[quote=@Aristo]
<Snipped quote by Rtron>

Yes, magic artifacts are definitely a thing - maybe the most prominent source of magic your characters will encounter beyond the monsters or your own spellcasting ability (if you've got it). 
These artifacts are a throwback to things like the Golden Fleece or the armor of Achilles, or the Spear of Longinus, etc. 
Ideally, these would be found during the IC, instead of starting equipment.
[/quote]

Could I have an artifact but the character has no idea what it does? And somewhere along the way, (not immediately) they have an 'Oh, so that's what it does.' moment after they figure out how to use it. I can tell you in advance what it does, so that you can plan around that and it's not an accidental deus ex machina.