The artifacts have been developed from simple one-line text descriptions found in the Iron Crown Enterprises Campaign Classics: Vikings sourcebook. The artifacts themselves were originally taken from descriptions of magical items that appeared in various Norse sagas.
Battle Standard Of Victory: As the name implies, this battle standard assures an army victory. This listed 8D6 Aid to OCV and DCV will result in around +5 OCV/DCV, which should make any army unbeatable in the field. Game Masters wishing to avoid a bad die roll resulting in an insufficient bonus could give the battle standard three Charges. The bearer must hold onto the standard throughout the battle and will die once the battle is over and victory is won. Technically, the person who first bears the standard doesn’t have to be the one holding it when the Side Effect slays the bearer. Game Masters could also add a Side Effect that makes the standard unable to be released once used (30+ STR Clinging is one option) meaning who ever takes it up must do so knowing what is going to happen (or, at least, is told to bear it no matter what!)
37 Aid OCV and DCV 8d6, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +¼), Selective (+¼), MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1), Cannot alter scale (-¼), Invisible Power Effects (fully invisible; +1); 1 Charge (-2), Side Effects (at the end of the battle, the person bearing the standard dies; -¾), IAF (battle standard; -½), [1]
Cloak Of Protection: This cloak protects against weapons (as long as they are made of metal and have an edge) as well as man-made poisons and animal venoms.
3 Protects Against Venom: LS (Immunity: All terrestrial poisons); OIF (-½) 9 Protects Against Weapons: Resistant Protection (12 PD); Only Works Against Edged Weapons Of Iron And Steel (-½), OIF (-½)
Iron/Stone-Cutting Sword: The ability to chop through otherwise impossible substances (such as thick trees, stone blocks, anvils, and so on) is typical of mythical magic weapons the world over. Game Masters could lower the sword’s STR Minimum (or remove it all together) to allow for even greater damage potential on the part of the wielder. This power set can be use on more than just swords of course, the exact weapon would depend on the local culture
.
19 HKA 1d6+1, Armor Piercing (+¼), Penetrating (+½, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), : OAF (-1), STR
Minimum 12 (-½) plus Reach +1m
Keg Of Ale Of Healing: Draughts form this keg should heal most hurts. To make this a truly potent brew, make the affect one more akin to the Herbs of Healing used by a Viking Leech.
11 Simplified Healing 4d6; 32 Charges which Never Recover (-1 ¾), OAF (-1), [32 nr]
Lappland Reindeer Hide Cloak: The cloak is said to protect a man with the same effectiveness as a mail byrnie.
10 Resistant Protection (6 PD/6 ED); OIF (-½), Requires A Roll (14- roll; head, hands, lower legs are exposed; -¼)
Necklace Of Protection Against Weapons: The necklace works much like the Lapplander cloak, but only against edged weapons made of metal.
10 Resistant Protection (12 PD); Only Works Against Edged Weapons Of Iron And Steel (-½), IIF (-¼)
Pole Axe Of [Name] Slaying: This pole axe will allow the wielder to almost instantly kill any one he knows the full name of. In Norse times, the full name would be first name and family name, epithets shouldn’t count. Thus, you’d need to know your foe’s name to be Alf Starrisson; simply knowing Alf the Crafty wouldn’t work. In addition, some individuals may conceal their full and/or true name, using only an epithet or a descriptor. In other cultures, the full name might be very long indeed. A Norse pole axe is probably something akin to the Danish war axe. Obviously, you can use this power set on any weapon you want—even arrows and the like.
33 HKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Two-Handed (-½), STR Minimum 13 (-½), Side Effects (-1 OCV; -½), Real Weapon (-¼) plus Deadly Blow: +4d6 (only works against targets of which the wielder knows the full name); OAF (-1), Side Effects (-1 OCV; -½) plus Reach +2m
Returning Arrows: These arrows have no Foci Limitation, meaning they are considered to automatically return to the quiver once shot. However, as there are only three, the Charges represent the idea the arrows can be caught out of the air, trapped, or otherwise interfered with. Also, arrows shot at a magician (GMs should decide what that means—at the very least it should mean anyone who knows more than 2-3 spells) will not return and must be eventually fetched. One could also make spears and javelins that work this way.
8 RKA 1d6+1; 3 Recoverable Charges (-¾), Beam (-¼), Real Weapon (-¼), Arrows Will Not Return If Shot At A Magician (-¼), [3 rc]
Ring Of Direction: This ring means the wearer will never lose his sense of direction.
2 Bump Of Direction; IIF (-¼)
Sword Of Life Taking: The original description for this weapon said “a sword that must slay.” I have re-interpreted that to “sword that will slay.” The idea is that the sword will deal 4d6 (plus STR bonus) of HKA damage until the wielder makes a kill, then the sword will became a standard 1d6+1 HKA for the rest of the battle. Once re-sheathed, the sword will ‘reset’ and will deal 4d6 HKA once drawn again. However, the sword can only be drawn thrice in a man’s life. Once it has been drawn and used three times, it will stay in its sheath, unless drawn by a different individual. Game Masters should note that multiple people could drawn the blade at different times, meaning the weapon could have different running totals of who can use it.
14 HKA 4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 3 Charges (may only be drawn three times in a user's
life; -2 ¼), 4d6 HKA Lasts Until Character Makes A Kill, Then Becomes A 1d6+1 HKA (-2), OAF (-1),
STR Minimum 12 (-½), Real Weapon (-¼) plus Reach +1m, [3]
Sword Of Wounding: As this weapon is supposed to inflict wounds that ‘never heal’ I thought Drain BODY with an extended return rate to be the best way to simulate this. It can only be drawn after sundown, and even then, not within the presence of a woman. The range that constitutes “presence” is up to the GM, it might be Line Of Sight range. Also, GMs should decide if the weapon will still be wieldable once the sun comes up or if it’s seen by a woman.
24 Drain BODY 2d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Century; +4), Reduced
Endurance (0 END; +½); Sword Cannot Be Drawn In Sunlight Or In The Presence Of A Woman (-1), OAF (-1),
Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Resistant PD; -½), No Range (-½), STR Minimum 12 (-½), Real
Weapon (-¼) plus Reach +1m
Tunic Of Victory: This simple cotton/linen/wool shirt (or tunic) keeps its wearer safe from harm, provided he never retreats from a fight or foe. The Aid will activate any time the wearer’s END reaches 0. Game Masters could also add in Damage Reduction to the Never Burned and Never Injured slots to make the wearer really invulnerable. (As a side note, the original text states that leaving a ship in order to find someone to save a friend’s life counts as retreating from a battle.) Game Masters should decide as to what happens when someone retreats (presumably all of the powers simply stop working,) as well as what is needed to ‘restart’ the tunic’s power. It might need a sacrifice, a blessing, or simply for the wearer to advanced forward into battle (which might not be as simple as it sounds....)
Tunic Of Victory; all slots Powers Work Only So Long As Wearer Never Retreats From A Foe (-½), IIF (tunic (usually worn under armor); -¼) 5 1) Never Burned: Resistant Protection (8 ED); Only Works Against Natural Fire And Flame (-½), Common Limitations (-3/4) 4 2) Never Cold, Tired, Or Hungry: LS (Eating: Character does not eat; Safe in Intense Cold; Sleeping: Character does not sleep); Common Limitations (-3/4) 10 3) Never Injured: Resistant Protection (12 PD); Common Limitations (-3/4) 16 4) Never Tired: Aid 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; character reaches 0 END; +1), Delayed Fade Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1 ¾); Only to Aid Self (-1), Only Restores To Starting Values (-½), Common Limitations (-3/4)