THE

ARTEFACT
A game by Jack Harrison
 THE
ARTEFACT A game by Jack Harrison

Inspired by The Skeletons by Jason Morningstar

Mousehole Press

mouseholepress.itch.io / @mouseholepress

Type set in IM FELL French Canon.

The Fell Types are digitally reproduced by Igino Marini. w w w.iginomarini.com

Illustrations derived from the British Library Public Domain collection.

Thanks to Christopher Roberts (@fenixtao), April (@wearyNiteowl) and Tom Greene for
playtesting, and everyone who suggested weird & wonderful weapon properties on Twitter.
 Z
You rest, fallen or discarded in the
dirt. But your body is not flesh, and
you are not mortal. So, you wait.

Seasons pass in flashes - cold following

heat, rain following drought, death
following birth - until one day, your wait
is over. Someone lifts you up from the
detritus, inspecting you, feeling your
weight in their hands. They decide to
keep you - they become your Keeper.

Through them, you experience the world.

You see them undertake great quests,
or perhaps commit atrocious sins, all
with your aid. You almost forget about
the long time you spent in the dark,
until, inevitably, you return to it.

And then you rest, fallen or discarded in

the dirt. You do not know how long you
will wait for someone new to arrive.

z
Preparing to Play
What this is
In the classic dungeon crawl, you follow the lives of adventurers as they
overcome challenges to gain prestige and, most importantly, magical treasures.
But what were those treasures doing before the adventurers came along? How
many aeons have passed, in silent darkness, since they were last used?

The Artefact shifts the focus to the perspective of a single magical item, and
its history as it passes through the hands of many different keepers. You’ll feel
the weight of time as the item is lost or abandoned again and again, the dust &
decay piling around it until it’s found again by someone new.

Safety
The Artefact is played alone, which mitigates many of the consent issues
associated with playing games together. However, it is an intentionally
solitary, melancholy experience, and as such it may not be the best thing to
play if you are struggling with feelings of loneliness. If the game leaves you
feeling isolated, there are a few good resources available online that might
help. Mind, a mental health charity, have a series of tips & support options at
https://w w w.mind.org.u k/information-suppor t/tips-for-ever yday-liv ing/

loneliness/

What you’ll need

• An hour of time.
• A quiet place to play that can be darkened. If you have neither quiet or
darkness, close your eyes instead.
• Printouts of these rules and the Artefact sheets, a pen or pencil, and a
timer of some sort.
• Optionally: Sounds of deep, forgotten places to be played as the years drift past.
Choose your Artefact
Look through the different Artefacts, and choose one to play. There are
three; each has specific questions that you may answer during the game. The
Artefacts are all intelligent, to a degree, though when the game begins this
sentience is nascent; newborn and fuzzy. Over time, the events the Artefact
goes through will shape its properties and personality.

Follow the instructions on your chosen Artefact sheet.

Traits
Over the course of the game, you’ll add Traits on the Artefact sheet. Traits
can be physical or magical properties of the Artefact, or facets of its developing
personality. Don’t worry about the precise definition of a Trait - they mean
what you want them to mean.

Take a moment
When you have completed the instructions on your Artefact sheet, empty
your hands, close your eyes and take a moment to breathe. For the rest of this
game, you will inhabit your chosen Artefact and perceive the world through its
strange, imperfect senses.

Imagine the hands of an artisan, working with wood, metal or glass to create
its form and function. Feel the stillness of a confined, unmoving object, set
upon a shelf or rack. When you are ready, open your eyes—you have come into
the possession of your first Keeper.
Playing the Game
Keepers
The Artefact cannot act alone - a Keeper must arrive to seize them. Only then
can it travel around, seeing wondrous places and having grand adventures.
While in the possession of a Keeper, the Artefact may learn truths about itself
through experience and use. Its agency is limited, shackled as it is to its Keeper,
but it can begin to influence its situation through magics and force of will.

When it is time for the first Keeper, choose one from I. Newly Forged and
mark it off. Do whatever the instructions say. As you answer questions, think
about where and how they obtained the Artefact, how they treat it, and what
they would attempt with it.

If you wish, record details and memories of your time with each Keeper in a
notebook or on the back of the Artefact sheet.

Time
Artefacts outlive Keepers. Through death, bestowal or carelessness, a Keeper
will inevitably lose the Artefact. The sun turns, seasons pass and flesh & blood
return to the earth. Eventually, another Keeper will arrive.

The Artefact remains - inert and waiting. The seasons between Keepers can
be countless. You will pass time with the Artefact, though your experience
will be a weak impression of its true rest. Always do whatever the instructions
say. Don’t worry if your mind wanders while you wait - the Artefact’s mind
wanders too.
Change 4
The 4 symbol indicates a Change. The prompt will suggest the reason for the
change. Add, remove or replace something from your Artefact sheet as you see
fit; a Trait, an answer to a question, a note or something on the drawing.

