Moustache Man



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Created On 20 April 2000
Last Updated On 20 April 2000
Copyright (c) Simon E. Phipp 2000

Many beings lived in Votankiland when the world was good. One of these was Moustache Man, who lived in the foothills of the Rockwoods. He loved to eat and spent most of his time standing in the rivers of Votankiland, tickling fish and plucking them from the water, swallowing them so their juices ran down his moustache.

He saw Rigitania, the Earth Nymph, running naked through the woods and desired her. He chased after her, but could not catch her as she was swift and cunning. Frustrated, he entered a clearing and saw a little hut circling round and round on chicken legs. He ran around the hut but could not get near the door until he cried out "Little hut, stop your turning and face the way your mother placed you" and the hut sat down, facing the Gates of Dawn. Moustache Man climbed up and went in, meeting the old hag who lived there. She promised to help him if he gave her in return the gem that Rigitania's father had given her, otherwise she would skin him alive.

Moustache Man came to an empty clearing in the woods and laid down fine rugs on the ground and covered them in sweetmeats, cakes and pastries. He hid in a clump of bushes and waited for Rigitania to appear. The Nymph ran naked into the clearing and, with a whoop, fell upon the rugs, feasting on the sweetmeats and cakes. Moustache Man leapt and caught her, wrapping her in one of the rugs. He ran off and came to his favourite place beside the water. Rigitania was struggling to escape, so he promised to let her out of the rug if she told him where her father's jewel was. When he opened the rug, Rigitania plucked the jewel from her hair and said he could have her if he could take the jewel. As he reached for her, she threw the jewel into the water where it was eaten by a fish. Rigitania said that he had to catch the fish without using his hands or feet, then he could have her as his wife. Enraged, Moustache Man stood in the water and his moustache grew and grew until it reached the water and grabbed hold of a fish. He continued to hunt for the fish that ate the jewel but with no success. Whenever he stopped for any period of time, the old hag would appear, beat him and tear off a piece of skin from him.

Once, Balazar met Moustache Man and asked him to teach him to fish. Moustache man agreed if Balazar could help him find the jewel. Balazar spoke to the King of the Fishes and offered to send the souls of the fishes he caught back to the waters if the King gave Balazar Rigitania's jewel. The King of Fishes agreed and called the jewel Fish to him. Balazar took the Jewel Fish and asked Rigitania to release Moustache man from his service and she agreed for the sake of their three children. Balazar gave Genert's Jewel to Moustache Man who asked him to give it to the old hag. Moustache Man then turned into an otter and swam away in the water, returning to the Fish King the souls of all the fishes he had killed and eaten. From that day on, the people of Balazar could learn the Peaceful Cut spell from Rigitania and had to use it on any fish they caught.

Moustache Man teaches his followers the skills of Craft (Fish With Line) and Craft (Fish With Nets) and the spells of Peaceful Cut and Animate Moustache.

Craft (Fish With Line) 10% Knowledge

This skill allows the user to catch fish using a line or rod and line. This also teaches the best times and places to fish for best results. A success generally means 1 fish is caught, a special success 2 fish and a critical fish 3 fish, or whatever the GM feels appropriate.

Craft (Fish With Nets) 10% Knowledge

This skill is similar to Fish With Line, but allows more fish to be caught, depending on the size of the nets.

Animate Moustache (1 point, Reusable, Temporal)

This allows the caster's moustache to grow and animate. The user can use his moustache to pick things up as if the moustache was a hand. It is up to the GM to determine what the moustache can do, but generally the stronger and longer the moustache is normally, the more it can do. Many worshippers are famous for their long and elaborate waxed moustaches.

[End]