A pair of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy magic items

[jerril]

Precis – a paired set of Artifact style magic items: the javelins Shock and Awe. Includes description, a bit of history, and stats.


This was my submission to the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Magic Items contest; these definitely qualify as artifacts under the 40 Artifacts guidelines :)

Shock and Awe

This pair of Balanced, Fine, Orichalcum javelins have a mysterious provenance, rumored to be the handiwork of a great dwarven craftsman empowered by an airy spirit whoes heart he captured (by romance or by trickery, the stories do not say).

Both are fancifully decorated, counting as Ornate +3. Shock is edged in electrum and the javelin head is in the shape of a stylized lightning bolt. Awe is gilded, and the javelin head portrays the sun, with the blade formed from the suns rays being twisted together.

In combat, Shock and Awe have dazzling features. Neither can be parried or blocked, only dodged. Once either hits or misses, it disintegrates and reforms in its wielders hand on his next turn, instantly ready.

Shock transforms into a lightning bolt when hurled, coursing across the battlefield with a flash and a bang. Whatever it strikes suffers Linked 2d burning damage with the Surge, Arcing enhancement (Psionic Powers page 20), and it produces a Thunderclap (as per the spell, Magic page 171) with itself as the subject.

Awe transforms into a blast of sunlight when hurled, with the fury of a thousand desert noons. The entire line of hexes between the thrower and whatever it finally strikes are lit as per the Sunlight spell (Magic page 114) for one minute. Whatever it strikes suffers Linked 2d tight-beam burning damage, and it produces a Flash (as per the spell, Magic page 112) with itself as the "caster".

Shock and Awe together are a 13 FP Power Item. They cannot be separated for long; at the stroke of noon if they are not in the possession of the same person, both Shock and Awe vanish with a Flash and a Thunderclap.