Relics
Submitted by Scott Hacker of Chicago, USA
History
Martin Luther was a Christian Reformist from Germany many centuries ago who's many disputes with the all powerful church of that period made him famous for standing up for his own beliefs no matter what the cost - in the end he was excommunicated from the church but hailed as a heroic rogue and visionary after his death. The crucifix that he carried around with him most of the time was blessed by the powers that be and still exists today. Many believe it was brought over from Europe to America early in the 18th century as it passed hands from the Germans to the French then to the British and finally onto the Americans.
Appearance
An oaken cross about 1 foot long with the arms of the crucifix extending 4 inches either side. It is actually very plain, just a hunk of aged wood basically and the only distinguishing features are the letters "I" "N" "X" "S" carved across the horizontal member
Power
The Crucifix has several astonishing powers when used in the hands of the pure of heart:
1) The bearer of the Cross recieves a +4 bonus to all Faith rolls. This includes rolls to invoke Miracles.
2)This Holy Relic strikes fear into the hearts of unholy abominations. The relic, and it's bearer, have a Terror factor of 9 against the undead, evil cultists, and any other "intelligent" agents of darkness. An evil creature may substitute it's Spirit for it's Guts in this case if it desires
3) If anybody thinks to use the cross as a weapon then it inflicts a whopping STR+4d10 damage in combat (using the Fightin:Club aptitude to hit in the first place) against "evil" targets. Be very conservative when labelling something as "evil", an evil person or being is someone who is an agent of darkness or the Reckoners, not just a mean bank robber. Against non-evil targets the cross does only STR+1d4 damage
Taint
The Cross of Martin Luther is actually possesed by the spirit of Martin Luther himself - hence the incredible powers of the relic! Martin's spirit is here for one reason only, to fight all that is evil and un-Godly, and he will not have the bearer of his crucifix running around commiting any kind of crime or sin. Every time the bearer of the cross attempts to commit what Luther deems a "sin" (this includes lying, cheating, harming a non-evil human being, murder, soliciting with whores, getting too personal with women in general and anything else you can think of!) he must first win an opposed Spirit roll with Martin Luther's spirit (which has a Spirit total of 5d12+8!!!). If the cross bearer is successful then Luther may not intervene. If Luther wins then he stops the cross bearer from being able to commit the sin and saps him of 1d6 wind as punishment (regained at 1 per hour). If the cross bearer ever goes bust on his Spirit roll then Luther actually takes control of the mortal vessel for 1d20 minutes and may do as he wishes in that time.
Another drawback of owning the cross is that it tends to have a mind of it's own (well Luther's mind anyway!) and sometimes becomes attached to the bearer. If the cross is thrown away it will reappear again at the next convenient moment. It will only change hands if Martin Luther, or some other higher power, wants it too...
Submitted by Scott Hacker of Chicago, USA
History
The Lash of the Penitant was used by Pontias Pilot to lash Jesus Christ in an attempt to appease the mobs who would see him crucified. The Bible suggests to us that he failed in his bid...
The Lash was then filled with the Wrath of God and given a power of it's own to inflict pain on mortal man at the slightest touch, reminding him of the pain that his own sins have caused unto others
The Lash has now cropped up in the Weird West having being taken from a museum in France by an unknown theif. Has the Lash been liberated by a religious organisation intent on owning the Holy Relic or has it simply been stolen by some power hungry madman?
Appearance
The grip of the Lash is made from gold and has the inscription "Repent, ye sinners" written in Latin along the side. Otherwise it is very much like an ancient version of a bullwhip - except that the blood of Christ has stained it red...
Power
DamageEvery time a target is struck by the Lash (using the Fightin':Whip or Lariat aptitude) they take no damage from the weapon, as it is too aged to be of much use. Instead they take imaginary damage equal to STR+1d6 with wind damage caused at a rate of 1d10 per imaginary wound instead of 1d6 per wound as the target feels the pain that all of their own sins have caused unto others. No physical wounds appear on the target - it is all within the confines of their mind as their body burns and sears with the agony of a severe lashing. Consequently all wound penalties to dice rolls caused by the lash are doubled. If the lash causes 2 imagined wounds then the target suffers -4 to his dice rolls due to the extreme suffering he endures. The Blessed and other "innocents" such as children may resist this imagined damage on a Spirit (5) roll - the pain of their own sins being less than most. The imagined wounds subside and disappear after 3d6 minutes
Madness On top of this the pain suffered is enough to drive any normal person quite mad. Every imagined wound caused by the Lash signifies the victim must pass Spirit(5) check to avoid having to roll on the Dimentia table, the agony having an effect upon the victims very psyche if they are not mentally strong enough to resist the pain. Passing the Spirit test means a roll on the Dimentia table is not required
Taint
The Lash's power does not come cheaply. Every time the wielder of the Lash of the Penitant strikes an opponent with the relic they will suffer horrible flashbacks of the lashings of Christ the next time they sleep, represented by suffering a single night of Night Terrors as described under the Hindrances section of the main Deadlands rulebook, per usage of the Lash. Whoever owns this item of power is probably easily identifyable by the large bags under their eyes...
