Compilation of Focus/Enchanted Items: Post Your Own!

[Mal_Luck]

In this thread we post and discuss our awesome Focus and Enchanted Items, discussing and compiling their badassery.


I'll start, both of these were made for my Sorcerer/Wizard Faraday Church.

Sword Cane Blade (+2 Offensive Control for Earth); The cane is covered with runes and lightning designs carved into it to enhance and control Earth Evocations. On the pommel of the sword (or head of the cane depending upon your perspective) is a small copper pentacle. The focus is just the blade and hilt (head of the cane); the scabbard is not required for the focus to be “whole.” Weapon:2 (Sword) or Weapon:2 (Baseball Bat)

Lightning Gun [Colt 1911] – Earth [lightning] Evocation Weapon:4 x 7 Uses, roll Guns to attack. Usable by anyone. (5 Enchanted Item Slots); The gun gathers ambient electrical energy and focuses it into bursts of deadly lightning Instead of bullets in the gun’s magazine, it is filled entirely with a chunk of rune inscribed copper. Although Faraday made the weapon, the gun is not powered directly from him making the lightning a more normal electric blue color rather than the greenish lightning Faraday wields when throwing around evocations.
Base Strength 4, 3 slots for Uses, 1 slot to make it usable for everyone.
Notes: More or less Rule of Cool on this one, it’s a gun that shoots bolts of lightning! I used an older gun, which because of the enchanting can no longer fire bullets, it’s uses per session reflect the normal magazine size for a real Colt 1911.

[KOFFEYKID]

Here are my Enchanted Items for my character Tubal Cain

Amulet of Hyper-Awareness (+5 Block, 3 Uses, 2 Slots)
Pristinely White Cloak (5 Strength Veil, 2 Exchanges, 3 Uses, 3 Slots. 6 Strength Escape, 3 Uses, 2 Slots.)
Liquid Courage (Stimulant Potion, suppress up to 6 Shifts of fatigue related consequences, 1 Uses, 1 Slot)

[Ard3]

My item from tips on playing a high lore spell caster -thread:

Gravity Hammer
Base item is BIG twohanded hammer, Weapon: 3 by itself.
Enchanted effects:
Weapon: 4 zone wide attack 3/session. Discipline to aim, Endurance to resist.
Block strenght +7 5/session.
Total 6 slots.

Breakdown:
Crafting str +6 divided to weapon: 4 attack and 2 shifts to effect entire zone 1/session. 1 slot.
Shield +6, 1/session. 1 slot
Shield str +1. 1 slot
2 more uses to weapon. 1 slot.
4 more uses for shield. 2 slots.
Discipline to aim because it is spell.
Endurance to resist because it is area effect, so no block/parry (Fists or Weapons) nor dodge (Athletics).
Upgraded shield strenght so that you wont hurt yourself so easily.

Can attack enemies with up to Fantastic(+6) zone wide Weapon: 4 and not take any damage yourself because shield blocks it.
Can attack with normal attack when allies in same zone.
More uses of shield so you can use it couple time and still attack safely.
Just be careful when rolling Discipline, too high and it hurts. A lot.
When using, remember to shout "It's Clobbering time!", "Hammer time!" or something similar. Just because you can.

[theDwarf]

I have a number of concepts for items but as we haven't started yet they are not written up.  Would people be interested in hearing about potential items and where they are taken from (aka, sources and names) rather than fully stated items?  If so I may create a separate thread.



As I received no responses I will post a short list here.

First off is alchemical or occult texts that could yield bonuses (focus item for Thaumaturgy).  In the case of alchemy to could yield the greater power or make it easier to make more faster or at the same time, but some may have additional affects.  Books by author (added in parentheses)

