Scroll of Bone
by Sean MeaneyI was working on an Artifact for a project and thought
artifact of entropy
recharge 10pp/2 turns
Power: Memorize +1 spell level (10pp)
Handicap: Sentience (Scroll is an Immortal who takes charge whenever the scroll is used to memorize nine 1st level spells in a single day)
Penalties: Rot (each time the power is used Hands contract a rotting disease and must be cured with a remove disease or they will fall off in 10 days)
The Mad Abbott - pursuing a path of enlightenment in the idea that all things end and decay is inevitable formed his own monastery and achieved enlightenment in the sphere of Enthropy assuming the form of an artefact and becoming a Scroll of Bones - each bone stick is engraved with runes that look more like cracks and bound together with an ancient twine made from gut.
Anyway if an Artifact can be an Immortal then it must be able to advance as an immortal (immortals do so at 1pp per 10,000xp). So an immortal could advance from minor artefact (100pp limit) to lesser artefact(250pp) to greater artefact (500pp) to major artefact (750pp).
Who would chose such a path and how would they earn Experience? It doesn't seem to be a choice that doesn't seem to involve patron immortals and seems more in keeping with some Asian films where the immortal takes control of the Buddha statue and crushes the destroyers of calm. What if this was a Path to immortality open exclusively to Mystics (Monks)? What if that grand Abbott achieved enlightenment and assumed the form of an Artefact which had 10pp. As an object of enlightenment he is an artefact but as an immortal he continues to gain experience points. How though? Would he need to charge the User some operating cost based on experience points or in taking control of the User (Sentience) the Immortal can go earn experience points as grand Abbot of a long forgotten monastary?
I can think of two possibilities (though I am sure there are more):
1) The "immortal" was placed in the artifact as a punishment. Perhaps it is able to break its bonds once it accumulates enough power points to advance past major artifact.
2) The "immortal" essence of the artifact is actually a small fragment of a larger (and free) immortal. In essence it would be treated like an avatar of the immortal. I'm guessing that certain immortals might do this on purpose to keep a close eye on specific mortals who might be attracted to said artifact.