Names
Here are some names you may encounter over the long existence of the
Artefact.

Arlo, Bancroft, Brunt, Cascabel, Devar, Grace, Hrud, Hrun, Irvine, Juno, Kit, Lillian,
Marisol, Nassim, Piccolo, Orchid, Quintus, River, Senlin, Thrace, Ursula, Vago, Wiley

Ending the Game

If at any point you feel you have spent enough time with your Artefact, you can
wrap up the game once you’ve resolved your current Keeper. Perhaps you’ve
reached a point where you wish to continue the Artefact’s story in a different
game - for example, a player character in campaign game could become the
next Keeper. Be sure to complete the epilogue below, if you can.

Otherwise, the game ends in III. The Ruination, when the Artefact is broken
beyond repair or when you are content to abandon it in a cold, dark place
forever.

Take a final moment to sit in silence in the dark. Think about how the Artefact
is remembered, if at all, through stories, art or archaeological remains in a
museum. Then turn the lights back on, have a snack and stretch out.

If you’re comfortable doing so, share a picture of your completed Artefact sheet
and stories of your Keepers on social media using the #TheArtefact hashtag.
I’d love to see what you’ve created!
I. Newly Forged
Keepers
Choose a Keeper, mark it, and follow the instructions. When you feel you have
explored a Keeper sufficiently, move on to TIME.

0 A Folk Hero
Describe this person. Are they reserved or gregarious? Stylish or utilitarian?

Choose once on either the Deeds & Victories or Fates & Follies table.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.

0 A Sword Without Master

They are daring, charismatic and talented. Describe them, and what marks them as
free.

Choose once on either the Deeds & Victories or Fates & Follies table.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.

0 A Wealthy Young Noble

Describe this person. Are they impressed by its properties, or is it but another curiosity
for a spoiled aristocrat?

If they are impressed, choose on the Deeds & Victories table. Otherwise, choose on the
Fates & Follies table.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.
Time
The Artefact waits for a new Keeper. Where does it rest, and for how long?
Choose one of these options, mark it off, and sit in darkness as indicated. Think
about the silence and solitude of abandonment.

0 No Time at all
0 A Day -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for five seconds.

0 A Week -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for ten seconds.

0 A Month -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for twenty seconds.

0 A Year -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for forty seconds.

0 A Decade -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for one minute.

If two Keepers have now been resolved, go to II. A Time of Glory to choose the
next. Otherwise, choose a new Keeper from those remaining.
II. A Time Of Glory
Keepers
Choose a Keeper, mark it, and follow the instructions. When you feel you have
explored a Keeper sufficiently, move on to TIME.

0 An Indomitable Leader
Describe this person. Who do they command? How did they gain the respect and
admiration of their people?

Choose once each on the Deeds & Victories and Fates & Follies tables.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.

0 A Pirate Captain
Describe this person, their ship and their loyal crew.

If they are well-respected by the other Captains on the Freebooter Council, choose on the
Deeds & Victories table. Otherwise, choose on the Fates & Follies table.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.

0 A Righteous Champion
They are haughty, passionate and steadfast. What cause do they fight for, and which
ideals do they embody? Who else thinks that they are righteous?

If the Artefact supports their cause, choose on the Deeds & Victories table. Otherwise,
choose on the Fates & Follies table.

You may answer one question from the Artefact sheet, if you wish.
Time
The Artefact waits for a new Keeper. Where does it rest, and for how long?
Choose one of these options, mark it off, and sit in darkness as indicated. Think
about the weight of each passing day, growing imperceptibly with each sunset.

0 A Month -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for twenty seconds.

0 A Year -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for forty seconds.

0 A Decade -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for one minute.

0 A Century -- Choose once on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust table. Turn off

the lights and sit in silence for two minutes.

0 Centuries -- Choose once on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust table. Turn off

the lights and sit in silence for three minutes.

0 A Millennium -- Choose once each on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust

tables. Turn off the lights and sit in silence for four minutes.

If two Keepers have now been resolved, go to III. The Ruination to choose the
next. Otherwise, choose a new Keeper from those remaining.
III. The Ruination
Keepers
Choose a Keeper, mark it, and follow the instructions. When you feel you have
explored a Keeper sufficiently, move on to TIME.

0 A Pair of Wandering Bandits

Describe them, showing why they have no choice but to work as a team. Which of them
ends up with the Artefact, and why? How do they fundamentally misunderstand its
purpose?

Choose once on either the Deeds & Victories or Fates & Follies table.

You may answer none, one or two questions from the Artefact sheet.

