As our name suggests, Makers make. We might know a few spells, but first and foremost we focus our magic through objects that we craft. To put it another way, we turn our magic into objects that we can use. We can take other things—energy sources, spirits, demons, souls—and make them into objects of power as well. Physical objects and materials speak to us and tell us their truths. There is magic within all things, but Makers know that, most of the time, magic must be tuned and calibrated. Often, it must be given a source of reliable power or combined with other materials and ingredients to reach its true potential. All objects long to be objects of power.
Makers get to design their own creations and determine their exact capabilities, although sometimes one’s own creation can contain a surprise or two. This involves a process called the Maker’s Matrix. Creating objects requires a good deal of time, as well as often rare and expensive materials. Every object has a base material, at least one ingredient, and a power source. Items might also require catalysts or stabilizers, depending on what happens in the crafting process. Even partial failure in creation can lead to items with varying side effects, and a catastrophic failure might create a mishap, which can be very dangerous. More than one Maker has lost their life to the process.
We are often more physical than other vislae, using the tools and weapons we craft to overcome challenges. As the saying goes, “Spot a vislae with their head out of book, and you’re probably looking at a Maker.” However, Makers can still learn spells and charms like any of our fellows to supplement our abilities. The Order of Makers is a loose-knit collection of individuals. We meet only rarely, and usually only to showcase our latest creations or trade the occasional crafting secret. There is no governing body that oversees the entire order.
Of course, that, and the other facts I tell you, might be a lie. We Makers enjoy spreading disinformation about our order. Non-Makers will never fully understand us, because we won’t let them. We intentionally spread false facts about our hierarchy, our methods and means, and the various ways our order is run. It is the best way to keep our secrets to ourselves. In fact, as one advances in degree in our order, various truths will be learned and falsehoods revealed. Our own Journeyman-degree members likely believe many lies about us, our 1st-degree members know more but not as much as a 2nd-degree member, and so on. One must reach the upper degrees of the order to have some of the lies—perhaps lies one has been operating under for years—revealed. That is our way. In fact, once you get involved, you’ll likely find it highly entertaining.
Philosophy and Outlook: We Makers are problem solvers and planners. A challenge arises or a difficulty makes itself known, and we create a solution. We would rather create something ourselves than gain it some other way, because we cannot truly and completely understand a thing that we didn’t make.
Relationships: We get along with most everyone, although we aren’t especially close to any of the other orders. Many resent us for our secrecy or distrust us because they are aware that at least some of what they know about us isn’t true.
Other Names: Crafter, creator, source.
Path to Joy: The following actions give us Joy.
✦✦ Create an original, magically imbued object of power for the first time.
✦✦ Create an object of power more potent than any we have ever crafted before.
✦✦ Instruct another Maker in a crafting technique for a month.
✦✦ Study under another Maker in a crafting technique for a month.
Path to Despair: The following actions give us Despair.
✦✦ Mishap in the creation of an item.
✦✦ Rejection by a Maker of a higher rank.
✦✦ The destruction or theft (not depletion) of an item we have crafted.
Maker characters start at the 1st degree with the following abilities.
Connection: We have 1 level of connection with the Order of Makers.
Ephemera Use: We can safely possess four ephemera at any given time, but only two of these can be incantations.
Spell: We learn one general spell that we have enough Sorcery to cast.
Special Skill: We have 1 level of skill with anything having to do with understanding, assessing, or identifying materials.
Skill: We have 1 level in one type of crafting, such as woodworking, metalworking, and so on.
Crafting Magic: We have the ability to create objects of power and ephemera—any item imbued with magical energies. We can use the Maker’s Matrix to create items if we have the proper materials and ingredients, up to level 4. We start the game with two level 1 materials and one level 1 ingredient.
Kindled Items: We can make kindled items if we have the proper materials and at least 2 levels in a skill that is appropriate to the item (leatherworking for leather items, sewing for cloth items, and so on). The materials usually cost half of the cost of the given item. It takes two to five days to make the item, depending on the item. We do not use the Maker’s Matrix when making kindled items.
Crafted Object: We begin with one object of power (level 1 or 2) of our choosing that we have created. Choose from the Objects of Power deck, or pick a level 1 or 2 effect from the Effects by Level table and assume the object of power has a depletion of 0 (check each use).
Signature Object: We possess a single object of high quality that we have fashioned ourselves. Only we can use this item—it is a useless bit of junk in the hands of anyone else. While we can have only one signature object at a time, if it were ever destroyed, we can invest 1 Crux and a month’s worth of time to create a new one. In this case, we don’t need to create the same object or imbue it with the same properties.
Our signature object does not count toward the total number of objects of power we can safely handle at once.
