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Item 712B of Adventurous Wanderlust

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by

Dale
in

Lore: In the early years of the Industrial Age, a group of Halflings from the island country of Lathandus sought to capture the “itch” of a new journey. They realized that while steam-powered airships were efficient, they lacked the raw connection to the soil and wind. Forged from the brass off-cuts of a decommissioned Zeppelin and infused with the spirit of a migratory songbird’s Tier 1 crystal, this compass-like medallion was created to hum whenever a path leads toward the unknown. It is the quintessential gift for a “Multi-Timer” soul newly arrived and looking to see what the 73 countries have to offer.

Description: A weathered brass disc that hangs from a sturdy leather cord. Instead of a standard magnetic needle, the center contains a floating, translucent purple crystal shard that spins lazily in a pool of viscous elemental water. The exterior is etched with icons of a griffon, an airship, a sailing vessel, and a pair of walking boots. It feels surprisingly light and has a tendency to vibrate softly when the avatar stands at a crossroads.

Stats

  • Tier: 1
  • Rarity: Common
  • AC: 0
  • Resilience: 10
  • Item HP: 10 + (Avatar’s Max HP)
  • Slot: Neck (or can be looped through a Sash Item slot)

Skills Gained (While Openly Worn)

  • Temporary Skill Point: +1 to Land Navigation (or equivalent survival/wayfinding skill).

Passive Magic

  • The Traveler’s Itch: The avatar gains a 5-foot bonus to their maximum movement speed when traveling toward a location they have never visited before.
  • Unerring Momentum: The item provides a minor stabilization of the avatar’s inner ear, granting advantage on saving throws against motion sickness while on ships, airships, or high-speed racing griffons.
  • Mind’s Eye Horizon: When looking at a map or a distant landmark, the Mind’s Eye highlights “Points of Interest” with a faint purple shimmer, signaling areas where old ruins or uncollected magic crystals might be located.

Active Magic

  • Guiding Pulse (Silent): As an action, the wearer can tap the crystal. The shard glows bright violet and points toward the nearest source of fresh water or a safe “Designated Safe Area” within one mile. (Cooldown: 1 hour).
  • Venturous Flare (Normal): The wearer chants a quick traveler’s rhyme, causing the medallion to release a sudden puff of pressurized steam. This creates a localized “obscuring mist” in a 5-foot radius for one turn, allowing the avatar to break line-of-sight and begin an adventurous escape. (2 charges, replenishes after a Long Rest).

Tags: Neck, Common, Tier 1, Exploration, Navigation, Brass, Traveler, Steam-utility, Movement, Compass, Wayfarer, Vagabond, Cartography, Wind-swept, Pathfinding, Expedition, Durable, Curiosity, Non-magnetic, Steampunk, Frontier, Relic

Acquisition and Trade of the Wanderlust Medallion

The Item 712-B of Adventurous Wanderlust is a staple for those who have recently undergone the possession process or for local inhabitants seeking to leave their home island for the first time. It is widely circulated among the 73 countries due to its practical utility for the “Current Age of Heroes.”

Methods of Acquisition

  • Possession Kit Surplus: Because this item is considered essential for the navigation of uncharted smaller islands, many Guide Managers or local governments include it in the “Starting Avatar Kit” for souls that manifest in rural or wilderness areas.
  • Salvage from Wreckage: Due to its association with travel, these medallions are frequently found in the debris of crashed Hot Air Balloons or derelict sailing vessels. The brass construction and elemental water housing allow it to survive submerged or exposed to the elements better than most tier 1 gear.
  • Guild Graduation: Many sub-guilds dedicated to cartography or scouting give these medallions to apprentices who have successfully mapped their first 100 acres of “Normal Area” territory.
  • Monarchy Land Grants: When a Monarchy encourages the settling of new islands, they often distribute these to pioneers to ensure they can find “Designated Safe Areas” and fresh water, thereby protecting the government’s investment in the new land.

Market Dynamics and Retail Locations

The trade of the Wanderlust Medallion is brisk, as many adventurers “tier up” and trade them in for complex navigation tools, while new travelers constantly seek them out.

