Artifacts -=-=-=-=- Introduction ------------ This text describes various aspects of magical artifacts. The magical artifacts in existence are: amulets - /obj/amulet rings - /obj/ring rods - /obj/rod staves - /obj/staff wands - /obj/wand which are all characterised by: 1. the skill level for successful operation, 2. the number of charges remaining, 3. the file name of an object which is responsible for the action. For example, the level of a particular wand of striking could be 18, it could have 7 charges left and the object that actually damages the person at whom the wand is zapped is /obj/wands/striking. Not all amulets, rings, rods, etc. are artifacts in this specific sense, namely objects that can perform a particular function a limited number of times before they must be recharged or discarded: an amulet that allows its wearer to breath underwater or a wizard's staff for storing spells do not fall into this category (these magical items are imagifacts rather than artifacts). The total number of charges that the artifact has had over the course of its existence is also tallied (see the paragraph on recharging artifacts below). Knowledge of Artifacts ---------------------- A person can learn to recognise an artifact through various means. To be exact, they can learn to recognise a specific artifact function whatever the form. For example, once a person knows how to recognise a wand of eternal light, they will recognise one whether it is a soft piece of balsa, about a foot long and an inch in diameter, with a thin groove spiralling around it from one end to the other or a knobbly length of wood with paired knotholes along its length, each pair at right angles to its neighbours. As well as an artifact being able to have more than one form, more than one artifact can use a particular form, especially for two artifacts that have opposed functions - the player would be wise to check whether a copper rod engraved with diamonds is a rod of hypertension discharging or a rod of summon lightning. Ability to Use an Artifact -------------------------- The level of an artifact is the minimum level in the relevant skill which a person must have in order to stand a chance of using it - below this level, the artifact cannot be used at all. Between a skill of this level and twice it, the person has a linearly increasing chance of being able to use the artifact, and at a skill of greater than twice the level, they will always be able to use it. The graph below shows the chance of being unable to use the wand as a function of the person's skill. Chance /| | 100% _|_____ | \ | \ | \ | \ 0% _| \______ |___________________ | | / person's skill level level 2*level If the person's skill is between the artifact's level and twice it and is able to use the wand, there is a linearly decreasing chance of gaining a level in the relevant skill on the basis that some point of lore has been realised or clarified. The graph below shows the chance of gaining a skill level given that the wand may be used this time. Chance /| | 50% _| | |\ | | \ | | \ 0% _|_____| \______ |___________________ | | / person's skill level level 2*level If the person doesn't have the requisite skill to use the artifact, no charges are taken from it. If the person is skillful enough to use it, one charge is removed from it. At this point there is a probability of backfiring which, as a percentage, is one tenth of the artifact's level. The nature of the backfire will depend on the artifact, being a simple failure message for simple wands, and either an anti-effect (for example, the wand of eternal light backfires by subtracting from its target's light instead of adding to it) or damage to the wielder (for the offensive artifacts, for instance). Fashioning Artifacts -------------------- A sufficiently skilled person may fashion artifacts from suitable forms. In order to fashion an artifact, that person must have knowledge of that artifact (equivalent to being able to recognise it), must have an intelligence greater than one fifth of the maximum level of the artifact and must have a sufficient bonus in the relevant skill (the tables at the end of this document list this information); if these are met, and the form is suitable and sufficiently enchanted, the artifact is fashioned, the person's temporary intelligence drops by one fifth of the maximum level and the bonus amount of guild points is taken away (for example, to fashion a wand of artifact probing will cost the person 180 guild points and will cause a temporary drop of 5 in intelligence). The level of the artifact fashioned will be between the maximum and minimum levels for that artifact; as the person's bonus increases above the required bonus, the level of the artifact drops from its maximum level towards the minimum level. Recharging Artifacts -------------------- Artifacts may be charged in a generic way by various means but with a difficulty depending on the nature of the artifact. One method is to use the "recharge" command which requires the use of a magically potent substance: these will be available in a wide variety of strengths varying, for example, from ground red stalked mushroom at the least potent end through powdered cinnabar to octiron filings at the most potent extreme, rarity and cost increasing with power. The power required per charge varies from artifact to artifact and is the value for it (as given in the tables at the end of this document). As for fashioning a wand, the person must have a sufficient bonus in the relevant skill, and this bonus is also the guild points cost if the recharging process can be begun. An artifact may not be given a current amount of charges beyond a certain number without there being a chance that the wand will explode and injure the person. The maximum number of charges begins at 15, falls linearly with the level of the artifact and is 1 for an artifact of level 105 and above; the formula is: maximum current charges = 15 - level / 7 or 1 if this is below 1. Artifacts are also limited in the total number of charges they can have had over their existance and similarly have a chance of exploding if this number is exceeded. The maximum number of total charges starts at 32 and falls with level; the formula is: maximum total charges = 1000 / ( 32 + level ). There is also a chance that the artifact will explode anyway. The total chance that the artifact will explode on being given another charge is then: ( 3 * ( current charges - maximum current charges + 1 ) ^2 [ if current charges >= maximum current charges ] + 6 * ( total charges - maximum total charges + 1 ) ^2 [ if total charges >= maximum total charges ] + 1 ) / 100. Further Documentation --------------------- There is documentation for each basic artifact object (for example, obj.wand for wands) and a number of tables listing existing artifacts follow - it is intended that this document be kept current, so please hassle a Lord if there is an artifact which should be listed below but is not. Table of Amulet Details ----------------------- amulet name max min bonus value aggravation* tranquility* An amulet is used by grasping it while worn. Table of Ring Details --------------------- ring name max min bonus value recall* searching* A ring is used by twisting it while worn. Table of Staff Details ---------------------- staff name max min bonus value artifact detection* A staff is used by invoking it while held (staves are two-handed). A staff has an effect on the surroundings, or the contents of the surroundings, of the holder. Table of Rod Details -------------------- rod name max min bonus value Hypertension discharging* Muster comrades* Muster enemies* Summon lightning* A rod is used by applying it while held (rods are one-handed). Table of Wand Details --------------------- wand name max min bonus value accelerated growth 12 9 125 800 (A$2) acid bolt* anima gauging 30 24 190 5000 (A$12.50) anima gouging* artifact probing 25 20 180 4000 (A$10) cancellation 60 45 220 10000 (A$25) cold* death* eternal dark* eternal light 85 65 250 30000 (A$75) fire* garlic breath 2 1 25 600 (A$1.50) healing 5 3 55 100 (25p) infestation cleansing 40 30 200 1200 (A$3) lightning* magic detection 18 14 155 1000 (A$2.50) magic missile* pickling 5 3 55 100 (25p) striking 20 16 165 200 (50p) undead cloning* undead turning* A wand is used by zapping at something while held (wands are one-handed). A wand has an effect on the person or object at which it is zapped. Notes on Tables --------------- * forthcoming (a) The bonus is approximately the skill bonus at twice the maximum level for an intelligence of 16. (c) Value - shown in brass coins and, in parentheses, Ankh-Morpork currency - determines the "artifact" value info for the artifact; see documentation for value for an explanation of value info. The "artifact" value for a fashioned artifact is inversely proportional to its level, being equal to the amount shown in the table at the maximum level. The "artifact" value will determine the difficulty and/or cost of recharging the artifact. History of this Document ------------------------ 26-31 xii 1994 Written by Deutha