Collab Topic: GMS:Horror Cultist Magic Items

[Hyrneson]

In support and inspired by the GURPS Magical Styles: Horror book, what are some of your favorite cultist magic items?
Even in a fantasy campaign I would expect that cults aren't going to have super items, but even your most mundane weapon of quality in the wrong hands could be dangerous. Or is it a cursed item that the cult is controlled by? Maybe a weapon that is dangerous to user and victim?


As a start (I apologize as I am away from my books so I can't figure costs)
Standard fantasy formula costs would be preferred but if DF cost are provided as well I am sure few would object.

Item Name: The Chosen Blade of Sacrifice
Item Type: Enchanted Dagger
Description: A gaudy designed double edged dagger of Good quality
Price:
Materials Cost:
Enchantment Cost:
Enchantments: Name at 20 (1,200 energy, page M68), Slow Healing (-5) at 20 (3,000 energy, page M153)
Notes: This dagger is a double edge ceremonial blade designed to cause suffering. Any wounds made by the dagger are difficult to heal (-5 to any healing skill). To make this a dedicated item usable by only those 'chosen', the name is part of the sacred rites passed from priest to priest, and the name (one lost to common knowledge, -3 to 5 depending on skill used to research it) must be spoken to use it.

(From pjason)
Item Name: Pain Givers
Description: These shackles can be activated by saying the
Materials Cost: $50 Fine Shackles.
Enchantments: Pain (Always-on) - 300 mana + Name (written on shackles) - 200 mana.
Notes: -
Price: $16,550 / $10,050

[AlexanderHowl]

I generally prefer using horrific magical gadgets. For example, the Amulet of Good Fortune:

Amulet of Good Fortune: Extra Option (Corruption) [1] plus Ridiculous Luck (Amulet, Unprotected, -50%; Corruption, -20%; Magical, -10%) [12]. Notes: Whenever the character uses their luck provided by the amulet, they accumulate 12 Corruption Points. In addition, the character gains the ability to accumulate Corruption Points in lieu of spending ER/FP/HP, even if they are normally incapable of doing so, though any spell fueled by Corruption Points rolls on the Black Critical Table when a critical failure occurs. 13 points

[Hyrneson]

Gadgets are good. People value the sword too often more than the scabbard.
I'd love to see people's non-weapon cultist items.

(For those that didn't get the reference)
As they rode the King looked lovingly on his sword, which Merlin saw, and, smiling, said, “Which do you like best, the sword or the scabbard?” “I like the sword,” answered Arthur. “You are not wise to say that,” replied Merlin, “for the scabbard is worth ten of the sword, and as long as it is buckled on you you will lose no blood, however sorely you may be wounded.”

- Longmans’ Class-Books of English Literature
TALES OF KING ARTHUR

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Hyrneson

Gadgets are good. People value the sword too often more than the scabbard.
I'd love to see people's non-weapon items.

Indeed. Take for instance, the humble pair of spectacles that gives you 360-degree vision or the coat of slow aging.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Indeed. Take for instance, the humble pair of spectacles that gives you 360-degree vision or the coat of slow aging.

Item Name: Coat of Slow Aging
Item Type: Enchanted Coat
Description: A coat of fine cloth and excellent make.
Price: It is either found on old, crumbling bones, lying in a pile of dust, or given as a gift.
Materials Cost: 12 corruption points.
Enchantment Cost: Your secret hatred of someone.
Enchantments: Agony, Custom.
Notes: On donning the coat, the wearer's aging will appear to slow to one-half normal. After 4 years of wear, the wearer will acquire 12 corruption points, and the curse sets in. If this coat is given as a gift by its crafter, the giver will not remember their hatred nor the reason for it, and will regard the coat as a simple gift.
The Curse: The wearer will feel intense pain (as per Agony) when they are not wearing the coat. When they are wearing the coat, they will age at twice the normal rate. The aging of their body will not cease with death. Normal methods of removing curses do not work; the method must be tailored to the hatred and its cause. The wearer may give away the coat as a gift, but if so, they gain 12 Corruption points and must make a Will roll. On any failure, they do not remember why they gave it away.
Additional Notes: If examined very carefully with a blessed instrument or one set in a silver frame, certain demonic and blasphemous symbols may be discerned faintly woven into the cloth (roll Per under the given conditions). Those with True Faith generally feel an aversion to the Coat of Slow Aging, even if they do not know why. Destroying the coat without removing the curse is not easy, and generally requires either a major Holy ritual, or a method custom-tailored to the coat. If the curse is removed or the coat destroyed, all memories lost to the coat, will be restored.

