Aetheric Resonator

From: Eclipsed Atelier

Lore: At the heart of the mysterious Eclipsed Atelier, where the veils between realms grow thin, stands the Aetheric Resonator, a marvel of both artifice and magic. Ancient scrolls and forgotten tomes describe the Resonator as a creation of an enigmatic artificer known only as Zandor the Timeweaver. Legends speak of how Zandor, seeking to unlock the true potential of magical energies, infused the device with the essence of celestial aether and the very essence of the atelier itself.

The Aetheric Resonator’s form is a blend of antiquated brass and shimmering crystal, with intricate gears and interlocking crystals that pulse with ethereal light. It emanates a soft, pulsating glow, responding to the ebb and flow of magical energies around it. Many believe that the Resonator acts as a bridge between the mortal realm and the realms of pure magic.

The primary function of the Aetheric Resonator is to tap into the natural flows of magical energies and amplify them. It acts as a catalyst, channeling and magnifying the arcane powers harnessed by the atelier’s inhabitants. With the Resonator’s aid, spells become more potent and rituals gain unprecedented power, allowing for experiments and enchantments that defy the boundaries of traditional magic.

The Aetheric Resonator is not without its risks. Mishandling the device or overloading it with excessive magical energies can result in chaotic surges that reverberate throughout the atelier. These unpredictable outcomes can lead to unforeseen consequences or even catastrophic events, making the Resonator both a source of great power and great peril.

The Aetheric Resonator – Tier One Stats:

• Size: The Aetheric Resonator is large and imposing, standing at approximately 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide (244 cm x 183 cm).
• Color: The Resonator is a mix of antique brass and shimmering crystal, with the crystals emitting a soft, pulsating glow in various colors that shift and change with the fluctuations of magical energy.
• Shape: Its shape resembles a combination of a brass cylinder adorned with intricate gears, crystals, and ethereal coils, forming an almost artistic and otherworldly design.
• Sound: When the Aetheric Resonator is active, it emits a low, resonant hum that harmonizes with the flow of magical energies around it, adding to the mystical ambiance of the atelier.
• Requirements: To activate and use the Aetheric Resonator effectively, characters must possess a basic understanding of magical theory and the ability to manipulate arcane energies. The Resonator responds to those with innate magical potential, and its secrets may only be unlocked by those deemed worthy by the atelier’s enigmatic forces.
• Tags: Magical Amplifier, Arcane Catalyst, Potent Enchantment, Mystical, Artifice, Celestial, Chaos, Enchantment, Power, Precision, Danger

Skills:

• Amplification Aura: The Aetheric Resonator emits an aura that enhances nearby magical energies, temporarily amplifying spells and rituals cast within its vicinity.
• Ley Line Conduit: By attuning itself to ley lines and other sources of magical energy, the Resonator allows users to draw from external power sources, enabling them to experiment with new and potent arcane possibilities.
• Chaotic Overload: When mishandled or overloaded with excessive magical energies, the Aetheric Resonator can unleash chaotic surges, producing unpredictable outcomes that may benefit or hinder the user and their surroundings.

Cost and Selling: The Aetheric Resonator is an incredibly rare and coveted artifact. Its creation requires a profound understanding of magical engineering and access to rare materials, including enchanted crystals and celestial aether. As such, only the most skilled and knowledgeable artificers or mages could attempt to recreate such a device.

Due to its immense potential and the inherent dangers of its usage, the Aetheric Resonator is not typically sold in traditional markets. Instead, it might appear in the possession of powerful magical guilds, secret societies, or ancient orders dedicated to the study and preservation of arcane knowledge. Adventurers may encounter the Aetheric Resonator within ancient ruins, lost libraries, or during quests involving the Eclipsed Atelier.

Usage and Results: Characters who gain access to the Aetheric Resonator can harness its power to enhance their magical abilities significantly. They can cast spells with increased potency, perform rituals of greater magnitude, and experiment with advanced spell craft, which is not possible without the Resonator’s amplification.

However, using the Aetheric Resonator requires caution and skill. Mishandling it can lead to chaotic surges of magic, introducing unpredictable outcomes that can be both beneficial and hazardous. Depending on the user’s mastery and understanding of magic, the results of utilizing the Resonator can vary, leading to thrilling and sometimes perilous adventures as characters navigate the delicate balance between power and the risks it entails.

Lay of Zandor’s Echo

In the shadowed epochs of yore, when the tongues of men were yet young and the stars sang in cadences unknown, there was whispered a tale of Zandor the Timeweaver, a sage whose name was carved in the stones of the heavens. From a tongue long vanished, its glyphs faded into dust, this story was passed through the hands of scribes in ancient halls, translated with trembling reverence into the dialects of old. It speaks of the Aetheric Resonator, a creation of such splendor and terror that its echo resounds through the ages, a bridge between the mortal and the divine, forged in the heart of the Eclipsed Atelier—a place where the veils of worlds grew thin, and the breath of the cosmos could be felt.

