GearAscendancy.com

Tikanga 412 of the Sacred Ink Well

—

by

Dale
in

The Tikanga 412 of the Sacred Ink-Well is a palm-sized vessel carved from shimmering iridescent pounamu (greenstone), capped with a lid of polished albatross bone. In the world of Saṃsāra, this item is the hallmark of the Kaitoi—the sacred artists who believe that every stroke of a brush or chisel is a conversation with the divine. Lore states that the ink held within is not merely pigment, but the “Shadow of Ancestors,” and to use it without following the proper protocols is to invite a spiritual smudge upon one’s own soul. For a Tier 1 avatar, this item serves as both a tool of creation and a badge of cultural discipline, ensuring that their art respects the Tapu of the subjects they depict.

  • Slot: Belt (Pouch) or Held
  • Weight: 0.5 lbs
  • Material: Iridescent Pounamu, Albatross Bone, Ancestral Pigment
  • Tier: 1
  • Rarity: Common
  • Skills Gained while Openly Worn: The avatar gains proficiency in Performance (Painting/Calligraphy) and History (Lineage). The wearer can instantly sense if a piece of art or a historical site is under a Tapu (restriction), preventing accidental desecration.

Passive Magic

  • Guided Stroke: While the avatar is engaged in a Fine Arts task, the Tikanga 412 exerts a gentle magnetic pull on the tool being used (brush, chisel, or pen). This ensures that the work adheres to the traditional geometric laws of Saṃsāra, granting a +1 bonus to the quality of the finished piece.
  • The Living Canvas: Any artwork created using ink from this well is resistant to natural decay, fading, or water damage. The Tikanga of the ink binds it to the material world with the strength of a sacred vow, ensuring the “mana” of the art remains vibrant for centuries.

Activable Magic

  • Invocation of the Muse (Active): As a 10-minute ritual, the artist can splash a drop of the ink onto their forehead. For the next hour, they gain the ability to “see” the spiritual essence of their subject. This allows them to paint portraits that reveal a target’s true intentions or landscapes that show the hidden “spirit-paths” of the terrain.
  • Seal of Restriction (Active): The artist can use the ink to draw a specific rune of Tapu upon an object or doorway. Until the artist chooses to wipe it away, the object becomes “sacredly restricted.” Anyone who attempts to touch or pass the seal without the artist’s permission must succeed on a Willpower save or be struck by a sudden, overwhelming sense of shame and hesitation.

Tags: Tikanga, Tapu, Fine-Arts, Calligraphy, Pounamu, Belt-item, Tier-1, Protocol, Artist, Spiritual-Sight, Preservation, Aesthetic, Lineage, Ink, Pounamu, Ritual-Tool, Expression, Integrity, Ancestral-Echo, Mana, Geometrical, Preservation-Magic

In the world of Saṃsāra, obtaining a Tikanga 412 of the Sacred Ink-Well is often as much a matter of spiritual readiness as it is of currency. It is rarely found as mere “loot” and is instead treated as a vessel of cultural continuity.

  • Acquisition through Apprenticeship: Most artists receive their first ink-well upon completing their first “True Depiction”—a work of art that successfully captures the mana of a subject. A master Kaitoi will present the pounamu vessel to the student, often filled with a starter batch of ink distilled from the family’s own ancestral line.
  • Acquisition through Pilgrimage: Some avatars seek out the “High Pounamu Veins” in the southern mountain ranges of Saṃsāra. By performing a song of permission to the earth, they may find a fragment of iridescent stone already shaped by the river’s flow. They must then take this stone to a sanctified carver to have the interior hollowed and the albatross bone lid fitted.
  • Acquisition through Sacred Salvage: In the ruins of fallen island gestalts, these wells are sometimes found preserved in the silt. Because of the Living Canvas magic, the ink inside is often still liquid. However, finding one in the wild requires a Mind’s Eye check to ensure the Tapu of the previous owner has been properly laid to rest.

