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Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47

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by

Dale
in

Lore This artifact is the desperate, singular creation of Borun, an apprentice abandoned by the forest witch Baba Yaga. In his isolation, Borun stumbled upon the remains of an Aquilonian Shimmerdrake. Driven by a mixture of grief, loneliness, and a burgeoning desire for power, he attempted to fuse the enigmatic forest magic taught by his master with the primal, draconic essence of the Shimmerdrake’s talons. He used the talisman he had been crafting as the focus, merging the enchanted willow bark and mystical quartz with the dragonhide and mythril. The result is this unique gauntlet, a single item humming with the conflicting energies of somber abandonment and predatory fury.

Description This is a single gauntlet, not one of a pair. It is a strange fusion of the natural and the monstrous. The base is durable, iridescent dragonhide, but it is interwoven with strips of dark, enchanted willow bark that seem to grow around the metal plates. The fingers extend into long, lethally sharp talons that gleam with a faint, oily-green light. On the back of the gauntlet, where a Shimmerdrake’s reflective scale might sit, a large, uncut quartz crystal is embedded, pulsing with a soft, somber light. The item smells faintly of wet forest soil and metallic ozone.

Stats Slot: Armwear (1 slot) Weight: 2.0 lbs Rarity: Uncommon Tier: 2 Strength: +2 Constitution: +1

Tags: Armwear, Melee, Slashing, Dragonhide, Claw Enhancement, Forest Magic, Abandonment, Defensive Magics, Offensive Magics, Mystical Artifact, Nature Magic, Poison Enhancement, Forest Resonance, Elemental Affinity, Emotional Amplifier, Beast Bond, Natural Weaponry, Cursed Aura, Tier 2, Singular, Merged, Draconic, Sylvan, Witch-Crafted, Hybrid Item

Multiple Passives Magic

  • Draconic Hide: The fused scales and bark grant a permanent +1 bonus to the wearer’s Armor Class (AC).
  • Talon Strike: Unarmed melee attacks made with this gauntlet deal an additional 1d4 slashing damage.
  • Resonance of Abandonment: The gauntlet vibrates softly and the quartz crystal dims whenever the wearer encounters a person, place, or situation reflecting profound loss, loneliness, or abandonment.
  • Forest Attunement: While in a forest environment, the active magical abilities of this gauntlet are heightened. The Misty Forest Barrier grants an additional +1 AC (total +3), and the Forest-Drake’s Venom deals an additional 1d4 poison damage.
  • Desert Aversion: While in a desert environment, the gauntlet’s magic is weakened. The Misty Forest Barrier only grants +1 AC, and the Forest-Drake’s Venom deals only 1 extra point of poison damage (the slashing damage is unaffected).

Multiple Active Magics

  • Misty Forest Barrier: Once per day as an action, the wearer can summon a misty forest barrier around themselves. This grants a +2 bonus to AC for one minute.
  • Forest-Drake’s Venom: Once per day as an action, the wearer can imbue the gauntlet’s talons with potent magic. The next successful melee attack made with this gauntlet deals an additional 1d4 poison damage.
  • Echoes of the City: If the wearer is within a city environment, the Resonance of Abandonment passive ability triggers more frequently. If this passive has been triggered within the last hour, the wearer may use either Misty Forest Barrier or Forest-Drake’s Venom a second time that day.

Specific Slot Worn Item (arm)

Item Hit Points (IHP)

The Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47, as a Tier 2 magical item, possesses its own pool of magical integrity, referred to as Item Hit Points (IHP). This pool is separate from the wearer’s HP and represents the item’s magical durability when it is specifically targeted by attacks, spells, or effects intended to sunder or disable it.

This gauntlet has 20 IHP (a baseline of 10 x its Tier Level).

If an attacker specifically declares they are targeting the gauntlet, any damage from a successful hit is dealt to the item’s IHP pool instead of the wearer. When the gauntlet’s IHP is reduced to 0, its magic is disabled. The physical gauntlet remains, but it becomes inert and non-magical. All stat bonuses (+2 Strength, +1 Constitution), the passive +1 AC, the 1d4 slashing damage, and all active and passive magical abilities cease to function. The quartz crystal goes dark, and the item loses its attunement to the wearer.

Item Repair

Repairing the Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47 after its magic has been disabled (IHP reduced to 0) is a specialized task that cannot be accomplished with mundane repair kits. Because the item is a unique fusion of Sylvan (Witch-Craft) magic and Draconic essence, a specific ritual is required to re-awaken its conflicting powers.

To repair the item and restore its magic, the following steps must be taken:

  1. Seek Specialized Knowledge: The item must be brought to an artisan or enchanter who has proficiency or knowledge in both Forest Magic and Draconic Crafting. A standard blacksmith or enchanter will not suffice.
  2. Gather Reagents: The artisan will require materials to act as a focus for both magical essences. This might include reagents such as Enchanted Willow Bark and 3 drops of Essence of Midnight Forest (to restore the Sylvan/Abandonment aspect) as well as a Pristine Shimmerdrake Scale (to re-ignite the Draconic aspect).
  3. Perform the Ritual: The artisan must perform a 10-minute ritual (similar to ritual attunement) using the gathered reagents. This process channels magical energy back into the item, re-fusing the two disparate essences and fully restoring the item’s 20 IHP.

If the item is physically destroyed (smashed, melted, or disintegrated) rather than just magically disabled, it is considered permanently lost, as the unique, accidental fusion that created it cannot be replicated.

The Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47 is a unique, Tier 2 item, a rare fusion of sylvan witch-magic and primal draconic essence. Such an artifact would not be found in a common market. Its conflicting magical auras—one of somber abandonment, the other of predatory fury—make it a specialized piece. It would be sought by collectors of unique magical fusions, warriors who value its slot-efficient combination of offense and defense, or scholars intrigued by its accidental, paradoxical creation.

Here are the types of shops where this item might be bought or sold:

1. The Sylvan & Scale

  • Location: A high-end stall in the floating city of Aerith, known as a hub for exotic trade.
  • Description: This shop specializes in hybrid magical goods, be it items crafted from multiple monster types or, as in this case, artifacts fusing disparate magical disciplines. It is run by a gestalt of two avatars: a quiet, patient Sylvan who appraises nature-based magic, and a sharp, mercantile Zaf-Amra who handles draconic and high-value artifacts. The shop smells of cedar, ozone, and saltwater.
  • Cost: 900 Gold Pieces. The proprietors know exactly what this item is—a rare and successful (if emotionally volatile) fusion. They price it high for its uniqueness and combat efficiency.
  • How to Buy/Sell:
    • To Buy: A potential buyer would be gently interviewed by both proprietors. The Sylvan would ask questions to gauge the buyer’s emotional resonance (to ensure they can handle the “abandonment” aura), while the Zaf-Amra would assess their combat prowess and ability to pay.
    • To Sell: The proprietors would be fascinated, offering a very fair price of 700 gold, as the item is a perfect case study for their business. They would take time to magically inspect it, making the selling process take at least 30 minutes.

2. The Ashen Registry

  • Location: In a discreet, unmarked building within a major metropolis known for its magical academies and political intrigue.
  • Description: This is not a shop but a highly exclusive private auctioneer specializing in “orphan” items—artifacts with unknown creators, unique curses, or paradoxical magical signatures. The atmosphere is academic, quiet, and sterile. Items are displayed in magically shielded cases, each with a small, type-written plaque.
  • Cost: Auction starting bid: 750 Gold Pieces. It would likely sell for over 1,000 gold.
  • How to Buy/Sell:
    • To Buy: One must be a registered member, which requires significant financial backing and references from other members. Buyers bid silently using magical tokens.
    • To Sell: The item must be submitted for “Consignment and Verification.” The Registry’s scholars will spend a day with the item (using their own Mind’s Eye abilities) to verify its properties and write the auction plaque. They take a 20% commission from the final sale price.

3. The Abandoned Hoard

  • Location: A dimly lit stall in the under-city or cavern metropolis, found in a district known for monster parts, scavenged gear, and less-than-legal enchantments.
  • Description: Run by a gruff Anuran scavenger who deals in “found” items recovered from ruins, battlefields, and forgotten tombs. The air is thick with the smell of damp earth, cured hide, and glowing fungus. The proprietor has a knack for sensing items with “heavy” emotional auras.
  • Cost: 650 Gold Pieces. The proprietor doesn’t fully grasp the draconic magic but does understand the forest and abandonment magic, marking it as “a spooky witch-item.” He finds its somber aura unpleasant and wants to sell it quickly.
  • How to Buy/Sell:
    • To Buy: A fast, no-questions-asked transaction. The Anuran will grunt the price and accept payment in precious metal coins. Haggling is expected but rarely successful.
    • To Sell: The Anuran would offer 400 gold for it, also with no questions asked. He is buying the “story” and the utility of the item, sensing it’s worth more than its components.

4. The Drakescale Forge

  • Location: In the mountain city of Skaldr, as mentioned in the original Gleaming Talon Gauntlets lore.
  • Description: This forge, renowned for its work with draconic materials, would view this item as an aberration. The master blacksmiths here are purists. They would not sell such an item openly, as they would see the sylvan magic as a “contamination” of the pure Shimmerdrake essence.
  • Cost: Not for sale.
  • How to Buy/Sell:
    • To Buy: This item would not be on display. A buyer would have to know it was here and specifically ask for “the hybrid gauntlet” or “the witch’s talon.” The smiths would sell it for a relatively low 550 Gold Pieces, mostly to be rid of what they consider an insult to their craft.
    • To Sell: They would be reluctant to buy it. They would offer only 350 gold, explaining that they would have to spend considerable time and resources to disenchant and purify the materials, salvaging the talons and mythril while destroying the “corrupting” willow bark and quartz.

The Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47 is a unique and emotionally resonant weapon, blending primal offense with enigmatic, somber defense. How it is used in roleplay depends heavily on the wearer’s surroundings, as the gauntlet’s own power ebbs and flows with its environment.

In a Forest Environment (Peak Power)

Here, the gauntlet is in its element, its fused Sylvan and Draconic natures in perfect, ferocious harmony. The wearer feels a sense of confidence, of being a true apex predator.

  • Offensive Roleplay: The wearer moves with an unnatural, predatory silence. They do not just attack; they stalk. When they activate the Forest-Drake’s Venom, the talons drip with a vibrant, glowing green poison, and the 1d4 slashing damage is augmented by a second 1d4 poison (due to the forest attunement). The roleplay is not just an attack, but an execution: the wearer might slam their gauntleted hand into a foe’s armor, and instead of just a glancing blow, the venom sizzles and seeps through the gaps, the Sylvan magic overpowering the metal.
  • Defensive Roleplay: The wearer feels the forest itself is on their side. When they activate the Misty Forest Barrier, it is not just a statistical buff. The roleplay is that the forest physically manifests to protect them. The air grows cold, and thick, spectral fog erupts from the gauntlet, obscuring vision. The +3 AC (base +1, +2 from the spell) is roleplayed as spectral willow branches and grasping roots emerging from the mist to physically deflect attacks, catching an arrow mid-flight or knocking a sword-swing wide.

