Radiances

While radiances are normally caster level 20 artifacts, a GM can easily make them appropriate for lower levels by making them a scaling radiance instead. This is a good way to give them to lower-level characters and have the item remain relevant throughout the rest of the campaign, as it will grow in power as the wearer does. A scaling radiance is modified as follows:

• It provides its ability score bonuses at a rate of 1 every even level, but cannot boost the same ability score twice in a row.
• The caster levels (and, sometimes, other traits) of all effects are reduced to match the user’s total character level. This shrinks the range of the radiance’s aura.
• The radiant boon is unavailable until the GM chooses to allow it. Typically, they should not be available before level 15, but the GM may allow a character to access the radiant boon sooner, or later, based on when they feel it is appropriate.
• A radiance is priceless whether it is scaling or not, but GMs who want it to count against a character’s wealth should treat it as worth 30% of a character’s wealth by level.

A radiance consists of five elements selected when it is created. The illuminated design of a radiance includes each of these elements in its shape, so creatures gain a +5 bonus on checks to identify the properties of an illuminated radiance. The parts of a radiance are:

• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: A radiance provides a total of +10 in inherent bonuses to ability scores. These can be distributed in any way, except that the radiance cannot provide more than a +5 inherent bonus to any one score. These bonuses overlap (and therefore do not stack with) any inherent bonuses a character already possesses.
• Aegis: A radiance confers a permanent aegis on its user. At the GM’s discretion, a radiance may instead grant a defensive effect from another sphere, at the same power level, if that would be more thematically appropriate.
• Aura: A radiance emits a constant close-range aura (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 caster levels, normally 75 feet) while illuminated, with effects depending on its type. The aura should not be directly defensive, but can apply effects such as a consecration from the Fate sphere, a totem from the War sphere, or a thematically relevant effect from the Nature sphere (like the Air Mastery (air, geomancing) talent’s Feather Fall ability or the Fire Mastery (fire, geomancing) talent’s Extinguish ability). The effect should be something that is appropriate for a constant effect, as determined by the GM.
• Sphere-Like Ability: A radiance allows its user to activate a sphere-like ability. This ability is any set of one or more magic talents that function together, such as the Destruction sphere and one (blast shape) and one (blast type) talent. The radiance’s user can activate this sphere-like ability as a standard action (or faster, if it would normally be cast with less than a standard action); it does not cost any spell points and is not affected by their casting tradition. Sphere-like abilities are usually tied to the primary theme of the radiance.
• Radiant Boon: A radiant boon is a unique effect tied to the radiance. Unlike the other powers of a radiance, radiant boons are usually not talent-based effects. Instead, they represent the true power of the radiance. Most radiant boons are limited to either one or three uses per day, but could include effects like raising the user from the dead (fully restored), the ability to grant another creature’s wish, a transformation into a specific type of non-unique creature, or anything else that is thematically appropriate for the radiance. If a radiant boon is an activated ability with no other action listed, using it requires a standard action.

A radiance can be destroyed by sundering its disc form with a major artifact while it is deactivated. However, because creatures capable of creating radiances can often maintain several of them at the same time and create more when some are broken, destroying them is a temporary setback at best.

Finally, most radiances have a criteria for using them safely, which is known as their measure. Any creature who willingly wears a radiance without meeting its measure suffers one permanent negative level per round they have the radiance equipped and cannot benefit from any of the radiance's effects. Radiances understand intent and will not inflict these negative levels on creatures who are mind-controlled, tricked, or otherwise manipulated into wearing them (although such creatures should remove the radiance at the first reasonable opportunity).

Aura strong Nature; CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This pale radiance is difficult to see, appearing to be made entirely of faintly-glowing strands of air. Its appearance changes to match the current weather.

• Measure: None
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +5 Dexterity, +5 Intelligence
• Aegis: Energy Resistance (resist electricity 30)
• Aura: All allies within 100 feet gain the Cloudsight ability of the Nature sphere’s Nature Sight (spirit) talent.
• Sphere-Like Ability: Destruction sphere (destructive blast for 20d6 electricity damage, plus the effects of the Electricity Blast (blast type) and Sculpt Blast (blast shape, line only, maximum 300 feet) talents)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, the user can gain control of all wind in a five-mile radius for up to one hour. Each round, they may choose the direction and speed of all wind within that range, to a maximum of Hurricane-force winds (see the Weather sphere for more information on wind speeds).

