IC description: A word of power which renders its target speechless if successfully spoken and cast. The word itself is merely a catalyst for the effect, and as such the target does not need to actually hear the word itself.
OOC description: Make a character unable to speak for a time. This includes the say command, speech within emotes, as well as the esp network.
This is either a great or terrible idea, and I am probably forgetting some vital mechanic that ought never to be suppressed. But it all started with a chat with another player and ended with me thinking it would be neat for bards to be able to shut others up for two minutes tops. I'm not bothering with suggesting exact offense vs defense skills and percentages thereof, because I'd make a mess of it.
Thanks for reading. Any thoughts are welcome!
Update after some thinking: I suppose word of wonder could be used in this way, but I was thinking of something less debilitating that one can't shake off.