Things in red denote ideas I have for changes and additions to the rules, which may or may not be present in the next game of High Fantasy Conquest. Feel free to suggest things or comment on things currently on the list. Just to be clear, these changes will by no means effect the rules for Game 2; I will never change the rules of the game while it's in progress.General RulesOn a turn you can take a certain number of actions based on how many populations and armies you have. Generally, every domestic action will take a single population to perform.
The actions you may perform include:
- Construct a structure within your borders, using one population per structure
- Conscript a number of your Population into Armies (one population per Army). These armies then act as separate units that have map presence
- Claim tiles for your empire (one Population per tile, with one additional population needed for every tile that tile is from the border if the tile is not adjacent to your border, in which case you must claim all of the tiles between your borders and the target one)
- Assign your current structures to be worked by a population (each structure can only be worked once per turn)
- Allocate as much of your population as you like to research (one research point per population allocated)
- Trade with other empires (this does not cost any population and can be done as many times as you like in one turn, although of course both empires must be in agreement about the exchange)
Each of your population will require one food per turn. Every turn that your population does not receive adequate food, you will lose a number of Population equal to the difference between your population and your food. Population do not to be fed on the same turn they are created, and existing population do not to be fed at the beginning of the turn (if you can't feed all of your population at the beginning of the turn, but come up with enough food by the end of it, no one will starve). All trading of any kind between empires is also allowed, from food to unicorns to prisoners of war to artifacts. Trading is actually required if you want Mithril equipment. To win the game, you must either: be the last remaining empire and survive for 15 consecutive turns (if it is obvious that there is no threat to your empire then the game will end immediately) or collect all six artifacts (five if all of the Rocs die) and keep them within your territory for five consecutive turns.
Armies and FightingA default army can move one tile per turn and can attack one other entity (tile, structure, army, or megabeast) per turn by moving into that entity's tile. A tile cannot kill another entity simply by succeeding in a defense. Each army require 2 food per turn (this varies from empire to empire). If an army or megabeast succeeds in a defense, it will kill the attacker. On a tie, the defender always wins. Conscripted armies cannot move on the same turn they are created. Speed can be increased by one by acquiring horses or unicorns and equipping them to an army. This allows the army to move two tiles in one move action, but does not give it two move actions (it can move two turns and attack, but cannot move one turn, attack, then move again). During a fight, there are three factors in play: the dice rolls (1D6 for both sides), the attack modifier (which is added to the attacker's roll), and the defense modifier (added to the defender's roll). Attack modifiers can be improved by equipping armies with weapons, and defense modifiers can likewise be increased with armor. Iron equipment provides +1 to its respective modifier, steel provides +2, and Mithril provides +4.
RacesEach race has a different set of starting technologies, and each has a unique Ritual. All races have unique buildings, and most have exclusive technologies that only they can research.
Kobolds- A tiny (but slightly taller than hobbits) race of stealthy rat-like humanoids. Although not inherently evil, they are fond of theft, robbery, and the dark. Kobolds can build Kobold Caves and Ambushes. Kobold armies only require 1 Food per turn. Kobolds start the game with 1 Population, 5 Food, Theft, and 5 research points.
Elves- A graceful race of tall humanoids who never age and are fond of nature. Most Elves practice a monotheistic religion which revolves around the worship and constant fear of the god Grek, who is believed by the Elves to have created and destroyed several worlds and to have created the current World, which he will one day destroy too. Can build Ambushes and Elf villages and can research Mithril Smithing and Unicorn Domestication. Start the game with 1 Population, 5 Food, Preservation, and 5 research points.
Dwarves- A tough race of short and stout humanoids with long beards (especially the females). They are fond of industry and heavy drinking and can build Dwarf Fortresses and Mountainhalls. Their unique technology is Mithril Mining. Dwarves begin the game with 1 Population, 5 Food, Mining, and Subterranean Farming.
