Grue Skull-Stone
◊Descriptors – artifact, variable
◊Effect – varies
◊Modifiers – variable: 2 flat points; other modifiers may apply
◊Action – varies
◊Range – varies
◊Duration – varies
◊Results – varies
◊Resist – varies
◊Overcome – varies
“This is the skull-stone of a
grue, and at this moment trembles with force.”
—An unnamed and
deceased bandit
The calcareous white pebble located in the skull of a grue is believed to
possess power by those living under the paling sun which grudgingly drags
itself daily over the Earth. Certainly, a no great sensitivity is required to
feel the dynamism present in some of these objects.
At the gamemaster’s option, a grue skull-stone (the more freshly procured
from the late grue, the better) may be able to invigorate magic or empower the
invocation of a curse (never to be taken lightly in the strange last days of
the world).
Whatever effect a skull stone generates should be one-use only. Consider
the following possibilities:
◊The wielder invokes a curse which creates a complication which
lasts until the curse is lifted by the target. Even if the “curse” has not true
power, the target may gain an obsession
with lifting it.
◊A wielder who possesses the Ritualist advantage gains Enhanced Expertise: Magic 4 if
they expend the skull-stone’s power when completing their spell.
◊A wielder using a power
with the magic descriptor gains a +2 or +5 circumstance bonus to power checks
or attack rolls by expending the skull-stone’s power.
◊A wielder using a power
with the magic descriptor can expend the skull-stone’s power to give the target
a -2 or -5 circumstance penalty to resistance checks made against that power.
