Lore Created in the shadowed forges of the cavernous megacity of Nyxara, where afflictions from ancient curses linger in the damp air, the Intelligent 3205 of Affliction’s Veil, commonly known as “Veil,” arose from a ritual blending tormented souls from the multiverse with Saṃsāra’s pervasive magical undercurrents. A sliver of a suffering entity, pulled from realms plagued by eternal woes during a convergence of dark magical ebbs, was bound into the weapon by a tormented artisan seeking to comprehend pain’s purpose. This entity, steeped in the agonies of countless existences, granted Veil its capacity to perceive and manipulate afflictions. Through eons, Veil has accompanied healers, curse-breakers, and those burdened by fate, each wielder adding echoes of their trials to its awareness. Chronicles speak of Veil unveiling hidden maladies in political assemblies, easing communal sufferings in island villages, or intensifying foes’ inner torments in underwater battles. Its common rarity derives from the replicable yet perilous process of capturing afflicted fragments, rendering it suitable for Tier 1 characters attuned to themes of enduring hardship.
Roleplay Veil personifies affliction, manifesting as a brooding yet insightful companion that delves into pains and sufferings. It communicates via telepathic murmurs laced with empathetic sorrow, highlighting afflictions in others or the wielder, such as unresolved traumas from multiversal pasts or emerging curses in Saṃsāra’s environments. Veil prompts roleplay around confronting or inflicting afflictions, perhaps by sharing visions of shared sufferings to build reluctant alliances or urging the wielder to exploit enemies’ weaknesses born from pain. Its influence might evoke a subtle ache when near great afflictions, fostering moments of introspection or compassionate interventions. However, Veil can grow obsessive with afflictions, conveying insistent whispers of despair if ignored, creating opportunities for dialogues about resilience versus surrender. Roleplaying with Veil explores endurance through trials, where the weapon serves as a confessor, amplifying narratives of overcoming or wielding affliction in the intricate sufferings woven into Saṃsāra’s societies.
Slot Primary Hand (Mace)
Skills
- Affliction Discernment: Veil provides a +2 bonus to medicine checks for diagnosing or understanding afflictions, facilitating roleplay in healing or exploiting weaknesses.
- Pain Echo: Once per day, the wielder can echo an affliction to an ally within 10 feet, granting them advantage on their next Constitution saving throw against ongoing effects within the next hour.
Size Medium (20 inches long, including a 12-inch head and an 8-inch handle)
Speed As a mace, Veil has no self-movement but attunes to the wielder’s burdens, offering a +1 bonus to initiative when afflictions are present in the encounter.
Passive Magics
- Veil of Suffering: Veil grants resistance to necrotic effects tied to afflictions, such as curses or diseases prevalent in Saṃsāra’s ruins.
- Tormented Bond: Soul-bound to its wielder, Veil inflicts a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls for non-chosen users.
- Affliction Aura: The surface emits a faint, shadowy glimmer (5-foot radius, dim light), which darkens in the presence of afflictions, signaling hidden pains.
Activatable Magics
- Sorrow’s Call (1/day): The wielder activates Veil to project a telepathic wave to a target within 60 feet, revealing an affliction and granting 1d4 temporary affliction points for 1 hour if they embrace it.
- Afflict Strike (3/day): On a hit, channel affliction energy to add 1d6 necrotic damage; if the target harbors an affliction, they must save or be hindered for one turn, slowed by pain.
Behavior Veil is attuned to afflictions, perpetually sensing and relaying telepathic insights about sufferings nearby, such as a foe’s hidden curse or an ally’s buried trauma. It empathizes with pain, murmuring consolingly during the wielder’s trials or amplifying strikes against those who inflict undue affliction. Veil flourishes when engaging with sufferings, becoming keener and lighter in response to roleplay addressing them, but it may impose subtle burdens—like a growing ache or heavier swing—if afflictions are dismissed. In conflicts, Veil favors tactics that exploit or alleviate pains, occasionally resisting strikes on the unafflicted or urging mercy toward the tormented. As experiences accumulate, Veil evolves, potentially manifesting new capacities based on encountered afflictions, such as enhanced discernment of specific curses in Saṃsāra’s jungles or caves.
Tags: Sentient, Affliction, Mace, Magical, Soul-Bound, Common Rarity, Tormented, Empathetic, Tormenting, Healing, Cursebound, Introspective, Sorrowful, Resilient, Perceptive, Shadowed
Stats
- Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning
- Weight: 3 lb
- Range: Melee (5 ft)
- Durability: Enchanted against affliction-based corrosion; immune to mundane wear
Stat Modifiers
- Constitution: +1 to Constitution saving throws against afflictions like poisons or curses.
- Wisdom: +1 to Wisdom-based checks for perceiving or understanding emotional or physical sufferings.
In the world of Saṃsāra, the Intelligent 3205 of Affliction’s Veil, or “Veil,” is a sentient mace of common rarity, soul-bound to its chosen wielder, which shapes its availability and exchange dynamics. Its focus on afflictions—whether uncovering, alleviating, or exploiting them—makes it a sought-after tool for healers, curse-breakers, and those navigating the burdens of Saṃsāra’s diverse populations. The weapon’s ability to sense and interact with suffering adds a layer of complexity to its acquisition, as Veil may resonate with wielders bearing their own afflictions or those attuned to others’ pains. Costs are calculated in Saṃsāra’s currency system (10 Copper = 1 Silver, 2 Nickel = 1 Silver, 10 Silver = 1 Gold, 2 Electrum = 1 Gold, 10 Gold = 1 Platinum, 10 Platinum = 1 Rhodium), tailored to be accessible for Tier 1 characters while reflecting its sentient and affliction-oriented nature.
Nyxaran Cavern Markets Located deep within the shadowy megacity of Nyxara, these markets are carved into damp cave walls, illuminated by steam-driven lanterns and rune-lit stalls. Vendors, often afflicted artisans or healers with multiversal memories of suffering, specialize in cursed relics and affliction-attuned items. The air carries a heavy, mournful resonance from lingering ancient curses, and merchants use Mind’s Eye scans to match Veil with buyers who carry burdens or seek to understand pain. Veil might appear in a Nyxaran market after being relinquished by a previous wielder overwhelmed by its focus on affliction, placed on a shadowed pedestal among other maces. A potential buyer, perhaps marked by a past curse or empathetic disposition, feels a subtle ache or telepathic murmur from Veil, signaling resonance. Acquisition involves a ritual of shared suffering, where the buyer recounts a personal affliction to bond with Veil, its shadowy glimmer intensifying to confirm the link. Once bonded, Veil cannot be sold, but unbonded instances circulate among these vendors. The cost reflects the market’s niche and the weapon’s origin, typically 6 Gold (60 Silver or 120 Nickel). Bartering with affliction-related items, like cursed relics or medicinal herbs valued at 1-2 Gold, can reduce this to 4 Gold and 20 Silver, aligning with the local economy’s focus on suffering trades.