• Circe
• Medea
• Semiramis
• Heraclitus
• Zhuge Liang
• Albertus Magnus
• Nicholas Flemel (Wizard's Constitution for non-Wizard spell casters)
• Abramelin the Mage
• Olaus Borrichius
• Christina of Sweden
• John or Arthur Dee
• Paracelsus (especially medical uses, homonculi, fae, and the 4 elements)
• Gerhard Dorn
• Athanasius Kircher
• Henry Percy
• Sire Walter Raleigh
• any of the royal alchemist of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor
• Johannes Trithemus
• Johann Weyer / Johannes Wierus (mostly medical alchemy but original texts may contain hidden demonology notes)
• Cagliostro (aka Giuseppe Balsamo; text may be completely useless)
• Isobel Gowdie
• Count of St Germain
• Emanuel Swedenborg (may be "preachy" about Sewedenborgianism)
• Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin (would probably mention Martinism)
• Adam Weishaupt
• Francis Barrett
• Algernon Blackwood (member of Hermetic Order for the Golden Dawn)
• Robert Felkin (medical; member ot Hermetic Order for the Golden Dawn; wrote on Africa & medicine thus would probably contain African alchemy)
• Samuel L.McGregor (founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn)
• Papus / Gerard Encausse
• Arthur Edward Waite (member of Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn)
• Dr. William Wynn Westcott (cofounder of HOotGD)

That is a rough list and probably misses more potentials then it hits.  Most were known alchemists or occult authors and therefore the most probable to have authored texts on alchemy.

Note that a number of organizations exist that the player/GM can look up and investigate for the campaign.  The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is but one, but has a history rife with information a GM could use to indicate some of the wizards of the White Council coming forward and becoming "more public" for a while then running afoul various complications.  the net results could be very interesting.

If Mr.Butcher runs across this realize that I am just paraphrasing legends that already exist and claim no rights on any of this information.  I am trying to avoid mentioning plots or such and if he, or anyone else, wants to discuss anything I have mentioned out of public areas I would be more than happy to discuss things with them.

[theDwarf]

A second area of potential Focus/Enchanted Items is swords.

Here is a partial list of names of swords I have researched ...

First I will mention three different possible names for the sword of Julius Caesar:

• Crocea Mors, “Yellow death”
• Agheu Glas, "Grey Death"
• Angau Coch, "Red Death"

These three names are mentioned in the public domain and thus I make no claim on them.  I have some ideas on their possible use in a Dresden game or tales but will not state in open forum where it could corrupt an author's usage.  The same goes for the rest of the blades named below.


There are a number of swords associated with Charlamagne and his knights.  I am posting the three most powerful that were supposedly forged from the same steel first (legends state Vulcan himself forged them, or Wayland Smith (possibly a name for Odin), or Malagigi the Magician.  

• Joyeuse (Charlemagne's sword; supposedly contained within it the Lance of Longinus)
• Durandal (the legendary Sword of Roland; supposedly contained relics of 4 saints within the hilt)
• Curtana (Ogier's sword)

The three could well be equivalents or alternatives to the holy blades mentioned in the Dresden books, possibly of another or "lesser" order and thus usable in campaigns.

Other swords belonging to Charlemagne and his Knights include:

• the Froberge (”the flame-cutter”;  one of Charlemagne's swords)
• Clarent, The Sword of Peace (IIRC another of Charlemagne's swords)
• Balisarda (Rogero's sword in Ariosto Orlando Furioso, thus Charlemagne era)
• Haute-Claire (name of Closamont's & Olivier's swords)

Another historical king is Arthur.  One of the blades is already covered IIRC, but many others existed as well including:

• Caliburnus, The Iron-Cleaver (Arthur's sword before Excalibur or alternate earlier name (Excalibur essentially indicates "sword removed from iron/stone"))
• Aroundight (Celtic, belonging to Llwch of the Striking Hand;  Lancelot's sword)

Charlemagne and Arthus are not the only legends mentioning swords, Norse Mythology has many as well, including those of Siegfried/Sigurd.

• Balmung (forged by Wayland Smith or by dwarves;  Siegfried)
• Gram, The Reforged Sword (Grief;  one of Siegfried's swords)
• Aribrandr, the Falcon Blade  (Norse Mythology)
• Mimung (a sword lent to Siegfried)
• Dragvandil (Slicer;  yes, IIRC it is originally from Norse mythology)

Here are other blades from mythology and/or older fiction (like Spencer's Faerie Queen):

• the Alchemist's Sword (carried by Paracelsus, it contained Azoth powder/liquid in the pommel)
• Chrysaor (Artegal's sword from Spencer's Faerie Queen)
• The Grass-Cutting Sword
• Fragarach (The Answerer; Irish mythology)

A list with more can be found here http://life-us.blogspot.com/2007/12/famous-swords.html as well on other places on the web.
For fairy stories a great resource is Project Gutenberg.


