damage. For example: if the Host sustained 3 Bashing, 1 Lethal and 1 Aggravated levels of damage, it would take 3 hours to heal the bashing, then 4 hours to heal the lethal, then 24 hours to heal the Aggravated.
Sensory Shield (6)
Cost: 4 Essence
Duration: 1 Scene
Type: Reflexive
This Blessing protects the wielder from blindness and deafness for the scene. Any charms or other magical attacks toward the Host’s sense of sight, hearing, taste, touch or smell are eliminated.
Shape Change (6/10/15)
Cost: varies
Duration: varies
Type: Simple
This Blessing allows the weapon to shift its shape into other weapons and objects. It can be purchased multiple times, each time gaining more forms:
- Mundane Object: For 6 Blessing points, the weapons can turn into a mundane object. They could turn into a cape or cloak, a crown, a ring, a decorative egg, etc. The change costs 4 Essence to change into the object, but they could stay in that form indefinitely if needed. It costs nothing to switch back to weapon form, but they would have to pay again to become the object again.
- Weapon Type: For 10 Blessing points the weapon can change its type. A bow could become a sword. A battleaxe could become a small knife. There is no limit to size. Although, when the weapon takes on the different form, it loses its normal combat statistics and replaces them for the statistics for the new weapon. So while changing into a large warhammer might help a knife with damage, it will get a penalty to accuracy that it once had. It costs 8 Essence per shift to animal form and they can stay in this form for 1 scene.
- Animal: For 15 Blessing points, the weapon can shift into an animal for the scene (but will still be made from their original material, i.e. a stone lion or metallic spider). It costs 12 Essence per shift to animal form and they can stay in this form for 1 scene. The stats of the animal chosen will supercede the weapon's stats, but they gain all special abilities of the creature for the scene. For example: Turning into a bird gives flight. The form of a mole would give extra bonuses to digging. Tiger form would give claws and spider form would give a web spinner.
Sharpened (8)
Cost: 0
Duration: Permanent
Type: Reflexive
Each purchase of this Blessing adds +2 dice to damage of the weapon or +1 automatic damage (must be chosen at the time this Blessing is purchased). This Blessing can only be purchased a number of times equal to the weapon’s permanent Essence score.
Soul Suck (30)
Cost: 20 Essence, 1 Willpower
Duration: Permanent
Type: Reflexive
This Blessing drains the soul from the victim. When the victim dies from the weapon, the weapon spends 20 Essence and 1 Willpower. Both weapon and victim make contested Willpower rolls. If the weapon wins, it sucks the soul into itself.
The weapon can convert that soul into 1 Blessing point or can permanently upgrade one of its stats by one for the cost of 5 souls (this upgrade cannot be done more than once per story however, as it takes its toll on the weapon’s soul as well). This power cannot be bought cursed.
Telekinesis (14)
Cost: 2 Essence per Success (1 Willpower, optional)
Duration: varies
Type: Simple
Each purchase of this Blessing allows 4 dice for the desired item to be picked up, depending on its weight. After rolling, the successes can be split between the weight of the object and the amount of turns the item remains lifted. The Weapon may spend a Willpower point, in addition to the normal Essence cost, to automatically have control of the item for the scene without splitting successes. This can allow for much larger
- Weight: 0 Successes = up to 1 lb, 1 Success = up to 5 lbs, 2 Successes = up to 20 lbs, 3 Successes = up to 50 lbs, 4 Successes = up to 100 lbs, 5 Successes = up to 500 lbs
- Turns: 0 Successes = 1 turn, 1 Success = 4 turns, 2 Successes = 1 hour, 3 Successes = 1 scene, 4 Successes = 12 hours, 5 Successes = 24 hours
Telepathy (8)
Cost: 3 Essence
Duration: 1 Scene
Type: Reflexive
All intelligent weapons have the ability to converse with each other and their Hosts. By purchasing this Blessing once, it gains ability to converse with others as well. It can also project its voice into the minds of a number of additional people (other than their Host) equal to their permanent Wits score.
If purchased a second time, the weapon can speak can bypass any language barriers to project his words, although he still can’t understand words coming back from the target without the language.
Teleportation (20)
Cost: 3 Essence per success
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Some weapons gift their Host with an amazing ability to travel far distances in moments. Each purchase of this Blessing grants 3 dice for the purposes of teleportation. The Host may teleport up to 1 mile away per success rolled.
