Weapons of Altwaal
Altwaals_weapons.jpg

Universe: Crossgen.

Description: Divine artifacts that manipulate cosmic energy for different effects.

Requirements: With the noted exception of the bow, you generally need only to be corporeal to command these artifacts. Otherwise, nothing special.

Relevant links: Altwaal's Weapons

Relevant links: Altwaal's Weapons

BOW

Powers/function: The bow can be used to charge arrows with cosmic energy that gives them explosive properties, with the observed effects ranging from explosive bullets to the equivalent of artillery strikes. According to author statements, these energy arrows can permanently kill the undead.

Finally, it plain doesn't work well for anyone, except its owner. A legendary archer who tried to use it when the owner was incapacitated failed to hit a barn sized dragon from a distance of about a dozen meters.

Disadvantages: The bow is comparatively fragile, breakable by beings with class 10-20 strength. If broken, there is an explosive discharge of energy in the scale of a small nuclear weapon.

Comments: Having now re-read Sojourn, I can honestly say that the bow seems considerably overpriced. I recommend not getting it at this point in time or for high level leagues.

CIRCLET

Powers/function: The circlet is a purely defensive artifact.
It provides automatic, high level protection against energy attacks and other physical threats. It can also automatically reshape itself to adjust to the form of its user, although just holding it is enough to be protected.

Disadvantages: Very, very definitely does not protect against mental effects and is plain featless against any number of exotic effects.

Comments: The most inconvenient thing is that for most of its limited screen-time, the character using the circlet is Solusandra. Although she was amnesiac and erratic at the time, Solusandra is a cosmic being with power well beyond the Herald range. Makes determining what is her own durability and what the circlet's protection kind of hard (read: impossible).

GAUNTLET

Powers/function: The function of the gauntlet is straightforward magnification of power, by a very respectable degree.
Wielding it, the godling Pyrem was able to face upwards of forty of his fellows and kick their collective ass in comprehensive fashion. After losing it, however, he was defeated in short order. Likewise, it amped his daughter Persha to such a degree that she was able to easily defeat her far more powerful mother Ingra.

The effect is still rather considerable even for mortal wielders. Human energy manipulator Lindy Karsten was boosted by the gauntlet so much that she was able to absorb energy attacks fired by several of the godlike First, which made her go berserk and gain about a hundred feet in height. In this superpowered giant state, Lindy was able to more than hold her own against the group of First that had been attacking her.
Also, it is worth pointing that in spite of her considerably increased aggresion while in giant form, Lindy was still fully capable of reason and speech.

Disadvantages: A more skilled energy manipulator can steal the gauntlet from its wielder through physical contact.

Comments: A fairly solid boost for high level manipulators of cosmic or magical energies, but there could be issues for those who require calm and serenity.

ROD

Powers/function: The rod can function both as a powerful weapon and as a power focusing tool.

Its use as a weapon is so simple and intuitive that even a human completely lacking in experience in regards to energy manipulation could command it to release destructive energy blasts at will. The range of the blasts is great enough that the human wielder of the rod used it to incinerate a whole army in a single attack, while excluding his allies from the blast (even though said allies were fully within the area affected by the energy discharge). This selective property of the rod is confirmed by a few other incidents, in which the wielder chooses to spare a target from the destructive effects. Finally, the intrinsic power of the weapon is great enough that a human wielding it can use the rod to utterly annihilate one of the First.

In more capable hands, however, the rod can be considerably more than just a weapon. Its original owner, Altwaal, used it for feats such as the resurrection of his assassinated lover (in defiance of the laws of the First), the forcible teleportation of many warring First back to their homeworld of Elysia, or the permanent division of Elysia itself in two halves, separated by a power draining void called the Eidolon Rift, and forcing the rest of the First to go to one or another of the halves, according to their wishes or inclinations.

Disadvantages: N/A.

Comments: A powerful weapon and potentially quite a bit more in the right hands. Probably works best as part of a very high level combo.

SWORD

Powers/function: The sword is a deadly weapon, first and foremost, but it can also be used as a power focusing tool.

As a weapon, it can kill in one blow, and with little effort on the part of the wielder, members of the First (who are, one and all, regenerating immortals impervious to conventional injury), even those effectively unkillable by other weapons and powers of other high level First. The weapon can also teleport back to the hand of its owner.

Its only use as a power focus tool happens when Altwaal uses it to dismantle the Eidolon Rift and end the division of Elysia.

Disadvantages: What you see is what you get. The sword appears in about half a dozen pages and the feats shown above is everything it ever does.

Comments: It is certainly very high level, but it is understandable that the limited feats will make folks balk at the thought of purchasing the item.

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