Beacon of Respite

Lore: Forged by an order of compassionate healers, the Beacon of Respite embodies the purest essence of restorative magic. This small, crystalline amulet is said to have absorbed the prayers and well-wishes of countless patients, infusing it with an enduring warmth.

Tier 1 Stats:

• Slot: Neck

Skills:

• Heal 1: Allows the wearer to channel healing energy into a wounded target.

Passive Magics:

• Soothing Aura: The wearer constantly emanates a gentle aura. Allies within a short radius recover slightly faster from injuries.

Active Magics:

• Burst of Radiance (Aggravated Focus): The wearer can release a dazzling flash of light, momentarily disorienting enemies and temporarily relieving the pain of nearby allies.

Tags: Healing, Support, Light, Aura

Roleplaying Emphasis with Aggravated Focus: The Beacon of Respite is ideal for characters who want to embody compassion and act as beacons of hope in a chaotic world. The item leans towards support rather than direct combat. Its ‘Aggravated’ focus suggests the use of light magic to counteract or mitigate negative mental conditions, such as despair, fear, or rage.

Types of Shops — How the Beacon of Respite might be bought and sold in Saṃsāra, along with cost considerations:

• Apothecaries and Healer’s Guilds: These would be the most common locations to find the Beacon of Respite. Apothecaries generally deal with herbal remedies and potions, while Healer’s Guilds would specialize in magical items and focus on training dedicated healers.
• Temples and Shrines: Particularly those dedicated to deities of healing, compassion, or light, these locations might offer the Beacon of Respite as a blessed item. They could even be granted to those who have proven their devotion through service.
• Traveling Merchants: Specialized merchants dealing in magical artifacts might carry the Beacon of Respite in their inventory. They would likely visit towns and villages, offering their wares to those in need.

How it’s Sold

• Barter: In smaller settlements, bartering with valuable goods, rare ingredients, or offered services might be the primary way to acquire the Beacon of Respite.
• Commission: A skilled crafter could be commissioned to forge a Beacon of Respite specifically for the buyer. This would involve a down payment and sourcing the required materials.
• Serendipity: In a world like Saṃsāra, finding the Beacon of Respite unexpectedly is possible. It might be discovered as part of an ancient hoard, or as a gift from a benevolent entity.

Cost — In a realm where magic is commonplace, the cost of the Beacon of Respite should reflect its tier and its potential usefulness. Here’s a possible price range:

• Common Rarity: Since it’s a Tier 1 item with a strong support focus, the Beacon of Respite might cost anywhere between 50 to 150 gold pieces, depending on the location and the seller’s reputation.

How the Beacon of Respite can be used for defense and offense through roleplay in different environments:

• Defense:
  • Sanctuary:  Imagine a tense situation within a city, where the party finds themselves surrounded by hostile forces. The character wielding the Beacon of Respite can activate its Soothing Aura to promote calmness among their allies, bolstering their resolve and mitigating the fear that might arise in such a scenario. The character’s demeanor would project unwavering determination while channeling the beacon’s light, creating a sense of sanctuary for their companions.
  • Battlefield: Amidst the chaos of a large-scale battle, the character can use the Beacon of Respite to strategically support their allies. The Heal 1 ability allows them to target wounded comrades, providing a critical surge of healing energy at a crucial moment.  The character’s role here would be one of a guardian angel, using the beacon’s light to prioritize the well-being of those around them.
  • Ruins Exploration:  Exploring ancient ruins can be fraught with danger.  The character can use the Beacon of Respite’s Soothing Aura to mitigate the negative effects of lurking curses or environmental hazards that drain vitality or induce despair.  Here, the character acts as a beacon of hope, their unwavering faith in the light’s power protecting them from the corrupting influences of the ruins.
• Offense (Aggravated Focus):
  • The Corrupted Temple:  The party encounters a twisted guardian spirit within a corrupted temple, its dark magic inflicting fear and hopelessness on the party. The character, fueled by righteous anger (Aggravated Focus),  can unleash the Burst of Radiance. The blinding light disorients the guardian spirit, momentarily disrupting its attacks.  This creates an opportunity for the party to counterattack or escape.  The character embodies righteous fury here, wielding the beacon’s light to purge the corruption and defend their allies.
  • Negotiation Standoff:  During a tense negotiation with a villain, the character can subtly activate the Beacon of Respite’s Soothing Aura. The subtle calming effect might nudge the villain towards a more reasonable disposition. The character’s role here is to play the peacekeeper, using the beacon’s light to subtly promote a more positive outcome.
  • Rescue Mission:  The party is on a mission to rescue hostages from a group of bandits. The character can use the Burst of Radiance (Aggravated Focus) to create a diversion. The flash of light momentarily blinds the bandits, allowing the party to close the distance and secure the hostages. Here, the character acts decisively to create an opportunity, using the beacon’s light for a strategic offensive maneuver.

