Game items
Overview
There are several different categories of item that your character can acquire in Empire, with different rules for each category. For some items Profound Decisions will provide you with a phys-rep for the item, for some you will need to provide your own phys-reps. In some cases the item will be accompanied by a card or ribbon that denotes its special powers or effects, in other cases the phys-rep alone will suffice. We have summarized all these rules below and included pictures of the phys-reps supplied by Profound Decisions so that your character can recognize them. There are strict rules that prohibit stealing game items except for certain specific items or under very specific situations.
Materials
Materials are produced by mines and forests, that are controlled by players. Each player whose character controls one of these resources will receive ingots or measures of the resource at the start of every event they attend.
The phys-reps for these items are provided by Profound Decisions, there are no cards or ribbons provided with them - if your character has possession of the phys-rep then they have possession of the item. Each material comes in three different sizes, the smallest size represents a single ingot or measure of the resource, the next largest represents 3 ingots or measures and the largest size represents five ingots or measures. Each of the phys-reps has a number of objects (swords, shields, drops) or an engraved tally-mark to indicate the size of the resource, 1-3.
Magical Items
Magical items are created by characters with the artisan skill using rare materials. Each player whose character has the artisan skill will receive at least one magical item at every event they attend. If an artisan hands rare materials into GOD at the end of the event then they can use these resources to create different items.
Magical items are indicated by a ribbon, stamped by Profound Decisions that indicates that the item is visually unusual and has special abilities. You must provide a phys-rep for any magical item that your character owns, and the ribbon should be attached to the item, otherwise you cannot use the item in game and should not carry the ribbon for the item on your person.
If your character has a magical ring, then we suggest that you tie the ribbon around the wrist of the hand with the magic ring.
You can learn more about magical items here.
Coins
Coins are provided by Profound Decisions to every participant playing an Imperial citizen who is attending an event. Each character automatically receives 18 rings; characters with a farm or business receive substantial additional income.
The phys-reps for coins are provided by Profound Decisions. The coins are denominated as 1 ring, 5 rings, 1 crown, 4 crowns, 1 throne, 5 thrones, 20 thrones, and 100 thrones. There are 20 rings to a crown, and 8 crowns to a throne.
You can learn more about the Imperial currency here.
Potions
Potions are mixed from herbs by apothecaries. Each potion requires a specific skill to make it - you can only mix a potion if your character has the skill to do so.
Each potion requires a specific set of ingredients. To mix a potion you must take the right herb cards to GOD. Once there you can exchange them for a laminated potion card. The card has a standard Empire special item card design on the front. On the back is a description of the contents of your potion, what it looks and tastes like, as well as the type of potion (liquid, salve, oil or infusion), which determines how you use it.
Any player who recognizes the potion from its description and taste can recognize the potion and know what it does. Your character does not need to have a skill to identify a potion. It is perfectly acceptable to copy the description of potions from the wiki into a book of lore and to consult this book in play if you wish to do so, but please make an appropriate effort to make the book look as in-character as possible.
Although it is perfectly legal to add an in-character label to the phys-rep for a potion - you must not write the in-character name of the potion on the out-of-character lammy - your character can label the bottle - the player can not add additional information to the lammy.
Every potion has a tab that sticks out of the lammy marked "Rip on Use". To use a potion you rip open off the tab and use this opening to prize the laminated card open and read what is written inside. Printed inside the card are the roleplaying and mechanical effects of the potion as well as the name of the potion (this is essentially OOC information and should be ignored, it exists so that our GOD crew can identify the right potion when laminating the cards).
You will need to provide your own phys-rep for the potion bottle. Skian Mhor have created a range of resin potion bottles which are available from their website or on sale at events.
Cards
- You must provide a phys-rep for any carded game item and the cards should be kept with the phys-reps
- All carded game items are one-shot items - you must rip the card or give it to a referee when you use the item
Many game items in Empire, such as herbs or mana crystals, are indicated by a small card (85mm x 55mm), printed by Profound Decisions. All official carded game items have the same brown front shown in the image to the right.
The basic rules for a carded game item will be printed on the reverse of the card. Carded game items are considered common in Empire, they are easy for characters to recognize and most people know what they do and how to use them. This means that you are free to read the text on the card at any point and have your character understand the implications of what is written there - i.e. your character knows what the item is and what it does.
Sometimes the rules on a card will differ from the rules on the wiki. This usually means the card is leftover from an earlier version of the rules. In this case, the rules on the wiki take precedence. Where convenient - please exchange these cards in GOD for a replacement with the correct wording.
You must provide a phys-rep for any carded game item that your character owns, and the cards should be kept with the phys-reps, otherwise you cannot use the substance in game and should not carry the cards on your person.
All game items which use cards are one-shot items that are consumed on use. You must either rip the card in two or give it to a referee if one is present.
Herbs
Herbs are harvested by characters with a herb garden personal resource. Each player whose character controls a herb garden will automatically receive at least fourteen herbs at every event they attend. An appropriate phys-rep for a herb is a small vial of liquid, or a pile of herbs, leaves or pieces of plant matter. You can also focus on phys-repping a suitable container for the herbs instead if you prefer.
Liao
Liao is distributed by the Imperial civil service to characters that own a congregation. Each player whose character controls a congregation will receive liao at the start of every event they attend. An appropriate phys-rep for liao is any small vial of liquid or similar stoppered pot.
Mana Crystals
Mana crystals are grown by characters with a mana site personal resource. Each player whose character controls a mana site will automatically receive at least seven mana crystals at every event they attend.
An appropriate phys-rep for a mana crystal is a small lump of crystal, such as might be grown in a chemical solution or be found naturally.
Vis
In addition to the conventional mana crystals, characters may also acquire exotic mana called vis. This substance cannot be acquired from a personal resource; it is usually gained by dealing with powerful magical creatures and effects, most commonly an eternal or ritual.
You can learn more about the six types of vis here.
Philtres
Philtres are a special kind of potion that is designed to be used quickly in battle. Philtres are more common than most potions, so they can be correctly identified by any character who examines them. Each philtre has the description and effects written on the accompanying laminated card - just like a herb.
If your character has one or more philtres you must provide your own phys-rep bottles for each one - just like a regular potion.
Artisan's Oil
Artisan's Oil is a substance created by artisans. Any artisan can spend a month, and a crown's worth of materials, to produce three doses of Artisan's Oil.
An appropriate phys-rep for a dose of Artisan's Oil is a small vial of liquid, or a small tub, pot, or jar.
