GearAscendancy.com

Mask of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard 9410

—

by

Dale
in

Lore: Forged through a masterwork convergence of five disparate relic traditions, this artifact unites ancient beast-lore, historical chronomancy, secretive illusion craft, extradimensional weaving, and insectoid affinity resonance. It originated when an envoy of the high monarchies sought an instrument capable of unifying fractured factions during the continental resource wars. Scribes, enchanters, and artificers bound the living silk of the Luminary, the memory-dense bronze of the Timeless Guardian, the voice-shifting obsidian of the Mirrored Veil, the lyrical harmonics of the Wildsong druids, and the folded spatial lattice of the early industrial gatherers. Infused with a Tier 5 soul crystal within an arcane steam forge, the five concepts collapsed into a single, cohesive faceplate. The mask serves as a legendary mantle of leadership, allowing its wearer to project commanding illusions, bridge empathetic bonds across entire legions, summon temporal protectors, and command the beasts of the wilds.

Description: A single, seamless full-face mask sculpted from ancient, iridescent bronze and dark volcanic obsidian, laced with glowing golden filigree wire that traces geometric runic patterns across the cheeks and brow. Embedded at the center of the forehead is a pulsating celestial gemstone containing swirling nebular light, flanked by translucent, veined wing membranes that emit a constant, gentle green-blue luminescence. An extradimensional storage aperture is built directly into the underside of the jaw, sealed with steam-treated leather fittings. The interior of the mask is lined with soft gray hide that molds comfortably to the wearer’s facial features. The mask hums with a melodic resonance, releasing a faint aroma of ancient parchment, damp loamy earth, spicy kava root, and ozone.

Stats

  • Item Tier: Tier 5
  • Item Hit Points: 50 plus maximum avatar hit points
  • Armor Check (AC): +3 (Item AC bonus)
  • Weight: 2.0 lbs
  • Resilience: 10
  • Extradimensional Capacity: 30 lbs (zero effective carried weight for stored items)
  • Light Emission: Dim light in a 10-foot radius

Skills Gained While Openly Worn

  • +5 Trained Skill Level in Performance
  • +5 Trained Skill Level in Deception
  • +5 Trained Skill Level in History
  • +5 Trained Skill Level in Animal Handling
  • +5 Temporary Skill Points in Diplomacy

Tags

  • Tier-5, Legendary, Mask, Worn-Item, Headwear, Illusion, Chronomancy, Minion-Summon, Animal-Charming, Extradimensional, Affinity, Bioluminescent, Social-Manipulation, Temporal-Anchor, Historical-Relic, Steam-Age, Single-Slot, Ancient-Bronze, Celestial-Core, Spatial-Lattice, Voice-Mimicry, Pack-Bond, Chrono-Disruption, Ethereal-Guard, Stasis-Matrix, Mind’s-Eye-Concealment, Telluric-Harmony, Epoch-Weave

Multiple Passives Magic

  • Mask of Infinite Personas: The wearer can seamlessly alter their physical facial appearance, perceived species traits, and vocal pitch to match any humanoid persona, completely veiling their true identity and granting advantage on all Deception and Performance checks.
  • Beastfriend’s Harmonic Symphony: Animals and natural beasts instinctively perceive the wearer as a benevolent ally. Passive empathetic awareness allows the wearer to read the emotional states and immediate motives of non-sentient fauna within 60 feet.
  • Prescient Historical Insight: The celestial core grants immediate access to ancestral lore, providing advantage on all checks related to ancient ruins, historical linguistics, and forgotten magical mechanisms.
  • Extradimensional Spatial Vault: The integrated storage aperture holds up to 30 pounds of items in total temporal stasis, preventing organic spoilage, biological decay, or loss of alchemical potency.
  • Luminary Affinity Aura: Emits an empathetic field across a 30-foot radius that bolsters allies, granting them a +2 bonus to saving throws against fear, charms, and discord effects while sharpening group coordination.

Multiple Active Magics

  • Summon Timeless Guardian (1/Day): The wearer channels the central gemstone for 1 action to summon Minion #528, a Large ethereal warrior clad in epoch-spanning bronze plate. The Guardian possesses the weapon and barrier capabilities defined on the relic, phases through non-magical terrain obstacles, and persists for up to 2 days or until dismissed.
  • Melody of Universal Kinship (3/Day): Reciting or singing the ancient verses as an action charms up to three target beasts within 60 feet for 24 hours on a failed saving throw, following the standard charming progression toward permanent loyalty.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption (2/Day): As an action, the wearer releases a wave of temporal dissonance and psychoactive light in a 20-foot radius. Enemies failing a saving throw become staggered and flat-footed for 1 minute as past battlefield echoes distort their sensory timing.
  • Rapid Void Ejection (Free Action): Once per round during combat, the wearer can mentally trigger the jaw aperture to instantly retrieve a stored consumable, crystal, or small tool directly into an empty hand slot.
  • Resonant Pact Surge (1/Day): As an action, the mask unleashes a brilliant flare of affinity light. The avatar and up to five bonded allies within 30 feet gain temporary bonus hit points equal to 20 plus the avatar’s tier level for 10 minutes.

Specific Slot

  • Worn Item (Head Slot – Single Physical Object)

Item Integrity, Deactivation Thresholds, and Crafting Restoration

  • Total Targeted Hit Points: To overcome this Tier 5 artifact, an attacker must deplete its full pool of Item Hit Points, which equals the avatar’s maximum hit points plus 50 points (calculated from a base resilience of 10 multiplied by the item’s Tier 5 rating).
  • Magic Disabling Condition: If an attacker specifically targets the mask and deals sufficient damage to reduce its Item Hit Points to half or less (50% or below of its total pool), the item enters a broken state. In this broken condition, all passive enchantments, active spells, minion summoning, and illusion transformations are immediately suppressed and deactivated until repaired.
  • Complete Annihilation: Reducing the mask’s Item Hit Points to zero completely destroys the artifact, causing it to fall apart into its base component parts.
  • Targeted Attack Difficulty: When an enemy declares an attack against the worn mask, the target Armor Check equals the wearing avatar’s total AC, plus the avatar’s tier level, plus the result of their rolled tier die, plus the mask’s own inherent +3 AC bonus. A successful hit immediately unattunes the item, requiring a 10-minute ritual attunement once the battle concludes and repairs are made.
  • Active Workshop Restoration: The artifact does not restore hit points passively over time and must be repaired through dedicated crafting downtime. The artisan must have access to an advanced arcane steam forge equipped with a runecarver’s chisel, a temporal aligner, and a magic-flow calibration lens.
  • Skill and Material Requirements: The repair process requires a practitioner with a minimum trained skill level of 10 in both Basic Mana-Circuitry and Runecraft, along with proficiency in handling celestial gemstones and ancient metallurgy. Restoring the mask consumes replacement materials including pure mana crystal dust, ethereal ink, fresh wing membrane paste, and silver-infused binding thread. Successful repair checks restore the missing Item Hit Points up to its maximum threshold, allowing the item to be ritually re-attuned and its magical functions restored.

