Jack7
First Post
Elturgical Items and Weapons
This post was inspired by this thread. I had planned to talk about magical items in a later post but I found the thread I referenced interesting and so I thought I’d go ahead and describe how magical items work in Terra Ghantik.
I should note that some of these ideas I borrowed from already existing games, some are of my own invention, and many are personal modifications of ideas derived from famous myths, legends, and fantasy material (non-gaming material). In other words I took ideas and incidents from famous myths, legends, fairy tales, and stories and converted those ideas into a form suitable for my setting and game.
First of all, in our world (Terra- or Earth) there are no magical items because Arcane magic, known as Elturgy, does not exist upon our world. Rather a form of supernatural magic does, referred to as Sorcery, and Divine “magic” does as well, referred to as Thaumaturgy, but thaumaturgy, taken from the Greek term, really refers to Miracles, and not the typical form of arcane-related magic normally found in fantasy game settings. And Miracles work in a very different way from magic, which I’ll describe in detail in a later posting, though I have already alluded to it in previous posts in this thread.
Relics and items of minor sorcery work in ways quite similar to those described below as regards Elturgy. But the sources of sorcerous and relical powers are very different from those of Ghantikan Elturgy, and even from one another.
To briefly summarize Sorcery, or Ilurgy, as it is described in Ghantik, is created when Sorcerers and Warlocks and Witches (not to be confused with witches who are old women sometimes known as “wise women”) make pacts or agreements between themselves and nefarious and evil supernatural agents or beings, such as demons and devils. The supernatural beings grant Sorcerers and Warlocks and Witches, on our world, limited use of their own capabilities (the capabilities of the demonic force or being) for awhile, to achieve certain ends, or in exchange for extended periods of service. So items of Sorcerous power are ensorcelled by the demon, devil, supernatural agent, or Sorcerer or Warlock or Witch that creates said items. Items created by sorcery or by pacts with demons usually transfer some type of curse, great or subtle, to the owner or user, and such items usually exact a cost for use or ownership.
Relics on the other hand are the remains of famous persons, usually a Saint or a Martyr. The power or powers of said relics originate and draw from the spiritual power passed on through the item by the original possessor. There is no pact or agreement between the Saint or Martyr and a particular item or individual, but rather the spiritual and/or psychological force of the original owner embues or imprints or becomes transferred to the item (usually one the owner had possessed for a long period of time, or during an important and numinously potent or miraculous event) in a more or less permanent manner. In addition to whatever thaumaturgical power the relic possesses it also usually passes a benefit or blessing to the owner or user, and sometimes these blessings become long lasting or even permanent, depending upon the power of the relic itself.
Relics of great power (usually the bones of famous Saints and Martyrs) are handled differently and usually possess powers that are not only different in kind from lesser relics, but also far greater in degree of power and potential than that of lesser relics. I will detail these types of Relics in a later post, when I also discuss powerful Elturgical Artifacts and Devices. Relics are not indigenous to Ghantik.
As for magical items in Ghantik, (items that have been transformed in nature due to intentional and direct exposure to Elturgy, or through powerful but indirect contact with Elturgy) I shall now describe their nature.
Elturgy can and does alter inanimate objects and items in some ways that are vaguely similar to the effects it has upon living things on Ghantik. It can cause subtle transformations in inanimate objects, or it can radically transform such objects rendering capabilities no normal matter possesses.
In describing such objects and items I should make it clear that in the setting of Terra Ghantik combat is not an activity that is anywhere nearly as common as in many other D&D or fantasy settings. Combat is a more rare but deadly serious business, and is often lethal to one or more characters. Therefore characters do not engage in combat unless really necessary because when one does it is an extremely dangerous affair. And even if everyone survives it often leaves wounds and scars and injuries that have dramatic and life-long effects. So it is not an activity to be undertaken lightly. For that reason typical Weapon and Item features of a + 1, or +2, or +3 (or whatever the case may be) combat to hit or damage advantage are downplayed in favor of far more versatile combat, and non-combat advantages. The advantages that even weapons possess as a result of Elturgical “force” and enchantment tend to be far less of a direct numerical game-combat advantage and far more of a wider range of unusual potential capabilities. This is also true, or perhaps especially true, of items which are not weapons, and which by nature possess an even wider range of other, non-combat functions. However it is also common for even weapons of an Elturgical nature to possess non-combat advantages.