Halflings- The smallest race, these hobbits are very short friendly people fond of agriculture and simplistic living. Each Hobbit population requires two food per turn, but the Halflings produce triple the food from Farms, Subterranean Farms, and Fisheries. Hobbits are naturally horrible at fighting, preferring politeness and friendship to violence (Halfling armies have a default -1 attack and -1 defense). Halflings are also naturally extremely lucky; their mines will yield twice as large deposits and are much more likely to contain Mithril (+3 to ore rolls). They start the game with 1 Population, 5 Food, Field Agriculture, Fishing, and 5 research points.
I think I'll remove the extra chance to find Mithril and replace it with some other luck-related bonus. I only picked the Mithril thing due to mining being one of the only things in the game determined by chance; Hobbits being born mineral prospectors is just strange.Humans- I hope you know what humans are. Humans can build Human Fortifications and Towns and research Mithril Smelting. They start the game with 2 Population, 5 Food, Field Agriculture, and 10 research points.
I'm considering removing Humans replacing them with Orks, simply because Humans are boring and Orks are not.TechnologyWhen a technology's requirements state "Empire must be x" then only that race may research the technology. However, once researched, that race may trade the technology to an empire of a different race. When technologies are traded, the empire trading the technology does not lose it, but the recipient gains the technology.
MiningMining: Allows the construction of Mines. Requires 10 research points.
Mithril Mining: Allows Mithril Mines to be worked by a population for 1 Mithril per turn. Requires Mining, 20 research points, and the empire must be Dwarves.
Blasting Charges: Allows you to use 1 Sulfur to work a Mine another time in addition to it being worked by a population. You may use multiple sulfur on a single Mine in a single turn to mine it further, but digging deeper rules still apply. Requires: Mining, 5 Research Points.
This tech should work a tile twice (at least) per sulfur used.AgricultureField Agriculture: Allows the construction of Farms on Plains. Requires 5 research points.
Subterranean Farming: Allows the construction of Subterranean Farms on Mountains. Requires 5 research points and Mining.
Horse Domestication: Allows the construction of Stables on Plains. Requires 10 research points.
Unicorn Domestication: Allows the construction of Unicorn Pens on Forests. Requires 5 research points, Horse Domestication, Preservation, empire must be Elves.
Preservation: Allows the construction of Nature Preserves on Forests. Requires 10 research points.
Fish Domestication: Allows you to build Fisheries on Water and allows you to expand your borders to Water which is adjacent to land
that you own. Requires: 5 research points
Woodcutting: Allows you to turn a Forest within or adjacent to your border into Plains, producing 5 Wood for your empire. Requires: 5 research points.
MetallurgySmelting: Allows one metal ore and one coal or charcoal to be smelted into one metal bar of the appropriate metal at a forge when the forge is worked by a population. Requires 10 research points.
Steel Smelting: Allows two iron bars and two coal to be forged into one steel bar. Requires Smelting and 10 research points.
Armoring: Allows 5 metal bars to be forged into 1 armor of the appropriate metal. 1 armor may be equipped to 1 army, giving it a defensive boost. Requires: 10 research points.
Weapon smithing: Allows 3 metal bars to be forged into one weapon. Requires: 10 research points.
Mithril Smelting: Allows Raw Mithril to be refined into Mithril Bars at a Forge using one Raw Mithril and 10 Coal or Charcoal. Requires: Smelting, 20 research points, empire must be Humans.
Mithril Smithing: Allows Mithril Bars to be forged into Mithril Weapons (3 bars) and Mithril Armor (5 bars). Requires: 10 Research Points, Weapons Smithing, Armor Smithing, empire must be Elves.
Charcoal Burning: Allows you to turn 5 wood into one coal using a population at a Forge. Requires: 5 research points.
StealthTheft: Allows you to allocate a population to steal the output from another empire's structure if the structure's tile is within five tiles of your borders or one of your armies. If that structure is not worked the same turn you allocate a population to steal from it, the next time the structure is worked you will receive its output as long as the structure is still within five tiles of your army or border (this will not require the use of 1 of your population). Requires: 10 research points.