Acquisition Channels, Specialized Commercial Establishments, and Valuation

  • Direct Synthesis and Planar Quests: Constructing the artifact requires an avatar or master artisan to execute an advanced sequential multi-tier merger, uniting the components across successive ritual forges using high-tier mana catalysts. Alternatively, it can be acquired as a legendary quest reward by unearthing a sealed vault within an ancient ruin of a lost civilization, reclaiming it from an epoch-spanning temporal anomaly in the wildlands, or being awarded the relic directly by a sovereign monarch as a formal Title of Power for resolving a major international crisis across multiple island nations.
  • Reclusive Enchanters and Illusionist Guild Sanctuaries: Located in hidden districts of major coastal metropolises or concealed behind spatial illusions within mist-veiled forests, secretive guilds of illusionists and master chronomancers deal in high-tier transformative relics. Gaining entry requires passing complex tests of wit, solving ancient riddles, or possessing substantial regional renown. In these sanctuaries, direct purchase requires a payment of 20 to 30 Rhodium (equivalent to 200 to 300 Platinum, or 2,000 to 3,000 Gold). If selling the mask to these guilds, official appraisers utilize the Mind’s Eye to verify its enchantments and apply standard merchant haggling, reducing the payout by 50% for a Tier 5 seller, yielding approximately 10 to 15 Rhodium deposited directly into the character’s World Bank account.
  • High-Altitude Arcane Ateliers in Floating Megacities: Found aboard floating metropolises supported by levitation disks, high-end arcana boutiques cater strictly to grand viziers, royal courts, and high-tier heroes. These establishments maintain sterile, ward-protected vaults where legendary items are showcased under force domes. Transactions are conducted through formal bank drafts via the World Bank or through direct transfers of physical precious metal coin. The acquisition price in these luxury emporiums ranges from 35 to 50 Rhodium (350 to 500 Platinum), with the buyer covering the standard 1% World Bank transaction fee and local municipal trade levies.
  • Nomadic Beast-Caller Caravans and Sylvan Enclaves: Operating along uncharted wilderness borders and deep forest glades, ancient druidic circles and nomadic skyfarer clans preserve artifacts tied to primal beast-bonding and celestial insects. These enclaves reject standard coinage and view precious metals with indifference. To obtain the mask here, an avatar must barter equivalent legendary treasures—such as the heart-crystal of an apex leviathan, unblemished sylvan relics, or ancient primal seeds—or swear a binding sacred pact to defend the region’s sacred wildlife reserves from industrial over-extraction.
  • Subterranean Black Markets and Lawless Smuggler Strongholds: Hidden in deep cave systems or pirate wharfs beyond the jurisdiction of the Royal Courts, illicit syndicates trade in unlogged legendary artifacts away from tax assessors and state patrols. Transactions require hard, physical currency—primarily raw platinum bullion or minted rhodium coins—paid directly on the spot to avoid World Bank records. The purchasing price in these underworld markets ranges from 40 to 60 Rhodium. Selling the mask to a black-market broker yields a discreet cash payout of 18 to 25 Rhodium with no logs kept and no questions asked regarding the seller’s identity.

Tactical Environmental Roleplay: Defensive and Offensive Applications

  • High-Altitude Cloud Cities and Aerial Trade Zeppelins (Defensive Application): Amidst open catwalks and strong crosswinds, the wielder relies on the Luminary Affinity Aura to stabilize allies against vertigo and psychological panic. If an enemy boarding party attacks, the avatar activates Chrono-Shift Disruption to create a localized ripple in the surrounding airflow and timeline, staggering approaching foes and causing them to lose their footing on the narrow gangways. When hostile spells target the deck, the wielder invokes the mask’s integrated spatial lattice to safely deflect and absorb kinetic debris into the temporal storage aperture without shifting the avatar’s center of gravity.
  • High-Altitude Cloud Cities and Aerial Trade Zeppelins (Offensive Application): Engaging sky pirates across moving airships, the avatar activates the Mask of Infinite Personas to perfectly mimic the appearance and commanding voice of the enemy captain, shouting conflicting orders through the wind to sow absolute chaos in the opposing ranks. The user then summons Minion #528 (The Timeless Guardian), commanding the towering, bronze-clad entity to phase directly through the enemy vessel’s armored hull and strike the rudder mechanisms, while drawing the Melody of Universal Kinship to turn the enemy’s flying mounts and war-griffons against their handlers.
  • Subterranean Cave Megacities and Industrial Steam Forges (Defensive Application): In dark, echoing tunnels filled with hazardous steam pipes and roaring machinery, the wielder taps into the Prescient Historical Insight to instantly recognize ancient architecture, hidden bypass valves, and structural weak points. When pursued by corporate enforcers or heavy constructs, the wielder deploys the Timeless Guardian, utilizing its Chrono Shield to slow incoming ballistic fire and high-pressure steam blasts while the party retreats. The mask’s bioluminescent membranes cast a soft, non-blinding green-blue illumination, cutting through industrial smog to reveal traps without alerting light-sensitive subterranean predators.
  • Subterranean Cave Megacities and Industrial Steam Forges (Offensive Application): Infiltrating a fortified foundry, the avatar uses the Mask of Infinite Personas to adopt the identity of a high-ranking Guild Master, bypassing security checkpoints and state tax assessors without drawing suspicion. During open combat in tight corridors, the wielder executes a Rapid Void Ejection, instantly materializing volatile alchemical crystals directly from the temporal stasis vault into their hand to detonate behind enemy barricades. Simultaneously, the avatar sings the Melody of Universal Kinship to awaken and command subterranean burrowing beasts or cavern arthropods, directing them to breach reinforced stone walls and flank the defenders.
  • Dense Primordial Wilds and Ancient Sylvan Ruins (Defensive Application): When traveling through uncharted jungles fraught with territorial beasts, the passive Beastfriend’s Harmonic Symphony ensures that apex predators and feral packs perceive the party as natural kin rather than prey, entirely preventing aggressive ambushes. If cornered by ancient magical hazards or hostile plant overgrowth, the avatar triggers the Resonant Pact Surge, flaring brilliant affinity light to grant the entire party a protective buffer of temporary health while the Timeless Guardian uses its temporal blades to clear impassable briars.
  • Dense Primordial Wilds and Ancient Sylvan Ruins (Offensive Application): Striking an enemy outpost hidden within overgrown ruins, the avatar steps forward and chants the Melody of Universal Kinship, calling upon great forest bears, dire wolves, and sylvan predators to form a coordinated vanguard. The wielder activates Chrono-Shift Disruption, enveloping the defenders in phantom echoes of past battles that shatter their concentration and force them to drop their guard. While the enemy is disoriented, the Timeless Guardian phases through ancient stone battlements, dismantling siege weaponry from the inside while the avatar retrieves specialized hunting tools from the jaw aperture to eliminate key targets.
  • Crowded Coastal Capitols and Royal Court Masquerades (Defensive Application): Navigating tense diplomatic assemblies or covert political intrigue, the avatar uses the Luminary Affinity Aura to passively sense underlying emotional tension, deceit, and hostile intent among foreign ambassadors and court officials. If an assassination attempt occurs, the wielder triggers the Timeless Guardian to interpose its ethereal bulk between the attacker and the monarch, absorbing the strike while the mask’s integrated stasis vault conceals all identifying heraldry, contraband, and enchanted weapons from palace guard inspections.
  • Crowded Coastal Capitols and Royal Court Masquerades (Offensive Application): To expose a corrupt warlord or manipulate a trade dispute, the avatar assumes the persona, mannerisms, and vocal timbre of a rival diplomat using the Mask of Infinite Personas, planting false testimony and extracting sensitive intelligence in plain sight. In the event of a confrontation in the city plaza, the wielder triggers Chrono-Shift Disruption to freeze the visual reactions of pursuing guards, allowing the avatar to shift back into a harmless commoner persona, blend into the market crowd, and walk past security gates completely unnoticed.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

