The Galactic Towel

By Diane Keating (unshetek@best.com)

Level

4

Gnosis

6

Description

This is the proverbial Towel as mentioned in the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The character that possesses this fetish need never again worry about being without the means to get by while traveling on the open road. This fetish will not work within 100 miles of the character's domicile, and for each item (other than the clothes on her back) that the character carries besides the Galactic Towel, the fetish's Gnosis is reduced by one.

A regular bath towel is cleansed and a spirit of Coolness is bound into it. Upon activation, the fetish makes the next person the character encounters think the character is so cool, together and smart enough to carry such a useful item as the Towel, is obviously trustworthy, estimable and generally Cool; said personage will as a result of this overwhelming warm regard shower said character with whatever she is lacking (cash ($10 per success), a meal, medical attention, personal grooming and hygenic implements, a bed to sleep in, etc.). This aid/sustenance is free of poisons, danger, and in general will be helpful and/or salubrious and at least useful to the character. If a botch occurs on the activation roll, the food will be unhealthy, rotten and/or poisoned, the bed will be a pile of rags in a leaky, draughty, smelly and downright unpleasant "shelter"; the bathing facilities will be an open sewer; the character will suffer treatment at the hands of a mad, extortive, second-rate or sadistic physician, etc.

Furthermore, if used in combat, the Galactic Towel will act as the Gift: Dazzle if activated and waved in the face of one's opponent, allowing the character to make a hasty (strategic) retreat. The Towel will also, if wrapped around the character in adverse environmental conditions, act as the Gift: Adaptation.

This item is most often used by Silent Striders, Swara, Pumonca, Stargazers and Eshu Changelings. You'd be amazed what you could get out of a Bone Gnawer Elder in exchange for this fetish.