Help me design a dragonmark artifact - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Help me design a dragonmark artifact

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Sarlax
Mar 02, 2010 17:38:41 I ran an improved adventure some time ago and one of the elements I came up with was a mysterious refined artifact which enhanced dragonmark powers but with unknown consequences. The players recovered it from a Jorasco halfling, Sayna Besula, who had lost his mind and was cooperating with a Tarkanan cell in the Cogs of Sharn.

Besula was experimenting with the physical transplantation of dragonmarks to new bearers. He wasn't successful, but the artifact had enhanced his powers enough that he could graft limbs and flesh to new creatures. He was also able to able to rapidly heal all of his allies with a thought. Of course, Besula was also insane.

One player bearing the Mark of Storm took the item to study. I told him the artifact seemed to have some power to enhance dragonmarks, but the mechanism wasn't clear. It would take 38 days for it to attune and become active (buying me some time). Some weeks later, he got some hints that the artifact empowered dragonmarks by drawing energy from other planes - in Besula's case, it was probably Irian.

So what ideas are out there for the specific mechanisms of the artifact? It should enhance dragonmark abilities but impose some strong consequences; it's not clear to the PCs whether Besula was mad because of the artifact, because of the war, or for some other reason.

All ideas are welcome! Thanks.
#2
RedRider
Mar 02, 2010 19:07:25 One thing you could do is have the artifact enhance a mark's power but reflect back at the player in the form of deep misfortune.

For example, each time they use their enhanced mark, you put a point into a "Prophecy backlash" pool, which you can spend to knock down the PC's Die roll at dramatically important junctures.

When it first happens, the PC knows what they tried should have worked, and as things go south increasingly often, you could feed them the mechanics gradually. Perhaps culminating in an unpleasant reveal at the end. (All who have carried the artifact for more than thirteen years end up being literally exoriated.)
#3
aeryk08
Mar 03, 2010 17:40:35 Some ideas on the effects on a dragonmark
- An aberrant dragonmark starts growing out of the original (competing and combining in the process)
- OR the original dragonmark slowly disappears (actually morphing into an aberrant dragonmark?)

If each dragonmark ties to a separate plane
Working with the Mark of Storm, sounds like Kythri would be the closest match and with churning chaos just about anything is possible. (Or Kythri could be the only plane its tied to making the use erratic for all.)

You could build up over time, doing things like maximize spell. Maybe this gives them access to a spell list like a cleric domain (Weather, Air, etc.).

For a negative effects:
- the corresponding spell of the Madness domain affects the user (confusion, touch of madness, etc.), as well as the "granted power"
- they develop a weakness to certain types of energy
- unable to turn off certain powers (stuck in gaseous form, constant air walk can't touch the ground making them easier to knock down)
- release or attract elementals (trouble near air ships, elemental galleons, lightning rail, etc.)
- all the above, randomly selected

If the artifact is tied to Irian
Using it suffuses the user with too much positive energy. What would the effects be?
- glowing, possibly dazzled
- a magnet for negative energy/undead
- growing extra limbs, growing larger (eventually the size of a giant)
- maybe a backlash in the other direction as the body seeks balance (negative energy)

Another possibility is the Kalastar Path of Light is based on getting in touch with positive energy
- could give access to psionic abilities and power points
- could be a quori slowly making its way in disguising with positive energy
#4
Gilo
Mar 03, 2010 22:41:13 In case you go with Kythri as the power-source plane for powering the Mark of Storm enhancement: the down-side of over-using the artifact can be an infection of the Choas Phage disease (the Slaad implanted disease).

The disease progress can be linked to the amount of use (improve/worsen along the disease track). The advance stage of the disease leads to madness (while blooded) and later death.
#5
naturax
Mar 05, 2010 11:24:15
I ran an improved adventure some time ago and one of the elements I came up with was a mysterious refined artifact which enhanced dragonmark powers but with unknown consequences. The players recovered it from a Jorasco halfling, Sayna Besula, who had lost his mind and was cooperating with a Tarkanan cell in the Cogs of Sharn.

Besula was experimenting with the physical transplantation of dragonmarks to new bearers. He wasn't successful, but the artifact had enhanced his powers enough that he could graft limbs and flesh to new creatures. He was also able to able to rapidly heal all of his allies with a thought. Of course, Besula was also insane.

One player bearing the Mark of Storm took the item to study. I told him the artifact seemed to have some power to enhance dragonmarks, but the mechanism wasn't clear. It would take 38 days for it to attune and become active (buying me some time). Some weeks later, he got some hints that the artifact empowered dragonmarks by drawing energy from other planes - in Besula's case, it was probably Irian.

So what ideas are out there for the specific mechanisms of the artifact? It should enhance dragonmark abilities but impose some strong consequences; it's not clear to the PCs whether Besula was mad because of the artifact, because of the war, or for some other reason.