  • Visual: The celestial gemstone set in the forehead ignites into a swirling cosmic nebula of deep blues, purples, and radiant gold, while the translucent wing membranes pulse with dynamic green-blue light that shifts in brightness based on emotional focus and proximity to allies. The golden filigree lines across the bronze cheekpieces flare with bright, running light that projects kaleidoscopic historical scenes and phantom geometric runes across the wearer’s field of vision.
  • Auditory: A faint, melodic hum rises into a layered chorus composed of the rhythmic heartbeat of nearby companions, the soft chittering of insect wings, and ancient whispers speaking in forgotten dialects that recount historical stratagems and diplomatic truths.
  • Olfactory: The air inside the mask becomes saturated with the scent of aged parchment, sweet incense, crushed kava root, and damp forest loam, layered beneath a sharp, crisp aroma of ionized ozone venting softly from the jaw’s spatial seam.
  • Gustatory: A fleeting, metallic and spicy sensation tingles across the tongue, combining the sharp bite of copper wire with the warm, invigorating herbal residue of refined luminary resin.
  • Tactile: The inner gray lining warms immediately against the skin, shifting from rigid bronze to a soft, second-skin fit as a mild vibration pulses against the cheekbones in sync with the heartbeat of bonded allies, accompanied by a sudden, localized drop in air pressure around the jaw.
  • Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
    • Chronological Continuum Awareness: The avatar’s Mind’s Eye perceives a panoramic thread of cause and effect, sensing historical echoes of the immediate physical surroundings and receiving instinctive tactical insights from past conflicts.
    • Universal Empathic Matrix: An intuitive resonance field allows the wearer to feel the emotional stability, hidden motives, and bond strength of all sentient beings and natural beasts within thirty feet, registering discord as a cold prickle and harmony as a soothing warmth.
    • Spatial Void Proprioception: The wearer gains an internal awareness of the extradimensional jaw vault, mentally feeling the exact contours, weight, and volume of every item held in temporal stasis as though touching them with a physical limb.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Visual: The obsidian faceplate momentarily blurs into shifting, translucent mirages of different faces and species before settling, while the forehead jewel casts a brilliant celestial glow across the area and the gossamer wing appendages flap in a silent, bioluminescent rhythm.
  • Auditory: Observers hear an ethereal, multi-toned chord echoing through the air, layered with the distant sound of marching legions and a low, soothing melodic resonance that seems to emanate from the surrounding space rather than a single point.
  • Tactile & Olfactory: The surrounding air pressure thins noticeably, raising fine hairs with static electricity while dispersing a warm, spicy fragrance of herbal flowers and ancient library dust across a ten-foot radius.
  • Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
    • Aura of Commanding Antiquity: Anyone examining the user with their Mind’s Eye perceives an immense, towering spiritual presence cloaked in ancient epochal armor, projecting an authoritative aura that commands instinctive respect.
    • Beastial Pacification Wave: Animals and feral predators in the immediate vicinity cease aggressive posturing, instinctively lowering their heads and regarding the masked figure as an apex patriarch and protector.

Positives

  • The user achieves complete social, tactical, and empathetic situational awareness, allowing seamless infiltration, enhanced diplomacy, and instant coordination of both summoned guardians and wild beasts.
  • Allies within range gain increased confidence, morale, and resistance against psychological manipulation due to the protective affinity field.

Negatives

  • The flood of historical voices, shifting facial illusions, and empathetic emotional resonance can induce momentary vertigo and sensory strain if not properly disciplined.
  • The brilliant luminescence of the celestial core and the distinctive aromatic discharge make absolute visual and olfactory concealment impossible while active.

