The Artifact (Doom)

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The Artifact is a fictional artifact and weapon from the game Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil. It looks similar to a human heart with a mechanical device attached to its side. When the PDA is brought up and the Artifact is in possession, clicking on it in the inventory section shows it is called the Hellstone. It is also known by the name "The Primitive."

[edit] History

Little is known about the history of the Hellstone, but it seems to be akin to an Inverse Soul Cube. Whereas the Soul Cube was created by an ancient Martian civilization to defeat Hell, the Hellstone is a Hell-created object which offers the user a wide array of powers.

Interestingly, both of these artifacts are powered by living souls. However, the Soul Cube uses souls that were willingly sacrificed to power it, while the Hellstone seems to pull unwilling souls into it. If careful attention is paid when the Hellstone is capturing a soul, one can see that the soul in question is clearly in anguish over the procedure.

The Hellstone seems to have been a loophole created by the forces of Hell (specifically, Dr. Betruger) as a way of bypassing the seal created by the Soul Cube during the events of Doom 3. By touching the Hellstone, the forces of Hell had another way to invade the mortal realm. However, the Hellstone is mentioned in the stone tablet "The Primitive", so it may have been created during the Martian civilization's war with Hell. It is possible that the Hellstone is actually the Hero's (the Martian warrior who single-handedly sealed away hell with the Soul Cube) heart, but this is unlikely, seeing as the Hellstone was a tool of Hell.

[edit] Operation

Using the Hellstone is akin to using the Soul Cube. Floating inches from the user's hands (corrupting them for as long as it is active), it beats regularly.

While the Hellstone was obviously designed to aid the forces of Hell, demons are not immune to the weapon's powers. The weapon acquires the powers of slowing down time, enhanced damage, and temporary invulnerability from the demons created to retrieve the Hellstone.

In the most ironic of examples, the Maledict demanded the human owner of the Hellstone return it to the Forces of Hell. This was done...by shoving it down the monster's throat. The Hellstone exploded, completely destroying the Maledict itself.

A user who activates the Hellstone cannot choose between the powers of slowing down time, enhanced damage, and temporary invulnerability. All available powers are activated at the same time.

To retrieve the abilities for the Hellstone, you must defeat the 3 hunters (bosses); hell-time hunter, berserk hunter, and invul hunter.