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[Neonivek]

The weapon records how many kills it had itself... Which isn't to say it is its only ability.

It is perfectly reasonable that an artifact could have many powers (especially cosmetic ones)

Engravings (On the engraving on the object)
-One at a time: A artefact can only have one owner, whose name appears on the artifacts engraving, and will only work for said user.
-Time Keeping: The Engraving will always keep perfect time
-X-ray: When placed against a wall the engraving will depict what is immediately behind it
-Population count: The artefact always can tell the population of the town your in
-True Name: The artefact reveals the real name of who your looking at
-Seeking: The object seeks a type of being, it will show its direction or location. This usually appears on artefacts that are specialised in fighting it.
-Map: The Engraving is a map of the world

Statue:
-Morph: That statue constantly shifts its shape and becomes an entirely different statue

[Tormy]

The Artifact Arc is seperate from the Magic Arc... In fact the Artifact arc, which specifically refers to magical artifacts, is set to release much sooner then the magic arc.

In otherwords we will have artifacts that actually do something way before we have spells or magic kung-fu

Well, we don't know what Toady has in mind about artifacts at all. Neon, your ideas about "artifact" items are very good, but somehow I cannot imagine that how could we have items like these without having magic in the game.
Also:
1.
Version 1 Development
ARTIFACT ARC: Special items made by the dwarves aren't very interesting right now, and there's not much for an adventurer to do with them. These objects should have magical powers and they should have a huge influence on the actions of entities that come into contact with them. Even if your adventurer can't make use of a particular artifact, you could arrange for buyers in the nobility, and use those opportunitites to get a home or good entity standing, for instance.

2.
Future Development
We won't be here for a while. All of the Version 1 arcs will be completed first.
MAGIC: There are no specific decisions nailed down yet, although we've thought about it a lot. It's probably best to go for a very general system here, as in the first Armok attempt. Then the world generator and entities can decide what they want to use from what's available. Early efforts might be to make dwarven artifacts more interesting and to increase the power and variability of enemy leaders, rather than focusing on traditional spell-casting adventurers


I guess that we gonna have "real" magical artifacts when Toady will implement the Magic Arc.

[Neonivek]

However you forgot the part about

Core79, Core80, Req395, Bloat49, Bloat173, PowerGoal13, PowerGoal60, PowerGoal68 and PowerGoal134

which adds

Core80, ARTIFACT MAGIC, (Future): An early angle on magic that should find its way into the game. Although ultimately influenced by world parameters, stock DF will likely focus on rare, unique, somewhat mysterious effects without tables, to the extent that that's possible. Some cliches are probably unavoidable, he he he. The artifact process is likely to be changed somewhat to align with this, and artifacts should be created in world-generation and elsewhere during play, though a good player artifact should still have high importance.

[Tormy]

However you forgot the part about

Core79, Core80, Req395, Bloat49, Bloat173, PowerGoal13, PowerGoal60, PowerGoal68 and PowerGoal134

which adds

Core80, ARTIFACT MAGIC, (Future): An early angle on magic that should find its way into the game. Although ultimately influenced by world parameters, stock DF will likely focus on rare, unique, somewhat mysterious effects without tables, to the extent that that's possible. Some cliches are probably unavoidable, he he he. The artifact process is likely to be changed somewhat to align with this, and artifacts should be created in world-generation and elsewhere during play, though a good player artifact should still have high importance.

Hm yeah, that is true. 

[Neonivek]

I love this thread, I don't think Ill let it die for quite some time. Though it is more because I don't want to make a entirely new artifact effect thread.

One thing that occurs to me is that artifacts maybe should have degrees of effects especially when dealing with multiple powers or powerful effects that can entirely change the course of how you run your fortress.

Note: Anytime Dwarf is mentioned it doesn’t mean specifically dwarves. It could be the adventurer or refer to a V2 arc.