First of all I should state that many items perform Elturgically according to the skill and capabilities of the possessor or owner. An Elturgical weapon or item may yield no seeming advantage at all to the inexperienced owner. In game terms this means no +1 (or whatever the number may be) to hit or damage bonus. However as a user gains skill (sometimes level advancement, sometimes simple familiarity with the weapon or item) and experience an item may show definite and previously undisplayed advantages. Both combat and non-combat advantages. In this sense many weapons and items, especially more potent items and weapons act as if “Items of Legacy,” similar to the Weapons of Legacy book. The powers inherent in the item, and the capabilities they can transfer to the owner increase over time. However unlike Items of Legacy such Elturgical items do not follow a prescribed or a necessarily proscribed path of “empowerment” which unfolds level by level, but rather the powers and capabilities each item possesses and can transfer tend to be unique, and can transform over time. (Relics can sometimes, though more rarely, do likewise, according to the nature of the owner.) Which I’ll discuss the implications of in a moment.
So as the skill and capabilities of the user increase, along with his or her familiarity with the item, the item becomes more and more “Resonant” in regards to that owner. The items begin to resonate with the nature of the possessor. This can have several different effects simultaneously, or many different progressive effects. These effects are usually dependent upon the nature and intensity of the Elturgy that created or transformed the item. Lesser or less powerful items have fewer resonant capabilities than higher-level items.
For instance in the case of Elturgical weapons the general course of development followed in Terra Ghantik for such items is as follows:
Low Level Weapon – renders one combat advantage, and two non-combat advantages.
Mid Level Weapon – renders two combat advantages, one of which may, or may not, be a bonus to hit or damage as skill increases, and yields two or three non-combat advantages
High Level Weapon – renders three combat advantages, one of which will be accuracy and/or damage related, and three or four non-combat advantages.
A combat advantage may be a bonus to hit or damage as is normal with standard D&D, or it may greatly increase the odds or effectiveness of a Critical Hit, or the weapon may “lead towards vulnerabilities” - always striking the most vulnerable area on an opponent, or it may be especially potent against a particular enemy, or it may greatly frighten, horrify, sicken, or even enchant an enemy or opponent. Other combat advantages may be to increase the inherent combat skills of the user, to assist in the ability to parry, or perform more complicated combat strikes or maneuvers, to increase the strength or dexterity or constitution of the user, to yield temporary resilience to the user, to assist with “saving throws,” to encourage and embolden allies, and so forth and so on. No two weapons tend to have the same exact properties. For instance the Holy Avenger Durandal and the Holy Avenger Excalibur do not possess the same capabilities merely because they are both Holy Avengers. Many factors, including the nature of the wielder, go into the formulation of what capabilities an item or weapon may possess, and what capacities it or the owner may manifest as a result of these factors.
Non-combat advantages may include, but are not limited to, such things as rendering skill advantages to the user (multiplying skills that the user already possesses or sometimes rendering skills the user has never previously possessed), creating illusions, finding water or increasing survival capabilities, knowing direction, scrying, amplifying intuition, repelling evil or Korruhn (monsters), increasing Charisma or Charm, enchanting others, creating music or poetry, assisting with memory or useful as a mnemonic aid, intensifying Elturgy, or augmenting magical power, giving a comprehension of other languages, or yielding clairvoyance, granting a resistance to toxins, purifying food and water by touch, etc, etc. And as with weapon combat advantages no two weapons or items possess exactly the same non-combat capabilities. As a result of this every magical item and weapon is Unique. Unique not only as to its own nature but unique in how this nature interacts with any particular user or owner at any given time.
