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There are three main varieties of unusual items in the world of Nocturne - Enchanted items, Consecrated items and Alchymycal items. The Alchymysts are a strange and mysterious Guild, with secret techniques that are revealed only to a selected few, and even to them only after many, many years of dedicated study and training - Alchymycal items cannot be created by PCs, they must be purchased from the markets or NPCs, or acquired through adventuring. But Enchantment and Consecration are the provinces of the Elementalist's and Lorewarden's Guilds respectively, and as such the skills necessary to create a wide variety of fantastical artifacts can be learnt by Player Characters (PCs).
The system mechanics for the Enchantment skill and the Consecration skill are identical. The only differences between the two skills lie in the fact that Enchantment is learnt by Elementalists and involves the use of magick, spells, Elements and Mana points, whereas Consecration is learnt by Lorewardens and involves the use of theurgy, miracles, Alignments and Spirit points. Enchanted items are able to store Mana points and magickal spells, to inflict Magick damage and to protect against Magick Through damage, whereas Consecrated items are able to store Spirit points and theurgical miracles, to inflict Spirit damage and to protect against Spirit Through damage.
An item which has been Enchanted may never be Consecrated, and vice versa. This includes all parts of an item - for example, a sword cannot have an Enchanted blade and a Consecrated pommel. Enchantment enchants the whole item, not just parts of it.
To save repetition, the terminology for magickal Enchantments is used throughout most of this page - to work out how to attain similar effects using theurgical Consecration, simply replace the words "Enchantment", "Mana", "spell", "magick / magickal" and "Element" in the text with the words "Consecration", "Spirit", "miracle", "theurgy / theurgical" and "Alignment".
IMPORTANT:
All Enchantments and Consecrations MUST be cleared by the FLRP Organiser before being created.
There are three different types of Enchantment and Consecration:
Mana Enchantments & Spirit Consecrations
Items in which Mana can be stored until it is needed. Some of the more powerful Mana stores regenerate their own Mana. Mana stores often take the form of gemstones, jewellery or statuettes.
Spell-based enchantments & Miracle Consecrations
Items in which spells can be stored, and released when needed by even a non-Elementalist. Many Spell-based enchantments will only function once before losing their Enchantment, others can be recharged by any Elementalist who knows the appropriate spell, and some of the most powerful ones regenerate charges themselves. A single Spell-based enchantment may store a single spell, multiple spells, or multiple copies of the same spell. One-use Spell-based enchantments often take the form of scrolls and potions, while permanent Spell-based enchantments often take the form of rings, wands, jewellery and accessories, or other items which are particularly appropriate to the spell (such as a rope for Rope Trick, a key for Magickal Lock, a sword for Dancing Blade, etc.).
Augmentation Enchantments & Consecrations
Weapons and armour which have been Enchanted to inflict more damage and to provide more protection than their mundane counterparts. They have the added bonus that Enchanted weapons are able to harm creatures which are only affected by magick, and Enchanted armour is able to provide protection against magicks from which mundane armour is no defence. Augmented items also gain some small measure of magick resistance of their own, making them less vulnerable to spells that would otherwise harm or destroy their material form.
A single item may be Enchanted with multiple types of Enchantment, (for example, an exceptionally powerful Enchanted sword may be Augmented, able to store and generate Mana and able to become a Flameblade three times a day,) but each type of Enchantment must be Enchanted into the item separately, and has its power score (see below) calculated independently.
A character's level of the Enchantment skill determines the maximum power level of Enchanted items that they can create, and how long it will take them to do so. Creation of permanent Enchanted items also requires that the creator permanently sacrifice a number of their Mana points, although temporary one-use spell and Mana Enchantments can be created with only a temporary investment of Mana.
Once you have decided what kind of Enchantment you wish to create, you should then calculate the Enchantment's power level. Details for doing this vary depending on the type of Enchantment, and are explained separately for each type. An Enchantment's power level also varies according to whether the Enchantment is one use, rechargeable or self-recharging, and can be reduced by imposing limits on who can use the item. Enchanting an item made of blackalt or Consecrating a Holy symbol of your own religion will also reduce the power level.
All Enchantments have a minimum power level of 1.
When calculating the final power level, always round up.
A character can create an Enchantment with a power level (after all relevant modifiers have been included) of up to 5 times their level in the Enchantment skill. To find out how long this takes, divide the power level of the Enchantment by the character's level in the skill, and then round up to the nearest whole number to give a time in months. For example, an Elementalist with Enchantment 3 will take three months to create a power level 9 Enchantment.