  • Wayfarer Supply Depots:
    • These shops are typically located near Zeppelin docks or major seaports. They smell of oiled leather, canvas, and coal smoke.
    • The inventory is focused on durability and utility rather than aesthetics.
    • Purchase Cost: 15 Gold. The price includes a basic leather cord and a wax-sealed map of the local island.
    • Sale Value: 7 Gold. Depots buy these back readily as there is always a line of new travelers waiting for a reliable compass.
  • Pawn Shops and “Buyer Beware” Stalls:
    • Often located in the shadow of city gates or near rural crossroads, these vendors deal in used and “second-hand” memories.
    • Items here might be dented or have a slightly cloudy crystal shard, affecting the “Mind’s Eye Horizon” clarity.
    • Purchase Cost: 8 to 11 Gold. A savvy traveler can find a functional medallion here for a discount, provided they check the magic circuits for corrosion.
    • Sale Value: 4 Gold. These vendors rarely pay more than the weight of the brass unless the crystal is of exceptional clarity.
  • World Bank “New Account” Exchanges:
    • While the World Bank usually offers specific household items like Toasters or Clocks, some branches in high-traffic port cities substitute these for Wanderlust Medallions to encourage trade and movement (which increases their 1% transaction fees).
    • Purchase Cost: 12 Gold. This is considered the “Standard Value” across most island nations.
    • Sale Value: The World Bank does not typically buy back gear, but they will facilitate an exchange for 1% of the item’s determined value in silver.
  • Military and Scout Quartermasters:
    • These locations are “Safe Areas” within island capitals. They only deal with those who have the proper credentials or faction membership.
    • Purchase Cost: 10 Gold. This is the subsidized “base cost” for those serving the Monarchy.
    • Sale Value: 5 Gold. They will only accept items that are in perfect repair, often for use in training new recruits.

Roleplay Applications of Adventurous Wanderlust in Conflict

The Item 712-B of Adventurous Wanderlust is a tool of momentum and navigation, utilized by tier 1 avatars to turn the environment of Saṃsāra into a tactical advantage. In this high-magic steampunk world, “Adventurous” is not just a trait—it is a method of surviving the unknown.

Defensive Roleplay and Environmental Interaction

  • Evading Pursuit in Uncharted Jungles: In “Unsafe Areas” like the deep jungles of the 73 islands, the Traveler’s Itch is roleplayed as an instinctual surge of adrenaline. As the avatar moves toward a previously unvisited clearing or ruin, they feel a literal tug on the leather cord of the medallion, granting them the 5-foot speed burst needed to outrun a feral beast. The character might describe the feeling as the world “opening up” to facilitate their escape.
  • Stabilization in Naval Skirmishes: During a storm in the week of Darkness, or while engaged in ship-to-ship combat, the Unerring Momentum provides a critical defensive anchor. While others are nauseated or losing their balance on the shifting decks of a sailing vessel or airship, the avatar roleplays a “sea-legged” stability. They remain upright and focused, allowing them to take actions like preparing a reaction or reloading ammunition while their foes suffer from the disorientation of motion.
  • The Guiding Pulse as an Early Warning: When camping in “Normal Areas,” the avatar can roleplay a ritualistic tapping of the medallion’s crystal. By using the Guiding Pulse, they aren’t just looking for water; they are seeking the path of least resistance. Identifying a “Designated Safe Area” within a mile allows the party to roleplay a tactical withdrawal into a guarded inn or walled town where their AC is doubled or tripled before an ambush can occur.

Offensive Roleplay and Strategic Sabotage

  • Venturous Flare (The Steam Screen): In a combat turn, the avatar can roleplay a quick traveler’s rhyme to trigger the Venturous Flare. This isn’t a direct attack, but an offensive maneuver to facilitate a “backstab” or a repositioning. The avatar roleplays slamming their hand against the brass disc, releasing a hiss of magic-infused steam. This obscures the line-of-sight for the enemy, allowing the avatar to use their movement to reach the enemy’s flank or prepare a “Ready” action without the foe knowing their exact location.
  • Mind’s Eye Sabotage (Structural Weaknesses): While the Mind’s Eye Horizon is primarily for finding ruins, in an offensive roleplay scenario, it can be used to identify structural points of interest in a foe’s fortification. The avatar might roleplay staring at a bridge or a steam-powered gate, using the purple shimmer to identify where the “magic circuits” or physical pulleys are most stressed. This allows the party to focus their attacks on the item HP of the gate rather than the guards.
  • Aggressive Wayfinding in Labyrinths: In the “Racing Events” through labyrinths or ancient ruins, the medallion is used offensively to “cut the line.” The avatar roleplays a reckless trust in the spinning crystal shard. Instead of following the established path, they move aggressively toward the “Point of Interest” shimmer, even if it means climbing a fence or hacking through overgrowth. This uses the avatar’s movement and actions to outpace and outmaneuver rivals, effectively “attacking” their lead in the race.