Zandor was no mere artificer, but a seer whose eyes pierced the tapestry of time itself. In the days when the lands of Saṃsāra were yet raw, their rivers running with molten light and their forests whispering secrets to the wind, Zandor dwelt in solitude atop a spire of obsidian that drank the moon’s glow. His heart burned with a singular desire: to touch the essence of magic, to draw forth its purest form and wield it as a painter wields a brush. For cycles uncounted, he toiled in the Eclipsed Atelier, a sanctum carved from the bones of the earth, its walls etched with sigils that shimmered like captured starlight. The atelier was a place of power, where ley lines converged like the threads of a spider’s web, and the air thrummed with the pulse of unseen forces.

It was in this hallowed hall that Zandor conceived the Aetheric Resonator. With hands steady as the tides, he wrought a frame of brass, its surface burnished to a gleam that mirrored the dawn. Into its heart, he set crystals hewn from the celestial aether, their facets catching the light of realms beyond mortal ken. Gears he forged, each tooth a prayer to precision, interlocking with a harmony that sang of the universe’s order. Ethereal coils he wove, their strands drawn from the breath of spirits that lingered at the world’s edge. When the Resonator was complete, it stood as a towering edifice, eight spans high and six spans wide, its crystals pulsing with a glow that shifted like the tides of the sky—now sapphire, now emerald, now the violet of a dying star. And when it stirred to life, it loosed a hum, low and resonant, a sound that wove itself into the bones of the atelier, harmonizing with the unseen currents of magic.

Zandor’s purpose was clear: the Resonator would be a conduit, a vessel to channel the raw flows of arcane energy and amplify them beyond the dreams of any mage. With its power, he sought to cast spells that could mend the rifts between worlds, to perform rituals that would unveil the secrets of creation, to touch the divine and return with its truths. And so, on a night when the heavens aligned and the ley lines sang, Zandor stood before the Resonator, his robes shimmering with the dust of stars, and poured his will into its heart. The crystals flared, their light a beacon that pierced the veils, and the atelier trembled as magic surged like a river unbound. Spells that had once been mere whispers became tempests; rituals that had faltered now blazed with the fire of gods. Zandor’s voice rang out, weaving incantations that reshaped the air, and for a moment, he stood as a titan, his hands holding the threads of the cosmos.

But the Resonator was no tame beast. Its power was a double-edged blade, and Zandor, in his fervor, had not foreseen the hunger that grew within it. The device drank deeply of the magic it channeled, its crystals glowing brighter, its hum rising to a wail that shook the spire to its roots. The ley lines, once a gentle stream, became a torrent, their energies spiraling beyond Zandor’s control. The atelier groaned, its sigils flaring as if in warning, but Zandor, drunk on the Resonator’s might, pressed onward. He sought to peer into the heart of the aether itself, to see the birthplace of magic, and in that moment of hubris, the balance broke. A surge erupted, a chaotic storm of light and sound that tore through the atelier like a beast unchained. The crystals shattered, their fragments raining like stars, and the brass frame buckled, its gears grinding to a halt with a scream of metal on metal.

The backlash was cataclysmic. The Eclipsed Atelier, once a bastion of order, became a maelstrom of wild magic. Portals yawned open, spilling creatures of nightmare into the mortal realm—beings of shadow and flame, their eyes burning with hunger. The ley lines twisted, their paths scarring the earth with rifts that bled raw aether. Zandor, caught in the storm’s heart, was thrown against the atelier’s walls, his body seared by the very power he had sought to master. Yet even as the Resonator fell silent, its light dimming to a flicker, Zandor’s spirit did not break. With the last of his strength, he wove a binding spell, sealing the atelier’s gates and trapping the chaos within. The portals closed, the rifts quieted, and the creatures were banished, but the atelier was forever changed—a place of echoes and shadows, its power locked away by Zandor’s final act.

Zandor did not survive the ordeal. His body, broken by the surge, was found amidst the wreckage, his hands still clutching a shard of the Resonator’s crystal, its glow fading as his life did. The spire of obsidian crumbled in the days that followed, its stones scattered by winds that carried the scent of aether. The Eclipsed Atelier sank into legend, its location lost to all but the most daring seekers, and the Aetheric Resonator became a myth—a tale of power and peril, of a man who reached for the divine and paid the ultimate price. Yet whispers persisted that the Resonator endured, hidden within the atelier’s ruins, its crystals still pulsing with a faint light, waiting for one worthy to claim its power and bear its risks.

