Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The Center Cannot Hold: The Visconti

The Gold-Vampires, or Visconti of Crux's Blood Quarter.  Another kind of vampire, in addition to
my myriad of "other" vampires in the City of Curses.

Aspect: Nothing Glitters Like Gold!
Invoke: Whenever using magic that manipulates metals or when underground.
Compel: When presented with a chance to increase one's own wealth or to preserve it.

Lord Visconti's charity had no limit in the old days.  His estate always helped others.  Their home,
their wealth, their servants, all of them were open to anyone who could ask.  With such kindness, one must ask how could Visconti become cursed?  How could such a line be befouled?

Sometimes sugar and honey disguise the poison underneath.

Visconti's dark secret, one he shared with his wife and three daughters, abused the basic right of charity so many praised him for.  At the end of a tired road they would enter his humble manor.  His wife and daughters would cater to the weary travelers.  Visconti himself would go out of his way to help his guests.  Did they need fresh horses for tomorrow's travels?  Granted.  Another course of the delicious dinner meal?  Why not!  The best wines, the kindest words, the most expensive of entertainments.

Then in the night, Visconti and his family would eat their guests.  A pie here.  A stew there.  Leftovers sent to the larder.  No matter the cost in gold, Visconti delighted in devouring human flesh the best.

It was the night his daughters tried to strike a cunning wisewoman of the Sabizi that would curse his soul.  Visconti broke the rule of guest right, and all Sabizi know that better than others.  Nomads and travelers, they respected the host who never violated his guests.  To break guest right, that was the worse crime.  When Visconti ran to save his screaming daughters, the wisewoman cursed him.

"The Caged One curse you, Visconti."  She spat.  "You hunger so dearly?  Then never stop hungering."

Since that day, the Visconti and their bloodline have never stopped hungering.  They hunger for pounds of flesh, as well as more gold.  Although Visconti cannot create more gold out of magic- such gold fades, loses its luster and becomes what it once was.  Even with genuine gold, silver, gems and adamantine, a Visconti still hungers, their bellies and eyes still craving.

Their hunger makes the Visconti's eyes tear up in hunger.  Instead of saltwater, blood pours out from their eye sockets.  A constant drip of blood, down their cheeks, the scent only making them more hungry.

Visconti Extras 
Gold-Vampire: This stunt costs 2 Fate refresh, but grants the Visconti the ability to cast major spells so long as they fall within the flavors of Earth, Gold and Greed.  In addition, the Visconti gains access to the skill Visconti, which they can use in place of Sorcery to cast spells, any sort of knowledge on wealth or economy, and in place of Athletics for dodging acts so long as the Visconti is touching earth or stone.
Drawback: Gold-Vampires always thinking about eating people, making it harder for them to think clearly.  Visconti take a -2 on using the Clever approach.

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