Aura strong Blood; CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This radiance pulses with dark red hues and appears to be constantly dripping down behind the user, although the liquid that splashes to the floor disappears once the user begins moving.

• Measure: The radiance of blood can be used safely by any creature who has shed the blood of at least two hundred creatures.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +5 Strength, +5 Constitution
• Aegis: Breathless (user gains a +4 morale bonus to saving throws against poisons and diseases, and can withstand extreme pressures from natural environments, does not need to breathe, and can survive underwater or in vacuums. This does not provide immunity to cloud or gas attacks that do not require breathing.)
• Aura: Bleeding Battlefield (War sphere talent, applies in a range of 100 feet centered on the radiance)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Blood sphere (blood control with both the Bleed (quicken) and Coagulate (still) effects, plus the effects of the Hemorrhage talent and all (blood art) talents)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, the bearer of a radiance of blood can create an aura of 1,000 feet in diameter, centered on themselves. This aura lasts for 24 hours. All creatures within the aura must succeed at a Fortitude Save (DC 25 + the user’s casting ability modifier (or their Charisma modifier, if they do not have a casting ability modifier) + the user’s mythic tier) or lose any immunities that would apply to the effects of blood control for as long as they are within the aura. A creature who leaves and re-enters the same aura created by this ability does not get to attempt a new saving throw; they use the same result.

Aura strong Fate (chaotic); CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This radiance has a constantly-shifting appearance, never quite the same as when anyone last looked at it.

• Measure: The radiance of chaos can be used safely by any non-lawful creature. Any non-chaotic creature who wears it becomes a chaotic creature (with corresponding changes to their behavior, although they retain their moral code) for as long as they wear the radiance. This is not a permanent effect, and ends as soon as the radiance of chaos is deactivated.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +5 Constitution, +5 Charisma
• Aegis: Ablating (50% chance against attacks; drops by 5% each time it successfully causes an attack to miss, and automatically recharges by 5% each round to a maximum of 50%)
• Aura: Divine Pressure (Fate sphere talent; applies to lawful creatures)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Fate sphere (Curse (word) talent)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, as a standard action, the user can create a field of wild magic 300 feet across (see the Wild Magic page for more information). All spells cast within this field gain a 100% chance of triggering wild magic. Abilities that can alter wild magic chance function normally. This field lasts for 6d10 minutes.

Aura strong Fate (evil); CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This blood-red radiance displays the symbol of an infernal queen who works under one of the most prominent lords of Hell. It is only given to followers she judges as uniquely worthy of bearing a sign of her affection and support.

• Measure: The radiance of the infernal queen can be used safely by any creature who has the blessings of the infernal queen to wear it, or the same blessing from any of the lords of Hell.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma
• Aegis: Friendship (user is immune to spell, spell-like, sphere, and supernatural abilities that are subject to spell resistance and cover an area; this applies to effects from all creatures serving Hell)
• Aura: Stricture (Fate sphere talent; may change as a standard action, but not more than once per minute)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Fate sphere (Geas (advanced, word), plus the effects of Echoing Word [mass] and Greater Geas (advanced))
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, the bearer of a radiance of the infernal queen can grant up to three wishes to any creature that pays an appropriate price for them. These wishes are granted by the infernal queen herself, and she determines whether or not an offered price is acceptable. This otherwise functions as a genie’s wish-granting.

Aura strong Light; CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This yellow-hued radiance displays the symbol of the rising sun. It is usually granted to favored heroes who embody the tenets of the goddess of the dawn.

