Cursed Armor

Cursed Armor was created by GM Xeraphina and originally released for Duskruin February 2021 in the shop Shadowed Light. This armor has perks for followers of "a society that doesn't exist". Cursed Armor has four tiers of unlocking available, each tier granting both benefits and backlash. This is based on an affinity (hunger) system. The higher the tier, the higher the affinity. With the armor being cursed, similar to black ora, you need to uncurse it to remove it. This is very important to remember because you WILL incur damage if you even attempt to remove it prior to doing so... Backlash affects will continue to be felt until max affinity for the tier is reached. So, as noted by the table below, if you max your affinity/attunement, you will not feel the affects of the noted backlash. Also, be warned that foreign wearers of the armor (once affinity starts being gained by the original wearer) will find themselves falling victim to backlash more than the one who has built up affinity to the armor. Please note that each consecutive tier will have both the boosts, and the backlashes of the prior tier available to it. Tier 1 Analyze You analyze the linen soutane and sense that the creator has provided the following information: This soutane has been imbued by shadow one time. Its tiny dark tendrils seem to undulate without bias. As it hungers for the spirit of the living, your ability to overcome adversity will be tested until it is satisfied with your commitment, after which your hard work will be rewarded. Wearing it is not without risk, and removing it is not without cost. You can PULL it to sacrifice your spiritual tether for safe detachment. You can RUB the soutane to gauge its hunger and TOUCH it to hush its presence. You sense an additional action: BOW When being altered, its appearance must remain suitable for its dark, cryptic nature. Affinity Boost has a chance to flare Calm when hit successfully by a foe. Backlash has a chance for random hard roundtime up to 10 seconds. See affinity table below for society perk. Usage Verb Availability First Third BOW All You bow slightly forward as shadowy flames dissipate upward from your black ora jazerant. xxxx bows slightly forward as shadowy flames dissipate upward from his black ora jazerant. RUB All As you touch your black ora jazerant, a satiated groan fills your mind, though you sense a perpetual need for just a little more. xxxx rubs his black ora jazerant and appears momentarily distracted. TOUCH All As you discreetly reach for your black ora jazerant, the forgotten sharp pain in your fingertips resurfaces and fades. none HANG Council of Light This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! POUND Council of Light This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! Tier 2 Affinity Boost has a chance to flare +5 Defensive Strength (DS) per unlock tier upon attack attempt. Backlash has a chance of -5 DS upon attack attempt. See affinity table below for society perk. Usage Verb Availability First Third HOLD Council of Light This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! Tier 3 Affinity Boost has +3 Target Defense (TD) per unlock tier added to T2's boost. Backlash is a random head injury and hard roundtime. See affinity table below for society perk. Usage Verb Availability First Third WAVE Council of Light You discreetly wave a hand over the chest of your crimson haubergeon. Shadow briefly darkens your hand as you feel your magical tether invigorated. N/A Tier 4 Affinity Boost has a chance of +20 Attack Strength (AS) and +12 Casting Strength (CS) upon attack/cast attempt. Backlash has -12 TD to the T2 backlash and 1 spirit drained if armor is not fed (persists with full affinity). See affinity table below for society perk. Usage Verb Availability First Third SURRENDER Council of Light This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! This section has not been added yet; please add to it now! Additional Information Affinity Tier Affinity Boost Backlash Cult Perk OTS/1 0-500 Chance to flare Calm when hit successfully by a foe Random hard RT up to 10 seconds 1x/day Hypnosis (HANG)/Possession (POUND) using mana, not spirit. (2x/day upon full affinity) 2 0-1000 Chance to flare +5 DS (per unlock tier) upon attack attempt Chance of -5 DS (per unlock tier) upon attack attempt 1x/day Healing (HOLD) using mana, not spirit (2x/day upon full affinity) 3 0-3000 +3 TD (per unlock tier) to Tier 2's boost) Random head injury and hard RT 1x/day Mana Regen (WAVE) for 10 min (2x/day upon full affinity) 4 0-4000 Chance of +20 AS/+12 CS upon attack/cast attempt -12 TD to Tier 2 backlash, 1 spirit drained if armor is not fed (persists with full affinity) 1x/day Darkness (SURRENDER) (2x/day upon full affinity)* * SURRENDER will have the following effects Reduces spirit to 1. If already at 1, rank 2 nerve wound instead. Mana reduced to 0 Any active society benefits end with no deactivation cost Can be used in RT and stunned (you CANNOT use if unconscious or dead) CANNOT be used in anti-magic rooms or rooms you would otherwise not be able to teleport out of Will not appear "drained" in public FORCED prone with a stun Release Story Perhaps it was a mistake to wander into this shop, I had thought, while debating my choices in life as I stared at the wares that eerily called to me. I should not have tarried too long, as my curiosity oftens gets the better of me... and it was starting to now. Each item bore a unique design, but all maintained a similar trait: armor... with bits of black ora. Goose pimples rose from my skin as I continued my