Iconomancy Idol: Johnny Cash

The Man in Black rides forever…

Born February 26 1932 in Kingland, Arkansas, the country-western singer would be an icon in his own right, even before his Ascension — to incarcerated, he was a fellow inmate of Fulsom and San Quentin, sharing their time and keepin’ on keepin’ on. To the working man, he’d hauled sixteen tons of number nine coal, and still owed his soul to the company store, forever toiling away at a thankless job.

Over his career, crossing five decades, Cash earned 10 Grammy Awards, and the respect of the industry:he is the only person to have been inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music, and Rock And Roll Halls of Fame.

His appearances were heralded with enthusiastic revelry, appreciation, and anticipation. Everyone in America was his target audience, and he’d extended his hand to them, in one fashion or another.

From the Statosphere, it is assumed his works will continue, through his emissaries.

Symbols: black attire, cowboy boots, strong drink, manual labor, American symbols (flag, state seals, etc.)

Channels
Highwayman is a single-minor charge effect which permits the Iconomancer to ascertain where he is, regardless of conditions, so long as a stretch of road is visible. The road itself may be disused, but it must have been created on, or by, American machinery. Anyone so doing automatically knows exactly where ‘home’ (or a given stated destination) is, and approximately how far away it is.

For three minor charges Ring of Fire will allow the expulsion of a demon, spirit, or similar Unnatural being from a given host. Astral Parasites may be affected if a significant charge is expended. It remains at bay for a total of the sum of the roll in minutes, or one hour, whichever is shorter.

Two significant charges will allow use of Boy Named Sue and act as a brawl-type skill, with the opposition taking a penalty on all offensive actions equal to the tens of the die roll. This may be used repeatedly in one combat (note — this will not function against someone related in a paternal fashion to the caster).

Meanwhile, the darker edge of the Idol of the Man in Black. Simply put, The Man In Black will permit the caster to become a veritable engine of retribution against any assailants previously encountered — too often it is channelled in haste, and drops without warning. It is an instrument of balance more than death. It functions as the 3rd channel of the Executioner Avatar: adding a +20% shift to a Firearms or Struggle-based roll. During the use of this effect, it is noted that the caster turns a pale white, glove-like formations appear over their hands, and the voice becomes notably musical, but a harsher tone is used. Word choice is often lyrical, if slightly threatening.

———
“Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything’s OK,
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
‘Till things are brighter, I’m the Man In Black.” — Johnny Cash (1932-2003)

4 thoughts on “Iconomancy Idol: Johnny Cash”

Insect King says:
Excellent. More fuel for my fire…

Cheers,

Chris.

InfinityWpi says:
Or, for three siginficant charges, you can call upon the indifference of the latest generation’s views towards a great man and ‘Snub’ someone. The target must have performed a noteworthy action or achievement… created the greatest music video eer, or be placed on the ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time, or the like. Unless it’s already happened, the target will never be recognized for their act (ie, someone else will win best video of the year).

pseudogod says:
I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who thought about the Man in Black for UA.

When he kicked, I was already planning a game that one of the minor duke cabals of the city was a punkabilly/rockabilly band… so his death fits in well with some of what I was already planning.

I’d already decided that there’s an Iconomancer running around with a major charge from JC (not the carpenter, obviously). The game is going to deal with a proletarian/magick plotline… but I’ve been having trouble deciding what I should have done with the charge.

Should I go for something as simple as using it to change public sway for the working man, or the native american… or some other route that I’ve completely missed?

-pg

Wiretrippa says:
Depends on the interpretation, but you could have a gay or trans-gender villain trying to render a major charge from getting someone to, for example, hum ‘A Boy Named Sue’ whilst performing gender-realingment surgery at 3:33pm….