Evil artifact in Athas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Terrainosaur Sep 17, 2010 14:44:48	What's an evil magic item or artifact that's appropriate to Athas? I need something for a villain to find that normal people wouldn't want him to have. "The wasteland raider chieftain has a [evil artifact]! You've got to stop him or he'll [do terrible things]." In other settings I could insert Vecna's hand or eye, for example. Although the One Ring is a stereotype now, something like that. I don't mean something useful like a decanter of endless water. Something evil.
#2 Terrainosaur Sep 17, 2010 14:47:45	Maybe the head of a sorcerer-king? (Sacha or Wyan?)
#3 FlashbackJon Sep 17, 2010 15:20:07	If you mean a canon, epic type evil artifact, there's the Dark Lens. Marauders of the Dune Sea has an evil artifact as the primary MacGuffin: the first section of the Crown of Dust (and the other two pieces are left up to the DM presently).
#4 the_ubbergeek Sep 17, 2010 17:33:16	I had the AD&D2nd book on artefacts, and there was a somes from outside of FR, GH and all - at least one from Dark Sun; the Rod of Teeth was the name, I think. The rod itself was strong, and there was usable power in the teeth (which, used up, felt). It was dark I think, maybe linked to Defiling, but not sure if Evil per see. Maybe the 'gear' of Evil stuff, refluffed? The crown, orb and ...?
#5 naxel Sep 17, 2010 17:53:48	Yeah the only Dark Sun specific one I can think of is 2E's Dark Lens. You could always take an artifact and reflavor it to fit into Dark Sun. The recently DDI-released Dreamheart is particularly nifty. 3.5E's Expanded Psionics Handbook (very inspirational read even for 4E, especially for Dark Sun - which influenced it heavily anyway) has some cool artifacts and would fit into Dark Sun's heavy-psionics theme. The Annulus is a stone donut-shaped object that can basically kill any psionic creature in given distance. If you wanna make your own, anything that strengthens defiling magic and radiates that influence is going to be seen as evil. Something relating to demons, primordials, or psionics is always a good route to go here, too
#6 king_cromag Sep 17, 2010 18:05:33	I like the Helmet that the Lader of the Black Sand Raiders. They appear in at least one possibly two 2E modules. Their leader is similar to Lord Humongous in the Road Warrior. The Black Sand area is linked to an ancient evil church - your choice on a real god or Athasian false god.
#7 Duke5150 Sep 17, 2010 20:41:37	Here's something from one of my adventures that might offer an idea. Show The BBEG is attempting to create a powerful artifact [primal totem of power] in order to gain control over a number of tribes by removing the leadership. The players learn of his plans through a plot hook [disguised pyreen seeking the aid of the heroes] after the BBEG has already constructed the totem.[from the skin, bones and organs of four slain pyreen] The BBEG is now searching for the final component in the dark ritual needed to activate the artifact [totem] and gain the power needed to accomplish his goal. The BBEG is a reoccuring villain that has two versions. One is pre-empowerment which is how the players enounter him at first. The other is the empowered version after the artifact is completed. (if the artifact is completed) The disguised pyreen might end up becoming an ally or an enemy to the pcs depending on what they do. They can aid the pyreen, kill the BBEG and destroy the totem, or they can aid the pyreen, kill the BBEG and then use the totem to slay the pyreen and attempt to use the artifact to gain control of the specific tribes.(or whatever else they can think of) Or they can betray the pyreen and try and join forces with the BBEG. The primal totem of power has an aura effect, a close burst power, an area burst power, an immediate interrupt power and is a controllable hazard. It also provides an empowered version of the BBEG.
#8 mouthymerc Sep 18, 2010 7:03:21	I had the AD&D2nd book on artefacts, and there was a somes from outside of FR, GH and all - at least one from Dark Sun; the Rod of Teeth was the name, I think. The rod itself was strong, and there was usable power in the teeth (which, used up, felt). It was dark I think, maybe linked to Defiling, but not sure if Evil per see. Four actually. The Obsidian man of Urik The Silencer of Bodach The Rod of Teeth The Psychmetron of Nerad Never got that book myself, though. 2E Psionic Artifacts of Athas. The Belt of Kings The Dark Lens Heart of the Drake The Heartwood Spear Ktandeo's Cane The Last Tree Orbs of Kalid-Ma The Planar Gate The Psionatrix The Scorcher The Scourge of Rkard
#9 charybdis Sep 19, 2010 18:17:49	I knew there were more The OP artifact sounds like more of a Primal device though, which doesn't apply to the old 2e artifacts (no Primal source at the time). Personally, I'd just scour through some of the existing 4e artifacts, and find the appropriate level powers (Interrupt, Burst, Hazard @ Heroic/Paragon/Epic whatever), and reflavour the description/damage types to something more Primally thematic: Eg, instead of a Column of flame for AoE fire damage, it could be a necrotic attack described as: A swarm of rot flies descends to feast on the flesh of the artifact-wielder's enemies - (Nothing says Evil artifact better than Necrotic damage ;) )
#10 corpseking Sep 19, 2010 23:08:14	I have always thought that the worst thing you could possibly have is a magic item that possessed a person to do evil things.
#11 charybdis Sep 19, 2010 23:29:54	I have always thought that the worst thing you could possibly have is a magic item that possessed a person to do evil things. Close, the worst thing is when an evil artifact convinces a good person to do evil things of their own free will....normally under the guise of 'the Greater Good'.... You know, start small. Just trip a hobo....then it's let someone else take tyhe fall for you, and later it's drinking the blood of Pyreen .. Hmm, that may have escalated a bit quickly, but you get the point
#12 vellitrax Oct 11, 2010 10:28:02	When u read that the Obsidian man nearly killed Hamannu when it went on a rampage ur thinking OUCH! and gotta be a bad ass artifact to do all that, Silencer of Bodach is also pretty nasty, so it the psionatrix from Ivory Triangle (2ed)
#13 arrik Oct 11, 2010 16:29:14	I've got an obsidian orb in my game that contains the mind of a very evil, very powerful Psion. It could be considered an artifact. It slowly warps the mind of its possessor, by plaguing them with disturbing dreams, and slowly perverting their actions. Of course, the PCs have since handed this item over to the Templars!