Should be reworked somehow to be less wonkyMaster Theft: Allows you to steal any one object from another empire's stocks per army you have within their borders (artifacts don't count unless your army is in the same tile that the artifact is being kept in. Requires: 10 research points, Theft.
Empire must be KoboldsStealth Maneuvering: Allows your armies to be invulnerable to another army's or megabeast's attacks as long as your army hasn't attacked from the enemy army or megabeast. An army that has a stolen artifact in its possession will be able to be attacked by whatever empire it stole from, regardless of Stealth Maneuvering. Requires: 5 research points.
15 Research Points. Needs to be reworked so that stealthy armies aren't invincible item vacuums.DefenseFortress: Allows Elves and Kobolds to construct Ambushes, Dwarves to construct Dwarf Fortresses, Halflings to construct Hobbit Holes, and Humans to construct Fortifications. Requires: 10 research points.
Wall Construction: All tiles along your empire's border receive +1 defense. Requires: 5 Research Points, Fortress.
Militia: You are able to raise militiamen at structures which require the Fortress technology. These armies function normally, but can be equipped, move, and attack on the same turn they are created, but they cannot leave your borders. They consume food normally. Requires: Fortress, 5 Research Points.SailingSailing: Allows your armies to travel in water tiles and allows you to expand your borders over water. Requires 10 research points.
StructuresStructures can only be worked by a population once per turn.
Farm (represented by an F): Can be built on Plains with the Field Agriculture technology. Produces 2 Food when worked by a population.
Subterranean Farm (F): Can be built on Mountains with the Subterranean Farming. Produces 2 Food when worked by a population.
Mine (M, with a colored stripe denoting the ore mined): Can be built on mountain tiles using the Mining technology. It produces 1 unit of ore when worked a population.
The ore of the mine is determined by a one-time d10 roll: 1-4=Iron (red), 5-7=Coal(black), 8-9=Sulfur (Yellow), 10=Native Mithril (cyan).
Then, the size of the ore deposit is determined by another D10 roll. The result of this roll denotes how many turns this deposit can be mined before you need to Dig Deeper in order to obtain ore. When Digging Deeper, there is a 1/6 chance you will unearth something.
What you discover is 1 of 10 things determined by a D10 roll:
1. A family of aggressive moles (+1 attack modifier) who proceed to attack your Mine. They will continue attacking the Mine every turn until it is destroyed or they are killed, then they will disappear.
2. Cave-in (-1 population)
3. Tribe of savage Dwarves living in a cavern system (+2 attack mod). They will continue attacking the Mine until it is destroyed, then they will remain on the tile where the Mine was until they are killed by an army.
4. You find deadly gas in a pocket beneath the earth. It floods the mine and kills everyone, before dissipating into the atmosphere and causing further damage (-2 population).
5. You find a magma sea where a giant fire serpent dwells (+3 attack, +2 defense). It will destroy the mine, then continue moving towards the Volcano of Anguish, destroying everything in its path.
6. Your mining has weakened the mountain. An earthquake occurs and the whole mountain crumbles (-2 population, mountain turns into desert tile)
7. You find a small vein of mithril (+1 raw mithril if you can mine it, if not you are unable to find this deposit again and the Mithril is lost)
8. You find a cursed ancient artifact in the ruins of an underground dwarf fortress. The curse kills 10 population, but leaves you with an artifact Mithril weapon, which gives whatever army wields it a +5 attack modifier. This weapon can not be unequipped from an army after you give it to one. That army cannot disband.
9. You awaken an evil Balrog, who ascends your mine to the surface and goes on a rampage of destruction (+5 Attack, +4 Defense). The Balrog will continue to attack every single tile within your borders until either he or you are dead. After destroying your empire, the Balrog will return to the Underworld through the tile where your mine was.