The commerce of such items is restricted to specific locales, as selling a sacred tool in a common marketplace is often seen as a violation of Tikanga.

  • Ancestral Ateliers: These are high-end galleries located in the artistic districts of floating metropolises. They are quiet, aromatic spaces where the walls are lined with “Living Art.” To buy a Tikanga 412 here, one must demonstrate their skill or provide a portfolio. The cost is high due to the quality of the iridescent pounamu, typically 30 Silver or 1 Gold Noble.
  • The Tohunga’s Carving Shed: Found in coastal villages or hidden in forest groves, these workshops are more rustic but spiritually “purer.” The Tohunga (expert) crafts the wells by hand while reciting genealogies. They do not accept standard coin from outsiders easily; the cost is usually 20 Silver, though they prefer a trade of rare pigments or a vow to perform a service for the local community.
  • Gestalt Guild-Halls: Within the large industrial or administrative centers, the Artist’s Guild maintains a storehouse of standardized Tikanga items. These wells are functional rather than ornate, often using plain greenstone instead of iridescent pounamu. They are sold to registered avatars for a regulated price of 15 Silver.
  • Underground “Grey” Markets: In the lawless hubs of Saṃsāra, stolen ink-wells are sold by brokers who don’t care for protocol. These items are often “spiritually heavy” or cursed by the previous owner’s grief. They can be bought for as little as 8 Silver, but the user may find the Guided Stroke working against them until the item is cleansed.

When selling a Tikanga 412, a merchant will inspect the albatross bone lid. If the bone has yellowed or cracked, it suggests a “leak” in the Tapu, devaluing the item. A well-maintained vessel can be sold back to an Atelier or Guild-Hall for 10 to 12 Silver, provided the avatar can prove they used it with honor.

In the world of Saṃsāra, the Tikanga 412 of the Sacred Ink-Well transforms the act of creation into a tactical and social maneuver. Roleplaying with this item involves treating the environment as a canvas where the laws of Tikanga (protocol) and Tapu (restriction) can be physically manifested through ink.

  • In a defensive capacity within a Designated Safe Area, the avatar uses the ink to reinforce social boundaries. Roleplay involves the artist painting a thin, shimmering line of ink across a threshold or around a group of diplomats. This uses the Seal of Restriction to create a “Social Wall.” While it doesn’t stop a sword, it creates an aura of such profound sacredness that an intruder feels like a blasphemer just for looking at it. The defense is psychological; the avatar roleplays a calm, untouchable authority, daring the opponent to violate the ancestors’ laws.
  • In an offensive role within Normal Areas, such as a marketplace or a town square, the avatar uses Invocation of the Muse to perform “Offensive Truth-Telling.” By quickly sketching a caricature or portrait of a corrupt merchant or a hidden spy, the artist uses the ink to pull the target’s “Spirit-Path” into the light. Roleplaying this involves a frantic, inspired flurry of movement, ending with the artist revealing a painting that exposes the target’s secret shame or hidden weapons to the public. It is a weapon of reputation and exposure, destroying an enemy’s social standing before a fight even begins.
  • Within an Unsafe Area, such as a crumbling ruin or a shifting forest, the item is used for Navigational Defense. As the terrain moves or traps threaten the party, the avatar paints “Anchors” on the walls or trees. Through the Guided Stroke, these ink-marks become steady points in a chaotic world. The avatar roleplays as a guide, using the Mind’s Eye to see where the environment is “spiritually weak” and reinforcing it with strokes of iridescent ink to create a temporary safe path for the team.
  • Offensively, in a Metropolis or High-Society setting, the ink-well is used for “Magical Slander” or “Soul-Binding.” If an opponent relies on their high Mana or social status, the artist can draw a Seal of Restriction directly onto a piece of paper or a wall facing the opponent’s estate. This creates a “Spiritual Blockage” that interferes with the target’s ability to conduct business or cast spells comfortably. Roleplay focuses on the artist as a revolutionary, using “Fine Art” to humble the powerful by making their very surroundings feel restrictive and unwelcome.
  • In Deathly Areas, where visibility is low and hostility is absolute, the Living Canvas magic provides a beacon of hope. The avatar roleplays by painting glowing, permanent protective symbols on the gear of their allies. These marks don’t fade even in the presence of corrosive spirits. Offensively, the artist might splash the ink onto an invisible or ethereal horror; because the ink is “bound to the material world,” it coats the monster in a shimmering, iridescent layer, stripping away its concealment and making it a clear target for the rest of the party.
  • In social negotiations within a somewhat safe area, the item is used as a “Shield of Etiquette.” By openly preparing their ink, the artist signals that everything said and done will be “Recorded in the Ancestral Shadow.” This makes it defensively difficult for NPCs to lie, as they perceive the ink-well as an unbiased, divine witness. The avatar roleplays this with a quiet, observant intensity, occasionally dipping their brush as if waiting for the perfect moment to capture a lie.