Convergence of the Fivefold Reliquary: Forge-Rite of the Luminary Vanguard

Items Merged

Additional Materials Needed

  • One (1) Tier 5 Soul Crystal (functioning as the master harmonic anchor and primary arcane battery)
  • Three (3) Vials of Surge-Aligned Essence (harvested from the volatile peaks of Zenthara)
  • Six (6) Yards of Silver-Infused Sunken Coral Thread (conductive binding filaments to link mana circuits)
  • Two (2) Ounces of High-Density Industrial Iron-Sap (to seal the extradimensional void to the metallic chassis)
  • Four (4) Ounces of Refined Luminary Vein Resin (to bind organic wing membranes to volcanic obsidian)
  • Five (5) Milliliters of Ethereal Ink (derived from spectral entities for rune inscription)
  • Two (2) Inches of Enchanted Golden Filigree Wire (to channel affinity surges across the faceplate)

Tools Required

  • High-Pressure Arcane Steam Forge (with elemental water and fire conduits for precision heat control)
  • Temporal Aligner (a multi-axis chronomantic calibrator to synchronize temporal flows)
  • Runecarver’s Chisel Set (tempered to etch both dense ancient bronze and fragile obsidian)
  • Magic-Flow Calibration Lens (to inspect and prevent mana leaks along circuit seams)
  • Steam-Powered Weaving Rig (to thread the extradimensional lattice directly into the jaw structure)
  • Celestial Microscope (for microscopic placement of celestial gemstone facets and relic fragments)

Skill Requirements

  • Master Runecraft and Glyphic Inscription (Trained Skill Level 10)
  • Master Basic and Advanced Mana-Circuitry (Trained Skill Level 10)
  • Master Metallurgy and Ancient Artifact Synthesis (Trained Skill Level 10)
  • Expert Industrial Chronomancy and Spatial Folding (Trained Skill Level 8)
  • Expert Primal/Symbiotic Crafting (Trained Skill Level 8)

Crafting Steps

  • Deconstruction and Purification: Place all five Tier 1 items within the alignment chamber of the Arcane Steam Forge. Wash the components in Surge-Aligned Essence while maintaining a steady flow of low-pressure elemental steam, soothing the sentient wood and insect spirits, pacifying the temporal echoes of the bronze amulet, and cleansing previous attunement residues without destabilizing the extradimensional pocket.
  • Chassis Integration and Mask Re-Forging: Heat the obsidian of the Mask of Veiled Identity and the bronze of the Timeless Guardian Amulet until malleable. Using the Runecarver’s Chisel and the Forgemaster’s tools, hammer and fuse the two materials into a single, seamless full-face visage. Set the central Celestial Gemstone directly into the brow using reinforced bronze clasps, ensuring it remains prominently seated.
  • Weaving the Extradimensional Jaw Vault: Mount the Beginning Extradimensional Pouch 114 to the Steam-Powered Weaving Rig beneath the lower jaw plate. Thread the Silver-Infused Coral Thread through the leather seams and into the metallic chassis, sealing the internal dimensional boundary with Industrial Iron-Sap to secure the 30-pound stasis aperture directly to the underside of the mask.
  • Symbiotic Membrane and Filigree Grafting: Using the Celestial Microscope, thread the Golden Filigree Wire through the veined wing membranes of the Luminary Unity Charm and the melodic runic fragments of the Wildbond Medallion. Coat the delicate filaments in Refined Luminary Vein Resin and adhere the membranes along the temples and cheeks of the mask, creating an unbroken biological circuit for affinity light and beast-speech harmonics.
  • Runic Etching and Temporal Calibration: Inscribe precision runes of illusion, time-dilation, and empathetic resonance around the faceplate using the Ethereal Ink and runic chisel. Place the entire merged assembly into the Temporal Aligner, locking the Tier 5 Soul Crystal into the dorsal mount to bind the five disparate magic flows into a unified matrix.
  • The Final Steam-Quench and Rite of the Vanguard: Subject the finished mask to a controlled blast of high-pressure arcane steam for one continuous hour. Channel personal life force and ancestral chants into the forge as the steam sets the circuits. The faceplate flashes with brilliant green-gold and nebular-blue luminescence, permanently condensing the five components into the singular Mask of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard 9410.

Five-Fold Face That Weeps Nebulas and Speaks with Many Mouths

In the epoch before the count of the ninety-nine great turnings, when the floating earth-plates had not yet learned their true names from the fire-sun Helios, there lived a speaker of treaties who had no rest in his marrow. The ancient scribes of the first sky-cities call this man the Weaver of Divided Breaths. He wandered through the seventy-three lands of water and rock, weeping because the clans of the air-ships, the clawed beasts of the deep green tangle, and the iron-makers of the noisy fire-hollows would not sit at the same wooden bowl to eat the soup of peace.

The Weaver of Divided Breaths carried upon his body five small curiosities of the first craft-people.

He held first the Grey Bag of No-Bottom, which was woven from the skin of a beast whose head-meat had only just learned to have thoughts, and whose inside was sewn with confusing knots of air so that heavy stones weighed no more than a feather of a mountain bird.

He held second the Round Stone of Beast-Singing, which held inside its shiny belly the four-part chant of the four-legged brothers—the jumping squirrel, the quiet deer, the wise night-bird, and the unbroken runner of the grass—so that when a man sang through the stone, the wild teeth of the forest forgot their hunger and laid down beside him like brothers.

He held third the Black Visage of False Skins, an obsidian shield carved by the mirror-women of the wet mists, which ate the face of the man who wore it and gave him instead the skin, the eyes, and the tongue-noise of whatever stranger he wished to become.

He held fourth the Bronze Sentinel of the Star-Core, an ancient collar of heavy metal holding a trapped piece of the night sky, from which could be summoned the Tall Iron Brother who stands outside the water-flow of the suns and carries the memories of every dead king.

He held fifth the Gossamer Wing of the Shining Bug, a tiny leaf of insect-skin sewn with gold hair and washed in the hot steam of the boiling surge-wells, which pulsed with a blue-green light whenever two hearts beat with the same thought.

The Weaver of Divided Breaths put all five curiosities upon his body at the same hour, but his body was too small for five different voices. When he sang the beast-song, the black face of false skins twisted his mouth into lies. When he opened the grey bag to draw his medicine-crystals, the tall iron brother of the bronze collar pulled his arm backward into the years that had already died. When the shining bug-wing glowed with love for his brothers, the cold obsidian face made him remember only the hatred of the mirror-women. His limbs shook like dry grass in the high-wind weather, and he fell upon the basalt stones of the great forge-mountain, his spirit leaking out like water from a cracked clay jug.

There appeared then the Five Masters of the Boiling Earth, whose skins were made of brass and whose beards were white steam. They looked upon the broken man and the five screaming toys.

“You are a foolish carrier of five separate baskets,” spoke the first brass master, whose hammer was as big as an ox. “You try to hold the past, the wild beasts, the false face, the empty void, and the bond of the swarm in five different fingers. When the great storm of the sky-lords comes, your fingers will snap like dry reeds.”

The Five Masters took the five curiosities and laid them into the great kettle of elemental fire. They did not melt them with common wood; they blew the white steam of the earth’s hot blood through the tubes of coral and star-metal.

