Relic (Age of Mythology)

In Age of Mythology, Relics are magical objects that each confer a different bonus to a player once garrisoned in a Temple. Players can collect and garrison multiple Relics, though each Temple can only store five each. They can only be picked up by Heroes. (For Egyptian priests to be able to pick up relics, the player needs to research the Hands of the Pharaoh technology.)

There are 49 types of Relic in Age of Mythology:

A Pair of Golden Lions
Effect: A pair of Golden Lions appears at a Temple; they respawn one minute after both are killed. Good early on in a rush, or for scouting.

Mythical Reference: The story of Atalanta, who was turned into a lion (along with her lover) as a result of fornicating in a Temple dedicated to Artemis.

Ankh of Ra
Effect: Produces a trickle of 2.4 Favor per minute. Useful for all, but especially for the Norse early on.

Mythical Reference: The ankh was a symbol of eternal life in ancient Egypt. Egyptian gods are often portrayed carrying it by its loop, notably Ra.

Anvil of Hephaestus
Effect: Armory technologies cost 10% less. Saves on techs that players are very likely to research.

Mythical Reference: Hephaestus was the blacksmith god and was commonly identified with an anvil.

Armor of Achilles
Effect: Infantry units have 5% less vulnerability to hack damage. Only beneficial to a player who uses a lot of infantry.

Mythical Reference: Achilles, the legendary Greek hero who was invulnerable in all but one spot - his heel. After the Trojan War, Ajax and Odysseus competed for possession of Achilles' armor.

Arrows of the Alfar
Effect: Towers, Fortresses, Migdol Strongholds, Hill Forts, Palaces and Town Centers deal 20% more damage. Good for any player, but especially for defensive ones.

Mythical Reference: Alfar is the Old Norse word for 'elves'. The elves lived in Alfheim ('Elfhome'), one of the nine worlds of Norse myth.

Black Lotus
Effect: Villagers collect food from Farms 10% faster. A solid benefit to any player from mid-game.

Mythical Reference: Asian folklore. The Lotus was regarded as a symbol of purity by numerous Asian cultures.

Blanket of Empress Zoe
Effect: Buildings take 20% less crush damage. Useful for defensive players.

Mythical Reference: Possibly named after one of several Byzantine empresses named Zoe.

Blue Crystal Shard
Effect: Gold and Wood gather rates increased by 5%. A benefit that does add up over time.

Boots of Kick Everything
Effect: Hero units move 10% faster. Very useful, especially for the slow-moving Egyptian heroes.

Mythical Reference: Magical boots that grant the wearer super-speed are found in numerous fairy tales and myths. The name of the relic itself, however, is something of a joke.

Bow of Artemis
Effect: Archer units cost 15% less resources, Trolls cost 15% less Wood, and Centaurs cost less wood. Also affects Throwing Axemen and Satyr in Age of Mythology:Tale of the Dragon. Any player who uses these units will get a significant saving.

Mythical Reference: Artemis, the virgin Goddess of the Hunt, was a master archer.

Bridle of Pegasus
Effect: Summons a Pegasus for free. It respawns after one minute if killed. Vast improvement to scouting for the Egyptians, Norse and Atlanteans; negligible for the Greeks.

Mythical Reference: Possibly the same bridle used by Bellerophon to tame the original Pegasus.

Canopic Jar of Imsety
Effect: Infantry units are trained 15% faster. Useful for any player using lots of infantry, especially the Norse.

Mythical Reference: Canopic jars were used in mummification in Ancient Egypt. Imsety was one of the four sons of Horus and is commonly depicted as a mummified man.

Catoblepas' Scales
Effect: Myth Units take 20% less crush damage. A fairly minor improvement (typically amounting to only 4%).

Mythical Reference: The catoblepas was a mythical beast from Greek folklore. Described as having the body of a bull and a shaggy, heavy head, its gaze or breath could petrify people.

Dwarven Calipers
Effect: Siege Weapons cost 20% less resources. A substantial saving on these very expensive units.

Mythical Reference: Dwarves were said to be master smiths and craftsmen, capable of creating almost any object imaginable, from Mjöllnir, Thor's hammer, to Gullinbursti, Freyr's animated golden boar statue.

Eye of Horus
Effect: Town Centers support +2 population. A welcome boost for any player.

Mythical Reference: The Eye of Horus was a symbol of protection, good health, and royal power in ancient Egypt.

Eye of Ornlu
Effect: Hypaspists, Axemen and Throwing Axemen deal 5% more damage. ''A minor benefit to counter-infantry infantry units. Of no use to the Atlanteans.''

Reference: Ornlu, the alpha male wolf from the first scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign from Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Fetters of Fenrir
Effect: Worker units can kill nearly all wild animals in a single shot. Useful on some maps, as it means large or dangerous animals can be killed by just one worker.

