Teflon Billy
Explorer
ColonelHardisson said:
If only John F. Kennedy had had Lincoln's hat in Dallas!
Cause it seems the magic of the Office of the Presidency wasn't getting the job done
Neat Historical Artifacts for a game
- Thread starter olethros
- Start date
If only John F. Kennedy had had Lincoln's hat in Dallas!
Cause it seems the magic of the Office of the Presidency wasn't getting the job done
Cthulhu's Librarian
First Post
bad text editing,, never mind... 
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hunter1828
Butte Hole Surfer
Paul Bunyan's Axe
The Yoke of Babe the Ox
Pecos Bill's Lariat
Rip Van Winkle's Flagon
Ichabod Crane's Hat
The Headless Horseman's Sword
hunter1828
The Yoke of Babe the Ox
Pecos Bill's Lariat
Rip Van Winkle's Flagon
Ichabod Crane's Hat
The Headless Horseman's Sword
hunter1828
AFGNCAAP
First Post
FYI:
The Indiana Jones RPG book referred to earlier is called Indiana Jones Artifacts. It contains a fair amount of artifacts in it, & it does something that I really liked in a RPG book:
One of the key parts of each entry is if the item has mystical power or not. For example (may not be correct per this book, but an example nonetheless), the Codex Hammer is an artifact, but a non-magical one. It is a famous, priceless treasure desired by treasure-hunters. Mjolnir, the Hammer of Thor, OTOH, is a mystical artifact--a magical weapon requiring legendary might to wield it, and capable of causing terrific damage.
Thus, many of the objects mentioned in this thread can be artifiacts--non-magical ones, but artifacts nonetheless. Items of great value & wealth.
For the most part (a possible rule of thumb), an artifact only has mystical powers if they were attributed it somehow (folklore, legend, etc.). The same goes for legendary places/landscapes, as well.
Also, you may want to consider "condensing" items--for example, Durandal was not only the sword of Roland, but of Hector as well. Crocea Mors and Excalibur are one and the same. In essence, items of legend can have aliases, too.
The Indiana Jones RPG book referred to earlier is called Indiana Jones Artifacts. It contains a fair amount of artifacts in it, & it does something that I really liked in a RPG book:
One of the key parts of each entry is if the item has mystical power or not. For example (may not be correct per this book, but an example nonetheless), the Codex Hammer is an artifact, but a non-magical one. It is a famous, priceless treasure desired by treasure-hunters. Mjolnir, the Hammer of Thor, OTOH, is a mystical artifact--a magical weapon requiring legendary might to wield it, and capable of causing terrific damage.
Thus, many of the objects mentioned in this thread can be artifiacts--non-magical ones, but artifacts nonetheless. Items of great value & wealth.
For the most part (a possible rule of thumb), an artifact only has mystical powers if they were attributed it somehow (folklore, legend, etc.). The same goes for legendary places/landscapes, as well.
Also, you may want to consider "condensing" items--for example, Durandal was not only the sword of Roland, but of Hector as well. Crocea Mors and Excalibur are one and the same. In essence, items of legend can have aliases, too.
jasper
Rotten DM
Macarthur’s Pipe grants Leadership Feat
Patton’s Pistol grants Leadership Feat and Rage once a day
Judge Roy Bean’s Noose creatures hung and killed by this must be epic to come back
Old Sparky the Electric Chair, creatures need True Resurrection and 10% of coming back as undead with the ability to cast Lighting Bolt 3x day
Ben Franklin’s Stove always warm
Ben Franklin’s Kite Key Cast lightning bolt 3xday
Lincoln’s Stove Top Hat, +2 Cha and Oratory Skill 5 ranks
Benedict’s Arnold Hat Save vs. Ego 20 check or betray ally
Bill Gates first Pc Artifact of Neutrality powers vary day to day good and bad
Billy the Kid’s weapon Death touch 2 x a day -2 checks on Diplomacy
Genghis Khan’s Saddle, Leadership, +10 to ride, mounted fighting feats
Wilbur and Orville’s Bicycle for two,
Pillsbury Doughboy Hat 5 ranks in cooking
Elizabeth Taylor Wedding Dress cursed item, + 1 to 3 stats for 1 year then -2 to 3 stats until marriage is dissolved.
Bluebeard’s bed. Sacrifice kids to gain +1 to stat for a week
Sherlock Holmes violin sonic attack 3x day
Sherlock Holmes glass +10 to search checks
Sherlock Holmes hat of disguise with +5 ranks in bluff
Watson’s bag contains 3 clw or heals potions and wand of magic missiles with 6 charges refills every week
Hank Williams Guitar +5 ranks in perform
The Seven Samurai swords grants 1 fighter level but if drop below 0 hp 3 in 8 chance of going to -10 and needing True Resurrection to come back.
George Washington’s Dollar Returns to owner after a day
George Washington’s Gloves, grants +5 to ride skill
Walt Disney’s quill and ink grants Scribe Scroll but spells have 25% of random effect
Red Baron’s Scarf
Black Beard’s Beard grants one level of fighter, rogue, and seamanship skill. User becomes chaotic evil 1d12 months.
