Keeping Aura of Fear in Check...

Burning Wheel Character Burner
1

I just burned up a young (31) Death Artist, using BWG and the MB.

Gifted Child, Apt Pupil, Rogue Wizard, Death Artist

He’s got Aura of Fear. And I started thinking, can the character control it? Or is it always on?

Could you learn to turn it off and on, via Inconspicuous vs WP. And until the character can turn it off, is a successful Inconspicuous roll even possible?

Thoughts/suggestions?

And since you (didn’t) ask, he’s an enslaved human “surgeon” working in the gladiator pits in the Roden controlled underworld beneath Byzantium.

2

I think it should be always on. Otherwise, it’s a fear ray and too powerful.

3

Agreed. Although going to far in the other direction can end up like a bad Benny Hill skit.

4

Then I wonder, is it even possible for him to be “inconspicuous?” Or are the two not exclusive – if he succeeds in an Inconspicuous roll, his presence causes dread, but he’s not clearly the source?

5

Pheel, that’s how I’d rule it. And remember that it causes a general sense of unease–it doesn’t necessarily have to be clear to those affected why they feel it. Just that “you feel a sudden, unreasoning sense of panic” sort of thing.

6

Combined with Aura of Innocence, this could be fun.

7

Add Melodramatic Family and imagine this guy’s childhood.

8

I’ve played it in the past as something that can be controlled - but only works on any person once, ever. We were imagining it somewhat like the opening of the LotR movie where Gandalf is intimidating the hobbit.

It was definitely very powerful that way though