Chickens & Puppets and so many more!
We discuss in this section some great classics of the Voodoo bric-a-brac… but pay well attention to not take it lightly for that! Poultry - in all sorts of sauces - and Voodoo Puppets - of wax as well as of bran - are at the heart of the Hoomfo Ritual as well as of the dim mischievious deeds of the Bokor's Den, acting for the better and by far the worse in a cacophony of squawking or, on the contrary, in the most disturbing silence…
We give also an insigt into the innumerable possibilities of the Voodoo as a (too) hasty conclusion on that topic, itself indeed almost infinite. We'll think of adding progressively further things later, according to our mood, and leave also the pleasure to the most imaginative of our Friends Game Masters and Players.
Ol'Ma'Blazin's Chicken
The legendary recipe of the superlatively famous (and legendary…) Ol'Ma'Blazin'… unfortunately remained an avidly searched for secret for Bokor of any kind ever since the closure of her Hoomfo at the Roosty Cross (You read straight, aye, that you read…) located – it is sufficiently uncommon for a Hoofo to be quoted here – on a particularly sunny hill at the East end of the Mosquitos' Lowland, close to the small town of Sain'Sundy on Hattea and specially - and rather logically - dedicated to Hebieso. Ol'Ma'Blazin' herself disappeared but was never declared dead, which adds even more to the mystery and legend.
Why do we have a topic on a recipe which no one knows? This is rough rhetoric but it was a way for us to « enticingly » introduce the topic of Voodoo Chickens; indeed, Ol'Ma'Blazin's Chicken is said to be very hot peppered and to summon thunderblast and punishment to whom who would have cursed a bad spell against an adept of the Hoomfo or a customer of the Mambo…
There exist actually hundreds of other recipes of Voodoo Chicken, having up to dozens of variations! It ranges from Chicken in its Blood, of which a Duck version is also famous on some islands of the Aunt-Sea, to Hen Soup over through Coq au Vin (including a variation with palm wine)… and other variously but always pleasantly rotted Pheasantry.
Regarding the effects, they are in the same way undefinably variable in quality: Poultry and Bird-things are key components of almost all Voodoo Rituals and of a great number of Maledictions and Talismans, in particular red roosters and black hens; especially in link to not only Hebieso but also Baron Saturday and Mummy Brizit; especially also, at last and logically, for activities in link to fire and fever, involving sometimes a significant risk for health and death…
In that register, and to close the discussion as we started it, Dear Reader, if the recipe to prepare a Chicken Ol'Ma'Blazin's way still were known, it would be perfect, even blastin so to speak, achievement of the destiny of the Poultry in that World.
Wax Puppeys and Bran Puppeys (and more!)
Who has not a personal idea of what the famous Voodoo Puppets are? We do not say that they would know anything about them for the knowledge of Wanda, of which Voodoo Puppets are the most representative type, is jealously kept, mainly by Bokor, whatever their ability to do wrong; one can even argue that Voodoo Puppets are the most important asset of their nasty business.
How then does one order a perfect little Chucky and for which purpose? Let us first answer the second question, which should actually be the first, and let us be straightforward: no doubt, the purpose is to do wrong to a person to whom one does want no good and, for that aim, Puppets, as well of Wax as of Bran, are an ideal choice: « take the little figure o'gum, burn and turn and turn and burn: that's a lot of fun! » On the other hand, Voodoo Puppeys cannot be used to modify the feelings or break or change the will (and, as a consequence, the actions) of somebody; one can do that only in an indirect way, for instance, by repeatedly exposing on the Puppet of the Victim to the smoke of toxic (or « psychotropic ») substances, which would eventually bring him or her to unsanity and to doing something unusual. As said, however, it remains an indirect method and it is difficult to ensure a specific result. Well, now that we know we want to do a victim something bad, how shall we proceed to conduct the project to its - good - end?
First answer: order the services of a Bokor. Drawbacks: it is not a piece of cake to find a reliable one and, in any case, the bill may well be quite salty. Second answer: make it yourself! Drawbacks: you have to know how to and in case something goes wrong, you're in first line… It is up to each one to decide on the risk he or she wants to take but in all cases and for all types of Puppets, something closely belonging to the victim will be necessary for success: not only pieces of cloth but, above all, nail scraping, head or body hair, filth and we won't need to mention even better options…
After that, appropriate materials to make the Puppet have to be chosen in accordance to what is should be subjected to: a carbon black-thickened wax has the great advantage to be easy to shape but will not hold long when passed over a flame and, though in the meantime transfering extreme pains to the victim, its effectivity will soon fade; on the other hand, for the purpose of suffocating the victim by drowning the Puppet, such a material would fit well. For firy tortures on a Puppet, one should prefer earthenware, fired or even not: the making of the Puppet requires more technique but the result can sustain the intended use. At last, if one intends to let the victim suffer by smashing the Puppet against the ground or the walls or anything of the kind, then earthenware is again not anymore so good an idea and could advantageously be replaced by a Boogie Woogie, that is a canvas bag filled with bran and knotted in such a way that it takes more or less a human shape, which one can then smash against anything possible or even inimaginable!
