Appearance

An ivory flute with black and blue tassel (banshee hair) hanging off the end. Has a very ethereal look and feel, almost as if it wants to simply float away.


Benefit

When played, Banshee's Cry has two possible effects, depending on the intent of the user:

  • Paralyzing Fright - Anyone within hearing range (~10 meters) is frozen with fear. Especially strong-willed victims may shake off the effects.
  • Heartstopper - With focused intent and raw malice in heart, the Cry can stop the heart of a single person from sheer terror.

If played without the intent to paralyze or kill listeners, the flute will merely turn any song played on it into a sad, mournful lament.

Drawback

The drawbacks to the Banshee's Cry are twofold:

  • Exhaustion - The flute draws its power from the user; paralyzing a group of individuals will be much like sprinting a mile. The user will have to rest for a short period of time after using it. Killing a target is much like spending an entire week fighting; it will instantly render the user unconscious and in need of serious medical attention.
  • Reciprocity - The flute doesn't care about friendly fire, or the user. When played, it can and will affect the user (and her allies) as much as the intended targets.

Lore

  • Taken from a slain banshee by Nuellen the Wanderer while she was hunting for the fabled That Which Kills Without A Touch. Used by the same to stop the Raging Hordes cold in the legendary Battle of Winters Heart.
  • Used by the great bard Aler to assassinate king Roswiel the Great, in retribution for raping and killing his daughter during Roswiels rise to power.
  • Used by the serial killer Stan the Vicious to paralyze his uniformly female victims for easy capture.

Twist

In addition to the drawbacks listed above, the flute will attract undead and other unnatural horrors, who find a sympathetic resonance with it.

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? Quest

In association with Johnn Four, and all the fine folks subscribed to his Roleplaying Tips Weekly mailing list, we bring you our second collaborative Quest!

Here's the required stat block template to use for your entries:

* Awesome Name
* Appearance
* Benefit
* Drawback
* Lore
* Twist

For an awesome description and guide to these stat blocks, check out Johnn's post describing it.

There will be three sets of *random* prize draws: Nov 7, Nov 21 and Dec 5 -- XP awards per normal as well!)

All entries submitted before each date will be eligible for each random draw. So enter early and often.

Thanks to Gator Games for their prize sponsorship!

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? Chaosmark's Awards and Badges
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