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Reliquary (VTM)

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Relics (also called Artifacts and Talismans) are rare, they are items with special properties and history. These are obtained through either the Reliquary Background or (more broadly) the Artifact Edge, and are wielded and used by Hunters.

Overview[]

Another potent weapon in the hands of the Society is its centuries-old collection of relics. These items have been touched by Numina, and bear its imprint; the Society has learned how to harness the power of relics to aid them in their Crusade.

Relics represent the tangible power of heaven; while they are transitory things, pieces of wood, bone or metal, things that may fade with time, they are also Eternal, for they literally house the power of Heaven. Relics were a vital component of spiritual life in the Middle Ages: Charlemagne's throne in Aachen was constructed with cavities filled with relics; the Holy Lance which pierced Christ's side was the most important possession of 10th century rulers; kings wore relics in their crowns and about their necks. Relics were also items of bargaining power in the Middle Ages - he who possessed the most relics had the most power. Even the common man sought relics, and would undertake great pilgrimages for a sliver of bone believed to have been that of a minor saint's. Relics are items infused with the Divine power.

There are typically two components to any relic: the relic itself and the reliquary. The relic is usually a piece of a saint's body, e.g., a bone (or splinter), mummified organ, tongue, lock of hair, etc. Some relics are not body pieces, but personal property or other items that have some significance to the saint or the Church, e.g., a splinter of wood from the True Cross.

The reliquary is the housing for the relic, which may be as simple as a box, or as ornate as a gilt iron cage. Reliquaries are often forged or welded shut around the relic itself, permanently locking it within the reliquary. This has the benefit of protecting the relic from accidentally coming loose from the reliquary, but it also traps it in there; a number of relics are unusable, because they are locked in items that are either not portable, or are too fragile, and the risk of shattering both relic and reliquary is too strong.

The Society of Leopold has long known of the value and effectiveness of relics in the war against the supernatural. Early Inquisitors and followers of Leopold usually went out of their way to procure relics whenever possible. By the 15th century, the great medieval relic devotion had faded, and it was easy for Rome to request certain relics from various dioceses; in 1486, when the Pontiff granted monies and properties to the Society, a number of relics entered the Society's hands as well.

The Great Reliquary[]

The Society's relics are all locked within the Great Reliquary, a secure vault in the heart of San Michele's. The Reliquarian, or custodian of relics, is responsible for maintaining this security; he answers directly to the Inquisitor-General and no one else. Requests to gain access to the Great Reliquary must first be directed throughout the Inquisitor-General's office, and few requests are ever granted. The Great Reliquary does not simply "check out" relics to interested parties. Some relics in the Great Reliquary as close to 1500 years old (some allegedly almost 2000 years old, dating back to the first Apostles), and so retain historic and artifact value in addition to their numinal importance. Unfortunately, many relics were found to be bogus, merely the bones of someone long dead and wrongly identified as a saint.

There are believed to be just under 50 relics in the Grand Reliquary, approximately 25% of which, for one reason or another, are unusable. Another 25% are not portable, e.g., altars or statues. The Reliquarian is known to be actively seeking other relics in order to increase the Society's holdings. Some attempts to transplant relics into new reliquaries have been successful, while others have been failures that resulted in the destruction of the entire relic; such operations are now treated very cautiously. Attempts to construct new reliquaries (usually in the form of weapons) for relics, as was done successfully in the Middle Ages, have been met with failure for some reason.

Relics as Weapons[]

Relics contain a permanent Faith rating which can be used to supplement an Inquisitor's own Faith; the Faith score of a relic is typically 1 to 3, depending upon the saint and how strongly the relic was venerated. One might think that false relics (those that prove to be shams) would still have some measure of numina about them, due to the veneration accorded to them. This is simply not the case; the item must have begin with some genuine numina. A relic's Faith rating is added to an Inquisitor's own rating for the purposes of fighting the supernatural. In addition, some rare relics, usually those with a military history, are capable of inflicting aggravated damage against the supernatural.

Some relics are known to possess other abilities, for reasons unknown. Those relics which have manifested special abilities are usually catalogued as such; otherwise, it is anyone's guess whether a relic will evidence some unusual effect in the war against the supernatural. Relics are not "generic," and each one appears to have its own unique characteristics.

