Item of Power: The D'Ortonnes Sword

[MorkaisChosen]

This is something I put together essentially because I felt like it. Mechanically, its most obvious feature is taken from the Swords of the Cross- but background-wise, it's got a rather different feel...

I see this as a potential weapon for a PC (and I may play Last Scion of the d'Ortonnes Family sometime myself...), but it could just as easily be the spark for a plot in which the PCs have to find it and take it up temporarily to kill something very nasty, or to return it to safe hands before the bad guys can get hold of it and kill something that really shouldn't be killed.

The d'Ortonnes Sword (Item of Power) [-4 Refresh (base)]

This is a sword steeped in death. It was made to kill that which could not be killed- forged for Sir Joseph d'Ortonnes in the 13th Century to drive off a being of shadow and flame that was terrorising his estate. The sword was made by a robed stranger garbed as a monk, and Sir Joseph paid a terrible price for it- the stranger claimed a weapon suitable to destroy his foe required the sacrifice of seven innocent lives to give it the necessary power. Enough lives had been lost that he agreed, and seven of his peasants were taken by the monk, never to be seen again.

He returned with a sword- elegantly made from bright steel, and yet somehow... harsh. The light reflects cruelly from its edges, drawing attention to the sharp tip. It is quite clearly an instrument of death.

The Sword was passed down the family line from father to son- or daughter, in a few cases, when no sons were available- with a duty to care for it, use it to destroy those that prey on society- and to keep it from the hands of those who would misuse it.

For the d'Ortonnes Sword is a powerful tool, and easy to claim- it will accept a new wielder simply by a mingling of their blood and that of the previous wielder in a pit on the pommel. The family have been forced to fight off numerous assailants who sought it for their own ends, and even reclaimed it after a theft on more than one occasion.

The saddest of these, though, are when it must be taken from one of their own who has been seduced by the power they bear. It is a terrible weight, and one that they bear, for they cannot trust anyone else with it.

Effects:
Demonic Co-Pilot: Applies when the Sword is unsheathed and in use. The sword's spirit's Agenda is quite simple- it was created to kill, and it wants to kill. It doesn't really care what.
The End of Things: The bearer of the d'Ortonnes Sword may pay a fate point to ignore a single target's armour and supernatural protection for the duration of a single scene, as if it satisfied the Catch. [Equivalent to the power of the Swords of the Cross... though not nearly as benevolent.]
It's a Sword: Duh.
Unbreakable: As an Item of Power.
The Power Within: The spirit of the Sword has more to offer- at a price. Over seven centuries of bloodshed, it has amassed a great deal of power, and a willing wielder can allow some of this power in, making him incredibly strong and fast- the better to do the work of the Sword. The wielder may at any time gain Inhuman Strength and/or Speed, immediately modifying his Refresh total and paying two fate points as if using on-the-fly character creation. The wielder must also modify an Aspect to reflect the murderous impulses of the Sword- for example, Guardian Against Darkness might become Uncompromising Slayer of Darkness. The same process may be used to acquire Supernatural or even Mythic Strength and Speed- but the repeated changes to Aspects combined with the high Refresh cost means this is not for the faint-hearted...

[ryanshowseason2]

I like it, personally I would also have some kind of marker to show outwardly that the sword was in use, say milky or completely black eyes or darkened veins.

Going beyond the inhuman powers might be a bit much IMHO. I've always felt though that demonic co pilot should constitute some kind of mental and social protection since you're not in control, so 'getting through' to someone who has been subverted by the sword is hard to bring back. I'd do this in the form of mental and social 'armor'

Are you interested in making the sword able to turn PCs into NPCs if they use it or fall to it?

[MorkaisChosen]

I like it, personally I would also have some kind of marker to show outwardly that the sword was in use, say milky or completely black eyes or darkened veins.

Didn't think of that, but I like the idea. I'd probably go with veins, myself, as it's more of a physical power than a mental one.

Going beyond the inhuman powers might be a bit much IMHO. I've always felt though that demonic co pilot should constitute some kind of mental and social protection since you're not in control, so 'getting through' to someone who has been subverted by the sword is hard to bring back. I'd do this in the form of mental and social 'armor'

You may be right about post-Inhuman powers; on the other hand, this thing's a murderspirit backed up by seven centuries of killing things...