Anvil:
-Flaming: The Anvil doesn’t require fuel to function.
--Buildup: The Anvil sometimes alleviates the requirement of fuel.
-Excellence: The Anvil produces equipment one quality higher than normal.
-Mark: All products made by the Anvil have a masterful engraving increasing the worth.
-Warping: The Anvil is capable of hammering Stone, Wood, and Bone as easily as metal.
-Phantom: The Anvil sometimes fulfils orders on its own.
-Master: The products created are stronger than usual almost universally
--Flameheart: Weapons made deal slight secondary heat damage
--Glacierheart: Weapons made deal a slight secondary cold damage
-Hungry: The Anvil unlocks a Unique Strange mood where a Dwarf forges himself into a Blacksmith object
-Efficient: The Anvil uses less material then usual
-Soul Metal: Allows the option to forge prisoners whom give metal equal to the strength of their soul.
-Bloodmetal: Occasionally it will wound the blacksmith but will use a blood metal which is a powerful metal.
-Dream: The owner of the Anvil will occasionally dream up objects that are crafted by the anvil made of impossible materials.
-Warrior: Blacksmith’s who use the Anvil grow strong and powerful and resistant to intense flame
-Tempered: Objects made by the anvil are heat resistant.
-Reforging: It allows you to replace the skin and bones of a dwarf with a selected material, a mixed blessing.
-Statue: It allows you to turn captives into statues for all eternity
-True Power of XXXX: A Select material is empowered when made on the Anvil
-Garnishing: Objects created on the Anvil occasionally are studded, spiked, and banded by a mysterious force
-Memory Warp: It allows you to craft the memories of a dwarf as if it was a metal
-Automated: The Anvil is sentient and loyal to its owner, it forges for them on its own and has its own stats. It can also speak and will tell history if found in Adventure mode.
-Immortal Blacksmith: As long as a blacksmith uses the Anvil, he will live on and thusly cannot age to death.
-Replacement: The Anvil replaces any body part lost by its owner with an iron replacement, even Organs. Said organs however will be useless.
-Deathnet: If a Dwarf in a mood cannot complete their object the Anvil will devour them whole and produce said artefact.
-Artifact Maker: The Anvil increases the Artifact Cap on fortresses and allows the owner to overcome the one artifact per lifetime rule. (Adventurer’s dream)
-Holy Blessing: Devoted to the creator’s god it blesses objects made from it according to the god’s spheres.
-Metal Demon: Every once in a while someone will come under a strange mood and create a body part on the anvil. Once all bodyparts are created a metallic monster or demon will come forth and the anvil will remain dormant until said demon is slain. This could be positive or negative.
-Repair: Objects are instantly restored at little cost when worked on upon this anvil

[Faces of Mu]

Great thread and effects, Neonivek! You've put a lot of thought and effort into these and I would be delighted to play with most of them (and find good slaughter uses for the ones that aren't so happy-making for my dwarves!).

Keep up the inspiration.

[Neonivek]

So, I am off doing more artifact work today because I feel like it. Today I will be giving artefacts of objects that don’t currently exist so bare with me.

Interesting yes I do notice some crossover. Many effects could be good for other artefacts or all artefacts. (for example the Ward effect)

Books:
-Random Facts: Everyday the book will tell a random historical event
-Manual: The book can teach a skill if time is spent reading from it
-Mesmerising: Those who read from the book are forced to read it with no break until they finish it or die
-Dull: Reading the book to others forces them into slumber
-Death words: Reading the book to others causes them to die
-Hearsay: If told the name of someone you know, it reveals their history as well as their current location.
-Entrapment: The book can suck someone in and trap them between the pages. They are in stasis.
-Holding: The book can effectively hold one object on each page
-Lifelike: The book spawns objects, beings, and effects from its pages. What comes out depends on its genre.
-The Stages of Loss: The book has a chance of over-riding a tantrum
-Romance Novel: A Dwarf who reads the book has a chance to become pregnant
-Emotional: The book, depending on the genre, can make readers very happy or sad.
-Living: The book is alive and sentient. It records any historical events it experiences.
-Lost Knowledge: The book contains knowledge of history that has long since been lost.
-Boundless: The book can hold an unlimited number of pages of history and gains no weight.
-Atlas: The book contains the map of the entire world

Alchemical Stones:
---Function: Alchemical stones are artefacts in it of themselves, they can only be worked on by a Legendary skilled craftsmen and produce artefacts in return who share similar but not same traits. When used for artefacts themselves they always produce powerful artefacts.

