Crafting the Demon Eye

[Judd]

Storn's concept for his character in our next 13 Cities arc is the following:

Concept/Bio: A young Occulan calvary officer of the 95th Carbine scouts deserted after his regiment participated in a massacre of a village. The over privileged noble commissioned Colonel Goccunus thought the village had dishonored him. Despite Sebastian's attempts to stop the massacre, he was cursed by a beautiful Summoner with the Demon Eye. Cursed to seek out death and destruction. After desertion, he has wandered many lands, putting his sword and guns to use to anyone who pays. His once blue left eye is now blood red and a warning to all. All the while seeking the beautiful witch who cursed him.

I am looking at pages 192-216 of the MaBu for inspiration and guidance here. I think it might be just too damned powerful, especially for a starting character but fuckit. If you guys think the following is cool, I'll post it up on the BW forums for further guidance and peer review but honestly, what we think is what is most important to me.

I'm thinking this would cost 20 resource points to start off with.

The Demon Eye

Hook
This item was created by a coven of witches who were said to have gone on to great destinies, one became a goddess, another killed a god and the third founded an empire. The Demon Eye was at first a powerful tool for the leader of the guardians who warded their Witch's Tower so that none might sneak past her.

In time, the eye saw so much bloodshed that it grew hungers of its own.

It is conferred upon its user either through willing act of sorcery or from a powerful curse.

Powers
The eye confers a +1D to Health checks for recovering from wounds. It also confers Second Sight (page 230 MaBu) on its user as long as the user either has their enemies' blood on their hands or their own blood in their eyes.

The user must dedicate one Belief and one Instinct to the Eye's hunger for violence and mayhem or else they immediately gain the Unlucky trait.

Antecedent
A demon's heart


Feedback appreciated. I realize it might be a touch powerful but it feels right to me. Thoughts?

[DaGreatJL]

If they change the Eye-tied Belief and gain the Unlucky Trait, would they be able to buy off the trait for Artha, as described on page 289 of the Character Burner? And if they did, could they take an Eye-tied Belief in order to drop it and start the cycle afresh? Or would the Trait stay gone, allowing the wearer of the Eye to no longer worry about that requirement? Or maybe you can't buy it off? Or something else?

[Judd]

If they change the Eye-tied Belief and gain the Unlucky Trait, would they be able to buy off the trait for Artha, as described on page 289 of the Character Burner? And if they did, could they take an Eye-tied Belief in order to drop it and start the cycle afresh? Or would the Trait stay gone, allowing the wearer of the Eye to no longer worry about that requirement? Or maybe you can't buy it off? Or something else?

Methinks there is no buying it off, only putting in a belief and instinct or exorcising one's self of the eye.

[luke]

Doesn't seem overwhelmingly powerful.

Also, Carbiners? Storn's character is carrying a short-stocked musket/rifle/submachine gun?

[Storn]

Doesn't seem overwhelmingly powerful.

Also, Carbiners? Storn's character is carrying a short-stocked musket/rifle/submachine gun?

Carbines go back to the Hussars of the 30 years wars... Im just riffing on that. And the Occularae actually use a crank mystical-air pressure system to project discs.... I think we will use the stats of the normal firearms and just say it takes that freakin' long to crank up the air pressure.

Lastly, I bought the carbine as a superior firearm... just to reflect I could use it from horse back.

[luke]

Agh, off-topic I go!

I didn't realize you were playing in the magical 1630s. I imagined more of a medieval Arabia setting.

No wonder these guys kill gods. They take them out with their l33t Sn1p3r skillz!

[Storn]

Agh, off-topic I go!

I didn't realize you were playing in the magical 1630s. I imagined more of a medieval Arabia setting.

No wonder these guys kill gods. They take them out with their l33t Sn1p3r skillz!

The Occularae have had this meteorite starmetal rock in their land. Centuries ago, a god touched it and keeled over dead. Now they craft this amazing metal into all sorts of weapons, garrottes, ballista bolts, spears, arrow heads, caltrops, grounded powder in drink, swords...the Scimitar of Stars, which has been on the scene from the very first arc, has been made of such metal. But, yeah... musket ball or air rifle discus... great delivery system to take out a god!!!!

Btw: I just posted up the full Sebastian Atreaus here:

http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/ne...newthread&f=11

[Fuseboy]

There's a fun short story in a recent fantasy anthology about a soldier and his 'mannekin' companion (a sort of 4' Pinnochio that wields powerful magic via a sewing kit) traveling around, ostensibly looking for mercenary work. They head into a particular city state, sneak into the local temple, and attempt to off the demigod that dwells therein (or at least, set it adrift from the mortal realm). They're remnants of an ancient compact between ten nations (each now long gone) whose aim is to rid of the world of demigods on the 'banned entities' list. The idea is that these entities, while making the city state they sponsor prosperous, do so by draining the life out of the surrounding area - so it's surrounded by a band of inhospitably parched badlands. After a few centuries, they're tremendously hard to dislodge (both for social and practical reasons).

EDIT: I only mention this because I've often wanted to play a game with this premise, so I'm really intrigued by your next chapter.

[Judd]

EDIT: I only mention this because I've often wanted to play a game with this premise, so I'm really intrigued by your next chapter.

Thank you for your interest.

Got a title and/or author for that story and a name for the anthology, pretty please?

[Fuseboy]

Okay, the anthology is Year's Best Fantasy 8, and the story is Sir Hereward and Mr. Fitz Go To War Again by Garth Nix.

And.. as luck would have it, it seems you can also read the story for free!