In an Urban/City Environment (Volatile Power)

The city is a place of profound, concentrated abandonment, and the gauntlet thrums with this chaotic energy.

  • Offensive Roleplay: The gauntlet is a hidden and terrifying close-quarters weapon. In a crowded street or a narrow alley, a sword is cumbersome, but the gauntlet is brutally efficient. The roleplay is one of shock and visceral force. A wearer might grab an opponent, and instead of a simple punch, they use the talons to tear through leather armor or gouge deep. If the Forest-Drake’s Venom is used, it’s a silent, shiv-like attack, a quiet magical flick of the claws that leaves a foe to die from the poison in seconds.
  • Defensive Roleplay: This is where the Resonance of Abandonment is most palpable. The wearer feels the gauntlet vibrate constantly from the ambient despair of the city’s slums, orphans, and lonely crowds. When threatened, the wearer can use the Misty Forest Barrier, which looks jarring and alien against the cobblestones. More importantly, because of the Echoes of the City ability, the wearer can use their magic a second time. This roleplay is one of grim recycling: the wearer draws in the city’s own misery as a power source, using the loneliness of others to fuel their own magical defenses.

In a Dungeon/Underground Environment

In the dark, claustrophobic tunnels, the gauntlet serves as a reliable tool for survival.

  • Offensive Roleplay: The gauntlet is a weapon that is never “sheathed.” The wearer can have a torch or another item in their free hand. The roleplay of its offense is one of desperation and utility. The talons are perfect for close-quarters grappling, allowing the wearer to punch, block, and gouge in a single motion. They can use the talons to test the stability of a wall, cut a rope trap, or punctuate a threat by scraping the claws against stone, the sound echoing menacingly in the tight corridor.
  • Defensive Roleplay: The gauntlet is treated as a reinforced buckler. The wearer roleplays the passive +1 AC by actively using the gauntleted arm to deflect blows. When a skeleton swings a rusty scimitar, the wearer doesn’t dodge—they intercept the blow with their forearm, the sound of metal-on-bone-and-dragonhide ringing out. Activating the Misty Forest Barrier here is a powerful “get-off-me” tactic, instantly filling a 10-foot passageway with thick fog, blinding enemies and allowing the wearer to retreat or reposition.

In a Desert Environment (Weakest Power)

Here, the gauntlet feels wrong, heavy, and sluggish. The Sylvan magic is stifled by the oppressive heat and lack of life.

  • Offensive Roleplay: The wearer feels the magic is unreliable. When they activate the Forest-Drake’s Venom, the green glow is pale and thin. The poison damage is reduced to a single, insulting point. The roleplay is one of frustration. The wearer strikes, expecting a potent magical follow-up, but only gets the physical tear of the talons. They must rely entirely on their own strength and the +2 STR bonus, as the gauntlet’s magical offense has all but abandoned them.
  • Defensive Roleplay: The wearer feels exposed. Activating the Misty Forest Barrier is an act of desperation. Instead of a thick, protective fog, only a weak, shimmering haze appears, like a desert mirage. The +1 AC it provides (instead of +2) is minimal. The roleplay is one of conservation and caution. The wearer knows their best defensive trick is failing, so they must use the physical gauntlet to parry, relying on its mundane (though high-quality) materials rather than its magic.

On an Open Battlefield

Amidst the chaos of a large-scale battle, the gauntlet is a versatile secondary weapon and a personal force-multiplier.

  • Offensive Roleplay: The gauntlet is the wearer’s backup, ensuring they are never truly unarmed. If their primary weapon is lost or stuck in a foe, they roleplay this by seamlessly transitioning. “As the orc bats my sword aside, I lunge forward, driving my gauntleted hand into its throat. The talons tear flesh, and I activate the Forest-Drake’s Venom as I rip them free, leaving the orc to clutch its neck as the poison does its work.” It’s a symbol of ferocity.
  • Defensive Roleplay: In a duel, the Misty Forest Barrier is a lifesaver. The wearer roleplays this as a one-minute tactical advantage. They activate the mist, and for the next 60 seconds, their opponent is fighting a magically obscured target. The +2 AC is roleplayed as the foe’s swings just slightly missing, their blade deflected by an unseen wisp of fog or a spectral branch, giving the wearer the edge they need to outlast their opponent. The abandonment aura might even thrum from the sheer scale of death, but it’s a background noise, not a focused trigger like in the city.

Perception of Activation:

Sight

  • User’s Perspective: The wearer sees the two magical essences fight for dominance. The long, sharp talons flare with a sickly, oily-green light, and a faint, venomous-looking vapor rises from their tips. Simultaneously, the large, uncut quartz crystal on the back of the hand pulses with a cold, somber, pale-blue light. Wisps of thick, gray mist, cold to the touch, begin to curl from the enchanted willow bark, wrapping around the user’s forearm.
  • Observer’s Perspective: An observer sees a chaotic and contradictory light show. The gauntlet flashes with two distinct, conflicting colors: a predatory green at the claws and a lonely blue from the crystal. The most jarring part is the mist, which appears from the gauntlet and spreads unnaturally, even in a warm or dry environment, seeming to “drink” the light around it.
  • Positives: The activation is an obvious and intimidating display of hybrid magic. The glowing talons clearly signal an offensive-ready state.
  • Negatives: It is impossible to activate this item stealthily. The dual-light show and swirling mist make the wearer an immediate beacon, drawing the attention of all allies and enemies.

