Alien Artifact

An alien artifact is a strange device or relic that the character doesn’t know anything about. It could be an object of alien origin, a one-of-a-kind experimental gadget, or even an experimental process used on the character at some point in the past. Somewhere in his travels, the character came to possess the artifact. Any alien artifact that is an item is small enough to be easily carried around or worn. The character doesn’t know his item’s function or purpose; he has to discover exactly what the artifact does as the campaign progresses. As a perk, an alien artifact provides mostly advantages—but every artifact also has its negative side. Some provide a constant benefit; others require that the character make a perk check to activate the artifact.

An artifact’s negative side can be a flaw that manifests when the character least expects it; the downside can also be the simple fact that alien artifacts are extremely rare, exceedingly valuable, and highly coveted. Someone wants the one your character possesses, and will stop at nothing to get it.

Alien artifacts are listed and described in the Gamemaster Guide. After you select this perk, the Gamemaster will design an alien artifact for your character.