Perception of Activation:

  • User’s Perspective: When the ink-well is opened for a sacred task, the user feels a localized drop in temperature, followed by a tingling sensation in their fingertips as if the brush is an extension of their own nervous system. The iridescent pounamu grows cold, yet the ink within feels like molten silk. The user’s vision shifts; colors become more vibrant, and the “structural lines” of the world—the geometry behind a face or a building—become visible as faint, golden blueprints. Every stroke of the brush produces a soft, harmonic hum that resonates in the user’s teeth.
  • Observer’s Perspective: To an onlooker, the moment the albatross bone lid is removed, a faint, swirling mist of silver and black vapor rises from the well, settling around the artist’s hands. The iridescence of the pounamu begins to cycle through the spectrum, casting rhythmic pulses of light onto the artist’s work. The air around the artist becomes unnaturally still, as if the wind itself has paused to watch the creation. When a Seal of Restriction is painted, the observer feels a sudden, sharp instinct to look away, as if staring directly at the sun.
  • Extra-Sensory Perceptions: Through the Mind’s Eye, the avatar perceives “Ancestral Shadows”—translucent, spectral hands that overlap with their own, guiding the movement of the brush. Telepathically, the area around the activation becomes filled with the “echoes of intent”; a painting of a person feels like the person is actually standing there, projecting their emotions into the room. Psionically sensitive individuals detect a “Weight of History” radiating from the ink, as if the well is physically heavier because of the memories it contains.
  • Positives: The item allows for the creation of objective truth; a portrait painted with this ink cannot be deceived by illusions or shapeshifting. It provides the artist with a state of “Perfect Flow,” removing the possibility of hesitation or creative block. Additionally, the Seal of Restriction offers a non-violent method of area denial, stopping intruders through spiritual shame rather than physical injury, which preserves the Mana of the artist and the location.
  • Negatives: The primary drawback is “Creative Exhaustion.” Because the item draws on the user’s own spiritual connection to their ancestors, prolonged use can leave the avatar feeling hollow or “color-blind” to the world for several hours after the well is closed. If the Seal of Restriction is used for a selfish or dishonorable purpose, the ink may turn “stagnant,” refusing to leave the well or actively staining the artist’s hands with a mark that cannot be washed away until penance is made.

