The societies in Exalted's setting lack a cultural basis
Sample southern cultures: arabia, cambodia, south america
The different societies in Creation need more cultural development.
Magical materials are often in short supply in Exalted. Artefacts are often made from a combination of a magical material and normal materials like wood and metal. The materials are not mixed but used with eachother in a composite. Using jade on a wooded club makes a goremaul.
Although they're not magical materials the other parts of the artefact have to be unusual, esoteric components. How unusual depends on the power of the artefact they're trying to create. The definitive part of an artefact like the blade of a weapon, has to be made from one of the magical materials.
An alternative idea for creating artefact powers: the scale of artefact powers goes up to 10.
