Ominous Objects

[segeorge]

Today is Friday the 13th, so it seems like a good time to start a thread about this (because of the TV series, not the movies ).

Whether running a game/campaign focusing on the activities of the Smithsonian’s Special Collections Division or a single scenario featuring a cursed object, supernaturally powered items (or mcguffins thought to have supernatural power) can be an integral part in spicing up CRYPTWORLD role playing.

So I thought I’d start a thread for sharing and discussing these ominous objects, and begin it with suggesting some possible (although not necessarily exclusive) categories of objects:


Artifacts
Artifacts are material objects of social, cultural, and historical importance. They have no unexplained or occult power, but still may be desired by anyone (or any THING), who would go to great lengths to possess them.

Cursed Objects
Once ordinary objects, these have become dangerous to those who possess them, and/or to those around them. Through arcane means, malevolent power has been attached to the previously mundane item.

Foci
Once ordinary material objects, these have become a focus for supernatural entities. Any object can become the focus of a creature’s power or the tangible access point for a creature/thing to enter our world. Destroying the focus will sever the link between the realm of evil things and our world. Although destroying the focus doesn’t necessarily destroy the creature attached to it (CM discretion).

Fossils
The fossilized remains of virtually any species have value – scientific and, often, monetary. Extinct, exotic, or paranormal remains are even more sought after.

Geological Specimens
Rock, minerals, and ecofacts of all kinds are of interest to scientists. But some of these types of objects possess (or, are thought to possess) arcane power of their own.

Power Objects
These are objects designed and created as repositories for certain, specific, arcane powers. While Practitioners aware of their power can use them with the most success, neophytes and even rank amateurs may have some success using them (CM discretion).


Have I forgotten any categories of items?

Any examples anyone wants to share?

[segeorge]

The Budapest Grimoire (cursed object)
This huge tome is a treasure trove of arcane knowledge. Purported to have been compiled by The Guiding Hand, a secret society which represented itself in various ways to secure the assistance and/or patronage of various parties, including fanatic cultists, several European Courts, and even the Vatican, in its goal of compiling the ultimate collection of arcana. The leader of The Guiding Hand was an apostate Bishop, who craved the power for himself and his inner circle (the only ones who knew the true agenda of the Hand). Betrayed by a member of the inner circle, Bishop Bela Corvinus (cousin to Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus [Matthias I]) was exposed as the leader of the Hand – after a brief reign of terror, the King’s Black Army decimated the group and captured the Bishop, who was executed on October 31, 1489 (it is said that the Bishop cursed his cousin, who died less than six months later [April, 1490]. In truth, it was the Grimoire that the Bishop cursed [using one of the spells within the book]).

The Grimoire Curse: The evil spirit of Bishop Corvinus (see below) dwells within the Budapest Grimoire. Each use increases his influence on the user. Every time a character (PC or NPC) uses a spell in the Grimoire (at 20 to 40 WPR each), the CM should secretly roll 1D10. When the total of these rolls exceeds the character’s current WPR, Corvinus gains possession of the character. The character is completely dominated by Corvinus. A possessed character can be freed of Corvinus through a successful exorcism (see below) or by re-working the spell which the Bishop used to curse the Grimoire.

Bishop Corvinus (ghost)
STR: NA WPR: 90
DEX: NA PCN: 90
AGL: NA PER: 45
STA: NA PWR: 100
ATT: 1/* WND: 0*
MV: F 75

Experience: 1,100

Ghost Powers:
Corvinus possesses the usual powers associated with ghosts: Excise Living & Supernatural Touch (see core rule book, p. 60) – Corvinus will not use these powers against a character who is using the Grimoire, but may use them to stop anyone from interfering with the user.

