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The Living Races have been on Istaria for thousands of years. During the long years, many civilizations have risen to great power, only to later fall into dust. And throughout the centuries, many people have sought protection from the unknown, often through the use of small trinkets or charms. Some of these trinkets and charms have been passed down from generation to generation as family heirlooms, but most have been lost in the destruction of cities and towns, the fall of empires, and the passing years. From time to time, creatures as well as the forces of the Withered Aegis, discover charms and trinkets from olden times that often bear magical properties.

These charms can be used by the Living Races to obtain arcane augmentations, sometimes beneficial, but sometimes due to their age or the instability of the magics within, detrimental. They are known to come in several forms; the smallest and least powerful are often found as trinkets and baubles, charms and lockets are often more powerful, and tablets and figurines often contain the most potent magics.

After extensive testing, the researchers at the New Rachival Research Institute have determined that if the amount of remaining magical energy versus the amount of corruption is fairly balanced, then the results will be only slightly good or bad. However, if the ratio of energy versus corruption is not in balance, then the smaller portion has a chance to have an amplified effect in an attempt to achieve equilibrium. Using this ratio, the researchers have identified six condition grades of trinkets, which have been classified as Blighted, Cursed, Tarnished, Shiny, Blessed and Ethereal:[*]Blighted Trinkets and other charms are the most degraded and have a very high chance of giving a detrimental effect. The magics contained within the charms is very strong, and while some of it remains unblighted there is small chance to gain a very powerful beneficial effect. [*]Cursed Trinkets and other charms are less degraded than Blighted ones, but still have a high chance of giving a detrimental effect. The magics contained within these trinkets are still strong, but more of the energy remains unblighted and therefore they have a slightly higher chance of giving a moderately beneficial effect. [*]Tarnished Trinkets and other charms are very degraded and the magicks contained within are only slightly out of balance with the corruption. [*]Shiny Trinkets and other charms are only a little less degraded than Tarnished ones, but like Tarnished Trinkets the magics within are only slightly out of balance with the corruption. [*]Blessed Trinkets have begun to degrade and blight, though the corruption is significantly out of balance with the magical energy. These trinkets have a good chance of still giving a beneficial effect, though the imbalance within has caused them to exhibit powerful detrimental effects from time to time. [*]Ethereal Trinkets are in near-perfect condition with only slight corruption and therefore still retain a very good chance of giving a beneficial effect. However, with the recent onset of degradation the blight within the charm is more concentrated and so there is a small chance of a powerful detrimental effect.[/list]

In addition, after much experimentation the researchers have calculated an approximation of the odds that each condition grade of trinket tends to exhibits for beneficial and detrimental effects. They have compiled the following chart to illustrate this: Class of Trinket Chance of Beneficial Chance of Detrimental Blighted 10% 90% Cursed 25% 75% Tarnished 40% 60% Shiny 60% 40% Blessed 75% 25% Ethereal 90% 10%