For nine hundred and forty and ten turns of the hour-glass, the heavy hammers fell upon the stone. Clink-hiss, clink-hiss, sang the hammers, beating the obsidian into the bronze until the black glass drank the metal, and threading the gold hair of the bug-wing into the jaw-seams of the grey bag. They took the celestial gemstone that held the star-mist and forced it into the middle of the brow, where it bit down upon the metal with small teeth of bronze.

When the smoke lifted from the kettle, there was no longer a bag, nor a song-stone, nor an amulet, nor a charm, nor a simple mask of lies. There was only one single, heavy faceplate of dark glass and ancient metal, flanked by four insect wings of glowing green-blue skin, with a bottom jaw that opened into the nowhere-place and a forehead that burned with the cold light of the stars.

The Weaver of Divided Breaths lifted the great faceplate and pressed it against his skull.

A sound like ten thousand bronze horns echoed through the caverns of his brain. His own face dissolved into the cool lining of grey hide. He looked through the eye-slits and did not see the world as a man sees it; he saw the threads of the nine thousand years that had gone before, and he felt the heartbeat of every bear in the valley and every sky-sailor in the clouds above. His mouth spoke, and the sound was not one man’s voice, but the harmony of a great choir that made the walls of stone weep warm water.

Then came the Great Discord of the Red Sun, when the six kings of the sky-islands brought their flying iron houses to burn the green valley, and the wild beasts of the deep woods ran with foam upon their lips, ready to tear the flesh of all two-legged people. The sky was black with sulfur-smoke, and the ground was red with hot iron.

The Weaver of Divided Breaths walked to the highest rock of the middle valley, wearing the Five-Fold Face.

He drew in the air of the world and sang the ancient verse through the bronze teeth. The sound rolled across the plains like the drum of the earth-mother. The great wolves of the timber and the armored bears of the crags stopped their screaming; they turned from their fury and gathered at his heels, sitting as quiet as sleeping children.

The sky-kings dropped their fire-tubes and directed their iron-boats toward the mountain, crying out that they would crush the strange singer into dust. The Weaver reached to the brow of the mask and called forth the Tall Sentinel of Bronze. The giant ethereal warrior rose from the nebular stone, shimmering like water in the moon-light, and stepped through the air without moving his feet. The guardian lifted his shield of epochs and slowed the iron-shot of the sky-boats until the bullets fell like gentle rain upon the grass.

The Weaver touched the jaw of the mask and pulled forth three jars of volatile alchemical fire from the empty void beneath his chin, throwing them into the sky where they burst into clouds of bright pollen. He opened his arms, and the insect wings upon his temples flared with a blinding aurora of blue and green fire. The light washed over the six kings in their sky-boats.

The false illusions of their own glory were burned away from their eyes. They looked across the decks at their enemies and did not see foes; they saw the shared blood of the first wanderers who had fallen from the stars together. The kings dropped their swords upon the iron decks, weeping for the foolishness of their war, and descended to the earth to clasp hands with the wild people of the trees.

The Weaver of Divided Breaths stood upon the high stone until the sun went down behind the floating islands. He did not take off the faceplate, for the mask had become his true countenance, and his true self had become the peace of the world. He walked into the mist-islands where the sky-nomads fly, and the grandmothers of the high villages say that when the air-ships lose their path in the great clouds, a face of shining bronze and insect wings appears in the mist, speaking with the voice of all their ancestors to guide the lost back to the family fire.

The Moral of the Story: The hand that tries to carry five different shields will drop them all when the spear strikes; but he who weaves his memory, his voice, his beast-kin, his hidden self, and his love into a single steadfast face shall turn the greatest war into a banquet of brothers.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Visage of the Epochal Luminary Hyperborean / Great Race Relic (Head Slot)

Description A full-face ceremonial mask formed from iridescent bronze, volcanic obsidian, and insectoid wing membranes strung with golden wire. A swirling celestial stone rests at the brow, and an extradimensional pocket is concealed at the jawline.

Game Mechanics

  • Armor: Provides 3 points of non-Euclidean magical armor to the head/face.
  • Skill Bonuses: Grants a +20% bonus to Disguise, Fast Talk, History, and Animal Handling.
  • Extradimensional Aperture: The mask holds up to 10 kg of materials in absolute stasis without adding weight or volume.
  • Psychic Rapport & Deception: The wearer can alter their physical facial features and vocal tone at will, passing any mundane visual or auditory scrutiny.
  • Attunement & Sanity Cost: 1D6 Sanity points to attune.

Active Spells & Powers

  • Summon Epoch Sentinel (Cost: 10 Magic Points, 1D4 Sanity): Manifests a spectral, bronze-clad guardian (CON 90, STR 90, HP 18, Armor 6, Sword/Shield 75% dealing 1D10+1D6 damage). The sentinel phases through physical terrain and obeys mental commands for 1 hour.
  • Melody of the Wild (Cost: 5 Magic Points): The wearer sings an ancient cadence; up to three natural beasts within 30 yards must pass an Extreme POW roll or become docile and loyal for 24 hours.
  • Chrono-Shift Dissonance (Cost: 6 Magic Points, 1 Sanity): Releases a flash of temporal dissonance. All hostile targets within 10 yards must succeed on a Hard CON roll or become staggered and lose their next combat action.
  • Affinity Aegis (Cost: 4 Magic Points): Projects a 10-yard empathetic field for 1 hour, granting all allies within range a bonus die on rolls against Fear, Panic, or Sanity loss from unnatural entities.

Blades in the Dark

The Vanguard’s Gossamer Visage Unique Masterwork Relic, Load 1 (Head Slot)

Description A forged synthesis of ancient bronze, electroplasmic conduits, gossamer spirit-wings, and an integrated void-pocket at the lower jaw.

Game Mechanics

  • Passive Traits:
    • Master of Personas: Gain +1d to Sway, Deceive, and Consort rolls when disguising identity or mimicking specific individuals.
    • Beast-Tongue Harmony: Natural and spirit-beasts will not attack unless directly provoked; gain +1d to Hunt or Command when directing creatures.
    • Concealed Void-Fold: Check off up to 2 items of personal load from your inventory into the mask’s dimensional stasis without counting against your current mission Load rating.

