Spectacles of Enlightenment

On the Topic of Shakti

The Eight Essences of the World are an esoteric concept known only to the enlightened of the world. The concept is practiced in multiple forms throughout the seven nation, but in Vlitra, this energy is known to a select few as Shakti.
Shakti refers to the primordial cosmic energy of the world. It represents the dynamic forces that make up the Universe. There are eight types of Shakti: Sun, Root, Tide, Rime, Gold, Bone, Sand and Storm. An individual is born with a Shakti affinity, which can be identified in a number of ways. It is said that some great elders are able to visualize the flow of Shakti, and in turn, the current of the universe itself.
Shakti is focused in the Atman, the core of one's spiritual self. Many do not know about the concept of Shakti, and yet they use it nonetheless in their everyday lives. Adventurer's and heroes of note are often masters of Shakti without realizing it. An example could include a wizard mastering their inner flow of energies to cast spells, or a fighter activating reserves of latent power. In moments, like this, Shakti is focused into a part of their body through meta-spiritual channels extending from their Atman. Master's of Shakti can use and shape their own Shakti to hinder or embolden the Shakti of others, directly affecting those meta-spiritual channels, or the very Atman itself.
Many philosophers have speculated the reason as to why certain poeple are born with specific Shakti types, but no conclusive research has been made.

Emboldening and Hindering Shakti

The Eight Shakti types are tied into four subtypes: Physical Shakti, Cognitive Shakti, Spiritual Shakti, and Temporal Shakti. Each type positively emboldens the type that succeeds them, and negatively hinders the type that precedes them.
It is key to not that both effects can be used to one's advantage. Properly targeted attacks utilizing hindering Shakti will deal devastating damage, while the same attack will deal miniscule damage when utilizing emboldening Shakti. In turn, supporting techniques will be far less effective with hindering Shakti.
Each person is born with only one Shakti type, so it is key to know what interactions your Shakti type has with others.

Spectacles of Enlightenment

Unassuming spectacles of Vlitran make forged by the Draconic Lord of the Forge Indra. It is a divine Astra composed of Somras Metal, fashioned with the Blessing of Sri Astram, God of Boundaries. Roots of faint gold grow on the edges, and the glasses seem to never fall of one's face, even with the greatest of motions.

Divine Armament Quality. Astras have a specific Divine Armament Quality. This artifact has a Divine Armament Quality of Awakened.
Artifact Charges. This item has a number of charges and abilities based on its current state. While Dormant, this item has 4 maximum charges that reset each day after a long rest.
Perceive Shakti. As an action, you may expend a charge from this artifact. Your spectacles gain a faint sheen of pearl white, as they allow you to directly observe the reserves of Shakti that compose the world. For 10 minutes, you gain the ability to sense the Shakti type emanating from a creature, object, or entity. Additionally, focusing on a creature for 1 minute allows you to sense the flow of their Shakti. You may learn if one of their stats (Eg. Str, Dex, Con...), HP, or Class Level (if applicable) is inferior, superior or equal to yours.
Enlightened Mark. As an object interaction action, you may expend a charge from this artifact. The next time you deal damage using your unwavering mark feature this turn, you gain a series of additional effects. These effects depend on your Shakti type...

1. Physical Shakti (Sun Shakti or Root Shakti): You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Constitution Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or they immediately drop whatever item or items they are currently holding. (Normal). You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Constitution Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or they immediately drop whatever item or items they are currently holding, and also become prone. (Hindering).
2. Cognitive Shakti (Tide Shakti or Rime Shakti): You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Strength Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or the creature is pushed 15 feet back. If they collide with an object, the movement ends and they and the object take 1d10 bludgeoning damage. (Normal). You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Strength Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or the creature is pushed 30 feet back. If they collide with an object, the movement ends and they and the object take 2d10 bludgeoning damage. (Hindering).
3. Spiritual Shakti (Gold Shakti or Bone Shakti): You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Intelligence Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or a creature within their reach takes the same amount of damage as bludgeoning damage, as they strike them. (Normal). You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Intelligence Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or they must spend their reaction to make a melee weapon attack on a creature within their reach. The attack deals an additional amount of damage equal to necrotic damage as bludgeoning damage, as they strike them. (Hindering).
4. Temporal Shakti (Sand Shakti or Storm Shakti): You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Dexterity Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or they are grappled by you. (Normal). You strike deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. Additionally, the target must succeed on Dexterity Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier), or they are grappled by you, and restrained until the end of your next turn. (Hindering).

Shakti Absorption. When you are using the Perceive Shakti feature, and you pass within 5 feet of a creature, you may change your own Shakti type to match theirs until the end of your next turn. You may only use this once a turn.
Enlightened Ward. When you take your warding maneuver reaction, you may expend a charge from this artifact. You gain a series of additional effects. These effects depend on your Shakti type...

1. Physical Shakti (Sun Shakti or Root Shakti): The target may spend their reaction to make a melee weapon attack (Normal). The target may spend their reaction to make a melee weapon attack. The attack deals additional necrotic damage equal to half your fighter level. (Emboldened).
2. Cognitive Shakti (Tide Shakti or Rime Shakti): The target may spend their reaction to gain the value rolled as temp HP (Normal). The target may spend their reaction to gain the value rolled as temp HP. While they have these Temp HP, they have resistance to all damage. (Emboldened).
3. Spiritual Shakti (Gold Shakti or Bone Shakti): The target may spend their reaction to move at half their move speed (Normal). The target may spend their reaction to move at their move speed. (Emboldened).
4. Temporal Shakti (Sand Shakti or Storm Shakti): The target may spend their reaction to roll a die for one effect affecting them currently. (Normal). The target may spend their reaction to roll a die for all effects affecting them currently. (Hindering).

Awakened Passive: Shakti-infused Strikes. You condense your own Shakti into the tips of your weapons, extending their reach through unseen spiritual energy. All weapons wielded by you have an additional reach of 5 feet.

Item type

Sensory / Aid