10. Hidden Fun Stuff. I'll post the rules to this when it happens.
Forge (I): Can be built with any on any land tile with any Metallurgy technology. Is used in conjunction with Metallurgy technologies to produce metal goods when worked by a population.
Nature Preserve (N): Can be built on forest tiles using the Preservation technology. Produces 1 when not worked. Produces 2 Food when worked by a population.
Produce 1 Wood and 1 Food when worked, Produces 1 Food when not worked after being worked once.Stable (S): Built on Plains using the Horse Domestication technology. Provides 1 Herd of Horses when worked by a Population. Horses can be equipped to armies, giving them +1 movement on land.
Unicorn Pen (S): Built on Forests using the Unicorn Domestication technology. Provides 1 Herd of Unicorns when worked by a Population. Unicorns can be equipped to armies, giving them +1 Movement and +1 Attack.
Fishery (F): Built on Water using the Fish Domestication technology. Provides 2 Food when worked by a Population.
Dwarf Fortress (R): Built on mountains by Dwarves using the Fortress technology. Gives +2 to defense rolls and gives surrounding mountain tiles +2 defense (bonus stacks up to +3).
Ambush (C): Built on forest tiles by Elves or Kobolds using the Fortress technology. Gives +2 to defense rolls and gives surrounding forest tiles +2 defense (bonus does not stack).
Human Fortification (C): Built on any land tile by Humans using the Fortress technology. Gives +1 to defense rolls when being attacked by another empire's army and gives surrounding tiles +1 to defense rolls (stacks up to +3).
Hobbit Hole (C): Built on Plains by Hobbits using the Fortress technology. Gives +2 to defense rolls and gives surrounding tiles +1 to defense rolls (stacks up to +2).
Mountainhall (H): Built on Mountains or Tall Mountains by Dwarves. Has +1 to defense. Produces 1 Population when worked by a Population.
Town (T): Built on any land tile by Humans. Produces 2 Population when worked by a Population.
Should either only produce 1 Population, or the Humans should receive some other nerf to balance it out.Shire (T): Built on Plains by Halflings. Produces 1 Food and 1 Population when worked by a Population
Elf Village (T): Built on Forests or Plains which are bordered by at least one Forest. Produces 1 Population when worked by a Population.
Kobold Cave (T): Built on Mountains and Tall Mountains by Kobolds. Produces 2 Population when worked by a Population.
Graveyard (G): Built on Land by a Necromancer. Can be worked by a Population to kill another Population and create an Undead Army.
Necromancer's Tower (U): Conjured out of the Earth on any tile by a Necromancer. Can only be conjured once. Has +3 Defense Mod and gives all Undead Armies and the Necromancer staying in its tile +3 Defense.
Library (L): Can be built on Plains by Humans and Halflings, Mountains or Tall Mountains by Dwarves, and Forests by Elves. Can be worked by a Population to produce 1 Research Point. Note: if this is added, Libraries will be the only means of gaining Research Points (unless you're a Kobold, in which case you can gain Research Points by stealing them (have an army with Theft stand on the same tile as another empire's library to steal their unspent Research Points at a rate of 1 per turn. With Master Theft, you can steal unspent Research Points simply by being within the borders at a rate of 1 per turn, gaining 2 per turn if the army is on an enemy library), gaining double the Research Points when doing so.RitualsEach race has a patron long-dead deity or megabeasts that it worships. These monsters can be summoned and controlled by their respective race through extremely expensive rituals.
Every race will have two mutually-exclusive rituals to choose from.Dwarves: The Dwarves worship the Metal Colossus, a gigantic moving metal statue in the image of a Dwarf. To construct the Colossus, Dwarves require 100 bars of whatever metal they wish it to be made of. Depending on the metal it is made of, the Colossus will have different combat stats (+5 attack and defense for Iron, +7 for Steel, and +10 for Mithril). The Metal colossus is controlled just like a normal Dwarven army and can walk along the ocean floor easily to traverse through water.