The tale of Zandor spread through the ages, carried by scribes who translated it from tongues older than memory. It became the most known story of the Resonator, a cautionary hymn sung in the halls of mages and the firesides of villages. Those who sought the atelier spoke Zandor’s name with reverence and fear, for his legacy was a beacon and a warning—a reminder that magic, like the stars, is beautiful but untamed, and those who would wield it must do so with hearts as steady as their hands.

Moral of the Story: Seek not to grasp the heavens without knowing the weight of their light, for power unbound is a flame that consumes both wielder and world. True mastery lies in balance, and the greatest magic is that which bends without breaking.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

• Overview: In Call of Cthulhu, the Aetheric Resonator is a relic of forbidden knowledge, a device created by an ancient sorcerer dabbling in forces beyond human comprehension. It amplifies magical energies but risks drawing the attention of eldritch entities or unleashing chaotic surges that threaten sanity and reality. Investigators might encounter it in a forgotten atelier during an investigation into occult disturbances, with its use requiring careful handling to avoid catastrophic consequences.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Description: A towering device of brass and crystal, standing 8 feet tall, its gears and crystals pulsing with an ethereal glow that shifts in color. It emits a low, resonant hum that unsettles the mind.
  • Sanity Cost: Seeing the Resonator in operation costs 1/1D4 Sanity points due to its otherworldly nature. Using it costs 1D6/1D10 Sanity points, as the user glimpses the raw chaos of the cosmos.
  • Magic Points (MP) Cost: Activating the Resonator requires 10 MP per use, drawn from the user or a ritual pool. Each additional use within 24 hours increases the MP cost by 5 (cumulative).
  • Skills Required: Occult (50% or higher) or Cthulhu Mythos (20% or higher) to understand its function; Science (Physics) or Mechanical Repair (40% or higher) to operate its mechanisms safely.
• Effects:
  • Amplification Aura: Spells cast within 30 feet of the Resonator have their effects doubled (e.g., damage, duration, or area of effect, as appropriate). The caster must succeed on a POW roll (Difficulty: Hard) to control the amplified spell, or it misfires, causing unintended effects (GM discretion, e.g., summoning a minor entity, reversing the spell’s intent).
  • Ley Line Conduit: The Resonator can tap into ley lines, granting +20% to any ritual roll (e.g., summoning, banishing) performed within its vicinity. However, failure on the ritual roll causes a chaotic surge (see below).
  • Chaotic Overload: On any failed roll to control the Resonator (POW, Occult, or Mechanical Repair), roll 1D100:
    • 01-50: A minor surge causes 1D6 damage to all within 30 feet (bypass armor).
    • 51-90: A major surge opens a temporary rift, summoning a minor Mythos creature (e.g., a Dimensional Shambler, STR 75, CON 50, SIZ 80, DEX 60, INT 40, POW 60, HP 13, Damage 1D8+2).
    • 91-00: A catastrophic surge rends reality, costing 1D10/1D20 Sanity points to all present and potentially summoning a greater entity (GM discretion).
  • Risk of Discovery: Each use of the Resonator has a cumulative 10% chance per day of drawing the attention of a Mythos entity (e.g., a Hound of Tindalos), which begins hunting the users.