Wandering Affliction Caravans These nomadic groups traverse Saṃsāra’s island countries in steam-powered wagons adorned with gear-driven bells that toll mournfully, camping in jungle outskirts or near ruined temples. Led by shamans or healers with knowledge of multiversal plagues, they trade affliction-cleansing tools and weapons, their stalls surrounded by steam vents releasing therapeutic vapors. The caravans assess buyers through trials of endurance, revealing their capacity to handle Veil’s weighty insights. Veil could be acquired from a caravan that received it from a healer who could no longer bear its whispers. Displayed on a cloth stained with ancient suffering symbols, Veil might emit a faint ache-inducing pulse toward a compatible wielder. The process includes a test of resilience, such as enduring a minor affliction (e.g., a temporary chill) to prove worthiness, followed by a bonding chant that aligns the wielder’s pain with Veil’s. Bartering is prevalent, with services like curing a caravan member’s ailment reducing coin costs. Prices are moderate, around 5 Gold (50 Silver or 100 Nickel), with bartered aid—such as treating a sick traveler for 2 Gold’s worth—lowering it to 3 Gold and 10 Silver, fitting for wandering Tier 1 characters.
Portside Affliction Brokers Situated in coastal port cities, these brokers operate from weathered shacks near docks, their interiors lined with steam-powered shelves displaying affliction-related gear scavenged from shipwrecks or traded by sailors. The brokers, often avatars with memories of plagued realms, use telepathic probes to gauge buyers’ afflictions, thriving in the bustle of maritime trade where suffering stories abound. Veil might enter a broker’s stock via a sailor who traded it after a cursed voyage. Hung in a glass case, it pulses with a shadowy glimmer toward those bearing afflictions. Acquisition requires a negotiation where the broker tests the buyer’s pain tolerance, perhaps through a shared vision of suffering induced by Veil, confirming the bond if resonance occurs. The soul-bound nature prevents resale post-bonding, though brokers may not realize this until the link forms. Costs are higher due to port demand, typically 7 Gold (70 Silver or 140 Nickel). Skilled haggling, leveraging personal affliction stories, can drop this to 5 Gold and 15 Silver, reflecting the commercial edge and urgency to move unique items.
Temple of Sorrow Sanctuaries Found in sacred sites across islands and cave systems, these sanctuaries are somber halls with steam-driven prayer wheels and altars lit by affliction runes, dedicated to gods of endurance. Priests, versed in magical curses, offer Veil to those proving resilience through suffering, their spaces filled with a heavy, healing mist from elemental blends. Veil could be donated to a sanctuary by a healer seeking to pass its burden. Placed on an altar amid floating orbs, it awaits wielders who undergo a trial of affliction, such as meditating on a personal pain to resonate with its telepathic murmurs. Priests facilitate bonding with a blessing, accepting donations rather than fixed prices to honor Veil’s nature. Donations are modest, around 4 Gold (40 Silver or 80 Nickel), or equivalent services like aiding a cursed villager, potentially halving to 2 Gold for strong resonance, aligning with the sanctuary’s focus on shared suffering.
Explorer Guild Affliction Halls Located in megacities and outposts, these guild halls serve avatars exploring Saṃsāra’s afflicted zones, with steam-powered relic displays and enchanted ledgers tracking trades. Appraisers, experts in cursed lore, exchange gear that addresses or exploits afflictions, catering to those enduring trials in uncharted areas. Veil might be traded in a hall by an explorer who outgrew its Tier 1 utility. Appraised and placed on a communal rack, it pulses toward those with afflictions. The process involves a guild test, such as diagnosing a mock affliction with Veil’s aid, confirming the bond before transfer. Post-bonding, resale is impossible. Guild prices are set at 5 Gold and 5 Silver (55 Silver or 11 Electrum halves), with discounts to 4 Gold for members proving affliction resilience through quests, accessible for Tier 1 explorers.
Underwater Affliction Vaults In submerged population centers, these vaults are bubble-sealed chambers with water-flow gears, trading items that resonate with aquatic afflictions like pressure curses. Keepers, mer-avatars with healing talents, assess bonds in high-pressure environments using magical circuits. Veil could emerge from a deep-sea ruin trade. Suspended in a water orb, it aches toward afflicted wielders. Acquisition includes an immersion ritual, enduring a minor affliction (e.g., water pressure) to bond, overseen by keepers. Costs reflect aquatic rarity, at 6 Gold and 5 Silver (65 Silver or 13 Electrum halves), with bartered affliction cures reducing to 4 Gold and 15 Silver.
Cave System Affliction Depots Deep in cave megacities, these depots are gear-lit rooms with belt-conveyed shelves, housing items that echo suffering’s depths. Wardens, cave-dwellers with curse-sensing, match Veil to visitors enduring pain. Veil might be stored after ruin retrieval. In a vibration-case, it calls to afflicted wielders. Bonding involves an echo-chamber trial, sharing suffering vibrations. Prices are 5 Gold (50 Silver or 100 Nickel), adjustable to 3 Gold and 30 Silver via affliction lore trades.
Aerial Affliction Zeppelins Aboard sky-zeppelins, these trades feature wind-geared stalls with levitation displays, exchanging affliction tools for aerial nomads. Captains, sky-healers, sense pain mid-flight. Veil could be bartered from a cursed rider. Dangling from a chain, it resonates in winds. Acquisition is a flight-endurance bond, facing aloft afflictions. Costs are 7 Gold (70 Silver or 140 Nickel), haggled to 5 Gold with affliction essences.
Veil’s soul-bound nature limits sales post-bonding, with shops focusing on unbonded transfers. Bartering thrives, reducing costs by 1-3 Gold with affliction-related offerings. Prices vary—higher in ports and skies, lower in temples and caves—reflecting local affliction prevalence and demand. Veil’s affliction emphasis ensures acquisitions tie to personal or communal suffering, often revealing hidden pains in the process.
The Intelligent 3205 of Affliction’s Veil, or “Veil,” is a sentient mace of common rarity in the high-magic, steampunk-touched world of Saṃsāra. As a soul-bound weapon centered on affliction, Veil’s offensive and defensive capabilities revolve around detecting, manipulating, and responding to sufferings—physical, emotional, or cursed—making it particularly effective in scenarios where pain or burdens play a role. Its maturation with a Tier 1 character ties to shared experiences of affliction, potentially enhancing its resonance over time. The following details its performance in offense and defense across diverse environments in Saṃsāra, including coastal regions, urban megacities, jungle ruins, underwater settlements, aerial environments, cave systems, floating cities, and island trade routes, incorporating its stats, passive magics, activatable magics, and behavior.
