These artifacts come in sets of three; they
typically take the form of figurines of dogs.
The actual composition of a Dog, or the style of workmanship, doesn't
matter as long as the relic has the appropriate moon sigil inscribed upon it (see
below). Metal, clay, plastic and wooden
Dogs have all been unearthed. Dogs of
Hecate are specialized devices designed to facilitate the user's interaction
with ghosts. There is no Essence cost
to use, per se, but regular handling of the items will result in the loss of a
note of Essence at random intervals (but never more than once a week).
Each item has its own task, which can be determined
by its sigil.
The Dog of Hunting (sigil: full moon with
crosshatching) will grow warm to the touch when within (user's Celestial
Forces) feet of a ghost's focus. If it
actually touches the focus, the Dog will produce a quick yellow spark. Also, Symphonically Aware users are at +1 to
detect ghosts when holding a Dog of Hunting.
The Dog of Herding (sigil: traditionally a
half moon, although a crescent moon is much more popular in the modern era)
will temporarily add +2 to the Intelligence of one ghost within 5 yards
(chosen by the user). This makes it
possible to at least marginally communicate with will'o'wisps and poltergeists;
useful memories are also sometimes regained from the use of a Dog of Herding,
which may aid in determining the original need for haunting.
Finally, the Dog of Harrowing (sigil: new
moon [blank circle, no crosshatching]) allows the user to nonviolently snap the
ghost's link to its focus, thus freeing it for its final
reward/punishment. The user must
succeed at a contested Will roll with the ghost; only one attempt per ghost is
allowed per day. The ghost does not
necessarily have to resist! Also, a Dog
of Harrowing gives a +1 to Banish skill rolls.
The items first appeared as necessary adjuncts to
ancient Greek and Roman Sorcerous rituals, but have been long since been
adopted by virtually every group truly aware of the metaphysical and
supernatural. They are generally deemed
to be morally neutral devices; possession of a set is grounds for a discreet
investigation, not an immediate raid.
To complicate matters further, numerous unknown individuals have made
Dogs of Hecate available to parapsychologists and occultists who are not
aware of the War; the items work for anyone, assuming proper instruction. Heaven generally treats mundane ownership of
the Dogs of Hecate on a case-by-case basis (after all, gentle ghost removal is
a good thing); Hell tends towards just not caring.
Cost: 8 points for all three Dogs (cannot be bought individually)