Thirsting Blade

Ability Type: Spell, Difficulty 18
Provided By: Blood Magic

Spell Type: Essence, Blood Magic
Form: Enchanted Item
Function: Enchantment, Offensive, Healing
Power Cost: 1 to 5
Duration: Maintainable
Notes: Spell is only active when weapon is bloodied

This spell enchants a melee weapon with a mystical affinity for blood, allowing it to seek a particular target once it has tasted his blood and making it more effective against him. When the spell is first cast it has no obvious effect on the weapon, but as soon as any blood touches it crimson runes appear on its surface and it begins to tug faintly towards the individual whose blood marks it (so long as they are within its Detection Range) indicating their direction to its wielder and providing an AM bonus against them. If the weapon successfully strikes its target, it inflicts bonus Life-Drain Damage on them, and uses this stolen energy to heal the spell's caster.

While it is attuned to a target, the weapon suffers an accuracy penalty when used against anything else. This penalty is applied to all moves carried out with the sword, including both attacks and defences – although the bonus against its chosen target is similarly broad. If the weapon is exposed to a sample of different blood, it will become attuned to this new target instead. Alternatively, if the blade is wiped clean it will return to its neutral state – with the spell becoming dormant until it tastes blood again.

Detection Range: 5m x Power
Bonus Damage Versus Target: Power x 6 DE Life-Drain
Life-Drain Healing for Wielder: Equal to Wound Penalty inflicted x target's Phys
AM Versus Target: +2
AM Versus Others: -1