Paranormal Powers:
Before his death, Corvinus was an accomplished dark magic practitioner. As a ghost, he retains that arcane knowledge. In addition to those below (which CMs should feel free to alter, delete, or add to, depending on their campaign requirements), he also has access to the spells within the Grimoire):

Telekinesis 90
Pyrokinesis 90
Telepathic Sending 90



Paranormal Talent: Exorcize *still a work in progress*
Base: (PCN+ WPR+LUCK+STA)/4
PC rolls against the PWR of the possessing NPC
Cost = 30 WPR; Time required: 6 D10 minutes.

S = Strengthens the willpower of the possessed character to resist possession, decreasing the effectiveness of all actions, including physical and supernatural attacks (shift 1 column). Effective for 1D10 hours, after which another attempt must be made
L = Limits the scope of the possession, decreasing the effectiveness of all actions, including physical and supernatural attacks (shift 1 column). Effective for 1D10 + 2hours, after which another attempt must be made
M = Moderates the possessing spirit’s actions, decreasing the effectiveness of all actions, including physical and supernatural attacks (shift 2 columns). Effective for 1D10 +5 hours, after which another attempt must be made
H = Hinders the possessing entity, prohibiting it from using any supernatural powers Effective for 2D10 hours, after which another attempt must be made
C = Cleanses the invading entity, expelling it from its host
K = possessed character is thrown about like a ragdoll, taking 1D10 STA loss (if over 6 pts. Mark 1 wound box)

[jaerdaph]

This is really good stuff - looking forward to seeing more! Friday the 13th was a great TV series, and a character foundation based on it would make for an excellent CRYPTWORLD campaign.

For the Exorcise paranormal talent, I would suggest making it a specific check against the thing's current WPR instead. PWR can be very high, and using current WPR might give the exorcist a better fighting chance as the thing's WPR is worn down.

[segeorge]

Thanks for the feedback – I think you’re right about using WPR instead of PWR, which doesn’t decrease. This should be challenging, but not frustratingly difficult/impossible.

I think it was actually CRYPTWORLD that got me thinking fondly about Friday the 13th. Not just because it features three amateurs battling the supernatural, but because I first saw the series around the same time I discovered Pacesetter’s Chill.

Edit: I forgot to mention that on page 26 of Majus, there's an apparently occult shop called Curious Goods -- that can't be a coincidence.

Scott

[segeorge]

Here are a couple short ones for any art lovers:



Isolation (oil painting by Kenneth Robard, 2005) (focus)
Up and coming artist, Kenneth Robard’s last work, Isolation, described how the young artist felt. Suffering from depression, he committed suicide immediately after finishing the painting. Gazing at the work of art as he died, it became a focus for his spirit, trapping it in the painting. This may be why all the critics espouse it as a work of genus, “a physical manifestation of the artist’s desolation and hopelessness, as just another individual in a relentlessly uncaring world” (as one critic put it; another simply described it as “depersonalization personified”). On each anniversary of his death, his ghost walks free of the painting for 53 minutes – the time it took for the artist to bleed to death after slitting his wrists. It is said that the phantasm can be seen stepping from the painting, head low, ghostly blood dripping from his wrists. The spectral blood does not hit the floor; it vanishes millimeters above it in a wisp of ectoplasm. Destroying the painting would free Robard’s spirit (but not unreasonably, the owner of the painting would be loath to destroy a valuable work of art). Clever PCs may find other means of freeing the artist’s ghost (at CM discretion), but that would likely also diminish the soul-stirring quality of the painting (as such the artist’s ghost might decide he didn’t want to be freed). If using Robard as a character, CMs should refer to the Ghost entry in the CRYPTWORLD core book (p. 60), modifying the character as desired.




Malta Colossus (sculpture, artist unknown) (artifact)
Uncovered in 1998, during excavation for a parking garage, this 8 foot tall stylized statue has been dated to the 10th century. While there are markings on its back which are vaguely similar to the four arrowhead-like sections of the Maltese cross (at the base of the neck, the base of the spine, and on the shoulder blades), the Colossus doesn’t conform to the prevailing art style of the time. Its provenance is a complete mystery; there are no written records alluding to it.

