Contract 135 of the Chill

Appearance:  A roughly stitched leather pouch, adorned with a silver clasp etched with swirling arcane sigils.

Lore:    This unassuming pouch is imbued with the magic of a minor Contract. Legends speak of a desperate mage who, facing a relentless foe, struck a bargain with a territorial ice elemental. The elemental agreed to lend its power in exchange for a steady supply of rare crystals.

Stats   

• Attack:                0
• Defense:           0
• Magic Attack: 1
• Magic Defense:             1
• Health:               0
• Mana: 5
• Slot:     Any
• Roleplay:           The pouch feels icy cold to the touch, a sensation that intensifies when the bearer experiences sudden alarm. It might bulge or emit a faint tingling sensation, serving as a subtle warning.
• Costs:
  •  Mana per use: 3
  • 100 Gold
• Passive Magics: none.
• Active Magics:              Minor Frost: The bearer can expel a blast of chilling air, dealing 1d4 magic damage to a single target within short range. This effect triggers a shiver reflex in the user, causing them to momentarily fumble (disadvantage on the next attack roll).
• Tags      Common, Tier 1, Contract Magic, Ice, Alarm

This contract is for a minor elemental spirit that grants the bearer a touch of its chilling magic. The pouch serves as a reminder of the bargain, and it grows colder as a warning to the bearer whenever they feel sudden alarm.

Contract 135 of the Chill: Roleplay in Action

• Defense (Warning and Distraction):
  • Dungeon Delving: Imagine a tense moment while navigating a dark dungeon passage. The pouch against your chest suddenly turns bone-chillingly cold. This subtle, non-verbal cue serves as an alarm, urging you to heighten your senses and prepare for an imminent threat.
  • Social Encounter Gone Wrong: During a tense negotiation, a subtle tingle emanates from the pouch. This could signify that the seemingly friendly diplomat might be harboring malicious intent, prompting you to take a cautious approach or discreetly signal your companions.
  • The Hustle and Bustle of the Marketplace: While navigating a crowded marketplace, the pouch radiates a surprising chill. This could indicate a pickpocket attempting to relieve you of your valuables, allowing you to take preventative measures to safeguard your belongings.
• Offense (Limited but Reactive Defense):
  • Backing a Cornered Ally: While your companion is engaged in a fierce duel, their opponent seems to gain the upper hand. The pouch intensifies its coldness, a surge of alarm coursing through you. You clench the pouch, activating the Minor Frost ability. A blast of frigid air erupts, momentarily distracting the attacker and creating a window for your ally to counter. (Note the self-inflicted penalty due to the fumbling effect)
  • Surprise Encounter: Rounding a corner, you come face-to-face with a group of hostile bandits. The pouch instantly chills you to the core. Reacting on instinct, you unleash a blast of Minor Frost, hindering their charge for a crucial moment, allowing you to attempt escape or call for backup.
• Remember:
  • This is a Tier 1 item, so the offensive capabilities are limited. The Minor Frost is a deterrent or distraction, not a direct overpowering attack.
  • The roleplay value shines in the subtle warnings and the potential for interesting character moments due to the fumbling effect after using Minor Frost.

