[DL] New Hexes

[Scott Hacker <smilingbandit2@yahoo.com>]

Hi all!
I've written a few new hexes and tricks for my
website, but I wanted to put them up to listserv
scrutiny before posting them.

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Pierce the Veil
Trait: Knowledge
Hand: Pair
Speed: 2
Duration: 1 round, plus 1 round per hand above minimum
Range: 1 yard/ hexslingin' level

A useful spell for anyone who deals with ghosts and
spirits, Pierce the Veil allows a huckster
to temporarily make an incorporeal being solid and
attackable.  When this hex is cast, the
targeted spook makes a Spirit check to resist.  The TN
for this test is 5+2 per hand above
the minimum.  If it fails, the spirit becomes physical
for the duration of the hex.  While
solid, it can be harmed by normal weapons, unless it
has specific resistances towards such
weapons beyond being incorporeal.

Double Talk
Trait: Cognition
Hand: Ace
Speed: 1
Duration: Concentration
Range: Self

A rather unusual hex, Double Talk allows a huckster to
say different things to two different
groups at the same time!  When the hex is cast, the
huckster chooses 1 target to affect, plus
one more for each hand above the minimum.  These
people all hear the huckster say one thing,
while anyone not targeted hear something totally
different.  The huckster automatically carries
on both conversations without getting confused; the
manitou helps him keep track.
This hex has several uses; for example, a huckster
could engage a jail guard in small talk, 
while simultaneously telling his buddies in the jail
how to escape, or he could carry out
a business transaction and a debate simultaneously, or
simply confuse the hell out of two
groups of people.

Black Ice
Trait: Knowledge
Hand: Pair
Speed: 1 minute
Duration: 1 day/ hexslingin' level
Range: Touch

This particularly sinister hex allows a huckster to
kill with a shard of ice cold hate.
In order to cast the hex, a huckster needs a large
icicle, about a foot long.  When the hex
is cast, this icicle fills with supernatural hate and
evil from the Hunting Grounds, turning
it jet black with streaks of white throughout.  For
the duration of the hex, the icicle does
not melt, and is lukewarm to the touch.  It also
becomes as hard as ghost steel and sharpens
to a deadly point.
This icicle o' doom is a very potent weapon.  It deals
STR+1d8 AP4 damage, with an additional
1d8 for every hand above the minimum, up to 8d8. 
Also, the icicle always seeks out the heart
of it's victim; the huckster may add or subtract 5
from the hit location roll, but only to 
hit the gizzards.  The damage that Black Ice deals is
not it's worst feature though; it also 
strikes the target's very soul, weakening his body and
will.  For eash wound inflicted by
Black Ice, the target's Spirit and Vigor die types
drop by one, to a minimum of 1d4.  These
lost levels both recover at a rate of 1 die type per
day.  Finally, if the icicle deals a
fatal wound, the hex ends and the icicle melts into a
greasy black puddle which quickly 
evaporates, leaving no evidence behind.
There are few things to note about this hex.  Firstly,
black stains appear on the hands of
any huckster that casts this spell, similar to ghost
rock stains, and equally difficult to
remove.  Second, this hex is very draining to cast;
the caster loses 2d6 wind, which does not
recover until the hex ends.  Finally, the icicle is
useless against any target that lacks
either a heart or a soul.

Delaying the Inevitable
Trait: Smarts
Hand: Pair
Speed: 1
Duration: 1 use of gizmo, plus 1 per hand above
minimum
Range: Touch
It's an unfortunate fact that all Mad Science gizmos
eventually malfunction. It's equally
true that such malfunctions often happen at the worst
possible moment.  While there's little
a huckster can do about such malfunctions in the long
run, he can delay them in the short
term with this hex.  Needless to say, this hex is very
popular amongst metal mages...
Delaying the Inevitable allows a huckster to
temporarily remove all chance of malfunction
from a gizmo.  The huckster simply casts the hex, then
touches the gizmo he wants to immunize.
A gizmo enchanted in this way does not make a
malfunction check the next time it is used.
Each hand above the minimum gives the gizmo an
additional malfunction-free use.
Unfortunately, once the hex ends, the gizmo becomes
more likely to malfunction than before.
For each free use the gizmo recieved, it's Reliability
is reduced by 2.  This loss of 
Reliability remains until the gizmo next malfunctions.
 In addition, gizmo that have been
subjected to this hex are much more likely to suffer
catastrophic malfunctions when they do
break down.  When the gizmo next breaks down, the
marshal rolls an extra d6 on the malfunction
roll for each time the hex has been cast on the gizmo
since it's last malfunction.  
He then takes the two highest dice to determine the
malfunction.  Can you say KA-BOOM!?

