6

When a Horror Marks a character, is the loss of ability to complete Artistic tasks a permanent effect? Once a character is marked by a Horror, do they lose the ability to ever create a non-tainted work of art, or does their artistic ability return if/when the Horror is slain?

If it's the latter and it ends at the death of the Horror, does it matter who slays the Horror – i.e., does it have to be the Marked character? The twist that I'm pondering would be a greater Horror slaying the lesser Horror that had marked the party, thus releasing the characters from their Horror-marking, but making them a known target to a much greater threat.

SevenSidedDie
  • 243,609
  • 44
  • 785
  • 1,025
William M-B
  • 2,419
  • 2
  • 19
  • 31

1 Answers1

7

Third edition says (on p.136), that a Horror Mark lasts for a year and a day, at which time the Horror may choose to renew it for another year and a day (and so on, and so on), if the character is in range for it to do so.

(It's worth noting that certain methods and components - such as cockatrice blood - are rumored to be effective Horror Mark removers, so slaying the Horror is not always necessary... according to these rumors.)

The Gamemaster's Guide (3E, p.274) has the following on the Horror Mark's effect on the marked character's artistic ability:

Determining if a character is under the influence of a Horror by having him perform an Artisan skill is unlikely to result in real proof — this widespread tradition is the result of centuries of legend and superstition. However, that does not necessarily mean that this method never works — some Horrors do pervert the Artisan skills of their victims (...)

The book also emphasizes that the Horror Mark described by the RAW is practically just a template that gamemasters should twist and modify as they please - that is, to best match their stories.

I haven't found and don't remember having read more specific answers to your questions in the RAW. My answers would be:

Characters lose their ability to create art only if this suits the given Horror, and only when and for as long as the Horror wishes. If the Horror is slain, its specific, unique Horror Mark ceases to exist, therefore artistic abilities return. Consequently, I don't think the Horror must be slain by the specific character it marked for the mark to "dissolve."

Disclaimer: I haven't played ED for quite a while, and there's tons of material for the game that I'm not (or no longer) familiar with. The above relies just on the (3E) core and my memories. Other answers may have more solid info, based on a broader and more active knowledge. :)

OpaCitiZen
  • 39,269
  • 10
  • 112
  • 272
  • 1
    Excellent answer, and that's what I get for not reading the 3rd edition books thoroughly. I've got 90% of the 1st edition stuff, but it sounds like the changes to 3rd ed. were substantial as far as basic concepts. I wasn't too impressed with 2nd ed. Earthdawn, which meant that I didn't venture into 3rd ed - I decided to stick with what worked. Many thanks! – William M-B Aug 29 '13 at 20:02
  • 2
    @WilliamM-B Don't let opinions of 2nd influenced your opinion of 3rd: they were by completely different companies with different design philosophies. (1st was also by yet another entirely different company.) – SevenSidedDie Aug 30 '13 at 00:50
  • 2
    1st Ed is much the same; just for a note it doesn't matter who or what slays the horror, as long as it's dead the horror mark is gone, although there is at least one horror that is known that can "ride" horror marks to horrors themselves (I don't remember which offhand) – Rob Aug 30 '13 at 07:08