Perception of Activation

• Sight
  • Perceived: Faint blue shimmer emanates from the pouch, swirling like wisps of mist.
  • Description: A subtle, ethereal glow that is most visible in dimly lit environments.
  • Positives: Visual indication of the contract’s active state.
  • Negatives: Might give away the user’s position in the dark.
• Touch
  • Perceived: An intense, spreading coldness radiates from the pouch.
  • Description: Feels like touching frost or holding a chunk of ice. The sensation can become quite uncomfortable if the contract is held for a prolonged time.
  • Positives: Strong physical cue for the user, heightens alertness.
  • Negatives: May cause temporary numbing in the hand holding it.
• Sound
  • Perceived: A low, crackling sound, reminiscent of ice forming.
  • Description: Very faint, audible only in quiet environments. Similar to the sound of frost cracking on a frozen pond.
  • Positives: Additional confirmation of activation, might be noticed by allies with keen hearing.
  • Negatives: Could alert nearby enemies with sensitive hearing.
• Extra-Sensory: Feeling
  • Perceived: A sudden wave of anxiety and apprehension washes over the user.
  • Description: A sense of impending danger or unease, an instinctual warning triggered by the contract.
  • Positives: Powerful intuitive alert system, can warn of threats undetectable by the usual senses.
  • Negatives: Can lead to paranoia or overreaction if the user is not careful.
• Extra-Sensory:  Sixth Sense
  • Perceived: A tingling sensation or shiver reflex upon activating the Minor Frost ability.
  • Description: An involuntary physical response, a ‘cost’ for utilizing the contract’s magic.
  • Positives: Emphasizes the minor nature of the power, adds a roleplaying element.
  • Negatives: Momentary fumbling penalty acts as a trade-off for using the offensive capability.
• Important Notes:
  • The intensity of the sensations might vary depending on the proximity of the user to the source of the contract’s power (the ice elemental).
  • Tier 1 contracts are likely to have less powerful and less nuanced perceptions compared to higher-tier agreements.
  • The extra-sensory ‘feeling’ aspect of the contract gives it the roleplaying ‘alarmed’ emphasis.

Crafting the Contract 135 of the Chill

• Materials Needed:
  • Pristine Leather: 1 square foot of supple, unblemished leather (deer or rabbit hide is ideal)
  • Silver Clasp: Small, intricately designed clasp crafted from pure silver.
  • Arcane Ink: 3 vials of shimmering ink infused with frost magic. (Can be acquired from an alchemist specializing in elemental magic)
  • Crystalline Focus: A single shard of an ice-attuned crystal.
  • Ritual Salt: A handful of salt consecrated with purification rites.
• Tools Required:
  • Awl and Needle: For stitching the leather pouch.
  • Etching Tools: Fine-tipped tools for engraving sigils onto the silver clasp.
  • Mortar and Pestle: For grinding the crystalline focus.
  • Cauldron or Heat Source: For preparing the ink and salt mixture.
• Skill Requirements:
  • Leatherworking (Basic): Ability to cut, stitch, and shape leather.
  • Arcane Inscription (Basic): Knowledge of basic sigils and enchantments.
  • Elemental Affinity (Frost): A slight attunement to ice magic aids in the ritual process.
• Crafting Steps:
  • Preparation:
    • Under dim moonlight, purify the work area with ritual salt.
    • Grind the crystalline focus into a fine powder using the mortar and pestle.
  • Pouch Creation:
    • Cut the leather into the desired shape, leaving room for the gathered opening.
    • Use the awl to punch stitching holes along the edges of the pouch.
    • With strong thread, carefully stitch the pouch together, leaving the top opening unsealed.
  • Inscription:
    • Carefully etch the arcane sigils of binding and frost onto the silver clasp.
    • While the sigils are fresh, dust them lightly with the crystalline powder.
    • Heat the arcane ink gently, allowing it to become slightly viscous.
  • Ritual Binding:
    • Fill the pouch with a mixture of the heated ink and a pinch of ritual salt.
    • While chanting a simple incantation of binding (related to ice or protection), affix the prepared silver clasp to seal the pouch.
    • Allow the pouch to cool under moonlight while focusing on the feeling of a chilling wind.
  • Completion:
    • Once the pouch is fully cooled, the crafting is complete. The pouch will now exhibit its properties of the Contract 135 of the Chill.
• Notes:
  • Success is not guaranteed. A failed crafting attempt might result in a non-magical item or unintended side effects.
  • The exact wording of the incantation and the design of the sigils can be personalized, making each pouch unique.
  • The higher the user’s skills and affinity for ice magic, the more likely the creation of a potent item.

Tale of the Burning Stone

In the time before counting moons, when fire danced wild and men shivered in fear, a curious object fell from the heavens. It did leave a crater, oh so round, and within, a black stone unlike any seen. Cold it was, yet held a hidden warmth, a strange power that both frightened and beckoned.

The bravest of the tribe, Ugh, with fur matted and beard thick, approached the stone with a spear clutched tight. Tentatively, he touched it, and a spark – a tiny, angry spirit – leaped out, licking at his finger. Ugh recoiled, yelping in surprise, but the spark lingered, refusing to die.