We can use the Crafting Magic ability to give our signature item powers once play begins, but to start with, our signature object has one of the following properties:
✦✦ Extra Armor: If the item is armor (not clothing, but actual armor), it provides +1 Armor.
✦✦ Asset: The item adds +1 to the action it is associated with. A rope is easier to climb. A lockpick makes picking locks easier. A jaunty hat improves persuasion. We cannot imbue this property in weapons, nor can we imbue this property more than once in a given object.
✦✦ Glamour: The item makes us look more attractive if we have it on our person, regardless of its form. This minor illusion adds 3 bene each day to our Interaction pool.
✦✦Hidden Away: The item can be stored within the folds of space up our sleeve, in our hair, or in some other non-obvious place where it cannot be seen, takes up no space, has no weight, and cannot be found except by us or a Maker of a higher degree.
✦✦ Protection: The item grants +1 to one type of defense of our choosing (Dodge, Resist, or Withstand), even if it is not an obviously defensive item (such as armor). We must have it on our person for this to function.
✦✦Warding: While we hold the item, it renders us immune to level 1 magical effects.
✦✦Weapon: If the item is a weapon (or an item that could be used as a weapon), it inflicts +1 damage. This can simply be more damage, or it can be themed—fire, cold, acid, soul-searing, and so on. We can imbue this property more than once.
A Maker can attain the 2nd degree only if they have created a magical item and given it to a Maker of a higher degree, who tests it and (hopefully) accepts it in a formal ceremony. As part of our training and initiation into the ranks of this new degree, we learn the following:
Crafting Magic: We create magic items of up to level 6 using the Maker’s Matrix.
Hasty Assembly: When using the Maker’s Matrix to make ephemera, we can make such items in half the time, although the level of the challenge is +2 if we choose to speed up the process.
Improving Items: With a cost of 1 magecoin in materials and one day to work, we can increase the level of any nonmagical item by +1. An item can be improved in this way only once.
Identifying Ingredients: If we examine something, we learn if it can be used as a material, ingredient, catalyst, stabilizer, or power source for an item. If it is something out of the ordinary, we can also determine how it can be handled or stored.
Signature Object: We add another property to our signature object. We choose one from the list of 1st degree properties or one of the following:
✦✦ Combat: If the item is a weapon (or an item that could be used as a weapon), it adds 3 bene each day to our Accuracy pool. Obviously, we must be using the object in order to use these bene. We can imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Durable: The object has +5 Armor to resist damage. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Summoning: The item can be summoned to us from any distance, regardless of barriers or restrictions, with a snap of our fingers, using an action.
✦✦ Virtual Armor: An item that is not actual armor provides us with +1 Armor.
A Maker can attain the 3rd degree only if they have performed the Invocation of Knowledge as a 2nd degree Maker while in the presence of a higher-ranking Maker. A Maker of a higher degree inducts us in a private ceremony, preferably in our own workshop. As part of our training and initiation into the ranks of this new degree, we learn the following:
Incantation Use: One of our ephemera can be a conation incantation.
Crafting Magic: We create magic items of up to level 7 using the Maker’s Matrix. We can also use materials to make items that are 1 level higher than the level of the material.
Hasty Assembly: We can make ephemera items in half the time with no change in level.
Improving Items: With a cost of 2 magecoins in materials and one day to work, we can increase the level of any nonmagical item by +2.
Signature Object: We add another property to our dedicated object. We choose one from the 1st- or 2nd-degree properties or one of the following:
✦✦ Better Warding: While we hold the item, it renders us immune to magical effects of up to level 2.
✦✦ Easy Enchantments: The object reduces the challenge involved in adding more magical abilities to it by 2 levels. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Light Wield: If the item is a weapon, it is so light and well balanced that we can use it in one hand while wielding another weapon in the other. In combat, we make two attacks, one with each weapon, as a single action.
✦✦Magical Weapon: If the item is a weapon (or an item that could be used as a weapon), it adds +1 die to the attack roll. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Sense Location: We always know the location of our signature object.
Authority and Responsibilities: A 3rd-degree Maker can call upon lower-ranking Makers to help with crafting projects. They are expected to review the work of Makers of lower degree and provide advice and assistance when asked.
A Maker can attain the 4th degree only if they have performed the Invocation of Craft as a 3rd-degree Maker while in the presence of a higher-ranking Maker. A Maker of a higher degree inducts us in a private ceremony, preferably in our own workshop. As part of our training and initiation into the ranks of this new degree, we learn the following:
Ephemera Mastery: We can safely possess five ephemera at any given time, but only two of these can be incantations.
Crafting Magic: We can create magic items of up to level 8 using the Maker’s Matrix.
Hasty Assembly: We can make kindled items in half the time, although the level of the challenge is +2 if we choose to speed up the process.