Perception of Activation:

  • User’s Perspective
    • Upon triggering the medallion, the avatar feels a sharp, invigorating chill at the base of their neck, as if a droplet of mountain snow has touched their skin.
    • A low-frequency vibration, resembling the purr of a distant steam engine, begins to resonate within the avatar’s inner ear, centering their balance instantly.
    • Through the Mind’s Eye, the horizon line begins to glow with a faint, pulsing violet luminescence; distant landmarks of interest appear as vertical pillars of ultraviolet light that pierce the clouds.
    • The air in the avatar’s immediate vicinity suddenly tastes “thin” and “crisp,” smelling of ozone and high-altitude winds, regardless of their actual elevation or location.
  • Observer’s Perspective
    • Observers notice the translucent fluid within the brass disc begin to swirl violently, forming a miniature vortex around the crystal shard.
    • The crystal shard ignites with a flickering, bioluminescent purple light that casts long, rhythmic shadows on the ground beneath the wearer.
    • A sudden, audible hiss of escaping steam accompanies the activation, followed by a faint, whistling sound similar to a songbird’s call.
    • The avatar’s eyes may appear to reflect a violet hue, and their posture becomes noticeably more alert, leaning slightly toward the direction the crystal points.
  • Positives
    • The “Pathfinder’s Clarity” provides a psychological boost, removing the “Disorientation” debuff often caused by the Transient Global Amnesia of first possession.
    • The stabilization of the inner ear creates a “Kinetic Anchor,” allowing the avatar to move across shifting or unstable terrain (like a rocking ship deck) as if it were solid ground.
    • The ultraviolet pillars visible in the Mind’s Eye act as a “Fog of War” breaker, revealing the location of fresh water and safe zones even in heavy rain or magic storms.
    • The pressurized steam discharge can be used as a “Mechanical Feint” to momentarily confuse the tracking senses of feral beasts.
  • Negatives
    • The high-pitched whistling sound is a “Sensory Beacon,” making it impossible for the avatar to remain quiet or perform stealth actions while the medallion is active.
    • The localized ozone smell is highly irritating to creatures with “Natural Senses” like fangs or proboscises, potentially provoking a hostile reaction from nearby beasts.
    • Prolonged use of the “Mind’s Eye Horizon” can lead to “Hyper-focus” fatigue, leaving the avatar with a dull headache for one minute after the activation ends.
    • In “Deathly Areas,” the compass fluid may boil or freeze instantly due to the lack of protective AC, rendering the item “Broken” until it can be repaired at a Wayfarer Supply Depot.

Schematic 712-B: Forging the Wanderer’s Compass

  • Materials Needed
    • 1 Tier 1 Magic Crystal Shard: Extracted from the remains of a migratory creature or found in a high-wind ley line. Must be naturally translucent and coin-sized.
    • 4 Ounces of Recycled Zeppelin Brass: Salvaged from decommissioned airship hulls to ensure the metal has “memory” of flight and high altitudes.
    • 1 Vial of Heavy Elemental Water: A viscous, magically-treated fluid that allows the crystal to float without friction.
    • 2 Strips of Tanned Gryphon-Hide: For the sturdy cord and internal gaskets to prevent steam leakage.
    • Small Measure of Alchemical Silver: Used to plate the internal basin, reflecting the Mind’s Eye data into the fluid.
  • Tools Required
    • Steam-Press and Die Set: To stamp the iconic symbols (boots, ship, griffon) into the brass casing.
    • Fine Caliper and Micrometer: To ensure the crystal housing is perfectly balanced; even a millimeter of offset will ruin the navigation bonus.
    • Glass-Blowing Torch: To seal the heavy elemental water inside the central translucent viewing pane.
    • Clockwork Soldering Iron: For connecting the silver plating to the brass “magic circuits” that draw power from the wearer.
  • Skill Requirements
    • Trained Skill: Fine Metalworking (Level 2): Necessary to shape the recycled brass without introducing cracks that would cause item HP loss.
    • Trained Skill: Alchemical Crafting (Level 1): Required to stabilize the heavy elemental water so it does not evaporate during the Venturous Flare.
    • Trained Skill: Magical Crafting (Level 2): Needed to bind the “migratory” property of the crystal to the avatar’s Mind’s Eye interface.
  • Crafting Steps
    • Phase 1: Stamping the Shell: Heat the recycled brass and use the steam-press to form the top and bottom plates. Deeply engrave the four icons of travel on the outer rim.
    • Phase 2: Preparing the Basin: Plate the interior of the bottom shell with alchemical silver. This serves as the mirror for the Mind’s Eye Horizon passive magic.
    • Phase 3: The Aqueous Housing: Fill the central viewing pane with heavy elemental water. Carefully place the crystal shard so it remains suspended in the center, then seal the pane using the glass-blowing torch.
    • Phase 4: Pressure Circuits: Install the micro-valves and gaskets made of gryphon-hide. These allow the medallion to accumulate the steam needed for the Venturous Flare.
    • Phase 5: Final Assembly: Join the top and bottom plates. Use the clockwork soldering iron to create a continuous magic circuit from the leather cord attachment point to the central crystal.
    • Phase 6: Calibration: Move the finished medallion to a crossroads at 11:00 (Noon). Perform a ritual attunement to ensure the Guiding Pulse aligns with the star Helios and the nearest safe water source.