Alternative: The Dwarves replace their organic bodies with metal exoskeletons, becoming Cyberdwarves. To enact this ritual costs one steel bar (the Dwarves must all be made of the same metal) for every population in the empire, and every population produced by a mountainhall after the ritual will cost one steel bar. Additionally, one half of the population will die in the initial upgrading process when the ritual is performed. The Cyberdwarves will no longer require food, but instead will consume coal and sulfur (coal feeds three Dwarven population for a turn, sulfur feeds two). Armies conscripted by the Dwarves after this ritual is performed will each require one coal per turn. Cyberdwarf armies will all gain an intrinsic +2 defense and +1 attack.Elves: The Elves' supreme deity is Grek, but they would never want to summon him. If they did that, they would all surely meet a horrible fate. Instead, they can summon the Great Black Unicorn by sacrificing 200 Herds of Unicorns and 25 Elves. The Black Unicorn can move 5 tiles per turn on land, and 2 tiles per turn in the water. It has +6 +6 combat modifiers.
Alternative: The Elves sacrifice their beloved forests for the benefit of the world, burning them down and unleashing the nature spirits within them into the atmosphere, where their benevolence significantly alters the world for a short while until they inevitably extinguish themselves. The sacrificed forests then become plains. For every 5 forests that the Elves destroy, there is 1 turn of guaranteed peace around the world, during which no empire may attack another or any neutral entities such as megabeasts or creatures from the deep. Likewise, megabeasts will not actively attack anyone during the time of peace, and any other malevolent entities will temporarily cease their destructive behavior. There is no limit to how many forests can be sacrificed, but the ritual may only be performed once and its affects begin immediately when it is conducted.Hobbits: The Hobbits are very peaceful folk, and do not muck about with any superpowerful beasts. Instead, they may sacrifice 1,000 units of food to imbue one of their people with the complete understanding of life and death, transforming them into a Necromancer. The Necromancer moves like an Army and can build Graveyards and a Necromancer's Tower in the square it is standing in. Graveyards are used to make Undead Armies, which are just like normal Armies except they do not use up food and they have +1 natural Defense. The Necromancer herself does not require any food either and has typical combat stats (-1,-1) plus attack/defense modifiers. Whenever an Undead Army kills another empire's Army in battle, the fallen Army becomes an Undead Army under the control of the Hobbits.
Humans: In Human mythology, one artifact appears in several stories and legends: the Onyx of the Earth. This artifact is believed by the Humans to have been precious to their god of farming and work, Corai. The humans may summon the Onyx, which grants the wielder complete mastery over the ground (it allows you to transform any tile on the map into a mountain or turn a mountain into a tall mountain once per turn), by destroying any of the current six artifacts (in the case of the Roc's eggs, all of the Rocs currently in play must be sacrificed). The Onyx will then count as one of the artifacts required for an Artifact Victory.
Orks: The Orks construct the Great Bombard, a gigantic cannon, using 250 iron bars. Firing it once costs 50 sulfur, but it unleashes a blast that strikes everything from the position of the cannon to the edge of the map in a single cardinal direction with an attack that has a +5 attack modifier. The cannon itself has no defense bonuses.Kobolds: The Kobolds have been sneaking and thieving from the other races since millennia before the Humans and Elves realized they even existed. During this time in the shadows, the Kobolds have witnessed and recorded nearly every important piece of Elven history: including the discovery of the Cloak of Shadow. Kobold shamans were able to form a communication link between their world and the Underworld just before the end of the Eighth Universe. Through this link they spoke with the once sole ruler of the Universe Grek, who is now being kept tied up under high security in Hell. Grek told them that if they brought him what he needed, the Sword of Time, he would get reward them with the Cloak. This conversation was witnessed by one of Grek's guards and the new ruler of Hell ordered the mortal realm destroyed as a safety precaution. After the creation of the Ninth Universe, some Kobolds still retain some memory of their trade agreement and seek the Sword of Time. The Cloak will allow an Army to become completely invisible, acting as a permanent Stealthy Maneuver that is not broken when the army attacks or steal other artifacts. The Maneuver has a maximum duration of 10 turns, after which it must recharge for five turns before being used again.