Remember, the offensive capabilities of the Beacon of Respite stem from its ability to disrupt enemies and mitigate negative effects. It should be used strategically to support more direct offensive actions from other party members.

Ways to visualize the Beacon of Respite, each with a slightly different feel:

• Option 1: Simple but Elegant
  • Shape: A smooth, round crystal, perhaps quartz or another translucent stone, cut to catch and amplify light.
  • Setting: A plain but sturdy silver setting with a simple chain or cord for wearing around the neck.
  • Glow: The crystal emits a soft, warm light that pulses gently when an active magic is used.
• Option 2: Symbol of Hope
  • Shape: A stylized sun pendant with gently curving rays. It could be made of gold or another warm-toned metal.
  • Centerpiece: A smaller crystal embedded in the center of the sun, acting as the focus of the magic.
  • Etching: Delicate symbols of healing or protection could be etched into the metal rays.
• Option 3: Ancient Relic
  • Shape: An irregularly shaped, slightly weathered crystal, hinting at its long history and accumulated energy.
  • Setting: A tarnished silver casing with intricate, worn patterns that hold the crystal securely.
  • Origin: Tiny inscriptions or symbols on the casing might hint at its makers or a lineage of past healers.
• Additional Customization — Regardless of the form, the Beacon of Respite could be further personalized by incorporating elements meaningful to the wearer. This could include:
  • Engraving: A personal motto or prayer dedicated to a deity.
  • Adornments: Small feathers, beads, or medicinal herbs could be attached, emphasizing the wearer’s specific healing traditions.

How the Beacon of Respite’s activation would be perceived by various senses, including some extra-sensory perceptions tied to its magical nature:

• Sight
  • What’s Perceived: The crystal at the heart of the Beacon of Respite glows with a soft, warm light. If active magic is being used, this light will intensify and may take on additional visual effects.
    • Heal 1: Gentle tendrils of light reaching out towards the target.
    • Burst of Radiance: A dazzling flash of light that momentarily fills the surrounding space.
  • Description: The light is soft and comforting, with a warmth reminiscent of sunlight on a clear day.
  • Positives: The light instills a sense of hope and well-being in those who witness it.
  • Negatives: The Burst of Radiance can be momentarily disorienting to both allies and enemies if they are not expecting it.
• Sound
  • What’s Perceived: A soft, soothing hum emanates from the Beacon of Respite when in use. The pitch and intensity may vary slightly depending on the specific magic being employed.
  • Description: The hum is reminiscent of a gentle wind chime or a whispered lullaby, calming to the spirit.
  • Positives: The sound reinforces the sense of peace and healing associated with the Beacon.
  • Negatives: The hum is quiet and could be easily drowned out in a noisy environment.
• Touch
  • What’s Perceived: The crystal and setting of the Beacon of Respite feel warm and smooth to the touch. There might be a slight tingling sensation when active magic is channeled.
  • Description: The warmth is comforting, like holding a sun-warmed stone in your palm.
  • Positives: The physical sensation provides a tangible connection to the magic, aiding in focus.
  • Negatives: None, unless the wearer is particularly sensitive to heat.
• Extra-Sensory Perception: Empathic Resonance
  • What’s Perceived: Those sensitive to emotions and energies would perceive a wave of positive energy radiating from the Beacon of Respite when it is used.
  • Description: It feels like a gentle wave of warmth washing over their spirit, bringing a sense of peace and well-being. Those attuned to negative energies may feel them momentarily ebb away when the Burst of Radiance is used.
  • Positives: This reinforces the Beacon of Respite’s benevolent nature and its potential to alleviate emotional distress.
  • Negatives: Highly sensitive individuals might temporarily feel slightly overwhelmed by the surge of positive energy.

