Horn of Borrowed Judgement

Stats

• Origin: Recovered from a Viking-era longship wreck off the coast of Ísafjörður, 1923; its true maker unknown.
• Sanity Loss: 1/1d6 Sanity to study or witness its effect.
• Malfunction: On a failed Luck roll when activating, the user suffers a temporary madness (1d3 Sanity loss) and perceives hallucinations for 1 hour.

Description

The horn is carved from blackened walrus ivory, its surface wrapped in thin silver bands etched with forgotten runes that glow faintly when wet. It smells of brine and old mead, and a faint humming can be heard when held to the ear. When liquid is poured into it, the horn never overflows, as if it drinks the liquid itself.

Powers

Upon drinking from the horn, the consumer becomes instantly sober and perceives the world through the judgement of the last person who drank from it. For the next hour, the user gains a +20% bonus to any skill that relies on external perception or analysis (Spot Hidden, Listen, Psychology, Library Use) but suffers a –20% penalty to skills that depend on personal intuition or charm (Persuade, Charm, Fast Talk).

Price of Use

Each use costs the drinker 1/1d6 Sanity (checked after the effect ends). In addition, the user must make a Luck roll; on a failure, they suffer a temporary madness (1d3 Sanity loss) and experience vivid hallucinations for the duration of the effect. The borrowed judgement also clouds the user's own motives, imposing a –10% penalty to all skill rolls that require self‑motivation (e.g., Dodge, Fight) for the same hour.

Cards to read next

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• Net of Unseen Tides — Device · 1920s New England
• The Unerring Compass — Mythos spell – Binding of Certainty
• The Body Recalls — Necromantic Communion