Ethereal Transmogrifier

From: Obsidian Alchemists Conclave

Lore: The legend of the Ethereal Transmogrifier dates to the earliest days of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. It is said that the device was originally discovered in the ruins of an ancient civilization known for their mastery of spirit magic and interdimensional travel. The alchemists of the conclave, always seeking to push the boundaries of their knowledge, meticulously restored and augmented the ancient artifact, uncovering its true potential.

Over the centuries, the Ethereal Transmogrifier has become a centerpiece of the conclave’s research and experiments. The alchemists believe that spirits and entities from other planes hold valuable secrets and energies that can augment their own powers and enrich their understanding of the cosmos. With the Ethereal Transmogrifier, they can venture beyond the material realm and interact with beings from the ethereal planes, unlocking mysteries that lie beyond ordinary comprehension.

Description: The Ethereal Transmogrifier is a mesmerizing and elaborate apparatus, adorned with ancient runes and engravings. It stands as tall as a human, with multiple interlocking gears and intricate crystal lenses arranged in a harmonious pattern. When activated, the device emits a soft, ethereal glow that illuminates its surroundings with a ghostly aura. Furthermore, the device produces faint, haunting melodies as it resonates with the energies it channels.

Purpose: The primary purpose of the Ethereal Transmogrifier is to study and interact with spirits and otherworldly entities. It enables the alchemists to observe and communicate with these ethereal beings, providing valuable insights into realms beyond the material plane. The device also possesses the power to temporarily transport spirits and entities into the material world, allowing the alchemists to conduct detailed and controlled experiments on these beings.

 Tier One Stats:

• Size: Large, as tall as a human and with a width of around 5 feet.
• Color: The main body of the apparatus is crafted from dark, polished brass, with intricate carvings etched in silver and gold.
• Shape: The Ethereal Transmogrifier has a cylindrical central chamber surrounded by a complex array of gears, lenses, and crystals.
• Sound: When activated, it emits a soft, haunting melody that resonates in harmony with the ethereal energies it manipulates.
• Tags: Aetheric, Arcane, Relic, Transmutation, Interdimensional, Spiritbound Interface, Plane-Melding Apparatus, Phantom Conduit, Runic-Energized Relic, Void-Harmonic Resonator, Alchemical Gatework, Spectral Channeler, Transplanar Beacon, Essence Stabilizer, Dimensional Catalyst

Requirements: The construction and activation of the Ethereal Transmogrifier are delicate and intricate tasks that require the expertise of master alchemists. Precise calibration of the gears and crystals, as well as understanding the ancient runes, is essential for its proper functioning. Additionally, a significant amount of rare and exotic alchemical reagents and aetheric energies are needed to power and maintain the device.

Cost and Where to Obtain: The Ethereal Transmogrifier is a priceless artifact and not easily obtained. It is an invaluable creation of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave and guarded jealously within its fortress. Only those who have proven themselves to be loyal members of the conclave and possess exceptional alchemical knowledge are granted access to the device. Attempting to steal or acquire the Ethereal Transmogrifier without the conclave’s consent would be a perilous and deadly endeavor.

Environment and Usage: The Ethereal Transmogrifier is a centerpiece of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave, located within the heart of the fortress. The chamber housing the device is a sacred and heavily guarded space, accessible only to trusted alchemists and initiated members of the conclave. The device is primarily used for research and study, allowing alchemists to delve into the mysteries of other planes and spirits.

The results of the Ethereal Transmogrifier’s usage vary widely, as each interaction with spirits and entities from other planes provides unique insights and knowledge. Some results lead to groundbreaking discoveries that advance the conclave’s alchemical research, unlocking new spells, elixirs, and transformative substances. However, there are also inherent risks in dealing with otherworldly energies, and the device has been known to unleash unforeseen consequences, making its usage a delicate and perilous pursuit.

The Ethereal Transmogrifier is a fascinating and powerful artifact that adds depth and intrigue to the lore of the Obsidian Alchemist’s Conclave. Its mastery of interdimensional exploration and the manipulation of otherworldly energies makes it a captivating element of the world of Saṃsāra, offering limitless possibilities for storytelling and adventure.

Ghost-Loom of the First Silence
Translated from the Old Sigils of Breath by the Lost Tongue of Whispered Flame

Long before the moons had names, before the stars above Saṃsāra burned their ancient runes into the sky, there was only a humming. Not music, not voice, but a hum — the unspoken current of all that was, and all that would ever be. The Ancients did not speak as we do, nor did they write. They wove their truths into breath and stone, into pulses of light and patterns only the unborn could dream of. And it was from this woven breath that the Ethereal Transmogrifier came to be.

