Lore: The Shard of the Absorbed is a fragment of a forgotten artifact, shattered in a clash of cosmic forces. Though diminished, the shard retains a fraction of its original power, allowing the wielder to tap into the echoes of knowledge and energy lingering in the fabric of reality.
Tier: 1
Slot: Held
Skills:
- Arcana +1: The shard whispers fragments of forgotten lore, enhancing your understanding of magic and the arcane arts.
- History +1: The shard’s connection to the past grant’s insights into forgotten civilizations and events.
Passive Magics:
- Echoes of Knowledge: Once per day, you can ask the shard a question about a specific topic (history, magic, culture, etc.). The shard will provide a brief, cryptic answer or insight.
- Residual Energy: The shard radiates a faint warmth, providing a minor healing effect. You regain 1 HP at the start of each of your turns.
Active Magics: (1/Long Rest)
- Absorb Knowledge: As an action, touch the shard to an object or creature. You gain a temporary insight into its history or purpose (GM’s discretion).
- Siphon Energy: As an action, focus on the shard and draw upon its residual energy to fuel your own magic. Gain a +1d4 bonus to your next spellcasting roll or magic item activation.
Tags: Arcane, Knowledge, Healing
Roleplay Emphasis – Absorbed: The Shard of the Absorbed encourages players to delve into the mysteries of the past and seek out hidden knowledge. It can be used to uncover forgotten secrets, learn about ancient civilizations, or gain insights into the nature of magic. The shard also serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things, as it draws power and knowledge from the echoes of past events and entities.
The shard’s ability to absorb knowledge and energy can lead to interesting roleplaying scenarios. Players might use it to decipher ancient texts, communicate with spirits, or even temporarily gain the skills or memories of others. The shard’s healing properties also make it a valuable asset in times of need, providing a small but steady source of rejuvenation.
In the world of Saṃsāra, the Shard of the Absorbed, with its enigmatic origins and unique properties, would likely be found in the following types of establishments:
- Arcane Emporiums: These shops cater to scholars, mages, and collectors of arcane artifacts. They often stock rare tomes, exotic ingredients, and peculiar trinkets from across the realms. The Shard of the Absorbed might be displayed in a glass case, its faint warmth and cryptic whispers drawing curious customers. The price would be steep, perhaps 50-100 gold pieces, reflecting its rarity and potential for uncovering forgotten knowledge.
- Wandering Mystics: These enigmatic figures travel the land, offering their wisdom and services to those seeking answers or enlightenment. They might possess a Shard of the Absorbed as a personal relic or a tool for divination. Acquiring the shard from a wandering mystic might involve completing a task or offering a service in exchange, rather than a simple monetary transaction.
- Ancient Ruins: Explorers and treasure hunters venturing into forgotten ruins might stumble upon a Shard of the Absorbed hidden among the debris of a lost civilization. It could be nestled within a crumbling pedestal, concealed in a secret chamber, or even embedded in the remains of a long-deceased mage. The shard’s value in such a scenario would be determined by the finder’s own assessment of its potential and the risks taken to acquire it.
- Shadowy Auction Houses: In the darker corners of Saṃsāra, where secrets are traded and fortunes are made, shadowy auction houses cater to those seeking rare and forbidden objects. A Shard of the Absorbed might be presented as a lot, its cryptic whispers and enigmatic glow drawing bids from collectors, scholars, and those seeking power. The final price could be exorbitant, exceeding hundreds of gold pieces, depending on the desperation of the bidders.
Regardless of where it is found, the Shard of the Absorbed is a unique and valuable item. Its ability to access hidden knowledge and residual energy makes it a powerful tool for those seeking to understand the mysteries of the world of Saṃsāra.
Roleplay scenarios utilizing the Shard of the Absorbed in different environments:
- Defense:
- In a Library or Archive: While researching a mysterious artifact or ancient text, your character touches the shard to a relevant page or object. The shard whispers insights about its origins and purpose, revealing hidden dangers or protective wards that might otherwise have been overlooked.
- In a Magical Duel: Facing a powerful spellcaster, you activate “Siphon Energy,” drawing upon the shard’s residual power to bolster your own defenses. Your next spell is amplified, creating a protective barrier or deflecting the incoming attack.
- In a Negotiation: Sensing deception from a potential ally or adversary, you subtly touch the shard to their hand or belongings. The shard reveals glimpses of their true intentions, allowing you to navigate the conversation more strategically.