Sound

  • User’s Perspective: The wearer hears a discordant, unsettling combination of sounds. A low, resonant, mournful hum (like a distant, sad song) emanates from the crystal and bark. This is overlaid with a sharp, metallic shing as the talons seem to magically sharpen, accompanied by a low, guttural, draconic hiss.
  • Observer’s Perspective: Those nearby hear a sound that makes their skin crawl. It’s a low-frequency, throbbing hum that seems to instill a vague sense of sadness, which is then cut by a sharp, aggressive, metallic hiss that promises violence.
  • Positives: The sound provides clear, audible confirmation that the item’s magic is active. The draconic hiss is innately intimidating.
  • Negatives: The sound is loud, grating, and immediately breaks any silence. The mournful hum is emotionally unsettling to allies.

Smell

  • User’s Perspective: The wearer is hit by two conflicting scents at once. First, the sharp, sterile tang of ozone and hot metal from the draconic magic. This is immediately followed by a deep, cold, and earthy smell of wet soil, decaying leaves, and damp willow bark.
  • Observer’s Perspective: Anyone within a few feet of the wearer is struck by a bizarre, localized scent: it smells as if a lightning bolt struck a patch of wet, deep-forest earth.
  • Positives: The smell is unique and visceral, grounding the user in the moment. The ozone tang is energizing, like a jolt of adrenaline.
  • Negatives: The combination is unnatural and off-putting, and the distinct smell of “decaying leaves” can be unpleasant.

Touch

  • User’s Perspective: This is the most disorienting sensation. The wearer’s hand and arm are flooded with a surge of primal, aggressive heat from the draconic essence, making the muscles in their arm feel powerful and tense. At the exact same time, the mist generated by the Sylvan magic is supernaturally cold, and the quartz crystal on their hand becomes ice-cold to the touch, sending a chill of loneliness up their arm.
  • Observer’s Perspective: An observer might see the mist swirling around the gauntlet and note that it seems to chill the air, while simultaneously seeing a heat-haze rising from the metal talons.
  • Positives: The surge of heat feels empowering, directly translating to the +2 Strength. The cold is a sharp, tactile reminder of the defensive magic at play.
  • Negatives: The sensory whiplash of feeling intense heat and intense cold in the same limb, at the same time, is deeply disorienting and uncomfortable. It may take a moment for the wearer to mentally overcome the contradictory signals.

Taste

  • User’s Perspective: The wearer’s mouth is flooded with a sharp, coppery, metallic taste from the ozone, mixed with a bitter, root-like flavor at the back of the throat, as if they’ve chewed on willow bark.
  • Observer’s Perspective: Not applicable.
  • Positives: Provides an additional, visceral sensory cue that the item is fully active.
  • Negatives: The taste is deeply unpleasant and distracting.

Extra-Sensory Perception: Emotional Resonance (The Abandonment)

  • User’s Perspective: The wearer is instantly flooded with a profound, cold, and clarifying wave of emotional abandonment. It is not a vague sadness, but a sharp, intellectual, and emotional understanding of being left behind. This is the core magic of the talisman, and it is a heavy psychological burden.
  • Observer’s Perspective: A magically or telepathically sensitive observer feels a “cold spot” in the area, not in temperature, but in emotion. They feel a sudden, inexplicable pang of loneliness or anxiety, as if they just remembered a lost friend.
  • Positives: This emotional wave can be a powerful psychological weapon. Sensitive enemies may be momentarily crippled by this sudden, magical despair, causing them to hesitate.
  • Negatives: The wearer must endure this profound, personal sense of grief and loneliness every single time they activate the gauntlet, which can be emotionally and mentally exhausting.

Extra-Sensory Perception: Draconic Focus (The Predator)

  • User’s Perspective: Conflicting directly with the wave of abandonment, the draconic magic surges. It does not erase the loneliness, but overpowers it with a sharp, clarifying predatory focus. The world narrows, sounds become sharper, and the wearer’s objective becomes brutally simple. Targets are no longer people; they are prey.
  • Observer’s Perspective: A perceptive observer (especially one with the Mind’s Eye) would see the wearer’s aura suddenly sharpen. Their posture, which may have briefly slumped from the abandonment-wave, becomes predatory, and their eyes lock onto their target with an unnerving, inhuman intent.
  • Positives: This predatory focus provides a massive combat advantage, cutting through the emotional debuff and the “noise” of the battlefield. It allows the wearer to act with decisive, brutal efficiency.
  • Negatives: This is a loss of self. The wearer may struggle to pull back, to differentiate friend from foe in their “predator” state, or to make choices that involve mercy or retreat. They are driven by an instinct to hunt and destroy.

Ritual of the Sylvan-Drake Fusion

This rare and difficult ritual merges two distinct magical items—one of sylvan, emotional magic and the other of primal, draconic power—into a single, more potent, hybrid artifact. The process is volatile, as it involves the forced fusion of conflicting essences: the cold, somber energy of abandonment and the hot, predatory fury of the Shimmerdrake.