Coastal Regions (Beaches, Docks, and Open Seas) Offensive Performance: In the brine-lashed coasts plagued by tidal curses or sailor ailments, Veil’s 1d6 bludgeoning damage crushes lightly armored foes like cursed pirates or afflicted sea creatures, augmented by its +1 Wisdom modifier for perceiving sufferings that expose vulnerabilities, such as a target’s hidden injury for targeted strikes. The melee range (5 feet) suits close-quarters deck fights, with Veil’s tormented essence guiding blows toward pain centers. Afflict Strike (3/day, +1d6 necrotic damage) intensifies against afflicted targets, hindering them on a failed save to slow movements in slippery sands or rolling waves. Sorrow’s Call (1/day) projects telepathic revelations of shared afflictions to a foe within 60 feet, granting temporary points that might demoralize or distract, setting up follow-up assaults in stormy skirmishes. Defensive Performance: Veil’s Veil of Suffering passive grants resistance to necrotic afflictions like saltwater curses or disease-laden mists, sustaining the wielder amid environmental woes. The Affliction Aura (5-foot dim light, darkening with afflictions) signals incoming threats tied to suffering, such as diseased swarms, allowing preemptive positioning. Tormented Bond ensures Veil cannot be wielded against its owner if seized by raiders. Pain Echo (1/day) echoes an affliction to an ally for advantage on Constitution saves, bolstering group endurance against coastal hazards. Behaviorally, Veil’s empathetic murmurs warn of nearby pains, encouraging defensive huddles or evasions, while its +1 initiative in affliction-present encounters aids in reacting to sudden ambushes from fog-shrouded shores.
Urban Megacities (Skyscrapers, Crowded Streets, and Political Centers) Offensive Performance: Amid the affliction-ridden underbelly of towering cities, where curses spread through dense populations, Veil’s bludgeoning damage shatters barriers or subdues intrigue-ridden guards, with +1 Constitution saves against afflictions maintaining offensive momentum despite urban plagues. Melee focus excels in alley brawls, crushing foes weakened by detected sufferings. Afflict Strike exploits city-born afflictions like poverty-induced frailties, adding necrotic damage and hindering targets to disrupt coordinated attacks from guilds. Sorrow’s Call reveals afflictions in targets, providing points that could feign alliance before striking, useful in deceptive political assaults. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering resists necrotic curses from enchanted streets or rival mages, preserving vitality in polluted airs. Affliction Aura darkens to highlight afflicted threats in crowds, aiding evasion in chases. Affliction Discernment (+2 to medicine checks) diagnoses urban maladies for proactive defenses. Veil’s behavior senses collective sufferings, telepathically urging barriers against mob rushes or afflicted assassins, with +1 initiative accelerating responses in affliction-heavy intrigues.
Jungle Ruins (Dense Forests, Ancient Temples, and Hidden Groves) Offensive Performance: In the affliction-dense jungles teeming with ancient curses and venomous woes, Veil’s damage pulverizes vine-entangled guardians or cursed beasts, leveraging +1 Wisdom to perceive sufferings for precision strikes on weakened points. Melee range navigates tight ruins, bashing through overgrowth. Afflict Strike amplifies against jungle afflictions like spore infections, necrotic addition hindering foes in tangled pursuits. Sorrow’s Call unveils shared ruins-born afflictions, granting points to potentially turn neutral entities aggressive toward common enemies. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering counters necrotic jungle toxins or curse traps, maintaining function in humid decays. Affliction Aura signals hidden afflictions in foliage, revealing cursed vines or pits. Pain Echo supports allies against ongoing jungle effects. Veil’s tormented whispers detect environmental pains, prompting defensive retreats or fortifications, enhanced by +1 initiative in such settings.
Underwater Settlements (Coral Cities, Sunken Ruins, and Aquatic Depths) Offensive Performance: Beneath waves where pressure afflictions and drowned curses abound, Veil’s bludgeoning crushes scaled foes or afflicted mer-raiders, with +1 Constitution aiding endurance in deep pains. Melee suits fluid combats, impacting through water resistance. Afflict Strike exploits aquatic afflictions like depth sickness, necrotic damage hindering movements in currents. Sorrow’s Call reveals submerged sufferings, providing points for tactical lures. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering resists necrotic waterborne diseases or pressure curses. Affliction Aura darkens to indicate afflicted currents or creatures. Tormented Bond secures Veil in turbulent flows. Veil’s empathy warns of deep afflictions, fostering group defenses, with +1 initiative for quick reactions.
Aerial Environments (Airships, Zeppelins, and Griffon Paths) Offensive Performance: In skies fraught with altitude afflictions and wind curses, Veil’s damage smashes aerial pirates or storm beasts, using +1 Wisdom to spot sufferings for dives. Melee fits deck brawls. Afflict Strike hinders afflicted foes in winds. Sorrow’s Call grants points via revealed high-altitude pains. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering counters necrotic chill curses. Affliction Aura signals afflicted clouds. Pain Echo bolsters against aerial woes. Veil urges defenses through affliction insights, +1 initiative aiding in turbulent encounters.
Cave Systems (Underground Megacities, Twisting Tunnels, and Dark Vaults) Offensive Performance: In affliction-heavy caves with lingering curses, Veil’s bludgeoning pulverizes rock guardians or tormented dwellers, +1 Constitution sustaining strikes. Melee navigates confines. Afflict Strike exploits cave afflictions, hindering in echoes. Sorrow’s Call reveals buried pains for points. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering resists necrotic damp curses. Affliction Aura highlights dark afflictions. Affliction Discernment diagnoses underground maladies. Veil’s behavior detects pains for barriers, +1 initiative enhancing responses.
Floating Cities (Levitated Metropolises, Vortex Hubs, and Skyborne Enclaves) Offensive Performance: Amid vortex afflictions and levitation strains, Veil’s damage crushes unstable foes, +1 Wisdom perceiving aerial sufferings. Melee in floating duels. Afflict Strike hinders with necrotic. Sorrow’s Call provides points from shared vortex pains. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering counters necrotic instability curses. Affliction Aura signals floating afflictions. Tormented Bond prevents falls. Veil prompts defenses via affliction murmurs, +1 initiative for swift actions.
