Fate of the Artifacts

Earl McClaw · Post by **Earl McClaw** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:39 pm

Has anyone given a thought about where the artifacts might be now? We know they were initially sold and scattered, but...

One possibility is that they were all so much trouble that the Outer Races declared them "cursed", so a special place was constructed for them to be kept out of trouble (aka "the Vault"). Quentyn might even be declared a savior for removing them, assuming he can get past the guard on the place or convince them to turn the stuff over.

Another is that they proves so useful that they're now in the hands of kings and rulers (or at least sorcerers). This would make it easier for the Questor to find them ("Fountainville, City of the Decanter of Endless Water"), but retrieval would be ever so much harder.

Or maybe the Outer Races never discovered what they were, and now they're gathering dust on obscure shelves or being used for mundane purposes. (Hey, they're described as "rare, historically priceless", not "all powerful".)

The most "in genere" idea would be, of course, that these powerful "magic" items are now in the hands of heroes, and are being used to right wrongs, defend the weak and innocent, and generally keep the peace... er, make that "rob tombs, blow the gold on ale and wenches, brawl for all you're worth, and loot the bodies".

(Okay, people, let's hear your ideas, analysis of ideas, or speculation on what the artifacts are/can do.)

TMLutas · Post by **TMLutas** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:53 pm

From a story writing perspective, I would guess that you'd have a real chinese menu. Whatever tickles our author's fancy is going to be in that mystery cart and he can spin out stories as long as he wants. The cart he used in that illustration doesn't have to be the only cart in the shipment, for instance. The only real issue is how many of those artifacts could have been moved in a few months time. You can draw things out by having a wizard drive through, pick up a large chunk of the huge shipment in bulk and selling them through his own shop for decades to various purchasers.

The best we really can do is to sit up and beg for RH to put the manifest list in one of the strips or on a for purchase CD and if he wants to retain maximum author flexibility he won't do it.

Earl McClaw · Post by **Earl McClaw** » Sat May 06, 2006 6:58 pm

All very true, TMLutas, but that's never stopped the local forumites from speculating before. And I'd like to read what some of these lunatics would do if they could define/select an artifact, give it historical significance to the Rac Conan, and script what happened to it since it went "outside".

Me, I'd pick some minor item that was significant only because of the people and events it happened to encounter. This particular McGuffin (and the artifact hunt sounds like a true McGuffin hunt) would be the last one recovered, passing from person to person and always being just missed by Quentyn as he travels about.

BlasTech · Post by **BlasTech** » Sat May 06, 2006 8:02 pm

Earl McClaw wrote:Me, I'd pick some minor item that was significant only because of the people and events it happened to encounter. This particular McGuffin (and the artifact hunt sounds like a true McGuffin hunt) would be the last one recovered, passing from person to person and always being just missed by Quentyn as he travels about.

Great, now i cant shake the image of quentyn walking around going "hey do you have this artefact still" and getting the reply ... "Ohhh sorry, i just fedexed it to my aunt in the next county, if you hurry you might catch it"

The Lurking Dragon · Post by **The Lurking Dragon** » Sat May 06, 2006 10:03 pm

Another possibility, especially given human's general lack of comprehension and inability to use magic, is that the items which were artifacts to the Rac Conans became legendary items in the human world. Stuff like excalibur etc that have been lost even to humans.

TMLutas · Post by **TMLutas** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:58 pm

The Lurking Dragon wrote:Another possibility, especially given human's general lack of comprehension and inability to use magic, is that the items which were artifacts to the Rac Conans became legendary items in the human world. Stuff like excalibur etc that have been lost even to humans.

It sounds like it would be useful for Quentyn to hire a bard to sing him of magic artifacts. Such stories would very likely be the best clues available.

Madmoonie · Post by **Madmoonie** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:34 pm

TMLutas wrote:
The Lurking Dragon wrote:Another possibility, especially given human's general lack of comprehension and inability to use magic, is that the items which were artifacts to the Rac Conans became legendary items in the human world. Stuff like excalibur etc that have been lost even to humans.
It sounds like it would be useful for Quentyn to hire a bard to sing him of magic artifacts. Such stories would very likely be the best clues available.

That is actually a pretty good idea....find legends or fables of the mysterious magical weapons. Or find libraries and such.

There is one thing though. I kind of doubt these weapons actually beiong used. They would be far too small to be used by humans.

TMLutas · Post by **TMLutas** » Sun May 07, 2006 5:49 pm

Madmoonie wrote:
TMLutas wrote:
The Lurking Dragon wrote:Another possibility, especially given human's general lack of comprehension and inability to use magic, is that the items which were artifacts to the Rac Conans became legendary items in the human world. Stuff like excalibur etc that have been lost even to humans.
It sounds like it would be useful for Quentyn to hire a bard to sing him of magic artifacts. Such stories would very likely be the best clues available.
That is actually a pretty good idea....find legends or fables of the mysterious magical weapons. Or find libraries and such.

There is one thing though. I kind of doubt these weapons actually beiong used. They would be far too small to be used by humans.

Oh, I don't know. I can certainly see a weather mage aid being of use to a human shaman in a rural area (99% of the world). A mirror that sees true intention would be very useful, no matter how small. In fact, small would be useful in diplomatic circles. Weapon artifacts could go to royal children as could armor (any tail piece would be put in storage).

Certainly there might be certain artifacts that could be in a trash heap somewhere but I doubt it. They would have been sold at a good price. That meant that at least one person on the outside had already figured out a use for them.

Earl McClaw · Post by **Earl McClaw** » Sun May 07, 2006 7:47 pm

There's a sequence in Tolkein's the Hobbit where Bilbo aquires the Elvish blade he later names "Sting". To the elves it was a dagger, but to someone Bilbo's size it worked as a shortsword. So a Rac Conan bracelet might become a human ring. And a cloak or blanket might be used as a bandana or scarf.