Artifact Costs

In the core rules, 1 point per level of the artifact goes towards an attunement to the item, so if it gets lost or stolen the owner can find it again. Thinking about it, this struck me as a rather expensive cost for - essentially - knowing you've lost something useful.

Corporeal Items: okay, how hard is it to obtain common corporeal objects? If you're a demon, you can ask your Boss for it or steal it. If you're an angel, you can ask your Superior - Wind servitors might also just steal it. Heaven and Hell are not that poor in resources, unusual campaigns withstanding. If you really must have money and the trappings that can go with it, invest in an appropriate Role.

As for finding artifacts if they go missing...

PC: "I meditate on where my Car went." (roll)
GM: "It seems to be in dozens of places - and pieces." (stripped by thieves)
PC: "Uhh, er, nevermind." *fume*

And so on. Confiscated by the police, stolen or destroyed by mundanes or the other side, what is one paying the points for then? For ordinary objects such as a sword, gun, car, key or phone, in most circumstances not too hard to obtain, why waste the points? Now if it was a rare or unique item, like a famous painting by Rembrandt, sure, but otherwise?

Ethereal and Celestial Items: while much harder to obtain, these also cost a lot more. So you're still spending a point per level for the dubious ability of being able to discover the fate of something you lost. And if you lose a Talisman, Relic, Reliquary or similar object to theft by the Other Side - given knowledge of "owned" objects, what are the chances of an ambush for the owner who comes looking? I'll pass on paying points for the honour of adding insult to injury, no thanks...

House Rule:

Base Cost per Level:

• 0 points for Corporeal items, 1 for Ethereal, 2 for Celestial.

Ownership Cost (flat):

• 1 point for you to Find it. Roll d666 each day, target number equal to your Perception plus the number of your Forces that match the Item type. Check digit reflects amount of information provided (just like the standard rules).

• 2+ points for it to Find you. Roll d666 each day, when daily Essence is received, with Perception as the target number. If the check digit is less than the Ownership Cost, the item returns to its owner in exchange for the Essence. There is only Disturbance if additional Essence is spent to improve the result. If multiple Owned items are lost, only one finds its way home that day. Kind GMs can allow players to choose which. Note: if an item is within a realm hostile to the owner (such as hell for angels) a zero check digit is needed for its return.

Other costs: as per standard rules.

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The material presented here is my creation, intended for use with the In Nomine system from and owned by Steve Jackson Games, by whom it is neither official nor endorsed.