Items Merged

Additional Materials Needed

  • 1x Vial of Purified Dragon’s Blood: Acts as a potent magical solvent and binding agent, required to make the draconic materials (hide and talons) magically malleable.
  • 3x Strands of Arcane-Etched Mythril Wire: Used to physically and magically stitch the bark into the gauntlet’s framework without rejecting the sylvan magic.
  • 1x Cinder-bloom Petal: A rare, magically-charged flower found in desolate, magically-scarred areas. It acts as a catalyst, bridging the emotional concepts of “abandonment” and “nature.”
  • 1x Quenching Basin of Enriched Forest Soil: A special mixture of water, midnight forest essence, and ritually-sanctified earth, used to cool the final item and stabilize the warring magics.

Tools Required

  • Elemental Forge: To heat the Gleaming Talon Gauntlets to a state of magical malleability without destroying them.
  • Enchantment Altar: A ritual space required to perform the fusion and contain the magical backlash.
  • Runic Engraver’s Kit: To inscribe new, complex runes that bind the two disparate magical signatures into one.
  • Alchemical Tongs and Pliers: For handling the magically-charged items and weaving the fine mythril wires.
  • Ritual Mortar and Pestle: To grind the Cinder-bloom Petal and prepare the Sylvan amalgam.

Skill Requirements A crafter must be proficient in all the following skills to even attempt this ritual. Failing a check in this process often results in the destruction of all components.

  • Master Blacksmithing: To properly heat and work the mythril and draconic components of the gauntlets.
  • Arcane Enchanting: To manage the volatile flow of magical energy from two items into one and create a stable Tier 2 power matrix.
  • Runecrafting: To design and carve the new, hybrid binding runes.
  • Sylvan Ritualism (or Forest Magic Proficiency): To safely deconstruct the Baba Yaga talisman and handle the Sylvan and emotional magic without it dissipating or lashing out.

Crafting Steps

  1. Preparation: The crafter must first set up a dual crafting station. The Elemental Forge is fired, and the Enchantment Altar is prepared with the Runic Engraver’s Kit and the Quenching Basin.
  2. Ritual Deconstruction: The Baba Yagas Talisman 9 is placed on the altar. Using Sylvan Ritualism, the crafter must carefully break the talisman apart, preserving its key components. The Enchanted Willow Bark strips are meticulously separated, and the Forest-Imbued Quartz Crystal is extracted intact. The original hemp cord and talisman chassis are consumed by this process.
  3. Prepare the Sylvan Essence: The crafter grinds the Cinder-bloom Petal in the ritual mortar, mixing it with the Sylvan energies still clinging to the bark and crystal, creating a luminescent, somber-blue paste.
  4. Heating the Gauntlets: The Gleaming Talon Gauntlets (both of them) are placed into the Elemental Forge. The crafter must use Master Blacksmithing to heat them to a precise temperature, making the dragonhide and mythril glow with magical potential.
  5. The Physical Fusion: This is the most complex step. The glowing-hot gauntlets are moved to the Enchantment Altar.
    • The crafter must designate one gauntlet as the “core” (e.g., the left gauntlet).
    • The other gauntlet (the right) is sacrificed, its materials and magic drawn out and channeled into the core gauntlet to strengthen its base magical matrix to a Tier 2 level.
    • Using Alchemical Tongs and the Arcane-Etched Mythril Wire, the crafter physically weaves the saved Enchanted Willow Bark strips into the softened dragonhide of the core gauntlet.
    • The original Shimmerdrake gemstone on the gauntlet’s back is shattered and removed, and the Forest-Imbued Quartz Crystal (from the talisman) is set in its place.
  6. The Magical Fusion: While the gauntlet is still magically fluid, the crafter uses Arcane Enchanting.
    • The Sylvan Essence paste (from Step 3) is “painted” onto the gauntlet, where it sizzles against the draconic heat.
    • The Vial of Dragon’s Blood is poured over the item, acting as a final, potent flux that forces the two essences to merge.
    • Using the Runic Engraver’s Kit, the crafter must quickly and precisely carve new binding runes around the quartz crystal, forcing the predatory (Draconic) and somber (Sylvan) magics into a stable, if conflicting, union.
  7. Final Quenching: The gauntlet—now a single item, pulsing with both green and blue light—is plunged into the Quenching Basin of Enriched Forest Soil. A cloud of hissing, fragrant steam erupts, smelling of ozone and wet earth. When the steam clears, the Gauntlet of the Forgotten Talon 47 is complete, its magic stable and its form singular.

Tale of Talon Left Behind

At the first suns, in the old time before counting, was a wood full of grandmothers. One grandmother, the Baba Yaga, she was the stone-that-is-sharp and the-water-that-is-deep. She knew trees, and she knew roots. She took one student, a boy-man, Borun. He had a strong want. He wanted to know magic, to be a big man. Baba Yaga teach him. She teach him the whisper of the leaf, the hum of the stone, the sadness of the rain.

But Borun, his want was a fast fire. He see Baba Yaga power, and he say, “Give more. Give now.” He ask for power of sky, power of unmaking.

Baba Yaga see his heart. His heart was not a deep well, but a shallow puddle. It want to hold, not to give. One morning, Borun wake. The grandmother house, it is gone. The forest is quiet. He is alone. The great abandonment fall on him. It is a cold, wet coat. He call her name. Only wind answer. He is the forgotten.

Borun is full of sad anger. He walks. He is a child with no hand to hold. He has magic, yes, the small magic of the forest. He has the talisman he was making. The talisman of willow bark, for protection. It is a talisman of his feeling. A sad talisman.

He walk many days. His sad anger become a hard stone in his stomach. He hate the grandmother. He hate the forest that hold him. He want to be a big man. He want to show her. Show all.

