MAGICAL ARTIFACTS

Neither Human nor Vampire that exist today in Nosgoth has the knowledge or skill to be able to forge a magical artifact.  The secrets to these rare gifts have long been lost, the Ancients of old being the ones who created such artifacts.  The Humans look upon them as gifts from the Heavens; the Vampires see them as inherited items from their glorious ancestors, and with which the Vampires shall take their rightful place as masters of Nosgoth.

The magical artifacts the Humans count as sacred to their people have been passed down through the generations, and are thus only wielded by the mighty, those worthy of such a powerful gift.  These would be the greatest among the Lords of Humanity, inspirational leaders around whom their kind could rally.  However, some artifacts have been lost, though plans have been made by certain factions to retrieve them, for they would be of great use – in the right hands, of course.

The Vampires’ magical artifacts are those that Kain Himself handed down to his Lieutenants as gifts.  These items were taken by Kain during his journey to destroy the Guardians of the Pillars so long ago.  Terrifying artifacts, they are increasingly more dangerous when being wielded by a Lieutenant, gods among their kind, beings who fear nothing and answer only to Kain.  These items give the illusion of invincibility to their wielders, something one could exploit if they knew how to.

Each of these items is unique: there are no others in existence.  Listed after the name of each is its wielder and bearer - who rarely allow others to use this item.  The following is a short note on which item does.

Vampyric Magical Artifacts

Soul Reaver (Kain)
This blade is without a doubt the most feared and revered weapon in all of Nosgoth, be it by Human or Vampire respectively. Claimed by Kain long ago as his personal weapon, in his hands the Reaver is unstoppable. The Soul Reaver can not only fire an energy projectile when charged, but can also drain the soul of its victim from its body, feeding the blade. When Kain draws the Reaver in anger, it means only one thing: it means you are dead.

Wraith Armor (Raziel)
This armor was spawned in the most impure of spirit forges; tempered from the seething agony of tortured souls. The metal exists only partially in the human realm, causing it to fade between tangible and ethereal states. This suit of armour enables its bearer to pass into the spirit realm, effectively becoming invisible, though only for a short moment.

Sword of Fire (Turel)
It is rather ironic for a Vampire to wield a blade that, if tended to improperly, could prove more devastating to him than his enemies, but then to a Lieutenant this is of no consequence. Wreathed in fire, which burns through any light armour or shield and scorches flesh, is a dangerous one handed weapon, cruel and horrific – and hence appropriate for a Vampire.

Havoc and Malice (Dumah)
These are the names of the two mighty war axes to which there is no equal. In the right hands, hands strong enough to bear both axes in each hand and still are able to wield them effectively, these axes are irresistible: nothing can parry their attacks, and light armour is virtually ineffective against them. With these, an ordinary warrior can become an unstoppable force in battle – meaning that when a Lieutenant wields it, the results are horrendous for Humans to behold.

Flesh Armor  (Melchiah)
This armour, wrought with the blood of noblemen throughout the ages, is a truly revolting sight to behold. The suit makes the bearer look more like a bloodied and mutilated corpse rather than a living soldier. Truly terrifying to behold, looking at the suit can rob many Humans of their will to fight. Another ability of this suit appears to be is that it can drain the blood from a suitably weakened foe in order to feed its wearer, allowing the Lieutenant focus on cutting down his enemies.

Chaos Armour (Zephon)
Many are the enemies of a Lieutenant, and many are those who would seek the fame of being one to have slain one of these mighty creatures. The Lieutenant wielding Chaos Armour, however, may not fear this so much – that is if fear registers on his conscience at all. With this unique suit of armour  there is a chance that every one in six blows landed upon its surface are rebounded back, the damage that would have been done to its bearer being inflicted upon his would-be assailant.

Armor of Hellfire (Rahab)
This suit of armour was the original suit worn by Kain during his journey to slay the Guardians of the Pillars and at the beginning of his first campaign to seize Nosgoth. Borne from hellfire – hence the name – it was forged by the Necromancer Mortanius’ magic. This makes the suit resistant to fire and provides its wearer with more protection than other suits of plate armour, with no extra weight added.

Human Magical Artifacts

Staff of Moebius (lost)
This staff, once possessed by the Time Streamer Moebius, is debilitating to vampires. It is indeed a might and powerful weapon indeed, but must be used properly to maximize its effect. When activated, it paralyzes any vampires within ten meters, leaving them at the mercy of their enemies.  This effect last for only a brief moment - but then, that is all that may be needed if used correctly.

Nexus Blade (Seraphan Lord)
The Nexus Blade is an ancient artifact, as old as the Soul Reaver itself. Only recently retaken from the vampires’ possession by the Seraphan, the Blade is blessed with Nexus energy, a magical energy ten times more powerful than glyph energy. This makes the Nexus blade ten times more effective than its glyph counterparts. Some say this blade is feared by Kain, and rightly so – for it was this weapon that struck him down and ended his first campaign.

Broken Soul Reaver (lost)
This blade is considered to be merely a rumour. Twin to Kain’s own, was once owned by King William the Just, and granted to him by Moebius. The blade’s properties are the exact same as Kain’s Reaver, having the ability to shoot an energy projectile from a distance and able to take the soul of its victim. Legends say when William the Just was assassinated by Kain long ago, William’s Reaver was broken in three, and the remains kept in the Sarafan Stronghold on his tomb. Its current fate, however, is unknown.

Scepter of Power (Queen Valerie)
This scepter is granted to the King of Willendorf upon his rise to said position as a symbol of his authority - though Valerie has now become the first woman to hold the artifact. However, there is more than meets the eye about the scepter - it has the ability to fire a bold of pure energy at its target, the purity of the bolt devastating to a Vampire. Unfortunately, this takes time to recharge.