In the depths of the market is a shop with a narrow frontage. It has a single mask, of a gilded gorgon, above the door. It has eyes made of red glass which seem to follow everyone in the street. People say that no-one has ever tried to steal anything from this store. People say if they did the mask would…do something. Move? Turn them to stone? Scream the hideous wail of the gorgons? Stories vary. Some street vendors deliberately set up within sight of the gorgon, and it is said that pickpockets also avoid this street.
Euryale
Euryale, “far traveler”, sister to Medusa and Stheno, came to Venice decades ago. She knows a goddess of wisdom is stirring in the spaces behind the city’s reflection. She needs to know if it is her enemy, grey-eyed Athena. Euryale wants to kill Athena in to avenge for her sister. Medusa was cursed by the Goddess of Wisdom and murdered by her champion. Euryale hides her terrible face behind a mask of her terrible face, and waits.
Gorgoneion
The gorgoneion, the mask of the gorgon, is used by Venetians as a charm, particularly as a protection for children. It is thought to cause evil spirits to flee, as they lack the bravery to meet the gorgon’s gaze. In Venice, where mask spirits possess some of the participants in Carnivale, the gorgoneion forces Brave checks in those who view it. Those who fail are too shocked to think or move voluntarily, but do not literally become stone. They may make a new Brave check every ten minutes and can be, for example, led away by hand. Euryale can cause this effect through her mask, or remove it to unveil her terrifying face.
Blood from the left side.
A drop of blood from Euryale’s side cures most diseases. It is consumed when used, which differs from Medusa’s blood, that persisted when used, presumably due to Athena’s meddling. It contains Creo vis.
Blood from the right side.
A drop of blood from Euryale’s other side is a deadly poison. Again, Medusa’s blood continued to be toxic regardless of how many times it was used. This may make folklore skill checks inaccurate.
Brazen wings
Euryale has metal wings that fold out of her back, tearing through her clothes. These allow her to fly slightly slower than a human of great endurance can run.
Scream
Euryale’s discordant scream was the inspiration for Athena’s creation of the flute. Screaming allows Euryale to extend the range of her terrifying power, but in a crowded area like the City it would cause mayhem.
Euryale: the leather mask maker
Faerie Might: 25 (Mentem)
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +6*, Pre –3, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik +3
* Due to Dozens of Eyes power.
Size: –1
Virtues and Flaws: 2 x Greater Faerie Powers, 4 x Increased Faerie Might, Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech, Hybrid Form; Incognizant, Small Frame
Personality Traits: Vengeful +3, Perfectionist +1
Combat:
Brass Claws*: Init +2, Attack +5, Defense +7, Damage +2
*On the rare occasions when Euryale leaves her shop she covers these with gloves. This is why she makes the leather masks and Gabriella makes the papier-mâché ones: Gabriella lacks claws.
Tusks: Init +3, Attack +7, Defense +6, Damage +5
Serpent Hair: Init +2, Attack +8, Defense +5, Damage +1*
* Euryale’s serpents reach the middle of her back so they can only attack targets close together. Theoretically, she has 18 snakes able to strike at any time on her head, although usually she only uses three at a time. See also the Venomous bite power.
Soak: 0
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9 –12), Incapacitated (13–16) Dead (17+).
Pretenses: All suitable for role. Includes Craft: Maskmaking 9 [leather], but can only follow traditional forms or creates commissioned work: is unable to originate designs. Brawl 3 (humans),
Powers:
Deadly Visage: 1 point, Init –2, Terram: (4 intricacy points on cost) The gorgon can
transform into stone any person or animal which see her face. Creatures so changed revert to life if the gorgon dies or is stripped of its Might. Note this differs from the usual roleplaying idea that the gorgon’s eyes hold the power to kill.
(Base 25, +1 Eye, +4 Until. Yes, “Eye” is used in the scaling as an approximation of “being seen”)
Dozens of Eyes, 0 points, constant, Animal: The gorgon has dozens of pairs of eyes, which scan her surroundings, in all directions, constantly. This grants her extraordinary Perception. Enthralling Sound, 3 points, Init 0, Mentem: A gorgon can utter the scream of the dead, which sounds like discordant flute music. This creating terror in those who hear it. The low hissing of her snakes can create the same effect.
Flight: 0 points, Init +3, Terram: Natural power of hybrid form.