It is told in the fractured glyphs of the Temple-Wound Tablets that the first of the Conclave was not man, nor spirit, but a Sieve. A being whose only purpose was to strain the fabric of existence, sifting truth from illusion, soul from shell. The Sieve wandered the pre-world deserts, where time slipped sideways and echoes danced unshackled. There, it uncovered a thing not made, but remembered—a heap of parts whose form was dictated not by function, but by meaning.

Each piece of the Ethereal Transmogrifier had been shed from the bodies of extinct gods: the gear of a time-thief’s spine, a lens once blinked from the eye of a dream-being, the carved cylinder that held the last prayer of a dying plane. The Sieve, with neither tool nor touch, arranged them not by assembly, but by invitation. When the last piece hummed in resonance with the rest, the Transmogrifier awoke—not with noise, but with memory.

It did not speak. It remembered aloud.

In the early ages of the Obsidian Alchemists Conclave—when their halls were hollow trees and their libraries breathed fog—the device was sealed away behind thought-doors, guarded not by soldiers, but by questions. “What is your purpose when none seek you?” “What do you call yourself when no name survives?” Only those who answered in silence were allowed to see it.

It is said that the alchemist Lirene the Unveiled was the first to truly activate the Transmogrifier in this age. She offered no spell, no chant, only her breath. The machine drank it like light. From within the spinning rings and crystalline limbs came a shimmer, and then—emergence. A spirit from a time yet to come stood before her: cloaked in probability, its face a paradox. It did not speak, but Lirene wept, for what she saw in its eyes was herself, broken and remade across centuries.

From that communion, she wrote the Thousandfold Formulae—potions that could shift memories into flesh, reverse oaths into feathers, and trap regret in glass. But not all who used the Transmogrifier fared so well. Some brought it greed. Others brought it fear. And one, the most foolish of all, asked it to show him the moment he died. The echoes of that man’s scream still rattle the gears.

The Transmogrifier does not lie. It cannot. But truth is not safe. Truth is a blade without handle, and the machine has neither mercy nor malice—only resonance.

Now it rests in the deepest vault of the Conclave, guarded by those who no longer dream. It sings still, though no one listens.

But the day will come again when one seeks to touch what should not be touched, to beckon what should not answer. And when they do, the Transmogrifier shall remember them. Perfectly. Terribly. Truthfully.

Moral of the Story: That which unveils truth must first strip away the illusion of self.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Artifact Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Type: Major Artifact
• Mythos Rating: 35
• Sanity Loss: 1d4/1d10 upon witnessing activation
• Effects:
  • Spirit Interface: The device allows one to perceive and interact with spirits or beings from beyond. The user must succeed at a Cthulhu Mythos roll (Hard success) to initiate contact.
  • Dimensional Glimpse: Once per week, the user may glimpse into another dimension. This induces a temporary bout of madness unless a Power (POW) roll is passed.
  • Transmogrification Ritual: Requires 12 hours, rare reagents, and a successful Occult and Science (Physics) roll. Permits summoning or banishing of one ethereal entity.
  • Backlash: On a failed roll during use, roll 1d4:
    • Gain a random mental disorder
    • Age 1d10 years
    • Attract attention of a Mythos entity
    • Reality distorts for 1d6 minutes (GM’s discretion)
• Availability: Held by secretive cult or Mythos-affiliated university archive.

Blades in the Dark

Item: The Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Tier: IV
• Type: Arcane Workshop Device
• Load: 4 (bulky, immobile unless transported in parts)
• Usage:
  • Tune (Arcane): A Whisper can use the device to “Speak Across Realms.” Spend 1 stress and make a Tune roll to interact with a spirit or gain otherworldly insight.
  • Long-Term Project Tool: When used as a workshop resource, reduces project clock segments by 1 extra tick per downtime.
  • Complication Risk: Every usage adds +1 to the next Entanglement Roll as the spirit world becomes agitated.
  • Rare Blueprint Effect: Can craft new arcane items using insights gleaned, granting 1 free downtime action for invention per session if operated.
• Access: Requires Whisper permission or occult faction allegiance.