Reconfigure Object: We can take something that is already magical and reshape it to our desires. This can be an existing object of power, a material with inherent magical energies, or perhaps even the body of a dead magical being. The conversion is a challenge 2 levels higher than the level of the magical object or substance. The resultant creation is always 2 levels lower than the original object or substance. If the object is an ephemera, it can only be made into another ephemera. Only non-intelligent objects or substances can be reconfigured.
The time required is at least one day per level of the original object or substance. Circumstances (conditions, tools available, and workability of the original object or substance) can alter this greatly, but only to make it longer.
Signature Object: We add another property to our signature object. We choose one from a lower degree or one of the following:
✦✦ Immunity: The object cannot be harmed by nonmagical means.
✦✦ Greater Armor: If we have imbued the 1st-degree ability Extra Armor, we can use it to add +1. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Greater Asset: If we have imbued the 1st-degree ability Asset, we can use it to add +1. Alternatively, we can use it to replace the +1 from the original Asset and make it +1 die instead. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Mobility: The item can move on its own, floating through the air up to a long distance away, mentally controlled by us. Thus, we could send a knife to attack a foe or a lockpick to open a lock at range, and as long as we concentrate (using our own actions), it would act as though it were in our capable hands.
✦✦ Retribution: If anyone else attempts to use our signature object, the object inflicts damage equal to its level on the transgressor.
Authority and Responsibilities: A 4th-degree Maker can call upon lower-ranking Makers to help with crafting projects or run minor errands on their behalf. They are expected to review the work of Makers of lower degree, participate in advancement rituals, and provide advice and assistance when asked. They may be called upon by higher-ranking Makers to perform vital and sometimes dangerous missions and tasks.
A Maker can attain the 5th degree only if they have created a magical item as a 4th-degree Maker and given it to a Maker of a higher degree, who tests and (hopefully) accepts it in a formal ceremony. As part of our training and initiation into the ranks of this new degree, we learn the following:
Incantation Mastery: Two of our ephemera can be conation incantations.
Crafting Magic: We can create magic items of up to level 9 using the Maker’s Matrix. We can also use materials to make items that are 2 levels higher than the level of the material.
Hasty Assembly: We can make kindled items in half the time.
Improving Items: With a cost of 3 magecoins in materials and one day to work, we can increase the level of any nonmagical item by +3.
Signature Object: We add another property to our signature object. We choose one from a lower degree or one of the following:
✦✦ Defensive: If unattended and threatened, the item will teleport somewhere safe.
✦✦ Greater Magical Weapon: If we have imbued the 3rd-degree ability Magical Weapon, we can use it to add +1 die. We cannot imbue this property more than once.
✦✦ Greater Warding: While we hold the item, it renders us immune to magical effects of up to level 3.
✦✦ Intelligence: The item has intelligence all its own, with a limited amount of self-awareness (although not much in the way of emotions or emotional intelligence). It can speak and hear language (but not other sounds) and remember information, but it has no other senses. The object can act on its own, activating its other abilities, but since it cannot sense, this capability is limited in many situations.
✦✦ Perception: The item can see, hear, and sense other things around it.
Authority and Responsibilities: A 5th-degree Maker can call upon lower-ranking Makers to help with crafting projects, errands, and material gathering. They are expected to review the work of Makers of lower degree, participate in important ceremonies, and provide advice and assistance when asked. Lower-ranking members look to them for leadership and inspiration. The plans for their unique creations are expected to be made available to Makers of 4th degree and higher.
A Maker can attain the 6th degree only if they have performed the Invocation of Craft as a 5th-degree Maker in the company of a 6th-degree Maker. No ceremony represents the advancement into the 6th degree, as it is entirely a personal affair. As part of our training and initiation into the ranks of this new degree, we learn the following:
Greater Ephemera Mastery: We can safely possess six ephemera at any given time, but only three of these can be incantations.
Crafting Magic: We create magic items of any level using the Maker’s Matrix. We can also use materials to make items that are 3 levels higher than the level of the material.
Hasty Assembly: We can make ephemera in a single action, although the level of the challenge is +3 if we choose to speed up the process.
Signature Object: We add another property to our signature object. We choose one from a lower degree or one of the following:
✦✦ Formshift: The item can take on the form of any object or creature that is the same size as it or the same size as its Maker. It gains no special capabilities other than the obvious (a feather turned into a chair can be sat upon). If the item is unintelligent, having a creature’s form conveys only appearance. However, an intelligent item in a creature’s form can move around, manipulate other objects, and so on.
✦✦ Telepathic: The item can receive thoughts directed at it from long range. If intelligent, it can also send its thoughts at that range to another intelligent being.
✦✦ True Immunity: The object cannot be harmed by spells or effects of level 10 or lower.
Authority and Responsibilities: Obviously, the Imperators are as close to leaders as the order has, but most details about them remain a mystery.