Crafting the Beacon of Respite

• Materials Needed:
  • Radiant Crystal: A fist-sized crystal known for its ability to absorb and channel light magic (this could be a special variety of quartz, or a unique type of gemstone found in your world).
  • Holy Water: A small vial of water blessed by a priest or sanctified in a temple.
  • Silver Ingot: A small bar of pure silver, used for crafting the amulet’s setting.
  • Healing Herbs: A selection of dried herbs known for their restorative properties. These could be common remedies or rarer ingredients specific to your world.
• Tools Required:
  • Jeweler’s Kit: Includes precision tools for cutting, shaping, and setting the crystal.
  • Forge or Kiln: For heating and shaping the silver.
  • Mortar and Pestle: To create a fine powder from the healing herbs.
• Skill Requirements:
  • Arcane Crafting (Tier 1): The fundamental knowledge of imbuing objects with magical properties.
  • Jewelry Crafting (Basic): Ability to work with precious metals and create intricate settings.
  • Herbalism (Basic): Knowledge of healing herbs and their preparation.
• Crafting Steps:
  • Purifying the Crystal: Immerse the radiant crystal in the holy water, allowing it to absorb the blessed energies for a day and a night.
  • Shaping the Setting: Melt the silver ingot and carefully shape it into the desired form for the amulet’s setting. Skillful crafters may incorporate intricate details or symbols.
  • Preparing the Herbs: Grind the healing herbs into a fine powder using the mortar and pestle.
  • Imbuing the Powder: Focus your intent on channeling healing magic into the herbal powder, imbuing it with restorative energies.
  • Setting the Crystal: Securely set the purified crystal within the silver amulet. Sprinkle a small amount of the imbued herbal powder around the base of the crystal.
  • Ritual of Consecration: Under the light of a full moon, perform a short ritual or say a prayer dedicated to a deity of healing or light. This final step infuses the Beacon of Respite with its full power.
• Notes:
  • The specific design of the setting and the choice of healing herbs can be personalized, adding to the uniqueness of each Beacon of Respite.
  • A crafter with exceptional skill and a deep connection to light magic may be able to imbue the amulet with additional power or effects.

The Humble Spark
A Fragmentary Tale

The parchment, brittle and whispering secrets in a forgotten tongue, speaks of a time before reckoning. It tells of a nameless age, where mortals walked a path illuminated by deities both benevolent and terrible.  From this lost epoch comes the legend of the “Emblem of Respite,” a relic shrouded in myth and mystery.

The fragment speaks of a great citadel, forged from white stone and bathed in perpetual dawn. Here resided the fabled “Weavers of Dawn,” a brotherhood of mages cloaked in shimmering robes.  They wielded the power of曦 (Xī), the unknowable essence of light, said to banish darkness and mend the weary spirit.

Their most revered treasure, so the tale goes, was the Emblem of Respite.  Crafted from a luminous crystal, the fragment describes it as a “beacon in the clutching night,” a symbol of hope against despair.  Its powers, though veiled in ambiguity, are hinted at.  It is said to bring solace to the afflicted and turn back the encroaching shadows.