- Offense:
- Infiltrating a Hidden Lair: You discover an ancient inscription on the entrance to a secret chamber. By touching the shard to the inscription, you decipher its meaning, revealing the mechanism to unlock the door or bypass its traps.
- Confronting a Corrupted Relic: A powerful artifact has fallen into the wrong hands, radiating a dark and dangerous energy. You use “Absorb Knowledge” to understand the relic’s weaknesses, allowing you to devise a plan to neutralize or destroy it.
- Unmasking a Hidden Enemy: A trusted advisor has been secretly manipulating events from the shadows. You discreetly touch the shard to their personal effects, uncovering their true motives and exposing their treachery to others.
- Roleplay Considerations:
- Limitations: The Shard of the Absorbed is not a source of unlimited knowledge or power. Its insights are often cryptic and incomplete, requiring interpretation and context. Its energy reserves are limited, and overuse can leave the wielder drained.
- Ethical Considerations: The shard’s ability to absorb knowledge and memories raises ethical questions about consent and privacy. Should a character use the shard to pry into the minds of others without their permission? What are the potential consequences of such actions?
- Character Growth: The Shard of the Absorbed can be a catalyst for personal growth and self-discovery. How does the character’s use of the shard shape their understanding of the world and their place in it? Do they become more knowledgeable and insightful, or do they become consumed by the pursuit of power and knowledge?
By embracing these roleplaying opportunities, players can fully immerse themselves in the world of Saṃsāra, using the Shard of the Absorbed not merely as a magical tool, but as a means of exploring their character’s values, motivations, and understanding of the world around them.
Perception of Activation: Shard of the Absorbed
- Five Senses:
- Sight: Upon activation, the shard’s faint glow intensifies, illuminating intricate patterns and symbols that swirl beneath its surface. These patterns seem to shift and change, hinting at the vast knowledge contained within.
- Sound: A low hum emanates from the shard, resonating with the pulse of ancient power. Whispers of forgotten languages and echoes of distant events can be faintly heard, teasing the user with glimpses of the past.
- Touch: The shard’s warmth intensifies, radiating a comforting heat that seems to seep into the user’s hand. A subtle vibration can be felt, as if the shard is eager to share its secrets.
- Smell: The air around the shard crackles with a faint ozone scent, reminiscent of a lightning strike. Hints of parchment and old leather mingle with the metallic tang of magic.
- Taste: A metallic taste, like copper or iron, lingers on the tongue, accompanied by a subtle sweetness that hints at the knowledge contained within.
- Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- Psychic Impressions: A flood of images, emotions, and sensations washes over the user’s mind, offering glimpses of the shard’s history and the countless lives it has touched.
- Empathic Connection: The user feels a deep connection to the shard, as if they are sharing a consciousness with an ancient entity.
- Temporal Distortion: Time seems to bend and warp around the user, as if they are momentarily stepping outside of the linear flow of events.
- Positives:
- Enhanced Awareness: The shard’s activation heightens the user’s senses and intuition, allowing them to perceive details and connections that were previously hidden.
- Access to Knowledge: The shard provides insights into forgotten lore, ancient history, and the workings of magic, potentially unlocking new abilities or strategies.
- Emotional Connection: The empathic link with the shard can provide a sense of comfort and guidance, as if an unseen mentor is whispering advice and encouragement.
- Negatives:
- Sensory Overload: The intensity of the sensory and psychic impressions can be overwhelming, causing headaches, confusion, or even temporary disorientation.
- Emotional Vulnerability: The empathic connection can also expose the user to the shard’s residual emotions and memories, potentially triggering anxiety, sadness, or even fear.
- Dependence: Overreliance on the shard’s power and knowledge can lead to a loss of self-reliance and a reluctance to explore new ideas or solutions.
Crafting Recipe: Shard of the Absorbed
- Materials Needed:
- Obsidian Shard: A sizable piece of pure obsidian, unblemished and free of impurities. (1 piece)
- Memory Dust: A fine powder collected from the remnants of dreams and forgotten memories. (1 vial)
- Energetic Resonance Crystal: A crystal capable of storing and amplifying magical energy. (1 crystal)
- Whispering Ink: An ink made from the essence of whispers and forgotten knowledge. (1 vial)
- Tools Required:
- Rune-Carving Kit: A set of precision tools for inscribing runes and symbols onto various surfaces.
- Energetic Resonance Chamber: A device designed to channel and amplify magical energies.
- Alchemy Kit: A set of tools and ingredients used for brewing potions, extracts, and other alchemical concoctions.
