Artifacts

Artifacts are the backbone of Cognoscente's magic system. A Potential without an artifact is an ordinary human. A potential with an active artifact is something more.
Artifacts allow a potential to transform into a specific related Avatar and to access a set of Powers while transformed. Each artifact has exactly one linked avatar, and each avatar has exactly one linked artifact. Avatars and artifacts share a name, generally - an artifact's name is usually the avatar's name followed by either a description of the artifact or just the word 'artifact.' Practice with an artifact allows a potential to transform more quickly and to be more in tune with their artifact, making it harder to steal.
Anyone with potential can use artifacts, regardless of gender, age, physical ability, etc. Magical girls are named for their avatars; plenty of wielders of magical girl artifacts are male.
Artifacts belong to one of Cognoscente's two factions. Magical Girl Artifacts transform their wielders into a Magical Girl Avatar. Monster Artifacts transform their wielders into a Monster Avatar.
Artifact scan be anything. Wearable artifacts, such as belts, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and rings, are really common, especially among magical girl artifacts. Hand-held artifacts, like fans, stones, weapons, staffs, and the like, are also common, especially among monster artifacts.
Artifacts are usually fairly small, able to fit in a purse. Even the larger ones are small enough to reasonably carry. Artifacts are unbreakable, but there's nothing stopping you from dipping one in resin, or painting one, or wrapping one in wire and wearing it as a necklace.
Artifacts must be bonded with and can be picky about who wields them, but the bonding is neither absolute nor permanent. An artifact can reject its wielder, and artifacts can be traded, stolen, given away, or sold. The only exception is that if you're accustomed to using one faction's artifacts, it's hard to switch to the other faction's artifacts - a magical girl will have trouble activating a monster's artifact.
Some example artifacts: -The Gothic Star Necromancer Amulet (a magical girl artifact) -The Sunscale Dragon Gem (a monster artifact) -The Silver Unicorn Enchantress Artifact (a magical girl artifact) -The Winged Eyeball Artifact (a monster artifact)