The Shield of the Wisent Witch

A horn-oak shield shod in bronze bears a stylized wisent skull, heavier in the hand than its size suggests. Openly borne, it makes natural creatures treat the bearer with the wary respect owed a thousand-pound bison, and braced with both feet planted it renders its holder all but impossible to move, trip, or stagger.

Sacred rites worked in the woods under a clear crescent moon awaken the spirits of the herd that slumber in the wood, granting wisent guise, the fury of a conjured stampede, and a beast's raw might. But the herd's gifts seep into the body that carries them. The longer the shield is borne, the more its bearer grows: bigger, louder, hungrier, more forceful and territorial, until they are as much wisent as the witch who shaped it.

Tags · +1 armor · close · forceful · magical

A horn-oak shield shod in bronze bears a stylized wisent skull. It is heavier than it looks, grants +1 armor, close, forceful, magical, and holds +1 Readiness on a 7+ to Defend. Openly bearing the shield makes natural creatures treat you with the respect due a thousand-pound bison. When you Defend with both feet planted, Readiness makes you impossible to move or trip; spending Readiness to strike back also breaks momentum or sends attackers reeling. Sacred rites in the woods under a clear crescent moon unlock Spirits of the Herd: take on wisent guise for travel, conjure a stampeding herd as a terrifying area weapon, or hold Might to plow through obstacles, break restraints, or shrug off blows. Consequences make the bearer bigger, louder, hungrier, more forceful, territorial, or irresistible to predators.