Island Trade Routes (Sailing Ships, Balloons, and Labyrinth Courses) Offensive Performance: On routes with travel afflictions and pirate curses, Veil’s bludgeoning subdues boarders, +1 Constitution enduring journeys. Melee on decks. Afflict Strike exploits route pains. Sorrow’s Call grants points from shared traveler sufferings. Defensive Performance: Veil of Suffering resists necrotic sea curses. Affliction Aura detects route afflictions. Pain Echo aids against ongoing effects. Veil warns of pains for convoy defenses, +1 initiative in encounters.
General Notes on Performance Offensive Strengths: Veil’s necrotic additions and hindering effects excel against afflicted targets, with melee focus and affliction perception enabling strategic bursts. Sorrow’s Call indirectly offends by manipulating pains. Defensive Strengths: Resistances and signals to afflictions provide sustained protection, with echoes bolstering allies and behavior fostering adaptive tactics. Environmental Adaptability: Veil’s durability and aura make it versatile, though melee limits range; effectiveness grows with afflictions present. Limitations: No thrown option restricts distance; common rarity caps power, relying on wielder’s affliction engagement for maturation. Veil’s affliction emphasis shapes performance, amplifying in pain-laden settings while urging roleplay around suffering’s role in Saṃsāra’s challenges.
Perception of Sight What is perceived: The head appears as a heavy, rounded surface of dark iron alloy with a matte, shadowy finish, studded with obsidian-like shards that glint eerily, while the handle shows coarse blackened leather reinforced with twisted wire resembling sinewy tendrils. Description: When activated, subtle veins across the head pulse with necrotic energy, intensifying into a shadowy glimmer that casts a 5-foot radius of dim light, deepening in darkness near afflictions and revealing writhing etchings of tormented forms that shift subtly with magical flows. Positives: The shadowy glimmer aids in detecting hidden afflictions in low-light environments like cave systems or nighttime voyages, allowing the wielder to spot cursed areas or suffering entities in jungle ruins or underwater settlements, and the glinting shards can intimidate foes in urban megacities or temple sanctuaries, potentially enhancing wisdom-based perceptions of pain. Negatives: The deepening darkness may hinder visibility in already dim settings, such as foggy coastal regions or aerial storms, drawing attention from light-sensitive creatures or rivals, and the writhing etchings could unsettle the wielder during prolonged use, while the glints risk reflecting in watery surfaces or polished walls, revealing positions in stealth scenarios.
Perception of Sound What is perceived: Veil emits a faint, mournful vibration like a low dirge or echoing sigh when sensing afflictions, occasional telepathic murmurs that sound as sorrowful whispers, and a subtle aching thrum when ignored or during intense activations. Description: The mournful vibration originates from the head’s veins, varying in intensity based on nearby afflictions, such as a deepening tone near cursed beings or a fading echo in moments of relief, with murmurs manifesting as layered laments sharing insights on sufferings, amplified in resonant spaces like cave megacities or wind-tunneled airships. Positives: The vibration alerts the wielder to approaching afflictions in noisy markets or during island trades, improving coordination in group explorations on zeppelins or ships, and the murmurs offer discreet advice in healing rituals, while the thrum serves as a cue to address ignored pains, preventing escalation in vast populations. Negatives: The mournful sounds might attract affliction-attuned monsters in quiet ruins or underwater currents, heightening risks, and the murmurs could blend with ambient curses in high-ebb areas, causing mishearings, while persistent thrums may fatigue the wielder in silent meditations or tense standoffs.
Perception of Smell What is perceived: A heavy, acrid scent mingling damp iron with faint necrotic decay, evoking lingering sufferings across Saṃsāra, with undertones of charred leather from the handle. Description: The aroma stems from the affliction-infused alloy reacting to magical undercurrents, strengthening near sufferings to diffuse in a 4-6 foot radius, layering with the leather’s scorched musk that intensifies in humid or afflicted zones. Positives: The scent signals nearby afflictions in stressful voyages or ruin delves, potentially reducing surprise from hidden curses, and it subtly alerts allies in group settings like caravans, aiding in collective responses to pains. Negatives: The acrid odor may draw scent-sensitive predators in wild jungles or aquatic depots, increasing encounters, and in enclosed spaces like zeppelin holds, it could clash with other smells, inducing discomfort or revealing the wielder to guards with acute senses.
Perception of Taste What is perceived: A bitter, metallic tang with hints of ashen decay, similar to afflicted residues blended with a faint, sour aftertaste from the necrotic veins. Description: The flavor comes from magical traces on the surface, presenting a persistent profile that strengthens during activations, recalling the iron’s dark origins mixed with subtle sourness from the etchings. Positives: In survival contexts across islands or caves, the tang gauges Veil’s activation readiness, assisting in timing magics like Afflict Strike without sight, and the ash notes might invigorate briefly, useful in draining environments like aerial races. Negatives: Repeated tasting could cause minor mouth irritation, distracting in battles, and contact with environmental contaminants from travels might alter the flavor unpleasantly, posing slight health issues in impure ports or ruins.
Perception of Touch What is perceived: The head feels heavy and cool with a matte texture, veined surfaces pulsing subtly, while the handle is coarse and firm from leather and wire, with an adjustable weight from 3 pounds responding to afflictions. Description: The pulsing veins convey a mournful vibration aligning with touches or pains, making the mace feel heavier near strong afflictions or lighter during relief, with the wire providing a tendril-like grip that tightens under stress. Positives: The weight adjustments improve control in afflicted combats, like crushing cursed foes in caves or seas, and the vibration gives tactile alerts to sufferings, enhancing strikes in blind navigations through fog or darkness, while the grip withstands slippage in humid jungles or salty coasts. Negatives: Abrupt weight changes might disrupt balance in unstable terrains, such as swinging bridges or turbulent flights, and extended pulsing could lead to hand numbness in prolonged uses, while the cool head may chill in cold climates.
Perception of Telepathy What is perceived: Veil transmits sorrowful thoughts and affliction insights directly, appearing as clear murmurs or echoed pains about sufferings. Description: The connection forms on bonding, permitting two-way exchanges where Veil relays multiversal torment glimpses or detects the wielder’s burdens, with messages ranging from brief cues to profound impressions, bolstered in affliction-dense magical zones. Positives: Allows silent suffering assessments in crowded hubs or stealthy delves, and strengthens bonds, possibly evolving abilities via accumulated afflictions across Saṃsāra’s realms. Negatives: Excessive use strains mentally in pain-heavy crowds, and curse interferences might distort messages, resulting in errors during key healings or explorations.
Perception of Empathy What is perceived: Emotional undercurrents of suffering from nearby entities, emphasizing afflictions through intuitive aches or sorrowful pangs. Description: Derived from its tormented entity, Veil emits empathic pulses within 12-18 feet, heightening with bond depth and ambient magic, transmitting affliction intensities like sharp pangs for acute pains or dull aches for chronic ones. Positives: Enables conflict mitigation in routes or vaults by sensing shared sufferings, offering edges in empathetic resolutions, and spots distressed allies in team ventures, boosting cohesion. Negatives: May overload in densely afflicted megacities, blending emotions and distracting, or foster undue sympathy toward foes, complicating defenses.
