[HMtW] Bone Charms

 Every death in this world is a sorrow, every murder a stain. Yet what happens when a Hilbert Whale, a creature of beauty from a higher dimension of reality, is brutally murdered in a lower realm? It’s last moments of anger and rage and fear and hopeless struggle freezing as near physical manifestations. Using the beast’s bones, and a little scrimshaw, folk wizards are able to bind these final moments into charms to bestow small but helpful effects upon the wearer. Some might think these as actual magic, but magic starts in the outer realms, and the whales are purely of the Flesh. No, these are items of Probability made Physical.

We take their lives, we take their body, we take their fluids, and now we take their deaths. Is there no level to which we won’t sink?

Yes, I obviously stole this idea from the Dishonored series

Bone Charms of the Astral Sea

Each takes up a single inventory slot and are consumed on use, shattering as the Reality stored within manifests on the local space-time. Which, in turn, also causes Stress. Charms are largely identified by the sudden rush of emotion left over by the whale, experienced when picking them up, as described by the italic text. (Annoyingly I have to indent for the italics to work). Visual descriptions too, would be helpful?

A Turned Bolt Never Fells

"That terminal, desperate, futile hope that the final lance strike would miss."

Two curved arrows, twisted around one another. Ranged attacks are redirected towards a nearby valid target, for the same attack value.

Bloody Defiance

"Defiance, bloodied but unbroken until the end. Pointless."

A broad, flat piece, adorned with a tiny iron sprocket. Some whales, when beginning to be stuck with multiple harpoons attempt to flee, rising to higher dimensions for safety. Others, prefer to stand their ground, bloodied but defiant. Add the number of Wounds (not counting Notches) the wearer is currently suffering to their Initiative for Defensive purposes.

Bloody Riposte

"That final moment of aggressive panic that could have changed the outcome, were it for naught."

A cruel little piece, all sharp angles and straight lines. Add the number of Wounds (not counting Notches) the wearer is currently suffering to their Riposte score.

Dying Heart's Desire

"Lustful, hungry, aggressive wanting. The sort that binds a poor bastard to the cruel wheel of rebirth."

Crystalline covetousness, inlaid with jealousy. If you know a person has an item that you desire, spend a Resolve to find it within your inventory. Must be a specific item known to you and able to fit in your inventory.

Essence of the Long Watch

"Memories of long solitary treks; never ending, never resting."

A long stretch of bone, carved ever too thin. The wearer can perform an additional Camp Action at the cost of being Stressed.

Falling Satellite

"That tinkling in the pit of your stomach when gravity suddenly realizes that you are someone it should be concerned with."

A central sphere encircled by sail like wings. When falling from a boat or ship into the Void, the wearer briefly orbits the vessel and lands on the opposite side.

Firm Hand of the Greaser

"A fleeting force of will, called up by a dwindling reserve of determination."

A vaguely hammer shape, cracked and lashed. By giving a firm whacking, and spending a Resolve, you make a broken magical machine operate as though repaired. Note: this does not actually repair the machine, and further usage will require proper fixing.

Fortune Favors the Gold

"A frenzied drive for capital, sending desperate Fools to desperate shores for desperate acts."

A flat, crude circle mimicking holed coinage. The next treasure you sell returns +10% the agreed upon price. The merchant doesn’t overpay, so much as the extra money appears unknowingly during the exchange. No, not magically; we've discussed this.

Grim Notes of the Thieving Type

"The grim realization that when this is over, you will be forgotten; a vague experience in a sea of chaos."

Cracked bones, jagged and angry. Gone now, the whale felled and butchered; who will sing of its death? Who has sung of its life? By loudly singing a dirge at a lock, which may attract attention, you open it as though you had the key.

Lance of the Bloodied Sailor

"Bloody determination in the face of inevitable defeat."

A pointy little thing of all spikes and hatred. Slowly drips blood, but who's? When Injured, your next successful attack does Critical damage.

Last Grasp of the Slain

"Roiling, boil anger, seeking retribution against those who have trespassed against you."

A spherical mass surround by crude curves of tentacles. Upon being Wounded, shadow tentacles lash out, Rooting everyone else within the Zone. Targets can recover normally, except those who have slain a whale: they must discard two cards to recover.

Lessons Learned for a Price

"That very sudden and undeniable realization you've fucked up."

A fragile looking thing, thinly carved and trimmed with cracks. Gain 1XP the next time you fail a Test of Fate.

Lucky Vestigial Foot

"A strange sense that things might, actually, despite all supporting evidence, work out for the best."

These bones of the forgotten hind limb are weighted with Luck. Allows the wearer to draw one more card during a test of fate BEFORE pushing their luck.

Memory of the Failed Escape

"The undeniable need to get away. To escape. To flee. Undeniable, but unfulfilled."

Curved pieces meeting at jagged edges, and lashed by sinew. Character may Dash as an interrupt action. Disengaging is automatic, and carries no penalty in this specific instance.

Protection of Saint Laika

"The feeling you've done well, paired with unending loneliness. Cold and adrift."

Carved in the shape of a tiny shield, bearing the mark of St. Laika. Provides one unrepairable notch to suffer any blow as though Armor.

Restorative Vengeance

"The knowing that you've been wronged and will continue to be until you show you aren't helpless."

Carved as though a head of an axe, with blade tongues pointing in opposite directions. Felling an enemy heals a Wound.

Reverberations of Echo’s Lore

"Whispering voices echo in your mind, bringing you knowledge to which you should not know."

A small bone, uncarved, though etched with an unknown alphabet. Acts as a needed Motif for a single Lore bid.

Virtue of Spoiled Rations

"The fleeting moment of relief between instances of your stomach being evacuated."

Three toothpick sized slivers, jammed through a pebble sized chunk of astrogris. Automatically clears an Affliction during Rest and Recovery.

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