If an elf sings Tract of Enmity to mark someone as an enemy to all elves (BWG pg. 151), would this “Mark of the Enemy” be passed down to the marked character’s offspring, curse-style?
Reason I’m asking is that I’ve got this PbP solo campaign going on with my best friend. I’ve been GMing the rules rather loosely, since we are best friends, and it’s just the two of us. I’ve set up a situation that goes like this:
40 years ago, there was a war between a human kingdom and an elven realm. The humans won, but not before the elves gathered all their singers and cursed the lords of the human realm to be forever marked as enemies to all elves. (Mass-casting of Tract of Enmity) Now, 40 years after the fact, a new generation of nobles are starting to come to grips with the ramifications of the war their fathers and grandfathers waged, while still living under the doom of the curse itself.
I was never really certain if this is how the Tract of Enmity is supposed to be used, but I didn’t really care because the sole PC in the campaign is neither a human from that kingdom nor an elf. It just sounded like some really great flavor! However, I’ll be starting up a face-to-face campaign in the same setting next month, with a full group of players, and since most of the players will be new to me, I want to make sure I’ve got my bases covered. Won’t be able to GM as loosely as I have been. So, expect a few more of these sorts of threads from me in the near future.
OK. If it’s open to interpretation, I guess I’ll leave it up to player vote for the new group. I kinda like the idea of an entire kingdom of cursed nobles. Ripe for plot hooks.
Thanks Luke.
Hmmm, as an afterthought, I remember Classic BW had supplemental rules for breeding horses and passing down traits through generations. Perhaps something similar could be applied to determine genetics in human offspring? Would probably be more trouble than its worth though.
If an elf sings Tract of Enmity to mark someone as an enemy to all elves (BWG pg. 151), would this “Mark of the Enemy” be passed down to the marked character’s offspring, curse-style?
Personally, I think that sounds awesome! It makes for interesting plot.
Heh, thanks. It’s just a small part of the setting in our campaign, actually. The PC has nothing to do with it, being from a northern kingdom. But I’ve thrown some bones his way that could lead him down into that cursed kingdom if he wishes. And now, he is currently walking a very thin line, about to be nailed with the curse himself for wielding a magical dagger enchanted with the soul of an elf. All of his own volition.
As for the Mount Burner, correct me if I’m wrong, but couldn’t it still be used just fine with Burning Wheel Gold? We know the stride of a horse, so that’s not an issue. Anything else that wouldn’t work?
That could work. Although, with the curse having been passed down a generation or two by now, I think I’d save the Doomsayer for specific individuals only. Thanks though, I missed that spell song. Nice touch.
Personally, I’d say the Tract doesn’t magically pass down. But if you walk up to an elf and announce yourself as Dean, son of Don the Elfslayer… Well, wouldn’t you distrust the son of your enemy? And if you don’t tell them and they find out, they’ll probably distrust you for that reason.
Of course, maybe the mega-Tract from the war is genetic.