But alas, the fragment crumbles,the narrative fracturing like the ancient stone itself.  The fate of the Emblem of Respite is lost to the ages, swallowed by the relentless sands of time.  Where it now lies, or if its light still flickers in defiance of the encroaching dark, remains a mystery for those who dare to seek the truth.

Moral: Even the faintest light can pierce the deepest darkness.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu

• Focus: The Beacon of Respite becomes a relic of sanity and protection against maddening cosmic horrors. Emphasize its Aggravated focus, aiding in resisting mental afflictions and providing a sliver of hope in the darkness.
• Stats:
  • Artifact Lore (Know Beacon of Respite): Grants insight into its mythos and use.
  • Sanity Bonus: +1d4 or a modifier when resisting Sanity loss.
  • Power:
    • Heal: Mitigates physical wounds caused by Mythos entities.
    • Burst of Radiance: Temporarily blinds inhuman entities. Comes at a Sanity cost.
• Mechanics: Usage might lower Sanity, emphasizing the fragile balance between light and the encroaching darkness. Lore checks to uncover more truths about the Beacon of Respite and its connection to an elder benevolent being.

Blades in the Dark

• Focus: A potent item for a Whisper (occult specialist), adding an edge to their clandestine operations against supernatural horrors and the corrupting power of the Ghost Field.
• Stats:
  • Item Tier: 1
  • Load: 0 (worn as a necklace)
  • Special Ability:
    • Soothing Aura: +1d to resist Stress or Trauma caused by supernatural entities
    • Burst of Radiance: Provides a momentary edge against Ghosts or other entities vulnerable to light, causing them to hesitate or withdraw.
• Mechanics: The Beacon could be linked to a forgotten cult of light-bringers. Using it excessively might draw the attention of vengeful spirits or other dangers lurking in the darkness of Doskvol.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• Focus: A wondrous item for Clerics or Paladins devoted to deities of light or healing.
• Stats:
  • Rarity: Common
  • Requires Attunement
  • Healing Word (1/Day): As the spell
  • Protection from Evil and Good (1/Day): As the spell.
  • Light Burst: 15ft radius of bright light (as the cantrip) and radiant damage (1d4)
• Mechanics: Classic D&D adaptation. Could add charges to reflect limited daily use and emphasize the preciousness of its magic.

Knave

• Focus: A simple and potent item with a clear focus on support and defense.
• Stats:
  • Slots: 1
  • Healing Touch: Restore 1d6 HP to an ally.
  • Bright Flash: Creatures with light sensitivity are Disadvantaged on attacks for one round.
• Mechanics: True to Knave’s minimalist nature, the Beacon has straightforward uses. It might have a simple ‘drawback’ as a trade-off for its power, like temporarily decreasing the user’s Defense.

Fate

• Focus: Emphasize narrative impact and roleplaying potential over strict mechanics.
• Aspect: Beacon of Respite, Bearer of Hope. Can be invoked or compelled to influence scenes and interactions related to healing, inner strength, and defying despair.
• Stunts:
  • Soothing Aura: Create an Advantage when aiding others to overcome fear or mental strain.
  • Burst of Radiance: Invoke your Aspect to Overcome an obstacle or Create an Advantage by momentarily disrupting foes sensitive to light.
• Mechanics: Aligned with Fate’s emphasis on story and character. The Beacon acts as a narrative enhancement, fueled by the wielder’s strong connection to light and compassion.

