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Word of Story

“All the World’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” The Word of Story is a Word intrinsic to the universe, one that shapes the grand drama underlying the fabric of creation. A Word of Storytellers, Writers, and Dramatists, those bound to this Word understand the story that governs creation, and even how to reach in and tweak the narrative

Heroes with the Word of Story are automatically aware when they or their underlings become the direct subject of a plot or plan by another entity or group of entities, though they are not aware of the identity of that entity or the nature of the plot, unless that group is either a lesser foe, or made up of lesser foes. Godbound bound to the Word of Story may commit effort for the scene to become aware of the identity and nature if the enemies are greater foes.

Lesser Gifts

Convenient Backstory Constant

The Godbound always seems to conveniently have on hand whatever they might need for their current task, whether an item up to the size of a small wagon, or a favor from someone at least moderately connected with your goal, allowing them to at least gain an audience. This Gift only functions for the Godbound, and any items generated fade away when removed from the Godbound’s direct attention.

Heel-Face Turn Action

Cause an abrupt change in alignment by committing effort as an action. The Godbound causes the morals of a creature to shift 180 degrees, causing noble heroes to become villains or villains to become heroes for as long as effort remains committed. This does not change pledged loyalties in the affected, but the change in ideologies and morals may serve to turn brother against brother. Lesser foes are automatically affected but worthy foes may make a spirit save to resist.

Plot Armor Constant

The Godbound is a major player in the plot of reality, and always seems to have a reason for why they avoid death. The Godbound has an intrinsic AC of 3, and is immune any effect that would kill them outright without inflicting the requisite damage, making them immune to death spells, lethal poisons, petrification, or other instant death effects, though non-lethal side effects still apply.

Chekov’s Gun Instant

The Godbound may commit effort for the day to dictate some change or feature in their current scenery or environment affecting no more than 20 cubic feet per level. But the change must be plausible. For instance, the Godbound could dictate a localized earth quake opening up into a sink hole to swallow their foes, or cause a tree to fall in such a way that it may get in the way of a charging beast. Those affected are allowed an appropriate saving throw to avoid harm if they would otherwise be affected.

Red Herring On Turn

The Godbound commits effort as an on turn action and chooses a particular object, then chooses another individual or group. As long as effort remains committed, that person or group will consider the object an integral part of their plans, and if they have it, will rationalize its use unless it is directly harmful to them or keeping it is suicidal.

Break the Fourth Wall Action

The Godbound commits effort for the day as an action and may ask the GM one question about the current plot of the game or area they are currently in and receive a one sentence answer about their current narrative, but the only information that can be received must be relevant to the current task or plot.

Greater Gifts

Deconstruction Action

The Godbound’s knowledge of the inherent tropes that things in the universe exemplify allows them to turn those universal laws on their head. By committing effort as an action, the Godbound chooses one gift or ability of a creature or mob and begins to deconstruct the narrative holding it together, rendering that gift non-functional. For as long as effort remains committed, the chosen target cannot use that gift or ability, but the Godbound must continue to use their action to keep the effort committed

Fan-Fiction Action

The Godbound chooses a creature within sight as a target and commits effort for the scene as an action, writing into existence their own version of that creature. The creature you create has hit dice equal to half of the targeted creature up to 15 HD, an attack bonus equal to its HD, an AC of 5, movement equal to the targeted creature, a number of attacks equal to a single action’s worth of attacks, and deals damage with a die equal to the target’s though it is read normally if it would otherwise be read straight. The summoned creature has only one action and has effort equal to half of the targeted creature up to a maximum of 5 effort, and has access to a one gift or ability the chosen target would have for every 5 HD the copy has. If the target is bound to a Word, the copy is treated as bound to that Word for the purposes of certain effects, though it cannot miracle with that Word. Also, if the target is bound to more than one Word, at the time of Creation, the Godbound chooses what Word of the target’s that the copy will be bound to.

Aggressive Ret-Con Instant

Commit Effort for the scene as an instant action whenever a die is rolled. The Godbound may change the roll of that die to whatever number on the die they so choose, even after the result is revealed. Creatures capable of committing effort to automatically save may still do so if the result of the die roll would indicate that they would fail. Each use of the is Gift after the first time in a scene requires a day long commitment of effort rather than a scene length

Sample Encounter:

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In the Bleak Reach, there is a temple, deep within a thick forest and nestled at the foot of the Omen Mountains. The shrine itself is a ramshackle, ruined stone building with 2 wooden doors hanging loose and slightly askew. If the party tries to look inside, they will see nothing but blackness, and no light will penetrate it. Appropriate gifts and miracles reveal nothing but a large stone room covered in rubble at various points. The moment the party steps inside however, they will find themselves in a large and dimly lit room, filled with other people sitting on tatami mats, all staring at a large translucent screen in taking up the far wall, where it looks like a shadow play is about to begin. The people watching take no notice of the party, not even if moved or touched. Once the party looks at the screen, they will become entranced as the story unfolds.