Scotty’s Scotch Bottle allows user to complete craft items in 1/3 time.
Brutus Dagger death touch once a day. Cursed also.
Casey’s Bat Save vs Ego check or miss.
Mickey’s White out. Allows owner to correct mistake by rerolling until good result. Useable once a day.
Ronald McDonald’s Clown Face Confusion spell once a day and ring of substance.
Morse’s Codebook Allow user to send message, telepathy, and x 3 times a day
Lucy’s Laugh grants +5 perform comedy
Rocky J Squirrel Cap of flying. 3 times a day
Bullwinkle’s magic hat. Rod of wonder 3 times a day
Erik’s Grandma Listening horn, +5 to listen check, 3 a day times automatic counterspell, 3% per use of counterspell ability of aging ten years.
Fusangite you looking at wrong. It not that the objects gave the original owner power but the owner essence has been absorbed by the item. So the current owner is tapping into the historical person's power.
And it looks like you are senstive on Lincoln and Gandhi. Chill a little bit dude. Don't associate postings with an automatic negative.
Patton’s Pistol grants Leadership Feat and Rage once a day
Judge Roy Bean’s Noose creatures hung and killed by this must be epic to come back
Old Sparky the Electric Chair, creatures need True Resurrection and 10% of coming back as undead with the ability to cast Lighting Bolt 3x day
Ben Franklin’s Stove always warm
Ben Franklin’s Kite Key Cast lightning bolt 3xday
Lincoln’s Stove Top Hat, +2 Cha and Oratory Skill 5 ranks
Benedict’s Arnold Hat Save vs. Ego 20 check or betray ally
Bill Gates first Pc Artifact of Neutrality powers vary day to day good and bad
Billy the Kid’s weapon Death touch 2 x a day -2 checks on Diplomacy
Genghis Khan’s Saddle, Leadership, +10 to ride, mounted fighting feats
Wilbur and Orville’s Bicycle for two,
Pillsbury Doughboy Hat 5 ranks in cooking
Elizabeth Taylor Wedding Dress cursed item, + 1 to 3 stats for 1 year then -2 to 3 stats until marriage is dissolved.
Bluebeard’s bed. Sacrifice kids to gain +1 to stat for a week
Sherlock Holmes violin sonic attack 3x day
Sherlock Holmes glass +10 to search checks
Sherlock Holmes hat of disguise with +5 ranks in bluff
Watson’s bag contains 3 clw or heals potions and wand of magic missiles with 6 charges refills every week
Hank Williams Guitar +5 ranks in perform
The Seven Samurai swords grants 1 fighter level but if drop below 0 hp 3 in 8 chance of going to -10 and needing True Resurrection to come back.
George Washington’s Dollar Returns to owner after a day
George Washington’s Gloves, grants +5 to ride skill
Walt Disney’s quill and ink grants Scribe Scroll but spells have 25% of random effect
Red Baron’s Scarf
Black Beard’s Beard grants one level of fighter, rogue, and seamanship skill. User becomes chaotic evil 1d12 months.
Scotty’s Scotch Bottle allows user to complete craft items in 1/3 time.
Brutus Dagger death touch once a day. Cursed also.
Casey’s Bat Save vs Ego check or miss.
Mickey’s White out. Allows owner to correct mistake by rerolling until good result. Useable once a day.
Ronald McDonald’s Clown Face Confusion spell once a day and ring of substance.
Morse’s Codebook Allow user to send message, telepathy, and x 3 times a day
Lucy’s Laugh grants +5 perform comedy
Rocky J Squirrel Cap of flying. 3 times a day
Bullwinkle’s magic hat. Rod of wonder 3 times a day
Erik’s Grandma Listening horn, +5 to listen check, 3 a day times automatic counterspell, 3% per use of counterspell ability of aging ten years.
fusangite said:
Fusangite you looking at wrong. It not that the objects gave the original owner power but the owner essence has been absorbed by the item. So the current owner is tapping into the historical person's power.
And it looks like you are senstive on Lincoln and Gandhi. Chill a little bit dude. Don't associate postings with an automatic negative.
DonaldRumsfeldsTofu
First Post
Has anyone mentioned the Philosopher's Stone? The fabled alchemic substance that turns lead to gold.
And then there's the Arc of the Covenant.
And then there's the Arc of the Covenant.
Bob Aberton
First Post
To those who say that artifacts like Lincoln's Hat, Billy the Kid's Pistols, etc., don't belong in a game, the ORIGINAL POSTER personally stated he was fine with stuff like that. So why keep telling everyone that that sort of thing shouldn't be talked about in this thread? Maybe start your own thread to tell everyone why nothing more recent than the 14th century should be included in a thread about historical artifacts?
Anyway...
Blackbeard's Cutlass - Cursed, must kill 1d6 random people per day, or Bad Stuff happens to the wielder (I read somewhere that Blackbeard actually shot his best friend 'just so people remember who I am.').