Then, a smell. Like lightning. Like sharp metal. He find a clearing. Not made by man. Made by… power. In the center, a dead thing. A beast of sky. A Shimmerdrake. Big. Scales like dark water and oil. It is broken. Maybe it fight a bigger thing. Maybe it just… fall. Borun is small by it.

He see the talons. The claws. They are still bright. They gleam. They hold the power he wanted. The power of the sky. The power that is not sad roots. The power that takes. A fast fire jumps in Borun’s heart. This is a sign. The forest give him this. No, the sky give him this, to fight the forest.

He is weak. But he work. He take the gauntlets. The hide gloves. The hard metal claws. They are beautiful. They are full of hunt. He put them on. His hands feel strong. He feels the… the predator. The focus. He is not sad Borun. He is… hunger.

But the gauntlets are just things. The magic is sleeping.

He go to a cave. He make a fire. He sit. He feel the two things. He feel the sad abandon from his heart and his talisman. He feel the hot predator from the dragon gloves. They fight in his head. “I am alone,” his heart cry. “Hunt them all,” the gloves hiss.

He make a big choice. A crazy choice. He will not be two men. He will be one man. A new man.

He take his sad talisman. The willow bark. The crystal of the sad forest. He break it. He take the gauntlets. He put them in the hot fire. The leather smokes. The metal shines hot. He must use all his magic. The sylvan magic. The forest magic.

He take the hot gloves. He push the willow bark into the dragon hide. He push the sad crystal onto the back of the hand. He take the other glove, the second glove, and he… he feed it to the first. He melts it. He pushes all the power, all the metal, all the hunt… into one. One gauntlet.

It is a bad thing. The fire roar green. The crystal pulse blue. The cave shake. The sound is a man screaming. The sound is a dragon hissing. It is a sad song and a war cry.

He pour the blood of the dragon on it. He pour his tears on it. He sing the Baba Yaga song of binding. He sing the new song of his anger.

He pull the thing from the fire. It is one. One gauntlet. It is not two. It is changed. The bark is black, like veins on the green hide. The crystal is blue and cold. The talons… they drip green. They hum.

He put it on his arm.

Oh. The pain. It is a hot pain. It is a cold pain. He feel the sad of the whole world. He feel the abandonment. But then… the focus. The dragon hiss. The hunger. The two feelings do not mix. They stay separate. They live together in his arm.

He is not Borun. He is… the Gauntlet. He walks from the cave. He is strong. He is sad. He is hunter. He is alone. He is complete. He will find the grandmother. He will show her. He will show her what the forgotten can do. He is the Forgotten Talon.

He is never seen again. Only the gauntlet. Sometimes, it is found. A warrior uses it. He is strong. But he is sad. He hunts. But he is always alone. The gauntlet remembers.

Moral of the Story: When you put two hurts in one pot, you do not make a healing. You make a strong poison. A sad thing and a rage thing make only a monster that is sad, and a sad thing that is rage. Do not be this pot.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Gauntlet of the Lonely Hunt Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

This single gauntlet is a strange fusion of iridescent dragonhide and dark, magically-infused willow bark. A large, uncut quartz crystal on the back of the hand pulses with a soft, somber light, while the long talons gleam with a faint, oily-green sheen.

  • Draconic & Sylvan Potency. You gain a +1 bonus to your Strength and Constitution scores (to a maximum of 20).
  • Armored Hide. You gain a +1 bonus to your AC.
  • Talon Strike. Your unarmed strikes made with this gauntlet are considered magical. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with these unarmed strikes, and they deal 1d4 slashing damage instead of the normal bludgeoning damage.
  • Resonance of Abandonment. The gauntlet vibrates softly when you are within 30 feet of any person, creature, or location suffering from a profound magical curse or aura of despair, loneliness, or abandonment (at the DM’s discretion).
  • Hybrid Magic. The gauntlet has 3 charges. It regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. You can expend charges to activate the following properties:
    • Misty Forest Barrier (1 Charge). As a bonus action, you can expend 1 charge to surround yourself with a cold, protective mist. You gain a +2 bonus to your AC for 1 minute.
    • Forest-Drake’s Venom (1 Charge). As a bonus action, you can expend 1 charge to coat the talons in sylvan poison. The next time you hit a creature with an unarmed strike using this gauntlet within the next minute, the target takes an additional 2d4 poison damage.
  • Environmental Attunement. If you are in a forest or a densely populated urban area, you can use either the Misty Forest Barrier or Forest-Drake’s Venom property once without expending a charge. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition

The Borun Hand Artifact (Worn Item)

A single, grotesque gauntlet appearing to be a fusion of reptilian hide, bark-like wood, and sharpened bone or metal. It feels both hot and cold to the touch and emanates a palpable aura of despair and rage.

  • Physical Effects: The wearer gains +1 Armor to their arm. The gauntlet’s talons are a potent weapon, granting the user a +10% bonus to Fighting (Brawl) checks and changing their unarmed damage to 1d6 slashing.
  • Sylvan Mist (Magic): Once per day, the user may spend 1 Magic Point and roll 1/1d4 Sanity. For the next minute, they are enveloped in an unnatural, cold mist. All physical attacks (melee or ranged) against them suffer one penalty die.
  • Witch-Venom (Magic): Once per day, the user may spend 1 Magic Point (0/1d2 Sanity). The talons drip with a green-black fluid. The next successful Fighting (Brawl) attack with the gauntlet injects the venom. The target must make a Hard (–20) Constitution roll or suffer 1d6 additional damage. On a Fumble, the target is wracked with pain, suffering one penalty die on all actions for 1d4 rounds.
  • The Haunting of Borun: The gauntlet is a vessel of profound loneliness. The first time the wearer attunes to it (a 1-hour ritual), they must make a Sanity roll (1/1d4+1 SAN). Any time the Keeper determines the user is in a situation of extreme isolation or witnesses a significant act of abandonment, the wearer must make a Sanity roll (0/1d2) as the gauntlet’s cold despair resonates with them.

