Rustheart, Light of Cruelty, is a Necrotech armor created by Silveï Lansenvaan, an Archtech artificer of the old Allorn Empire. Desperate to reach the heights of the great Archmages of history by advancing her craft, it is said that she stumbled upon a rusted electrum flower in her garden, which whispered promises of surpassing even Empress Vinnalea in power. Taking the flower and pinning it to her tunic, Silveï toiled for two months with inspiration beyond her, before calling the lower classes and diplomats to a mountain outside of Ivaelle in 20 AC for a demonstration of her efforts. When the late arrivals reached the summit, they found three hundred corpses without a single wound, and a hovering core of Necrotech in the hands of a now dead Silveï. This core was passed from wielder to wielder, colloquially called Rustheart, for Silveï’s original blueprints had since been lost to the Machinist.
Description
Rustheart is classified as an Armor Artifact, meaning it cannot be wielded at the same time as other Armor Artifacts by the same owner. Rustheart is a set of electrum so old and tainted it has since turned black. Its spherical plates bend and twist almost like liquid, akin to Living Metal. Now Necrotech, the Light of Cruelty holds its true use when placed over a wielder’s heart. The core reacts and either powers a pre-existing mechsuit with its murder-charged capabilities, or creates an entirely new mechsuit off the whims of its wearer.
Artifact Mechanics
Artifact Mechanics are split between Permanent Mechanics, Sparked Mechanics, and Sparked Combat Mechanics. Permanent Mechanics are always available to the wielder of the Artifact. Sparked Mechanics and Sparked Combat Mechanics are only available if the Artifact has an Artifactspark. Sparked Combat Mechanics are noted separately, because this makes them easier to find, but they are no different from Sparked Mechanics in general. For more information on Artifactsparks, read the Resources Page. For Rules on Artifact ownership, see the Artifacts Page.
Permanent Mechanics
This Artifact can steal the Artifactspark from other defeated Artifactholders and can hold more than one Artifactspark inside of it. Other Mechanics may derive functions from the number of Artifactsparks. Any change in the number of Artifactsparks must always be reported in a Ticket. If this Artifact has more than one Artifactspark, being defeated and having an Artifactspark stolen will only result in the loss of one, rather than all.
This Artifact grants the wielder two Skyborn Mechanics of choice, which must be locked in when chosen and not changed. If the wielder is already Skyborn, they gain the mechanics of two other Ancestries of Skyborn. Additionally, the Artifact grants the wielder access to all Tech Branches that are not explicitly locked down to a Heritage, Religion, or Affliction.
Sparked Mechanics
Rustheart's wielder can choose 3 Free Packs from any Proficency Category they can invest in and supplement their Character Application, though these Packs can only be used while the Artifact has an Artifactspark.
Rustheart can be used to place a Deathkiss Curse on anyone with 0 HP in a Combat scene that Rustheart and its wielder are present. This Curse lasts exactly 96 hours after which it is self-cleansed. In the first 24-hour period since being placed, the victim has 8 HP whenever they start Combat. The next 24 hours after that, 6 HP, 4 HP for the 24 hours after that, and the final 24 hours, the victim only has 2 HP whenever they start Combat. This Curse cannot be removed in any conventional way and has to be waited out.
This Artifact's wielder gains the magical version of Adapt Mimicry for free. Though, instead of transforming into the person they’re mimicking, they turn into a metallic effigy of the person.
This Artifact’s wielder can disrupt technology near them. Out of combat, they can disable, meddle with, or outright destroy nearby (non-sentient) technology. The wielder reduces all damage dealt to them by Automatons by 1, but never to zero.
This Artifact grants the wielder +2 Attack Stat (breaking Cap up to 11) while using Attack Emotes only. Additionally, when attacking, the wielder's Attack Dice Roll Minimum is 4. For every additional Artifactspark in the Artifact, this minimum is raised by +1.
Collectible Artifact
Artifacts are very cool, and make a Character super powerful. That being said, due to circumstances of Roleplay, a Character may end up holding onto an Artifact for months on end. This is generally not a problem, but we believe that Artifacts because of their uniqueness, should never be held onto in perpetuity by one Player. After a few months, it is time for the next player to be able to enjoy the artifact, and for this reason, Collectibles exist. After 120 days of non-consecutive Artifact ownership, an Artifact is automatically confiscated, and the Player who lost it is given a Collectible. Collectibles are thematically and aesthetically similar to the Artifact, meaning the loss of an Artifact does not visually detract from a Character's established design. However, they cannot hold Artifactsparks and only inherit the Permanent Mechanics from the Artifact they were generated from (including the rules limiting their use). On the other hand, Collectibles can never be stolen from their owner, a Collectible is owned forever, and there is no upper limit to the amount of Collectibles a Character can have, or wield/use at the same time. Collectibles cannot be traded in, though some Events may ask for their sacrifice, destroying the Collectible. To summarize this Artifact's Collectible properties:
When this Artifact is exchanged for a Collectible, Rustheart seeks new cruelty to feed on, leaving behind a Crueliron Plate.
The Crueliron Plate Collectible inherits the second Permanent Mechanic of the Artifact (not the Artifactspark stealing one).
While there are several Crueliron Plates, each looks unique, though should be inspired by the appearance of the Artifact.