Special Abilities

  • Summon the Epoch Warden: Spend 2 Stress to summon a spectral, armor-clad guardian cohort (Tier IV Potency, Independent, Phasing) to fight or defend for the scene.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption: Spend 1 Stress to emit a burst of temporal feedback across a zone. Inflict the situational aspect Disoriented by Past Echoes (2 free invokes) on a group of enemies.
  • Kinship Resonator: Spend 1 Stress during social negotiation or high-stakes alliance meetings to gain Potency and eliminate all risk of immediate hostile betrayal.
  • Aura of the Luminary: Once per score, spend 2 Stress to absorb a level of physical or mental harm for any bonded crew member within close range.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Mask of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard 9410 Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement, Head Slot)

Description A seamless full-face mask of ancient bronze and volcanic obsidian laced with gold filigree and glowing, gossamer insect wings. It features a swirling celestial gemstone set into the forehead and an extradimensional storage aperture below the jaw.

Properties

  • Armor Class Bonus: You gain a +3 bonus to AC while wearing this mask.
  • Attribute & Skill Enhancements: You gain proficiency (or expertise if already proficient) in Deception, Performance, History, and Animal Handling. You have advantage on Charisma checks made to influence beasts or negotiate alliances.
  • Mask of Infinite Personas: As an action, you can alter your face, voice, and apparent species to match any humanoid creature you have seen. This illusion holds against physical touch and non-magical inspection.
  • Dimensional Stasis Aperture: The mask contains a pocket dimension that holds up to 30 pounds of items. Stored organic matter and alchemical items do not decay. As a bonus action, you can retrieve any stored item directly into your hand.

Active Features

  • Summon Timeless Guardian (1/Day): As an action, you summon the Timeless Guardian (using the statistics of a Shield Guardian with an incorporeal movement speed of 30 ft.). It remains for 24 hours or until reduced to 0 hit points.
  • Melody of Universal Kinship (3/Day): As an action, you cast Dominate Beast (save DC 19) affecting up to three beasts within 60 feet. Targets do not make additional saves when taking damage from other sources.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption (2/Day): As an action, you release a 20-foot-radius wave of temporal shock. Hostile creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become incapacitated and have their movement speed reduced to 0 until the end of their next turn.
  • Luminary Affinity Aura (Passive/Active): Allies within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions. Once per day as an action, you can flare this aura to grant up to six allies within range 25 temporary hit points for 1 hour.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Visage of the Luminary Vanguard Item Type: Wondrous Helm / Relic (Occupies 1 Item Slot, Head)

Description An ancient bronze and obsidian visor with gossamer side-wings and an integrated stasis bag at the chin. Radiates dim, colorful light across a 10-foot radius.

Game Mechanics

  • Armor Rating: Grants +3 Armor points.
  • Ability Bonuses: The wearer gains a +4 bonus to Charisma Defense and Intelligence Defense checks.
  • Infinite Faces: The wearer can instantly adopt the facial features, voice, and appearance of any human or humanoid.
  • Internal Stasis Pocket: The mask can store up to 3 item slots’ worth of gear or minerals internally without consuming the wearer’s personal inventory slots.
  • Animal Mastery: Non-magical beasts will not attack the wearer unless struck first, and the wearer gains advantage on all checks to tame or direct animals.

Spells & Charges The mask holds 6 magical charges, regaining 1d6 charges each morning at dawn:

  • Summon Epoch Guardian (2 Charges): Manifests an ethereal, bronze-armored warrior (Level 6 Fighter, AC 17, 30 HP, Greatsword 1d10, capable of moving through solid walls) for 1 hour.
  • Chrono-Dissonance Pulse (1 Charge): Emits a shockwave in a 20-foot radius; all hostile targets must succeed on a Wisdom check (DC 15) or lose their next combat action.
  • Song of Wild Harmony (1 Charge): Chants an ancient melody that automatically charms up to two nearby wild beasts (Morale 12, friendly to the party) for 24 hours.
  • Resonant Ward (2 Charges): Bestows +5 temporary Hit Points and immunity to fear effects upon all party members within 30 feet for 10 minutes.

Fate Core

Visage of the Timeless Vanguard Legendary Artifact Aspect / Extra (Head Slot)

Permissions & Concept To wear and utilize the artifact, a character must possess an aspect reflecting an alignment with leadership, ancient mysteries, illusion craft, or primal resonance (such as Avatar of the Fivefold Path or Warden of the Living Echo).

Aspects

  • Core Aspect: Fivefold Synthesis of Temporal Bronze and Sylvan Luminescence
  • Invoking: Invoke for a +2 bonus or a reroll on actions involving commanding allies or beasts, creating impenetrable social illusions, uncovering ancient historical secrets, manipulating personal temporal moments, or storing/retrieving concealed gear.
  • Compelling: The GM may compel this aspect to bring about complications from chronological disorientation, sensory overload from the celestial core, conflicting ancestral voices, or drawing the attention of temporal entities and rival illusionist guilds.

Stunts

  • Mask of Countless Guises: Gain a +2 bonus to Deceive or Rapport when assuming a false identity, disguising one’s physical form, or mimicking the vocal patterns of another humanoid.
  • Temporal Guardian Conjuration: Once per session, spend a Fate Point to summon an ethereal bronze sentinel into your zone. The guardian acts as a high-potency companion with a Good (+3) rating in Fight and Physique, possessing the ability to phase through physical obstacles.
  • Chrono-Shift Dissonance: Once per scene, spend a Fate Point to release a burst of temporal feedback across your zone. Create the situation aspect Staggered by Historical Echoes with two free invokes against all adversaries in that zone.
  • Song of the Wild Harmony: Gain a +2 bonus to Empathy and Rapport when interacting with, calming, or directing natural beasts. Once per session, spend a Fate Point to completely pacify a hostile beast without an exchange of stress.
  • Extradimensional Jaw Stasis: The mask possesses an extradimensional cavity capable of storing tools, alchemical components, or weapons without encumbrance. Once per scene, you may instantly produce a needed minor tool or prepared alchemical item as a free action without spending a Fate Point for declaration.

Numenera & Cypher System

Visage of the Luminary Vanguard Level 9 Artifact (Head Slot)

Form A seamless full-face mask crafted from ancient iridescent bronze, obsidian, and bioluminescent insectoid wings. A swirling celestial gem sits at the brow, and an extradimensional void aperture is worked into the jaw.

