Monday, 16 December 2019

230 - The Umbrella of Defiance & The Baton of Solidarity

Artifact: The Umbrella of Defiance

Power: Major

Description: A dirty, mahogany coloured umbrella. The opening mechanism sticks in cold weather and the smell of smoke has woven its way into the fabric.

Effect: For starters, it's completely bullet-proof while someone is holding it. No other forms of harm are protected against - unfurling it at a knife-wielding attacker might be distracting but they'll still be able to slash it to pieces - and it's a little hard to find out by accident.

The second effect is that it is difficult to identify anyone holding it. You can chase after "the guy with the umbrella!" easily enough, but following him through CCTV feeds or getting a clear picture of his face is at a -30% shift. Any form of more complex electronic tracking, like an IMSI catcher, fails to function when it would sweep up the umbrella holder.

Lastly, any avatar identity being used to defy an authority, justly or otherwise, may be flip-flopped once per day. Twice if it is the Unsung Champion. Doing so within sight of other avatars alerts them to what is happening with a burst of statospheric hallucination.

Artifact: The Baton of Solidarity

Power: Major.

Description: A riot-control baton of an all-black, one-piece construction with a small raised ring hilt and a retention lanyard.

Effect: Firstly, it provides a +20% shift in Struggle rolls when directly fighting more than one individual. This goes up to +30% if you're outnumbered.

Secondly, anyone wounded by the baton is psychologically cowed against defying an authority whose name it was wielded in. Acting publically against it provokes a rank 5 Helplessness check. This lasts until that injury is fully healed.

Lastly, any avatar identity being used to uphold an authority, justly or otherwise, may be flip-flopped once per day. Twice if it is the Unsung Champion. Doing so within sight of other avatars alerts them to what is happening with a burst of statospheric hallucination.

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