Submitted by Lon Teal of New Zealand
History
Previously owned by a famous Southern gentleman gunfighter by the name of Father Time, this golden pocket watch is a relic of some power. Father Time used the watch before any high noon gunfight and it may have had something to do with his amazing success in such duels as he never lost, most bystanders would claim they saw him looking at his watch the moment before his opponent dropped dead, a single gunshot wound in the head. Usually the victim died before his gun had even left his holster. People would also often claim they never even saw Father Time's hands reach for his weapons...
Alas Mr Time disappeared one afternoon before a gunfight with a notorious outlaw, reports of what actually occured were hazy but some spoke in whispers of Father Time literally vanishing right there in the street at high noon and never returned. The only evidence of his existance was his pocket watch lying there in the mud which was picked up by his Grandaughter Molly Malloy - who is presently a notorious railroad saboteur for Black River.
Description
The fobwatch is an ornate gold-plated affair with the face of Caligula, the Roman Emperor, engraved upon the cover (don't ask me why!). On the inside is an hourglass with Death's head above and a sythe below. When opened the watch plays the "Danse Macabre" tune.
Power
Once a day the watch may be opened and time will freeze for all but the holder of the watch for an entire round (about 5 seconds - the user makes a Quickness roll to see how many actions they may perform in this time). During this time the holder may not move more than 1 yard from their original position and may only perform simple actions, such as drawing a bead on a target, taking out a weapon, dropping something on the floor, consuming an elixer etc. The user may not perform complex actions, cast spells, harm anybody, affect anything around her, or move more than a yard from their position. When the round is over the watch is closed and time returns to normal.
Taint
Whenever the watch is used the Marshal draws a card from his action deck. If a Joker is drawn then a Nameless Horror will appear 10 yards away and tries to drag the character off to the Hunting Grounds for an eternity of torture, leaving the watch behind. The Nameless Horror may be fought normally and during the combat time is frozen for all but the creature and it's victim (who may move and act as normal). Other bystanders are considered invulnerable but could still be used as cover. Time returns to normal when either the target is dragged off to the Hunting Grounds or the Nameless Horror is killed. If the character wins he reappears back where he was when he opened the watch, time returned to normal...
DEFTNESS 1d6, NIMBLENESS 2d12, QUICKNESS 6d10, STRENGTH 4d12+2/4d12+6*, VIGOR 5d12+6
Fightin':Brawlin' 4/6*, Dodge 5
COGNITION 4d8, KNOWLEDGE 1d4, SMARTS 1d4, MIEN 5d12+2, SPIRIT 2d12+4
Scrutinize 4, Overawe 5, Guts 5
Wind=34, Terror=7/9*, Armour=1, Size=8/11*, Claws=STR+1d8/1d10*, Bite=STR+1d6/2d6*
Quick Description
The Nameless Horror can take any form the Marshal desires, but the important thing here is teeth and claws, and plenty of them. The thing wants only to destroy it's hapless victim and takes their soul away with it once it's done this (meaning anybody killed by a Nameless Horror cannot return as Harrowed!).
* First value applies to when a Red Joker is drawn, second value is for when a Black Joker is drawn...
History
According to "those who know" this large relic came from the very mouth of Mother Wendigo after her death thousands of years ago. Whether she was a Wendigo of the type brought about by the Reckoning none can say. The tooth is said to contain the powers of nature and is held in high regard by certain people and creatures, legend has it that the tooth is the only known safe cure for lycanthropy, the disease of the Werewolf. It is also rumoured that the tooth has a supernatural link with the current Wendigos which stalk the colder climes of North America. No matter. It now belongs to the Indian tribes of Wyoming who worship the tooth as a symbol of fertility...
Description
The tooth is the size of a rhino horn and the "root" of the tooth has been inbedded with jewels and precious metals, which makes it rather valuable. The whole thing weighs about 20 pounds and is rather solid, although the tooth itself has yellowed somewhat through age and exposure.
Power
The tooth does in fact hold the cure for lycanthropy (a belladona concoction would work just as well but is rather dangerous to drink), if the tooth is taken to a particular burial ground in Yellowstone park (NW Wyoming?) and set into a stone which is buried there then all who sleep before it at full moon will enter a deep slumber and wake up cured of lycanthropy. Whether this power comes from the Tooth, the Stone in the Burial ground (which was built by an ancient tribe who worshipped the tooth) or the proximity of the "Yellowstone Geyser" and its related powers are unknown. The tooth also holds another power, it makes an ideal paperweight.
