Page 38, HW:RiG :
"If the character wishes to make a major purchase (above his
wealth level by half or more) he can liquidate assets, borrow the
money, or simply go in debt to the seller - allowing him to double
his wealth for the contest. If he wins and purchases the item, he
will lose 2 or more points of wealth (about 1/5th the difference
between his wealth and the item's cost) to reflect his debt or
cash-poor status."
You could transpose this onto a different type of contest.
So, Sora (Heal People 15) is in a panic after witnessing the roof of her stead collapse during a violent snow storm. Four of her kin are bleeding to death beneath the timbers. To heal these dying people she needs to win a contest against 10w + 9 (for 3 extra recipients, they've stopped screaming so she must heal all at once, immediately) = 19w.
Sora knows she must sacrifice her own health to heal her family (regardless of the sexist imagery)...
Page 53, Gloranthan Visions:
"It was as if she had sacrificed not just a moments strength, but
part of her life itself in order to heal those trolls....'For all things
there is a cost, Joram'."
...so she offers it to the goddess doubling her Heal People 15 to 10w. She succeeds and the goddess takes the sacrifice reducing her Healthy Steadwife 16 to 12. The penalty of 4 is calculated by taking the difficulty (19w) subtracting the target number (15) giving 24 and dividing by 5 giving 4 (rounded down, in my opinion).
I personally would use a bump up instead of the doubling bonus, but that's me.
The mechanic could be used generally but very carefully, but could explain how that archer managed to shoot Harold at Hastings. He obviously offered his two front teeth for the chance of bagging that prize. Afterwards he had his Good Looking 1w reduced to Passable Looking 14.
The only reason I offer this solution is because it is an existing published rule that can be used in a different way and quite frankly having a special mechanic for only one situation is a bit 1983.
Cheers,
Tom
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