-Stone of Immortality: The holder of the stone cannot age.
-Stone of Wealth: The Holder overwhelms merchants and forces them to give discounts or free objects
-Purity Stone: When placed into a liquid it purifies it.
-Lucky Stone:  The Holder seems to be better at everything
-Ward Stone: The holder never seems to be attacked in the wild and armies seem to avoid scouts.
-Elven Stone: The holder is at peace with the wilderness and natural animals do not impede the holder.
-Movestone: When thrown, the previous holder teleports to its location.
-Boulder Stone: When thrown the stone turns gigantic and crushes the enemy.
-Inner Beast: When swallowed the user turns into a hideous monster
-Stone Stone: If the stone touches bare skin it turns the being into stone

Contracts and Treaties
---Contracts are Artifact unique objects. They aren’t created outside of the artifact system. Some of them have conditions for them to function.
-Creature: A specific creature or class of creature won’t attack you.
-Civilisation: A civilisation won’t attack you.
-Element: A type of elemental damage cannot damage you. (mind you.. You will suffocate in magma)
-Death: The holder of the contract will not die but can be defeated. (However, it likely has conditions)
-Age: The holder cannot age
-Servitude: The Contract summons a creature who serves you.
-Peace Treaty: The Contract sometimes can override a siege, ambush, or encounter
-Magna Karta: The Contract can sometimes override a failed mandate or demand
-Royal Proclamation: The Holder is destined to become king/queen

That is all I have time for

Edit addition: Yikes I mae doubles... Ill have to expand this further later... So expect an edit later.

[Eagleon]

I like these, as long as they remain mysterious. It'd spoil the strangeness of an artifact if it just listed its effects right away. Of course some might be obvious, and some might be near useless to have hidden. But I think overall it'd be best to always be a little unsure whether there's a hidden power in the artifact yet to be discovered.

A little off-topic, I wonder how the effects of artifact magic will be programmed. If it's hard-code, obviously it'd be a lot more flexible, but you couldn't tone some of it down or remove certain effects for your own setting. Maybe Toady will put in a scripting language for this? Hehe.

[SirHoneyBadger]

Mysterious artifacts: Seconded.

I'll add that I wouldn't mind if an artifact's true power might be gradually revealed, or even altered, depending on strange circumstances: like for instance if a dragon should breathe on it.

[Neonivek]

Mysterious artifacts: Seconded.

I'll add that I wouldn't mind if an artifact's true power might be gradually revealed, or even altered, depending on strange circumstances: like for instance if a dragon should breathe on it.

Or heck the artifact could be some sort of epic destiny as it was made to slay one specific person or being... If you do so with the artifact then its true power becomes unlocked! (or simply bathed in its blood)

So it could be a simple flaming sword and then once used to chop off the head of the Bronze collosus it unlocks its ability to turn your own skin to bronze.

[Neonivek]

Wow, I can't believe I am adding onto this but I might as well I guess. My Imagination is almost run out at this point. Requests of what object I should go to next are welcom.

Remember that this isn't a naming contest. Also expect repeats... (or spell check)

Weapons:
-Sealing: When “Stuck” in an enemy they can no longer move or act. However they are for all intents and purposes in Stasis.
-Creeping: When striking the enemy vines, fungus, or snakes bind and inhibit the enemy's movement
--Creeping+: The Creep can also damage, sufficate, or drag the enemy to the ground
-Entry: When striking a constructed Wall a door temporarly appears which you may walk through.
-Bloody: The Weapon causes the enemy to bleed in excess for a prolonged time.
-Final Strike: When killed the wearer gets an instant attack on the killer.
-Willess: The Weapon attacks the opponents will to fight. Those who lose it cannot fight.
-Pire: Those destroyed by the weapon explode into a pillar of fire.
-Warping: The weapon warps whatever it strikes making armor and even flesh weaker.
-Eternal Rival: Somewhere in the world is another. Those who hold onto these weapons will be forced to fight an endless battle.
-Slick: The object cannot become stuck nor can it be grabbed by anyone other then the holder
-Ridged: The object becomes stuck much more often, even ones that normally cannot, when successfully retrieved it deals damage as it saws the opponents insides.
-Eihmarijar: Those slain by the weapon protect the wearer using their ghostly forms.
-Body Language: The weapon has or even is a creature's Head or Arm and thus also includes their natural attacks with artifact results
-Multiplication: A single weapon strike with the weapon hits multiple times. Though the force of the blow is lessened.

