Startifacts

Startifact is a portmanteau of start and artifact. There is a legacy rule in EXP of fresh personas starting the game with a few artifacts. Artifacts are different from mundane equipment. Artifacts can be technomagical devices that transcend comprehension. Artifacts can also be complete junk. Startifacts are usually secret. Players roll the dice to generate their persona’s startifacts, but the referee records their info with an alloy-clad poker face.

A startifact should not destroy a referee’s plot or milieu.

The players generate technomagical equipment using the Technological Object Yield System. This Technological Object Yield System is called TOYs for short, and anything it generates is a toy. An unidentified toy is called an artifact. An identified toy is called a toy or equipment. Each table of players will develop their language for equipment.

Players get three startifacts, maybe. Personas can end up with more or less than three items.

Junque and minimal Treasure do not count as startifacts. In this case, the persona may get more than three items, although some are useless. Spaceships, vehicles, robots and other powerful items stop startifact generation. In this case, the persona may get less than three items because of the item’s power.

Personas are not allowed to amass artifacts related to their vocation. Vocation toy limits is a legacy rule within a legacy rule. This rule prevents personas from being overpowered with startifacts. It also encourages the expedition to work together from startup. The player should stop generating startifacts according to the below table. For example, a player rolling startifacts for her mercenary persona would stop once she generates a weapon.

The referee is free to modify the roll on the fly. If a spacevehicle defeats the purpose of the entire campaign, roll again. If the table is looking for tables that focus on combat, uncombat, or cool stuff jump to TOY Generation.

How the technological chaos arises is up to the milieu of the referee. Did countless societies rise and fall, leaving their technology to be found later? Did alien civilizations leave their garbage behind under pyramids? Or is it both?

Personas may not know how their startifact works. In fact, personas usually have no idea how their startifacts work. Some TOYs can blow up the expedition if mishandled. Startifacts can play a role in both persona and campaign story development. Most often players role play their way through artifact identification.

For the mini-game of artifact identification jump here.