Talk:Ankou's Horseshoe/@comment-31772644-20170529141320/@comment-31772644-20170529232043

Given that its role os a graveyard guardian, I'd start there. Maybe it only activates in a plce of death. Second, the horses are only occationally part of the story. Scythes are common, but almost all interpritations have a large hat, so I'd go with that as the artifact. Last, the Ankou is a fierce yet benevolent entity, only becomming violent if it is provoked. Otherwise it's a calm, if not calming, figure who has a duty to protect the descesed and move their souls on.

I would have the effects trigger if it's left in a cemetary of graveyard. It would attetch itself to the next person to be buried and make them the next Ankou, creating an avatar of the deceased to wear it. Then it would do its job as a guardian, preventing the dead from being distrubed so they can move on in peace. Maybe becomming violent towards vandals and graverobbers.

This would stay true to its origins, while still presenting a need for its collection. I mean, have you been to a graveyard recently. Not a lot of teenagers these days have much respect for the sanctity of the dead. I imagine a ping coming in regarding some deliquents being found dead with cans of spraypaint of something.

If you did want to keep it a horseshoe then it could have the same effects, although in the case of being such a small item maybe it would have to be activated intentionally by burying a person with it? Once the year is up the artifact burrows its way up and rests on the grave to be collected.