- Skill Requirements:
- Runecraft: Proficient in inscribing runes and understanding their meaning and power.
- Thaumaturgy: Knowledgeable in the manipulation and channeling of magical energies.
- Alchemy: Skilled in the creation of potions, extracts, and other alchemical substances.
- Crafting Steps:
- Inscribing the Shard: Using the Rune-Carving Kit and Whispering Ink, carefully inscribe the obsidian shard with symbols representing knowledge, memory, and absorption.
- Charging the Crystal: Place the Energetic Resonance Crystal within the Resonance Chamber and channel magical energy into it until it glows with a faint, ethereal light.
- Infusing the Shard: Combine the Memory Dust and the charged Energetic Resonance Crystal in the Alchemy Kit. Carefully pour the resulting mixture over the inscribed shard, allowing it to seep into the runes and cracks.
- Activation Ritual: Place the infused shard within a circle of power drawn with Whispering Ink. Chant an incantation calling upon the spirits of knowledge and memory to awaken the shard’s latent power.
Once the ritual is complete, the obsidian shard will transform into the Shard of the Absorbed, radiating a warmth and humming with the echoes of forgotten knowledge.
Chronicle of the Shattered Mirror
Before the dawn of tongues, when the world was young and knowledge flowed like a river, there existed a mirror not of glass but of starlight. It was said to reflect not the face of the beholder, but the soul of the universe itself.
This mirror, a wonder wrought by beings beyond mortal ken, held within its depths the wisdom of ages, the echoes of forgotten worlds, the secrets of creation. But its brilliance was not meant for mortal eyes, and its power was too great for mortal hands to wield.
In a time of strife and ambition, a sorcerer sought to claim the mirror’s power for his own. He shattered the mirror, hoping to harness its fragments for his own dark purposes. But the mirror’s essence could not be contained, and its shards scattered across the cosmos, carrying with them fragments of its vast knowledge and power.
One such shard, now known as the Shard of the Absorbed, found its way to the mortal realm. It was discovered by a humble scholar, who recognized its potential for both good and evil. With trembling hands, he sought to unlock its secrets, to learn from its whispers, to harness its power for the betterment of humankind.
But the shard was a fickle master, and its knowledge came at a price. The scholar grew obsessed with its whispers, neglecting his friends, his family, and his own well-being. He delved deeper into the shard’s depths, seeking answers to questions that should never have been asked.
In the end, the scholar’s quest for knowledge consumed him, leaving behind only the shard, a silent testament to the dangers of unchecked ambition and the intoxicating allure of forbidden knowledge.
The Moral: Knowledge is a double-edged sword, a gift and a curse. Seek it wisely, wield it with caution, and never forget that true wisdom lies not in the accumulation of knowledge, but in the understanding of its limits.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Name: Fragment of the Gnawing Void
- Type: Arcane Artifact
- Description: A shard of black obsidian pulsating with an unsettling warmth. Touching it evokes whispers of forgotten knowledge and a sense of impending doom.
- Sanity Loss: 1D4 upon first contact (a fleeting glimpse into the abyss beyond human understanding).
- Effect:
- The investigator gains a +10 bonus to Cthulhu Mythos skill checks and Occult skill checks.
- Once per day, the investigator may attempt a Hard Occult skill check to gain a fleeting insight into a related topic or clue (determined by the Keeper).
- If the investigator spends 1D4 Sanity points, they may reroll a failed skill check related to the investigation.
Blades in the Dark
Name: Shard of the Whispering Depths
- Tier: I
- Description: A jagged shard of obsidian that hums with a subtle energy. It promises forbidden knowledge and power at a terrible cost.
- Effect:
- When used during a Tinker action, the shard grants a +1D to the roll.
- When used during a Survey or Study action, the shard allows the character to ask the GM a question about a relevant topic, providing a cryptic clue or insight.
- Special: Once per score, the character may sacrifice 1 Stress to reroll a failed action roll, but they must also roll on the Trauma table.
Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)
Name: Shard of the Oracle
- Rarity: Uncommon (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
- Type: Wondrous Item
- Description: A shard of polished obsidian that glows faintly with arcane energy.
- Properties:
- Grants a +1 bonus to Arcana and History checks.
- Once per day, the attuned creature can cast the comprehend languages or detect magic spell without using a spell slot.
- The attuned creature can use an action to channel the shard’s power, gaining advantage on their next Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw.
