From: copernicus@brunnet.net (Pat Gamblin) Subject: [7th Sea RPG GM] [John/Kevin] {Long} Talismans, Charms, and Potions Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 20:03:40 -0300 Hello, all. Your friendly neighbourhood Eisen tinkerer here. Recently, I had an idea about how to run minor magic items in 7th Sea, you know those little potions and talismans that old crones in huts or old travellers who just happen to stumble across the PCs' camp in the early evening, give to PCs or NPCs of import. I imagine that John and Kevin may be working on such for an upcoming book, but my imagination, being fertile as it is, just won't give up. : } If John or Kevin would like to comment on talismans, et al, in 7th Sea, I'd like to find out if they consider them appropriate or not. Until then, here's what I have come up with, soon to make an appearance on my site, once I can get a 7th Sea section going. **Talismans, Charms, and Potions: Talismans and charms are sorcerous creations that give someone a single ability similar to one that sorceror knows. Most of these creations are very minor in the abilities they grant, but the creations of the most powerful sorcerors can be impressive indeed. An archer might be given a talisman made of yew and birch that lets his bow hit more often. A loyal son of Ussura might find himself gifted with a bear-claw charm that lets him draw on the stamina of the kodiak for a short while. Potions are the creations of Vodacce Sorte Strega. They are very specific in use, and are only able to affect the person they were made for. They are the love (and hate) potions of myth. They can make you feel something you never felt before, or make you forget your closest friend. Talismans, charms, and, especially, potions are all very rare. In fact, few sorcerors know how to create them, and those who do do not do so often. **Restrictions: First of all, Laerdom and Porté sorcerors may not create these items. Laerdom has its own manner of creating magically-endowed items and no Porté sorcerors have ever been found to have used their magic to create items of this sort. Glamour sorcerors create small, semi-permanent items called talismans. They may make an item that mimics any of the abilities they practice. There are a few Glamour abilities that cannot be mimicked, however. They are mentioned below. Talismans are known to be fickle and will eventually fail, losing their magic. Pyeryem masters create charms, which gift the bearer with one ability of an animal form used by the Pyeryem sorceror. Only Pyeryem masters may create charms, and they may only use them to give people a single one of the abilities of a single animal. Charms are more reliable than Talismans, as long as the bearer never harms nature or Mother Ussura. If they ever do, the charm immediately loses its magic. Sorte strega adepts and masters brew potions. These potions can have a minor effect on the drinker (such as tugging the drinker's cups strand to increase their love for someone else) or a greater effect (such as severing a cups strand between the drinker and another). Potions are, by thier nature, one use only, though their effects may linger for quite a while. Also, not being there when the potion takes effect does not protect the strega from the effects of a snapped fate strand. In order to create an item, the sorceror must first learn the Talisman/Charm/Potion knack. This is a soceror knack available only after character creation. It is only learnable from certain sources. Any sorceror with this knack at level 3 or higher may teach other members of his bloodline. Also, Glamour sorcerors may be taught Talisman by a sidhe (this is faster than being taught by a sorceror, but *much* riskier) and Pyeryem masters may be taught Charm by a greater animal spirit (though they usually only do this if you have done them, or Matushka, a *great* service). It is unknown who first taught a sorte strega to create potions, but currently a sorte strega may only learn Potion from another sorte strega. **Creating a Talisman, Charm, or Potion: The roll to create the item is the sorceror's Resolve + Talisman/Charm/Potion skill. You can not roll more skill dice than the dice you have in the Knack you are mimicking. The difficulty of the roll depends on the type and level of the sorcery. For Glamour sorceror's the difficulty for apprentice-level effects is 20, for adept-level effects it is 30, and for master-level effects it is 40. The difficulty for Pyeryem sorcerors is 35 for all effects. For Sorte strega, the difficulty is the same as if the strega is performing the ability on the target in person. Part of the creation process for a strega involves doing a reading of each person involved, and gathering a few hairs or fingernail clippings of both of them. While doing the reading the strega learns the difficulty to affect the target fate strand, and will have to roll accordingly while brewing the potion. The time needed to create a Talisman is 3 days for an apprentice-level effect, 1 week for an adept-level effect, and 1 month for a master-level effect. Pyeryem sorcerors need two weeks to make a Charm. Brewing potions takes 3 days for an adept-level ability, and 2 weeks for a master-level ability. If any of the dice the strega rolls in brewing this potion explodes two times or more (rolls a 20 plus on a single die), the strega suffers the same Fate lash effects as if she had done this in person. However, instead of appearing like the lash of a whip, an area of the strega's skin reddens and inflames. It is rather sore and uncomfortable. The strega loses three Drama Dice as normal, taking Dramatic Wounds in place of each Drama Dice she is short. If this brings her down to 0 Drama Dice, the