Where those really new really old artifacts are coming from…
I’m sure you’ve heard something about the National Museum in Baghdad getting robbed of 30 to 40 items. Doesn’t sound that special, does it? I mean, the whole city’s been bombed to hell and back, a little looting is to be expected.
However, all the evidence points towards a small group of professional theives that broke in and stole exact pieces. Stuff like impressive-looking repilcas were left behind, while the junky-looking real deal was stolen. The fact that none of the locks had been broken into or picked, meaning that the theives had keys to the museum (or other means of opening locks…). Most of the museum’s holdings were ancient Mesopotamian and Babylonian artifacts, two of the earliest civlizations? So what got stolen?
Well, it turns out that the theives were pros, but they weren’t stealing them for their historical value. After going through the museum with some kind of artifact finder, they cleaned out the museum of all of the artifacts they could find. They don’t really know what they do, but they are the real deal, so they’re selling them off to some easily duped dukes as super-powerful artifacts from ancient Atlantis or something and watching them to see what they do. One managed to create a tiny tropical rainforest in a upstate New York townhouse, so they raided his house, killed him, and took it back. Right now, they’re trying to sell it to various enviromental groups, while keeping tabs on the others, just in case.
Very nice, but there is something I either dont get, or just dont fit.
If they have to use dukes to see if the thing works or not, then in needs charges. They cant sell it “to enviromental groups”, unless they are clued-in enviromental groups.
Wrong? But anyway, the idea is very cool.
Jesús Couto F.
They just don’t know what they do, and they’re not stupid enough to try them out themselves. Something about the possibility of Very Bad Things™ made them think otherwise.
And who says some of the more fringe enviromental groups aren’t in on the occult underground?
No, rest assured that the part about using dukes as unknowing arcane bomb test ranges is what I liked more about it. I think my players are going to get one gift from a secret admirer soon 🙂
Jesús Couto F.
If people are interested in using environmental groups as a plot device you could do much worse than checking out groups like the ELF for aspen but an aspect that should be considered is the original uses of these artifacts. If these artifacts had a pivitol role in maintaining the green soil areas of the Middle east the PCs could easily wind up in an Earth first / Al Qaeda / Blood and soil gang bang of tremendous proportions