Blades in the Dark

The Widow’s Claw Rare Occult Item, 1 Load

A single gauntlet of iridescent scales, dark wood, and sharp talons, humming with a cold, sad energy and a hot, predatory rage. It is a fusion of Sylvan and… something else. It tastes the despair in the city and longs to add to it.

  • Mechanics:
    • Fine Weapon: The gauntlet is a fine weapon (grants potency in melee).
    • Ghost-Touch: Its sylvan magic allows it to interact with and harm spirits as if they were solid.
    • Two Magics: You may spend 1 Stress to activate one of the gauntlet’s abilities. You cannot use both in the same score.
      • The Lonely Mist: You are enveloped in a cold fog. You gain potency for any stealth or misdirection action. For the next few moments, any action taken against you by a single foe or gang has limited effect.
      • The Angry Venom: Your next attack with the gauntlet is lethal (inflicts level 3 harm) and has the poisoned quality (the target is in a bad way until treated).
    • The Haunting: The gauntlet carries a ghost-echo of profound abandonment. When you attune to it, take a level 1 Harm: “Lonely.” When you are in a scene with someone suffering great loss, the GM may offer you 1 Stress to act on your worst, most isolating impulses, or your action is hindered.

Knave (1st Edition Style)

Gauntlet of the Lost Talon Slot: 1 Item Slot (Arm)

A singular gauntlet of green dragon scales and dark wood. Its quartz crystal hums with a sad, blue light.

  • Armor: You gain +1 to your Armor defense.
  • Weapon: Can be used as a one-handed weapon. Deals d6 damage.
  • Bonus: You gain +1 to Strength saves.
  • Sylvan Mist: Once per day, as an action, you can gain +2 to your Armor defense for 10 rounds (1 minute).
  • Drake’s Venom: Once per day, as an action, you can declare your next successful gauntlet attack will deal +1d6 poison damage.
  • Quirk: Vibrates and hums mournfully when near anyone experiencing great loss or loneliness.

Fate Core

The Talon of Two Sorrows Unique Artifact

Aspects:

  • Fused Sylvan and Draconic Magic
  • A Confluence of Rage and Despair
  • Misty Barrier of the Abandoned
  • Venomous Talons of the Predator

Stunts:

  • Talons of the Hunt: Because it is a Fused Sylvan and Draconic Magic artifact, the wearer gains a +2 bonus to Physique rolls made to Overcome a physical obstacle or create an advantage by tearing, crushing, or climbing. The talons are also considered a Weapon:1 (deals 1-shift of harm).
  • Misty Forest Barrier: Once per session, the wearer can invoke the Misty Barrier of the Abandoned for free. This can be used to add a +2 to a Defend roll or to create a situation aspect Cold, Obscuring Mist with one free invocation.
  • Forest-Drake’s Venom: Once per session, when the wearer succeeds on an Attack roll with the gauntlet’s talons, they can spend a Fate Point to attach the situation aspect Sylvan-Drake Venom to the target with one free invocation. This represents a debilitating, magical poison.
  • Resonance of Abandonment: Because it is a Confluence of Rage and Despair, the wearer can use their Empathy skill to sense overwhelming emotional residue (especially loss or loneliness) in a person or place, as if they were using Investigate.

Numenera & Cypher System

Sylvan-Drake Gauntlet Artifact

Level: 5 Form: A single, masterfully crafted gauntlet made of interlocking iridescent scales, dark bark-like plating, and sharp talons. A large, uncut blue crystal is set on its back. Effect:

  • Passive: The wearer gains +1 Armor.
  • Passive: The wearer gains an Asset on all Might-based tasks for climbing.
  • Action: The wearer can envelop themselves in a cold, spectral mist for one minute. During this time, the difficulty of all ranged attacks made against the wearer is increased by one step.
  • Action: The wearer can activate the venom glands within the talons. The next successful melee attack made with the gauntlet (a Might-based attack, difficulty 3) inflicts an additional 5 points of poison damage (this damage ignores Armor).
  • Depletion: 1-2 on a d20. (If the depletion roll is made while the wearer is in a forest, the roll is 1 on 1d20 instead).

Pathfinder 2nd Edition

Talon of the Forsaken Item 5, Rare Traits: Magical, Transmutation, Worn, Invested Price: 150 gp Usage: Worn gauntlet (1 hand) Bulk: L

This gauntlet is a hybrid of enchanted bark and iridescent dragonhide, with sharp talons extending from the fingertips and a large, somber quartz crystal on the back of the hand.

Passive: While invested, this gauntlet grants you a +1 item bonus to Intimidation checks and a +1 item bonus to Fortitude saves. Weapon: The gauntlet is a finesse melee weapon in the Brawling group that deals 1d4 slashing damage.

Activate [One-Action] (command, transmutation)

  • Frequency: Once per day
  • Effect: You are enveloped in a swirling, cold mist, gaining a +1 status bonus to your AC for 1 minute.