Blades in the Dark

• Overview: In Blades in the Dark, the Aetheric Resonator is a coveted arcane device hidden within the Eclipsed Atelier, a derelict workshop in Duskwall’s underbelly. It’s a tool for crews seeking to amplify their rituals or supernatural heists, but its instability risks ghost field disturbances or attracting the attention of the city’s spectral enforcers. A crew might use it to empower a score, but they must manage the fallout of its chaotic surges.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Description: A massive brass-and-crystal contraption, 8 feet tall, its gears turning with a hypnotic rhythm, crystals glowing with a shifting ethereal light. It hums with a resonance that echoes in the ghost field.
  • Tier: IV (a high-quality, dangerous artifact).
  • Load: 6 (too large to carry; requires a crew to transport or a secure location to operate).
  • Usage: The Resonator is a complex device requiring a Tinker or Attune roll to activate, with a position and effect determined by the crew’s approach:
  • Amplification Aura: When active, the Resonator boosts arcane actions (e.g., Attune, Study for rituals) within its vicinity. Add +1d to the action roll and increase effect by one level (e.g., Limited to Standard). However, the user takes Level 2 Harm (Arcane Burns) on a 1-3 result due to feedback, unless mitigated by a resistance roll (Insight or Resolve).
  • Ley Line Conduit: The Resonator can tap into Duskwall’s ghost field, granting +1d to rituals (e.g., summoning a spirit, binding a ghost). Success adds a 4-tick clock: “Ghost Field Stabilizes”; failure advances a 6-tick clock: “Spectral Attention”, drawing the Spirit Wardens.
  • Chaotic Overload: On a 1-3 result when activating or using the Resonator, roll on the Mishap Table (GM discretion):
    • 1-2: A minor surge causes Level 1 Harm (Shocked) to the user and creates a 4-tick clock: “Localized Haunting”.
    • 3-4: A major surge releases a ghost (Tier II, aggressive) and adds 1 Heat.
    • 5-6: A catastrophic surge opens a rift, summoning a Tier III Horror and adding 2 Heat plus a 6-tick clock: “Atelier Collapse”.
  • Downtime Use: The Resonator can be used in downtime to enhance a ritual or crafting project, reducing the Coin or Rep cost by 2 (minimum 1). However, each use adds 1 Heat due to its arcane signature.
  • Consequence:* Prolonged use (more than 3 activations in a score) creates a 6-tick clock: “Eclipsed Atelier Becomes a Target”, drawing rival factions or the Spirit Wardens to seize the device.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• Overview: In Dungeons & Dragons, the Aetheric Resonator is a legendary artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a forgotten demiplane where magic runs wild. It amplifies spellcasting and rituals but risks overloading, causing chaotic magical effects. Adventurers might seek it to enhance their magic against a powerful foe, but its instability makes it a double-edged sword, fitting the high-magic tone of D&D.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Wondrous Item, Legendary (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
  • This 8-foot-tall device of brass and crystal pulses with ethereal light, its gears turning in a hypnotic dance. It emits a low, resonant hum that harmonizes with ambient magic.
• Properties:
  • Amplification Aura: While within 30 feet of the Resonator, your spell save DC and spell attack bonus increase by 2. Additionally, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can expend one additional spell slot of the same level to double the spell’s damage, duration, or area of effect (choose one). After using this feature, roll a d20: on a 1-5, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
  • Ley Line Conduit: You can use the Resonator to perform a 10-minute ritual to tap into ley lines, regaining spell slots totaling up to 5 levels (e.g., one 5th-level slot or two 3rd-level slots and one 2nd-level slot). Once used, this feature can’t be used again until the next dawn. On a failed Arcana check (DC 15), the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
• Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll on the following table:
  • 1-10: A minor surge deals 4d10 force damage to all creatures within 30 feet (DC 17 Constitution save for half).
  • 11-17: A major surge casts Confusion (DC 17) centered on the Resonator, affecting all creatures within 30 feet.
  • 18-20: A catastrophic surge opens a portal, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., an Elemental, CR 5-7, DM’s choice) that attacks immediately.
• Activation Requirements: To attune to the Resonator, you must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to understand its mechanisms. On a failure, you take 6d10 psychic damage as the device’s energies overwhelm your mind, and you can’t attempt to attune again for 24 hours.
• Curse: Each time you use the Resonator’s features, there’s a cumulative 10% chance (resetting at dawn) that it attracts the attention of a powerful extraplanar entity (e.g., a demon or celestial, DM’s choice), which begins hunting you.
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by casting Dispel Magic (9th level) on it while it’s in the process of a Chaotic Overload, causing it to implode in a 30-foot radius explosion (8d10 force damage, DC 17 Dexterity save for half).

Knave (2nd Edition)

• Overview: In Knave, the Aetheric Resonator is a rare magical artifact found in the Eclipsed Atelier, a ruined workshop brimming with arcane dangers. It enhances spellcasting but risks chaotic surges, fitting Knave’s minimalist, old-school vibe where items are central to character power. Adventurers might seek it to gain an edge in a deadly dungeon, but its instability ensures high risk for high reward.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Magic Item, 6 Slots (large and unwieldy, 8 feet tall)
  • A towering brass-and-crystal device, its gears and ethereal coils pulsing with a shifting glow. It hums with a resonance that vibrates in your bones.
  • Usage: Activating the Resonator requires a successful Intelligence check (DC 12) to understand its arcane mechanisms. On a failure, you take 2d6 psychic damage from magical feedback.
• Effects:
  • Amplification Aura: While within 30 feet of the Resonator, your spellcasting rolls (if using an optional spellcasting system) gain Advantage, and spells deal +1d6 damage or last 1 additional turn (GM’s choice). After each spell cast, roll a d6: on a 1, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
  • Ley Line Conduit: You can spend 1 hour attuning the Resonator to a ley line, regaining 1d3 expended spell slots (or 1d3 charges for magic items, if no spellcasting). On a failed Intelligence check (DC 12), the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload. This feature can be used once per day.
• Chaotic Overload: Roll a d6:
  • 1-3: A minor surge deals 1d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (no save).
  • 4-5: A major surge causes a random magical effect (GM rolls on a table, e.g., everyone within 30 feet is polymorphed into frogs for 1 turn).
  • 6: A catastrophic surge summons a hostile creature (e.g., a shadow, 3 HD, 12 HP, AC 14, 1d6 damage) that attacks immediately.
• Danger: Each use of the Resonator has a 1-in-6 chance (roll a d6) of attracting a wandering monster (e.g., a 4 HD arcane construct) drawn by its magical signature.
• Value: 600 coins (if sold to a collector or mage, though its size and danger make it hard to transport).
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by smashing its central crystal (AC 15, 10 HP), but doing so causes an explosion: 3d6 force damage in a 30-foot radius (Dexterity save DC 12 for half).

