A certain Bard wanders into the netherworld, where someone hid his heart…
> In my Dungeon World game, Death is an ancient dwarf who delved so deep that he found the underworld, and became the king there.
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> It’s been established that he carries a gold abacus with him as he surveys his domain.
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> If the adventurers get ahold of it, *what does it do?*
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Spitballing a bit here, but it makes sense for a dwarven Death with an abacus to keep a tight ledger. Abacuses (abacusi?) have several rows, representing different orders of magnitude right? Maybe moving the ones has some lesser effect, but I imagine that moving the top ones might have some major repercussions.
Like: when you move a bead on the top row you exchange a life for a life. Choose one soul who death has claimed. They live again. The DM will choose someone alive. They are dead, and have been since the soul you brought back died. This might change the world forever.
That sounds just about… perfect! Thank you Asbjørn H Flø.
The Bard got marked by Death in his very first session. Later, he gave his heart to a witch who hid his heart in the roots of the world so that Death couldn’t claim him. Right now, one party is in the underworld, where they might find Death himself, the witch, or both. Another party is dealing with consequences topside, and those are getting pretty extreme already.
I want to write more, but I don’t want to post any spoilers for my groups. 😉
Glad to help Deep Six Delver! I remember the tale about the bard from earlier posts. It would be really nice to get a little write-up when you guys get further along!
I was also thinking : what is the exchange rate on souls? Does death have dominion over things without souls? Concepts? You’ve already set up that he needs your heart to claim you, so maybe not. Unless the stones have hearts. They could. Could you set up some hard bargains here?
*your friend will live, but all the cats of Ratburgh will die.
*your wife returns to you, but no longer will anyone know the summer breeze in the valley
*your tribe will return from extinction, but mercy will be gone from the hearts of men
Maybe a little far out, but it could be fun to invite them to choose ecological or social collapse for selfish gain.