Confused, Ugh brought dry leaves and twigs, whispering to the spark. He coaxed it with gentle puffs of breath, and to his wonder, the spark grew, consuming the kindling in a joyous dance. Fire, once a fleeting visitor, now obeyed his will.

News of Ugh’s discovery spread faster than a startled gazelle. Soon, the tribe gathered, marveling at the tamed fire. Women roasted meat, children poked sticks at the flames, and elders spoke of a new era.

But with power came greed. Grok, Ugh’s rival, a man with eyes that burned like embers, desired the stone for himself. He challenged Ugh to a duel, promising to share the fire with all if victorious. Ugh, a peaceful man, was forced to fight. In the struggle, the stone tumbled, and with a loud crack, split in two.

From the broken halves, two flames erupted. One, warm and steady, like Ugh’s gentle spirit. The other, wild and erratic, mirroring Grok’s ambition. Grok, overwhelmed by the chaotic fire, stumbled back and fell into the flames, a cautionary tale etched in ash.

The tribe, forever marked by the event, learned a valuable lesson. The burning stone, a gift from the heavens, held immense power. Used wisely, it brought warmth and progress. Used with greed, it could bring only destruction.

Moral of the Tale: Even the most wondrous gift can be a double-edged blade. Use it with wisdom and respect, for power, once unleashed, can be a friend or foe.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

• Artifact: The Burning Stone (fragments)
• Origin: Pre-human, possibly extraterrestrial.
• Sanity Cost: 0/1D4 to witness the stone’s powers. Handling it directly: 1/1D6. Using its power: 1/1D8.
• Effects:
  • Warm Fragment: Grants the “Create Fire” skill at 50%, plus potential bonuses to Survival when in harsh environments. Extended use could attract the attention of curious, possibly dangerous entities.
  • Wild Fragment: Grants the “Fire Manipulation” skill at 30%. Risky to use: on a failed roll, the fire grows out of control, causing damage or attracting unwanted attention.
• Mythos Connection: The stone could resonate with the Cthulhu Mythos in different ways – a sign of elder beings who once held mastery over fire, a fragment of an alien world, or a tool of lost civilizations.

Blades in the Dark

Item: The Burning Stone Shards

• Type: Occult (potential connection to the arcane, the spirit world, or forgotten rituals)
• Tier: 1 (powerful, but risky)
• Effects:
  • Warm Shard: +1d to Skirmish or Wreck when starting or tending controlled fires, but attracts attention (+1 Heat).
  • Wild Shard: +2d to Skirmish or Wreck using fire destructively, but with serious consequences on a failure (loss of control, collateral damage).
• Crew Upgrade: Perhaps the crew could unlock “Fire Whisperers”, gaining access to fire-based rituals and attracting either positive or negative attention from other occult factions.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Item: The Burning Stone Fragments

• (Wondrous Item, Rare)
• Attunement: Yes
• Effects:
  • Warm Fragment: Grants the “Produce Flame” cantrip at-will. Advantage on Survival checks involving fire or extreme temperatures.
  • Wild Fragment: Grants the “Control Flames” cantrip. On a natural 1 while casting, roll on a d6 Wild Magic Surge-style table.
• Lore: Ancient origins, possible clues to elemental planes, or a lost draconic civilization

Knave

Item: The Burning Stone Halves

• Burdensome Slot: Inventory
• Effects:
  • Warm Half: +2 to any roll directly involving fire creation or survival.
  • Wild Half: +4 to any destructive fire roll, BUT on a failure, the fire goes out of control with GM-determined consequences.
• Simple Lore: Just enough to get players excited and make the item feel mysterious: “fell from the sky”, “cold to the touch but…”

Fate (Core or Accelerated)

Artifact Name: The Burning Stone (Fractured)

• Aspects:
  • Warmth of a Stolen Star: Evokes feelings of primal comfort and control.
  • Chaos in a Cold Vessel: Hints at volatile, destructive potential.
• Stunts:
  • Master of the Hearth (Warm): Overcome obstacles to light and control fires, or use them to enhance social situations (warmth, hospitality).
  • Dance of Destructive Flames (Wild): Create or manipulate fire for combat or destructive purposes, but with a risk of losing control on a failed roll.
  • Consequences: Using the Stone’s power too heavily risks attracting unwanted attention (powerful beings, natural disasters, those seeing fire as a threat).

