The Answerer

By Mitch Kelly (mitch.kelly@tesco.net), for the Lutran tribe.

Level

5

Gnosis

7

Description

The Lutran do not use klaives. They regard the creation of weapon for duelling among themselves as the product of a mind driven mad by power and honour. However, the Lutran realise there are times when a weapon of great power may be needed, and for this they have a trio of swords, each called the Answerer. The Answerer is named after Manannan Mac Lir's great sword. These weapons were forged long, long ago. The stories tell that they were joint efforts: that the Lutran alone could not have created them, and that there were Mages and the Fae involved in the forging.

In any event, the swords are of a curious metal: not iron, or silver, or anything else that is easily described. To a Mage, the metal reeks or raw Prime energy -- not stealable, merely deadly. The swords emit an eerie radiance that can be seen using Aura Perception and similar powers. To servants of the Wyrm, other enemies of Gaia, or foes of the Lutran, this radiance is chilling. To an enemy, The Answerer is fear embodied. Each Answerer has a Spirit of Justice bound into it. This allows the wielder to call upon considerable power in the service of truth or justice, and it also forbids the use of The Answerers for base purposes.

The weapons resemble Celtic longswords: weapons intended to be used in great slashing strokes, to cleave limbs and skulls. To activate, a Gnosis roll, diff 7 is required. The weapon is then diff 6 to use, and does STR+5 damage. If a Gnosis point is spent, damage from a single attack is aggravated. If the sword is used for base purposes, it rolls its Gnosis versus a target of the wielder's Wits + Subterfuge. If the sword succeeds, the difficulty to use it rises to nine, and if the user continues to attempt evil acts, the sword will attack its wielder, using its Gnosis dice for attack and damage.

Of the three Answerers left, one is kept at the Caern of Manannan, and used to defend the Caern, one is held by a Lutran Sept in the North of Scotland, while the third is in the hands of the Mannin Chantry, placed with the Mages as a sign of good faith.