In the rich tapestry of Terra's Elderglow lore, relics are categorized not just by their individual powers but by their potential impact, ranging from minor curiosities to world-shattering forces like the apocalypse-grade relics. Below the apex tier, several grades of relics exist, each with distinct capabilities, risks, and cultural significance. These classifications, derived from Seeker archives and Arcanum assessments, reflect the diversity of artifacts scattered across Skyend Continent's ruins. While the Kainos Mirror and its apocalypse-grade kin dominate tales of doom, these lesser grades offer tools for survival, intrigue, and power in Elarion Voss's perilous journey.
1. Guardian-Grade Relics
Description: Crafted to protect or defend, these relics are imbued with moderate Aetheric energy, often tied to specific locations or individuals. They were common among Covenant outposts and temples, serving as wards or guardians.
Examples:
Aetheric Wardstone: A palm-sized crystal that projects a protective barrier, deflecting minor magical or physical attacks. Found in the Temple of Aelthar, it requires periodic recharging from Aetheric Veins.
Sentinel Gauntlet: A metal glove that animates nearby debris into temporary stone guardians. Used by relic wardens like Elarion during his Seeker days, though its constructs crumble after an hour.
Risks: Overuse drains the user's stamina or attracts Aetheric predators drawn to the energy signature.
Cultural Role: Revered by villagers as "blessings of the old gods," they're often traded in Vyrn's markets, though the Arcanum restricts their export.
2. Artisan-Grade Relics
Description: Designed for creation and enhancement, these relics were used by Covenant artisans to craft goods, enchant weapons, or manipulate elements. Their power is practical but limited to skilled hands.
Examples:
Flameforge Hammer: A tool that infuses metal with heat and durability, once used to forge Seeker armor. Its strikes leave embers that burn for hours.
Verdant Loom: A spinning wheel that weaves Aetheric threads into enchanted fabrics, like Elarion's robe. It requires rare Verdant Expanse blooms to operate.
Risks: Misuse can destabilize the crafted item, causing it to explode or degrade rapidly. Prolonged use risks Aetheric burnout in the user's hands.
Cultural Role: Prized by blacksmiths and tailors, these relics fuel Skyend's economy, with forgeries flooding black markets.
3. Oracle-Grade Relics
Description: Linked to divination and knowledge, these relics tap into Aetheric echoes to reveal past, present, or potential futures. They were revered by Covenant priests for guidance but often cursed with cryptic or maddening visions.
Examples:
Eye of Lyrath: A crystalline orb that projects visions of distant events or lost memories, like Elarion's Echo Stone glimpses. It's fragile, shattering if overused.
Fateweaver Compass: A device that points to significant relics or threats, though its needle spins erratically in chaotic Aetheric zones.
Risks: Visions can overwhelm the mind, leading to obsession or madness. Some users report Starborn voices pleading or threatening.
Cultural Role: Seers and Seekers hoard these, using them to locate ruins or predict raids, though common folk fear them as "eyes of the damned."
4. Warlord-Grade Relics
Description: Weapons or tools of conquest, these relics amplify combat prowess or command over others, favored by Covenant generals. Their power is destructive but localized, avoiding the global scale of apocalypse-grade relics.
Examples:
Thunderstrike Blade: A sword that channels Aetheric lightning, capable of cleaving stone or stunning foes. Its edge dulls after ten strikes without recharge.
Dominion Horn: A brass instrument whose blast compels obedience from weaker minds, once used to rally armies. Prolonged use risks permanent mental scars on the blower.
Risks: Overreliance can corrupt the user's will, turning them into a puppet of the relic's original intent. Aetheric backlash can also shatter the weapon.
Cultural Role: Legends of warlord relics inspire mercenaries and bandits, with duels over ownership common in Vyrn's taverns.
Connection to Elarion: His Spire battle survival hints at encountering a Warlord-grade relic among the Seekers. With infinite mana, he could sustain the Thunderstrike Blade's power, though Alex's gaming tactics suggest balancing offense with defense.
5. Curio-Grade Relics
Description: Minor artifacts with whimsical or niche effects, these were often personal items or experimental failures of the Covenant. They pose little threat but intrigue collectors and scholars.
Examples:
Glimmer Lantern: A lamp that projects illusory scenes from the Elderglow, used for storytelling. Its light fades after an hour.
Whispering Coin: A token that repeats the last words spoken nearby, a failed communication device that amuses tavern patrons.
Risks: Negligible, though some carry residual Aetheric taint that causes mild hallucinations.
Cultural Role: Treated as trinkets or tourist bait, they're sold cheaply but occasionally reveal hidden powers when paired with stronger relics.
These grades form a hierarchy of power and peril, with apocalypse-grade relics like the Kainos Mirror overshadowing the rest. The Seekers once cataloged them to prevent misuse, while the Arcanum now seeks to monopolize them. Elarion, with his transmigrator gift and the mirror's replication, could elevate lower-grade relics to unprecedented levels—imagine a Wardstone barrier powered by infinite mana or a Thunderstrike Blade that never dulls