Fate Core System

• Overview: In Fate Core, the Aetheric Resonator is a mystical artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a place where the boundaries between realms fray. It amplifies magical abilities but risks chaotic surges, fitting Fate’s narrative-driven system where aspects and stunts drive the story. Players might use it to gain an edge in a high-stakes ritual or conflict, but its instability introduces complications that fuel dramatic consequences.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Description: A towering brass-and-crystal device, 8 feet tall, its gears and ethereal coils pulsing with shifting ethereal light. It hums with a resonance that echoes through the soul.
  • Aspects:
    • Arcane Amplifier of the Eclipsed Atelier
    • Pulsing with Celestial Aether
    • Unstable and Prone to Chaos
  • Stunt:
    • Amplification Aura: Once per scene, you can invoke the Resonator’s Arcane Amplifier of the Eclipsed Atelier aspect for free to gain a +2 bonus to a Create an Advantage or Attack action involving magic (e.g., using Arcana or a similar skill). Alternatively, you can double the effect of a magical advantage (e.g., extending its duration or area). After using this stunt, the GM gains a free invoke on the Resonator’s Unstable and Prone to Chaos aspect to introduce a complication (e.g., a chaotic surge, environmental hazard, or summoning a hostile entity).
  • Stunt:
    • Ley Line Conduit: You can spend a Fate Point to use the Resonator to tap into ley lines, creating an advantage like Ley Line Surge with two free invokes, which can be used to boost magical actions. However, roll a Fate die after using this: on a [-], the GM introduces a complication tied to the Resonator’s instability (e.g., a magical backlash dealing stress or creating a new situational aspect like Rift to the Aether).
  • Consequences:
    • Chaotic Overload: When the GM invokes Unstable and Prone to Chaos, they can create a situational aspect like Aetheric Backlash (dealing 2 stress to all nearby characters) or Summoned Aetheric Horror (introducing a new threat, such as a Moderate enemy with +2 to physical attacks). Alternatively, the GM can compel a character’s aspect to reflect the psychological toll of the Resonator’s power, offering a Fate Point for accepting the complication (e.g., a mage’s Thirst for Power leads to reckless overuse).
  • Usage Requirements: To activate the Resonator, a character must succeed on an Overcome action using a magical skill (e.g., Arcana) at Great (+4) difficulty. Failure results in a minor cost, such as taking 1 stress or creating a situational aspect like Arcane Feedback.
  • Narrative Impact: The Resonator’s instability makes it a double-edged sword, encouraging players to weigh its benefits against potential complications. GMs can use its chaotic surges to escalate tension, introduce new threats, or tie its effects to character aspects for personal drama.

Numenera (Cypher System)

• Overview: In Numenera, the Aetheric Resonator is a numenera artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a crumbling Ninth World structure where the laws of reality bend. It amplifies magical (or esotery) abilities but risks catastrophic failure, fitting the Cypher System’s focus on discovery and the weird. Characters might use it to enhance their abilities against a powerful foe, but its instability could unleash horrors from beyond the world.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Level: 7
  • Description: A massive brass-and-crystal device, 8 feet tall, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that vibrates through the air.
  • Form: Artifact (requires a secure location to operate; too large to carry).
  • Effect:
    • Amplification Aura: When activated, the Resonator enhances esoteries and abilities within 30 feet (short range). Reduce the difficulty of any esotery or ability roll by 2 steps, and increase damage or effect by 50% (e.g., a 4-damage attack deals 6 damage). After each use, roll for depletion (see below).
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and 3 Intellect points, a character can attune the Resonator to a ley line, recovering 1d6 points to their Intellect Pool or gaining a one-use cypher (Level 5, GM’s choice, e.g., a burst of energy dealing 5 damage in a short range). This requires a successful difficulty 5 Intellect task. On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d10 (roll after each use of Amplification Aura). On depletion, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload and becomes unusable until repaired (difficulty 7 Intellect task, 1d6 hours).
  • Chaotic Overload: When triggered (by depletion, failure, or GM intrusion), roll on the following table:
    • 1-4: A minor surge deals 5 points of ambient damage (ignores Armor) to all within short range.
    • 5-7: A major surge creates a reality warp, applying a GM intrusion (e.g., a character is teleported 1d100 miles away, or a temporal loop traps them for 1d6 rounds).
    • 8-10: A catastrophic surge opens a rift, summoning a Level 6 creature (e.g., a crystalline horror, Might 18, Intellect 12, attacks with energy tendrils for 6 damage).
  • Usage Requirements: Activating the Resonator requires a difficulty 5 Intellect task to understand its mechanisms. Failure results in 3 points of Intellect damage from feedback.
• GM Intrusion Suggestion: The Resonator’s hum attracts a swarm of nano-spirits (Level 4, swarm behavior), which attempt to possess the device, causing it to activate uncontrollably until the spirits are banished (difficulty 5 Intellect task).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