Dungeons & Dragons (5e)

Wondrous Item: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Rarity: Legendary
• Requires Attunement by a spellcaster (Wizard, Warlock, Druid, or Artificer)
• Properties:
  • Ethereal Pulse (Recharge 5–6): As an action, open a brief portal to the Ethereal Plane. Gain True Seeing for 1 minute. Creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 18 Wisdom save or become Frightened until the end of their next turn.
  • Spirit Channel (1/long rest): Cast Commune, Speak with Dead, or Plane Shift (Ethereal only) without material components.
  • Alchemical Insight: When making Arcana or Alchemist’s Supplies checks to craft or identify magical items, roll with advantage.
  • Backlash: Each use after the first in a day requires a DC 20 Constitution save or take 4d6 psychic damage and suffer 1 level of exhaustion.
• Weight: 250 lbs (immobile once installed)

Knave (Ben Milton’s System)

Item: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Type: Rare Stationary Object (cannot be carried by a single person)
• Effects:
  • Spiritual Tethering: A character may spend a full rest interacting with the device. Gain the ability to see and communicate with spirits for the next d6 days.
  • Ethereal Gate: 1/week, opens a shimmering gate to a distant realm for 10 minutes. Requires a WIL Save (DC 15) or the user is afflicted by visions, losing one WIL until the next rest.
  • Transmutation Experimentation: Spending 1 week and rare components, the user may attempt to bind a spirit to an object (GM-determined effect). Failure results in random curse or summoning.
  • Dangerous Energy: If used more than once per day, roll d20. On a 1, a hostile ethereal being emerges.
• Usage: Requires laboratory, scholar, or occult support to operate effectively.

Fate Core / Fate Accelerated

Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Type: Arcane Relic / Story-Centric Device
• Scale: Device of Significant Power
• Aspects:
  • “Gateway Between Realms”
  • “Resonates with the Breath of Forgotten Spirits”
  • “Truth Comes with a Price”
• Functions (as narrative permissions):
  • Once per session, a character may use the Transmogrifier to Create an Advantage using Lore, Will, or Crafts with +2 bonus when interacting with spirits or phenomena from other planes.
  • Spend 1 Fate Point to Open a Rift, allowing temporary contact with a specific type of entity or dimension. This causes a consequence (mild or moderate) tied to mental strain or spiritual dissonance.
  • Failure when using the Transmogrifier may compel one of its Aspects immediately, triggering story-driven complications.
• Notes: The Transmogrifier is a device primarily used to drive story and discovery, ideal as a major setting element rather than a player-owned item.

Numenera / Cypher System

Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Level: 10 Artifact
• Form: Stationary multi-crystal array with pulsing resonance plates
• Depletion: 1 in 1d10
• Effect:
  • Allows interaction with spirits, echoes, or entities from the datasphere or alternate dimensions. Once per day, the user can attempt to speak with one such being for up to 10 minutes.
  • A successful Intellect task (difficulty 6) allows the user to ask the being up to three questions.
  • Failure on a task may lead to temporary madness, loss of focus (-1 to all tasks for 10 minutes), or a fragment of the user being seen by other interdimensional intelligences.
  • Once per month, the device may allow a temporary materialization of a being from the beyond (GM-controlled, possibly hostile).
• Cypher Bonus: Grants a +2 bonus to any task involving planar energy manipulation or research.

Pathfinder Second Edition

Item: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Item Level: 15
• Usage: Fixed Installation (not portable)
• Bulk: 20+ (immobile)
• Activate: 3 Actions (Concentrate, Interact, Exploration)
• Requirements: Alchemist, Wizard, or Occult spellcaster trained in Arcana
• Effects:
  • Once per day, cast Plane Shift (Ethereal Plane only), but with an increased risk: failure on the Occultism check results in 2d6 mental damage and Frightened 2.
  • Three times per day, cast Spirit Sense (as True Seeing but limited to spirits and ghosts) with a +2 item bonus.
  • While attuned to the device, gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Crafting (Alchemy) or Occultism checks related to spirits or interdimensional entities.
  • Interacting with the device for an hour can provide Automatic Knowledge on one obscure planar phenomenon per GM discretion.
• Drawbacks: Prolonged exposure may trigger a Will Save (DC 28) or result in a temporary mental condition such as confusion, visions, or planar echoes (GM discretion).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition / SWADE)

Artifact: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Type: Major Relic (Arcane Device)
• Encumbrance: Heavy (cannot be moved without a team)
• Function:
  • Spirit Channeling: Once per session, the operator may attempt a Faith, Occult, or Weird Science roll at -2 to open communication with a spirit or extra-planar entity.
  • Rift Opening: With a Raise, opens a temporary rift to the Ethereal Plane. During this time, all characters in a Medium Burst Template are considered to have the Ethereal ability.
  • Backlash: On a failure, roll on the Backlash Table or suffer Fatigue from mental overload. On a Critical Failure, a hostile spiritual echo is released into the scene (GM-created foe).
  • Research Bonus: Using the device provides a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Occult or Arcana) for deciphering planar mysteries.
• Notes: Can be used as a base of operations for ritual casting or summoning in occult campaigns. Requires a power source (Leyline, Arcane Core, or equivalent).

