The Wolfmother is considered a folk tale, told to encourage the young men to marry early and bring new hands to the farm. A terrifying cautionary tale used to keep the serfs in line, as far as they town folk know. But the farmers in their homesteads know the truth of it.
Mothers are careful to pair off their children as soon as they come of age, before She appears at the virginal young men's bed sides and offers them presents. Anyone not accepting her wedding gifts will have their innocence and masculine flower rudely taken. Within two weeks the wolfmother will give birth to a clutch of wolf cubs who will hound their young father, bitter at their abandonment. They will kill his friends, steal his livestock, cause as much pain as possible, until finally their father wakes in the middle of the night to see his children at his bedside.
Some are brave or foolish enough to accept the gifts instead of immediately striping to their skin and taking to the road, calling for a wife. After three visits She will take their hand and walk them into the brambles, never to return.
D30
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Wedding
gift
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1
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A mollusc
attached to a locket. Anyone approaching the wearer with sinister
intent will cause it to emit a high pitched sequel until they are
dispatched. Inside is a picture of the wolfmother.
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2
|
Gloves made
of whole rabbits. They don't look much like gloves but they fit
wonderfully. They will run away at any loud noises, hiding in your
pockets or inside the folds of your clothes, taking your hands
with them. Their morale is 6. Taking them off will kill them
horrifically as your hands distend their innards out their
nethers.
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3
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A broom
with a brush made of virgin's hair. Cleaning your house with it
every day will ensure your past never finds you.
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4
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A kettle
made from a goat's skull. No matter what is poured in, thick
clotted blood will come out. Drinking the blood will give you
visions of all the hurtful things your loved ones have said behind
your back.
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5
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A rat in a
cage. It gives good lifestyle advice, except for one time when it
will give you the worst advice ever.
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6
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A little
lost child from under her skirt. It doesn't speak any language you
know and is altogether quite exotic looking.
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7
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A rope that
leads out of your window and into the woods. It will not budge and
does not end unless pulled by three stout men. On the end of the
rope is a sorcerer of middling power.
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8
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Dirt in a
jar. Any plants set in it will grow overnight and black lotus
flowers will burst forth.
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9
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A pen made
from the feather of a white peacock. It will only write sonnets
fit to break the hardest heart. Readers of said poems must save
vs. magic or seclude themselves away for a night and a day. A
second failed save will drive them to a fit of passionate suicide
as they know they can never know a love so sweet.
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10
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A kiss on
the cheek. Her face is warm, her fur a rich pelt that gently
tickles. Save vs. magic or run away with her, never to be seen
again.
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11
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Three mice tied together by their tails, alive and trying to run in
different directions.
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12
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A burning
bulrush. Save vs. magic or fall into a deep sleep, haunted by
dreams of the wolfmother, for d3 days.
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13
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A hand
mirror that will age you 10d10 years if you look at it beneath a
clear sky.
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14
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A wooden
button. If thrown away save vs. magic or lose all your hair and
fingernails. -1 to hit until your nails grow back.
|
15
|
A walnut
box. Save vs. device when opened, as inside is an adder. It sinks
its teeth into your arm and withers away like a rotten fruit. Save
vs. poison or die, refilling the snake like a balloon and slinking
off.
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16
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A handsome
set of underwear. While worn (she will insist you try them on)
they tighten when in the presence of women other than the
wolfmother, dealing d3 damage per round. They resist being torn or
cut and are removable only with magical assistance.
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17
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A flock of
seagulls tied to a staff. They will loyally follow the stick
wherever it goes.
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18
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An old gold
coin. If spent it will always make its way back to you in the most
“monkey's paw” way possible.
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19
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A black cat
that can communicate silently with whomever it pleases. He gives
valuable council and has been familiar to many great women. He is
here as a favour to the wolfmother and will leave is mistreated.
The wolmother will hear of it.
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20
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A tiny
misshapen human in a jar. He will need to be fed blood to live.
Every time he feeds he gains d3hp and grows ever so slightly. When
he has 10hp he will escape his jar and go on a killing spree.
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21
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A hunting
horn that, when blown, will summon three armed men to you aid.
They will not remember how they got there and there is no
guarantee they will be predisposed to benevolence.
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22
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A rope.
Anyone tied with it must save vs. magic or run to the nearest
source of magical wrongness. Once there they must save again or
lose their minds and become a drooling vegetable.
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23
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A rose and
a song. Her singing is haunting and nothing like any you have
heard before. Save vs. magic or never be able to enjoy music
again.
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24
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A bundle of
nettles tied with a yellow ribbon. If cooked into a tea a drank on the solstice in the field of your fathers, you will find a fortune buried in the roots of a old oak.
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25
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She slips a
wooden ring on your finger. The wearer cannot remove it as it
fuses with their flesh. Save vs. magic to resist future gifts.
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26
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A book of
nonsense and diagrams of plants & animals that have never
existed. If read from cover to cover you gain 1 wisdom and become
chaotic.
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27
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A vial of
perfume. It smells of fresh mushrooms and cinnamon.
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28
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A cradle
made of chicken bones tied together with ligaments. It creaks and
cracks but is very strong. A child who uses it until they outgrow
it will never know fear and be bold as the dawning sun. He will
die too young.
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29
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A tiny
spyglass that takes you to where you see, as if you were there all
along. Every time you use it you shrink by d3 inches.
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30
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A basket
woven from the wolfmother's hair. Anything placed inside it will
rot and tarnish within hours.
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