Items

Arete 3, Quintessence 15, Background Cost 3 pts.

For over 30 years, Bungaree, the Aboriginal explorer, was the face of Australia and represented the continent to the rest of the world. Even more interestingly, he repre­

sented the face of the rest of the world to the continent; his regal demeanor radiated to the point that when he accompanied European explorers, other Aboriginal people thought he was the expeditions’ leader. After all, every­ one else in the parties deferred to him and clearly knew less about Australia. Serving as a mediator, he prevented countless conflicts and saved untold lives with little more than his words.

Although Bungaree did little hunting with his boo­ merang, it became as much of a symbol of Australia as him. With a flick of his wrist, the weapon spun off into the air and returned to his hand, proving his mastery of the skill and captivating the attention of everyone in the

area. While the man was much more than his boomerang, the sight of him defying physics is etched into the minds of everyone who saw him. It’s little surprise that calm nego­ tiations followed his demonstrations of physical prowess.

System

The boomerang’s primary ability is a Mind 3, Forces 2 Effect that physically reshapes speech sounds with­ in 100 feet before they reach each person’s ears, enabling each person to understand the other. Additionally, this elegant Effect influences the mood of the listeners, making them feel calmer and more impressed by each other. This makes people more likely to take others seriously within the area, essentially overriding racial and cultural biases, or at least making such biases less pronounced.

This mood influence — a Mind 2 Effect — can also be used on its own by throwing the boomerang.