0 A Doomsday Cult
Scores of acolytes with burning eyes and fierce purpose. Describe their leader, and why
the others follow them. What cataclysmic event are they trying to bring about? Why do
they need the Artefact for their unholy ritual?

Choose once on either the Deeds & Victories or Fates & Follies table.

You may answer none, one or two questions from the Artefact sheet.

0 An Archivist-Collector
Describe this person, and the repositories they manage. Are they enthusiastic and
curious, or austere and indifferent? Which of the Artefact’s former Keepers are they
researching?

Choose once on either the Deeds & Victories or Fates & Follies table.

You may answer none, one or two questions from the Artefact sheet.
Time
The Artefact waits for a new Keeper. Where does it rest, and for how long?
Choose one of these options, mark it off, and sit in darkness as indicated. Think
about the weight of each passing day, growing imperceptibly with each sunset.

0 A Decade -- Turn off the lights and sit in silence for one minute.

0 A Century -- Choose once on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust table. Turn off

the lights and sit in silence for two minutes.

0 Centuries -- Choose once on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust table. Turn off

the lights and sit in silence for three minutes.

0 A Millennium -- Choose once each on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust

tables. Turn off the lights and sit in silence for four minutes.

0 An Age -- Choose once each on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust tables. Turn

off the lights and sit in silence for five minutes.

0 An Epoch -- Choose three times on the Neglect & Misuse or Dust & Rust tables.

Turn off the lights and sit in silence for six minutes.

Choose a new Keeper from those remaining. When you feel that you’ve spent
ten or more minutes in the dark across the entire game, the next Keeper will
be the last. Regardless, if you check off the third Keeper here, they will surely
be the last.
Tables
Deeds & Victories
Great feats, achieved by the Keeper. How was the Artefact pivotal to their success? Choose
and mark, answer any prompted questions, and then 4 change something about the
Artefact as it becomes powerful or renowned.

00 A mythical beast guards an ancient hoard. With strength or trickery, they are
overcome. What, in particular, were they protecting?

00 The ruling class are oppressive and cruel. The Keeper leads an uprising, and the
despots are overthrown. What replaces them?

00 A sworn, bitter rival is defeated in a duel. Where does the contest take place, and why
is the animosity so severe?

00 A stronghold of great importance is attacked by a dreadful, monstrous horde. How does

the Keeper drive off the fearsome assailants?

00 A bitter feud between two prominent factions is resolved. How are the fractious leaders
convinced to come to the negotiating table?

00 A great warrior is trapped in an impossibly tall tower by an evil sorcerer. How are they
freed, and how is their heart won?

Fates & Follies

Treacherous acts & tragic loss, leading to the Keeper’s demise. How was the Artefact
pivotal to their success? Choose and mark, answer any prompted questions, and then
4 change something about the Artefact as it becomes cruel or vindictive.

00 A blade in the dark, courtesy of a former lover. What did the Keeper do to deserve this
retribution?

00 Powerful magic has a toll. The Artefact corrupts the Keeper, causing malaise, sickness
and eventually death. Is this corruption intentional?

00 A gelatinous cube swallows the Keeper, dissolving their fleshy parts until only the
bones remain. What else of note churns within the viscous form?

00 The Artefact intentionally deceives or refuses to help the Keeper, leading to their
demise. What takes place, and why does the Artefact act in that way?

00 After years of loyal service, the Keeper uncovers a great conspiracy. Regretfully, they
are silenced to prevent exposure. What did they discover?

00 The Keeper throws themselves incessantly against impossible odds. Somehow they
succeed until, tragically, they don’t. Why can’t they stop?
Neglect & Misuse
The Artefact, a powerful magical item, is misused in some demeaning manner. Choose
and mark, answer any prompted questions, and then 4 change something about the
Artefact as it becomes melancholy or cynical.

00 It is used as a makeshift part to fix a broken vehicle or contraption. Describe it, and the
degrading arrangement the Artefact finds itself in.

00 Alchemists & tinkerers take it apart for study, separating its very essence into pieces
before reassembling it—perhaps imperfectly. What were they trying to learn?

00 It is locked in a secret vault, while poorly-made counterfeits are sold to hoodwinked

adventurers. What fault in the design makes these copies fail at a crucial moment?

00 It is thrown carelessly atop a huge heap of treasure. There is another sentient item
within the hoard. Does a connection develop between the two intelligences?

00 It is hung as an ornament to decorate a wall. It rests there for a long time. What is the
place like? Is it kept clean & shining, or does the dust pile up thick?

00 It is misplaced, and eventually claimed by a municipal institution. Through excessive

bureaucracy and pen-pushing, it is lost in their arcane system. Where does it emerge?

