Emerald Chalice
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Appearance: The chalice appears to have been sculpted from a single, large and flawless emerald. The chalice is faceted and all facets are pentagons. The chalice weights precisely five pounds and is ten inches high and is five inches in diameter. Its facets are highly reflective, though they don't always reflect things that are there. The chalice seems to burn with its own inner fire and provides eldritch emerald illumination in a five foot radius.
Background: The chalice first appeared in the possession of Apollonius of Tyana, who used it for a variety of things and was one of his better known miracles. Later, the followers of Christ incorporated these stories into their own myths and rituals, which eventually led to the grail legend. Each time it appears, it creates ever expanding rumors and myths based upon its miracles. Countless assassinations, crusades, and wars have been waged to obtain it or maintain possession of it. Invariably, someone more powerful comes along and takes it from its current owner, who in turn loses it to someone else, who is more clever, more intelligent or more powerful. Of course, the single most powerful miracle associated with it, is its ability to convey immortality upon its owner.
Current Events: In the autumn of 211 C.E., a hermetic sorcerer was able to fully analyze the chalice, with a ritual rumored to have been created by Hermes Trismegistus.
Parameters
- The ritual to create the chalise, was cast approximately two thousand years ago.
- The ritual to create the chalice was a rank six ritual of true magick.
- The ritual is called ‘Calicem Zmaragdus'.
- The common identity of the caster is Apollonius of Tyana.
- The chalice is the materialized Avatar of a mage and is alive.
- Those who touch the chalice, may activate it and thus gain access to its powers.
- Failures in using the chalice has no extra penalties, but botching a roll related to any of its primary powers will result in an admixture of unknown properties and with unknowable results.
- Those who are in physical contact with the chalice gain a temporary and intuitive understanding of alchemy.
- Those in possession of the chalice are automatically the subject of envy from those with whom they interact, according the individual natures of those individuals. Those who experience the envy, may have no particular idea why they are so envious. Those who see the chalice automatically covet it and each successive viewing reinforces this effect, ultimately the individual will develop a derangement related to the chalice if he or she doesn't obtain it by then. This isn't a curse, so much as the instinctive realization that the chalice is a powerful device of personal growth and as such creates an extraordinary desire in the individual to reach their inherent potential; for those of inadequate spiritual development this can lead to all sorts of tragedy.
Secondary Powers
- The user may alter the physical properties of any object small enough to fit into its bowl.
- The user may carry out any alchemical process, including the simpler processes of chemistry, as long as the final compound weighs no more than one pound.
- The user may create magical compounds with mystic properties, as long as the final compound weighs no more than one pound.
- Using the inherent lore of the chalice, the user may create new recipes for potations based on the qualities desired and the ingredients used.
Primary Powers
- The user cannot be poisoned while drinking from the chalice.
- The user may purify the properties of any element placed in the bowl of the chalice.
- Those touching the chalice may determine the physical properties of any inanimate thing they touch.
- Those touching the chalice may determine the mystical properties of any inanimate thing they are touching.
- Those touching the chalice may determine the spiritual purity of anyone they see.
- Those who drink from the chalice may attempt to distill a bit of enlightenment from it, though this can be potentially dangerous if the attempt goes awry.
- Those who drink from the chalice may attempt to physically purify themselves, the effects vary from individual to individual and from circumstance to circumstance, and errors using the chalice this way can be disastrous. If used in this way, the chalice can remove diseases, correct genetic errors, etc.
Quotation: "The chalice is emerald in color and in spirit, for it grants the boon of everlasting life, and brings with it the curse of the envious."
