Translation Crystal (Artifact ••)

This clear, flat, rectangular crystal is the size of a large man’s hand and an eighth of an inch thick, and it is set within a narrow frame of blue jade and orichalcum. To activate this item for a scene, the wearer need only spend three motes of Essence. Whenever this artifact is placed over any piece of text thereafter, whether that text is in the tongue of the Riverlands, a rare demonic tongue spoken only in Malfeas or the most complex of the All-Seeing Eye’s many codes, anyone looking at the crystal sees this text perfectly translated into Old Realm. When this item is placed against the text and activated, the item literally reads the text and translates the meanings into Old Realm. This translation is then displayed upon the artifact’s upper surface. The use of orichalcum in this item allows it to partake of a tiny fraction of the Unconquered Sun’s limitless brilliance, so the translation is accomplished in less than a second. In addition to simply translating the language, comparing a text to the translation this artifact provides allows the character to learn the written version of any language as well as if she had a skilled tutor. (She could also use it thus to learn Old Realm if she already knows the written language the artifact is translating.) This artifact can be used to translate spells and other esoteric arcane texts as well as simply allowing the user to read texts such as a treaty between a demon lord and a raksha noble.