(TFT) Chattering Skull, cont.

[Thorn <edt@dopey.ne.mediaone.net>]

Stan wrote:
> 
> Thorn wrote:
> >
> > Chattering Skull - analogue to Explosive Gems, weaker...  Limited to the
> > IQ of the original critter the skull comes from.  Done 1d6 per round, as
> > the Skull bites at the triggerer/target, striking automatically, armor
> > having no effect.  The Skull can be destroyed before completing it's
> > chattering;
> 
> I love this!  How long does it chatter?  Is that related to the IQ?

Sort of:  A man (IQ 12) dies, and the shaman takes the skull and
enchants it.  He leaves the skull on top of something to guard it. 
Later, a lone thief touches the skull, which then attacks.  Each round,
the skull will do 1d6 damage to the thief, but it can only do 12 (the
IQ) points total.  The thief has 9 ST, so unless he can do 6 (half the
IQ) points to the skull, while striking at -3 DX, he's a dead thief. 
They'll find him laid out on the floor of the Shaman's hut, with the
bloody-toothed skull lying beside him.  What the heck, if there's points
left in the damage pool, let the skull be chattering when they find it. 
:)

It's pretty powerful, I know.  So balance the cost and IQ against 12
points (3-4 dice) of Explosive Gem, which can't be stopped once it goes
off.

> One small suggestion, if I may: perhaps make the skull is more powerful
> against the friends and allies of the person *from whom the skull was
> taken* Either increased damage (+1?) and/or a DX penalty to hit it (-3?).
> Kind of fits in with a clan/tribe centered system and shamantic magic.

You're perhaps inspired by the Celtic tradition Nathlum, which was a
lime-coated head taken from an enemy, and hurled at his relatives or
clansmen.  D&DG (AD&D) has this do actual damage.  The folklore speaks
of it more like it horrified them, which I find a lot more likely.  :)

If you want to increase the power of the skull versus it's relatives, go
right ahead.  I won't mind, and the skull is dead.  :)  Everything I
offer here on the list is in sketch form, you'll notice I gave no ST
cost or IQ level.
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