Ravenous Tongue of Entropy

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. The target character must have the wield mage staff skill.and be present throughout.

This ritual is an enchantment. A target may only be under one enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

The target gains the ability to call shatter with a staff once per day when they hit a target, following the rules for a heroic call. .

The target also experiences a roleplaying effect; they are keenly aware that everything and everyone will eventually die, decay and fall apart, making it difficult to see or appreciate beauty or strength. This perception becomes much more pronounced when they are actually touching someone or something. Only Eternals seem exempt from this perception.

The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event.

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters from the same coven. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 7. Additional characters must be present throughout.

Description

Ravenous Tongue of Entropy unleashes destructive magic to burst a shield into splinters, reave a staff into flinders, or rust a sword to uselessness within seconds. The magic shields the wielder and her staff from the corrupting influence of the enchantment, but even so they are left with a constant, nagging awareness of the entropy inherent in everything and everyone around them. When they ruffle thier son's hair they may suffer a sudden awareness of the slow processes of decay that will eventually leave that child as an old man; when they run their hand along the wall of a building, they know that eventually it will fall into ruins and be gone. People under this enchantment tend to avoid mirrors..

The magic of this enchantment tends to linger and sometimes turns against the magician's own staff; some magicians burn any staff they use to shatter another's weapon or shield. Others find that an otherwise reliable implement breaks at an inappropriate moment, often several months after the effect of the enchantment ends. Magical staffs are at least a little resistant to this effect, but even so once their magical properties fade they, too, tend to become unreliable and may snap unexpectedly.

This ritual draws on the powers exemplified by the Winter Eternal Kaele, but which are inherent in creation. The Lady of Sorrows sometimes expresses approval if she encounters a magician under the influence of this Enchantment.

Common Elements

The performance of this ritual is often especially grim. The inevitable forces of death and decay may be invoked, sometimes accompanied by the bitter ringing of a bell, thumping of a drum or dull sounding of a gong at seemingly random moments. It is often performed at night, and may include symbolic destruction of fragile items. Funereal dress is a common element, as is the painting of the Yoorn or Mawrig rune on the target or their staff, often with a paste made from blood and ashes.