Barrel:
-Fishy: The Barrel is a viable fishing location with its own population of fish inside. If hit by a weapon a fish may be struck instead.
-Dwarven: Alcohol stored in this Barrel ages a hundred years for every year. Though so does everything else.
-Bottomless: The Barrel can hold many objects many times its own size and for less weight.
-Endless: The Barrel has another barrel inside once in a while that can be removed.
-Bloody Gemstones: When filled with blood gemstones placed inside absorb it creating Bloodstones of whatever gem was inside.
-Solar: When placed outside in the sun the barrel collects its rays and produces a liquid. This liquid heals those who dwell outside in the sun but can destroy those who live only in shadow. Elves gain the most benefit while Dwarves, especially those with cave adaption, will be slain almost instantly. It also gives the drinker blonde-white hair and tan-dark skin as if they were exposed to years of powerful sunlight.
-Moonlight: when placed outside in the moonlight the barrel collects its rays and produces a liquid. Civilised creatures who drink it become more animal like and can lose their sanity. Animals become more powerful and dominant.
-Sphere Collector: When in a sphere land it absorbs the energy and produces a liquid, this liquid has an effect depending on the sphere but is always dramatic.
-Rain: When it rains the barrel will become full no matter how light or its location. Particularly evil artifacts fill up with poisonous poluted water.
-Earwigs: The barrel is full of disgusting dire earwigs capable of drilling their way into your skull. Dangerous to use and horrifying to look at but also a suitable source of food.
-Fresh: Food never rots inside the barrel, Weapons never rust, and alcohol doesn't age.

Armor Stand:
-Deadly: Villains who approach the armor stand have a chance to have themselves sucked into the stand and shreded into macrabre armor killing them. This armor is usually poorly made.
-Deadly Bones: Villains who approach have their bones ripped out and worn by the stand.
-Sympathetic: The Armor Stand's owner gains the benefit of the armor placed upon it in the form of a force projection. The force is weightless and is just as hard though it has none of the armor's abilities.
-Dream maille: As the owner sleeps the stand creates armor according to the user's wishes. It could be as poor as a wooden cloth or as powerful as Adamantine. This armor however cannot exist outside the owner's body or next to the stand as it isn't real.

Container:
-Location location location: You can travel inside the object. Within it is a location flavored by the crafter where his favorite food grows on trees, where cities are populated by his favorite animal, and where the night is ruled by his greatest fears. It spawns creatures from that world in Fortress mode but it is otherwise not so useful anywhere else.

Universal:
-Fruit Tree: The Object is a plant and produces unique fruit. Though if it is safe to eat is another story as the fruit can be poisonous or contain powerful curses.
-Sphere Absorbing: The Object absorbs the sphere around it and gains/loses powers accordingly.
-Chaotic: The artifact isn't stable. It is always changing by the phases of the moon.
-Seeker: The artifact cannot be stollen or given away, when the owner dies or the artifact is lost the object disapears until it finds a owner it deems as worthy. Though that could be easier said then done.
-Weaponised: The artifact has acceptable weapon attributes though it isn't any lighter.
-Morph/Return: The object can become a creature whos only motive is to return to its owner. If said creature dies then the artifact becomes dormant for a set time. This creature is usually the crafter's favorite animal but can also be themselves, their spouse, or an image of their god.

[SirHoneyBadger]

I like these a lot, Neonivek, I look forward to the new installments, and I don't think I'm the only one.

[Footkerchief]

-Moonlight: when placed outside in the moonlight the barrel collects its rays and produces a liquid. Civilised creatures who drink it become more animal like and can lose their sanity. Animals become more powerful and dominant.

-Earwigs: The barrel is full of disgusting dire earwigs capable of drilling their way into your skull. Dangerous to use and horrifying to look at but also a suitable source of food.