Ritual of the Boundless Prism Ink-Well

  • Materials Needed:
    • 1 core of Iridescent Pounamu (Greenstone with a play-of-color or “Inanga” sheen)
    • 1 Albatross Wing-Bone (sourced from a bird that died of natural causes at sea)
    • 2 ounces of Deep-Sea Squid Ink (harvested during a new moon)
    • 1 gram of Powdered Silver (to act as a spiritual conductor)
    • 3 drops of “Artist’s Tears” (shed during the completion of a masterwork)
    • A small quantity of Beeswax (infused with crushed manuka blossoms)
  • Tools Required:
    • Diamond-Tipped Lapidary Chisel (for hollowing the stone core)
    • Abrasive Sanding Ferns (for the traditional smoothing of the pounamu)
    • Fine Silver Solder and a small Blowtorch (for fitting the lid hinge)
    • Etching Needle (carved from obsidian or volcanic glass)
    • Sonic Bath or Tuning Fork (set to the “Frequency of Stillness”)
  • Skill Requirements:
    • Tier 1 Lapidary Arts: The ability to carve pounamu without creating internal fractures.
    • Basic Alchemy (Pigment Focus): Proficiency in stabilizing organic inks with mineral conductors.
    • Cultural Knowledge (Tikanga): Understanding of the sacred geometric ratios required for the ink to “hold” a spirit.
    • Precise Breath Control: Necessary during the etching process to ensure the lines of protocol are unbroken.
  • Crafting Steps:
    • Submerge the raw pounamu in a running stream for three days to “cleanse the stone’s memory.” Afterward, use the lapidary chisel to hollow out the center into a teardrop-shaped reservoir.
    • Polish the exterior using the abrasive ferns until the iridescence is visible from all angles. The stone must be smooth enough to reflect the artist’s own eye.
    • Measure and cut the albatross bone to create a snug-fitting lid. Using the silver solder, attach a small hinge and clasp to the stone body, ensuring the seal is airtight.
    • Prepare the ink: Combine the deep-sea squid ink with the powdered silver in a silver bowl. Stir with a bone needle while humming a song of “Preservation.” Add the three drops of Artist’s Tears to bond the ink to the human spirit.
    • Use the obsidian etching needle to carve the Tikanga patterns around the rim of the well. These patterns act as a fence, preventing the ink’s power from leaking out.
    • Place the filled well on the sonic bath or strike the tuning fork against the stone. The vibration must cause the ink to form a perfect, standing ripple pattern.
    • Seal the inner rim of the albatross bone lid with the manuka-infused beeswax. This ensures that the Tapu (restriction) is locked inside until the lid is intentionally opened.
    • Perform the “First Stroke” test: Draw a single circle on a piece of flax-paper. If the ink shimmers and the circle feels “heavy” to the touch, the item is successfully bound.
    • If the ink turns grey or the stone feels warm to the touch, the silver-to-ink ratio is incorrect, and the mixture must be purified and re-strained.

Face-Maker who Stole Moon’s Outline

Long times passing, before the sky was a hard roof and when the mountain-roots were still soft as mud, there lived the Carver-of-Invisible-Things. He was a man whose hands were not hands, but ten small birds of wisdom. He looked at the world and saw it was leaking; the beauty of the dawn would run away like water, and the faces of the beloved would blow out like a small flame in a big wind.

The Carver-of-Invisible-Things walked to the edge of the Sky-Sea, where the great Albatross flies through the thoughts of the stars. He caught a bone of the bird that had fallen from the “above-place.” Then, he dove into the deep-green-dark and found the Pounamu-Stone that was shivering with the cold of the beginning.

He whispered to the Stone: “I will make you a skin for the light.” He whispered to the Bone: “I will make you a gate for the truth.” He took the ink of the Ghost-Squid, which does not write on paper but writes on the soul. He put the ink inside the stone-belly and shut the bone-gate.

A Great Silence came upon the land. The people had forgotten how to see themselves. They walked like shadows with no shapes. The Carver-of-Invisible-Things opened the stone-belly. He dipped his brush—made of the hair of his own memory—into the ink. He painted the Tikanga (the-way-it-must-be) upon the foreheads of the lost.

Suddenly, the people became “heavy” with their own names. The ink told the eyes where to look and the feet where to stand. But one man, a King-of-Gilded-Lies, tried to steal the well. He wanted to paint a face of a god upon his own crooked spirit. When the King touched the ink, the Tapu (the-forbidden-weight) became a mountain. The ink-well grew so heavy it sank through the floor, through the dirt, and back to the mountain-roots. The King was left with hands stained black forever, for he tried to use the “Sacred-Protocol” to hide a “Profane-Heart.”