Mythical Reference: Gleipnir, the ribbon said to hold the monstrous wolf Fenrir (or Fenris) shackled until Ragnarok comes, when he would break free of its bonds.

Flagstone of Buhen
Effect: Walls cost 25% less resources. Not much of a saving except for highly defensive players.

Mythical Reference: The ancient Egyptian town of Buhen, known for its fortress.

Gaia's Book of Knowledge
Effect: Infantry do 300% more damage against Titans. ''Good for defending against Titans. But remember this doesn't apply to Heroes (Including Atlantean infantry upgraded to Heroes)''

Reference: In The New Atlantis campaign, Gaia wishes to imprison the Titans back into Tartarus.

Girdle of Hippolyta
Effect: Toxotes, Chariot Archers, Throwing Axemen and Arci gain 5% more HP. Of some use to archer-heavy players.

Mythical Reference: Hippolyta was the Queen of the Amazons. One of Heracles' Twelve Labours was to steal her girdle.

Grugnir, Odin's Spear
Effect: Hoplites, Spearmen, Ulfsarks and Murmillos have 5% more attack. A slight boost for mainline infantry.

Mythical Reference: As the name states, Grugnir (more commonly known as Gungnir) was the spear of the Norse god Odin.

Harmonia's Necklace
Effect: Worker units collect Gold 10% faster. Useful to everyone, but especially the gold-obsessed Egyptians.

Mythical Reference: Harmonia, the Greek goddess of harmony and concord.

Harter's Folly
Effect: Scout units gain +2 Line of Sight. Most useful in the early game, but has little overall effect.

Reference: Harter's Folly may be an indirect reference to Harper's Folly, a fishing ground near Charleston, North Carolina, USA.

Head of Orpheus
Effect: Buildings gain +8 Line of Sight. A benefit to any player, but especially defensive ones.

Mythical Reference: Orpheus, the ancient Greek poet, musician and prophet who failed to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the realm of Hades.

Hera's Thundercloud Shawl
Effect: All human soldiers take 5% less pierce damage. A moderately useful all-round benefit.

Mythical Reference: Hera, wife of Zeus and Goddess of motherhood and marriage. The Thundercloud Shawl in question is probably an allusion to her husband's role as God of Thunder.

Khopesh of Horus
Effect: Heroes' damage multiplier against myth units is increased by one. Makes Heroes even better against their target opponents.

Mythical Reference: The khopesh was a type of curved edged weapon in ancient Egypt.

Kithara of Apollo
Effect: Worker units move 10% faster. Always going to come in handy, especially for the Atlanteans, whose Citizens are particularly slow.

Mythical Reference: The kithara was a Greek musical instrument, a variant of the lyre and ancestor of the guitar. Apollo was the God of Music.

Mithril Horseshoes
Effect: Cavalry units move 10% faster. Makes the already quick cavalry units even more devastating.

Reference: Mithril is a fictional metal found in the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, described as resembling silver but being stronger and lighter than steel.

Monkey Head
Effect: Summons 3 Relic Monkeys 1 minute after garrisoning; they will respawn if all are killed. Definitely a bit of a joke, but the monkeys are adequate scouts.

Easter Egg/Reference: The Monkey Head is a recurring gag in the Age of Empires series since Age of Empires II. It is also a reference to the cheat in Age of Kings, "I LOVE THE MONKEY HEAD".

Nose of the Sphinx
Effect: All buildings have 15% more hit points. Useful for defensive players.

Mythical Reference: The Sphinx was a creature from Egyptian mythology that had the body of a lion and the head of a human or several other creatures. The nose is a reference to the modern-day Sphinx at Giza. Its nose fell off centuries ago.

Odin's Wand
Effect: Temple technologies are 20% cheaper. Helps improve myth units and various other aspects of gameplay.

Mythological Reference: Odin was also called Gondlir, which means Wand-Wielder or Wand-Bearer.

Oseburg Wagon
Effect: Caravans are 25% cheaper and move 15% faster. Increases the generation of gold in the late game, which is typcially very important.

Historical Reference: Oseburg is a misspelling of Oseberg, the name given to a Viking ship that was discovered intact.

Pandora's Box
Effect: Myth units are trained 25% faster. Very useful, especially in the heat of battle.

Mythical Reference: Pandora's Box is a famous Greek myth about a woman who opened a box that she was forbidden from opening, causing all the evils of the world to be unleashed.

Pelt of Argus
Effect: All units gain 6 Line of Sight. Always a great benefit.

Mythical Reference: Argus was a giant with a hundred eyes covering his body.

Pygmalion's Statue
Effect: Worker units have 40% more hit points. Makes workers less likely to be eaten by wild predators or slaughtered by enemy troops.

