I’d appreciate a little help with a compendium class (really, just one move at the moment):
When you smash the altar or idol of an active, worshipped, potent god in the name of XXXX (Atheist god that seeks the destruction of all gods including itself – loosely based on Necoho from the WFRP setting), the next time you gain a level you can choose this move instead of one from your class:
Iconoclast
When you smash an altar or idol of an active, worshipped, potent god, take 3 hold that you can spend for +1 on any future roll, then roll +WIS. On 10+ pick 2, on 7-9 pick 1:
· You’re not severely harmed
· You’re not cursed (-1 ongoing to Defy Danger until you break the curse)
· The god doesn’t send dreams of your name and face to its most militant local worshippers
My feeling is that the reward is a bit weak and (more importantly?) flavourless. One alternative is
“mark XP” (perhaps 2 XP)
“XXXX grants you a blessing of roughly your choosing (the GM will tell you how he is lazy, indirect or just plain confused in delivering it – for him to be a reliable, trustworthy god would rather work against his goals 🙂 )”
Any better ideas? (or other comments?)
For context, here are my notes on smashing altars etc without this move:
(I’ve used [ ] around their consequences to show that they aren’t true moves, just notes to myself on what would be reasonable, permitted by the rules, and interesting.)
When you smash an altar or idol of a forgotten god, [GM makes a soft move, which may well be of no consequence at all]
When you smash an altar or idol of an active, worshipped, potent god [GM makes a move but general theme is that the god goes apeshit. NB this is a golden opportunity so a hard move is legitmate.]
Heh. I can picture someone collecting little idols and icons and carrying them around in a sack, ready to smash when needed.
I think you can raise the stakes more on both ends of this move. Pissing off an active god seems like a big deal that would leave a permanent mark on a character’s reputation. Maybe you could gain a couple of moves when taking this class. One could be a negative that would make for interesting GM fodder…
Marked to Kill: You become marked in a permanent way, a distinctive scar, a disfiguration, divine tattoo, or something similar. Describe it. Any follower of the deity will recognize you as a heretic and respond accordingly, at the DMs discretion.
As far as the reward, it seems like you could evoke some aspect of the god whose idol you destroyed, sort of like the Cleric’s Apotheosis. Instead of something permanent, though, it could be a temporary evocation, something that required a move to use, with the risk of those consequences you listed above?
When you smash an altar of active, worshipped god, ask Necoho (?) for a boon and roll +Wis. On a hit, the boon will be granted in Necoho’s lazy, half-assed manner. On a 7-9, choose 2. On a 10+, choose 3.
– Necoho gets right on that shit; your boon is granted immediately
– Necoho actually paid attention; your boon is granted in full
– Necoho’s got your back; the wrath the deity who’s altar you just smashed is directed at Necoho rather than you in particular.
– Necoho goads you on and shows you a vision of the next altar he wants smashed. If you go forth an smash it, mark XP and take +1 forward to this move.
I made this move for a player once, might be close to what you’re after. Eerily so.
When you destroy the altar of an actively worshipped god, take 3 hold, then roll+INT.
On 10+, you show just how potent this “god” is after all, and get away with your crime.
On a 7-9, you incur the wrath of the god’s high clergy and divine servants. They are already hunting you down.
On a 6-, the god appears before you, cursing you in a manner befitting their domain. Faith in this god is strengthened despite your efforts.
You may spend your hold one for one to ignore, banish or reflect a divine power back at it’s user.
Thanks all. I’m going to go with pretty much Jeremy Strandberg ‘s move for now – at least, I’ll put it to the player as that.