“Once upon a time, there was an old performer. Now this performer had traveled many places in his youth, saw many things, learned new tricks, and heard many secrets. After many years traveling and performing his show, he decided to settle down in a small house, in a small forest, at the foot of a small mountain, and perform a small show for any who would come by and see it. Having heard that the performer had decided to settle down, people came from all around to see his small show, and soon it wasn’t that small anymore. The old performer was happy, for he liked to put on his small show, and was content to while his days away, performing his shadow plays. But a greedy sorcerer, having heard that the old performer had settled down, suspected that the old performer had many treasures from his days on the road, and the sorcerer wanted them. Now whether or not the old performer had any treasures was unknown, but he had seen and heard a great many things in his travels, and had picked up a thing or two. The sorcerer certainly thought he did though, and sent his men to go take it from the old performer, but the old performer was crafty. Using the magic he had learned, for there is certainly magic in a good performance, the old entertainer decided to play some tricks on the sorcerer’s men. But the sorcerer’s men were crafty too, and every trap and every obstacle the old performer put in their way, they found a way out of, until they had cornered the old performer in his house. Just before they could strike him down though, they realized that the old man was just too crafty and to wily for them. All of their adventures and all of the trials they had overcome had become legends and tales, all told by the old performer, and trapped the sorcerer’s men within their own story, where they would stay forever and ever, lost within their own legend. With that, the old performer placed this story back on his shelf, and went to go put on another small show for his not so small audience.”

After this story, have all the PC’s make a spirit save or be lost forever within the story being told. Once a party member saves against the insidious story effect, the illusion will drop, and they will be standing in a room filled with drooling, emaciated people, all apparently in a stupor. Across from them, the screen will still be up, though much more dilapidated. A single shadow puppet, tall enough to be man sized will look over at the party and say, “didn’t like the story? Let’s try a different one.” As it says this, the mortals in the room will get up and turn towards the party. As the party begins to fight or flee, a strange harmonic previously lurking at the edge of hearing before will get louder and louder, and the trash and detritus will begin to coalesce and twist, forming into horrid misshapen monstrosities with long, lean, hunched bodies the color of a rotted corpse bearing long wicked claws and an enormous teeth filled maw that opens outward like a squid, and an eyeless head. These are the personification of the hopelessness and fear of the people sacrificed to the parasite god, given form and substance through the divine energies and He Who is the Shadow on the Moon’s own malevolence, lurking among the brainwashed cultists

Enemy: Vast Mob of Peasants . Has the Blood Like Water ability and Morale 12

. Has the ability and Morale 12 Enemy: 1 Uncreated Stalking Horror per party member lurking among the mob

per party member lurking among the mob Enemy: He Who is the Shadow on the Moon, parasite god, looks like a man’s shadow against a nearby surface. In his former life, the man who would become He Who is the Shadow on the Moon was a puppeteer in a traveling shadow play. Or at least, that was his cover. A serial murderer, the man was already rotten to the core before he became a parasite god, and used the guise of a traveling entertainer to attract his favored prey. Before anyone would notice they were missing, he would be gone. After years of this and many close calls, he finally fled to the Bleak Reach, where he hid near the mountains, hoping the more openly monstrous things would keep those seeking vengeance at bay. What changed him is unknown. Perhaps it was the effect of an open night road, or the influence of a celestial engine, or even his own malevolent and horrid nature that caused him to become something else. Regardless, He Who is the Shadow on the Moon now craves worship, demanding sacrifices of the young, while forcing the others to watch and listen to his own macabre theater. Those who would walk in the shadowy woods are drawn to his ruined temple and invited in to sit down and watch the show, forever. Because of the remote nature of the area, few actually do make it there, leaving the Parasite God constantly starving for worship. The villages in the area have now banned shadow plays for fear of attracting the attention of this dark god, and constantly look over their shoulders, checking their own shadows in case something stirs within.

He Who is the Shadow on the Moon, Parasite God: AC: 3 Move: 30’ shadow jaunt Hit Dice: 15 Save: 10+ Attack: +10 x2 Damage: 1d8 shadow knife straight Morale: 11 Effort: 6

Bound to the Word of Story, can act twice per round, and has the following gifts

Shadow Play: As an action, Shadow on the Moon can create perfect illusions in sound, smell, and seeming, though they are intangible to the touch. The illusion appears anywhere within sight, can be up to 30 feet in diameter, and can be made to move and seem lifelike without further attention. Invisibility is not an illusion

Enthralling Tale: As an action and once per round, He Who is the Shadow on the Moon can target all foes within 50 feet and start telling a vivid story. They must then make a spirit save or do nothing but stand and listen, unable to defend themselves, as he tells them a story so engrossing that they are lost in his words

Puppeteer’s Dance in the Lamplight: he can pass through shadows, disappearing and reappearing in one within 30 feet as a movement, though he cannot take anyone else with him

Behind the Lighted Screen: Commit Effort on turn. As a puppeteer moves unseen behind the screen, so too does He Who is the Shadow on the Moon move through reality. Lesser foes have no chance to detect him as long as he stays out of their immediate notice, while worthy foes have a chance to when he gets close to them

Aftermath: once the dark god and his brainwashed cultists are slain, the party can search the area. Near the back of the room, behind the ruined screen, the party will find 2 celestial shards amid several cast-off puppets, and the leather to make new ones. If the party looks closely, they will discover that this leather is made from human skin. The rest of what the party sees is just filth and trash, although the shards do seem to have a curious harmonic when examined. Once the enemies are slain, the shards return to normal with no strange harmonics, and the temple feels at rest.