The cost of creating an Enchantment is 50 hexa per power level, which is spent on mystical ingredients, chalk, candles, oils, incense, etc.
The item to be Enchanted must also be obtained and paid for - Enchantments of power levels 1-5 require items of superior craftsmanship, Enchantments of power levels 6-16 require items of masterful craftsmanship, and Enchantments of power level 17 or higher require items of rare and uncanny make. Superior and masterful craftsmanship items may be purchased, but their cost will be high and the FLRP Organiser should be consulted for exact costs and availability - some may need to be custom made by the most skilled of Outpost's craftsmen. Items to be Enchanted with Enchantments of power level 17 or higher cannot be bought, and will often require dangerous missions to be undertaken merely to acquire them - consult the FLRP Organiser if you want to try and get hold of one.
Finally, the Mana required to Enchant the item must be sacrificed, which requires a number of Mana points equal to the power level of the Enchantment. For one-use Mana or Spell-based enchantments, these Mana points will be regained one month after the Enchantment is completed. For permanent Enchantments, however, these Mana points are lost permanently, and a record of this expenditure should be kept.
For example, a character with the Enhanced Elemental Power skill at level 12 will usually have a daily Mana pool of 48. After creating a permanent Enchantment of power level 5, their daily Mana pool is permanently reduced to 43.
Note that where the use of an Enchantment is restricted to a specified group, the specification can be anything that the player desires and the FLRP Organiser agrees is reasonable, and that can be expressed in a single sentence. For example, members of a particular race, Guild or gender, Elementalists of a particular Element, Lorewardens of a particular Alignment, followers of a specified religion, members of a specified organisation or society, people with distinguishing physical characteristics such as hair colour, eye colour, tattoos, etc., people possessing a certain other item or combination of items, people whose name is Bob, the possibilites are almost limitless.
The Enchanter will also have to include a mechanism for the item to recognise whether or not its user meets the restriction criteria. Enchanted items can automatically recognise their user's Elemental affinity or lack of one, but may not have any restrictions placed on them with regards to Alignment. Consecrated items can automatically recognise their user's Alignment or lack of one, and whether or not their user follows a particular religion or philosophy, but may not have any restrictions placed on them with regards to Elemental affinity.
Enchanted items will automatically be able to detect whether their user fits any of their criteria for race, gender, or other visible physical characteristics, and will see straight through disguises. For other restrictions, the Enchanter will need to define how they are to be identified - in most cases, the user will need to state aloud that they meet a specific criterion while holding the item, and the item will be able to tell whether or not they are lying.
Besides Enchantments that enable an item to store Mana or spells, any item may be generically Enchanted in order to give it certain immunities and benefits. Furthermore, weapons, armour and clothing may be Enchanted with greater levels of augmentation in order to inflict more damage and to provide more protection.
Enchanting any item with +0 augmentation has a base power level of 3. Enchanting a weapon, suit of armour or set of clothing with a higher augmentation level has a base power level of 16 times the augmentation level.
Enchanting an item with +0 augmentation gives it all the standard benefits of being an Enchanted or Consecrated item.
Enchanting a weapon with +0 augmentation allows it to inflict Magick damage with every hit, enabling it to affect many of the creatures which are immune to normal physical damage. Higher levels of augmentation enable a weapon to do +1 damage for each level of augmentnation. For example, a shortsword normally inflicts Single damage as standard, with +0 augmentation it will inflict Magick Single damage as standard and with +2 augmentation it will inflict Magick Triple damage as standard.
Enchanting a suit of armour with +0 augmentation enables it to defend its wearer against Magick Through damage - although Magick Through damage ignores normal physical armour, it does not ignore Enchanted armour. Higher levels of augmentation enable armour or even normal clothing to provide an additional +1 hit of protection on each location per level of augmentation. For example, ring mail armour normally provides +4 hits per location, ring mail armour with +2 augmentation will provide +6 hits per location. These additional hits cannot be recovered by use of the Armour Repair skill, but wll automatically regenerate at dawn of each day.
The creator of an augmentation Enchantment of augmentation level 1 or higher may impose limits upon who is able to use it. An augmented item will count as having only +0 augmentation when used by someone outside these limits. Limiting the augmentation Enchantment's use to a single named individual (often the creator themself) gives a modifier of ½ to the base power level, limiting its use to a single specified group of people gives a modifier of 3/4 to the base power level.
All permanently Enchanted and Consecrated items receive a number of benefits that make them considerably more durable, resilient and proof against hostile magicks.
They become harder to cut or damage, immune to damage and deterioration as a result of damp or wetness, (although not any more waterproof than they would naturally be,) and will not catch fire under any circumstances, even if covered in burning Greek Fire.