Dust & Rust

The Artefact lies in the muck and murk for a long while, waiting for a new Keeper to
find it. Choose and mark, answer any prompted questions, and then 4 change something
about the Artefact as it becomes wiser, or simply decays and disintegrates.

00 A prominent setting or rune is damaged, irreparably. How does the loss affect its
properties?

00 Something is corroded or worn away which affects its primary function, and no amount
of restoration can return it to its former utility. What action is harder to perform with
it, now?

00 Gold and silver dull. Iron rusts. Colours fade to a sepulchral grey.

00 It is broken into two pieces. What causes the bisection, and how is it made whole again?

00 Time reframes the actions of a Keeper, once thought of as a selfless hero, as immoral or
selfish. What happened, and which detail was misinterpreted?

00 A sapling grows up around it, and with time it becomes a mighty, gnarled tree. How, if
at all, is the Artefact found again, and how is it released from the trunk?
The Weapon
A tool of war; a blade, axe or something stranger. Draw it in the space to the right.
Embellish it with gems, notches and other curious details.

Questions
Mark and answer this at the start of the game, before the first Keeper.
00 You were hammered out in the heat of a great forge by a legendary smith - describe
them, what was their name? Add three Traits below.

Mark and answer these as you play, when prompted.

00 Over time, you gain a name or honorific. What is it, and why?

00 How do you come to think of your Keepers - as allies, captors or something else?

00 Of all the places you’ve seen on your travels, one stands out and you always wish to
return there. What is it, and why?

00 One of your Keepers was once in love with such intensity that their feelings
permeated into you. What was the object of their devotion? How do you feel now?

00 You were there when the killing took place. Now, it’s a popular legend. What
happened, and what major detail do people get wrong in the retelling?

00 You are immortal, you do not grow old. What preoccupation of the Keepers is most
strange to you, as one that cannot die?

Traits
All magical weapons can talk, are masterwork, and attune to suit each Keeper.

Suggested Traits (feel free to make your own)

Flaming, Silent, Warding, Dimensional, Vampiric, Fragrant, Theatrical, Spectral, Blessed
Brash, Vindictive, Fickle, Loyal, Curious, Knowing, Devious, Romantic, Discerning
The Shield
it protects against blows, missiles, and perhaps other things. Draw it in the space to
the right. Embellish it with crests, runes and other curious details.

Questions
Mark and answer this at the start of the game, before the first Keeper.
00 You were hammered out in the heat of a great forge by a legendary smith - describe
them, what was their name? Add three Traits below.

Mark and answer these as you play, when prompted.

00 Over time, you gain a name or honorific. What is it, and why?

00 How do you come to think of your Keepers - as allies, captors or something else?

00 Of all the places you’ve seen on your travels, one stands out and you always wish to
return there. What is it, and why?

00 One of your Keepers was once in love with such intensity that their feelings
permeated into you. What was the object of their devotion? How do you feel now?

00 You were there, you felt its blows rain against you. Now, it’s a popular legend. What
happened, and what major detail do people get wrong in the retelling?

00 You are immortal, you do not grow old. What preoccupation of the Keepers is most
strange to you, as one that cannot die?

Traits
All magical shields can talk, are masterwork, and attune to suit each Keeper.

Suggested Traits (feel free to make your own)

Immovable, Levitating, Bashing, Balance, Warding, Rooted, Fragrant, Theatrical, Gigantic, Blessed
Brash, Vindictive, Fickle, Loyal, Forceful, Knowing, Stubborn, Romantic, Discerning
The Instrument
It produces musical sounds, conventionally or otherwise. Draw it in the space to the
right. Embellish it with components, inlays and other curious details.

Questions
Mark and answer this at the start of the game, before the first Keeper.
00 You were carved out of exotic materials by an renowned artisan - describe them,
what was their name? Add three Traits below.

Mark and answer these as you play, when prompted.

00 Over time, you gain a name or honorific. What is it, and why?

00 How do you come to think of your Keepers - as allies, captors or something else?

00 Of all the places you’ve seen on your travels, one stands out and you always wish to
return there. What is it, and why?

00 One of your Keepers was once in love with such intensity that their feelings
permeated into you. What was the object of their devotion? How do you feel now?

00 You were there - your music filled the air. Now, it’s a popular legend. What happened,
and what major detail do people get wrong in the retelling?

00 You are immortal, you do not grow old. What preoccupation of the Keepers is most
strange to you, as one that cannot die?

Traits
All magical instruments can talk, are masterwork, and attune to suit each Keeper.

Suggested Traits (feel free to make your own)

Beguiling, Cacophonous, Reviving, Soothing, Sustaining, Summoning, Remembering, Enlightening
Brash, Sardonic, Fickle, Cheeky, Curious, Knowing, Devious, Romantic, Boisterous
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