From the publisher (The Game Mechanics):
The Artifacts of the Ages Series is an innovative system examining new ways to treat magic items. Magic items in d20 System games are usually temporary tools. A player character gets a magic axe or ring, uses it for a few levels, then sells it off when a better one comes along. But wouldn't you like your character to have truly powerful weapons like King Arthur's Excalibur, like Sting, and Glamdring from The Lord of the Rings, or like Stormbringer and Mournblade from Michael Moorcock's Elric novels?