None of which is surprising when one realizes that the colossus is, in fact, an inert golem. Presently on display within a Perspex case outside the entrance to Malta’s National Museum of Archaeology in the capital, Valletta, the inert creation shouldn’t harm anyone…

[segeorge]

Because vanquished monsters sometimes leave things behind:

The Soothsayer’s Diary (power object)

The so-called “Soothsayers Diary” is a large leather-bound book. Its cover, featuring a stylized face worked into the front, is cracked with age. Prophesies of death and destruction are scrawled on 97 of its 101tanned-hide pages. That the entries were written in the future tense is often given as proof that they foretold the events in question (looking back now, these can all be verified as having happened), while skeptics point out that grammar is no evidence of prescience. The provenance of the Soothsayers Diary is unclear, but the book has been in the possession of collectors since the 17th century. It’s attracted a mythical reputation among devotees of the arcane, and sold for upwards of 5 million Euros at a recent private auction.

This worn leather-bound book is actually a Scrybe’s Prognostication Journal – obviously one from a defeated Srybe – constructed of human skin, the face actually that of the Scrybe’s first victim (see entry for Scrybe in Monsters Macabre Supplement). Although not its original function, as a power object, arcane practitioners and adepts can use the book to see future events.

Characters with a PCN score of 60-69 and a WPR score of 50-59 use Column 5; characters with a PCN score of 70-79 and a WPR score of 60-69 use Column 3; Characters with a PCN score of 80+ and a WPR score of 70+ use Column 1. Characters using the book to predict the future, must be in contact with it for 1 full round, during which time they may take no other actions. Each attempt costs 25 WPR (additional 10 WPR can be used to shift one column). If characters are disrupted or lose contact with the book, their attempt fails (but the WPR for the attempt is still charged). Even characters with lower PCN and WPR scores may perceive some vague impressions (CM’s discretion).

Characters with the Paranormal Talent Precognition can use the book without a WPR cost (10 WPR can be used to shift one column).

Characters with the Paranormal Talent Psychometry can perceive events where the book was present without the typical WPR cost of using that talent (10 WPR can be used to shift one column) – these images are likely to be quite horrific, as they will reveal the evil plots of the Scrybe who fashioned the book.

[segeorge]

Rattlesnake Cane (power object)

Walking stick carved from a single branch of cherry wood. The shaft features the classic diamond design of the rattlesnake, the handle ends in a realistically rendered rattlesnake head baring inlayed fangs, with the rattle as the cane tip. This object was created by a powerful arcane practitioner using the fangs and rattle of an actual rattlesnake, procured during an occult ritual.

When blood is shed on both of the fangs, the cane transforms into a rattlesnake, and does the bidding of the person whose blood activated it (user takes 1 pt of damage for a scratch, but needn’t mark a Wound box). The transformation of cane to snake takes 1 turn and lasts for 1D10 hours (or may end sooner at user’s discretion), at which time it resumes its cane appearance. While transformed into the snake, the controller is able to see through the snake’s eyes, and can control the creature at up to 10X the user’s WPR column in yards (e.g., 65 WPR = 50 yards).

WPR cost is 25 per activation, 5 per hour of direction, and 10 for any/each attack. In snake form, use stats presented in the Core book pages 54-55, with a venom potency of 6. If attacked and reduced to 0 STA, the snake vanishes and reappears in cane form within reach of the user (any external damage to the snake [e.g., a cut in its skin] will be apparent on the cane). Any damage to the cane can only be repaired through occult means, but as long as it remains in one piece, it can still be used (the snake and cane continue to bear any scars). However, if it had been reduced to 0 STA a full 24 hours must elapse before it can be deployed again – any attempt before that time will only deplete the user’s WPR by the 25 points per failed attempt.

[seneschal]

Rattlesnake Cane -- Just the tool for a nasty, old sorcerer. I can see a Disney villain or Fu Manchu style mastermind employing such a device.