To conclude, regarding those Wanda which Voodoo Puppets are, materials and belongings of the victim must fit the purpose in the best possible way, so a whit of sense will not be too superfluous… Without forgetting the adequate invocations to the Lwa, so as to, let's say, « load » the Puppet with effectiveness! Having full confidence in your pervading and abundant imagination which it would be so sorry to limit, Friend Game Master, we stop here that discussion.
Miscellaneous Talismans…
As we already said - for sure even several times! – it is an impossible task to describe all possible sorts of Wanda and other Strange Voodoo Things: some argue, by the way, that everything in the Known World would be a - better or worse - part of a great Voodoo canvas (such theory being called the « under canvas theory »…). We would simply like here to take the opportunity to mention, too quickly, some Talismans among the most famous if not the most easy to use…
Valenteen's Amulet
A Valenteen's Amulet is a nice piece of jewelery which can be made in various materials but which will have an effect only if the heart of a small animal is set in it and one invokes Arzlly to enpower it.
Obviously, the properties of a Valenteen's Amulet vary much - and there is the main issue - in function of the Arzully who is invoked and, above all, who finally grants the blessing to come! A visit of Fridda ensures that the Amulet supports the seduction of the perfect mistress or lover, while Dantor or Ol'Ma Rollin' rather make the promise of more sportive dates in the best case, of frankly dangerous and violent ones in the worst!
In what regards the targeted sex, here's an important detail: for a woman, a dove's heart will do while for a charming prince a toad's heart should rather be the choice!
The Tooth of Happiness
As everyone know, « lucky teeth » (or were they rather « unlucky » by the way?) are in ordinary language what is called by doctors and smug persons of the Known World a diastema, a word of quite unclear an origin… However, « the » Tooth of Happiness is completely something else even if the name of that terrible and powerful Amulet comes out of the above quoted expression almost for sure.
We let you judge of it by yourself: one needs to summon John Dantor and have a tooth pulled by him with a brand pliers (that must be provided for too!); regarding the tooth, not anything will do: first, John takes no implant in consideration; second, it has to be one of the two upper central incisors of the requester himself (that is probably where the name of the Amulet comes from…). That is the only way one can create, by the additional means of adapted prayers to the Lwa, that powerful artifact (the Tooth!). Note carefully that the Amulet is set to work only one time but it delivers immense and blasting effects: it dissolves instantly and litterally any accident, blow or anything of the kind which, otherwise, would have been lethal for the bearer of the Tooth.
It also allows (that's another possible use of it) to inflict immediate death to any victim who was just the moment before affected by an accident, blow, etc. which, otherwise, would not have been lethal. It is necessary in that case to throw the Tooth onto the victim and reach him or her. One recognises here « ordalic properties » like the Lwa John Dantor likes them.
Whatsoever, we repeat, the Tooth is only to be used once and its power is gone forever! So it is no Voodoo artifact to make and use lightly!
All-done Lamps
These are ancient oil lamps, even very ancient pieces of earthenware. They are filled with dune sand - from a beach or a desert, that does't matter – and always very dusty. You rub them: out of it comes a Genie and you know the rest of the story, you've still got the chance to make three wishes and pffewt !
Well, it normally happens like that, even if unlike in the famous story, all Genies who sleep in lamps are not as easy going as what one would think! But we leave you the pleasure to give it a try… What remains true at any rate, after three wishes, the Genie falls asleep for a new cycle of a thousand years: indeed a thick layer of dust is required for a cleaning that will pull a Genie out of the lamp!
To be honest however, such lamps are not a common article to buy from any street merchant and many were lost already. Their origin, by the way, remains a mystery and, as a matter of fact (of importance), nobody in the Known World, at least today, is able to make one. To find one is thus a rare and precious gift of the Great-Lwa or at least of destiny!
Dried Lizard Legs
Some prefer hare feet, other pork legs and, to be honest, that doesn't make much difference! What matters is the charm which is applied on the said leg or foot and the invoked Lwa for it. Those scaly, hairless or hairy legs are common receptacles to make lucky charms, to keep laced around the neck, in the pocket or hung in front of one at the Cockpit of the Ship…
Hence, they are commonplace artifacts, know infinite variations and are on sale in practically all Voodoo shops of the Known World, including the most visited by tourists - well actually especially in those… But take care not to mistakenly buy a fake one!
Some of those Talismans are simply basic Cons while some others were maliciously prepared and spread by Bokor to achieve some bad design. And then good bye veal, cow, pig and hello problems! Now that you know it, you'll have no more excuse: buy only from trustworthy and recommendable or certified dealers, even if those notions are not particularly well developped in the world of Voodoo…
And so many more!
It is strongly recommended that the Game Master creates as many Recipes, Talismans and Rituals as he or she wishes to, that in order to finely pepper his or her poersonal Voodoo. Pirates like their meals quite hot… To that purpose, the rules applying to Voodoo (see the Chapter regarding Encounters in the dark) remain simple and let your « whit » of sense and, above all, your limitless imagination roam free.
On the other hand, that creative delirious pleasure is - unfortunately? - reserved to those who possess a certain degree of knowledge in Voodoo Crafts (check the Pirate Sheet). Sorry for the others, they be able to get some of the fun by being the victims!