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Terrainosaur

Sep 17, 2010 14:44:48

What's an evil magic item or artifact that's appropriate to Athas? I need something for a villain to find that normal people wouldn't want him to have.

"The wasteland raider chieftain has a [evil artifact]! You've got to stop him or he'll [do terrible things]."

In other settings I could insert Vecna's hand or eye, for example. Although the One Ring is a stereotype now, something like that. I don't mean something useful like a decanter of endless water. Something evil.

Terrainosaur

Sep 17, 2010 14:47:45

Maybe the head of a sorcerer-king? (Sacha or Wyan?)

FlashbackJon

Sep 17, 2010 15:20:07

If you mean a canon, epic type evil artifact, there's the Dark Lens.

Marauders of the Dune Sea has an evil artifact as the primary MacGuffin: the first section of the Crown of Dust (and the other two pieces are left up to the DM presently).

the_ubbergeek

Sep 17, 2010 17:33:16

I had the AD&D2nd book on artefacts, and there was a somes from outside of FR, GH and all - at least one from Dark Sun; the Rod of Teeth was the name, I think. The rod itself was strong, and there was usable power in the teeth (which, used up, felt). It was dark I think, maybe linked to Defiling, but not sure if Evil per see.

Maybe the 'gear' of Evil stuff, refluffed? The crown, orb and ...?

naxel

Sep 17, 2010 17:53:48

Yeah the only Dark Sun specific one I can think of is 2E's Dark Lens. You could always take an artifact and reflavor it to fit into Dark Sun. The recently DDI-released Dreamheart is particularly nifty. 3.5E's Expanded Psionics Handbook (very inspirational read even for 4E, especially for Dark Sun - which influenced it heavily anyway) has some cool artifacts and would fit into Dark Sun's heavy-psionics theme. The Annulus is a stone donut-shaped object that can basically kill any psionic creature in given distance.

If you wanna make your own, anything that strengthens defiling magic and radiates that influence is going to be seen as evil. Something relating to demons, primordials, or psionics is always a good route to go here, too

king_cromag

Sep 17, 2010 18:05:33

I like the Helmet that the Lader of the Black Sand Raiders. They appear in at least one possibly two 2E modules. Their leader is similar to Lord Humongous in the Road Warrior. The Black Sand area is linked to an ancient evil church - your choice on a real god or Athasian false god.

