One answer to this could be: Narrator decides. I mean, it's not like Secret-knowing Pella and Orstan devotees are common (surely less than one per clan, maybe less than one per tribe), and neither subcult is particularly likely to attract players. So how often will you be rolling? Still, it might be worth knowing what, exactly, they can do....
>My second question is how does the daimone interact with the item's
>owner. Mental communication is the easiest way to rule this, but
>would that be only when touching, or allowed at some distance? Maybe
>making mental contact has a certain resistance, so depending on the
>daimone strength it might or might not manage to talk at a distance.
>Or is mental communication too fancy? Maybe the item hums or gets
>warm or otherwise cryptically signals, in much the way that the clan
>wyter does?
I'd go for the "getting warm" approach -- mostly because I've never seen a "talking sword/staff/whatever that didn't give me an itch after a page (or scene) or two. You may have other preferences, of course. On top of that, though, I think it is worthwhile stressing that daimones are "people" but not "human," especially those which are "awakened things" rather than, say, the spirits of dead worshippers. What does a pot know or need to know, anyway ("Truth is Beauty. Beauty Truth." if Keats is to be believed.)? A cup that shatters when poison is put into it is plenty magical -- why tart it up with voices?
Now, really big projects -- say an awakened house -- might work like very small wyters with a very narrow mandate and sphere of influence. I assume these awakened spirits need worship (feeding), although this might be pretty minor (blessing the staff during the regular Orstan ceremonies). A house probably requires more specific and regular sacrifice "when we sacrifice to the Ancestors, we always pour a cup of ale to the spirit of the longhouse. It sheltered your father and your father's father, and it deserves our respect and friendship." I could even imagine these daimones getting more powerful with age, although heroquesting to get powers for your house is a little much....
>One thought on Daimone strength, to ignore what is written, is that
>you have to roll a simple contest against the strength that you wish
>the daimone to be. On any success you get the daimone at that
>strength. With a marginal/minor success however the daimone will
>have drawbacks or limitations (perhaps no mental communication if
>that is standard, or certain quirks such as a cup that doesn't like
>strong drinks or a staff that is afraid of fire). With a major
>success you get the daimone as advertised. With a complete success
>it has minor additional powers (a cup can detect poison, or purify
>water that is put into it. A staff can strike otherworldly foes, or
>communicate with elves, would be some sample ideas).
This sounds pretty good to me. It makes a little more sense than the rules as written. As I say above, I can't imagine needing a mechanic too often, but this would do when you do.
Peter Larsen
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