Transformational Nature - Because of the fact that every item and weapon is unique such objects may transform over time. For instance just as a weapon may become more powerful over time as the wielder becomes more skillful in its use and more familiar with its nature, so the object may change and alter in power and scope of power. A Transforming Weapon, for instance, may change or transform by becoming more powerful, or unique (thereby changing it’s Wyrd), or may transform so that it becomes attached to a particular individual and thus can only be wielded by that individual (more thoroughly ascribed by Destiny). And as time progresses and the nature of the wielder changes (e.g. if he takes upon himself a new Profession, or if he becomes a Sharper or a Vadder) then the weapon or item may itself change to reflect the altered nature of the owner. This property of the weapon or item is called its Transformational Nature. Most Elturgical items of a mid to higher level possess this capability, as do some relics.
Radiance, or Seepage – An item or weapon may begin to radiate or seep Elturgical power that can then be employed by both the owner and sometimes by allies. Such radiance allows a “flow” into the surrounding environment that can then be tapped by user or allies for different effects, such as to amplify or augment or extend spells, charms, or enchantments. It can also be used to augment or enhance other powers, or to concentrate Elturgical force in both strategic and tactical ways. Usually this occurs as result of great power being expended suddenly, (radiance) or as a result of long and strenuous effort or due to exposure to tremendously powerful fields of Elturgical energies (seepage).
Resonance – An item or weapon may under certain conditions resonate in the presence of Elturgy and in the presence of other effects. For instance resonance is similar to radiance and seepage and may be triggered by the same types of circumstances, such as sudden, violent, and strenuous effort, or due to exposure to a very powerful Elturgical field of force. However resonance is the opposite of radiance in the fact that the item or weapon does not seep or radiate Elturgical energy, rather it begins to either entrain to the forces around it, or the item or weapon begins to absorb Elturgical energies into itself, which then augments the capabilities of the item or weapon. This “resonance” can then be used by the wielder or the item to augment already existing capabilities, or sometimes it can produce entirely unique, one-time effects (see below, Unique Effects). Resonance can also be created by the wielder. For instance if the wielder takes some particularly heroic, or ingenious action, then this will sometimes create a “resonance” within the item or weapon which will greatly amplify the Elturgical force already inherent within the object. In higher-level items and weapons extreme acts of heroism, bravery, genius, self-sacrifice, etc on the part of the character will often create a sense of sympathetic harmony with an item so that it creates a sudden and intense release of energy, capability, or Unique Effect.
Unique Effect(s) – Some items or weapons, especially higher level ones, will sometimes display entirely unique or one-time effects. Sometimes these are user-desired effects, and sometimes they display spontaneously from the weapon or item itself. Unique effects are tremendously powerful actions or reactions that result from extremis and acute danger and are usually preceded either by Elturgical Radiance or Resonance, though this is not always the case. Unique effects usually only occur in situations where the life of the wielder or owner is directly, violently, and mortally endangered. In such cases sometimes the wielder can “call upon” all of the stored Elturgical reserves of a weapon or item in order to create a situation or circumstance that defeats death or staves off defeat. In such cases however the weapon or item usually becomes “exhausted” and either shatters or loses all Elturgical power and becomes magically inert. Lesser Unique Effects sometimes occur seemingly as a result of the actions of the weapon or item itself. In such cases the item or weapon usually survives the Unique Effect, though sometimes in a form of diminished capability or capacity. Unique Effects such as these are usually manifested through the appearance of some capability that the item has never demonstrated before (or which may even be antithetical to its nature) and will never demonstrate again.