Brass Eye That Points to Not-Here

In the times of the before-now, when the gears of the world were yet ungreased and the steam was not yet taught to turn the great wheels, there lived the people of the half-stature upon the dirt-clod of Lathandus. The writings of the old-stone say that the half-statures were of a heavy sitting. They did sit upon their sitting-meats for many cycles of the sun-Helios. They looked upward with their seeing-orbs at the great sky-bags of the Monarchy. The sky-bags moved with the wind, but the half-statures did not move. They spoke to one another in the language of the sitting, saying, “The sky-bag goes to the far-distance, but it does not touch the mud of the earth. We must touch the mud of the earth, but also we must go to the far-distance.” The word used here for ‘mud’ is highly contested by the scholars; it may also translate to ‘dirty destiny’ or perhaps ‘unwashed bread’.

It came to be that the sky was angry, or perhaps the sky-bag was too full of the hot-breath of the fire-makers. A great sky-bag fell from the high-place. It struck the sharp teeth of the mountain and died a death of much noise. The yellow-metal of the sky-bag, which the scholars call the brass-of-Zeppelin, rained down upon the Lathandus dirt-clod. It fell like the hardened tears of the sky-weeping. The half-statures walked to the broken sky-bag. The chief of the half-statures, whose name is lost but translates roughly to He-Who-Eats-Many-Root-Vegetables, touched the yellow-metal. He spoke: “This yellow-metal remembers the high-going. It remembers the pushing of the wind. We will take the yellow-metal. We will beat it with the heavy-hammers until it forgets the sky and learns the walking-path.”

For the length of three moons and one half of a moon, the half-statures did the beating of the metal. Much was the ringing of the hammers. They took the flat yellow-metal and they pressed the shapes of the world into its skin. They pressed the shape of the foot-coverings that walk. They pressed the shape of the wood-that-swims on the salt-water. They pressed the shape of the bird-lion that screams at the clouds. They pressed the shape of the sky-bag that had died to give them the metal.

But the chief, He-Who-Eats-Many-Root-Vegetables, looked upon the brass and wept from his seeing-orbs. “The metal is flat,” he said. “The metal is blind. It does not know the way to the not-here. We must give it an inside-stone.”

In those days of the before-now, there was a flying-beast of the songs. It was a beast that knew all the paths of the wind, flying from the cold-place to the warm-place every year. This flying-beast grew old and its wings became like dry leaves. It died upon a rock of sleeping. The half-statures took the inside-stone of the flying-beast, which is known to the moderns as the crystal of the first-tier. The inside-stone was colored like the bruised fruit of the vine and it was clear like water that has frozen in the winter-darkness.

“This bruised-fruit-stone remembers the going-away,” spoke the wise-worker of the half-statures. “But it cannot breathe the dry air. It must swim in the heavy-wetness.”

The half-statures dug into the deep dirt to find the heavy-wetness. This is believed to be the elemental water of the deep-earth. They took the heavy-wetness and they put it into the beaten yellow-metal. They placed the bruised-fruit-stone into the heavy-wetness. They closed the yellow-metal using the skin of the bird-lion to stop the leaking, and they burned the silver of the star-makers to make the lines of the magic-thinking.