• Measure: The radiance of light can be used safely by any good-aligned creature, as well as any neutral creature that is capable of casting a magical effect with the light descriptor (including any effect of the Light sphere) but not capable of casting any magical effect with the darkness descriptor.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +4 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma
• Aegis: Inner Peace (user gains a +4 morale bonus against all fear, emotional and mind-affecting abilities, and gets a saving throw against magical effects this bonus applies to, even if a saving throw is not normally allowed; the user also receives a +4 morale bonus on certain Bluff and Diplomacy checks)
• Aura: Repelling Light (Light sphere talent; applies to all undead and evil outsiders)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Light sphere (user may create light or bright light, as the basic effects of the Light sphere, that automatically dispels any darkness effect it touches except those created by artifacts or deities)
• Radiant Boon: This radiant boon can only be used by creatures who are wearing this radiance while wielding the staff of sacred light^TS. While this radiance is illuminated, the staff of sacred light is both an enchanted weapon and an implement simultaneously, so the wielder no longer needs to decide between its forms. In addition, once per day, the wielder can create a miracle (as the regular spell, except that the miracle cannot create any effect with the darkness descriptor).

Aura strong Fate (lawful); CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This silvery radiance is perfectly symmetrical, with rings inside of rings forming a near-impossibly intricate design.

• Measure: The radiance of order can be used safely by any non-chaotic creature. Any non-lawful creature who wears it becomes a lawful creature (with corresponding changes to their behavior, although they retain their moral code) for as long as they wear the radiance. This is not a permanent effect, and ends as soon as the radiance of order is deactivated.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +5 Strength, +5 Intelligence
• Aegis: Obstruction (DR 10/-, maximum reduction of 100 damage/round)
• Aura: Divine Pressure (Fate sphere talent; applies to chaotic creatures)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Fate sphere (Bless (word) talent)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, as a standard action, the user can create a rule that applies within 100 feet of where the user is when they create it. This rule must be generally applicable to all creatures within its range and cannot selectively function on any individual or group (although some types of creatures may be less affected by a rule). For example, this radiant boon can rule that gravity does not exist within the field, but it cannot rule that all evil creatures within the field cannot attack. The GM is the final arbiter of whether or not a rule is appropriate, but as a general rule, the effect should not exceed what is possible by casting the miracle spell. The rule created by this item cannot affect deities or other artifacts. Once established, the rule lasts for 100 minutes.

Aura strong Life; CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This radiance shines with a soft golden light while illuminated and features iconography of two hands healing the injured. It is most often granted to those who spend their lives healing others, granting them the opportunity to continue doing so.

• Measure: The radiance of perpetual life can be used safely by any creature who has healed at least 5,000 hit points other creatures have lost.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +5 Constitution, +5 Wisdom
• Aegis: Deathless (user gains a +4 morale bonus against Death effects, including negative energy, as well as harmful positive energy, and gets a saving throw against such effects even if one normally is not allowed)
• Aura: Undying Obstinance (Fate sphere advanced talent)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Life sphere (Cure and restore, plus the effects of all (cure) talents)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, the bearer of a radiance of perpetual life can grant any number of creatures within 100 feet regeneration 1 for 20 hours. Also, the bearer does not age as long as this radiance is active; this provides immunity to aging effects.

Aura strong Alteration; CL 20th
Slot radiance; Weight -

This radiance takes the form of a large mane of fur that rests around the user’s head and shoulders. The fur is always bright and clean, regardless of the weather or the environment.

• Measure: The radiance of the lion lord can be used safely by any creature who is the acknowledged leader of at least five other creatures of its creature type per Hit Dice it possesses.
• Inherent Ability Score Bonuses: +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +2 Wisdom
• Aegis: Iron Shield (user gains a +4 bonus to AC and saving throws against all forms of environmental damage (except vacuum), attacks that utilize nature as a resource (such as lightning called from the sky, but not from all electricity attacks), abilities of the Nature and Weather spheres, and the spell, spell-like, and supernatural abilities of fey creatures, magical beasts, and plant creatures.)
• Aura: Totem of Courage (War sphere talent)
• Sphere-Like Ability: Mind sphere (Courage (charm) talent, with the effects of the Powerful Charm version and the Mass Charm [mass] talent)
• Radiant Boon: Once per day, the bearer of a radiance of the lion lord can summon the image of a colossal lion behind them. This image then releases an enormous howl, dealing 20d6 sonic damage to all targets within 500 feet. Creatures who take sonic damage from this effect must also succeed at a Will saving throw or flee for five minutes as if panicked. This is not actually the panicked condition and is not a mind-affecting effect.