• Overview: In Pathfinder 2E, the Aetheric Resonator is a rare magical artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a planar nexus where magic runs rampant. It enhances spellcasting and rituals but risks chaotic surges, fitting Pathfinder’s crunchy mechanics and high-magic setting. Adventurers might use it to empower a ritual against a BBEG, but its instability could unleash devastating effects.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Item 15
  • Rare, Magical, Artifact
  • Bulk: 10 (8 feet tall, too large to carry without magical means).
  • Description: A towering brass-and-crystal device, its gears and ethereal coils pulsing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that amplifies ambient magic.
  • Activate: Command, Interact (10 minutes); Requirements: You have the Magical skill (Arcana, Occultism, Nature, or Religion) at Expert proficiency or higher.
  • Effect:
    • Amplification Aura: For the next hour, spells cast within 30 feet of the Resonator gain a +2 status bonus to their spell attack rolls and save DCs. Additionally, you can cast a spell as if it were heightened by 1 level without expending a higher-level spell slot. After each spell cast, make a DC 30 flat check: on a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
    • Ley Line Conduit: You can perform a 1-hour ritual (Arcana DC 35) to tap into ley lines, granting you the effects of a Heightened Wish spell (one use, no material cost). On a critical failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload and becomes unusable for 24 hours.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll on the following table:
      • 1-10: A minor surge deals 8d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 35 Reflex save for half).
      • 11-17: A major surge casts Prismatic Spray (DC 35) centered on the Resonator, affecting all within range.
      • 18-20: A catastrophic surge opens a portal, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., a Greater Nightmare, Level 14) that attacks immediately.
  • Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by casting a 9th-level Disjunction spell on it during a Chaotic Overload, causing it to explode (12d6 force damage in a 30-foot emanation, DC 35 Reflex save for half).
• Drawback: Each use of the Resonator has a cumulative 10% chance (resetting daily) of attracting a planar entity (e.g., a Level 12 demon or elemental), which seeks to claim the device’s power.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

• Overview: In Savage Worlds, the Aetheric Resonator is a powerful arcane device within the Eclipsed Atelier, a mystical ruin in a high-magic setting. It boosts spellcasting and rituals but risks chaotic surges, fitting Savage Worlds’ fast-paced, pulpy tone. Heroes might use it to turn the tide in a climactic battle, but its instability could lead to explosive consequences.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Arcane Device, Legendary
  • Weight: 500 lbs. (8 feet tall, requires a secure location or heavy transport).
  • Description: A massive brass-and-crystal contraption, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that amplifies magic.
  • Powers:
    • Amplification Aura: As an action, a character with Arcane Background (any) can activate the Resonator (Arcana or Spellcasting roll, -2 penalty due to complexity). On a success, for the next 3 rounds, all spells cast within 12” (24 yards) gain a +2 bonus to their casting roll and deal +2 damage (if applicable). On a raise, the duration extends to 5 rounds. After each spell cast, roll a d6: on a 1, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and 10 Power Points, a character can attune the Resonator to a ley line (Arcana roll, -2 penalty). On a success, they recover 2d6 Power Points or gain a one-use power (e.g., Blast, +2 damage). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload. This can be used once per day.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll a d6:
      • 1-3: A minor surge deals 2d6 damage (ignores Armor) in a Medium Blast Template (6” diameter).
      • 4-5: A major surge applies a random arcane mishap (e.g., all within 12” are Distracted and Vulnerable for 1 round).
      • 6: A catastrophic surge summons a hostile creature (e.g., a Wild Card Elemental, Toughness 10, 2d8 damage) that attacks immediately.
• Drawback: Each use of the Resonator has a 1-in-6 chance (roll a d6) of attracting a supernatural threat (e.g., a Toughness 8 spectral entity) drawn by its arcane signature.
• Bennies: The GM gains a Benny each time the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload, reflecting its narrative impact.
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by dealing 20 damage (Toughness 12) to its central crystal, but doing so causes an explosion: 4d6 damage in a Large Blast Template (12” diameter), ignoring Armor.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