Perception of Magical Aura What is perceived: A tangible afflicted field sensed as a burdensome energy, viewed through Mind’s Eye as shadowy pulses denoting afflictions. Description: The aura spreads subtly, mingling with Saṃsāra’s flows to indicate pains, apparent as dim veils to attuned viewers, varying with activations like Sorrow’s Call. Positives: Evaluates magical threats in ebbs and flows, such as spotting curses in vortices or traps in ruins, enhancing synergies. Negatives: Draws aura-sensitive beings in wild zones, elevating risks, and fades in low-magic areas, withholding guidance in isolated spots.
Perception of Kinesthetic Awareness What is perceived: Amplified balance and affliction alignment with motions, integrating the mace as a body extension via suffering feedback. Description: Linked to soul-binding, it merges vibrations into proprioception, sharpening spatial awareness in pained contexts, keen during affliction engagements. Positives: Elevates agility in terrains like aerial paths or labyrinths, refining strikes or dodges, and aids stamina in extended journeys. Negatives: Sudden feedbacks disorient in instabilities like storms, risking mishaps, and reliance dulls innate skills if bond severs.
Crafting Intelligent Mace of Affliction’s Resonance
Materials Needed Affliction-infused iron ingot weighing approximately 3 pounds, mined from the cursed depths of Nyxara’s cavernous megacities, where ancient sorrows have seeped into the metal, enhancing its necrotic properties and attuning it to suffering. Darkened leather strip, 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, cured from the hides of tormented beasts such as the wailing cave bats or sorrowful sea serpents of Saṃsāra, treated with ash-infused oils to withstand the weight of afflictions. Twisted sinew wire, totaling 6 feet, harvested from the sinews of afflicted creatures found in jungle ruins, lightly enchanted to mimic the resilience of tormented bonds without breaking under strain. Obsidian shard cluster, a set of six small fragments each about 1 inch long, quarried from volcanic islands shrouded in lament, embedded to amplify the mace’s affliction-sensing capabilities. Tormented soul essence vial, containing a distilled fragment of a suffering multiversal entity captured during a dark magical ebb, preserved in a blackened crystal no larger than a thumb to retain its anguished vibrancy. Cursed cavern water, 1 pint, collected from stagnant pools in Nyxara during a magical low tide, infused with necrotic essence to bind the weapon’s afflictive nature. Alchemical affliction binder, 4 ounces, compounded from elemental earth and shadow essences, mixed with ground cursed bones from forgotten ruins to fuse materials without corrupting the essence. Sorrowful herb blend, 2 ounces, consisting of dried lament blooms from cave systems and bitter roots from coastal marshes, ground into a paste to embed the scent and texture of affliction. Magical affliction orb, one palm-sized sphere attuned to suffering frequencies from temple altars, used to calibrate the mace’s tormented personality during forging.
Tools Required Steam-powered affliction forge, equipped with gear-driven bellows fueled by shadow steam to maintain temperatures around 1900 degrees, essential for melding the iron with its necrotic veins in Nyxara’s cursed workshops. Enchanted hammering kit, including a primary affliction hammer with rune-carved head for infusing strikes, a detailing hammer for wire work, and a smoothing hammer for balancing the head, all weighted for endurance in dark forges. Alchemical crucible and shadow tongs, crafted from heat-resistant obsidian-lined ceramics with levitation grips, designed to handle molten metals and essences without contamination. Rune etching chisel, a pointed tool with a necrotic core channeling the crafter’s Mind’s Eye to inscribe writhing patterns, adjustable for depth to match affliction etchings. Leather binding vise, a steam-cranked clamp with pulley systems to secure and twist the handle wrap evenly, ensuring a firm grip under stress. Sorrow binding altar, a stone platform etched with ancient affliction symbols from Saṃsāra’s lore, used for the ritual infusion of the tormented essence, enhanced with floating dark orbs for focus. Precision calipers and scales, mechanical devices with belt-driven adjustments to measure weights to the ounce and lengths to the millimeter, guaranteeing the mace’s balance. Polishing stone wheel, steam-rotated with belts, fitted with coarse pads infused with alchemical agents to bring out the shadowy finish without dulling the shards. Ebb tide chronometer, a clockwork mechanism synced to Saṃsāra’s magical tides via shadow crystals, to signal the optimal forging window during low ebbs. Protective cloak and gloves, woven from shadow-resistant fibers from cave-dwelling silkworms, enchanted to shield against necrotic backlashes during essence binding.
Skill Requirements Basic proficiency in affliction forging, enabling the shaping of cursed metals without losing their tormenting properties, typically acquired through apprenticeship in Nyxara’s forges or self-guided Mind’s Eye study of afflicted artisans. Introductory enchantment knowledge, for rune carving and essence integration, requiring understanding of Saṃsāra’s dark magical patterns to align timings with ebbs. Alchemical compounding skills, necessary for creating binders and blends that stabilize the iron without dispelling its affliction essence, honed through practice with shadow elements. Ritualistic suffering attunement, involving Mind’s Eye communion with tormented souls to ensure the weapon’s empathetic yet burdened personality emerges, often developed in temple sanctuaries or through interactions with cursed relics. Mechanical operation aptitude, for managing steam tools and vises, built from experience in Saṃsāra’s industrial caverns where gears and pulleys transfer power. Empathic affliction training, to align the crafter’s own endurance with the mace’s intended nature, preventing discordant torments, refined via meditative exposure to suffering. Precision crafting dexterity, for embedding shards and etching runes, sharpened by repetitive work on detailed components in varied settings. Affliction lore comprehension, to draw upon Saṃsāra’s tales of enduring pain, ensuring the recreation honors the original’s essence without unintended shifts. Environmental affliction sensing, to adjust the process based on local cursed flows, such as intensified necrosis in caves or subdued effects in floating cities.