[b-dog]

Infernal Sacrificial Altar

When a victim is attached and bound to this altar then he/she becomes visible to the inhabitants of the Infernal plane to which the altar is attuned. The victim can also perceive the demons of the plane as well and will scream in terror and the demons come to devour him. Those that offered the victim as sacrifice will get a reaction roll to get their reward with bonuses to how pure and good the victim was.

[Hyrneson]

Originally Posted by b-dog

Infernal Sacrificial Altar

Maybe using a Plane Shift Other variant. Interesting...

};=>

[ajardoor]

How about some kind of infernal blood transfusion?

You get some kind of strange unnatural fluid (demon's blood, for instance) medically transfused into your body. Then you gain a package of physical Advantages like High Pain Threshold, Rapid Healing, Regeneration, Very Fit and Striking ST - at the cost of Corruption points and certain "evil" or "cursed" Disadvantages like Divine Curse, Unluckiness, Sadism, Weirdness Magnet, Bad Temper, Berserk, Phantom Voices, Weakness, Dread, Vulnerable, and so on.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Say, it isn't that bad!

Item Name: Coat of Slow Aging
Item Type: Enchanted Coat
Description: A coat of fine cloth and excellent make.
Price: It is either found on old, crumbling bones, lying in a pile of dust, or given as a gift.
Materials Cost: 12 corruption points.
Enchantment Cost: Your secret hatred of someone.
Enchantments: Agony, Custom.
Notes: On donning the coat, the wearer's aging will appear to slow to one-half normal. After 4 years of wear, the wearer will acquire 12 corruption points, and the curse sets in. If this coat is given as a gift by its crafter, the giver will not remember their hatred nor the reason for it, and will regard the coat as a simple gift.
The Curse: The wearer will feel intense pain (as per Agony) when they are not wearing the coat. When they are wearing the coat, they will age at twice the normal rate. The aging of their body will not cease with death. Normal methods of removing curses do not work; the method must be tailored to the hatred and its cause. The wearer may give away the coat as a gift, but if so, they gain 12 Corruption points and must make a Will roll. On any failure, they do not remember why they gave it away.
Additional Notes: If examined very carefully with a blessed instrument or one set in a silver frame, certain demonic and blasphemous symbols may be discerned faintly woven into the cloth (roll Per under the given conditions). Those with True Faith generally feel an aversion to the Coat of Slow Aging, even if they do not know why. Destroying the coat without removing the curse is not easy, and generally requires either a major Holy ritual, or a method custom-tailored to the coat. If the curse is removed or the coat destroyed, all memories lost to the coat, will be restored.

Nicely done! Except do you mean they age at twice normal rate when not wearing the coat? When I've used on in a game, I made it irritating to wear, rather than having it be painful to take off. And if the garment is damaged, one ages suddenly proportional to the damage.

[mr beer]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Nicely done! Except do you mean they age at twice normal rate when not wearing the coat? When I've used on in a game, I made it irritating to wear, rather than having it be painful to take off. And if the garment is damaged, one ages suddenly proportional to the damage.

Looks to me like the design gives the wearer the nasty choice of either being in constant pain, or aging rapidly. That's worse than basically being OK if you just wear the coat.