One of my players in our forthcoming
Denver campaign wants to play a Champion of God. After discussing ways to create a character roughly equivalent to a Knight of the Cross, it was suggested that the character wield a staff carved from the original
Tree of Knowledge (also known as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or occasionally the Tree of Conscience). So, I've taken a first pass at writing up the Staff, and I'm looking for feedback. I need to figure out how many points of refresh it will cost, and whether the weapon is balanced versus a Sword of the Cross. Currently, I think it is weaker, but I'm still learning the FATE system.
From Wikipedia:
The pseudepigraphic Book of Enoch 31:4, dating from the last few centuries before Christ and purporting to be by the antediluvian prophet Enoch, describes the tree of knowledge: "It was like a species of the Tamarind tree, bearing fruit which resembled grapes extremely fine; and its fragrance extended to a considerable distance. I exclaimed, How beautiful is this tree, and how delightful is its appearance!")Staff of EnochDescription: You possess the Staff of Enoch, supposedly crafted from a branch of the Biblical Tree of Knowledge by the antediluvian prophet. The staff is about four feet long, shaped to resemble a walking stick, and carved from rich, red wood that is likely from a Tamarind tree.
Musts: You must have an aspect that reflects your destiny or calling to wield the Staff of Enoch. This does not have to be a high concept, but should be an aspect that can be used as a compel for virtuous behavior (see Divine Conscience, below).
Skills Affected: Lore, Scholarship, others
Effects:Knowledge of All: This is the true purpose of the Staff of Enoch, to reveal the hidden truths of anything it touches. Once the Staff has touched a creature or object, the wielder gets a +1 on any skill check regarding what was touched for the remainder of the scene (including Weapons skill rolls against the target).
By spending a Fate point, the wielder automatically learns any weakness of the creature (whatever "the Catch" is on their Toughness powers), no matter how obscure. However, the Staff, unlike the Swords of the Cross, does not give the wielder the ability to bypass a foe's defensive abilities (other than what would already be bypassed by the other powers of the Staff). In addition, the wielder may make a free assessment of the target as if using the Sight (see page 233) by rolling Lore. This is done without any risk of mental stress, as the Staff shields the wielder from the negative effects of what is revealed.
Lorekeeper: The Staff gives a +1 to all Lore and Scholarship skill checks (this stacks with the bonus from
Knowledge of All, above).
Divine Conscience: The Staff influences the morality of the wielder, encouraging them to act with selfless purposes. As long as the wielder has an aspect reflecting some form of virtue, the Staff has the ability to compel that aspect. Should the wielder succumb to temptation despite the compel, the aspect Crisis of Faith is gained and the wielder cannot use the other abilities of the Staff until a trial of faith is undertaken.
If anyone else takes up the Staff and uses it selfishly, the original bearer of the Staff is still responsible for how the weapon is used, with similar repercussions.
Holy: This weapon is a powerful holy symbol in its own right. Its very touch is like holy water or that of a cross or other symbol of faith backed by the belief of the possessor.
It's A Staff: The Staff of Enoch always takes the form of a staff or walking stick, though the precise form may change throughout the ages. As a staff, it functions as a Weapon: 2, with the attributes of any other staff.
Unbreakable: As an Item of Power, it cannot be broken, save through dedicated magical ritual predicated upon perverting its purpose.