-Deadly: Villains who approach the armor stand have a chance to have themselves sucked into the stand and shreded into macrabre armor killing them. This armor is usually poorly made.
-Deadly Bones: Villains who approach have their bones ripped out and worn by the stand.

Container:
-Location location location: You can travel inside the object. Within it is a location flavored by the crafter where his favorite food grows on trees, where cities are populated by his favorite animal, and where the night is ruled by his greatest fears. It spawns creatures from that world in Fortress mode but it is otherwise not so useful anywhere else.

-Morph/Return: The object can become a creature whos only motive is to return to its owner. If said creature dies then the artifact becomes dormant for a set time. This creature is usually the crafter's favorite animal but can also be themselves, their spouse, or an image of their god.

I don't know what you're on, but I like it.  Armor stands that occasionally rip people apart and turn them into decorations or crappy armor?  How can I say no?!

[Raz]

I fucking love these suggestions!

[Neonivek]

Wow, I didn't know more then a select few people actually liked this topic. I am inspired to attempt another "Bad Mood" Artifact session full of possessed, Fell, and Macabre artifacts.

Warning that repeats are just as likely.

Universal:
-Barbed (Equipment): The object through mysterious forces bonds with the owner upon first touch. The only way to remove it is to quite litterally rip it out flaying select areas of your body. Not too harmful for weapons or rings but for Bodyarmor it can even cause death.
-Hym: Faces on the object give prayers in an unknown language. Upon sleeping those who heard the hyms and fallen to their ghostly power see creatures in their dreams who claw at their will and force them to do terrible things.
-Insect Appeal: The object in question attracts insects, bugs, and spiders of the vermin variety even when there is no way for them to get at the artifact.
-Unfathomable: Any failed attempt to identify the use of this artifact wracks their brain causing insanity or at worst it causes their head to explode.
-Forbidden Knowledge: When the user finally comes to know the full extent of the artifact's power it leads them to death, insanity, or monsterism unless they can resist.
-Ghost Bound: Owners of the Artifact always become ghosts often of great power.
-Ghostly: The object is barely tangable and shifts in and out.
-Fettish: The artifact can always be linked to a ghost no matter their cause of death.
-Burried: Upon the death of the user the artifact disapears. It will always be found later in their coffin.
-No rest for the wicked: Owners who die holding this artifact are instead dirrectly sent to heck to be torchured forever by demons.
-Demon Linked: The artifact's existance keeps a demon or appropriate power from being slain entirely.
-Leak: The Artifact leaks Sphere energy of death, fire, and many other detrimental energies.

Crown/Masks (Masks arn't included in the game. Though these are more Mask oriented)
-Plague: Those who behold the wearer are afflicted with constant vomiting, festering sists, and oozing eyeballs. These symptoms only last as long as the wearer is in the area but is more then enough to make them an easy target.
-Demon Power: The wearer's face becomes that of a powerful demon. They can from then on eat living targets and using their flesh to add on to their own. Increasing their mass, muscles, and power. This Hunger increases with their size eventually turning them into a true demon of Gluttony. Removing the mask can cause the user to explode due to their excess weight.
-Macriachi: The Bones of the fallen spring to life and dance around the wearer. It is quite entertaining to those who can get around the disgust.
-True-Self: The Mask gives the user attributes set according to their personality giving them grotesk features as their body is warped. Their likes and dislikes become facial features while their lazyness could give them an obese body.
-Phantoms: The artifact gives one control over their very nightmares. When commanded to it sends horifying projections, as according to the user's fears, to strike down attackers. The Nightmare's strength doesn't match their counterpart thus even a fly could be a giant firebreathing monster.
-Eerie Perfection: The Wearer slowly starts to become perfect having perfect skin, grace, and speach. It however is so much so that it puts those around them off making them untrusting and can even drive them insane. Removing the artifact can be traumatic.
-Wound Command: Those wounded in presence of the wearer find that they cannot heal easily often dying from blood loss.
-Ghost Communion: The wearer can speak and interact with ghost somewhat normally and force them to be tangable where ordinary methods can slay them.
-Death Eater: When someone dies around you, you swallow that energy. This energy can be used to make you more resistant to death or to inflict death onto others.
-Death Command: The user is able to refuse death of others allowing them to come back to life at a future date. This would be powerful if beings usually die immediately after missing important bodyparts or being trapped in coffins.