Tricks

Fold
Trait: Smarts
Duration: Permanent
Range: Touch
Created for the huckster that travels heavy, Fold
allows a huckster to fold something up
into a area much smaller than naturally possible.  The
huckster simply casts the trick, then
starts folding the item in question.  The item then
magically thins, allowing it to be folded
many more times than normal.  In addition, a Folded
item has no creases in it once unfolded!
Generally speaking, an item enchanted with Fold can be
folded to about 1/5 of it's normal
folded size.  This means that something like a playing
card could be Folded into the size of
a penny, or a dress could be Folded down to the size
of a playing card.  The largest item
that Fold can affect is about the area of a full
length dress or very large map.
Also note that an item must be foldable in order to
cast Fold on it.  No folding shotguns or
people!

Penny For Your Thoughts
Trait: Cognition
Duration: 1 question
Range: Touch
This trick makes a target more likely to speak his
mind.  To use it, the huckster casts the
trick on a penny.  He then gives the penny to his
target and asks them their opinion.  The 
target must then make Spirit (7) check, or be forced
to give their honest opinion.  
The target can either be given the penny, or it can be
secreted upon them, so long as the
penny is on them when they answer the question. 
Finally, if the huckster doesn't ask his 
question within 5 minutes of casting, the trick ends.

Press Your Luck
Trait: Spirit
Duration: 1 action
Range: Self
There are times in life when a man needs all the luck
he can get.  It's in those situations
where this trick is a blessing.  It allows a huckster
to get an "advance" on their future
luck.  When this trick is cast, the huckster gets a +2
to his next roll, or a -2 to an oppo-
nent's next roll.  However, this stroke of luck is not
free; the huckster has to pay it back
in the future... with interest.  The marshal may apply
4 points of negative modifiers to 
future actions the huckster takes, in any combination.
 For example, he may apply a -1 to 
four different rolls, a -2 to two of them, or a -4 to
one roll.  Also, a huckster who casts 
Press Your Luck may not cast it again until all the
negative modifiers have been applied.  
There's a limit to the amount of credit the spirit
world will extend you...

Jack of Clubs
Trait: Mien
Duration: 1 minute
Range: Touch
This trick is lesser version of the Clear Out! hex,
designed to help weave through crowds.
It gives people in the target's way a mental nudge to
get out of the way.  This allows the 
target to cut through a crowd like a hot knife through
butter.  There are some limitations,
though.  First, it has no effect on anyone who wishes
to actively impede the target's 
progress.  Second, anyone who's life might be
endangered by letting the target through is
unaffected.  For example, if the target is trying to
enter a burning building full of people,
the people will not stop streaming out to let the
target in.  Beyond that, though, this can
be a handy trick, especially for getting to the bar!

Jack of Diamonds
Trait: Cognition
Duration: 5 minutes
Range: Touch
Don't you hate it when your just a few cents short
when you're shopping?  Cast Jack of Diamonds
and you'll never have that problem again!  Jack of
Diamonds grants the target good luck when
looking for valuables.  For the duration of the hex,
the target gains a +2 all Search or
Scroungin' involving money or valuables.  The only
limitation is that the value of the object
found is never more than a dollar or two.  Still, free
money is free money...

Jack of Hearts
Trait: Spirit
Duration: 1 minute
Range: 1 yard/ hexslingin' level
Jack of Hearts, while not a powerful spell, can mean
the difference between life and death
in certain circumstances.  When cast, Jack of Hearts
gives the target -1 light armor for it's
duration.  This protection extends to all attacks,
including ones that are normally armor
piercing.

Jack of Spades
Trait: Spirit
Duration: 1 minute
Range: 1 yard/ hexslingin' level
This trick is the opposite of Jack of Hearts.  Rather
than reducing the damage the target
takes, it slightly increases the damage he deals to
others.  When cast, Jack of Spades adds
1 to the final result of all the target's damage
rolls, whether from a knife, gun, or even a
hex.
An interesting note: In the event that a person
enchanted by Jack of Spades attacks a person
enchanted by Jack of Hearts, both tricks instantly
end, providing no bonuses.

Liquid Courage
Trait: Spirit
Duration: 5 minutes
Range: 1 yard
When a feller gets scared, a good stiff drink can give
some "liquid courage."  This trick
transforms a standard shot of any beverage into a
whiskey-like concoction that gives anyone
who drinks it +2 to all Guts rolls for the duration of
the trick.  In addition, if the 
beverage transformed was actually whiskey before,
Liquid Courage also gives the drinker the
Nerves O' Steel edge for the duration.  Liquid Courage
can also steel the will of someone
who has already failed a Guts check.  If they can be
made to drink it within 1 round of 
failing the Guts check, they may immediately make
another check, with the +2 bonus.
Unfortunately, Liquid Courage has it's price: any
person that drinks Liquid Courage suffers 
the intoxicating effects of 2 shots of whiskey-
instantly!
------------------------------
Please regail me with any comments, questions,
suggestions or insults you might have.  Thanks!

=====
"I was a warped little boy.  Now I'm out to warp the youth of America."- Weird Al Yankovic
Remember, conformity is the mother of obscurity;
be true to yourself in everything you do.
Happy Roleplaying,
-The Smiling Bandit <Strikes Again!/Ha-Ha-Ha>

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