Duke5150

Sep 17, 2010 20:41:37

Here's something from one of my adventures that might offer an idea.

Show

The BBEG is attempting to create a powerful artifact [primal totem of power] in order to gain control over a number of tribes by removing the leadership. The players learn of his plans through a plot hook [disguised pyreen seeking the aid of the heroes] after the BBEG has already constructed the totem.[from the skin, bones and organs of four slain pyreen] The BBEG is now searching for the final component in the dark ritual needed to activate the artifact [totem] and gain the power needed to accomplish his goal.

The BBEG is a reoccuring villain that has two versions. One is pre-empowerment which is how the players enounter him at first. The other is the empowered version after the artifact is completed. (if the artifact is completed) The disguised pyreen might end up becoming an ally or an enemy to the pcs depending on what they do. They can aid the pyreen, kill the BBEG and destroy the totem, or they can aid the pyreen, kill the BBEG and then use the totem to slay the pyreen and attempt to use the artifact to gain control of the specific tribes.(or whatever else they can think of) Or they can betray the pyreen and try and join forces with the BBEG.

The primal totem of power has an aura effect, a close burst power, an area burst power, an immediate interrupt power and is a controllable hazard. It also provides an empowered version of the BBEG.

mouthymerc

Sep 18, 2010 7:03:21

I had the AD&D2nd book on artefacts, and there was a somes from outside of FR, GH and all - at least one from Dark Sun; the Rod of Teeth was the name, I think. The rod itself was strong, and there was usable power in the teeth (which, used up, felt). It was dark I think, maybe linked to Defiling, but not sure if Evil per see.

Four actually.

The Obsidian man of Urik

The Silencer of Bodach

The Rod of Teeth

The Psychmetron of Nerad

Never got that book myself, though.

2E Psionic Artifacts of Athas.

The Belt of Kings

The Dark Lens

Heart of the Drake

The Heartwood Spear

Ktandeo's Cane

The Last Tree

Orbs of Kalid-Ma

The Planar Gate

The Psionatrix

The Scorcher

The Scourge of Rkard

charybdis

Sep 19, 2010 18:17:49

I knew there were more

The OP artifact sounds like more of a Primal device though, which doesn't apply to the old 2e artifacts (no Primal source at the time).

Personally, I'd just scour through some of the existing 4e artifacts, and find the appropriate level powers (Interrupt, Burst, Hazard @ Heroic/Paragon/Epic whatever), and reflavour the description/damage types to something more Primally thematic:

Eg, instead of a Column of flame for AoE fire damage, it could be a necrotic attack described as: A swarm of rot flies descends to feast on the flesh of the artifact-wielder's enemies - (Nothing says Evil artifact better than Necrotic damage ;) )

#10

corpseking

Sep 19, 2010 23:08:14

I have always thought that the worst thing you could possibly have is a magic item that possessed a person to do evil things.

#11

charybdis

Sep 19, 2010 23:29:54

I have always thought that the worst thing you could possibly have is a magic item that possessed a person to do evil things.

Close, the worst thing is when an evil artifact convinces a good person to do evil things of their own free will....normally under the guise of 'the Greater Good'....

You know, start small. Just trip a hobo....then it's let someone else take tyhe fall for you, and later it's drinking the blood of Pyreen ..

Hmm, that may have escalated a bit quickly, but you get the point

#12

vellitrax

Oct 11, 2010 10:28:02

When u read that the Obsidian man nearly killed Hamannu when it went on a rampage ur thinking OUCH! and gotta be a bad ass artifact to do all that, Silencer of Bodach is also pretty nasty, so it the psionatrix from Ivory Triangle (2ed)

#13

arrik

Oct 11, 2010 16:29:14

I've got an obsidian orb in my game that contains the mind of a very evil, very powerful Psion. It could be considered an artifact. It slowly warps the mind of its possessor, by plaguing them with disturbing dreams, and slowly perverting their actions. Of course, the PCs have since handed this item over to the Templars!