When the two halves of the brass became one whole, a great magic happened. The bruised-fruit-stone did not sink. It floated in the center. It began to spin without being pushed. It made a sound to the ear like a tiny, angry insect, a purring of the hidden steam. The wise-worker tied a string of dead-beast-skin to the brass round-thing and placed it over his thinking-head so it rested upon his chest-meat.

Immediately, the wise-worker was struck with the sickness of the foot-itch. The old writings say his walking-appendages burned like they were filled with the stinging-ants. He could no longer sit upon his sitting-meats. The brass round-thing pulled at his throat. It pointed away from the sitting-place, toward the tall-woods where the feral tooth-beasts made their homes.

“I must go to the not-here!” shouted the wise-worker.

The other half-statures cried out in fear. “Do not go to the tall-woods! It is the Unsafe-Place-Where-Faces-Are-Eaten! You will be chewed by the tooth-beasts!”

But the wise-worker did not listen. He had the momentum-that-does-not-err. He walked into the tall-woods. He walked upon the uneven ground, but his head-juices did not spill. He felt no sickness of the moving. The brass round-thing kept him straight like a falling rock.

Deep in the shadow of the tall-woods, the wise-worker met the great feral tooth-beast. The beast was hungry for the meat of the half-stature. It opened its eating-hole to consume him. But the wise-worker did not become the meat. He spoke the ancient song of the road. The translation of the song is difficult, but it means: “Dust on the toe-bone, wind on the nose-hole, I am the traveler, I am not your dinner-plate, I am leaving now.”

As he spoke the words, he struck the brass round-thing with his hand-meat. A great and sudden anger came from the medallion. The heavy-wetness boiled into an angry-cloud of hot fog. The angry-cloud rushed into the seeing-orbs of the feral tooth-beast. The beast could not see. The wise-worker felt the foot-itch grow strong. He ran with the speed of five additional foot-lengths. He ran until the angry-cloud was far behind him.

When he was safe, he tapped the bruised-fruit-stone again. The stone glowed with the invisible-light that only the mind-eye can see. The invisible-light shot up into the sky like tall pillars of purple smoke. The pillars showed him where the good-water lived. The pillars showed him where the men with the sharp-sticks guarded the walls of safety. He followed the light to the Designated-Place-Of-No-Dying.

After many sun-Helios cycles, the wise-worker returned to the people of the half-stature. His foot-coverings were broken, but his face was smiling. He spoke to He-Who-Eats-Many-Root-Vegetables.

“The brass round-thing is the truth of the world,” the wise-worker proclaimed. “We must make many of the brass round-things. We must wait for the new-souls who fall from the sky-without-clouds. When the new-souls wake up with the memory-sickness, we will put the string of dead-beast-skin upon their necks. They will feel the foot-itch. They will touch the mud of the destiny. They will map the not-here.”

And so, the half-statures beat the yellow-metal until there was no more yellow-metal from the fallen sky-bag. They gave the brass round-things to the wandering ones, to the ship-riders, and to those who sell the items for the coins of copper and silver in the loud-markets. This is why the compass of the bruised-fruit-stone is everywhere upon the seventy-three clods of dirt in the great salt-water.

Moral of the story: The foot that stays in the resting-tent only learns the smell of the old floor-rug, but the foot that wears the heavy-wetness brass learns the shape of the entire dirt.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Explorer’s Keepsake

  • Classification: Arcane Artifact / Specialized Compass
  • Sanity Loss: 0/1 (upon realizing the compass points toward something not on a standard map)
  • Stats: Navigate: Provides a +20% bonus to Navigate and Survival checks.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • The Traveler’s Instinct: While the artifact is worn, the investigator’s Movement Rate (MOV) is increased by +1 when they are actively exploring an unknown location (e.g., a tomb, a hidden forest, or an abandoned mansion).
    • Motion Stability: The wearer is immune to penalties or nausea caused by motion sickness (ships, airplanes, or rough vehicle travel).
    • Guiding Glow: By spending 1 Magic Point and staring into the crystal, the user can determine the most direct route to the nearest source of fresh water or a place of safety (a police station, a church, or a designated “safe house”).
  • Syntax: +20% Navigate/Survival; +1 MOV in new areas; 1 MP to find water/safety.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Wayfinder’s Medallion

  • Item Type: Arcane Tool (1 Load)
  • Tier: I
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Pathfinder’s Edge: When you perform a Survey action to find a route or a Scout action to explore new territory, you gain +1 Effect.
    • Unstoppable Momentum: You gain Potency on any resistance rolls made to avoid being slowed, staggered, or physically obstructed while moving.
    • Venturous Flare (Special): You may expend a use of the item (check a load box) to vent a cloud of alchemical steam. This creates a Fine quality smoke screen that covers your escape, allowing the crew to disengage from a hunt or ambush with increased safety.
  • Syntax: +1 Effect on Survey/Scout; Potency vs. Hindered/Staggered; 1 Load for Smoke Screen escape.