Enhancements: Dipped in Blood, Hammered in Quicksilver – Certain items and weapons are made more potent through unique methods of creation, recreation, or enhancement. For instance an item might be dipped in the blood of a unique creature that thereby renders it some of the unique properties formerly possessed by that creature. Or the eye of a monster may be interwoven into an item so that it allows the user to see in the dark or see magic, or evil. Or an item might be created or forged using rare and precious and arcane materials that also render to the object unique properties. In any case no two items will possess exactly the same enhancements as a result of unique exposure or creation. For instance one sword, forged using Elturgical Quicksilver may be extremely dexterous and nimble, another sword forged in the same way and using the same Quicksilver may produce an “intemperate weapon,” or one that glows hot when used, and becomes cold and icy when sheathed. The properties exhibited by enhancement, as with all of the other properties of Elturgical items and weapons are limited only by the imagination. In addition some items and weapons may be continually enhanced throughout their life cycle. However the more powerful an item or weapon becomes, and the more often it is enhanced, the more difficult it becomes to add new enhancements. To do so requires greater cost, energy, and Elturgical force. And some enhancements will cancel each other out.
These are some of the capabilities and properties possessed by items, weapons, and other devices set in Terra Ghantik. Some of these properties and capabilities were created as a result of the needs of the setting itself, and some for my game (which I am still writing) called Transformations, and which takes into account the background milieu of Terra Ghantik. In any case I did not wish to create the standard and easily anticipated items and weapons of a typical D&D game. I wanted unique creations more similar to myth than an “industrial mode of magical mass-production” of items. There are no +1 swords and no wands of fireball. Instead each thing is a force unto itself, and this is how I see magic. As a unique force prone towards expressing itself in unique and individualistic ways.
Because of these properties and capabilities players and characters often spend much time, energy, and sometimes research and capital (in-game) discovering things about the items they gain possession of. And because such items tend to become more and more “resonant” over time (towards the owner or user) and because such Elturgical items tend to become Transformative over time players rarely abandon magical items. Such items usually become life-long or career long possessions and are often handed down by characters to their progeny or to their closest and dearest friends.
Artifacts, extremely powerful Devices, and Major Relics I handle in a somewhat different fashion that I’ll describe and detail in later posts.
This post was inspired by this thread. I had planned to talk about magical items in a later post but I found the thread I referenced interesting and so I thought I’d go ahead and describe how magical items work in Terra Ghantik.
I should note that some of these ideas I borrowed from already existing games, some are of my own invention, and many are personal modifications of ideas derived from famous myths, legends, and fantasy material (non-gaming material). In other words I took ideas and incidents from famous myths, legends, fairy tales, and stories and converted those ideas into a form suitable for my setting and game.
First of all, in our world (Terra- or Earth) there are no magical items because Arcane magic, known as Elturgy, does not exist upon our world. Rather a form of supernatural magic does, referred to as Sorcery, and Divine “magic” does as well, referred to as Thaumaturgy, but thaumaturgy, taken from the Greek term, really refers to Miracles, and not the typical form of arcane-related magic normally found in fantasy game settings. And Miracles work in a very different way from magic, which I’ll describe in detail in a later posting, though I have already alluded to it in previous posts in this thread.
Relics and items of minor sorcery work in ways quite similar to those described below as regards Elturgy. But the sources of sorcerous and relical powers are very different from those of Ghantikan Elturgy, and even from one another.
To briefly summarize Sorcery, or Ilurgy, as it is described in Ghantik, is created when Sorcerers and Warlocks and Witches (not to be confused with witches who are old women sometimes known as “wise women”) make pacts or agreements between themselves and nefarious and evil supernatural agents or beings, such as demons and devils. The supernatural beings grant Sorcerers and Warlocks and Witches, on our world, limited use of their own capabilities (the capabilities of the demonic force or being) for awhile, to achieve certain ends, or in exchange for extended periods of service. So items of Sorcerous power are ensorcelled by the demon, devil, supernatural agent, or Sorcerer or Warlock or Witch that creates said items. Items created by sorcery or by pacts with demons usually transfer some type of curse, great or subtle, to the owner or user, and such items usually exact a cost for use or ownership.
