Relics are tools and weapons
brought from the ruins below or produced by the Priests using secret methods. The
relics recovered from the ruins are complex and strange and only the Priests
fully understand them. Relics produced in the city are mundane items made with
materials from the ruins. They are stronger, lighter, and generally better than
their mundane counterparts are. These are just some of the more common or useful examples of Relics.
The relic that every citizen and
nomad are familiar with are the Skiffs. They are 10 meter long enclosed craft.
Using the same method the cities use to remain afloat, Skiffs are able to float
above the fog and travel between the cities and towns. They are short-range
craft, only able to make journeys of a week of more before they need
maintenance from a priest. The Scavengers use them to launch their expeditions
down into the fog. This is to reduce the danger of arboreal predators scaling
the lines and attacking a city or town. Most cities have dozens of Skiffs and the
cities use much of the material recovered by Scavengers to keep their Skiffs in
working order.
The largest common relic is a
Hull. Similar to a Skiff, this is a large enclosed craft, roughly 300 meters in
length. Nomads live in fleets of Hulls, travelling between cities. Each Hull
carries several Skiffs, with a capacity for up to a dozen. Only the very
richest cities have a Hull, and never more than one. The rest are crewed by
Nomads. A Nomad Hull is similar to a city, but far more cramped. These large
vehicles lack the temperamental nature of Skiffs and can go long distances
without needing significant repair.
Instead of, or supplementing their
use of torches, some Scavengers carry a simple relic. Similar in design to
other rod relics, the Lightrod is a foot long metallic rod which, when
activated, emits a bright beam of light from one end. Symbols appear in the air
above the surface of the rod and if the right combination is pressed, it
changes how the rod emits light. The extra features vary from rod to rod, but
all are able to generate a beam of light for between several hours, to several
days. Some are able to regain their power by sitting in the sun for a while,
while others require repair from a priest.
Sometimes, a
Scavenger will not want to come in contact with a dangerous creature. Maybe
their reach exceeds that of even a spear. Maybe they have a potent poison.
Regardless of why, sometimes a Scavenger will want a ranged weapon. Most carry
bows, sometimes made by Craftspeople, sometimes crafted from scavenged
materials by priests. Some Scavengers are lucky to have a relic weapon instead
of a bow, these devices are called Firerods. Like a Lightrod, a Firerod is a
foot long metallic rod. Unlike a Lightrod, this is a weapon. When activated,
symbols appear above the surface, one end will glow red, and a small patch of
light will appear on the rod’s surface. Adjusting the symbols on the surface
controls the intensity of the effect. Pressing on the patch of light will cause
a burning ray to erupt from the glowing end of the rod. If turned down to its
minimum, the power in these rods lasts nearly forever, but sadly can only light
a fire about a foot away. The burns it cause are only mildly painful. At their
highest setting, they will burn a hole through a large predator. The injury is
rarely enough to put one of those creatures down for good, but may slow it down
enough for the Scavenger to make their escape. Once the power in a Firerod is
spent, they must be returned to a priest for repair. Even more uncommon are the
larger cousin of the Firerod, the Firestave. These large relics are as tall as
a adult citizen and function much the same as a Firerod. However, the maximum
power of a Firestave is enough to incinerate even the largest creatures of the
Fog.
A Ticker is an extremely rare relic with no mundane counterpart. This
item is small and typically worn as a pendant or charm. They emit a periodic
ticking noise which grows louder the closer it’s bearer comes to the Fog. Once
inside the Fog, the ticking grows louder still as the bearer approaches either
a ruin, or a wasteland. Only an experience bearer can tell the difference
between the two. They are useful but dangerous tools. An inexperienced user can
stumble into a burning wasteland and suffer an agonizing death without much
difficulty. Even an experienced user is unable to silence the Ticker, even when
hiding from predators.
Stunrods are the primary tool of the trade for Protectors. These rod
relics produce incapacitating paralysis of the limbs at first. Continued use on
the same person will produce greater degrees of paralysis eventually leading to
the heart and lungs ceasing to function. Scavengers dismiss them as useless
because they only affect the human nervous system, leaving the dangerous
wildlife of the fog completely unaffected. The most common type of Stunrod
requires contact with the target. An uncommon and highly sought after version
fires a thin blue beam from one end that has the same effect on contact. Before
activation, they are identical to Lightrods and Firerods, this is another
reason Scavengers dislike them. When scrambling for a weapon to use against a
dangerous predator, finding a Stunrod can lull a rookie Scavenger into a false
sense of security.
Other Relics are common in the
ruins, and Scavengers may be able to discern their function. Some play strange
music. Others cause intricate light shows. Others still allow access to rooms
and buildings that are otherwise inaccessible. The majority of relics are
ineffable in purpose, and are either broken, as many things are in the ruins,
or simply require the expert knowledge of a Priest to decipher. Regardless of
their use, intended or otherwise, Scavengers bring these items to the Priests
who use them as components for their strange rituals and for repairing the
relics that the community finds useful.
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