Map
Yellow tiles are Deserts, which attack any Armies that end their turn in them.
The attack has no modifiers but defense modifiers have no effect on it. Armies cannot be raised in Deserts.Grey tiles are mountains.
Horses and unicorns provide no speed bonus over mountains.Dark grey tiles are tall mountains, which are the domain of the Roc. Above-ground structures may not be built on tall Mountains.
Tall mountains provide a +1 Defense bonus for armies on them.Blue tiles are Oceans, the domain of the Kraken. Armies require the Sailing technology to pass through Oceans and empires require sailing or fishing to claim Oceans.
Light green tiles are Plains.
Dark green tiles are Forests.
Tiles with an orange border are unique tiles, each of which is home to an artifact and megabeast. These are described below. No special tiles may be claimed by an empire. Once the resident megabeast is slain, the tile ceases to be be unique (the exception is the Volcano of Anguish).
Unique Tiles, Megabeasts, Magical ArtifactsN-15: The Volcano of Anguish. While the Volcano is not home to a megabeast, many argue that the Volcano itself is one. Every turn, there is a 1/6 chance of the Volcano erupting, destroying all above-ground structures in the eight tiles surrounding it and attacking (+5 attack) any armies in those tiles. Inside the Volcano is a torrent of fire and raw elemental magic. At the very heart of the Volcano of Anguish is the Magmastone. The Magmastone has the power to destroy the current Volcano of Anguish, and relocate the Volcano to any other tile on the map. This can only be done once the stone is stored in an empire's stocks. To reach the heart of the Volcano, those delving it will receive 3 attacks with +4 attack mod each.
I've got a lot of ideas for the Volcano of Anguish. I want it to be required for Mithril production in some way, and I want it to allow magma smelting (smelting of bars without coal consumption). I also want to make the eruptions of the volcano more devastating to the surrounding area.DD-27: The Tree-Herders' Forest. Any tile or army in any of the forests on this island will have a 1/6 chance of being attacked by the Lord of the Trees, a gigantic Ent who holds the Gem of Fertility. He has a +6 attack modifier and +5 defense. The Gem is held at the marked tile, where the Ent will always arrive to protect it. Once retrieved, every turn the Gem can either be used to gain +1 food yield from all food-producing structures in your empire, or to all Plains within your borders into Forests, or to change all Deserts within your borders into Plains.
W-28: The Kraken's Sunken City. This is the lair and treasure horde of the Kraken. Every turn, the Kraken (+5 attack, +6 defense) has a 1/6 chance of attacking any army or claimed tile that is in an Ocean which is not adjacent to Land. Whenever the Kraken destroys an Army, that Army's equipment is taken to the Sunken City. Inside the Sunken City, along with the Kraken and the rest of its treasure, is the Seaman's Pearl, a cannonball-sized pearl which grants its owner the ability to transform 1 coastal tile into an Ocean once per turn or the wielder may summon the viscous creatures of the sea (+4 attack) to attack one claimed tile or Army on an Ocean.
DD-37: The Roc's Nest. Atop the peak of the Roc's island mountain is the nest of the largest creature in the world, roughly 100 times as large as the Golden Dragon. Any army that moves over a High Mountain has a 1/6 chance of being attacked by the Roc (+7 attack, +5 defense). If the army is killed, its equipment is stored at the Roc's Nest. In the Roc's nest are 3 Roc eggs which, after being brought within an empire's border, will hatch in 25 turns. After hatching, the Empire will have control of 3 fully-grown Rocs (they hatch completely mature), with the same bonuses as the Roc they slayed.