Relics on the other hand are the remains of famous persons, usually a Saint or a Martyr. The power or powers of said relics originate and draw from the spiritual power passed on through the item by the original possessor. There is no pact or agreement between the Saint or Martyr and a particular item or individual, but rather the spiritual and/or psychological force of the original owner embues or imprints or becomes transferred to the item (usually one the owner had possessed for a long period of time, or during an important and numinously potent or miraculous event) in a more or less permanent manner. In addition to whatever thaumaturgical power the relic possesses it also usually passes a benefit or blessing to the owner or user, and sometimes these blessings become long lasting or even permanent, depending upon the power of the relic itself.
Relics of great power (usually the bones of famous Saints and Martyrs) are handled differently and usually possess powers that are not only different in kind from lesser relics, but also far greater in degree of power and potential than that of lesser relics. I will detail these types of Relics in a later post, when I also discuss powerful Elturgical Artifacts and Devices. Relics are not indigenous to Ghantik.
As for magical items in Ghantik, (items that have been transformed in nature due to intentional and direct exposure to Elturgy, or through powerful but indirect contact with Elturgy) I shall now describe their nature.
Elturgy can and does alter inanimate objects and items in some ways that are vaguely similar to the effects it has upon living things on Ghantik. It can cause subtle transformations in inanimate objects, or it can radically transform such objects rendering capabilities no normal matter possesses.
In describing such objects and items I should make it clear that in the setting of Terra Ghantik combat is not an activity that is anywhere nearly as common as in many other D&D or fantasy settings. Combat is a more rare but deadly serious business, and is often lethal to one or more characters. Therefore characters do not engage in combat unless really necessary because when one does it is an extremely dangerous affair. And even if everyone survives it often leaves wounds and scars and injuries that have dramatic and life-long effects. So it is not an activity to be undertaken lightly. For that reason typical Weapon and Item features of a + 1, or +2, or +3 (or whatever the case may be) combat to hit or damage advantage are downplayed in favor of far more versatile combat, and non-combat advantages. The advantages that even weapons possess as a result of Elturgical “force” and enchantment tend to be far less of a direct numerical game-combat advantage and far more of a wider range of unusual potential capabilities. This is also true, or perhaps especially true, of items which are not weapons, and which by nature possess an even wider range of other, non-combat functions. However it is also common for even weapons of an Elturgical nature to possess non-combat advantages.
First of all I should state that many items perform Elturgically according to the skill and capabilities of the possessor or owner. An Elturgical weapon or item may yield no seeming advantage at all to the inexperienced owner. In game terms this means no +1 (or whatever the number may be) to hit or damage bonus. However as a user gains skill (sometimes level advancement, sometimes simple familiarity with the weapon or item) and experience an item may show definite and previously undisplayed advantages. Both combat and non-combat advantages. In this sense many weapons and items, especially more potent items and weapons act as if “Items of Legacy,” similar to the Weapons of Legacy book. The powers inherent in the item, and the capabilities they can transfer to the owner increase over time. However unlike Items of Legacy such Elturgical items do not follow a prescribed or a necessarily proscribed path of “empowerment” which unfolds level by level, but rather the powers and capabilities each item possesses and can transfer tend to be unique, and can transform over time. (Relics can sometimes, though more rarely, do likewise, according to the nature of the owner.) Which I’ll discuss the implications of in a moment.
So as the skill and capabilities of the user increase, along with his or her familiarity with the item, the item becomes more and more “Resonant” in regards to that owner. The items begin to resonate with the nature of the possessor. This can have several different effects simultaneously, or many different progressive effects. These effects are usually dependent upon the nature and intensity of the Elturgy that created or transformed the item. Lesser or less powerful items have fewer resonant capabilities than higher-level items.
For instance in the case of Elturgical weapons the general course of development followed in Terra Ghantik for such items is as follows:
Low Level Weapon – renders one combat advantage, and two non-combat advantages.