Numenera & Cypher System

• Focus: A strange artifact from a bygone era, with a touch of the unknown.
• Type: Artifact
• Level: 2
• Form: Crystalline amulet.
• Depletion: 1 in 1d10
• Effect:
  • Channel Light: Eases one level of physical damage for a target creature, or one level of Intellect depletion.
  • Flash of Brilliance: Diminishes the difficulty of one task related to dispelling darkness or resisting psychic intrusion by one step.
• Mechanics: Fits the Cypher System with emphasis on resource depletion and multi-use effects. Could include a discovery roll to fully understand its origins and potential.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

• Focus: Traditional item with level-based scaling and clear action economy.
• Rarity: Common
• Level: 1
• Traits: Healing, Light, Magical
• Actions:
  • Activate [1 Action]: Heal 1d6 HP
  • Activate [2 Actions]: Channel Positive Energy (as per spell, 1d8 HP)
  • Activate [3 Actions]: Greater Burst of Light (30ft radius, 2d8 radiant damage to creatures with light weakness)
• Mechanics: Fits Pathfinder’s structure, offering scaling abilities tied to invested actions. Could introduce a resonance system for specific Paladin or Cleric builds.

Savage Worlds

• Focus: Fast and dynamic, with a potential for dramatic uses.
• Setting Rule: Beacon of Respite (Common). Requires Healing d6+
• Powers:
  • Healing (Base): As per the power, target regains a Wound.
  • Smite (Raise): As per the power, with the Trapping that the target also sheds a Condition like Fear or Shaken.
  • Greater Smite (Raise x2): Smite effect (above) in a 15ft burst area.
• Mechanics: Ties into existing Savage Worlds powers for easy use. The “Raise” mechanic adds risk/reward choices with greater effects, emphasizing the Beacon’s dramatic Aggravated focus.

Shadowrun

• Focus: A potent magical focus with a potential connection to forgotten knowledge or ancient spirits.
• Type: Focus (Radiant)
• Force: 1 (initially)
• Powers:
  • Stabilize: Resists drain from physical or magical wounds
  • Calm Emotions: Grants bonuses to social rolls against anger or fear-based manipulation
  • Radiant Burst: Disorients opponents vulnerable to light, causing penalties to Perception-based tests.
• Mechanics: The Beacon draws power from the user’s magical aptitude. Overuse could attract unwanted attention from Astral entities or malevolent spirits.

Starfinder

• Focus: A strange, semi-magical device of potentially alien or ancient origin.
• Item Level: 1
• Category: Wondrous Item
• Effects:
  • Lesser Heal: Restore 1d4 HP
  • Suppress Emotion: Provides a bonus to Will saves against fear and mind-affecting effects.
  • Flash of Brilliance: A burst of light that imposes a penalty on a single creature’s attack or skill check (subject to light vulnerability).
• Mechanics: Blends Starfinder’s mix of magic and tech. Could have a hidden upgrade path or interact with the Drift in unpredictable ways.

Traveller

• Focus: A mysterious relic discovered on a backwater world, imbued with psionic potential.
• Tech Level: TL 8-10 (semi-magical, difficult to replicate)
• Stats:
  • Psionic Potential: 1
  • Tags: Artifact, Healing, Light
  • Abilities:
    • Ease Suffering: Reduces penalties caused by wounds.
    • Mental Clarity: Grants advantage on psionic defense rolls against manipulation or intrusion.
    • Force Blast: A burst of psionic energy that can cause disorientation in targets susceptible to mental effects.
• Mechanics: Treats the Beacon as a psionic focus. Emphasizes the item’s rarity in a generally low-magic setting.

Warhammer (Fantasy or 40K)

• Focus: A sanctified relic of the Imperium or a heretical artifact tainted by Chaos, depending on the campaign.
• Lore: Linked to a minor saint or a forgotten Imperial cult in Warhammer 40K. In Warhammer Fantasy, it could be tied to lesser deities of light and healing.
• Properties:
  • Divine Ward: Grants protection against daemonic/psychic attacks, or against the corrupting influence of a Chaos artifact.
  • Righteous Fury: Inspires the user and nearby allies with divine zeal, offering bonuses to melee attacks against unholy foes.
  • Purifying Blast: Unleashes a blast of holy light, damaging daemons/undead, or purging minor Chaos taint.
• Mechanics: Driven by the character’s Faith. In 40K, overuse could cause Perils of the Warp. In Fantasy, it might grant temporary blessings or attract the ire of daemons.