Relics of the Arch Mage

[Powerhouse]

As many people here know, one of my primary characters (written, not played) is Lady Silver who might become her world's arch mage. I've taken from CU that the old arch mage was killed without an heir and his relics apparently destroyed. I was thinking recently about some of the possible cool relics that a new arch mage might have to rediscover.

 

From Mystic Masters:

 

The Orb of the Archmage: similar to the Orb of Agamatto in that it's a super powered crystal ball that can scry across the dimensions and world.

 

From The Mystic World:

Krypticon: a book of great magical lore with very powerful spells.

Star of Urzien: similar to the Eye of Agamatto, it's a brooch that can dispell magic, communicate mentally, enhance senses, and agument some spells.

 

I haven't started any stating yet but I'm considering creating the Sigil of Luathon, a gold symbol of concentric circles in the arch mage's palm. First given to the original arch mage Thanoro Azoic from the powerful other dimensional Luathon. Normally it is hidden and can not be felt by touch. When called forth though, it bursts forth with a golden light. Not only a powerful bequeath, it is the very symbol of the Arch Mage's authority. Among other things, it can (at the current writing) perform the following:

1. Enhance any of the Lights of Luathon

2. A NND RKA against undead

3. A NND AE RKA against undead

4. Dispell Illusions

5. Dispell Possession

6. Dispell Invisibility

7. Banish otherworld invaders (though it's not going to work on the big baddies like Tyrannon, that's no fun.)

8. Enhanced Presence Attacks (although given that one of the lights of Luathon does that as well, might be redundant...)

 

Naturally, there are limits. For one, ONLY the Arch Mage can wield this Sigil. Also, the Arch Mage must be pure of heart and devoted to humanity (although the posistion for Arch Mage doesn't seem to force its occupant to be good, since the Demonologist seeks the office, mystic scholars find it unlikely that he could wield the Sigil. Desperate times though...). The more powerful NND RKA's drain the arch mage quite a bit and can only be summoned a few times a day.

 

Mantle of the Master (not to be confused with the spell, Mantle of Mastery): a fine cloak with the following abilities:

1. Flight with the ability to survive at many altitudes

2. Lets the wearer survive any earthly extreme and breath in most noxious environments.

3. Resistant Defenses... on your back. Centuries ago, an Arch Mage was stabbed in the back by a treacherous pupil who had sworn alliance with a demon. Since then, a lethal attack to the wearer's back is met by a stiffening cloak and a faint but defiant cry of "Never Again!" Whether the cloak has other sentient qualities, no one knows...

 

Sceptre of Submission: perhaps the Arch Mage's most powerful artifact: it creates a zone where no magic can exist, including spell casting. To activate it, an Arch Mage must meditate for one weak and feed his own magic into the sceptre. It is an act both symbolic and needed: the Arch Mage must give up most of his magic to work the sceptre so that even outside of the zone, he is only as powerful as a normal mage but lacks the aswesome might of his office. It also shows trust that no one will break the truce, ie attack the Arch Mage when he is weakened. This is used to facilitate conferences of mages from diametrically opposed factions. To break the truce is to (in theory) be set upon all other mages. Of course, dimensional invaders can break the truce if they know of it. Thus, it is also forbidden to tell of the Sceptre's use to other worldly beings.

 

Just a few ideas. Comments? And of course, other stuff would be great too!

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: Relics of the Arch Mage

 

One of the ideas with our game is that each artifact molded itself both to the archmage and to what his "great task" would be, so if a rather combat oriented spelluser ended up the archmage, one might become a sword or staff of some type, with powers that fit such a form.

 

This can lead to great storytelling -

"You mean the new archmage is a kid, and the relics turned to armor, a sword and a shield"

"yep"

"Ohhh I don't want to think about what is on it's way then",

 

We have three that morph

A weapon - rod, staff, sword whathaveyou.

Garment - cloak, robe, armor

Utility - The Star of Urizen is this one in this incarnation.