Mid Level Weapon – renders two combat advantages, one of which may, or may not, be a bonus to hit or damage as skill increases, and yields two or three non-combat advantages
High Level Weapon – renders three combat advantages, one of which will be accuracy and/or damage related, and three or four non-combat advantages.
A combat advantage may be a bonus to hit or damage as is normal with standard D&D, or it may greatly increase the odds or effectiveness of a Critical Hit, or the weapon may “lead towards vulnerabilities” - always striking the most vulnerable area on an opponent, or it may be especially potent against a particular enemy, or it may greatly frighten, horrify, sicken, or even enchant an enemy or opponent. Other combat advantages may be to increase the inherent combat skills of the user, to assist in the ability to parry, or perform more complicated combat strikes or maneuvers, to increase the strength or dexterity or constitution of the user, to yield temporary resilience to the user, to assist with “saving throws,” to encourage and embolden allies, and so forth and so on. No two weapons tend to have the same exact properties. For instance the Holy Avenger Durandal and the Holy Avenger Excalibur do not possess the same capabilities merely because they are both Holy Avengers. Many factors, including the nature of the wielder, go into the formulation of what capabilities an item or weapon may possess, and what capacities it or the owner may manifest as a result of these factors.
Non-combat advantages may include, but are not limited to, such things as rendering skill advantages to the user (multiplying skills that the user already possesses or sometimes rendering skills the user has never previously possessed), creating illusions, finding water or increasing survival capabilities, knowing direction, scrying, amplifying intuition, repelling evil or Korruhn (monsters), increasing Charisma or Charm, enchanting others, creating music or poetry, assisting with memory or useful as a mnemonic aid, intensifying Elturgy, or augmenting magical power, giving a comprehension of other languages, or yielding clairvoyance, granting a resistance to toxins, purifying food and water by touch, etc, etc. And as with weapon combat advantages no two weapons or items possess exactly the same non-combat capabilities. As a result of this every magical item and weapon is Unique. Unique not only as to its own nature but unique in how this nature interacts with any particular user or owner at any given time.
Transformational Nature - Because of the fact that every item and weapon is unique such objects may transform over time. For instance just as a weapon may become more powerful over time as the wielder becomes more skillful in its use and more familiar with its nature, so the object may change and alter in power and scope of power. A Transforming Weapon, for instance, may change or transform by becoming more powerful, or unique (thereby changing it’s Wyrd), or may transform so that it becomes attached to a particular individual and thus can only be wielded by that individual (more thoroughly ascribed by Destiny). And as time progresses and the nature of the wielder changes (e.g. if he takes upon himself a new Profession, or if he becomes a Sharper or a Vadder) then the weapon or item may itself change to reflect the altered nature of the owner. This property of the weapon or item is called its Transformational Nature. Most Elturgical items of a mid to higher level possess this capability, as do some relics.
Radiance, or Seepage – An item or weapon may begin to radiate or seep Elturgical power that can then be employed by both the owner and sometimes by allies. Such radiance allows a “flow” into the surrounding environment that can then be tapped by user or allies for different effects, such as to amplify or augment or extend spells, charms, or enchantments. It can also be used to augment or enhance other powers, or to concentrate Elturgical force in both strategic and tactical ways. Usually this occurs as result of great power being expended suddenly, (radiance) or as a result of long and strenuous effort or due to exposure to tremendously powerful fields of Elturgical energies (seepage).