Numenera & Cypher System

Artifact Name: The Burning Stone

• (Level 4)
• Type: Oddity
• Depletion: 1 in 1d6 (or more often for the Wild fragment)
• Effects:
  • Warm Fragment: Grants the ability “Start Fires”, easing any task related to creating and maintaining fires. +1 Asset to Survival in harsh climates.
  • Wild Fragment: Grants the ability “Manipulate Flames”, allowing for damaging attacks or shaping fire. +1 Asset to attacks, but on a depletion roll, the power surges wildly.
• Numenera Flavor: The Stone could be a relic of a civilization that mastered a forgotten energy type, a piece of a fallen sun, or something even stranger.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Artifact Name: The Burning Stone Fragments

• Rarity: Unique
• Traits: Evocation, Magical, possibly alignment-related traits
• Effects:
  • Warm Fragment: Grants constant Produce Flame effect, +2 circumstance bonus to Survival involving fire and temperature.
  • Wild Fragment: Grants Fireball (scaled to item level, maybe 3rd-level). Critical failure could cause uncontrollable fire with lingering effects.
• Lore: The GM could tie this into elemental themes, lost civilizations, or ancient battles against fiery foes.

Savage Worlds

Artifact Name: The Burning Stone Shards

• Rank: Seasoned
• Powers:
  • Warm Shard: Bolt (fire), Boost/Lower Trait (Survival or relevant social interactions under the right circumstances).
  • Wild Shard Burst (fire), with a backlash potential on a 1 (spreads out of control, lingers in the area)
• Setting Flavor: Depending on your Savage Worlds setting, the Stones could be tied to elemental spirits, Weird West gizmos, or ancient relics in Deadlands.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Item: The Burning Stone Fragments

• Type: Focus (bonded)
• Effects
  • Warm Fragment: +2 dice to Fire Magic spells, +1 to Survival in relevant situations (heat, starting fires). May resonate with positive fire spirits.
  • Wild Fragment: +3 dice to Fire Magic spells, but attracts the attention of volatile fire elementals or hostile mages with each use.
• Background: Awakened artifact, potentially a remnant of an ancient shamanistic tradition, or even a forgotten piece of dragon lore.

Starfinder

Item: The Burning Stone Shards

• (Hybrid Item, Level 5)
• Effects:
  • Warm Shard: Grants the “Create Fire” at-will technomancy spell, and a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks in harsh environments.
  • Wild Shard Grants a Fireball-like technomancy spell (scaled to item level, potential for malfunctions or power surges on failed skill checks).
• Flavor: The Stone could be an artifact of vanished solar worshippers, a piece of technology from a fire-based alien species, or a strange energy core with unknown origins.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Item: The Burning Stone Fragments

• Tech Level: TL 12+ (possibly lost knowledge or alien tech)
• Effects:
  • Warm Shard: Acts as a sophisticated plasma torch and fire starter. Grants a +2 DM to Survival in extreme environments.
  • Wild Shard: Functions as a crude fire-based weapon (thrower/blaster). Prone to overheating and dangerous malfunctions if relevant Engineering checks are failed.
• Lore: Relic of a lost civilization with mastery over exotic energies, a dangerous piece of experimental alien tech… the possibilities are wide open in Traveller.

Warhammer (Fantasy or 40,000 – your choice!)

Warp-Touched Artifact: The Burning Stone

• (corrupted)
• Effects:
  • Warm Fragment: A twisted mockery of true fire. It burns coldly, grants a +1 to resist fear caused by fire, but may cause subtle mutations over time.
  • Wild Fragment: Grants the ability to summon bursts of Warpfire (risky psychic powers). On a Perils of the Warp roll, the psychic backlash can be devastating.
• Background: Whether in Fantasy or the grim darkness of 40K, this is tainted. Perhaps a shard of a Chaos god’s realm, or a cursed object from a warp-fueled civilization.