Mythical Reference: Pygmalion was a sculptor in Phoenician-Greek mythology who fell in love with one of his creations, an ivory statue. The statue became a real woman when blessed by Aphrodite.

Reed of Nekhbet
Effect: Naval Myth units do double damage. Makes Naval Myth Units super effective versus enemies.

Mythical Reference: Nekhbet was a Predynastic Egyptian goddess who resembled a vulture.

NOTE: This relic was deemed overpowered and was removed from the relic-spawn list from the Titans Expansion relics.)

Ring of the Nibelung
Effect: Produces a trickle of 18 Gold per minute. A small bonus, but better than nothing.

Mythological Reference: Nibelung was a member of the dwarven race who hoarded gold and magic, they were lead by the leader of the same name, and came from Nibelheim, Land of Mist. Whilst it's name is a reference to Der Ring der Nibelungen, a Richard Wagner musical drama.

Scarab Pendant
Effect: Rams, Scarabs and Behemoths have their attack multiplier against buildings increased by one. Also affects Fire Siphons in Tale of the Dragon. Makes these building-smashers even more dangerous.

Shingles of Steel
Effect: Houses and Manors have triple hit points. Makes the owner much less vulnerable to having their population cap compromised.

Reference: A Shingle is a Roof tile, these can be seen on the Greek Buildings, and Norse Heroic/Mythic Roofs.

Ship of Fingernails
Effect: Produces a trickle of 24 Food per minute. A slightly larger bonus than the Ring of the Nibelung.

Mythical Reference: The Ship of Fingernails (Naglfar, 'nail ship' in Old Norse) was a mythical ship made entirely of the fingernails and toenails of the dead.

Sistrum of Bast
Effect: Worker units cost 10% less. Beneficial if it is collected early enough.

Historical Reference: A sistrum is an Egyptian musical instrument. The sistrum can be seen being held by Bast in Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

Staff of Dionysus
Effect: Villager units can carry 20 extra food. ''Helpful, especially when hunting. Of no use to the Atlanteans.''

Historical Reference: A Thrysus (a type of staff) was commonly associated with Dionysus.

Tail of the Cerberus
Effect: Myth units' special attacks recharge 25% faster. ''Enables these powerful monsters to further terrorize human units. Especially useful for Myth Units with instant kill special attacks.''

Mythical Reference: Cerberus was the three-headed dog that guarded the Underworld in Greek Mythology, keeping the dead in and the living out.

The Titans Treasure
Effect: The Secrets of the Titans technology is cheaper. Helps give the owner the edge in building a Titan Gate first.

Toothed Arrows
Effect: Archer units and Ballistae have 5% more attack. Also affects Throwing Axemen in Tale of the Dragon. ''Of some benefit to archer-heavy players. ''

Historical Reference: A toothed (or broadheaded) arrow is a type of arrow that had barbs on the back end of the head. These caused tremendous pain as they would become lodged in a body part and had to be pushed rather than pulled.

Tower of Sestus
Effect: Towers have 30% extra ranged attack and 10% extra boiling oil attack. Helps with defense and claiming neutral areas.

Historical Reference: Sestus was a Greco-Thracian town near the Hellespont (modern Gallipoli).

Trios Bow
Effect: Archer units have +2 Line of Sight and range. Also affects Throwing Axemen in Tale of the Dragon. Quite useful for archer units.

Trojan Gate Hinge
Effect: Walls have 20% more hit points. Excellent for defensive players.

Literature Reference: The Trojan Walls and Gates were unbreachable if the events of Homer's Illiad, and related stories to the Trojan War are any indication due to the length of the war.

Tusk of the Iron Boar
Effect: Cavalry units and Chariot Archers have 10% more hit points. Helpful to any player who uses these units.

Reference: As with the Eye of Ornlu, this is a reference to Age of Empires II. The Iron Boar was a creature that Attila the Hun hunted in the first level of his campaign.

Wedjat Eye
Effect: Myth units cost 10% less food, wood and gold. Helps reduce the cost of these very expensive units.

Mythical Reference: The eye is personified in the goddess Wadjet.

Trivia

 * There was a Relic in the beta version called "Aeolus Bag of Winds", which boosted ship speed.
 * The Aeolus mentioned is the Greek God of winds, who instead of aiding Odysseus and his men, gave them a bag filled with wind, which when opened by the curious sailors, blew them in all directions.
 * There are some relics that appear in the The Ancient Relics scenario that grant god powers:
 * Whirlwind Relic, which grants one use of Tornado.
 * Relic of Bronze, which grants one use of Bronze.
 * Relic of Earthquake, which grants one use of Earthquake.
 * Relic of Ancestors, which grants one use of Ancestors.
 * At one point in development, every relic has a unique appearance, this idea was dropped, but the models for some of the relics are still present in the game's files.