• Overview: In Shadowrun, the Aetheric Resonator is a rare magical artifact uncovered in the Eclipsed Atelier, a hidden mana-rich site in the Sixth World. It amplifies magical abilities but risks astral disruptions, fitting Shadowrun’s blend of magic and tech. Runners might use it to enhance a mage’s power during a high-stakes run, but its instability could draw astral threats or corp attention.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Type: Magical Artifact (Fetish)
  • Availability: 18R (Restricted, rare and dangerous)
  • Cost: 150,000¥ (black market value; not typically sold legally)
  • Description: A massive brass-and-crystal device, 8 feet tall, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that stirs the astral plane.
  • Essence/Magic Requirements: Requires a Magic rating of 3+ to activate. Non-awakened characters cannot use it.
  • Activation: Activating the Resonator requires a Sorcery + Magic test (Threshold 4). On a glitch, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below). On a critical glitch, it triggers a catastrophic overload and becomes unusable for 24 hours.
  • Effects:
    • Amplification Aura: For the next 3 combat turns, spells cast within 10 meters gain +2 dice to their Sorcery test and deal +2 DV (Damage Value). Drain is increased by +2 due to the intensified mana flow. After each spell, roll 1d6: on a 1, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and making an Assensing + Intuition test (Threshold 3), the user can tap into a ley line, recovering 1d3 Edge or reducing Drain from the next spell by 3 (minimum 1). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload. This can be used once per day.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll 1d6:
      • 1-3: A minor surge deals 6P (Physical) damage (Resist with Body + Willpower, AP -2) to all within 10 meters.
      • 4-5: A major surge creates an astral disturbance, applying a -2 dice pool penalty to all Magic tests in the area for 1 hour.
      • 6: A catastrophic surge opens an astral rift, summoning a hostile spirit (Force 6, e.g., a Spirit of Air, with 12 dice to attack) that attacks immediately.
    • Astral Signature: Each use of the Resonator increases Background Count by +1 (to a maximum of 5) for 24 hours, making the area more dangerous for astral activity and attracting spirits or corp mages.
• Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll 1d6) of alerting a megacorp or magical faction (e.g., Aztechnology or the Draco Foundation), who send a team to seize the device (GM discretion, typically 6-8 professional runners).

Starfinder (1st Edition, 2024 Updates)

• Overview: In Starfinder, the Aetheric Resonator is a hybrid tech-magic artifact discovered in the Eclipsed Atelier, a drifting station in the Drift where planar energies converge. It boosts spellcasting and technomagic but risks chaotic surges, fitting Starfinder’s sci-fi fantasy blend. A party might use it to enhance their abilities during a Drift crisis, but its instability could summon extraplanar threats.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Level: 15
  • Price: 250,000 credits
  • Bulk: 10 (8 feet tall, requires a secure location or grav-lift to transport)
  • Description: A towering brass-and-crystal device, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that ripples through the Drift.
  • Category: Hybrid (Magic/Tech)
  • Usage: 1 charge/hour (holds 10 charges; recharges 1 charge per day in a mana-rich environment)
  • Activation: Activating the Resonator requires a successful DC 30 Mysticism or Engineering check (1 minute). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below).
  • Effects:
    • Amplification Aura: For 1 hour, spells and spell-like abilities cast within 30 feet gain a +2 bonus to their caster level checks and DCs. Additionally, spells deal +1d6 damage of their energy type (if applicable). After each spell, make a DC 20 flat check: on a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and 2 charges, you can attune the Resonator to planar energies (Mysticism DC 28). On a success, you regain 1d4 spell slots (total levels up to 4) or gain a one-use technomagic effect (e.g., Overload Systems, +2d6 damage). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll 1d6:
      • 1-3: A minor surge deals 6d6 force damage to all within 30 feet (DC 20 Reflex save for half).
      • 4-5: A major surge creates a planar distortion, applying a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks in the area for 1 hour.
      • 6: A catastrophic surge opens a Drift rift, summoning a hostile creature (e.g., a CR 12 Driftborn Elemental, 12d10 damage with energy attacks).
• Drawback: Each use has a 20% chance (roll percentile dice) of alerting a Drift entity (e.g., a CR 10 Akata Voidstalker), which arrives within 1d4 hours to investigate.
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by overloading it with a 6th-level Energy Ray (force damage), causing it to explode (10d6 force damage in a 30-foot radius, DC 20 Reflex save for half).

