The Hunter's Heart

An ancient Demon Age item of unclear origin. It is a mask in a bear, cat, or wolfish creature's face shape. Wearing the mask gives increased strength, speed and aim for 24 hrs. When used in a hunt that takes the prey's life it also grants extra years on. It has been discovered that after one's natural lifespan has passed, the vitality becomes months, then later days instead of years added from prey. There is some fear that it will become hours.
A group calling themselves The Game Keepers have used this to stay young and vital.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The mask bestows a plus 2 to Vigor and Strength rolls when worn. When worn in a simple slaughter of livestock owned or not, wearer gains +1 Spirit and +1 Aim. When worn while hunting animals one doesn't have right or possession of it grants Spirit +2, Aim +2. Killing a sophont monster, criminal or possessed/owned or employed person grants an extra bonus die to be used as desired, along with +2 Spirit and +2 Aim and rolls back age 1 year for 20 years of potential life span taken so long as the hunter is within their normal life span. Beyond normal life span it changes. Hunting and killing a free person not under the hunter's influence gives a benny, a free bonus die, along with the +2 Spirit and Aim bonuses, and rolls back aging by 1 year per 5 years the victim may have had in life expectancy. Children hunted and killed give two bennies and the life gain. If one passes their normal natural life span the de-aging effect from free victims drops to one year gained per 10 taken from the victim, less a month per month past natural life span. If they reach zero gain, it becomes one month gained per 10 years of life taken, less a week per week past zero. Then it becomes weeks gained, less days past zero, then finally days gained, less hours at the next zero point.

History

About 30 years ago, the Old Man- Condel, and two hands were harvesting cut stone from the ruins of an old wall on the farm. They found the wall was not some old boundary wall but rather part of a building. They entered and found a ruined chamber with broken pottery, mouldered and rotted fabric and leather, some small jewelry. and the mask of a snarling beast. The farmer and his hands thought themselves blessed and gathered everything of value and sought more chambers. They found little.

That night they drank to celebrate and Condel put on the mask. He was infused with a sense of strength and vitality. He was also aware of the heartbeats of his companions and of a whispering voice.
"Hunt them, take what is forbidden and become yours."


He thought about this over several days and first tried it with slaughtering livestock. Aside from a small jolt, it gave nothing. He went hunting with some fellows and gained a small boost of energy when taking wild game. When a neighbor fell ill, he bade them wear the mask and the illness faded rapidly. The neighbor was fascinated and also heard the whispering voice while wearing the mask. They found the mask's powers were increased with hunting rather than just slaughter, that it was virtually nothing additional when it was one's own livestock, but increased with wildlife or things not under ownership or control of the mask wearers. They do not reveal how they found that it gave the greatest benefits from hunting humans and other free people (vs monsters, or a slave) and the young vs the old.


Condel, his farm hands and a few neighbors formed a secret group that they call the Game Keepers. The old farm which was Condel's, surrounded by other members, has been turned over as the hunting grounds. Condel (The Old Man), has outlived his wife who had passed before finding the mask. His two children, a daughter survives as a spouse of another Game Keeper, and a son. His son went away to seek fame and fortune and passed away years back, scorning a farmer's life.


The Game Keepers started with waylaying travelers, but it was proven too risky. They had tried to introduce an inn keep, but after just a few hunts, the inn keep proved difficult and boastful and the Game Keepers realized the risk to their treasure and prosperity and held a surprise hunt of the inn keeper, and staged a fire to destroy anything the innkeeper may have written or told family , staff or friends. The Game Keepers then used some trader contacts to find smugglers. and a criminal gang that would abduct young strangers in the nearby city of Incaras where people came and went frequently and missing traveling adventurers wouldn't be missed. The Game Keepers forbid abduction of orphan children. They paid the muggers and the gang, and said the abducted were sold off as slaves.


Things went smoothly then for many years. They held hunts every few months or as needed if a member was ill or injured. The main hunter gained the most benefit, but the mask was passed around after the hunt and every member received the short boost. The Game Keepers retained extraordinary health and vigor, seemingly aging very little. This changed when Condel was in his 91st year. The mask benefits were of ever shorter duration on him, his hunger and blood lust ever greater and outward signs of aging started catching up with him without much reducing his energy. First he needed to hunt every three or four months, then every other, then monthly. Now in his 97th year, he is gaunt and withered looking, with sunken eyes and skin like leather and he needs to hunt weekly. The other members ( there are 18 others) have started to fear "the Old Man". The others make up four families - Oduruk family ( six members - eldest 78, and Delana, Corndel's daughter age 73), Lissi ( 5 members, eldest 70), Hanood (3, 84), Beemin ( 4, 79), Condel and his two old hands ages 67 and 68).

Significance

The Mask is a sacred object of the Game Keepers. The Game Keepers are a group of farmers and merchants that meets at a private villa monthly maintained just for the Keepers. The Old Man and 2 juniors keep the Villa with a few slaves. The group also meets at another home periodically. The mask gives the wearer a boost for 24 hrs. It requires a kill when used for greater powers. It is only powered by a hunt and drains life to the wearer. The Oldman would have died a decade ago and the mask keeps him alive. But he needs it more frequently, paying the deficit and gaining any extra.