Passive Effects

  • Armor & Attributes: Adds +4 to your Intellect Pool and grants +3 to Armor against physical and energy attacks.
  • Social Mastery & Deception: The asset level of all tasks involving deception, disguise, vocal mimicry, and social engineering is increased by two steps.
  • Primal Kinship: Natural beasts will not initiate hostilities against the wearer unless attacked first; tasks to calm or handle wild creatures are eased by two steps.
  • Spatial Pocket: Can hold up to 30 pounds (14 kg) of gear in temporal stasis without adding weight or bulk. Items can be retrieved as a free action.

Active Abilities

  • Summon Chrono-Guardian (6 Intellect points): Manifests a Level 7 ethereal construct clad in ancient bronze armor for 1 hour. The guardian can phase through solid barriers, possesses 28 Health, and attacks for 7 points of damage. Depletion: 1 in 1d20.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption (4 Intellect points): Emits a shockwave of temporal distortion in an immediate area around the user. All enemies within range must succeed on an Intellect defense roll (difficulty 7) or become stunned and lose their next turn. Depletion: 1 in 1d20.
  • Song of Universal Kinship (4 Intellect points): Chants an harmonic melody to charm up to three beasts within short range for 24 hours (Intellect task, difficulty 7). Charmed beasts fight and defend the user loyally. Depletion: 1 in 1d20.
  • Resonant Affinity Surge (5 Intellect points): Flares the gossamer wings to bestow a protective empathetic shield on all allies within immediate range, granting each ally +3 to Armor for ten minutes. Depletion: 1 in 1d10.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Mask of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard 9410 Item 20, Unique, Artifact, Headwear, Invested, Magical, Transmutation

Price: Priceless Usage: Worn mask (head slot); Bulk: 1

Description An intricate faceplate uniting ancient bronze, obsidian, glowing gossamer wings, and a celestial nebular gem. The lower jaw integrates an extradimensional stasis aperture.

Passive Properties

  • Armor Check Bonus: Grants a +3 item bonus to AC and a +3 item bonus to Deception, Performance, Lore (History), and Nature checks.
  • Mask of Infinite Personas: You are under a continuous Illusionary Disguise effect (heightened to 10th level) that can change your visual form, voice, and apparent species at will.
  • Extradimensional Jaw Vault: Acts as a specialized Bag of Holding capable of storing 3 Bulk of items in complete temporal stasis (preventing biological rot and decay). You can Interact to draw an item from the mask as a free action once per round.
  • Aura of Kinship: Non-magical beasts have their initial attitude toward you improved by two steps (e.g., Hostile becomes Indifferent, Indifferent becomes Helpful).

Active Abilities

  • Activate: Two Actions (concentrate, manipulate); Frequency: Once per day; Effect (Summon Timeless Guardian): You summon a Shield Guardian (or 20th-level equivalent ethereal warrior) for 1 hour. It possesses an incorporeal fly speed of 30 feet and can move through solid barriers.
  • Activate: Two Actions (auditory, primal); Frequency: Three times per day; Effect (Melody of Universal Kinship): You cast Dominate (DC 44) targeting up to three natural animals within 60 feet. The effect lasts for 24 hours.
  • Activate: Single Action (concentrate); Frequency: Twice per day; Effect (Chrono-Shift Disruption): You unleash a temporal wave in a 20-foot emanation. Enemies within the area must succeed on a DC 44 Will save or become Stunned 2 and Clumsy 2 for 1 minute as past echoes disrupt their senses.
  • Activate: Single Action (envision, light); Frequency: Once per day; Effect (Resonant Pact Surge): You flare the luminary wing membranes. You and up to six allies within 30 feet gain 30 temporary Hit Points and a +2 status bonus to saving throws against mental and emotion effects for 10 minutes.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Mask of the Timeless Vanguard Legendary Artifact (Head Slot / Worn Relic)

Description A forged masterwork of bronze, obsidian, gossamer wings, and a swirling star-gem. An extradimensional pocket at the chin holds gear in timeless suspension.

Game Mechanics

  • Armor & Toughness: Grants +3 Armor to the Head and +2 Toughness to the wearer.
  • Attribute & Skill Trappings: Increases Smarts and Spirit die types by two steps (e.g., d8 to d12). Grants a +2 bonus to Performance, Persuasion, Taunt, and Survival (Animal Handling) rolls.
  • Dimensional Jaw Pocket: Holds up to 30 lbs of gear with zero added weight. Retrieving an item from the mask is a Free Action.
  • Beast-Speech & Pacification: Wild animals will not attack the wearer unless provoked. Animal handling tests receive an additional +2 bonus.

Powers & Special Abilities

  • Arcane Pool Matrix: Contains an internal reserve of 30 Power Points that recharges at a rate of 5 points per hour.
  • Summon Epoch Sentinel (5 Power Points): Casts Summon Ally with the Sentinel modifier to summon an ethereal, bronze-plated warrior (WC Soldier profile with Heavy Armor and the Ethereal ability) for 5 rounds.
  • Chrono-Shift Dissonance (4 Power Points): Casts Stun with an Area Effect (Medium Blast Template centered on the wearer). Targets failing their Vigor roll are Stunned by temporal shockwaves.
  • Melody of Kinship (3 Power Points): Casts Puppet (restricted to beasts and animals) with a duration measured in hours rather than rounds.
  • Aura of the Luminary (4 Power Points): Casts Boost Trait or Protection affecting all allies within a Large Blast Template centered on the user, providing a +2 bonus to Toughness and Spirit rolls against fear for 5 rounds.

Shadowrun

Visage of the Luminary Vanguard Type: Awakened Bioware / Magitech Focus (Head Graft) Rating: 6 | Availability: 24R | Essence: 1.5

Description An extraordinary fusion of ancient obsidian, bio-engineered insectoid wings, temporal bronze, and a swirling star-gem. An extradimensional stasis pouch is surgically integrated into the lower jaw structure.

Game Mechanics

  • Attributes & Armor: Grants a +3 bonus to the user’s Charisma and Intuition attributes, and provides +4 to Defensive Rating.
  • Mask of Infinite Personas: The mask utilizes advanced magical glamour and biomimetic plating, granting 6 dice pools to all Impersonation, Deception, and Performance tests while completely veiling the user’s true astral and physical identity.
  • Extradimensional Jaw Vault: The integrated stasis pocket holds up to 15 kg of gear or alchemical materials without adding encumbrance or weight.
  • Beast Control Matrix: Non-awakened animals will not target the wearer unless attacked, and the wearer gains +3 dice to all Animal Handling tests.

