This handheld slate tablet comes with several sticks of white chalk. The actual tablet itself has been thoroughly used, covered in layer after layer of half-erased drawings, but the cherry-stained wooden frame was clearly added recently.
Most of the faint chalk drawings seem to have been of people or animals—hastily drawn with minimal detail, each one with scribbles over the subject's eyes, ears, or hands. Upon further inspection, you notice that tiny, carefully-carved runes border the outer edge of the frame, which glow with a faint light when a stick of chalk is touched to the slate.
You may draw a target creature on the Chalkboard of Magnificent Bull over the course of one minute. To create an accurate drawing, you must succeed on a Craft: Drawing check (DC 10+the creature's CR) or be forced to erase the drawing and start again. This DC increases by 5 if you cannot see the target, and increases by another 5 if you have never seen the target before (by working from someone else's description, for example). You may take 20 on this check.
While an accurate drawing is on the Chalkboard, as a standard action, you may cross out one portion of the drawing. If unwilling, the targeted creature must make a DC 17 Will save or be deafened, blinded, or lose some other special sense (per the Steal Senses Enhancement talent) of the caster's choice for as long as the drawing remains on the Chalkboard. You may do this multiple times, up to once for each of the target creature's affected senses. Erasing any portion of the drawing immediately restores all lost senses to the target creature.
An orphan, Kala was born deaf and mute, and never learned to read or write. Having no concept of written language, she learned to draw as a way to communicate, and always carried her slate tablet with her everywhere she went. This allowed her to barter simple work for the food and lodging she needed, but eventually she longed for a greater connection to the world around her.
Sadly, her attempts to initiate such a connection were met only with fear and misunderstanding. You see, Kala was also a wonder-child, so called for the wonders that always came to pass when she was near. When she sketched a piece of fruit on her slate, that piece of fruit slowly became less and less real, taking on the qualities of a chalk sketch: thin, dry, and tasteless. She tried to draw a person once, and she was forced to flee or be hanged for murder.
Where she went, her reputation followed. She was beaten, called names, and taunted for being unable to talk. While she could not hear these ignorant revilings, she knew all too well the intent behind them. She tried to explain that she never meant any harm, but her only method of communication was tainted, and inadequate. She pleaded for the ridicule to stop the only way she knew how—by drawing a simple face and crossing out the mouth.
Immediately, the ridicule did stop, for those who taunted her had been struck dumb. Realizing the extent of her power, she quickly drew ears and crossed them out as well for spite. Now, the newly-mute were also deaf, just as she was. A just consequence, she decided. But the townsfolk did not see it that way.
She was run out of town, but at least now she knew what she could do. She hunted animals to survive, sketching them and scribbling out their eyes and ears so she could sneak up on them unawares. The food was always unpalatable by the time she cooked it, but it kept her alive. Her greatest kill was a strong, menacing bull that roamed the wilds. She took it down with nothing but her slate and a knife. She wore the chalky pelt as a coat that winter, the horns draped over her shoulders as a sign of her power.
Thereafter she became known as Magnificent Bull, and all feared her coming. Upon seeing her, the townsfolk would fall silent, bowing their heads, averting their gaze. This custom was followed by covering the ears until the scorned young woman had passed by. Only small items would be missing when they looked up again—food or clothing; only what she needed to live. And it was a tax the people were willing to pay for the mercy of Magnificent Bull.
No comments:
Post a Comment