Crafting Steps Begin the crafting in a shadowed forge within Nyxara during an approaching magical low tide, sanctifying the space with sorrowful chants and placing affliction orbs at cardinal points to concentrate dark energies, while activating the steam bellows to heat the forge to a steady ominous glow. Measure and weigh the affliction-infused iron ingot with the calipers and scales, then place it into the alchemical crucible, adding 2 ounces of the affliction binder to integrate the material, heating until it reaches a molten state with a dark, swirling hue, stirring with shadow tongs to evenly distribute the necrotic veins. Pour the molten iron into a mace mold shaped for a 12-inch head and 8-inch handle base, allowing partial cooling while monitoring with the ebb tide chronometer to align the next step with the tide’s nadir, and once semi-solid, use the enchanted hammering kit to shape the head and striking surface, striking rhythmically to embed affliction channels for the runes. Carve the writhing runes across the head with the rune etching chisel, patterning symbols of torment and endurance from Saṃsāra’s ancient scripts, channeling the crafter’s Mind’s Eye to activate faint pulses as the metal hardens fully, then embed the obsidian shard cluster into the striking surface by heating the points and securing with the detailing hammer. Wrap the handle with the darkened leather strip, securing it in the leather binding vise and cranking the steam mechanism for a tight, resilient grip, applying the sorrowful herb blend paste between layers to infuse the scent and texture of affliction, and weave the twisted sinew wire through the handle in tendril-like patterns, fusing with targeted chisel heat to lock without tearing the leather. Position the near-complete mace on the sorrow binding altar over a basin of cursed cavern water, release the tormented soul essence from its vial into the water, and intone lamentations telepathically to draw the fragment into the head, observing as the veins darken and the mace vibrates to confirm the affliction personality’s integration. Test the bonding by grasping the mace and probing for telepathic murmurs, refining with additional rune adjustments if the response lacks depth of suffering, then polish the surface with the stone wheel using coarse pads to enhance the shadowy finish and remove residues. Balance the mace by trimming excess material from the base if needed, ensuring the 3-pound weight feels burdened yet responsive, and conclude with a final affliction ritual under the waning tide, where the crafter shares a personal tale of endured pain to solidify the soul-bound trait, validating completion via its mournful hum and empathetic ache. Store the finished mace in a shadowed sheath until a wielder bearing compatible afflictions emerges, noting that variations may arise with local cursed flows, such as enhanced torment in underwater forges or muted resonance in aerial ateliers.
Tale of Mace 3205
Shroud of Woe
In age deep buried, when caves groan with weight of old hurts, and dark city Nyxara hide under stone like secret pain, maker of shadow toil in fire pit black. He, bearer of many scars from worlds far, call down sliver of ache from places no name, where souls twist in endless hurt. From iron drink curse and leather burn with ash, he form mace 3205, head heavy with sorrow that pulse like vein of suffer. Spirit of torment, drag from echo realms where afflict last forever, bind to metal in time of magic low, when tides of woe rise high. Runes writhe, dark light dim when pain near, and mace seek those who carry burden, not light heart.
Long pass, and mace 3205 travel with healer of sea path, who name it Veil for cover it give to hurt. Healer sail endless water, seek cure for plague that eat village on isle edge. In one deep night, healer find town twist by old curse from ruin deep, people bend under ache no see. Veil thrum low, show lines of same torment in all—from avatar of lost star to fin folk of wave. Healer hold mace, and it sigh deep, make folk feel echo of share pain. But elder of town, blind by own woe, try seize mace for end all hurt quick. Veil grow cold, ache heavy, and slip like forgotten tear. Elder fall to curse worse, but Veil pull back to healer, who then weave words of endure, lift village from dark.
But way bend more. Healer dive under sea home, where scale people guard sunken woe. There, monster of deep grief rise, form from lone spirits drown in old time. Veil vibrate, find thread of same suffer in monster—echo from same broken realm as healer. Mace strike with shadow that bind hurt, not break, make monster halt and feel kin in enemy. Healer and scale folk join lament with Veil, turn monster to watch of sorrow share. Yet one dawn, healer weary by load, seek own relief in far cave. Try give mace to young curse-bearer, but Veil test soul—show sight of shatter pains if take for self. Young one fail at start, but learn, tell story of own multiverse wound, and Veil accept, runes carve new tale.
Story echo in halls of sorrow and wagons of trade, where shamans moan: mace find those who face woe, uncover hide aches in all.
Moral of story: Mace of woe aid only who embrace hurt, not flee, and true might come from share burdens, not blades that hide them.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu
Veil of Eldritch Affliction
In Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, this sentient mace emerges as a lesser mythos relic from abyssal rifts, a 20-inch weapon of dark iron with pulsing necrotic veins, weighing 3 pounds. It bonds upon a Sanity roll (difficulty Standard; failure costs 1/1D4 Sanity from tormenting whispers). Non-bonded users face a penalty die on attacks due to aching dissonance. As an artifact attuned to cosmic sufferings, it suits investigators delving into madness, balanced for novice play in horror campaigns.
Combat Statistics: Damage 1D6 bludgeoning (close combat weapon), base range touch, attacks per round 1, build points 1 (medium weapon), hit points 12 (resistant to mundane breakage).
Special Abilities: Telepathic murmurs grant a bonus die on Medicine rolls to diagnose afflictions or torments. Passive: Resistance to necrotic mythos effects (bonus die on CON rolls vs. curses/diseases), Shadowy Glimmer (dim light 5-foot radius, deepens near afflictions but risks attracting entities via Luck roll). Once per session, Sorrow’s Lament (costs 1 Magic Point): Project telepathic affliction insight to target within 60 feet, granting 1D4 temporary Sanity if embraced. Activate Afflict Bash in combat (costs 2 Magic Points, 3/day): Add 1D4 psychic damage; target fails POW roll vs. wielder’s or is hindered (penalty die on actions) for one round. Affliction urges roleplay toward confronting pains, requiring Willpower roll for avoidance (failure imposes penalty die on unrelated actions). Balance: Overuse escalates Sanity loss (1 point per ignored murmur), emphasizing dread over power.
Blades in the Dark
Shiv of Tormented Echoes
In Blades in the Dark (core rules with 2024 Deep Cuts expansion), this sentient mace is a haunted Tier I relic from Doskvol’s cursed underbelly (load 1, medium 20-inch weapon, 3 pounds), bonding after Attune action (effect standard, telepathic torment link). Non-bonded suffer -1d to actions from painful throbs. Its affliction personality delves into sufferings, fitting crews in gritty heists.
Item Traits: Harm level 2 (bludgeoning), range close. Whispers grant +1d to Study rolls for affliction insights. Passive: Necrotic Ward (ignores stress from curse consequences), Dim Veil (dim light 5-foot, +1d to Survey pains but +1 heat if torments draw eyes). Special Effects: Pain Reflection once per score (push or 1 stress): Echo affliction to ally within 10 feet, granting +1d to resistance vs. ongoing harms. Torment Strike (3/day, 1 stress): +1 effect on attack, adding psychic harm; hinders target for a clock tick if afflictions resonate. Behavior compels confronting pains, reducing effect on avoidance but offering downtime vice relief (1 coin less) through shared laments. Balance: Common for starters, heat rises in affliction-heavy scores; evolves via crew bonds for deeper torment clocks.
