ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

The Thorns of Life (Life 4, Prime 3)

This rote is one of the most bizarre rotes left behind by Brigid Helvronsdaughter, the infamous Verbena of Sylt. Apparently, she sought a way to defend the coven in case of attack, and created the Thorns.

She watered thorny bushes with her blood and collected their seeds on a Thursday night in a small box covered with runes. The seeds are intended to be swallowed by the user (who doesn't have to be a mage or even human). Inside the stomach they quickly start to grow, sending out thorny tendrils through the body, reaching into the heart, muscles and brain and piercing the skin with black thorns. Needless to say the agony is beyond words.

But the thorns serve a purpose: not only do they make the user fearsome to behold and dangerous to touch, they give him increased strength and regeneration. Wounds are closed as thorns sew them together, muscles are strengthened by resilient wood. Some users can even attack their enemies with their thorns. A group of thorn warriors is a horrible threat for almost any enemy.

As the effect wears down, the thorns start to die and the body is magickally healed. Unfortunately, the healing is slow, as most of the resources of the body have been depleted and the wooden parts only dissolve slowly. This is not a rote to use lightly.

It has happened that the user has been killed despite the thorns and their healing powers. In this case the thorns continue the fight for a while (with only their own strength), and then the body collapses. The plant takes root, and in time only a thick, threatening bush will mark the place.

As the rote is activated, the user is immobilized with pain for a few turns as the thorns grow through him. After that, he gains a number of points equal to the number of successes in starting the rote to distribute between increased physical attributes, healing non-aggravated damage or making attacks with the thorns (this costs 3 points). For example, if the rote had four successes, then Strength, Stamina or Dexterity could be increased by four dots, a thorn attack and a one point increase could be done, or four levels of wounds be healed. These points can be redistributed by succeeding in a Willpower difficulty 6 test at the start of the turn (if this fails, the thorns continue their work).

A thorn attack means that the thorns rip through the skin of the user as he strikes his opponent, trying to burrow into the flesh. They add the number of successes from the rote to the attack. If it is a grapple attack it can be continued, which means that while the person holds the opponent the thorns make independent attacks by slowly strangling, burrowing and piercing the opponent.

In addition, the thorns do one extra die of damage to all brawl attacks even without a thorn attack, and anyone striking the user unprotected has to soak one die of thorn damage. Quite naturally, appearance is devastated by the thorns and most social skills except intimidation get penalties (intimidation instead becomes much simpler).