They also become immune to the effects of Potions of Dissolution and to the spells Warp, Reshape, Shatter, Heat Metal, Melt and Rust. In addition, the spells Inscribe Antimagick and Shade Blade cannot be cast upon an Enchanted or Consecrated item or dagger.
An Enchantment may be activated in any manner its creator desires. Augmentation Enchantments are always permanently active. Most Mana Enchantments do not require activation, and may be drawn upon as naturally as the user's own Mana pool, but the creator may include activation requirements in a Mana Enchantmnet if they so wish. All Spell-based enchantments always require activation.
Activation cannot be mental, it must always be a spoken word, phrase or sound, or a physical action, or a reaction to the item's environment. Within these limits, the method of activation may be anything that the creator chooses and the FLRP Organiser approves. For example, a ring of Cure Serious Wounds could be activated whenever its wearer screams, a pair of boots of Flight could be activated whenever the wearer clicks their heels together, and a belt of Feather Fall could be activated whenever the wearer falls more than three feet. Or there are the standard activation phrases, often using impressive and dramatic sounding nonsense words such as "Abracadabra!" or "Shazam!".
Temporary one-use Spell-based enchantments and Mana Enchantments allow for an even greater variety of potential activation methods, since the Enchanted item does not need to survive the activation. Potions, creams, incense to be burnt, glass balls to be hurled and shattered, sticks to be snapped, bottles to be opened, all these and many more are possible.
Any temporary Enchantment will be permanently destroyed by a Dispel Magick spell of a level equal to or greater than the Enchantment's power level. Likewise, any temporary Consecration will be permanently destroyed by a Despirit miracle of a level equal to or greater than the Consecration's power level.
Spells cast from a Spell-based enchantment may be Dispelled and Countermagicked as normal, and miracles cast from a miracle Consecration may be Despirited as normal.
Permanent Mana Enchantments and Spirit Consecrations are not affected by Dispel Magick spells or Despirit miracles.
Permanent Spell-based enchantments and augmentation Enchantments are rendered temporarily nonmagickal and disenchanted if a Dispel Magick spell of a level equal to or greater than the Enchantment's power level is cast at it. Likewise, permanent miracle Consecrations and augmentation Consecrations are rendered temporarily nontheurgical and deconsecrated if a Despirit miracle of a level equal to or greater than the Consecration's power level is cast at it. This effect lasts for 1 encounter or 15 minutes.
A disenchanted Spell-based enchantment cannot be used to cast spells. A disenchanted augmented weapon loses its augmentation bonus and its ability to inflict Magick damage. Disenchanted augmented armour loses its augmentation bonus and its ability to defend against Magick Through damage. Disenchanted items do retain their spell immunities and similar benefits.
Permanently disenchanting a permanent Enchantment or deconsecrating a permanent Consecration will require an extended investment of time and effort at the FLRP Organiser's discretion.
Genuine holy symbols are created via an elaborate ritual crafting process performed within a temple of the appropriate religion, and while this does not require the use of the Consecration skill, all holy symbols automatically count as being Consecrated due to their symbolic affinity to the Spirit Planes, and count as being of at least superior craftsmanship.
As a result of this affinity, they will register as Consecrated items to those with the Recognise Spirit skill, they are immune to the effects of a Potion of Dissolution, and they are immune to the spells Warp, Reshape, Shatter, Heat Metal, Melt and Rust. A holy symbol will never be harmed by damp or water, is extremely hard to break, and will never catch fire.
Furthermore, when a follower of a particular religion Consecrates a holy symbol of that religion there is an additional modifier of 3/4 to the Consecration's power level, after all other modifiers have been applied.
Note that holy symbols may never be Enchanted, and may never be Consecrated by a follower of a different religion or philosophy.
Blackalt is valuable and difficult to work, and items made of blackalt are rare and expensive and hard to come by. But if you do manage to get hold of one, then you will find that it is easier to Enchant than normal stone or metal.
Note that items made of blackalt may NEVER be Consecrated.
All items made of blackalt count as being of at least superior craftsmanship. Furthermore, all weapons made of blackalt receive a +1 bonus to damage, and all armour made of blackalt provides an additional +1 hit of protection on all locations. These bonuses are cumulative with those provided by augmentation Enchantments. (Note that only Medium and Heavy armour may be made of blackalt, since Light armour is non-metallic.) In addition to this, blackalt is immune to the spells Warp, Reshape, Shatter, Heat Metal, Melt and Rust. Blackalt will never be harmed by damp or water, is extremely hard to break and will never catch fire.
