Special Items

If you’re reading this you probably read some other threads regarding items and item quality. Just in case, I’ll do a short briefing of what you should know. Skip this if you don’t think you need it.

Items come in different qualities. One is the physical quality – purely the material it is made of. Another type of quality is how well it’s been created as well as how it has been made. The last type is magical quality – the power of an enchantment on an item. Overall, and according to certain criteria, these form the overall quality of an object.
Basic items have no type of magical power on them. Enchanted, Runed, Magical and Assembled items all have some sort of magical power to them, be it limited or unlimited, that tends to give that piece of equipment an effect, or generally strengthen it and/or its user. Assembled (and higher quality) items are near flawless, if not actually flawless, in their construction.

*An overview*

Artifacts, relics and essences are different from the rest. In a way, all of these items are considered unique and they have their own personal name. They are, overall, considered the most powerful type of item that can be used, because:
- They are flawless – they have no blemish that can be exploited.
- They are formidably resistant, even compared to assembled items (which are considered near indestructible). Nevertheless, essences are the only items that cannot be destroyed at all.
- They have unique powers or enchantments that are hardly found in other items, and are usually impossible to replicate on the same scale (because, you know, else they wouldn’t be unique artifacts).
- They cannot be crafted, and they are very hard to come by. With this said, there’s a lot of artifacts and relics overall.
In addition to all of this, relics are God-specific, and can (sort of) only be obtained with the permission of a God; essences are Aspect-specific. There is only one essence per aspect, and it is owned by the current rider of that aspect.

*Background (history time!)*

Nobody truly knows where these items come from. There is much speculation, of course. Many Gods claim to have crafted some of the relics themselves. Others claim to have readapted or improved existing artifacts to fit them and their personality.
The prominent opinion on essences is that they are the purest representation of that element itself and is, in a way, a physical fragment or depiction of the aspect. Some riders claim that the essence is, in fact, the aspect of their element.
Artifacts, on the other hand, are even shadier to evaluate. Extremely little is known of the times before the great factions were created, but several mysterious ruins and dungeons dot the world, which more than often include artifacts. One main suggestion to explain this is that there was a stage, before the birth of civilisation as it is known now, where other factions existed. They would have built these places as well as the artifacts. The other main idea is that they are simply creations by the Gods which have been discarded because they weren’t found worthy or powerful enough.
Much has been done to attempt and determine the origins of artifacts and relics.
One school of researchers attempted to master space-time magic to look into the past, especially into the past of individual artifacts. The majority succumbed during their research in a way or another: entering an infinite coma, disappearing on the spot or succumbing what has been known as the Burden of Knowledge. In this state, the subject seems to be subject to a special state of insanity and obsession; he or she will mumble incomprehensible jargon and shows a fanatical mania regarding the item subject to his or her studies. This usually leads the person to commit suicide or attempting to cast powerful spells which tend to backfire or obliterate the caster in a way or another. Some apprentices and followers have written down every single word of what some of the burdened wrote, and while some words were clear, others weren’t – as if they were part of an unknown language. No pattern has currently been found about the clear words, either.
Very few cases have been found where a person has attempted to magically examine a unique item and came out of it (almost) unscathed. When attempting to look into the past of these objects, however, they came with nearly no information. All they saw were simple images, such as a large explosion, or a slashing motion. Most of them, however, seem to involve destructive actions.
Despite many failures, this school is still up and very active, even gaining popularity in the latter years, amongst all faction members and even rogue mages, which are to discard their affiliations for greater knowledge.
For essences, the case is different. Their only owners are riders, and non-riders may be allowed (from their owner) to see or touch them, but are usually unable to use or gain any benefit from them. Some riders have attempted to look into their essences, but to no avail.

*And after all that, some actually useful information!*

+Essences+

Essences are the only ones that are fully catalogues and reported, as there are only nine of them and they have never changed in the course of history. While technically not the strongest type of unique items around, they are some of the very few items (amongst unique items) that also provide an overall increase in performance and power for their user and owner, which is limited to that element’s rider, as well as a very special use. They are also the only items that have been seen in more than one form, as essences can change dimensions, texture, material (and sometimes shape) according to their owner. Without an owner, they are closer to a metallic icon in texture and dimension.
Essences are always present, in a way or another, and are very rarely left without an owner or use.

+Relics+

Often found in the hands of riders, champions and chosen ones, relics are more than often elemental and always connected to a specific God. They are also relatively easy to catalogue as they tend to be recurring and, at some point, resurface only to be held by a different owner. In rare cases, people have asked Gods to turn some artifacts into relics by changing or improving them, and this demand was satisfied – not always, however, as requested.
While some relics are simple items, other can turn to somehow become part of the owner... Or the owner part of them. This is very common with darker relics and Gods with more malicious or evil intents (or that are simply very bored). This may grant the owner an absolute control over the item or a certain power but often results in self-destruction, after which the relic returns to its material form. Due to the relatively strong grasp the Gods have on the world, and especially on their relics, they sometimes use them as a way to communicate with or manipulate their owners.
Some relics, related to the above events or not, may change during time. Sometimes they are returned to their Gods, which may toy around with them (or let adventurers do that) until they bestow the item to a new owner. Other relics change on their own according to use and owner.

+Artifacts+

They are, in a way, the most volatile. They’re prone to being found, stored somewhere and stolen only to be lost again in a dungeon or even at the bottom of the sea. Many artifacts are sought after for years and years, while others simply emerge out of nowhere and are given a name from whoever discovered them. They are also very stable, as they tend not to change over time or use. They are often subject to trading and target of thefts or similar crimes due to their enormous value on the market. While many artifacts are brought into battle or work, others are stored or used as trophies. Some artifacts became ‘sacred’ icons, clan or family symbols or royal items such as crowns or amulets. They are often used as a show of power or prestige and are very common in important military or political positions.