Pattern Items and True Patterns?

Discussion on playing Earthdawn. Experiences, stories, and questions related to being a player.
Telarus
Posts:267
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:16 am
Re: Pattern Items and True Patterns?

Post by Telarus » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:13 pm

1a) 100%. In my games it usually takes a bit more than just creating the item. Grimoires are a good example because they have an intimate connection to your own pattern (scribing spells into the pattern of your grimoire then allows you to re-call the spell-patterns into your own pattern for RAW magic casting). The Weaponsmith's Heartblade is another good example.

1b) The only clear example of purposefully creating a pattern item that I can think of is the tale of how Garlthik lost his Eye. See The Longing Ring and sequels for details, but a Theran magician ripped out Garlthik's Eye and implanted it into his own palm as a "always on" pattern item to use against the wily Thief.

Think of it that way. If I manage to cut somebody's hand off, that item retains a link to their Pattern. It is not a bright magical "living" pattern on it's own, but it is distinct (when viewing it in astral space) from the very muted neutral tones that the background objects, etc have.

Sometimes, physical items that have a very close, intimate, direct, or overtly magical connection to a Named pattern start to collect mana, and the metaphysical connection means the mana in the item is in "resonance" or whatever with the mana in the Named pattern (person, dragon, castle, airship, etc).

The only final say is the GM's call, based on how it will affect the setting/story-in-motion. And you don't normally go around cutting your ear off and handing it to the Wizard (highest TW in the group, eh?) so he can buff you from across town....

hojoos
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Joined:Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:02 pm

Re: Pattern Items and True Patterns?

Post by hojoos » Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:04 pm

Each rank of a thread item is gated behind a key knowledge, which must be uncovered through Item History. Success on an Item History test unlocks the Key Knowledge by either identifying it is blank (no Test/Research) or by revealing the Test Knowledge (question to be answered and/or deed to be done). Character must then find the Research Knowledge (answer to the question) and/or perform the deed before they can spend LP to achieve that rank (and you can't skip ranks).

Belenus
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Re: Pattern Items and True Patterns?

Post by Belenus » Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:49 pm

You create a pattern item for a group structure ;)

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