On the second point- sounds like a general change to Demonic Co-Pilot to me, though you could also model this as a Compel to the Aspect related to the Sword forcing them to resist any attempts with an appropriate skill, which would of course pick up the Demonic Co-Pilot skill bonus.

Are you interested in making the sword able to turn PCs into NPCs if they use it or fall to it?

Where appropriate, yes. That's the main reason for the powerup mechanic- if you grab enough of those powers to hit zero Refresh, NPCtime.

I'd only want that to happen as a direct player choice, though, anything else seems against the spirit of FATE.

Also, I may put up a few ideas on what the Sword is and why it's so powerful...

[Becq]

Instead of allowing the wielder to simply buy the Speed power, you might consider treating it a bit like Sponsored Magic.  Let them call on the extra speed (temporarily) whenever they want, for the low, low price of Debt to be be repaid later...  Two Debt per scene, perhaps?

[MorkaisChosen]

That's one way to do it- but it doesn't carry the risk of "no Refresh left, NPC'd!" that I was going for. OTOH, it keeps them in the game longer, having Hideous Consequences for longer... Yeah, I kinda like that.

Another idea I had, which I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on: allowing mid-scene buying of offensive stunts for the same sort of price, for when you really need Wall of Steel and it's worth paying for.

[Tallyrand]

Really unless the character has an aspect that you can compel to force them to take the extra power there's no real threat there anyway, I think that the sponsored debt is probably a better way to represent the power.

[MorkaisChosen]

Really unless the character has an aspect that you can compel to force them to take the extra power there's no real threat there anyway, I think that the sponsored debt is probably a better way to represent the power.

Perhaps I haven't been as clear as I could. I'm not trying to make a threat, exactly; I'm trying to make a temptation. I don't want to force people to lose their characters, but give them a reason why they might want to.

Still, debt may well be a better way to look at this- I'll give it a day or two to percolate through my thought processes...

[Suicide King]

Using the temporary powers rules, combined with debt from sponsored magic, sounds like an awesome idea.

Not sure how to price it - making it fully sponsored magic would kinda change the concept. Perhaps something like this:

Sponsored Power [-2 refresh]
The character can acquire debt in the same way as a sponsored practitioner. He can "borrow" up to one debt per die roll, as per sponsored magic.
Further, he can temporarily acquire powers, depending on the agenda of the sponsor. Each temporary power costs an amount of debt equal to it's refresh cost per scene, as per the temporary powers rules.

That right there is a big temptation. Especially when the sponsor can compel and escalate, using the debt. If you come out of a fight with 4 points of debt and only 2 fate left, you are likely to find yourself with someone's blood on you hands afterwards. Given the nature of the Sword, quite possibly someone innoncent. That would make it very dark though, very nasty and very tempting.

You could still keep the option to acquire permanent powers through it, with the aspect rules. IMO it shouldn't even cost any refresh, as it just mirrors the changeling template ability, that they do not pay any refresh for. In the long run it even makes sense to do it, you change your aspects, but get more powers that you have access to without getting debt.

[MorkaisChosen]

Using the temporary powers rules, combined with debt from sponsored magic, sounds like an awesome idea.

Not sure how to price it - making it fully sponsored magic would kinda change the concept. Perhaps something like this:

Sponsored Power [-2 refresh]
The character can acquire debt in the same way as a sponsored practitioner. He can "borrow" up to one debt per die roll, as per sponsored magic.
Further, he can temporarily acquire powers, depending on the agenda of the sponsor. Each temporary power costs an amount of debt equal to it's refresh cost per scene, as per the temporary powers rules.

That right there is a big temptation. Especially when the sponsor can compel and escalate, using the debt. If you come out of a fight with 4 points of debt and only 2 fate left, you are likely to find yourself with someone's blood on you hands afterwards. Given the nature of the Sword, quite possibly someone innoncent. That would make it very dark though, very nasty and very tempting.

You could still keep the option to acquire permanent powers through it, with the aspect rules. IMO it shouldn't even cost any refresh, as it just mirrors the changeling template ability, that they do not pay any refresh for. In the long run it even makes sense to do it, you change your aspects, but get more powers that you have access to without getting debt.

That works for me!