Shadowrun (Sixth Edition)

Item Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Type: Arcane Device (Facility-Scale, Restricted)
• Availability: 14F | Cost: Priceless (custom-built, non-purchasable)
• Game Mechanics:
  • Arcane Function: Allows the user (Awakened only) to interact with astral entities beyond the metaplanes. Requires a successful Arcana + Magic [Mental] (Threshold 5) test.
  • Effect: On a success, the operator may call forth an ephemeral spirit (custom stats) to answer 1d3 questions. On 3+ net hits, the spirit may manifest physically for 3 rounds.
  • Glitch: Spirit may become hostile or refuse service.
  • Critical Glitch: The Transmogrifier emits a mana rupture, forcing all Awakened characters in the room to resist Stun damage (DV 6 + net hits on glitch).
  • Special Rule: +2 dice pool bonus to Assensing or Astral Tracking when within 10 meters of the active device.
• Restrictions: Requires a permanent magical lodge (Rating 6+) and exclusive permissions from a magical order (e.g., Atlantean Foundation or Draco Foundation).

Starfinder

Item Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Item Level: 13 | Bulk: 20 (Immobile) | Price: 195,000 credits (non-commercial)
• Type: Technomagic Artifact (Stationary Installation)
• Usage:
  • Activate (Standard Action): User must succeed a DC 32 Mysticism check to stabilize the resonance. On success, choose one:
    • Cast Contact Other Plane (Ethereal-focused only)
    • Create a 1-minute portal to the Ethereal Plane (no more than 1 Medium creature may pass through)
  • Secondary Effect (Once/day): +2 enhancement bonus to Mysticism checks related to planar research while within 30 ft.
• Failure Effect: If the activation check fails by 5+, the device emits dimensional backlash, dealing 6d6 damage (half force, half mental) to all within 10 ft. Reflex save (DC 20) halves.
• Aura: Strong transmutation and divination.

Traveller (Mongoose 2e)

Item Name: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Tech Level: TL15+ (Ancient Pre-Collapse Artifact)
• Size: Large installation (room-sized)
• Rarity: Unique
• Location: Ancient ruins, controlled research zones, or elite alchemical orders
• Function:
  • Use: Requires a character with Science (Physical Sciences or Psionics) 2+ and Psionics 1+ to operate.
  • Action: Spend 1 hour calibrating the device and succeed an Average (8+) INT or EDU + Science check.
  • Effect: Grants access to one of the following:
    • Manifest ethereal echoes (non-corporeal beings with limited communication)
    • Attempt contact with a past version of a character (GM-guided temporal interaction)
    • Gain a +2 DM on a subsequent Research or Psionics task involving non-physical phenomena
• Failure: A failed check may result in hallucinations, lost time (2d6 hours), or ghostlike possessions (GM discretion).
• Consequences: Prolonged use risks awakening ancient guardians or drawing attention from hostile interdimensional beings.

Warhammer 40K: Wrath & Glory

Item: Ethereal Transmogrifier

• Rarity: 6 (Relic-Grade Xenotech or Forbidden Tech)
• Tier: 5 (Major Relic)
• Keywords: Relic, Arcana, Xenos, Forbidden, Warp-Tech
• Activation: 1 Full Round | DN 5 Tech + Intelligence (or Willpower) Test
• Use:
  • Once per session, allows the user to:
    • Commune with a spirit from the Warp or sub-realms, asking 1d3 questions
    • Phase-shift a nearby Daemon or incorporeal creature into the material plane for 1 turn (GM decides consequences)
  • On a Wrath Critical: Instead of benefits, roll Perils of the Warp (automatically triggers).
  • Bonus: While within 20 meters of the device, characters receive +2 bonus dice on Scholar or Tech tests involving the Immaterium.
• Complication: Every use adds 1 Corruption to the user (automatic, non-resistible) unless they succeed a DN 6 Conviction (Willpower) test.
• GM Note: This device is best used as a story-driving artifact — a powerful mystery generator or narrative pivot in campaigns involving forbidden lore or warp instability.