Venomous Bite, 0 Points, Init 0, Animal: When the gorgon’s hair attacks, compare its Attack Advantage to the victim’s armor Protection (not his Soak). If the gorgon’s advantage is higher, the victim suffers the effects of adder venom as listed in the Poison Table on page 180 of ArM5,
regardless of whether the bite inflicts an actual wound. The storyguide may adjust the required Attack Advantage for special circumstances. Euryale keeps an antivenin nearby, as leverage. This is a power of the gorgon’s Hybrid Form, and does not need to be paid for with the Personal Faerie Power Virtue.
Vis: 5 Creo or Perdo depending on which side it is drained from.
Appearance: A n elderly woman, who has a lsight forward bow in her spine. She has a hideously deformed face with scales and tusks. Snakes replace her hair. Her fingers are replaced by brass claws.
Gabriella: the papier-mâché mask maker
The Venetians find privacy alluring. The most seductive of their masks is a featureless void. They posit that the face beneath the gorgoneion must be too beautiful for words. The lady who seems to do little but make the finest masks must have a passionate inner life, and secret loves. Stories draw faeries, and so now there is a second mask-maker. Her name is Gabriella, and she’s at the edge of many parties.
Gabriella works in the Merceria but she is also seen in its shops and stalls, a mixture of craftswoman and noblewoman that can make sense only in a rich city like Venice . Her mask is also a gorgoneion, but lacks tusks. She calls Euryale “mother” but most of the people of Venice do not know there are two mask-makers as Euryale rarely leaves her store, so as not to be seen by the agents of the rising power. Gabriella does not have wings, but sometimes fails to notice she needs them, leaping unlikely distances. This was an attribute of her “aunt” Stheno, and again this may cause confusion to folklorists.
Gabriella
Faerie Might: 25 (Mentem)
Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, Pre +6, Com 0, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik +3
Size: –1
Virtues and Flaws: 2 x Greater Faerie Powers, 4 x Increased Faerie Might, Faerie
Sight, Faerie Speech, Hybrid Form; Incognizant, Small Frame
Personality Traits: Secretive (which in Venice is basically the same as “alluring”) +3, Delighted +1
Combat:
Brawl (grapple): Init. +3, Attack +3, Defense +0, Damage n/a
Scissors and determination: Init +3, Attack +2, Defense +2, Damage +0
Gabriella’s snakes vary in length from short bangs at the front to extremely long serpents that pour down her back and coil at her waist, where they pretend to be a gilded leather belt. She can theoretically bite a person eighteen times simultaneously, but only if they are grappled.
Soak: 0
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–4), –3 (5–8), –5 (9–12), Incapacitated (13–16) Dead (17+).
Pretenses: All suitable for role, Includes Craft: Mask making 9 (papier-mâché) , but can only follow traditional forms or creates commissioned work: is unable to originate designs. Brawl 4 [humans)
Powers:
Note that Gabriella does not have the Dozens of Eyes power.
Flute-like sound, 3 points, Init 0, Mentem: Gabriella’s vocalization is stunningly beautiful, rather than terrible. It does not affect the tone deaf, and has a stronger effect on those with above average musical appreciation of skill. Given her poor Brawl skill, this makes it much easier to bite people.
Deadly Gaze: 1 point, Init –2, Terram: (4 intricacy points on cost) Gabriella can transform into stone any person or animal with which she makes eye contact. Creatures so changed revert to life if she dies or is stripped of might.
(Base 25, +1 Eye, +4 Until)
Lack of Gravitas: 0 points, Init 0, Corpus: Gabriella sometimes does not obey gravity as strictly as other people. It’s not as useful as flight, and she doesn’t seem to notice she’s doing it.
Venomous Bite, 0 Points, Init 0, Animal: When the gorgon’s hair attacks, compare its Attack Advantage to the victim’s armor Protection (not his Soak). If the gorgon’s advantage is higher, the victim suffers the effects of adder venom as listed in the Poison Table on page 180 of ArM5,
regardless of whether the bite inflicts an actual wound. The storyguide may adjust the required Attack Advantage for special circumstances. This is a power of the gorgon’s Hybrid Form, and does not need to be paid for with the Personal Faerie Power Virtue.
Vis: 5 Mentem, a mask
Appearance: A noblewoman or rich crafter of Venice. Always wears a gorgon mask, without tusks. Has a hair-veil over golden ropes of hair that seem to stir in a wind that is not there. Wears a lot of brass sequins, especially on her gloves.
Games From Folktales 