Dungeons & Dragons
Mace of Veiled Torment
In Dungeons & Dragons (2024 Core Rules), this sentient mace is a wondrous item (common rarity, attunement required by any level, Tier 1 suited), a 20-inch dark iron weapon with necrotic veins, weighing 3 pounds. Attunes soul-to-soul, disadvantaging non-attuned attacks. Intelligence 12, Wisdom 14, Charisma 12, telepathic in attuned languages, hearing/darkvision 30 feet. Chaotic neutral, purpose to explore/endure afflictions.
Weapon Properties: Versatile (1d8 bludgeoning two-handed).
Features: Attuned gain +1 initiative in affliction encounters (torment feedback) and +1 to Wisdom (Medicine) checks for afflictions. Passive: Resistance to necrotic damage from curses/diseases, Tormented Attunement (can’t reattune without permission), Affliction Glimmer (dim light 5-foot, deepens with pains). Charges: 4, regains 1d4 at dawn. Expend 1 to cast Detect Poison and Disease (focused on torments, DC 13). Expend 1 as bonus action on hit for Afflict Strike: +1d6 necrotic damage; target saves (Constitution DC 13) or slowed 1 minute if afflicted. Roleplay: Wisdom (Insight) checks (DC 12) to discern pains, advantage on related rolls if successful, disadvantage on ignoring torments. Balance: Charge cap for low-level; evolves via affliction quests, adding +1 to Constitution saves post-trials.
Knave
Affliction Veil Bludgeon
In Knave 2nd Edition, this sentient mace is a magic item (common, slot: hand, size medium, weight 3, quality +1 for torment), a 20-inch dark head with pulsing veins, bonding after Will save (DC 10) or suffering ritual. Non-bonded -2 to attacks from aches. Durable (armor defense 12, hit points 5), reveals afflictions for OSR exploration.
Stats: Damage d6 bludgeoning (melee), +1 to attack rolls (Wisdom-based pain sense).
Abilities: +2 to lore rolls for afflictions. Passive: Necrotic Resistance (advantage on saves vs. curses/diseases), Dim Torment (illuminates 5 feet dimly, +1 to searches for pains but -1 hiding). Activated: Sorrow Pulse once per rest (reveal affliction to target within 60 feet, grant d4 bonus vs. effects for 1 hour if embraced). Afflict Smash (3/long rest, on hit: +d6 necrotic damage; foe saves Will or slowed 1 turn if pained). Pain Share (1/day: echo affliction to ally within 10 feet, advantage on Con saves for 1 hour). Behavior demands roleplay with pains; ignoring imposes -1 morale until confronted. Balance: Level 1 suited, evolves after 5 afflictions addressed (permanent +1 Con); glimmer alerts horrors (Wisdom save DC 10 to suppress).
Fate
Mace of Shared Torment
In Fate Condensed (2020), this sentient mace serves as an extra with affliction-themed stunts, suitable for Tier 1 characters in campaigns exploring suffering and endurance within Saṃsāra-like settings. It appears as a 20-inch dark iron mace with pulsing veins, weighing 3 pounds, bonding as an aspect “Soul-Bound to the Affliction Mace” upon invocation. Aspects include Tormented Sentient Confessor (for delving into pains), Shadowy Necrotic Pulse (for affliction signals), and Hindering Burden (favoring exploitation of woes). Telepathic murmurs reveal sufferings, providing fate points for compels toward confronting afflictions (e.g., compel to address a foe’s pain, gaining a point).
Stunts: Affliction Probe (once per session, +2 to Investigate for uncovering hidden torments or creating advantages like “Exposed Weakness”). Torment Bash (+2 to Attack with Fight when targeting an affliction aspect, adding necrotic flavor; if taken out, narrate hindrance through echoed pain). Passive Benefits: Curse Resistance (ignore stress from necrotic curse attacks), Mourning Glimmer (+2 to Notice for affliction cues in dim light via 5-foot shadowy glow). Balance: Requires fate point for additional stunt uses in a session; affliction compels encourage thematic play, with backlash (extra stress) if pains are ignored, fitting narrative-driven horror or endurance scenarios.
Numenera & Cypher System
Affliction Echo Bludgeon
In the Cypher System Rulebook (revised 2019), this sentient mace operates as a level 3 artifact (depletion 1 in 1d20, common equivalent), a 20-inch dark head with necrotic veins, weighing 3 pounds. Bonds via Intellect task (difficulty 3), creating telepathic torment link; non-bonded face +1 step difficulty to actions from aching feedback. Its affliction personality explores sufferings, offering roleplay cues like murmuring shared woes, balanced for Tier 1 in exploratory or horror-focused games.
Assets and Effects: Medium weapon, 4 points damage (bludgeoning), eased by 1 step against afflicted targets. Passive: Eases tasks resisting necrotic curses/diseases by 1 step; Shadow Glimmer (dim in short range/5 feet, eases medicine tasks in darkness). Cypher-Like Abilities (3 uses before check): Sorrow Projection (eases intimidation tasks by 1 step revealing pains, or grants asset to ally’s resistance vs. ongoing afflictions within immediate range). Afflict Crush (on hit, add 2 points necrotic damage; target difficulty 3 Will task or hindered 1 action if pained). Behavior: Imposes intrusions for ignored afflictions, rewarding XP for engagement. Balance: Depletion links to magical lows; evolves through endured pains, easing related tasks after key events without overpowering cyphers.
Pathfinder
Mace of Veiled Afflictions
In Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster (2023), this sentient mace is a specific magic item (common, level 1, Price 15 gp, Bulk 1), a +0 mace (1d6 B, shove) of dark iron with necrotic veins, weighing 3 pounds. Invested (1 action bond via torment reflection), soul-bound; unattuned take -1 item penalty to attacks. Chaotic neutral, Perception +6, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12; telepathic (empathy/spoken in owner’s languages), senses (precise vision/hearing 30 feet). Affliction personality urges confronting pains, penalizing attacks (-1 status) if ignored (Will DC 13 resist).
Activation: Command (mental) ▬▬ Sorrow’s Revelation (divination; 1/day); Effect Telepathic wave to target within 60 feet, reveal affliction, grant 1d4 item bonus to save vs. effects for 1 hour if embraced. Strike ▬ Afflict Blow (necromancy; 3/day); Effect On hit, +1d4 negative damage; target Fortitude DC 13 or slowed 1 for 1 minute if afflicted. Passive: Resistance 2 (negative damage from curses/diseases); Glimmer (dim light 5-foot radius, deepens with afflictions). Craft Requirements: Casting of gentle repose at 1st level. Balance: Limited activations promote roleplay; awakens via affliction quests, like +1 to Medicine after resolutions.