Resonance – An item or weapon may under certain conditions resonate in the presence of Elturgy and in the presence of other effects. For instance resonance is similar to radiance and seepage and may be triggered by the same types of circumstances, such as sudden, violent, and strenuous effort, or due to exposure to a very powerful Elturgical field of force. However resonance is the opposite of radiance in the fact that the item or weapon does not seep or radiate Elturgical energy, rather it begins to either entrain to the forces around it, or the item or weapon begins to absorb Elturgical energies into itself, which then augments the capabilities of the item or weapon. This “resonance” can then be used by the wielder or the item to augment already existing capabilities, or sometimes it can produce entirely unique, one-time effects (see below, Unique Effects). Resonance can also be created by the wielder. For instance if the wielder takes some particularly heroic, or ingenious action, then this will sometimes create a “resonance” within the item or weapon which will greatly amplify the Elturgical force already inherent within the object. In higher-level items and weapons extreme acts of heroism, bravery, genius, self-sacrifice, etc on the part of the character will often create a sense of sympathetic harmony with an item so that it creates a sudden and intense release of energy, capability, or Unique Effect.
Unique Effect(s) – Some items or weapons, especially higher level ones, will sometimes display entirely unique or one-time effects. Sometimes these are user-desired effects, and sometimes they display spontaneously from the weapon or item itself. Unique effects are tremendously powerful actions or reactions that result from extremis and acute danger and are usually preceded either by Elturgical Radiance or Resonance, though this is not always the case. Unique effects usually only occur in situations where the life of the wielder or owner is directly, violently, and mortally endangered. In such cases sometimes the wielder can “call upon” all of the stored Elturgical reserves of a weapon or item in order to create a situation or circumstance that defeats death or staves off defeat. In such cases however the weapon or item usually becomes “exhausted” and either shatters or loses all Elturgical power and becomes magically inert. Lesser Unique Effects sometimes occur seemingly as a result of the actions of the weapon or item itself. In such cases the item or weapon usually survives the Unique Effect, though sometimes in a form of diminished capability or capacity. Unique Effects such as these are usually manifested through the appearance of some capability that the item has never demonstrated before (or which may even be antithetical to its nature) and will never demonstrate again.
Enhancements: Dipped in Blood, Hammered in Quicksilver – Certain items and weapons are made more potent through unique methods of creation, recreation, or enhancement. For instance an item might be dipped in the blood of a unique creature that thereby renders it some of the unique properties formerly possessed by that creature. Or the eye of a monster may be interwoven into an item so that it allows the user to see in the dark or see magic, or evil. Or an item might be created or forged using rare and precious and arcane materials that also render to the object unique properties. In any case no two items will possess exactly the same enhancements as a result of unique exposure or creation. For instance one sword, forged using Elturgical Quicksilver may be extremely dexterous and nimble, another sword forged in the same way and using the same Quicksilver may produce an “intemperate weapon,” or one that glows hot when used, and becomes cold and icy when sheathed. The properties exhibited by enhancement, as with all of the other properties of Elturgical items and weapons are limited only by the imagination. In addition some items and weapons may be continually enhanced throughout their life cycle. However the more powerful an item or weapon becomes, and the more often it is enhanced, the more difficult it becomes to add new enhancements. To do so requires greater cost, energy, and Elturgical force. And some enhancements will cancel each other out.
These are some of the capabilities and properties possessed by items, weapons, and other devices set in Terra Ghantik. Some of these properties and capabilities were created as a result of the needs of the setting itself, and some for my game (which I am still writing) called Transformations, and which takes into account the background milieu of Terra Ghantik. In any case I did not wish to create the standard and easily anticipated items and weapons of a typical D&D game. I wanted unique creations more similar to myth than an “industrial mode of magical mass-production” of items. There are no +1 swords and no wands of fireball. Instead each thing is a force unto itself, and this is how I see magic. As a unique force prone towards expressing itself in unique and individualistic ways.
Because of these properties and capabilities players and characters often spend much time, energy, and sometimes research and capital (in-game) discovering things about the items they gain possession of. And because such items tend to become more and more “resonant” over time (towards the owner or user) and because such Elturgical items tend to become Transformative over time players rarely abandon magical items. Such items usually become life-long or career long possessions and are often handed down by characters to their progeny or to their closest and dearest friends.
Artifacts, extremely powerful Devices, and Major Relics I handle in a somewhat different fashion that I’ll describe and detail in later posts.