When Enchanting an item made of blackalt, there is an additional modifier of 3/4 to the Enchantment's power level, after all other modifiers have been applied.
No, you can't Enchant hexa, the minting process makes it unsuitable for any Enchantment.
Any rumoured psychological effects of prolonged proximity to quantities of refined blackalt will take effect at the discretion of the FLRP Organiser.
| Base power level = number of points stored | |
|---|---|
| Attribute | Modifier |
| Temporary & non-rechargeable | x 1/6 |
| Permanent & rechargeable | x 1 |
| Permanent & self-recharging | x 2 |
| Only usable by the creator or a named individual | x ½ |
| Only usable by a specified group of people | x 3/4 |
| Consecrating a holy symbol | x 3/4 |
| Enchanting an item made of blackalt | x 3/4 |
| Base power level = number of spell or miracle levels stored | |
|---|---|
| Attribute | Modifier |
| Temporary & one-use | x ¼ |
| Permanent & rechargeable | x 1 |
| Permanent & self-recharging | x 2 |
| Only usable by the creator or a named individual | x ½ |
| Only usable by a specified group of people | x 3/4 |
| Enchanting or Consecrating an appropriate item | x 3/4 |
| Consecrating a holy symbol | x 3/4 |
| Enchanting an item made of blackalt | x 3/4 |
| Base power level = 3, or 16 times the augmentation level | |
|---|---|
| Attribute | Modifier |
| Only usable by the creator or a named individual | x ½ |
| Only usable by a specified group of people | x 3/4 |
| Enchanting an item made of blackalt | x 3/4 |
Example 1: An Elementalist Enchants a blackalt greatsword with +1 augmentation for the use of Brimstone the Younger, Guild Head of the Outpost Guardian's Guild. The base power level of the Enchantment is 16, x½ for being usable only by a named individual, x3/4 for Enchanting an item made of blackalt, for a final power level of 6. This will also require a blackalt greatsword of masterful craftsmanship, such as one which Brimstone himself has crafted!
Assuming that a suitable blackalt greatsword can be found, and that the Elementalist has Enchantment 2, (the minimum level of the skill required,) this will take 3 months, and cost 300 hexa in materials. The Elementalist must also permanently sacrifice 6 Mana points to complete the Enchantment.
Once Enchanted, the sword will do Magick Quad damage in the hands of Brimstone the Younger, (before taking any skills, spells, miracles or potions into account,) and Magick Triple damage in the hands of anyone else.
Example 2: A Lorewarden wants to Consecrate a light chainmail hauberk to +0 augmentation, for the use of the Order of the Knights of the Bar. The base power level is 3, and +0 items cannot have their use restricted, thus the final power level is also 3. The Lorewarden must first pay 400 hexa for a suit of chainmail of superior craftsmanship, and then pay 150 hexa for materials and permanently sacrifice 3 Spirit points. Assuming he has Consecration 2, the Consecration will take him two months.
Example 3: A Fire Elementalist wants to make a one-use scroll containing one copy of the 10th level Fire Storm spell, three copies of the 6th level Immolate spell and one copy of the 4th level Melt spell, all usable only by himself. In order to create this Enchantment he must have the Spell Casting - Fire skill at level 10, so that he knows all the spells he wishes to store.
The base power level of the Enchantment is 32, (the sum of the levels of the spells to be stored,) x¼ for being one-use, x½ for being usable only by a single person. The Elementalist has also managed to acquire a sheet of parchment made from the skin of a fire-drake, thus allowing him a further x3/4 modifier to the power level for using an appropriate item. Thus the final power level is a mere 3.
Assuming that he has Enchantment 1, creating the scroll will take him three months and cost 150 hexa, and after the Enchantment is completed he will temporarily lose 3 Mana points for the following month. As each spell is cast that part of the scroll will crumble into ash, and cannot be used again.
Example 4: A Lorewarden wants to Consecrate their holy symbol as a Spirit store which can hold up to 8 Spirit points, regenerates its full complement of Spirit points each day at dawn, and is usable by anyone of their own Alignment. The base power level of the Consecration is 8, (the number of Spirit points it is able to store,) doubled for being self-recharging, x3/4 for being usable only by a specified group of people, and x3/4 for being a holy symbol of the Consecrator's religion, thus bringing it to a final power level of 9.
A Lorewarden with Consecration 2 (the minimum level of the skill required) will first need to get hold of a holy symbol of masterful quality craftsmanship, spend 450 hexa on materials, spend five months performing the Consecration and then permanently sacrifice 9 Spirit points.
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