New Thread Item: Bloody Ribbons

I’m taking it easy this time around, but before we get to this week’s post, I want to remind you about Aethercon. This is an online convention, with all the gaming, panels, and such you can find at in-person events. As in past years, FASA Games has a presence. Andrew Ragland is running several sessions of 1879. He’s also on a panel Saturday at Noon (Eastern) called, “Table Management: Running the Sandbox Campaign”  Mary Harrison is taking part in a panel entitled, “Dem Dry Bones: Designing Character Races for Your Game” starting Saturday at 6:00pm (Eastern).  Then all three of us (myself, Andrew, and Mary) will be online for a Q&A on Sunday.

Aethercon is also free! There is no charge to play in games or view any of the available content. So why not set aside some time this weekend and check it out?

That business aside, here’s a preview of a thread item that might appear in the upcoming Earthdawn Companion.

Bloody Ribbons

• Maximum Threads: 2
• Mystic Defense: 14
• Tier: Warden

In northern Barsaive before the Scourge, it was popular to braid ribbons into long hair, particularly among elves and windlings. Each set of ribbons was woven in a particular pattern, revealing the town or region, and the particular weaver or weaving collective. The pattern on this particular set of blood red, satin ribbons is a repeating chain of linked squares that stands out slightly on the surface.

Luresthiel, an elf war leader, was the first owner of these ribbons and they became her signature on the battlefield. Her ferocity was nearly unmatched and her wrath was terrible. More than one opponent surrendered merely at the sight her long, red ribbons flowing in the wind. What was once a war-torn and tumultuous area, gained a strained peace due to her tireless efforts.

Her reputation was fierce, but honorable. However, when the village she once called home was sacked and razed, the bodies of her parents and beloved sister callously hung from branches she played in as a child, something in Luresthiel snapped. She cut a bloody swath of vengeance through the nearby ork tribes, believing them to be responsible for the heinous deed. It was only when an ork Warrior, Gerjen, stood up to Luresthiel and challenged her to be the woman Gerjen had admired, to see the truth of what she was doing and how she had been used, did she stop.

The legend says they became blood sisters that day, with Luresthiel passing on one of her ribbons to the ork. Together, they unraveled the plot to ruin her reputation and once more plunge the region into strife. From that day, they were inseparable sisters in battle. Before Gerjen passed from old age, she extracted a promise from her blood sister to find another worthy and pass the ribbon along, for the ribbons to always bind two together.

Thread Rank One

• Key Knowledge: The owner must learn the Name of the ribbons.
• Effect: The owner gains +1 to Damage tests (this does not apply to spell effect tests).

Thread Rank Two

• Effect: The owner gains +1 to Attack tests (this does not apply to Spellcasting tests).

Thread Rank Three

• Key Knowledge: The owner must learn the Name of the first owner.
• Effect: The owner gains +1 to Initiative tests.

Thread Rank Four

• Effect: The owner gains +2 to Damage tests.

Thread Rank Five

• Key Knowledge: The owner must learn where the ribbon was originally crafted.
• Effect: The owner gains +2 to Attack tests.

Thread Rank Six

• Effect: The owner gains +2 to Initiative tests.

Thread Rank Seven

• Deed: The owner must be given a ribbon as a gift, or give a ribbon as a gift. Effects at and beyond this rank only provide benefits if two threads are attached to this thread item and a blood oath is sworn between each owner.
• Key Knowledge: The owner must learn the tale of Luresthiel and Gerjen.
• Effect: The owner can use the Blood Sisters ability once per day as a Simple action. This ability grants the other owner one of their Recovery tests, which is made by the target immediately using the donor’s Recovery Step. For 1 Strain per point, the donor can spend Karma points on this Recovery test up to the thread rank. This ability may only be used in combat and the target does not have to be conscious.

Thread Rank Eight

• Effect: The owner gains +3 to Attack and Damage tests.