D. Rex
Magic Eight Ball
Created during the Primordial War, these remarkable artifacts provide extremely accurate and thorough
tactical data on the units and terrain of a battlefi eld. Each atlas of the unconquered general is a thin disk of
mirror-polished moonsilver roughly four inches in diameter rimmed in starmetal wire, with a crescent handle
around one side of the disk made of orichalcum inset with delicate jade buttons. To those who do not know
better, the maps look like nothing so much as very exotic and expensive hand mirrors (and may be used as
such). When laid fl at and charged for a day with fi ve committed motes, however, the disk expands as desired
to a maximum diameter of three feet for easier viewing. Regardless of its set dimensions, the moonsilver
surface liquefi es, forming itself into an exact topographic replica of the landscape in a two-mile radius from
the map. Grains of adamant sand fl ow out of a compartment in the orichalcum handle and settle across the
map’s surface, denoting the location of all sentient beings not concealed by magic. The clinging sand grains
move in real time to keep the map up-to-date (hovering to mark aerial units), and the advanced Essence
sensors in the map automatically color-code the grains according to arcane links of shared loyalties, so that
all members of a military unit share the same hue. Particles representing beings capable of channeling Essence
glow signifi cantly brighter than those denoting mere mortals, allowing instant identifi cation of all possible
allies and threats of real signifi cance present in the area. The map’s attuned owner can use the jade buttons
to manually alter the colors assigned to units so as to group known enemies or allies with the same color for
easier identifi cation. The controls can also zoom in on any part of the maximum-sized map, displaying the
selected section in greater detail.
Besides offering a wealth of information on terrain and unit placement that may guide a character’s
tactical decisions, an atlas of the unconquered general provides a number of mechanical benefi ts. First, char-
acters using the device add three dice to all War rolls pertaining to the scanned area and/or units, which can
aid in stratagems and actual command. Additionally, those using the device may gain all of the information
pertaining to a unit’s status conferred by the Solar Charm General of the All-Seeing Sun. If the character
carries the map around while it is charged, it automatically adjusts itself based on the terrain and units in
range, which makes it particularly useful when carried aboard vehicles.
A handful of fi ve-dot versions of this map exist, which have all of the listed powers but can also can
calculate and model predictions of enemy tactical decisions. To run a predictive simulation, the owner selects
a unit commander represented on the map. He then spends fi ve motes (uncommitted) while his player rolls
(Intelligence + War) as a miscellaneous action at a diffi culty of the targeted commander’s War rating. If suc-
cessful, the owner’s player may ask one speculative question regarding the target commander’s future battle
plans based on any number of conditions. The target’s player may give any answer to the question she desires,
but if the situation actually comes up within the next day, the commander must pursue the stated course of
action unless she spends a Willpower point. (This is considered a form of unnatural mental infl uence, even
though the map’s magic does not actually alter the target’s mind.) The Willpower loss represents the mental
strain of adjusting tactics against an opponent who appears to have anticipated her every move.
The command room of the Realm Defense Grid in the Imperial Manse supposedly has an Artifact N/A
version of this device that can display and speculatively simulate all terrain and units on the Blessed Isle, though
this may simply be an apocryphal legend spread by the Scarlet Empress to intimidate her enemies.
tactical data on the units and terrain of a battlefi eld. Each atlas of the unconquered general is a thin disk of
mirror-polished moonsilver roughly four inches in diameter rimmed in starmetal wire, with a crescent handle
around one side of the disk made of orichalcum inset with delicate jade buttons. To those who do not know
better, the maps look like nothing so much as very exotic and expensive hand mirrors (and may be used as
such). When laid fl at and charged for a day with fi ve committed motes, however, the disk expands as desired
to a maximum diameter of three feet for easier viewing. Regardless of its set dimensions, the moonsilver
surface liquefi es, forming itself into an exact topographic replica of the landscape in a two-mile radius from
the map. Grains of adamant sand fl ow out of a compartment in the orichalcum handle and settle across the
map’s surface, denoting the location of all sentient beings not concealed by magic. The clinging sand grains
move in real time to keep the map up-to-date (hovering to mark aerial units), and the advanced Essence
sensors in the map automatically color-code the grains according to arcane links of shared loyalties, so that
all members of a military unit share the same hue. Particles representing beings capable of channeling Essence
glow signifi cantly brighter than those denoting mere mortals, allowing instant identifi cation of all possible
allies and threats of real signifi cance present in the area. The map’s attuned owner can use the jade buttons
to manually alter the colors assigned to units so as to group known enemies or allies with the same color for
easier identifi cation. The controls can also zoom in on any part of the maximum-sized map, displaying the
selected section in greater detail.
Besides offering a wealth of information on terrain and unit placement that may guide a character’s
tactical decisions, an atlas of the unconquered general provides a number of mechanical benefi ts. First, char-
acters using the device add three dice to all War rolls pertaining to the scanned area and/or units, which can
aid in stratagems and actual command. Additionally, those using the device may gain all of the information
pertaining to a unit’s status conferred by the Solar Charm General of the All-Seeing Sun. If the character
carries the map around while it is charged, it automatically adjusts itself based on the terrain and units in
range, which makes it particularly useful when carried aboard vehicles.
A handful of fi ve-dot versions of this map exist, which have all of the listed powers but can also can
calculate and model predictions of enemy tactical decisions. To run a predictive simulation, the owner selects
a unit commander represented on the map. He then spends fi ve motes (uncommitted) while his player rolls
(Intelligence + War) as a miscellaneous action at a diffi culty of the targeted commander’s War rating. If suc-
cessful, the owner’s player may ask one speculative question regarding the target commander’s future battle
plans based on any number of conditions. The target’s player may give any answer to the question she desires,
but if the situation actually comes up within the next day, the commander must pursue the stated course of
action unless she spends a Willpower point. (This is considered a form of unnatural mental infl uence, even
though the map’s magic does not actually alter the target’s mind.) The Willpower loss represents the mental
strain of adjusting tactics against an opponent who appears to have anticipated her every move.
The command room of the Realm Defense Grid in the Imperial Manse supposedly has an Artifact N/A
version of this device that can display and speculatively simulate all terrain and units on the Blessed Isle, though
this may simply be an apocryphal legend spread by the Scarlet Empress to intimidate her enemies.