Rings:
-Soothsayer: Within the gemstone there predicts the time of death of those around him. What they don't know is the ring doesn't predict the future but in fact makes it happen. Those who cannot avoid this fate simply die off.
-Fleshed: The Ring removes the need for flesh allowing the user to degenerate into a living skeleton if it so happens. This effect isn't pernament so ill fortune beholds a skeleton who has their hand chopped off.
-Disease Transfer: When laying their hands on a diseased or injured being the ring absorbs it. It then must be transfered into something else within a set time or else the user will befall the same fate as the original victum.
-Doctor: The Ring allows the user to see death and destruction and thus anyone who holds this knows exactly what is ailing the victum.
-Become Thyself: The ring forces mental and physical changes in the wearer eventually transforming them into that of its creator. Adventurer's who befall this fate are unplayable as it constitutes non-standard death.
-Culture of Death: The User gains delight in the death, harm, and illness of others but suffers displeasure at seeing people born, cured, or healthy.
-Touch of Death: The Wearer's touch causes a wracking pain to slay the target.
-Fake Death: The Ring allows the wearer to fake their death when they fall unconscious. Though this doesn't help against enemies that eat, maim, or vandalise corpses.

Shirt:
-Poison Gourge: The user's stomach protrudes as he becomes a couldron of toxic materials. The owner can drink poisons to enhance their toxicity and their vomit is so poisonous that it becomes a lethal attack.
--Balemic: The User's Stomach Protrudes and they gain the ability to vomit over long distances with great force. This however is no less uncomfortable then it is normally, though it can be done much more easily.
-Leper: The User's Skin resembles the undead and they carry the aura of death around them. The undead give them no heed and creatures of death become friendly. The Downside however is that diseases and curses do not leave your body making the user a walking plague.
-Skeleton Costume: A Cryptic design calls forth macrebre energies as your bones start to grow out of your body and around your flesh.
-Demon Costume: You mock demons and call on great strength. This however makes you a target of the demons who will go at any length to rend you assunder.
-See Through: The person's outer flesh becomes invisable making treatment and diagnosis much more simple.
-Spikes: Wearing the shirt causes painful spikes to protrude from their body, the pain eventually goes away if the user survives, the spikes make formidable weapons and turn graples into painful attacks.

Cages (Use)
-Butcher: The Cage shreds those inside and heals them at the same time giving a continuous amount of meat and bones and making the prisoner insane. Death will always occur eventually.
-Monsterous: The Cage devolves the prisoner into a hideous beast barely resembling the creature who once was.
-Heck: The Cage is a door to the underworld and anyone who is imprisoned inside eventually finds themselves there.
-Return: Those who die in prison find themselves an undead servant of the owner.
-Ghostly: Ghosts, souls, and spirits are capable of being imprisoned inside.
-Horror: The Cage fills with nightmares from the prisoner's imagination which eventually rip him appart. These nightmares however are not anymore friendly to you then the prisoner but luckly they are in a cage. At least for now.
-Recoil: Creatures who attack the cage feel spikes dig into their skin which could eventually kill them.
-Rotting: Creatures inside the cage constantly rot until there is nothing left but an excellent fertilizer.
-Soul Wrack: The Cage attacks a creature's mind until they are nothing but a lifeless puppet. Those who die this way don't become ghosts and Demons cannot come back to life.
-Black Icor: Those inside the cage have their blood slowly replaced by a Black toxin eventually killing them. This toxin can however be extracted and used where it is as destructive as the prisoner was healthy.
-Demanding: The Cage asks for the most innocent and pure hearted individual in a city to be caged forever or it will bring bad fortune. The Prisoner's fondest wishes materialise into boons for the fortress such as fortune, food, animals, or people. When the prisoner dies naturally the cage once again becomes hungry.

I hope I kept up any sort of standard I have... It is always surprising to me to see people so responsive.