potion fails. During this time, the sorceror is spending at least 12 hours each day working on the item, so they may not make more than one at a time, or, indeed, do much of anything else during this time. Each item is highly individual. At the end of this time, the sorceror must spend a Drama Die or else the item remains purely mundane. **Using these items: To use a Glamour Talisman, you must be in contact with the talisman and spend a Drama Die. The Talisman lasts as long as the ability's description states and the Talisman may be used again (provided another Drama Die is spent). However, Talismans do not last forever. If the roll that the Talisman applies to ever fails by 15 or more points, the Talisman loses its power. The exception to this is a Talisman of a Green Man or Jack ability. In that case you roll a single die each time the power is used. If a one comes up the Talisman loses its power. Note that the power is lost *immediately*, not after this use. Beware the fickleness of Glamour. Also, if you ever insult or attempt to harm a sidhe, a sidhe place, or sidhe property (or something they consider thiers), all of your Talismans will lose their magic and you will likely find yourself hunted by the sidhe. Beware the wrath of the sidhe. With Pyeryem Charms, you must be in contact with it and you must also spend a Drama Die. The ability lasts for one hour, and may be used again, with the appropriate expenditure of Drama Dice. If the user ever harms nature or Ussura directly, the charm immediately loses its power. To use a Sorte Potion, you simply have to have the target drink it (or cook it into thier food). If the potion affects a strand linking two people, the other person must be decided beforehand. It may be a specific person, or it may be 'the first person seen by the potion's drinker.' In the case of the latter, the sorceror does not need hair or clippings from that person, but the difficulty rises by 10. There may be only one target, however, regardless of who it may be. **Talismans, Charms, and Potions: Glamour Talismans: *Green Man Talismans: Green Man Talismans are often made of rowan, ash, oak, or willow, and may include pieces from a rabbit or horseshoe. Apprentice-level Talismans have carvings of ivy, while adept-level Talismans generally have carvings of hyacinth. Green Man Talismans may not have master-level abilities. *Horned Hunter Talismans: Any Horned Hunter ability may be mimicked except for the giving of a damage bonus. Horned Hunter Talismans are usually made of oak, antler, eagle feathers, or, if the Talisman is for resisting the effects of alcohol, ivy. Sometimes a small uncut topaz is used, most often for the more powerful Talismans. Often the Horned Hunter's image is carved into the Talisman. *Jack Talismans: Jack Talismans with apprentice-level abilities often have small runes carved or sewn into them in hard-to-find places. Talismans with adept abilities are often made of rowan or hazel, carved with ancient runes. Jack Talismans may not have master-level abilities. * Robin Goodfellow Talismans: Often made of twine and yew leaves, these Talismans are tied onto a bow in order to give their effects. Alternately, one may be made to tie around one of the bowman's arms. If the Talisman is made into a specific arrow, the arrow is often made of birch or yew. *Thomas Talismans: Thomas Talismans are almost always rings carved from ash, hazel, or rowan (actually, rowan is mountain ash), and engraved with scenes of the sidhe court or of a snake swallowing its own tail. Pyeryem Charms: Pyeryem Charms are always made with small pieces from the animal in question, such as teeth, claws, fur, talons, scales, et cetera. The animal you get the parts from must give them freely of its own will. To take them without permission invites the wrath of Matushka. Sorte Potions: Sorte potions may do any of the following: bless a character, curse a character, tug a strand, stretch a strand, Destroy a strand, or create a strand. The materials used in the making of the potion are too varied to completely list here, but there are a few things commonly used for specific effects. Love potions often use hawthorne, rose petals, ginger, cinnamon, and mandrake. Potions to calm passions use hazel and willow. A potion to boost a person's valour might include fur from a wolf. Potions inducing any sort of beneficial change may use butterfly wings. Potions to induce peace or friendship use olives. Potions to affect males may involve air and fire, while ones to affect females may use earth and water. Lastly, a potion to adversely affect something may involve taking an applicable symbol, breaking it, and using it in the fire the potion is brewed over. **Last Notes: Talismans, Charms, and Potions should not be available commonly. If they are too available, they become mundane. Few sorcerors know how to make them. Fewer still will take the time to do so. A lot goes into the making of a Talisman, Charm, or Potion. The benefits of such an item are rarely worth the cost of making one. Generally, sorcerors give these out to people who have done them a service worthy of it. Also, with the Inquisition popping up where there not wanted, most sorcerors who are capable of creating these items do so secretly, or at least quietly, and those who use them rarely try to bring attention to them. Any comments? : } Maximilian Gerhardt Bremen, Eisen explorer -Keeper of the Tradeposts of the Mantis -Member of the Hida O-Ushi Fan Club -President of the Yoritomo Yukue Fan Club -L5R Code: Bushido (Yes, I stole it from Zen's sig, but it's cool. ^_^). -http://www.geocities.com/area51/lair/1961/ -copernicus@brunnet.net -- Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.