Traveller (2nd Edition, Mongoose Publishing 2022 Update)

• Overview: In Traveller, the Aetheric Resonator is reimagined as an ancient alien artifact found in the Eclipsed Atelier, a derelict station in a mana-rich nebula. It amplifies psionic abilities (in a setting where psionics are treated as magic) but risks chaotic feedback, fitting Traveller’s sci-fi exploration theme. Travellers might use it to enhance their psionic powers during a mission, but its instability could trigger dangerous phenomena.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Tech Level: 15 (Ancient, beyond modern understanding)
  • Weight: 500 kg (8 feet tall, requires a grav-lift or team to move)
  • Cost: 1,000,000 Cr (black market estimate; not legally sold)
  • Description: A massive brass-and-crystal device, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that stirs the mind.
  • Activation: Activating the Resonator requires a Psionics skill check (8+, 1 minute). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below). On an Effect of -4 or worse, it becomes unusable for 24 hours.
  • Effects:
    • Amplification Aura: For 1 hour, psionic powers used within 10 meters gain a +2 bonus to their Psionics skill check, and their effects are increased by 50% (e.g., Telepathy range increases by 50%, or damage increases by 50%). After each use, roll 2d6: on a 2, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and making a Psionics check (10+), the user can attune the Resonator to ambient energies, recovering 1d6 Psionic Strength Points. On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload. This can be used once per day.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll 2d6:
      • 2-5: A minor surge deals 2d6 damage (ignores Armor) to all within 10 meters.
      • 6-9: A major surge creates a psionic disturbance, applying DM -2 to all Psionics checks in the area for 1 hour.
      • 10-12: A catastrophic surge opens a rift, summoning a hostile psionic entity (e.g., a Psi-Beast, END 12, INT 8, PSI 10, 2d6 psionic attack).
• Drawback: Each use has a 1-in-6 chance (roll 1d6) of emitting a psionic signature detectable by Imperial sensors or hostile psionic entities, drawing a response (e.g., a Zhodani psi-team arrives in 1d6 days).
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by dealing 50 points of damage (Armor 10), but doing so causes an explosion: 4d6 damage in a 10-meter radius (DEX 8+ to halve).

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

• Overview: In Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Aetheric Resonator is a Chaos-tainted artifact within the Eclipsed Atelier, a ruined elven structure corrupted by warpstone energies. It amplifies magic but risks catastrophic miscasts, fitting WFRP’s grim and perilous tone. Adventurers might use it to counter a Chaos cult, but its instability could unleash daemonic forces.
• Stat Block and Mechanics:
  • Aetheric Resonator
  • Type: Artefact (Chaos-Tainted)
  • Encumbrance: 50 (8 feet tall, requires a cart or magic to move)
  • Price: Priceless (coveted by wizards and Chaos cults alike)
  • Availability: Unique
  • Description: A towering brass-and-crystal device, its gears and ethereal coils glowing with shifting light. It hums with a resonance that stirs the Winds of Magic.
  • Traits: Chaos (Tzeentch), Magical, Unstable
  • Activation: Activating the Resonator requires a Channeling test (DN 6). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload (see below). On a Critical Failure, the user gains 1 Corruption point.
  • Effects:
    • Amplification Aura: For 1 hour, spells cast within 10 yards gain +2 SL (Success Levels) to their Casting roll, and their effects are increased (e.g., +2 damage per SL, or +2 yards to range). After each spell, roll a d10: on a 1, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload.
    • Ley Line Conduit: By spending 1 hour and making a Lore (Magic) test (DN 8), the user can tap into a ley line, recovering 1d10 Magic Points or gaining a free spell casting (no miscast roll required). On a failure, the Resonator triggers a Chaotic Overload. This can be used once per day.
    • Chaotic Overload: When triggered, roll a d10:
      • 1-4: A minor surge deals 1d10 damage (ignores Armor) to all within 10 yards.
      • 5-7: A major surge causes a Major Miscast (roll on the Major Miscast table, Core Rulebook p.237).
      • 8-10: A catastrophic surge opens a warp rift, summoning a Lesser Daemon of Tzeentch (e.g., a Horror of Tzeentch, WS 40, S 30, T 30, I 40, W 12, 2 Attacks, 1d10+3 damage). All present gain 1 Corruption point.
  • Corruption Risk: Each use of the Resonator requires a Cool test (DN 6). On a failure, the user gains 1 Corruption point due to its warpstone influence.
• Drawback: Each use has a 10% chance (roll percentile dice) of attracting a Chaos cult or daemonic entity, who arrive within 1d10 days to claim the device.
• Destruction: The Resonator can be destroyed by a Dispel Magic spell (DN 8) during a Chaotic Overload, causing it to explode (2d10 damage in a 10-yard radius, no save, all present gain 1 Corruption point).