Captain Bligh's Lash - Rage and Leadership, maybe? Grants -4 to Charisma, but +4 to Intimidate (Bligh did precipitate the famous mutiny, but he also managed to get 18 people 4,000 thousand[?] miles in an open boat, an unparalleled feat of leadership and seamanship...).
The Nautilus - from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," or really anything from a Jules Verne story.
Sherlock Holme's Deerstalker Cap - Hmm...bonus to Spot, Listen, something else, maybe?
The Hope Diamond - Supposedly cursed and all that; +4 to Charisma, etc. But -4 luck penalty to other stuff?
I like the idea about Captain Ahab's Harpoon, too. If I recall correctly, he went through great pains to make it well "tempered in water, blood, and fire(lighting)," I think...
The Figurehead of the Victoria(Magellan's ship) - Huge bonuses to luck and seamanship and such? Considering the voyage, it was a miracle she survived with a whole 18 men....
Anyway...
Blackbeard's Cutlass - Cursed, must kill 1d6 random people per day, or Bad Stuff happens to the wielder (I read somewhere that Blackbeard actually shot his best friend 'just so people remember who I am.').
Captain Bligh's Lash - Rage and Leadership, maybe? Grants -4 to Charisma, but +4 to Intimidate (Bligh did precipitate the famous mutiny, but he also managed to get 18 people 4,000 thousand[?] miles in an open boat, an unparalleled feat of leadership and seamanship...).
The Nautilus - from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," or really anything from a Jules Verne story.
Sherlock Holme's Deerstalker Cap - Hmm...bonus to Spot, Listen, something else, maybe?
The Hope Diamond - Supposedly cursed and all that; +4 to Charisma, etc. But -4 luck penalty to other stuff?
I like the idea about Captain Ahab's Harpoon, too. If I recall correctly, he went through great pains to make it well "tempered in water, blood, and fire(lighting)," I think...
The Figurehead of the Victoria(Magellan's ship) - Huge bonuses to luck and seamanship and such? Considering the voyage, it was a miracle she survived with a whole 18 men....
gunter uxbridge
First Post
The Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator - An item found in the debris of the Roswell spaceship. Does 100d6 damage with a range inc of 1000ft.
George Washington's hatchet. Of course, it has been through three new heads and four new handles over the years, but it still does a decent 1d6 of damage.
The ship's bell from the RMS Titanic. Sounding it causes dispair in all enemies within 100ft. -2 attack, -1 to all save, -20 swim.
The WWII era, Italian made Mannlicher-Carcano bolt action rifle with a cheap broken telescopic sight fit for a left handed shooter and badly out of adjustment. +10 to ranged attacks, +20 against Kennedy's. 4d6
George Washington's hatchet. Of course, it has been through three new heads and four new handles over the years, but it still does a decent 1d6 of damage.
The ship's bell from the RMS Titanic. Sounding it causes dispair in all enemies within 100ft. -2 attack, -1 to all save, -20 swim.
The WWII era, Italian made Mannlicher-Carcano bolt action rifle with a cheap broken telescopic sight fit for a left handed shooter and badly out of adjustment. +10 to ranged attacks, +20 against Kennedy's. 4d6
Klaatu B. Nikto
First Post
I'm sure some of these have been mentioned by now but here's my additions:
An actual Martian landing pod that Orson Welles warned about during his radio program. Complete with nifty Martian weaponary like a heat ray and black powder.
H. G. Wells' time machine with a morlock skeleton nearby.
Pretty much anything by Nikolai Tesla like his Death Ray.
The Shroud of Turin.
Various 'bleeding' statues of Jesus or other religious figures.
A fully functional perpetual motion machine.
Cold fusion reactor.
The Necronomicon that Lovecraft spoke of.
The Voynich Manuscript and its translation.
The complete manuscripts of Plato that describe Atlantis and its fate.
The Mystery of the Cathedrals, a book on alchemy by Fulcanelli.
A complete version of The Canterbury Tales.
The looking glass that Nostradamus used along with his translations.
The golden calf (muscle) of Pythagoras.
The city of Troy.
Colonel Sanders' Secret Recipe.
The secret laboratory of Dexter, boy genius.
An actual Martian landing pod that Orson Welles warned about during his radio program. Complete with nifty Martian weaponary like a heat ray and black powder.
H. G. Wells' time machine with a morlock skeleton nearby.
Pretty much anything by Nikolai Tesla like his Death Ray.
The Shroud of Turin.
Various 'bleeding' statues of Jesus or other religious figures.
A fully functional perpetual motion machine.
Cold fusion reactor.
The Necronomicon that Lovecraft spoke of.
The Voynich Manuscript and its translation.
The complete manuscripts of Plato that describe Atlantis and its fate.
The Mystery of the Cathedrals, a book on alchemy by Fulcanelli.
A complete version of The Canterbury Tales.
The looking glass that Nostradamus used along with his translations.
The golden calf (muscle) of Pythagoras.
The city of Troy.
Colonel Sanders' Secret Recipe.
The secret laboratory of Dexter, boy genius.
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