All ideas are welcome! Thanks.

Awesome idea! Consider it stolen.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Sarlax Mar 02, 2010 17:38:41	I ran an improved adventure some time ago and one of the elements I came up with was a mysterious refined artifact which enhanced dragonmark powers but with unknown consequences. The players recovered it from a Jorasco halfling, Sayna Besula, who had lost his mind and was cooperating with a Tarkanan cell in the Cogs of Sharn. Besula was experimenting with the physical transplantation of dragonmarks to new bearers. He wasn't successful, but the artifact had enhanced his powers enough that he could graft limbs and flesh to new creatures. He was also able to able to rapidly heal all of his allies with a thought. Of course, Besula was also insane. One player bearing the Mark of Storm took the item to study. I told him the artifact seemed to have some power to enhance dragonmarks, but the mechanism wasn't clear. It would take 38 days for it to attune and become active (buying me some time). Some weeks later, he got some hints that the artifact empowered dragonmarks by drawing energy from other planes - in Besula's case, it was probably Irian. So what ideas are out there for the specific mechanisms of the artifact? It should enhance dragonmark abilities but impose some strong consequences; it's not clear to the PCs whether Besula was mad because of the artifact, because of the war, or for some other reason. All ideas are welcome! Thanks.
#2 RedRider Mar 02, 2010 19:07:25	One thing you could do is have the artifact enhance a mark's power but reflect back at the player in the form of deep misfortune. For example, each time they use their enhanced mark, you put a point into a "Prophecy backlash" pool, which you can spend to knock down the PC's Die roll at dramatically important junctures. When it first happens, the PC knows what they tried should have worked, and as things go south increasingly often, you could feed them the mechanics gradually. Perhaps culminating in an unpleasant reveal at the end. (All who have carried the artifact for more than thirteen years end up being literally exoriated.)
#3 aeryk08 Mar 03, 2010 17:40:35	Some ideas on the effects on a dragonmark - An aberrant dragonmark starts growing out of the original (competing and combining in the process) - OR the original dragonmark slowly disappears (actually morphing into an aberrant dragonmark?) If each dragonmark ties to a separate plane Working with the Mark of Storm, sounds like Kythri would be the closest match and with churning chaos just about anything is possible. (Or Kythri could be the only plane its tied to making the use erratic for all.) You could build up over time, doing things like maximize spell. Maybe this gives them access to a spell list like a cleric domain (Weather, Air, etc.). For a negative effects: - the corresponding spell of the Madness domain affects the user (confusion, touch of madness, etc.), as well as the "granted power" - they develop a weakness to certain types of energy - unable to turn off certain powers (stuck in gaseous form, constant air walk can't touch the ground making them easier to knock down) - release or attract elementals (trouble near air ships, elemental galleons, lightning rail, etc.) - all the above, randomly selected If the artifact is tied to Irian Using it suffuses the user with too much positive energy. What would the effects be? - glowing, possibly dazzled - a magnet for negative energy/undead - growing extra limbs, growing larger (eventually the size of a giant) - maybe a backlash in the other direction as the body seeks balance (negative energy) Another possibility is the Kalastar Path of Light is based on getting in touch with positive energy - could give access to psionic abilities and power points - could be a quori slowly making its way in disguising with positive energy
#4 Gilo Mar 03, 2010 22:41:13	In case you go with Kythri as the power-source plane for powering the Mark of Storm enhancement: the down-side of over-using the artifact can be an infection of the Choas Phage disease (the Slaad implanted disease). The disease progress can be linked to the amount of use (improve/worsen along the disease track). The advance stage of the disease leads to madness (while blooded) and later death.
#5 naturax Mar 05, 2010 11:24:15	I ran an improved adventure some time ago and one of the elements I came up with was a mysterious refined artifact which enhanced dragonmark powers but with unknown consequences. The players recovered it from a Jorasco halfling, Sayna Besula, who had lost his mind and was cooperating with a Tarkanan cell in the Cogs of Sharn. Besula was experimenting with the physical transplantation of dragonmarks to new bearers. He wasn't successful, but the artifact had enhanced his powers enough that he could graft limbs and flesh to new creatures. He was also able to able to rapidly heal all of his allies with a thought. Of course, Besula was also insane. One player bearing the Mark of Storm took the item to study. I told him the artifact seemed to have some power to enhance dragonmarks, but the mechanism wasn't clear. It would take 38 days for it to attune and become active (buying me some time). Some weeks later, he got some hints that the artifact empowered dragonmarks by drawing energy from other planes - in Besula's case, it was probably Irian. So what ideas are out there for the specific mechanisms of the artifact? It should enhance dragonmark abilities but impose some strong consequences; it's not clear to the PCs whether Besula was mad because of the artifact, because of the war, or for some other reason. All ideas are welcome! Thanks. Awesome idea! Consider it stolen.