The Evil Eye
Since that night I'm not the same
Desire breeds an ugly stain inside me
Satisfaction never comes
It's always dark and yet still I run
Even when I close my eyes
you torture me...
Waking in a chilling sweat
Pounding heart inside my chest I'm screaming
-Melissa Etheridge, "I Want You"
The Evil Eye has caused great fear throughout history. Even today, many people make gestures or buy charms to ward off the Evil Eye and its effects. Often thought to be possessed only by certain ancient and evil women, it has been used as an excuse for numerous atrocities committed against both Gypsies and women. Many of the women accused of witchcraft during the Inquisition were said to have cursed their neighbors by employing the Evil Eye. Of course, almost all the women accused, tortured and killed were utterly incapable of using this powerful method of attack. They were simply unfortunate victims of the paranoia and misogyny of the times.
Certain Gypsies, both male and female, possess the Evil Eye ability. Among the Rom, the Evil Eye is a powerful and respected ability, but it also tends to isolate the individual so gifted. Others, even the Romani, are nervous around these people. More than most other Gypsies, the Ronmani who have the power of the Evil Eye also possess an aura of strangeness and fear.
Gypsies with the Evil Eye receive a +1 difficulty modifier to all Social rolls involving gaje or Romani. This modifier is in addition to any other modifications the character may have due to her degree of Blood Purity. Note that this difficulty does not apply to vampires and the like.
Characters attempting to use the Evil Eye should state what they wish to happen to their victim, e.g.: "Bad fortune befall you!", "Hope you get one wicked case of athlete's foot!", or what have you. The effects of the Evil Eye can vary, but should include consequences such as automatic botches, the Storyteller taking away dice from an affected character's roll, or a temporary loss in appearance due to the sudden emergence of clumps of fungus on unfortunate areas of a character's anatomy. The downside to all of this for the Romani using the Evil Eye is that if she botches, she affects herself instead!
Characters using the Evil Eye must make an Evil Eye + Manipulation roll (difficulty of the target's Willpower +2).
As indicated below, the number of successes rolled when using the Evil Eye determines both the intensity and duration of the curse. A character who uses the Evil Eye may remove its effects at any time (unless she is the one affected).
One Success: Curse affects victim for one week. Victim is mildly affected (loses one die on some Skill rolls, grows a wart on her cheek, botches one roll, etc.)
Two Successes: Curse affects victim for one month, loses one die on 10 different Skill rolls, receives 3 automatic botches, etc.
Three Successes: Curse affects victim for six months, 6 automatic botches, lose 1-2 dice from half her skill rolls for the duration, or loses all her hair.
Four Successes: Curse affects the victim for one year, 12 automatic botches, 2-3 dice from half her Skill rolls for the duration, or receives a severe disease or injury.
Five Successes: Curse affects victim indefinitely. Effects are similar to four successes above, except that the results of the Evil Eye are permanent if not removed by magical or miraculous means.
The Evil Eye may be warded off through the use of a piece of draba designed for that purpose, with the strength of the draba negating that number of Evil eye successes. However, once the draba has been overcome by a Gypsy using the Evil Eye, it is rendered useless. See the Draba section (below) for more information about this Romani art.
The Evil Eye many only be reversed by the cursing Gypsy or by another Gypsy with skill in the Evil Eye. The cursing Gypsy may automatically cancel the effects of the Evil Eye. Another Gypsy skilled int eh Evil Eye must make an Evil Eye + Charisma roll (difficulty of 3 + the number of cursing successes originally achieved). The player must subtract the number of successes the Gypsy attempting to revers the process receives (if any) from the number of original successes. The resulting difference determines the remaining strength of the curse, if any.
For example, Jusa has been cursed to trip whenever he enters combat. The cursing Gypsy received four successes, so poor Jusa will automatically trip the next 12 times he enters combat. He goes to another Rom who possesses the Evil Eye, and she attempts to cure him. the Gypsy rolls three successes. These successes from the initial strength of the curse (4-3=1) and so Jusa will only be forced to trip once in combat. If he has already tripped once or more, the curse is lifted.
Any Gypsy can only make one attempt to remove a particular curse. If a Gypsy attempting to reverse the Evil Eye botches his roll he must make a second test. Any successes made on this test actually increase the severity of the curse by that number of successes.