The old, broken-tongue writings say: “The ink is the rope that ties the spirit to the shape. If the rope is pulled by the greedy, it becomes a noose; if it is pulled by the artist, it becomes a bridge.”

Moral of the Story: True art is a sacred boundary; it can reveal the soul to the world, but it will crush the hand that tries to use it for deception.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Ichor of Ancestral Truth

  • Description: A pounamu vessel containing an ink that vibrates with a low, sub-audible hum.
  • Skill – Art/Craft (Painting or Calligraphy): Using this ink provides a +20% bonus to the skill. Works created with it are immune to natural aging and environmental damage.
  • Special Mechanic – Invocation of the Muse: The user may spend 5 Magic Points and 1D4 Sanity to paint a portrait of a subject. This reveals the subject’s true nature; if they are an alien entity in human guise, the painting depicts their true form.
  • Special Mechanic – Seal of Restriction: Spend 3 Magic Points to paint a rune on a threshold. Anyone attempting to cross must succeed in a Hard POW check or be unable to enter, overwhelmed by a sudden, paralyzing sense of religious awe or dread.
  • Sanity Loss: 0/1D2 when witnessing the spectral “Ancestral Shadows” that guide the brush.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Ghost-Ink Oubliette

  • Item Type: Fine Arcane Implement (1 Load)
  • Tier: 1 (Fine Quality)
  • Mechanic – Passive: When you use Study to examine a work of art, a historical document, or a person’s “spiritual weight,” you gain Potency.
  • Mechanic – Living Canvas: Any maps or blueprints drawn with this ink cannot be stolen or altered by others; they appear as blank pages to anyone but the artist and their designated allies.
  • Mechanic – Seal of Restriction: You may expend a Special Ability or take 2 Stress to “Bar a Way.” By painting a sigil on a door or chest, you create a Tier 3 ward. Anyone attempting to break it must first resist a mental consequence.
  • Mechanic – Guided Stroke: Gain +1d to Sway or Manipulate rolls when the leverage involves a piece of art or a document you created, as the ink carries an undeniable spiritual authority.

Dungeons & Dragons (2024 Edition)

Unique Name: Tikanga Ink-Well of the Kaitoi

  • Item Type: Wondrous Item
  • Rarity: Common
  • Attunement: Not Required
  • Slot: Pouch/Held
  • Properties:
    • Guided Stroke (Passive): You have Advantage on Ability Checks made with Painter’s Supplies or Calligrapher’s Tools.
    • The Living Canvas (Passive): Anything you write or draw with this ink is permanent and cannot be erased or obscured by non-magical means. It is immune to fire and water damage.
    • Seal of Restriction: As an Action, you can use the ink to draw a rune on an object or a 5-foot-wide surface. For the next hour, any creature that tries to touch the object or pass the surface must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom Saving Throw or become Frightened of the mark until the start of their next turn.
    • Invocation of the Muse: You can spend 10 minutes painting a small sigil on your brow. For 1 hour, you gain Truesight out to a range of 10 feet, but only for the purpose of seeing the “spiritual essence” or true form of living creatures.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Albatross Bone Well

  • Item Type: Relic
  • Slots: 1 Slot
  • Quality: 3/3
  • Mechanic – Passive: You automatically succeed on checks to identify faked art, forged documents, or historical lies.
  • Mechanic – Living Canvas: Any map you draw while exploring will magically update itself to show the nearest “Tapu” (restricted/dangerous) area within 100 feet.
  • Mechanic – Active: Once per day, you may cast the following effect:
    • Spiritual Portrait: You draw a quick sketch of a creature you can see. The sketch reveals the creature’s current HP and its greatest weakness.
  • Wound Mechanic: If the item takes a Wound, the lid shatters. The ink spills and creates a 10-foot-radius “Zone of Silence” that lasts until the ink is scrubbed away with holy water.

