Tonight (bonus session) my party arrived at the Palace of the Silver Princess and killed Cathrandamus. Tomorrow (main session) they get to discuss what to do with the Sword of Arik and the Eye of Arik. I figured it would probably be a good idea to know exactly what they both are, as well as how the Ice Harp fits into it. So I wrote up stats for all three, mostly following the rules from Wrath of the Immortals. My campaign is nominally 5e, with a heaping helping of BECMI rules jammed into it for a more classic feel (and for my own sanity since I'm a lot more familiar with classic rules than 5e.
by RylethThe Sword of Arik
Major artifact, 730 PP
Vessel: Longsword +5, blade of solid ruby (worth 20,000 gp)
Powers: 13
Attacks: 3
35 PP: 1 level energy drain
70 PP: 2 levels energy drain
40 PP: Dispel Good
Information/Movement: 4
30 PP: Lesser communication (with Arik)
60 PP: Speak with Monsters
25 PP: Dimension Door
65 PP: Plane Shift
Transformation: 4
40 PP: Magic Door
70 PP: Remove Barrier
85 PP: Close Gate
95 PP: Gate
Defense: 2
20: Defending
95: 50% antimagic
Handicaps: 4
Recharging cost: gains 1 TP per hp of willing victims slain, or 2 TP per hp of unwilling victims.
Insanity: A mortal will lose 1 INT and 1 WIS for each day the artifact is used. These points return at a rate of 1 per day. If INT or WIS is ever reduced to 0, the user goes totally, uselessly insane with no hope of recovery.
Nightmares: All mortals who sleep within 1000 feet of the Sword will have screaming nightmares of Arik himself and will get no rest.
Magic Error: All spells cast by someone wielding the Sword have a 40% chance to fail.
Penalties: 8
Use of any power has a percent chance equal to the TP cost – 10% to activate a penalty.
1. Antimagic. Null magic zone, 10’ radius centered on the sword, everything within is negated as if struck with a Rod of Negation.
2. Energy Drain. The user loses 1d4 levels of experience
3. Fading. The user fades into the Ethereal plane, becoming a ghost unless he or she can be returned to the Prime.
4. Insanity. The user gains 1 random neurosis from the Fear rules.
5. Rot. The arm holding the sword rots and falls off within 1d4 days.
6. Alignment change. The user immediately becomes Chaotic and is contacted by an Outer Being.
7. Possession. An evil spirit magic jars into the body of the user, no saving throw.
8. Death. The user immediately dies, no saving throw.
Background
The Sword of Arik is a ruby blade designed to cut dimensional barriers. It was created and sent to the Multiverse during the Carnifex Tyranny to weaken the barriers of the Nightmare Dimension and thus free Arik and the Outer Beings. Legend says that possession of this sword was the final straw that prompted the Immortals to intervene and wage war on the Carnifex. The Sword can be used to cut into the dimensional continuum, allowing planar travel, or to sever such connections.
Eye of Arik
Lesser artifact, 350 PP
Vessel: apple size ruby worth 100,000 sp
Powers: 2
Spell Generation: allows clerics of Arik to regain their spell slots normally.
Dimensional anchor: Acts as an access point to an island-size tetraspatial plane, located outside of any dimensional continuum.
Handicaps: special
An Eye of Arik casts a stasis field with a radius of several miles, in which all non-Chaotic creatures are petrified, and all plants die and rot.
Penalties: special
An Eye of Arik life traps anyone who touches it, pulling them into the Ruby Plane and stranding them there. Portals can only be opened from outside in, so unless rescued, anyone trapped in this way is stuck.
Background
The Eyes of Arik are artifacts created by Arik and designed to be able to be sent to the Multiverse Dimension. It is connected interdimensionally to its maker, allowing him to project some power through the Eye. It achieves this in that it contains a tetraspatial island plane inside of it, which is connected both to the Multiverse through the Eye, and to the Nightmare Dimension via Arik himself. In this way it serves as a bridge to circumvent the barriers between the Nightmare Continuum and the Multiverse Continuum. However, due to its lack of a fifth dimension, Arik himself (nor any other immortals or immortal beings) cannot manifest within it, and so cannot use it to travel in fullness to the Multiverse.
One hundred of these eyes have been created and sent to the Multiverse, from before the Carnifex Tyranny until the present. They have been used to allow Arik's four-dimensional and lower servants to travel between the Nightmare and the Multiverse.
The Ice Harp
Lesser artifact. 185 PP
Vessel: a harp made of ice that never melts, with strings of liquid water suspended in air.
Powers: 9
0 PP: Thaumaturgy (can be used to cast the 5e cantrip at will without expending power or risking penalties.)
40 PP: Dispel Evil
30 PP: Charm Monster
20 PP: Light
30 PP: Summon Animals
20 PP: Lesser Haste [see note]
20 PP: Lesser Restoration
25 PP: Cure Serious Wounds (in 5e, a Cure Wounds spell cast as a 4th level slot)
50 PP: Summon Rowena
Note: IMC, Greater Haste is the BECMI version, i.e. you get two full rounds for every 1 round that non-hasted people get, and Lesser Haste is the standard 5e version: you get 1 additional action per round.
Handicaps: 2
- Attempting to play the Harp without proper training will cause 1d6 damage per 10 TP of the power attempted. Not attempting any power will still cause 1d6 damage.
- Playing the Ice Harp makes mortals unquenchably thirsty. Each round spent playing it will cause the user to need to consume a quart of water, and every 4 rounds spent playing without drinking will cause a level of exhaustion.
Penalites: 3
Use of any power has a percent chance equal to the TP cost –10% to activate a penalty.
1. Shallow Mind. Lose 1 random spell slot.
2. Forgetfulness. Lose all memories of the past day.
3. Withdrawal. The individual withdraws into a dreamy, catatonic state for 1d6 days, during which she will do nothing but sigh an babble happily. She will remember nothing, but characters listening have a 10% chance per day to hear something prophetic.
Background
The Ice Harp was made by Thendara during the Childhood of the Elves to teach them about magic and bring joy to Evergrun. Later, it was granted to Ilsundal to use as he led the migrations. It has also spent time among the Sea Elves. Most recently, it was given to Rowena, the great bard of Haven, and currently resides in the Palace of the Silver Princess, where Rowena often comes to play and sing. Fey, as well as Rowena herself, are unaffected by its handicaps and penalties.