Weather Control (20)
Cost: 2 Essence per Success (1 Willpower, optional)
Duration: Concentration
Type: Simple
This Blessing allows the weapon to control (start or calm) storms, temperatures, and the randomness of weather. Each purchase gives 3 dice to be rolled for the desired effect. The more powerful the desired effect, the more successes needed. All effects, except for Lightning, last as long as the Host concentrates and then for 5 turn afterward. However, the weapon can spend a Willpower point to make it stay for the scene. The following are examples of effects:
- Temperature: the temperature of an area (100-foot radius) can be raised or dropped up to 10 degrees per success.
- Storms: Creates a storm with rolling thunder and lightning covering a 100-foot radius per success.
- Mists: Creates mist (or fog) that covers a 300-foot area per success, reducing sight rolls for opponents by 1.
- Lightning: if a storm has been summoned or naturally occurs, the dice pool can be used as damage, as lightning is summoned from the cloud, striking down the weapon’s opponent.
Curses are taints on the weapons that become detriments to their Hosts. Some drain the Host's life force, while others steal his emotions or send him into a homicidal rage. Needless to say, none of them are good.
Curses are not mandatory. If the player wants to be a goodie-two-shoes and buy all of his Blessing for the full costs, then he can be taint free, Curse free. But most intelligent weapons are looking to gain more power. They want more things to offer to their Hosts, but accruing too many curses can have the exact opposite effect.
If Blessings are purchased at half price, then the remainder (rounded up) goes to your Curse point pool. At the end of purchasing Blessings, you take your full Curse Pool and spend it. The character cannot end the character creation process if he has enough point to by any Curse, which means they can only have a remainder of 2 or less.
Every two curses give a -1 penalty to all Attunement rolls - no matter the cost of the curse. This brings a harsh dilemma to those that have chosen to curse their characters. Purchasing a number smaller Curses will bring less harm to your Host, but will lower your permanent Attunement rolls, but purchasing a single expensive Curse, while it will not lower your Attunement, can often lead to your switching Hosts several times throughout the story.
This is not an exhaustive list of Curses by any means. As a matter of fact, some concepts will require that some of these Curses be combined into their own version. Be creative and flexible when determining the player’s Curses and work hand in hand with them to make the best character possible.
Any Curse points gained after character creation are also added to your Curse Pool, where they MUST be spent again at the end of each Chapter of the Story. There are typically 3 Chapters in any given Story. The Storyteller can also simply give a deadline of, for example, every 5 sessions or only at the end of the Story. Make sure that the players pay for their Curses through, as they are likely gaining immense power from purchasing Blessings at half cost. Their decision has to feel like they have a bearing on the Taint of their character.
Attribute Suffrage (10): This Curse forces the weapon’s Host to use his own life force to fuel any Blessings. When using a power, one of the wielder's Attribute dots is temporarily lost, reduced by 1. It returns 3 days after that Blessing was used.
Attribute Draining (20): As Attribute Suffrage, but the dot is lost permanently. If any of the three Physical Attributes is reduced to zero, the Host can no longer move. The drop to zero of any Social Attribute will make the character into a deformed leper/outcaste. If any Mental Attribute is reduced to zero, the Host becomes a vegetable. This Curse leads to many different wielders, as the item drains their Hosts one by one.
Contract (5/10/15/20): The Host must wield the weapon for a certain period of time. If the Host tries to get rid of the weapon during the period, they will instantly die. The weapon, itself, is still bound by the contract and cannot choose another Host until the time has elapsed. 5 points for a year, 10 points for 5 years, 15 points for 10 years, 20 points for the wielder’s lifetime, when the Host dies of natural causes, it is broken. If the Host dies unnaturally before the Contract is over, the Host must wait a year and a day to get another Host.
Cut the Ties (15): This Curse gives the wielder delusions that his loved ones wish him harm, making him feel the need to kill them all one by one, which often leads them to suicide as well. The Host can never form any lasting relationships as long as he wields the weapon, because they will slaughter them all.
Elemental Weakness (3): A certain element becomes the bane of wielder, making him take +4 automatic damage from it and creating a phobia to it in the Host’s mind. Fire is the most common, but the character could also be totally scared to go swim in the lake or be frightened of dust and dirt.
Emotionless (5): The weapon hardens the Host’s emotions and he/she feels nothing while they are the owner. The cry of a child or the merciless killing of an opponent does not affect the Host.