Fate Core / Fate Condensed

Unique Name: The Pounamu Well of Ancestral Ink

  • Type: Extra (Costs 1 Refresh)
  • Aspects: Spirit of the Kaitoi, Bound by Sacred Protocol
  • The Living Canvas: Once per session, you may declare that a piece of art or a document you created cannot be destroyed, altered, or forged by any opposition. This effectively makes the object an indestructible part of the scene until you decide otherwise.
  • Guided Stroke: You gain a +2 bonus to Create an Advantage using Crafts or Academia when producing works that communicate a specific truth or historical record.
  • Seal of Restriction: When you use the ink to ward an area, you may use your Crafts skill to defend against Overcome actions from those attempting to bypass the boundary.
  • Invocation of the Muse: You may spend a Fate Point to ignore all environmental penalties (darkness, chaos, distraction) while creating a work of art, as the ancestors steady your hand.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Kaitoi’s Resonant Well

  • Level: 1d6 (Tier 1)
  • Form: A small, iridescent greenstone vessel with a bone lid.
  • Effect:
    • Passive: The user is trained in Artistic Expression and Identifying Supernatural Influence.
    • The Living Canvas: Any message or image created with this ink is impervious to time and the elements. It can only be removed by the user or through high-tier reality-warping effects.
    • Invocation of the Muse (2 Intellect points): For one hour, the user gains an Asset on all tasks involving perception or social interaction as they “see” the spiritual weight and sincerity of those around them.
    • Seal of Restriction (3 Intellect points): The user paints a mark on a surface (up to 10 square feet). This surface becomes a Level 4 barrier against any creature attempting to pass it with hostile intent.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (Roll when using the Seal of Restriction).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition Remaster)

Unique Name: Ink-Well of the Sacred Stroke

  • Item Level: 1
  • Price: 20 gp
  • Usage: held (1 hand); Bulk: —
  • Traits: Magical, Spirit, Water
  • Description: This shimmering greenstone pot contains ink that never dries out within the well but becomes harder than stone once applied to a surface with artistic intent.
  • Guided Stroke (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Crafting checks to create art and Society checks to decipher ancient scripts or heraldry.
  • The Living Canvas [Action] (Envision): By spending 1 minute painting a mark on an object, you make it magically resilient. The object gains a +2 status bonus to its Hardness and saves against being broken or erased for 24 hours.
  • Seal of Restriction [Two-Actions] (Concentrate, Manipulate): Frequency: Once per hour. Effect: You draw a line of ink on a surface. Any creature of a level equal to or lower than yours that attempts to cross the line must succeed on a Will save (DC 15) or be Repelled 5 feet and become Stunned 1.
  • Invocation of the Muse [Action] (Concentrate): You touch the ink to your eyes. Until the end of your next turn, you gain a +2 status bonus to Perception checks to see through magical illusions.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Albatross Bone Ink-Pot

  • Type: Magic Item (Relic)
  • Weight: 0.5 lbs
  • Guided Stroke: The wielder gains a +2 bonus to Academia and Performance checks involving written or visual arts.
  • The Living Canvas: Documents or art created with this ink provide a +1 bonus to any Research rolls made by anyone using them as a reference in the future.
  • Seal of Restriction: As an action, the wielder may spend a Benny to draw a sacred line. Enemies attempting to cross the line must make a Spirit roll at -2. On a failure, they are Shaken and cannot cross the line this turn.
  • Invocation of the Muse: By spending 5 minutes in meditation with the open well, the wielder gains the Alertness Edge for one hour. If they already have it, they gain an additional +2 to Notice rolls to detect spiritual or invisible entities.
  • Negative (Minor Curse): If the ink is used to create a lie or a forgery, the well becomes “Heavy with Shame,” encumbering the user (as if they were carrying an extra 20 lbs) until they create a work of pure truth to balance the scales.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: The Kaitoi Mana-Ink Reservoir

