(TFT) Magical Tattoos for TFT

[ErolB1@aol.com]

The idea has been rattling around in my brain for a while, and I've just been 
inspired to write something out. My aim, with the following, is to produce 
something that will be interesting and useful to characters (PCs and NPCs) who 
have specialized needs wrt magic items, or who just find the concept especially 
nifty for roleplaying reasons. At the same time, however, I didn't want to 
create something so good that every character would rush to get a magic tattoo 
or three.  

MAGICAL TATTOOS FOR TFT

NEW SPELLS: 
IQ 14
MARTIAL ARTIST TATTOO ENCHANTMENT
Adding a martial artist tattoo to a character has the same cost and time 
requirements as adding an additional +1 bonus to a weapon or suit of armor via the 
Weapon/Armor Enchantment spell.

A Martial Artist Tattoo can only be placed on a character with the Unarmed 
Combat I talent. If the character loses the talent, the tattoo remains, but 
doesn't function. If the character regains the talent, the tattoo starts working 
again. 

A character can have up to five Martial Artist Tattoos. Each tattoo gives a 
+1 to either the character's unarmed combat adjDx, his unarmed combat damage, 
or to his natural armor. A bonus to adjDx or damage only applies to those 
attacks where the UC I talent gives a bonus. A bonus to armor is not cumulative 
with any protection from armor worn, although it is cumulative with the armor 
protection of a ready shield. 

A set of Martial Artist Tattoos counts as a single magic item under the Rule 
of Five. It reduces the number of other magic items (or equivalents) that the 
character can use by one. It also increases the cost of any other magic 
tattoos according to the usual doubling rule.

IQ 16
TATTOO OF OBEDIENCE
This spell enables a wizard to place a Tattoo of Obedience on a 
subject/victim. This requires 1 day in a wizard's lab, 15 St, and one Fear potion ($150). 
It also requires that the subject/victim be present and either willing or 
subjugated. When the tattoo is created, the creator must make a Rule concerning who 
the bearer must obey. E.g. "any female," "the creator of the tattoo," "any 
member in good standing of the Wizard's Guild," "any person within the walls of 
Castle Yod," or the like.

The bearer of a Tattoo of Obedience must obey any command given him by 
another figure who (a) meets the requirements of the tattoo's Rule, (b) can be heard 
by the bearer, and (c) speaks in a language that the bearer himself knows how 
to speak. (Note that a command in Sorcerer's Tongue will be understood but 
won't invoke obedience unless the tattoo bearer can speak it himself.) 

If the bearer wishes to resist a command, he gets a 3d roll vs adjIQ to do 
so. If obeying the command would be immediately fatal, or if the command 
requires obedience continued obedience after leaving the command-giver's presence, 
then the bearer gets a second roll vs IQ. (Special case: The bearer does not get 
any rolls to resist commands against removing the tattoo. Standard practice 
is to give such commands as soon as the tattoo is in place.)

A Tattoo of Obedience counts as a magic item for the purposes of the Rule of 
Five. Unlike other magical tattoos, it will function even if covered or 
concealed. 

IQ 18*
LESSER MAGICAL TATTOO ENCHANTMENT
A lesser magical tattoo works just like an enchantment created by the Lesser 
Magic Item Creation spell. It has the same cost and time requirements. 
However, a tattoo cannot be made if the Lesser Magic Item enchantment requires a 
specific sort of underlying object. 

Each Lesser Magical Tattoo counts as a single magic item under the Rule of 
Five. It reduces the number of other magic items (or equivalents) that the 
character can use by one. It also increases the cost of any other magic tattoos 
according to the usual doubling rule. For example, if a character got three 
Magical Tattoos, the second one would cost twice normal, and the third one would 
cost four times normal. Furthermore, the character would only be able to use two 
additional magic items, rather than the normal five. 

*Note: In my campaign, I've reduced Lesser Magic Item to IQ 15, so the Lesser 
Tattoo spell would be IQ 15 as well. 

IQ 20 
GREATER MAGICAL TATTOO ENCHANTMENT
This spell works like the Lesser Magic Tattoo Enchantment spell, only 
applying to enchantments that require the Greater Magic Item spell to put on items. 

GENERAL NOTES ON MAGICAL TATTOOS: 
A magical tattoo can be made to temporarily stop working by any spell or 
magic that will either temporarily stop the corresponding magic item from working 
or that will temporarily prevent a wizard from casting spells (e.g. the 
Magebinding spell). 

A magical tattoo can be made to permanently stop working by any spell or 
magic that will disenchant the corresponding item, e.g. a Dissolve Enchantment 
spell. However, the tattoo will still count as a "magic item worn" for the Rule 
of Five unless physically removed. 

Physically removing a tattoo inflicts 3 dice of damage. This is reduced to 2 
dice if a Physicker spends 5 minutes removing the tattoo, or to 1 die if a 
Master Physicker spends 1 hour removing it. If the figure removing the tattoo 
knows the appropriate tattoo creation spell, the damage is reduced by 2 points. 
(E.g. to 2d-2 if removed by a Physicker who knows the appropriate spell.) 
Physically removing the tattoo also destroys its magic, if it wasn't already 
de-enchanted. 

As an option, the GM may allow a called shot (or critical hit) to destroy a 
tattoo. Roll 3 dice, and on a result less than or equal to the damage taken by 
the tattooed character, the tattoo is destroyed. 

With the exception of a Tattoo of Obedience, a magical tattoo will only 
provide its benefits if clearly visible on exposed skin. (I.e. not covered by 
clothing, armor, make-up, etc.) A partially covered tattoo will function if visible 
enough to be seen and recognized (GM's discretion as to how much exposure 
this requires.) 

A character who knows the appropriate tattoo creation spell will be able to 
recognize a visible tattoo on a 3-die roll vs IQ. A character who knows only 
that the tattoo is magic will successfully guess its nature on a 6-die roll vs 
IQ. 

Comments?

Erol K. Bayburt
Evil Genius for a Better Tomorrow
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