Taint
Hmmmm...the Tooth does indeed hold a taint, not only is it valuable - therefore sought after by museums and bandits alike - it is also a kind of magnet for Wendigo's, which inhabit the area around Yellowstone Park. Anybody who makes use of the tooth had better have guards on the look out for the hairy beasties which will come looking for it, wendigo's aren't into fair trade and will probably want to take the tooth without asking politely first. Also don't forget that the tooth holds the cure for desparate lycanthropy suuferers everywhere, some of whom will stop at nothing for a chance to become their old selves once more.
History
Pretty Jane Belle was a confederate counter-spy during the early years of the war, working whorehouses in Dallas, New Orleans, and all over Alabama on the look out for union spies who got their info from loose-lipped whores (which she occasionally pretended to be). Her skills at rooting out yankee spies and overhearing the right conversations at the right times gained her great success, but alas in 1868 she was killed by an undercover Pinkerton who was working as a kind of counter-counter-spy. Her throat was cut from ear to ear and her dying blood infused the beautiful earings she was wearing with magical power (with a little help from the spirits of course).
Description
The earings were cheap gold plated affairs but were nevertheless beautiful, and rather large with a red glass "jewel" imbedded in the center of each.
Power
When worn, the earings give the wearer the "Big Ears" edge until they take them off again. They also give a second power, if the wearer presses their ear against a door or wall of a room they may hear any sounds or conversations as if they were there in the room, when this happens the red glass jewels in the earings will glow softly. The earings also look more expensive than they are, most people would value them at around $20, anybody passing a Trade:Jewellery(5) or a Science:Geology(11) check will realise they are worth a mere $2.
Taint
The wearer will automaticall gain an unatural intolerance of northerners (Intolerance 4 Hindrance) and an intense Major Phobia of Pinkertons (Alabama Jane was terrified at the moment of death, this was also passed into the Earings). The earings can be destroyed by normal means, should anyone wish to do soHistory
Toni Demarvello was the travelling name for the Italian "magician" Toni Garibaldi who toured the West with his assistant performing his famous disappearing act to small audiences. This act was famous for one thing only, it rarely worked. Toni would dress up in top hat and magnificent black cloak and enter a vertical box to the tune of some dramatic score. His assistant would close up the box and Toni would be gone when she re-opened it, his cloak lying crumpled on the floor. Of course, this was all trickery. Toni would leave through a secret exit in the rear of the box, usually only to have some observant child shout out "Mummy, look! He's hiding round the back!". Toni's tricks took on a new twist with the advent of the Reckoning, his cape became infused with power and he was given the ability to actually disappear. He soon figured out the workings of his cape and turned his mediocre show into one of grand entertainment. Alas, one day Toni demarvello performed his "disappearing act" and never reappeared. His Cloak of Wonder was the only trace of him found, lying crumpled in his box. That was in 1865, now the location of the cloak isn't known. Toni never told anybody of it's powers fearing someone would kill him for it, so it was probably just given away, or maybe sold to a museum.
Description
The cloak is made from thick velvet, black on the outside, purple on the inside. It is ankle length and probably a bit old and battered by now (Toni's father used to own it before he did)
Power
Anybody who wears the Cloak and concentrates on disappearing will do just that on a foolproof(3)Spirit check, becoming completely invisible and insubstantial. Nobody may see or harm the user of the cloak, neither may he harm anybody else or cast any hexes or other magic.To reappear the user must once again pass a foolproof(3)Spirit check and will materialise on the spot. What has actually happened is the physical body of the wearer has entered the Hunting Grounds and is sleeping peacefully. His spirit, however, is still present in the real world and is reunited in the real world with their physical body if they "concentrate" and pass a foolproof(3)Spirit check once more.
Taint
The Cloak is actually a very hazardous thing to use, as Toni DeMarvello eventually found out. Not only does using the Cloak risk trapping the user in the Hunting Grounds for eternity, but it also costs the wearer a tiny part of his soul. To represent this, every time a spirit roll is failed when using the cloak (either to disappear or reappear) the wearer looses a point of wind permanently, the wind may never be regained. Also, if a player goes Bust while rolling one of the two spirit rolls then their Spirit, as well as the Physical Body, is transported to the Hunting Grounds for all eternity (unless they somehow find a way out) and the cloak drops crumpled to the floor in the real world in the last place that the wearer was standing. In addition to all this, every 15 mins spent using the Cloak adds +1 to the TN of (3) to the Spirit roll to return back to the real world. Failing the roll looses them a point of wind as usual and they must attempt the roll again.