meandering, looking for someone, anyone, who might be able to offer some insight as to what I was seeing. No one was found, despite the feeling of being watched from all over. Terror overcame me as I could feel spectral fingers grip my neck and drag me towards one display. I was beholden to my curiosity, but also my fear. I must get away from here... but my feet would not move in the direction I begged of them. No... no... I was drawn to what seemed my destiny. In a panic, I offered up my payment to a worker who suddenly appeared, and was in turn, offered a new set of armor that held an ominous presence. It hungered... No longer held in place by whatever malicious presence remained in the shop, I stepped out and stared down at my newly acquired leathers. Time stood still as I debated my decision. It was too late, as I sensed the merchant behind the shop, Shadowed Light, had an "ALL SALES FINAL, no returns or exchanges, no store credit" policy in place. I was stuck with this, whether I wished it or not. Something... shadowy seemed to slither across the surface... or perhaps I imagined it. I gulped, fearing this would be the end, and offered a prayer to Fash'lo'nae, before donning the armor. I felt those shadows ooze out of the armor, and then, I couldn't breathe. I wanted to scream, but my voice caught in my throat. I tried to remove it, but it was then I realized the armor was stuck to me... and refused to come off. I cried, resigning myself to my fate... and my hunger. To be continued... I awoke in a gutter nearby the grate where many ran in and out, scurrying like the rats they are. My body, my mind, it all ached. The last thing I remembered was attempting to REMOVE the armor from me, only to have pain rip through me like those in the arena rip through their voucher books. My nerves were shot... I could feel everything. Why... what did I do to deserve this? I PULLed at the armor that clung voraciously to my body... my soul... I could feel my spirit drain from me. I was scared. I... I didn't know what to do. I stood, trying to make sense of what had happened, what was happening to me. Distractedly, I TOUCHed my hand to chest, covering the leather, and felt a sharp pain stab at my fingertips, the sensation fading as quickly as it surfaced. I could not help but think... armor is meant to protect me... yet all it has given me so far is pain. I could feel it starting again, forcing me to BOW in submission to it. I saw the shadows once more, rising up to my face before dissipating completely. The hunger... I was so hungry... but... was it actually the armor begging to be fed? How...? The urge to RUB my armor over my stomach was overwhelming and I was suddenly wracked with starvation, as though I had not eaten in days... weeks. The cravings came on so strong and I... if I did not eat, I would die... No... if the armor did not eat... it might kill me. To be continued... It was beginning to feel like a second skin, the armor... The longer it was stuck on me... the more I felt... comfortable? No, not comfortable... eerily at ease. We were slowly becoming one with an odd AFFINITY for each other. Not quite parasitic in nature... perhaps more symbiotic. Despite the growing comfort, from time to time, I felt the need to CRACK my neck, as if trying to relieve an unfelt discomfort... but each time it did, I felt almost dizzy, my vision blurring so much. Occasionally, I would lose my focus on whatever task was at hand, distracted by a vision that I couldn't place properly. When I regained my attention, I realized I had SCRATCHed myself sufficiently enough to draw blood. Should I have felt afraid? I was more worried that I didn't. To be continued... There are shadows everywhere... all around me. Am I just seeing things? The visions persist, Clouding my eyes, Obscuring my sight. When will it all just Leave me be?! I try to STRETCH my body, as the armor feels tight around me. I cough, and feel a dark essence escape my lips. If I RAISE my hand... tendrils of shadow ooze from my fingers... I feel them caress my face. Am I possessed? Am I mad? Have I sold my soul? I feel so lost... Someone... anyone... help... me... To be continued... I am being haunted... I am being hunted... I see dark figures in my peripheral view, but when I turn to look, they are not there. I BREATHE, trying to calm myself, but the pervasion feeling of paranoia encompasses me, making me acutely aware of each thumping beat of my heart. No, nothing is there. Wait? Am I wrong... What was that? Can it hear me? I'm waiting to EXHALE, only to be tormented by the shadows surrounding me. I can do only one thing... I SURRENDER to the darkness. Fin Credits GM Xeraphina thanked the following people in the release forum post. THANKS * First: this project could not have been completed without the awesome code ninja skills of GM Naiken, so thank you, GM Naiken, for all your hard work on this armor. * Second: GM Sindin offered up some additional and awesome flavorings to this. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I did. Thank you, GM Sindin. * Third: I would like to thank the group that inspired this idea. Resources Saved posts See Also Black ora weapon Council of Light

Cursed Armor Information Type Mechanical Item Classification Armor Item(s) Applied to All ASGs Alterable Yes Light/Deep Original Release Venue Duskruin Tiered Yes Number of Tiers 4 How to Unlock Certificate Affinity Needed Yes Restrictions Must remain suitable for dark, cryptic nature Item Verbs BOW HANG HOLD POUND RUB SURRENDER TOUCH WAVE

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