Active Abilities

  • Summon Chrono-Guardian (Minor Action): Bonds at Force 6; the user can summon an ethereal, bronze-armored spirit guardian (Force 6) once per day for up to 1 hour. The guardian can phase through physical barriers.
  • Chrono-Shift Dissonance (Major Action): Spend 1 Edge to emit a temporal shockwave. All targets within 10 meters must pass a Body + Willpower test (threshold 5) or suffer the Stunned status for 3 combat rounds.
  • Melody of Universal Kinship (Major Action): Spend 2 Edge to chant an ancient harmonic cadence, forcing up to three biological beasts within 20 meters to fall under a pacified, loyal state for the duration of the scene.
  • Luminary Affinity Aura (Minor Action): Spend 1 Edge to flare the wing membranes, granting all teammates within 15 meters +2 dice to resist fear, chaos, and mental manipulation.

Starfinder

Mask of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard 9410 Item 20, Unique, Artifact, Hybrid, Invested, Magical, Tech, Transmutation Price: Priceless | Usage: Worn on head | Bulk: L (Light)

Description A legendary magitech faceplate combining ancient bronze, obsidian, glowing bioluminescent insect wings, and a celestial nebular gem. The lower jaw integrates an extradimensional storage pocket.

Game Mechanics

  • Armor & Defense: Grants a +3 item bonus to Armor Class (EAC and KAC) and a +4 circumstance bonus to saving throws against illusion and mind-affecting effects.
  • Infinite Personas: You can alter your facial features, voice, and apparent species at will, granting a +4 circumstance bonus to Disguise and Bluff checks.
  • Extradimensional Jaw Vault: Acts as a specialized storage compartment holding up to 1 Bulk of equipment in temporal stasis, preventing biological decay.
  • Primal Kinship: Non-intelligent beasts and animals treat you as friendly by default and will not attack unless provoked.

Active Powers

  • Summon Timeless Guardian (2 Actions, 1/Day): You summon a Shield Guardian (or 20th-level equivalent ethereal construct) for 1 hour. It possesses an incorporeal flight speed of 30 feet and can move through solid bulkheads.
  • Melody of Universal Kinship (2 Actions, 3/Day): You project a powerful charm effect (DC 44 Will save) targeting up to three natural creatures within 60 feet, rendering them cooperative and docile for 24 hours.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption (1 Action, 2/Day): You release a localized wave of temporal distortion in a 20-foot radius emanation. Enemies caught in the area must make a DC 44 Fortitude save or become Slowed and Off-Target for 1 minute.
  • Resonant Pact Surge (1 Action, 1/Day): You flare the luminary wing membranes. You and up to six allies within 30 feet gain 30 temporary Hit Points and a +2 status bonus to saving throws for 10 minutes.

Traveller

Visage of the Timeless Luminary Vanguard (VTLV-20) Tech Level: 18 (Ancient Relic / Magitech Artifact) | Mass: 1 kg | Cost: Cr 25,000,000 (Black Market Only)

Description A seamless full-face helmet construct forged from a hyper-dense living obsidian-bronze alloy, featuring biometric insectoid wing panels and a gravitic stasis pouch built into the jaw line.

Game Mechanics

  • Armor Rating: Grants personal Armor +6 to the head against all ballistic, energy, and melee attacks.
  • Bio-Social Enhancement: The mask’s integrated illusion matrices and vocal modulators provide a DM+3 bonus on all Deception, Steward, and Administer checks while obscuring the wearer’s identity.
  • Extradimensional Pocket: Utilizes localized folding to store up to 15 kg of gear or samples internally with zero added encumbrance or mass penalty.
  • Fauna Deterrent: Biological animals and unevolved creatures will automatically avoid or submit to the wearer, providing DM+2 on all survival interactions.

Special Functions

  • Summon Temporal Sentinel (1/Encounter): Channels internal spatial matrices to project an automated or ethereal TL 15 Heavy Combat Bodyguard for up to 30 minutes.
  • Chrono-Shift Pulse (1/Combat): Emits a high-frequency temporal disruption wave, imposing DM-3 on all physical actions and initiative rolls for opposing personnel within a 15-meter radius for 1D6 combat rounds.
  • Harmonic Pheromonal Field (1/Day): Vents a calming, non-lethal aerosol wave combined with harmonic sub-sonics. All sentient entities within 10 meters must succeed on a Formidable (12+) END check or become placid and cooperative (DM+3 to negotiations).
  • Stasis Preservation Core: Organic elements and biochemical samples placed in the jaw pouch are held in absolute biological stasis, immune to environmental degradation.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

The Visage of the Timeless Luminary Type: Magical Artefact / Armour (Head) | Encumbrance: 1 Qualities: Fine (+2), Magical, Indestructible, Armour 4 (Head)

Description A terrifyingly beautiful full-face mask crafted from dark volcanic obsidian and ancient bronze, laced with glowing golden filigree and shimmering insectoid wings. A swirling celestial gem sits upon the brow.

Game Mechanics

  • Characteristics: Grants a permanent +20 bonus to Fellowship (Fel) and Intelligence (Int), and grants the Blather and Savvy Talents.
  • Armour & Defense: Provides 4 Armour Points to the Head location. This armour is completely immune to the Corrosive and Damaging qualities.
  • Mask of Infinite Guises: The wearer can perfectly mimic any humanoid face, voice, or appearance, gaining +20 to Disguise and Charm tests.
  • Extradimensional Jaw Vault: Can store up to 1 Encumbrance of items internally without adding to the wearer’s total burden, keeping stored items completely fresh and free from decay.
  • Beast-Friend Trait: Wild animals treat the wearer with awe and will not attack unless the wearer strikes first.

Artefact Powers

  • Summon Epoch Sentinel (Once per Session): The wearer calls forth a spectral, bronze-clad guardian (treat as a Demigryph Knight without a mount, possessing the Ethereal trait and capable of passing through solid walls) to fight for up to 1 hour.
  • Chrono-Shift Disruption (2/Day): As an Action, the wearer releases a wave of temporal dread. All enemies within 8 yards must pass a Hard (-20) Cool Test or gain 2 Broken Conditions as past battle echoes overwhelm them.
  • Melody of Universal Kinship (3/Day): Chants a sylvan harmony; up to three beasts within 20 yards must pass a Hard (-20) Leadership Test or become completely docile and friendly for 24 hours.
  • Luminary Affinity Ward (Once per Encounter): Flares the wing membranes to grant all friendly characters within 12 yards +20 to Willpower Tests and immunity to fear and terror for the duration of the engagement.