Dungeons & Dragons (2024 Edition)

Unique Name: Medallion of the Bold Traveler

  • Item Type: Wondrous Item, Common
  • Weight: —
  • Attunement: Required
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Adventurous Pace: Your walking speed increases by 5 feet while you are traveling toward a destination you have never visited.
    • Navigator’s Boon: You have a +2 bonus to Wisdom (Survival) checks made to navigate or find food and water in the wilderness.
    • Steady Stomach: You have Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned or Incapacitated by motion sickness or unstable footing.
    • Venturous Flare (1 Charge): As a Bonus Action, you can command the medallion to release a 5-foot-radius cloud of steam. This area is Heavily Obscured until the start of your next turn. The medallion regains its charge daily at dawn.
  • Syntax: +5 Speed (new paths); +2 Survival; Advantage vs. Motion Sickness; 1 Charge/Day: 5ft Steam Cloud (Bonus Action).

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Wanderlust Disc

  • Item Slots: 1 Slot
  • Durability: 3 (Resilience)
  • Value: 450gp
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Wayfinding: The wearer automatically succeeds on checks to avoid becoming lost in non-magical wilderness.
    • Momentum: Increase your travel distance by 2 miles per watch when exploring uncharted hexes on a map.
    • Steam Escape: Once per day, the wearer may trigger a steam vent. This allows the party to automatically escape an encounter with non-flying creatures, provided they have a clear path to retreat.
  • Syntax: Auto-pass non-magical Navigation; +2 miles per watch (Exploration); 1/Day: Auto-Escape encounter.

Fate (Condensed/Core)

Unique Name: The Wanderer’s Compass-Disc

  • Item Type: Extra (Cost: 1 Refresh or a Stunt slot)
  • Aspect: The Call of the Horizon
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Expert Navigator: Gain a +2 bonus to Overcome with Burglary or Investigate when the goal is to find a path through a labyrinth or navigate uncharted wilderness.
    • Momentum Shift: When you successfully Succeed with Style on a movement-related Athletics check, you may forgo the extra shift to gain a Boost called “Unstoppable Momentum.”
    • Venturous Escape: Once per session, you can invoke your aspect for free to automatically vanish into a “Steam Cloud” and exit a scene, provided there is an unexplored exit available.
  • Syntax: +2 to Navigate/Pathfinding; Free Invoke for scene exit; Ignore motion-based environmental penalties.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Wayfinding Inertial-Focus

  • Level: 1d6 (Internal Level 3 recommended)
  • Form: A brass medallion with a suspended, spinning violet shard.
  • Effect:
    • Passive Asset: While worn, the difficulty of all Navigation, Sprinting, and Long-distance Travel tasks is decreased by one step.
    • Kinetic Anchor: The user gains an asset to any task involving balance or maintaining footing on unstable surfaces (decks of ships, crumbling ledges).
    • Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (Check upon using the Steam Flare).
    • Steam Flare (Active): The user can spend 2 points from their Speed Pool to release a cloud of pressurized steam. For one minute, the user has an asset on all Stealth or Escape tasks within the immediate area.
  • Syntax: Asset to Navigation/Balance; Depletion 1 in 1d20; 2 Speed points for Escape Asset.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Medallion of the Path-Seeker

  • Item Rank: 1
  • Usage: Worn (Neck); Bulk: L
  • Traits: Invested, Magical, Transmutation
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Traveler’s Speed: You gain a +5-foot status bonus to your Speed as long as you are moving toward a hex or room you have not yet explored.
    • Navigator’s Eye: You gain a +1 item bonus to Survival checks to Sense Direction and Track.
    • Steady Footing: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your Reflex DC or Acrobatics checks against effects that would make you Prone while on a moving vehicle.
    • Activate [A]: Interact; Frequency: Once per day; Effect: You release a 10-foot-radius cloud of steam. This area is Concealed to all creatures. You can immediately take a Step or Stride action as part of this activation.
  • Syntax: +5ft Status Bonus (Exploration); +1 Item Bonus (Survival); 1/Day Activation: 10ft Concealment + Move.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Pioneer’s Compass