Knave:
Name: Whispering Shard
- Type: Trinket
- Tags: Arcane, Intelligent
- Effect:
- Once per day, you can ask the shard a question about a specific topic (history, magic, culture, etc.). Roll 1d6; on a 5+, the shard provides a helpful clue or insight.
- Once per session, you can spend 1 Luck to reroll a failed ability check. However, the GM may impose a minor complication as a consequence.
Fate (Accelerated Edition)
Name: Shard of Echoes
- Description: A fragment of obsidian that resonates with the whispers of history and forgotten lore.
- Aspect: Keeper of Lost Secrets
- Invokes:
- Spend a Fate Point to gain a +2 bonus when using Lore to discern information about a situation, person, or place.
- Spend a Fate Point to create an advantage that allows you to tap into the shard’s knowledge to reveal hidden truths or weaknesses.
- Compels:
- The shard’s whispers may distract you or lead you astray with irrelevant information.
- Delving too deeply into the shard’s secrets may expose you to unwanted truths or dangers.
Numenera & Cypher System
Name: Echo Stone
- Level: 1
- Form: Worn Item
- Effect:
- While wearing the Echo Stone, you gain a +1 bonus to Intellect Pool when interacting with ancient artifacts or deciphering cryptic texts.
- Once per day, you can spend 1 Intellect point to glimpse a vision of the past related to the item or location you are interacting with.
- Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Pathfinder (Second Edition)
Name: Shard of the Oracle
- Aura: Faint divination
- CL: 3rd
- Slot: None
- Price: 200 gp
- Description: This shard of polished obsidian radiates a gentle warmth. You can use an action to focus on the shard and ask it a question about a specific topic (history, magic, a creature, etc.). Roll 1d20 + your Intelligence modifier. On a 10+, you gain a minor piece of information about the topic. On a 15+, you gain a significant piece of information. On a 20+, you gain a major piece of information and the GM may reveal additional details at their discretion.
Savage Worlds
Name: Whisper Stone
- Description: A shard of black glass that whispers secrets of the past.
- Type: Arcane Background (Magic)
- Rank: Novice
- Power Points: 5
- Powers:
- Echoes of the Past: Spend 1 Power Point to ask the GM a question about a person, place, or object you are interacting with. The GM will provide a brief, cryptic answer.
- Knowledge Surge: Spend 3 Power Points to gain a +2 bonus to any one skill roll related to knowledge or investigation.
Shadowrun (Sixth World)
Name: Data Shard
- Category: Gear (Technomancer Fetish or Magical Focus)
- Essence Cost: 0.2
- Rating: 3
- Capacity: 2
- Effect: The Data Shard allows the user to tap into the data streams of the Matrix or the Astral Plane, gaining a +2 dice pool modifier to Resonance and Hacking tests, as well as any tests involving knowledge or research. Additionally, once per combat round, the user can spend a point of Edge to gain an intuitive insight into a person or situation, providing a brief glimpse of their history or intentions.
- Negative Effect: Prolonged use can lead to data overload, causing the user to become disoriented and suffer a -2 dice pool modifier to all actions for a short period.
Starfinder (First Edition)
Name: Shard of the Akashic Record
- Level: 1
- Price: 2,000 Credits
- Bulk: L
- Activation: Standard (Concentrate)
- Category: Technological or Magical
- Description: This crystalline shard pulses with a soft light and seems to whisper forgotten secrets. When activated, the user can attempt a Mysticism or Culture check (DC 15) to gain knowledge about a specific topic or person. On a success, the GM provides a relevant clue or piece of information. The shard can also be used to cast the detect magic spell as a 1st-level spellcaster.
Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)
Name: Memory Chip
- Skill: Education +1
- Type: Personal
- Description: This small, crystalline chip seems to contain fragments of knowledge and experiences from across time and space. When held, the user gains a +2 DM to any Education or Jack-of-All-Trades skill check, as well as a +1 DM to any other skill check where knowledge of history or culture could be beneficial. The chip can also be used to store and recall information, acting as a limited-capacity data storage device.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
Name: Shard of Tzeentch
- Description: A fragment of a shattered Chaos artifact, pulsating with the power of change and knowledge.
- Type: Arcane Artefact
- Effect: The bearer gains a +10 bonus to Lore (Magic) tests and may attempt to channel the shard’s power once per day. On a successful Channel test, the user gains a powerful insight or vision related to their current situation or quest. However, each use of the shard risks attracting the attention of Tzeentch, the Chaos God of Change, and may lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous consequences.