I-43: The Tomb of Time. In the center of the great desert to the northeast lies a long-buried and eroded tomb, which houses the rusty Sword of Time. No one who has entered this tomb has exited. It is a mystery what guards the sword (+8 Attack, +8 Defense), but whatever it is is rumored to patrol the great desert wielding the sword. Any armies in the desert to the northeast have a 1/6 chance of being attacked by this beast. If they are defeated, them and their equipment will be completely destroyed, transformed into dust. When recovered and held by an Army, wherever the Army that wields the Sword of Time travels, that tile transforms into a desert (this only works on Land, contrary to historical evidence). Whenever the Army wielding the Sword attacks another entity, both entities and all of their equipment besides the Sword are turned to dust. Any other armies in the same tile also turn to dust along with equipment. When the Army relinquishes the Sword onto the empire's stocks, that Army turns to dust.
T-59: The Lair of the Golden Dragon, a ruined Dwarven mountainhall. It is now the home to the a dragon apparently composed completely out of pure gold. None in the world are free from the Dragon's wrath. The Golden Dragon spends its day terrorizing settlements, stealing and robbing from empires. The first time any structure is worked by a population, there is a 1/6 chance that the Golden Dragon will arrive and attack it (+5 Attack, +5 Defense). If the Dragon destroys the structure, it will take with him whatever that structure's output was back to his lair (including Population if it was a Town/Village/Mountainhall/whatever). The crown jewel of the Dragon's treasure trove is the Crown of Unconditional Loyalty. This crown, once returned to your empire's borders, allows you to control one army or army-like entity from each of the other empires once every turn.
The Dragon will only attack tiles with a certain radius from its lair. This radius may gradually expand the longer the game goes on, eventually leaving the entire map susceptible to dragon attacks. This will make it so that people getting screwed over by the dragon is not merely due to unlucky dice rolls.Some artifact ideas I have that may or may not manifest themselves in the future:
I also want some of the megabeasts to have unique items in (addition to their magical artifacts) that they will relinquish to an empire if tithed with a specific gift. These objects will only be given to the first empire who tithes the beast, but it can of course then be traded by that empire to others. If killed before being tithed, the item of that megabeast will be lost to the world. To interact a megabeast in this manner, an army of that empire must be present in that beast's unique tile to act as liaison, but that army does not need to carry the objects being gifted to the megabeast; they will come directly out of the empire's stocks.
The Time Cube: a mysterious stone cube that can be held in one hand. It is covered in glowing hieroglyphs which pulsate hypnotically, the most prominent of which resembles a sword. It distorts time randomly around it, but this distortion can be controlled if someone holds the cube in his or her hand. An empire that possesses the cube can perform two turns worth of actions in the same time it would take the other empires to perform a single turn. These turns would be played out consecutively (for instance, population spawned in the first turn would be able to be used to work things in the second). Alternatively, the empire can focus the cube's energies to lock another empire in stasis for a single turn once every other turn, disallowing them from performing any actions. The final function of the cube is to revert the world to the state it was in five turns ago, destroying the cube in the process. All that will remain is a scorched block of stone, which will be required for an artifact victory but cannot be used for anything else. It is guarded by something very strong.
The Orichalcum Anvil: an anvil made of orichalcum, a dense, dark-green metal that is found nowhere else in the world. If weapons, armor, or metal bars are placed on the anvil and beaten once with a hammer, they will magically become made of orichalcum (which will give weapons and armor +3 attack and defense bonuses respectively). There is no limit to how many objects can be transformed into orichalcum in a single turn. Additionally, while the anvil is kept within an empire's borders, all of that empire's metalworkers will be inspired, working with new-found fervor. As such, all of that empire's forges will be able to be worked twice per turn. The anvil is housed in the workshop of a crippled titan artisan called Vulcan. Vulcan will teach an empire mithril smelting if given 30 bars of steel.
I also might keep some of the ones that are in the game currently (the Sword of Time is kind of a given). 