  • Item Type: Minor Artifact
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Woodsmen Bonus: The wearer gains a +2 bonus to Survival rolls for navigation and finding water.
    • Fleet-Footed: The wearer’s Pace is increased by +2 and their Running Die is increased by one die type (e.g., d6 to d8) when moving into unexplored territory.
    • Iron Stomach: The wearer is immune to “Motion Sickness” penalties and gains a +4 bonus to Vigor rolls to resist exhaustion from forced marches or travel.
    • Steam Screen: As a Limited Action, the wearer can spend 1 Power Point (if they have a pool) or a Bennie to create a Medium Burst Template of steam. This provides Cover (-2) for those inside and allows for a free Stealth check even if watched.
  • Syntax: +2 Pace/Run Die (Exploration); +2 Survival; Immune to Motion Sickness; Bennie/PP for Steam Cover.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Unique Name: The Nomad’s Navigation Focus

  • Item Type: Rating 2 Navigation Focus (Enchanted Accessory)
  • Object Resistance: 9
  • Astral Signature: Whirling Violet (Kinetic Energy)
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Pathfinder Bonus: When active, this focus adds its Rating (+2) to all Survival (Wilderness) and Athletics (Navigation) tests.
    • Inner Ear Regulator: The wearer ignores all dice pool penalties caused by “Unstable Footing” or “Vehicle Motion” while on the move.
    • Steam Vent (Active): Spend 1 Minor Action to trigger a localized mana-steam release. This creates a “Visibility Penalty” of –2 to anyone targeting the user for the remainder of the Player Phase, simulating a magical smoke screen.
  • Syntax: Rating 2 Navigation Focus (+2 dice); Ignore Motion Penalties; Vent (Minor Action): –2 visibility penalty for attackers.

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Unique Name: Wayfinder’s Inertial Locket

  • Item Level: 1; Price: 480 Credits
  • Bulk: L; Slot: Neck
  • Traits: Magical, Tech, Exploration
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Vagabond’s Momentum: Your land speed increases by +5 feet while you are in a location you have not previously scanned or mapped.
    • Stabilization Matrix: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics checks to Balance or remain upright on moving vehicles or low-gravity environments.
    • Scout’s Radar: You gain a +1 item bonus to Survival checks to map terrain or find biological necessities (water/food).
    • Venturous Steam (Active): As a Reaction [R] when an enemy moves into your reach, you can release a steam puff. You can immediately Step without triggering an Opportunity Attack.
  • Syntax: +5ft Speed (unmapped areas); +2 Balance; +1 Survival; Reaction: Step (No Opportunity Attack).

Traveller (MgT2)

Unique Name: The Scout’s Kinetic Chronometer

  • Item Type: TL 12 Navigation Aid / Psionic Interface
  • Weight: —
  • Cost: Cr 12,000
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Precision Wayfinding: The wearer receives DM+1 to all Recon and Survival checks made while exploring planetside or within derelict starships.
    • Grav-Stability: The internal elemental water acts as a gyroscope. The traveler ignores the negative DM-2 typically applied to actions taken in Micro-Gravity or high-turbulence atmospheric flight.
    • Active Pulse: Once per day, the user may “ping” the crystal. This reveals the most efficient path to the nearest breathable atmosphere or potable water within 500 meters.
  • Syntax: DM+1 Recon/Survival; Nullifies Micro-G/Turbulence DM-2; 1/Day: Locate Water/Air (500m).

Warhammer (4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Wayfarer’s Brass Heart (Relic)

  • Item Type: Trinket / Amulet
  • Availability: Rare
  • Encumbrance: 0
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Tireless Traveler: The wearer gains the “Strider (Any)” Talent, allowing them to ignore movement penalties from difficult terrain while traveling toward an unknown destination.
    • Sturdy Gut: The wearer gains +10 to all Tests made to resist the “Sickness” or “Nausea” conditions caused by travel or unstable footing.
    • Steam Cloud (Active): Once per session, the wearer may use an Action to vent the medallion’s steam. This creates a Small Template of thick mist. All creatures within the mist (except the wearer) suffer –20 to Sight-based Perception Tests for 1D6 rounds.
  • Syntax: Strider Talent (Exploration); +10 vs. Nausea/Sickness; 1/Session: –20 Perception Mist (1D6 rounds).