 

We also have a special spell that only the archmage can cast; as the archmage's primary job is to protect this dimension from other dimensional invaders the spell is as followes (point level varies).

1 pip killing attack, NND, Does Body, Uncontrolled, Continous, 0 end, persistant. d="from Earth's dimension"; so this wouldn't work on Takofones (as he is a native).

Yeah the NND isn't quite legal, but the GM and player came up with it, and it works perfect flavor with the idea of the mage as the dimensional protector. He slaps the bad guy, who then only has about a minute (at best) left in this dimension.

[Black Rose]

Re: Relics of the Arch Mage

 

One of the ideas with our game is that each artifact molded itself both to the archmage and to what his "great task" would be, so if a rather combat oriented spelluser ended up the archmage, one might become a sword or staff of some type, with powers that fit such a form.

 

This can lead to great storytelling -

"You mean the new archmage is a kid, and the relics turned to armor, a sword and a shield"

"yep"

"Ohhh I don't want to think about what is on it's way then",

 

We have three that morph

A weapon - rod, staff, sword whathaveyou.

Garment - cloak, robe, armor

Utility - The Star of Urizen is this one in this incarnation.

 

We also have a special spell that only the archmage can cast; as the archmage's primary job is to protect this dimension from other dimensional invaders the spell is as followes (point level varies).

1 pip killing attack, NND, Does Body, Uncontrolled, Continous, 0 end, persistant. d="from Earth's dimension"; so this wouldn't work on Takofones (as he is a native).

Yeah the NND isn't quite legal, but the GM and player came up with it, and it works perfect flavor with the idea of the mage as the dimensional protector. He slaps the bad guy, who then only has about a minute (at best) left in this dimension.

I like the idea of the morphing Symbols of Office. Gives the community something to gossip and ponder, especially if the items change from time to time regardless of whether there's a new office holder or not.

[Powerhouse]

Re: Relics of the Arch Mage

 

We also have a special spell that only the archmage can cast; as the archmage's primary job is to protect this dimension from other dimensional invaders the spell is as followes (point level varies).

1 pip killing attack, NND, Does Body, Uncontrolled, Continous, 0 end, persistant. d="from Earth's dimension"; so this wouldn't work on Takofones (as he is a native).

Yeah the NND isn't quite legal, but the GM and player came up with it, and it works perfect flavor with the idea of the mage as the dimensional protector. He slaps the bad guy, who then only has about a minute (at best) left in this dimension.

 

Interesting... just curious: did you base it at all on the Quaternion Banishment? It's a spell that only the Archmage or pupil can cast. Basically it's a curse that makes the other dimensional being take NND damage per Phase until they leave Earth's Dimension. Interestingly, it's STUN only which I'm not crazy about: I envision it as the enemy actually catching on celestial fire that slowly eats away at them until they bug out... I think I like your take better although I might toss a limit or two on it since it's so powerful. Still, overall VERY cool.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Relics of the Arch Mage

 

Wards of the Sanctum: Four talismans that, when placed at the foundation of a building at the four cardinal compass points, erect a magical ward around that building. No mystical being can pass through the ward without the Archmage's permission (unless the being is powerful enough to shatter it), and the ward blocks any type of magical scrying into the building.

 

I'm thinking a powerful Force Wall large enough to englobe a moderate-sized residence, Opaque to a custom "Mystic Sense Group," Fully Invisible so that it's not obvious to the Archmage's enemies, with Personal Immunity so that the Archmage isn't impeded by it. I'd probably make the talismans Inobvious Accessible Foci, Immobile, and add a custom Limitation, "Only blocks supernatural beings/forces."

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: Relics of the Arch Mage

 

 

Interesting... just curious: did you base it at all on the Quaternion Banishment? I think I like your take better although I might toss a limit or two on it since it's so powerful. Still, overall VERY cool.

 

Nope. Came up with it independantly. I don't even remember which book the QB is in.