Supernatural creatures may attempt to physically destroy relics; however, some creatures, like vampires, are loathe to touch relics for fear of the pain and damage that results. Kindred seizing relics take aggravated damage from the relic itself (roll the relic's Faith rating with a difficulty of 6; successes determine levels of damage), but five successes on a Strength roll (difficulty 8) can shatter the object.

5th Edition[]

Throughout the ages hunters have found objects of mystical power that have enhanced their own abilities or protected them from the creatures of darkness. Artifacts come in many forms, but since the Coalition's collection comes mostly from the vaults of the Vatican's La Entità their artifacts tend to be art objects or relics of dead saints. The FBI's SAD and the Russian-backed Akritai have their own artifact collections, but they are even less generous with them then the Vatican. (The Brujah masters of the Kremlin destroyed most of the artifacts they could reach, denuding the imperial Russian vaults.)

Artifacts vary in power and rarity but the Vatican's archivists have spent centuries cataloguing and preparing them as a secret armory for supernatural war.

The Society of St. Leopold provides its Faithful servants (including the BOES, and sometimes even FIRSTLIGHT or IAO) with Relics, created from the remains of holy figures, saints, and (some irreligious sorcerers claim) supernatural beings. The Akritai use ikons instead of saints' bones, but the effects remain the same. Relics focus and sometimes amplify True Faith, and indeed become useless chunks of bone or mummified flesh without that trait. Relics that add points of True Faith never add it to those without that trait. Most Relics also curse any vampire (or sometimes any inhuman supernatural figure) that attempts to use them.

A hunter can only gain the benefits of one Relic per scene, no matter how many they carry.

Background[]

With this background, you have been granted access to the reliquary of the Church. The vaults of the Vatican are ancient, dark, and deep, and many are the occulted secrets within - from holy relics to the terrible devices of witchery that the Church locks away to keep from blasphemous hands. This Background allows you to possess such a supernatural artifact and represents both a privilege and a responsibility, as you are the keeper of the relic. The loss or destruction of the item consumes any Background points spent, and the Society may think twice before opening the reliquary to you in the future. The Storyteller has the final say on a relic's value and powers.

The Storyteller has the option to create something suitable for you; although you should feel free to make suggestions, the final decision is up to the Storyteller, who will also determine the item's value. Characters cannot create their own such relics. Truly mythic Artifacts, e.g., Roland's sword Durandal or the chalice of Kai Khusrau, are the objects of great quests and cannot be purchased with this Trait.

Players may opt to pool Background points for a shared relic.

You possess a minor relic/artifact.
You posses a useful relic/artifact.
You possess a relic/artifact of significant power.
You possess a relic/artifact of incredible power.
You posses a relic/artifact mentioned in many legends.

Sample Relics[]

The following relics are graded according to their relative power - one through five, to correspond with the Relic Background. These can either be used as created or for guidelines in creating other such relics.

Dots can be spent between items, so that three dots of Reliquary can be used to get a one-dot relic and a two-dot relic. These are just a small selection of possible relics and artifacts.

  • Eye of the Hour-Glass
  • Mentat Stones
  • Ring of Chrysostom
  • "Holy Symbol"
  • Tertullian Holy Water
  • Cosmogonic Egg (1+)

  • The Eunuch’s Scapular
  • The Garou’s Claw (also called "Serre du Garou")

Unrated (Appeared in previous editions)[]

  • The Dolorous Nail
  • Oil of St. George
  • Kaiphurr Crystal
  • The Silken Cord
  • Telescope of Charibdes
  • Orpheus' Lyre
  • Benandanti Fennel Sword

New ones that appeared in 5th Edition (Second Inquisition)[]

  • Icons
  • Berninis's Faceless Angel
  • Enochian Sarcophagus
  • Occulted Bosch Triptych
  • Ashes of St. Godard
  • Avicennan Heart
  • Cross of Tertullian
  • Parietum of St. Polycarp
  • Reliquary of Agios Nikolas
  • Shroud of Sant'Ellero
  • Armamenta
  • Censer of Absolution
  • Dagger of Akkad
  • Waxen Poetica

Trivia[]

References[]

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