Translation Crystal

2 dot Dragon King Crystal Artifact

Repair Rating: 3

This clear, flat, rectangular crystal is the size of a large man’s hand and an eighth of an inch thick, and it is set within a narrow frame of blue jade and orichalcum. To activate this item for a scene, the wearer need only spend 3 motes of Essence. Whenever this artifact is placed over any piece of non-magical text1 thereafter, whether that text is in the tongue of the Riverlands, a rare demonic tongue spoken only in Malfeas or the most complex of the All-Seeing Eye’s many codes, anyone looking at the crystal sees this text perfectly translated into Old Realm.

When this item is placed against the text and activated, the item literally reads the text and translates it directly into Old Realm2. This translation is then displayed upon the artifact’s upper surface. The use of orichalcum in this item allows it to partake of a tiny fraction of the Unconquered Sun’s limitless brilliance, so the translation is accomplished in less than a second.

In addition to simply translating the language, giving sufficient collection of text, the artifact allows the character to learn the written version of any language as well as if she had a skilled tutor, though she would have some very strange grammar issues. (She could also use it thus to learn Old Realm by using this artifact to translate her own writing.) This artifact can be used to translate spells and other esoteric arcane texts as well as it simply allowing the user to read texts such as a treaty between a demon lord and a raksha noble.

Notes
  • Keep in mind this item does not shield the wielder from Social Attacks from Text
  • It will translate any language as long as it is not encoded/obfuscated by supernatural effects
    • So if the death scrbble of a dying Solar says "Sidereals did it!!!" the Crystal will not be able to translate it
    • Or if someone use the charm that encodes an message into another message, the crystal will only translate the "cover" message and not the real one.
  • It will translate Code as well, but only to its literal meaning and provides no Context
    • If someone used encryption to jumble characters up, the item will perfectly translate the original message
    • If the message is "5th of Saturn on the Dais of 8th, Dixie and Ron fought over Jerble" in High Holy Cant then that is what the artifact will translate into Old Realm. It will not translate the "5th of Saturn" as the Code word for the "Operation Death to Mask of Winters", "Dais of 8th" as the "8th day of Dace's Birth month," "Dixie and Ron" as "Nalla and Raneth", etc.
  • This item requires maintenance after every use longer than 1 scene (~20 minutes).
    • If done in controlled bursts (20 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes, etc.) it requires no maintenance
  • While it is technically not an magitech device, it is about as tough as one and not as impervious as a true artifact.
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License