Perplexicon, in a setting where the magical tongue is dead and the written version is hard to come by.
So, of course, the few mages that know the language are pressed into service making artifacts.
Artifacts for THE GLADIATORS.
YOU ARE THE GLADIATORS. KILL THINGS.
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So, every person is given randomized equipment based on the pack they chose, which could be anything from a ring of miasma lasers to a sword of ink blades. Your Pool and Potency stats now affect how many magical artifacts you can attempt to activate and how easy it is for you to do so correctly.
A pack contains a weapon, two accessories or other weapons, chest, arm, leg, and head armor. Each has a d12 rolled for them.
1: The item is absent.
2: Reroll the item as some other type of item.
3: The item is of a poor material for what it is and is unenchanted, also possibly broken or poorly made
4: The item is of a poor material for what it is and is unenchanted.
5: The item is of a poor material for what it is and has an enchantment.
6: The item is of a good material and is unenchanted.
7-8: The item is of a good material and is enchanted.
9: The item is of a good material and has a double enchantment.
10: The item is made of exceptional material but carries no enchantment.
11: The item is made of exceptional material and carries an enchantment.
12: The item is made of exceptional material and carries a double enchantment.
An item may be considered exceptional with normal materials if paired with a complex material, such as clockwork.
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Rings are fairly common, and allow you to cast whatever spell is on them from your hand if they have a magic engraving.
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So let's go ahead and gen a few packs.
Weapon (11) "This is an exceptional Clockwork Iron sword. It has an engraving upon it. It has two modes of use. It's engraving translates to "Blood Spray", and when activated, sprays blood from the sword with high pressure. It's two modes are Battle and Execution: the first is a single-handed blade, +1 to Strength, the second mode makes the blade a much longer 2-handed weapon, +3 Strength, user cannot dodge, evade, retreat, or quickdraw in this mode, switching takes one action
Accessory(1) ---
Accessory(9) Silver Ring/Red Stone: A silver ring with a bloodred stone in it. It has two enchantments that can be used separately: "Sound Shockwave" and "Force Rain".
Chest(10) An exceptionally well designed clockwork iron chestplate that can switch modes, between "Compact" and "Bastion". While "Compact", the wearer gains +1 Dex, -1 to dealing damage to wearer, Thrust attacks do not ignore damage reduction. While "Bastion", the wearer gains +3 Str and +1 Endurance, -1 Speed, and -2 to dealing damage to wearer.
Arms(4) These bracers are made of wood. +1 to Parry rolls.
Legs(3) Wooden greaves, quite splintery. No effect.
Head(6) A leather cap. It's quite comfy. -1 to damage rolls against.
Weapon(7) A wood and aluminum crossbow with aluminum bolts. Reloading takes an action. +1 to Retreat rolls.
Accessory(6) A wood and iron buckler. It's small, but dosen't require a hand to hold. +2 to block rolls.
Accessory(9) A silver ring with a single engraving: "Eldritch Miasma Ball".
Head(2) (
A small dagger with an engraving: "Wind Sword". +2 to Thrust rolls.
Arms(4) Cloth armguards. Mostly useless.
Legs(11) Silver Bushido greaves. +4 to Retreat rolls, once. -2 to damage rolls against.
Chest(7)A silver half-chestplate. It has an enchantment for "Wind Aura".
I'm a little murky on targeting, as I'm heavily basing this off of the current discussions and testings going on in the Perpublicon thread.