An Artifurnace is a spelljamming helm that draws its power from an artifact. The ultimate development of the furnace, each artifurnace is custom made and tailored to contain and syphon magical energy from a specific artifact. Because an artifact is practically indestructible with an inexhaustible supply of magical energy, an artifurnace will potentially function for ever.[1][2]
Description[]
An artifurnace resembles a pot-bellied cast-iron stove with an iron mesh door and a gnomish handle near the stove pipe, which is clamped and hammered shut. To create an artifurnace, a cast-iron stove must be enchanted to capture the life essence of an intelligent being. The stove must then be lit with green hickory seedlings and the selected artifact placed within. The essence would then draw forth the required motive force to propel the spelljammer, providing the ship with almost unlimited power.
History[]
The first artifurnaces were created by Icarus Straves, the diabolical leader of a magocratic planet engaged in a centuries long war with a rival world located on the far side of their crystal sphere, known as Chronos. After 300 years of constant warfare, there was a chronic lack of experienced spellcasters to man the helms of their fleet of spelljammers. Icarus tasked his council of 30 advisors to devise an alternate method of powering spelljamming craft. For many years they laboured at their task, until only 20 mages remained; but finally they discovered the means of creating such a device. However, realising that the creation process would require the sacrifice of an intelligent being, they refused to be party to such horror and fled.
Icarus pursued the fleeing mages into wildspace and captured 15 of them. Reading through their notes, which were very specific in their detail, Icarus realised that he had just the right candidates available, and soon had 15 artifurnaces. Over the years many of the original artifurnaces have been destroyed or hidden, but when one is discovered, entire wars have broken out to gain possession of the artifurnace.
Powers[]
- Invoked - Once installed on a suitable ship, an artifurnace provides an SR of 5 whenever it is activated, and will run indefinitely, powered by the artifact placed within. The artifurnace is activated by lifting the gnomish handle located by the stove pipe, and is deactivated by pushing down the same lever. The operator, usually the navigator, can also invoke any one of the powers possessed by the artifact located within the artifurnace.
- Curse - Whenever the artifurnace is activated, it becomes so hot it deals 12d6 points of damage to anyone who touches any part other than the handle. It also has the side-effect of attracting the attention of any powerful being associated with the artifact used to power the artifurnace. Finally, the artifurnace shares any and all curses that are associated with the artifact used to power it.
See also[]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook, Book of Artifacts, 1997, (TSR Inc.), ISBN: 0-7869-1150-6, page 16
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, AD&D Adventures in Space, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Power Sources section, chapter 3: Ships of Wildspace, page 38