Tarncape
A legendary magical cloak which can render the wearer completely invisible, allow them to transform into other shapes, increase their strength, and travel great distances very quickly. The Tarncape is much older than might first be thought – it originates in pre-roman Britain, where it was used as a weapon against Bran the Blessed. Later it is acquired by the Romans and eventually the Germans and its most famous owner, Sigurd. After Sigurd it would return to Brythonic hands and was one of the prized treasures of king Arthur.
The Tarncape will not grant its power completely to anyone who dons it. A wearer must prove itself to the cape, impressing it with might deeds. At first the cape will only allow a single power to be used by the wearer. However, if the cape has grown to respect the wearer it will eventually reveal new powers one by one as they are most needed. A warrior who has succeeded in gaining the complete loyalty of the Tarncape and is granted its full power is truly an awesome foe.
Magic Might: 8 (Imaginem)
Characteristics: Int –2, Per +1, Pre +3, Com –3, Str –2, Sta +3, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: –1
Season: Summer
Virtues and Flaws: Magic Thing; Magical Friend; Shapeshifter; Fury*
*The Tarncape often flies into a berserk rage when it is confronted with a might beast, especially dragons (when it encounters a dragon the roll to resist fury has an ease factor of 12, not 9). If it botches and the wearer refuses to battle the beast the cloak may try to strangle the wearer in its fury.
Magic Qualities and Inferiorities: Greater Power x2; Lesser Power; Improved Abilities x5; Reduced Might x2
Personality Traits: Cloak* +3, Hates Magical Beasts +4, Demanding +3
Combat:
Dodge: Init +1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a
Cloak: Init +1, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage –3
Soak: +3
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13+)
Fatigue Levels: n/a
Abilities: Shapeshifter (One Form) 10, Concentration (Maintaining Powers) 10, Awareness (Ambush) 2, Magic Lore (Beasts) 2, Penetration (Imaginem) 1, Merovingian Lands Lore (Austrasia) 2, Arthurian Britain Lore (Arthur’s Court) 1, Pre-Roman Britain Lore (Wars) 2
Powers:
Cloak of Invisibility, 0 points, Init -2
R: Personal, D: Concentration, T: Ind
This power turns the cloak and its wearer completely undetectable by any sense. They cannot be seen, heard, smelt, tasted, or felt. This effect treats the wearer of the cloak as an extension of the cloak meaning both are affected for the duration and the cloak does not have to penetrate the magic resistance of the wearer if they possess any.
(PeIm 30, Base 10, Conc +1, Unusual Effect +3)
Cloak of Transformation, Special, Init +1
This is not a power per se, rather it as an explanation of how to use the Shapeshifting ability of the cloak. The cloak may shapeshift itself and the wearer as if they were one being, but the ease factor for the shapeshifting roll is increased by +6 (to 15) to represent the increased range and target. The shapes known to the cloak should be chosen to suit the needs of the saga.
Visage of Another, 0 points, Init -2
R: Touch, D: Concentration, T: Individual
This power allows the cloak to make its wearer appear like any other person. The quality of the illusion is dictated by how well the cloak knows the person being mimicked. The wearer may describe someone the cloak has never seen but the illusion is likely to be passable at best.
(MuIm 15, as per Image Phantom but Conc duration)
Leap of Sigurd, 2 points, Init -3
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual
This power allows the cloak and its wearer to be transported to any location they have an arcane connection to instantly. Each use of this power inflicts a point of warping on the wearer.
(ReCo 40, as Leap of Homecoming except Touch range)
Vis: One pawn of Imaginem and one of Muto
Appearance: A wool cloak of very fine quality which appears as if it was made only yesterday despite being ancient. It is embroidered with gold thread in intricately intertwining insular patterns. The cloak is fastened with a rope strung with the teeth of some sort of immense beast, perhaps a dragon. Each tooth is marked with runes invoking Nidhogg and Fenrir. The fastening rope does not match the look of the main part and is perhaps a later addition or repair
Where is it now?
The last well known owner of the Tarncape was king Arthur, who considered it one of his most prized possessions. It is though to have been carried away to Avalon with Arthur after the battle of Camlann. Centuries later after the founding of the order rumours began to surface that within house Merenita in the Stonehenge tribunal had found reliable passages to and from Annwn, the underworld of Brythonic myth, and from it had retrieved several lost treasures – the Tarncape among them.
Nothing was ever proven (unsurprising, considering the primary power of the cape is to hide itself and its wearer) but rumours still surface regarding the cloak at times. Three major theories are popular in the order in 1220:
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The cape remains in the hands of house Merenita. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the cloak may have been used regularly during the schism war in Stonehenge. Most people believe if so it was used to battle the Diedne, but darker rumours spread by the enemies of house Merenita have insinuated it may have been used to covertly aid house Diedne instead.
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The cape at some point (possibly early in the schism war) fell into the hands of house Diedne. Dark rumours suggest that Llewelyn, last primus of Diedne who vanished at the end of the Schism war, may have possessed the cloak.
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The idea that the cloak was retrieved from Avalon is a myth, and the cloak still rests with king Arthur. As no one can quite agree on where exactly Arthur’s Avalon was this could mean many places, but one especially interesting possibility is the isle of Man, which could explain why it has evaded hermetic seekers for so long.