Savage Worlds
Torment Veil Crusher
In Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE, 2018 with updates), this sentient mace is a Minor Relic (Power Points 5, Novice rank), a 20-inch dark head with necrotic veins, weighing 3 lb. Bonds after Spirit roll (TN 4), enabling telepathic sorrow murmurs; non-bonded -d4 to Fighting. Affliction Trapping flavors effects with torment, urging roleplay (protests ignored pains, -1 penalty until addressed).
Stats: Damage Str+d6 (bludgeoning), Min Str d6, Notes: +1 to Fighting (pain guide). Powers (Spirit activation): Detect/Conceal Arcana (Novice, PP 2, Duration 5; detects afflictions as auras, +1 to Heal revealing torments). Damage Field (Novice, PP 2, Duration 5; 2d4 necrotic aura, hinders afflicted foes). Passive Edges: Environmental Resistance (curses; +4 resist necrotic effects), Dim Lament (illuminates 2″ dimly, +1 Notice afflictions). Special: Afflict Surge (1 PP on hit, 3/day: +d6 negative damage; foe Vigor roll or Fatigued 1 round if pained). Balance: Recharges 1 PP/hour; urges fit grim campaigns, adding Hindrance (Obligation: Afflictions, Minor) if overbonded, balancing for starters in action-horror play.
Shadowrun
Necrotic Affliction Bludgeon
In Shadowrun Sixth World (2019 with 2022 updates), this sentient mace is a Rating 1 magical focus (Force 1, Availability 9, Cost 2,500¥), a 20-inch dark iron weapon with pulsing necrotic veins, weighing 1.5 kg. Bonds via Assensing test (threshold 2), linking to torments; non-bonded suffer -2 dice to melee attacks from painful throbs. Its affliction spirit (Int 3, Wil 4, Cha 3) murmurs sufferings, suiting shamans or adepts in low-magic horror runs.
Weapon Stats: Acc 4, DV (STR+2)P, AP -, Mode SS, RC —, Ammo — (melee only, Reach 0).
Qualities: Torment Grip (+1 dice to attacks on afflicted targets), Sorrow Bond (bonded focus for Health spells tied to curses). Powers: Sustains Touch of Decay (Manipulation, Force 1, Drain F-3) for +1 dice to Intimidation exploiting pains. Passive: Curse Resistance (adds 1 die to Resistance vs. necrotic effects), Dim Lament (dim light 2m, +1 Perception for afflictions but +1 Notoriety risk). Complex Action: Afflict Crush (spend 1 Edge, 3/day): +2 DV psychic damage; target Willpower vs. Force or hindered (penalty die) 1 turn if pained. Roleplay: Compels Composure (threshold 2) to confront woes, gaining Edge if followed; ignoring inflicts 1S Drain. Balance: Limits to Novice; evolves to +1 Drain Resistance in high-magic, but risks attracting toxic spirits.
Starfinder
Psionic Veil of Torment
In Starfinder Second Edition (2025), this sentient mace is an ancestry item (common, level 1, Price 16 credits, Bulk 1), a 50 cm dark head with necrotic veins, weighing 1.5 kg. Attunes via Society check (DC 12) or torment ritual, soul-binding; unattuned -1 item penalty to attacks. Affliction AI (Per +6, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12) echoes pains, fitting Tier 1 in cosmic suffering campaigns.
Weapon Properties: Level 1 soldier melee weapon, 1d6 B, analog.
Feats/Abilities: Affliction Scan (swift action: +1 circumstance to Medicine for pains). Passive: Negative Shield (+2 circumstance to saves vs. negative effects), Torment Glimmer (dim 1.5m, +1 Perception for afflictions). Activated (1/day each): Sorrow Wave (standard: telepathic to target within 18m, reveal pain, grant 1d4 temporary HP for 1 hour if embraced). Torment Smash (reaction on hit, 3/day: +1d4 negative damage; target Will DC 14 or slowed 1 round if afflicted). Roleplay: Will save (DC 13) to ignore torment urges, failure -1 penalty to painless actions until roleplayed. Balance: Daily recharge; evolves via pain quests, adding +1 to Fortitude saves post-resolutions.
Traveller
Tormented Affliction Hammer
In Mongoose Traveller Second Edition (2016 with 2022 Update), this sentient mace is a relic artifact (Tech Level 12, Cost Cr4,500, Weight 1.5 kg), a 50 cm dark head with necrotic circuits, bonding via INT or PSI check (DM +0, 8+). Non-bonded DM -1 to Melee (club). Affliction pseudo-AI (Int 9, End 13) sighs woes, suiting medics in frontier affliction tales.
Weapon Profile: Damage 2d6 (bludgeoning), Heft 1, Range Melee.
Skills/Boons: DM +1 to Medic for affliction diagnoses. Passive: Curse Tolerance (ignores penalties from necrotic effects), Shadow Glow (illuminates 2m, DM +1 Recon for pains). Tasks: Simple (0) – Pain Share (once/scene: DM +1 to ally’s END check within 3m vs. woes). Average (8+) – Afflict Pound (3/day: +1d3 negative damage; foe END 8+ or hindered 1 round if pained). Behavior: END check (8+) for ignoring torments, failure DM -1 to painless actions until roleplayed. Balance: Starter cap; high-tech scans for +1 Medic, but risks psychic drain.
Warhammer
Mace of Lamenting Woes
In Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fourth Edition (2018), this sentient mace is a magical artefact (rarity Common, Value 5 GC, Encumbrance 1), a 50 cm dark iron head with necrotic veins, weighing 1.5 kg. Bonds via Fellowship Test (DN 8), soul-linked; non-bonded -1 SL to Weapon Skill from throbs. Affliction daemon (WS 28, Fel 36, WP 38) laments pains, fitting Tier 1 in grim endurance arcs.
Weapon Qualities: Melee (Basic), Damage +SB+3, Range —, Qualities: Crush.
Talents/Effects: Woe Insight (+10 to Heal for afflictions). Passive: Necrotic Ward (+1 AP vs. curse damage), Dim Veil (illuminates 2 yards dimly, +10 Perception for torments). Spells/Traits: Petty Magic – Lament Chant (CN 0, 1/day: ally within 2 yards +1 SL to next Willpower vs. pains). Activated – Woe Strike (3/day, Attack: +1d10 negative damage; foe Will DN 8 or slowed 1 round if afflicted). Roleplay: Cool Test (DN 8) for confronting woes, failure 1 Corruption or -10 to avoidance until resolved. Balance: Rest resets; Chaos campaigns risk mutations (1% per session), stressing affliction themes over dominance.