  • Item Type: Qi Focus or Enchanted Tool (Force 1)
  • Object Resistance: 12
  • Mechanic – The Living Canvas: Any data-tattoos or physical blueprints inscribed with this ink are hardened against Mana-ebb. The Physical Barrier or Ward created using this ink adds +1 to its Armor Rating and Structure.
  • Mechanic – Guided Stroke: When using the ink to create physical forgeries or artistic works, the user gains a +1 dice pool bonus. Additionally, the ink is “Dual-Natured”; it exists on both the physical and astral planes, allowing astral entities to “read” the art.
  • Mechanic – Seal of Restriction: As a Major Action, the user can paint a threshold. This acts as a Mana Barrier with a Rating equal to the user’s Magic attribute. It specifically prevents the passage of spirits or astral forms unless they succeed in a standard astral intersection test.
  • Mechanic – Invocation of the Muse: Spending 1 Edge allows the user to perceive the Astral Plane for (Magic) minutes without fully projecting, though they suffer a -2 penalty to physical actions due to the overwhelming “ancestral overlay” in their vision.

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Unique Name: Iridescent Pounamu Script-Vessel

  • Item Level: 1
  • Price: 215 Credits
  • Bulk: L
  • Traits: Magical, Spirit, Water
  • The Living Canvas (Passive): Documents created with this ink are immune to vacuum, radiation, and environmental hazards. They can be read even in total darkness as they emit a dim, 5-foot-foot glow of iridescent light.
  • Guided Stroke (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to checks to Recall Knowledge about ancient civilizations or magical artifacts if you have a written reference prepared with this ink.
  • Seal of Restriction [Action]: You draw a line on a surface. Any creature attempting to cross the line must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 15). On a failure, they are Off-Guard and cannot cross the line until the start of their next turn.
  • Invocation of the Muse [Two-Actions]: You mark your brow. You gain a +1 status bonus to Perception checks to notice “Invisible” or “Concealed” creatures for 10 minutes.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Albatross Protocol Font

  • TL (Tech Level): 0 (Relic) / 13 (Molecularly Bonded Pigment)
  • Weight: 0.25 kg
  • Mechanic – The Living Canvas: Any ship’s logs or navigation charts hand-drawn with this ink are physically indestructible. They provide a DM+1 to any Astrogation or Pilot checks if the ship’s primary computer is offline, as the “Ancestral Weight” of the charts guides the crew.
  • Mechanic – Guided Stroke: The user gains a DM+2 to any Art or Investigate checks when trying to replicate or understand ancient alien inscriptions or “Ancients” iconography.
  • Mechanic – Seal of Restriction: When the ink is used to mark a hatch or locker, any unauthorized person attempting to open it must make a MIND check (Difficulty: Difficult 10+). On a failure, they suffer a temporary -1 DM to all actions for 1D6 hours due to a sense of crushing existential guilt.
  • Mechanic – Invocation of the Muse: The user may spend a point of EDU (refreshed after a long rest) to gain a flashes of insight regarding a mysterious object, essentially functioning as a one-time “Expert System” for a single check.

Warhammer (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Pounamu Pot of Sacred Script

  • Item Type: Magical Artifact / Artist’s Tool
  • Encumbrance: 0
  • Traits: Blessed (Ancestors), Durable, Ritual
  • Mechanic – The Living Canvas: Any scroll or parchment written with this ink gains the Fine and Durable qualities. It cannot be destroyed by normal fire or water, and it grants a +10 bonus to any Language (Magick) test made to read it.
  • Mechanic – Guided Stroke: The user gains the Artistic Talent while using the well. If they already have it, they may reverse the dice on any failed Art test once per session.
  • Mechanic – Seal of Restriction: As an Action, make an Art Test. If successful, you mark a doorway. Any creature with the Undead or Demon trait must spend a Fortune point or pass a Hard (–20) Cool Test to cross the line.
  • Mechanic – Invocation of the Muse: By marking your forehead, you gain the Second Sight Talent for 1 hour. If you already have it, you gain +1 SL to all Perception tests involving the detection of the Winds of Magic.
  • Curse: If the ink is used to draft a contract that is later broken, the user gains 1 Corruption point as the ancestors’ favor turns to ash.