Artificing and Magic Item Creation Rules

At its heart all artificifing is the fusion of two or more magical materials into a single nascent intelligence. The inherent magic comes from the materials involved, but the artificer unlocks their potential and in the process gives birth to a new life form, what artificers call an Eldimagus.   If you take an ingot of feathersteel and craft a sword, or even a rifle, then it is not an Eldimagus. It is a lowly magic item, and will gain no benefit if taken to a Catalyst. An Eldimagus, on the other hand, is a living being who will be greatly enhanced by passing through a Catalyst.   If I took my feathersteel sword, and added a fire ruby to the pommel, and a sliver of voidsteel to the cross-guard, then I could fuse all three together and they would become a spellsword. That sword would have a potential of three, meaning we could bring it to three different Catalysts to receive power. What powers it received vary depending on the type of Catalyst you bring it to.   At the skull of Xal the blade might gain the ability to be summoned or dismissed at will, or it might allow me to spot a weakness in my enemy's defenses. At the Pool of Shaya perhaps the blade would gain the ability to give life as well as take it. The possibilities are nearly endless.      

Creating An Eldimagus

  To create an eldimagus the artificer must possess a minimum of (rating * 1,000 credits) worth of at least two magical materials. Each additional material raises the rating / threshold, as well adding 10 hours to the creation time.   The creation of the Eldimagus requires a workshop, with a rating equal to or higher than potential of the Eldimagus. This workshop is highly specialized, and includes machining tools, a 3D printer, and many other tools needed for the fabrication of magic items.   The artificer makes a reason + artificing check with a threshold equal to the item's rating. If they meet the threshold, the item is created. Each success beyond the threshold allows them to add a flourish to the Eldimagus.   Please note that some magical materials already have a flourish, and that these do not stack. An Eldimagus may not have more flourishes than twice its rating. Eldimagi are tough and have armor equal to their rating * 5. They possess their rating * 10 in hit points.      

Common Flourishes

  Gifted- (life, water) the item will awaken at its first Catalyst, instead of the final. When the Eldimagus is fully realized it gains the savant flourish, and loses gifted.   Accurate- (air, fire, spirit) the weapon gains +1 accuracy.   Light- (earth, air, dream) the object weighs 50% of normal.   Dense- (earth) The object gains +1 armor, but weighs twice as much.   Anchor- (life) The item may serve as an anchor for a permanent spell. Anchoring a spell requires a spell pool be pledged until the anchor is broken, and occupies a Catalyzation slot. Common examples are void pockets, illumination spells, or elemental auras such as flame. The object must possess a material or Catalyzation matching the anchored spell. Only an artificer may anchor a spell.   Shadowed- (void) The item is difficult to perceive. If used for armor the user always has edge for stealth checks, even ones that do not involve sight.   Barrier- (life, water, earth, spirit) The item may be used to anchor a ward.   Soulguard- (spirit) The item provides 1 point of magic resistance.   Guardian- (water, life, air) The item is always watching and grants the wielder edge when making perception checks.   Elemental Battery- (fire, water, air, earth). The item may store spellpool up to its rating. This spell pool must be deposited by a mage from their own pool, or from another battery.   Regeneration- (life, water) The item regenerates 1 HP per round. Note this is the item, and does not heal the caster.   Savant- (water) The item gains +1 reason, and +1 spell pool.      

Awakening

  Each time an Eldimagus goes to a Catalyst it gains a point of charisma, reason, will and intuition until it reaches its potential, and becomes fully realized. Until that point the item only possesses a rudimentary awareness, but once it fully realizes the item awakens.   An awakened Eldimagus has a personality, desires, and thoughts. They are generally subservient to their creator, and to their wielder, but not always. There is at least one known example of an Eldimagus, the legendary armor Maladrieve, that was so powerful it would subsume its hosts.   An awakened eldimagus gains spell pool equal to its rating, and 10 additional hit points. It may lend spell pool to the host, or use it to cast any spells or abilities known.      

Common Magical Materials

  Feathersteel (air) - Feathersteel is generally formed where the blood of an air god seeped into ore, be it an asteroid, or a planet. The metal possesses the light flourish.   Voidsteel (void) - Voidsteel is generally formed where the blood of a void god seeped into ore, much like feathersteel. The metal possesses the shadowed flourish.   Fire Rubies (fire)- Fire rubies are crystalized primal flame and tend to grow in caverns near subterranean fire Catalysts. Fire rubies possess the accurate and battery flourishes.   Frost Sapphires (water)- Frost sapphires are crystalized primal water and tend to cluster near space-borne water Catalysts. Frost sapphires possess the savant and battery flourishes.   Air Diamonds (air)- Air diamonds are crystalized primal air and are most commonly found near the Sanctuary Catalyst. Air diamonds possess the light and battery flourishes.   Earth Emeralds (earth)- Earth emeralds are crystalized primal earth, and are generally found deep within magically active planets, such as the southern continent of the Krox capital of Nebiat. Earth emeralds possess the dense and battery flourishes.   Bone of Xal (void)- The bone of Xal is quarried directly from the dead god, and traded throughout the sector. The bone grants the soulguard flourish.   Shayawood (life)- Shayawood comes from the Great Tree on Shaya, and is highly prized for its strength and beauty. Shayawood possesses the regeneration flourish.   Blood of Shaya (life)- The blood of Shaya comes from the pool beneath the great tree, and appears as a luminescent liquid full of golden motes. When used with an item it is often to inscribe runes. The blood possesses the accurate and regeneration flourishes.   Infused Osmium (earth)- The crystalized blood of the mighty titan Osmium, slain countless millennia ago on some distant world. Infused Osmium possesses the dense flourish.