Evil Radar (3): The wielder pops up as evil to all supernatural creatures that can sense that sort of energy even if they are the champion of good. If it fits the concept well enough, the St can also allow “Good Radar”.
Geas - Oath (Varies): This Curse imposes a geas on the Host, either something they cannot do or something they must do. Remaining a virgin may be a 5 point, while the inability to use any other weapon or tool but the magical one might be a 15 point Curse. Having to stop in the middle of whatever your are doing, 5 exact times of the day, to pray to Nysis, the God of Wine, would by a 15-point Curse as well. Penalty of breaking an oath Geas is to never again wield the weapon, breaks the attunement. The weapon would then need to reattune, but would need 20 successes (instead of 10) to complete it.
Geas – Wielder (Varies): This Curse imposes a restriction on who can wield the weapon, some harsh and others easier. Those who do not fit the geas, will have –2 to all rolls and soaks for the next 3 days after even only touching it. To actually wield it and attune to it would cost the Host 1 temporary Willpower point per day (on top of the –2 penalty). If they lose all their temporary Willpower and still wish to wield the weapon, they begin to lose their permanent Willpower dots. If it is reduced to zero, the Host dies. To be wielded only by Brunettes would be a 5-point Curse, only by virgins would be a 10-point Curse, only by Solars would be a 15-point Curse, and only by a Brunette solar who has never felt the touch of the opposite sex would be a 25-point curse. The rarer they are, the more cost.
Frailty (15): The wielder becomes frail as the weapons feeds on its life force to keep its Blessings going. The Host suffers a -1 penalty to ALL rolls, including –1 to their Bashing and Lethal damage Soak.
Inhuman Appearance (3): This Curse changes some aspect of the wielder's body or aura. It could make his eyes glow or his body hair different color or making him give off strange vibes to other mortals. Whatever the effect, this Curse raises the difficulty of all social interactions by one for the wielder.
Leech (10): When using Blessings, the weapon drains health levels from the Host. Each use of a Reflexive Blessing uses 1 Health level, while use of a Simple Blessing takes 2 Health Levels to fuel its power. These levels are unsoakable and are healed back like Bashing damage.
Mute (3): This Curse, quite simply, takes away the Host’s ability to speak. In most cases, the weapon prefers it this way, having already purchased the “Telepathy” Blessing. But this forces the Host to communicate through non-verbal and body language.
Obsession (10): The weapon becomes the wielder’s entire life and they forsake everyone else for it, even to the point of violence. The Host subject to the Curse will forsake everything or kill anyone for their precious weapon.
Paranoia (5): The wielder becomes mistrustful of everyone, sometimes even of the weapons itself. This can lead to many broken relationships and companionship along the road, leaving the Host utterly alone due to his paranoia.
Ripped from Sluggy (10): Particularly good-aligned weapons cannot use their Blessings if they have "tasted" innocent blood on that scene. This could include anyone from children to pregnant mothers to drunks who don’t know any better to an evil being who really hasn’t done anything to the Host to deserve being struck. It is not up to the weapon to decide who is innocent; it is up to the ST. Keep it interesting.
Sacrifice (15): With this Curse, the weapon demands to kill someone every time it is pulled from its sheath. If it doesn't, it kills the wielder instead automatically. Read: it has to kill a person or monster. The death of a simple animal does not count.
Sickness Touch (5): Everything living that the wielder touches, slowly dies. His touch is cold like death. If he touches a flower, it wilts in his fingers. If her touches a tree, its leaves turn brown. If he touches a fair maiden, her hair will start to fall out or her teeth will rot. It does no tangible damage, but can have many of the above cosmetic effects that can mark him as an outcaste.
Soul Crusher (15): The weapon, in time, hollows out the wielder's soul. Every time it is used in combat, roll a die. If the roll shows a success, nothing happens. If it shows a failure, the wielder loses a virtue dot, permanently and the maximum capacity for that virtue is reduced by 1. On a botch, two dots are lost similarly (they can come from different virtues). A Host with no virtue dots left suffers no ill effects, other then being basically soulless to most observers.
Spilt Blood (10): The weapon demands to shed someone's blood every time it is pulled from its sheath, if it doesn't it damages the wielder automatically, doing 2 levels of Aggravated damage. Read: it has to shed the blood (deal at least 2 damage) of a person or a monster. Animal blood's no good.