There are literally TONS of named and/or described magic items in mythology and in fairy tales.  My feeling is that the names, descriptions, and reputed powers are better starting points and then game affects will follow. Good luck and happy hunting!

[Morgan]

I was particularly proud of this little enchanted item I created for a character in my summer convention games, she's an Occult Cat Burglar so naturally she needed:

Catsuit: This is a sleek black catsuit that has been charged with mystical shadow and silence granting her a +2 bonus to her Stealth, 3 times a session.

[Deadmanwalking]

Catsuit: This is a sleek black catsuit that has been charged with mystical shadow and silence granting her a +2 bonus to her Stealth, 3 times a session.

How does that work, mechanically speaking?

As I understood it, magic can, as a rule, replace other skills, but almost never add bonuses to them.

[DFJunkie]

Navel-Gazing Maneuvers on page 207 allows the character to place a temporary aspect on themselves.  Since the aspect (in this case Catfooted I suppose) can then be tagged for free I'd say it works mechanically.

[Deadmanwalking]

Ah! That'd work fine. Though it's at least a 3 shift effect (4 if the Aspect's Sticky) and I'd actually note it as such, since it might be compellable for one reason or another.

[DFJunkie]

Though it's at least a 3 shift effect (4 if the Aspect's Sticky)

Not necessarily.  The book doesn't quote a difficulty for placing aspects on yourself, but it does say "an unopposed manuever roll is pretty easy."  Now, if I were the GM adjudicating this I'd probably call it a 1 shift effect since there's really nothing to overcome (it makes her less likely to make noise while moving, it doesn't affect anything outside of her character). 

As for making it sticky... I'd call that up to the user.  The whole "minor effort of will" thing Harry uses to end his effects, it exists as an aspect until she dismisses it.

[Deadmanwalking]

True with mundane maneuvers, but not with magic. Check YS p. 252. In short, magical Maneuvers require at least three shifts of effect.

[Morgan]

You're both right the way I worked it out (and hey my math could be wrong), was to make it an Item that confers a Magical Maneuver (Strength 3) granting the +2 with one enchanted item slot and then spent another slot to make it a two slot enchanted item to make it usable 3 time per session. I suppose I could have stated that all sorry for the confusion since I didn't.

[theDwarf]

Haven't structured it in games terms yet but I was thinking that a good Focus Item for Thaumaturgy to add to the strength of potions would be an Alchemist's Mortar & Pestle.  The affect would be that it helps concentrate and strengthen components ground or mixed within it.  (just picked up the books this weekend and haven't had time to do more than skim so far  )

[CMEast]

In our game we have an interesting item:

Item of Power - The Lady's Sword [-6 refresh]
Effects:
[+2] One-Time Discount (easy to see, obvious, no power without it, can be summoned from water)
[-0]It Is What It Is - All one-handed swords are Weapon:2
[-0]Unbreakable - (can't be broken, except by a dedicated ritual design to pervert it's purpose).
[-4]Supernatural Speed - When holding the sword you have supernatural speed (YS178)
[-4]Sponsored Magic: Lady's Favour (YS288)

His character is based around the Lady of the Lake (a variation of the Arthurian legend), he himself is marked by power (the Ladies Favour) which allows him to draw the sword out of a suitable source of water. The water doesn't have to be deep but it must be wide enough for the swords cross-guard to pass through, so he can't draw it out of a water bottle, but he could throw the water on the floor and draw the sword from that. We decided that as his power was all tied up in it, and as he could easily find himself without a source of water, that we would include it at no extra cost with the discount (because he can't walk around with it due to it's size, he has to keep it sheathed, thus reducing his power a lot).
On top of that, he has access to sponsored magic when holding the sword, the element being a mix of water and knightly virtue (protecting the innocent, knight themed effects etc).

[citadel97501]

CMEast, I really like the Lady's Sword, but can you include the purpose of the sword in your description, in a separate thread since its not an enchanted item, or focus?