Activate [One-Action] (manipulate, poison)

  • Frequency: Once per day
  • Effect: The talons drip with a faint, oily-green venom. Your next successful Strike with the gauntlet’s talons before the end of your turn deals an additional 1d8 poison damage.

Environmental Attunement: While you are in a forest, the frequency for both Activations becomes once per hour instead of once per day.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE)

The Witch-Drake’s Claw Magical Worn Item

This single, monstrous gauntlet provides the wearer with a fusion of draconic power and sylvan magic.

  • Armor: +1 Armor.
  • Toughness: +1 Toughness (from the Constitution boost).
  • Weapon: The wearer is considered Armed. The talons are a Brawling weapon that deals STR+d4 damage. The wearer gains a +1 bonus to their Brawling damage rolls with the gauntlet (from the Strength boost).
  • Misty Forest Barrier (Power): Once per day, as an action, the wearer can cast Protection on themselves. This effect has a duration of 5 rounds and provides +2 Armor.
  • Forest-Drake’s Venom (Power): Once per day, as an action, the wearer can cast Damage on the gauntlet’s talons. The next successful Brawling attack with the gauntlet this turn deals an additional +1d6 damage. If this attack hits a living target, the target is also Distracted.
  • Sylvan Resonance: If the wearer is in a forest or a large, densely populated city, the daily uses of Misty Forest Barrier and Forest-Drake’s Venom are both increased to 2 per day.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Sylvan-Drake Claw Magical Focus (Qi, Rating 3)

This single, bonded gauntlet is a disturbing fusion of what appears to be iridescent, scaled biowar (dragonhide) and living, magically-treated wood (sylvan bark). A large, uncut quartz crystal on the back hums with a cold astral signature. It is considered a hybrid of the Hermetic (Sylvan) and Shamanic (Draconic) traditions.

  • Attunement Cost: 5 Karma
  • Availability: 16R
  • Cost: 54,000 Nuyen
  • Effects:
    • Draconic Might: The wearer gains a +1 bonus to their Strength and Body attributes.
    • Armored Hide: The gauntlet provides +1 Armor (this bonus stacks with other armor).
    • Talons (Weapon Focus): The gauntlet’s talons are a Weapon Focus (Rating 3) for the Brawling skill. They are a melee weapon with the following profile:
      • Attack Rating: 11
      • Damage: (STR + 2)P
      • AP: -2
    • Misty Barrier (1/day): As a Minor Action, the wearer can activate the gauntlet’s defensive protocol. For the next minute, the wearer gains 2 bonus Edge when defending against melee or ranged attacks.
    • Drake’s Venom (1/day): As a Minor Action, the wearer can activate the gauntlet’s offensive protocol. The next successful attack with the gauntlet’s talons inflicts the Poisoned status effect (DV 2, 1 round).
    • Environmental Attunement:
      • Forest (Nature Domain): While in an area with a strong Nature or Forest spirit’s domain, the Misty Barrier provides 3 bonus Edge instead of 2.
      • City (Despair): While in an area with a high Background Count related to despair or loss (e.g., a slum, an old battlefield), both Misty Barrier and Drake’s Venom may be used twice per day.

Starfinder

Gauntlet of the Forsaken Wyrm Hybrid Item Level: 6 Price: 4,100 credits Slot: Hands Bulk: L

This single gauntlet is a masterful and disturbing fusion of magically-treated dragonhide and techno-sylvan bark. The talons are impossibly sharp, and a large, cold quartz crystal on the back of the hand seems to absorb light.

  • Hybrid Properties: The wearer gains a +1 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution checks.
  • Armored Plating: The gauntlet provides a +1 enhancement bonus to EAC and KAC.
  • Natural Weapon: The gauntlet’s talons are considered a natural weapon. The wearer is always considered armed, and the talons deal 1d6 slashing damage.
  • Misty Forest Barrier (1/day): As a standard action, the wearer can envelop themselves in a cold, spectral mist for 1 minute. During this time, they gain a +2 insight bonus to AC.
  • Forest-Drake’s Venom (1/day): As a move action, the wearer can coat the talons in magical poison. The next successful attack made with the gauntlet’s talons within the next minute deals an additional 1d8 poison damage (Fortitude DC 15 for half).
  • Environmental Attunement:
    • Forest: While in a forest, jungle, or similar sylvan environment, the Misty Forest Barrier grants a +3 insight bonus to AC.
    • City: While in a dense urban environment (a city-sized settlement), the daily uses of Misty Forest Barrier and Forest-Drake’s Venom are both increased to 2/day.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Gauntlet of the ‘Forgotten’ (Ancient Artifact) TL 15 (Ancient)

This artifact is a single, non-replicable gauntlet found in a ‘Forgotten’ or ‘Ancient’ cache. It appears to be a fusion of organic, iridescent, chitinous plating (dragonhide) and a programmable, wood-like nano-material. Its power source is unknown but still active.

  • Weight: 1.5 kg
  • Cost: Not for sale (Artifact, est. 2,000,000+ Cr)
  • Effects:
    • Exo-Support: The gauntlet’s internal servomotors are incredibly advanced. The wearer gains a +1 DM to all Strength and Endurance checks.
    • Armored Shell: The gauntlet’s materials provide 1 point of Armor, which stacks with other worn armor.
    • Talons: The talons are monomolecularly sharp and can be used as a melee weapon.
      • Damage: 1d6+2
      • AP: 3
    • Active Defense: ‘Mist’ Emitter (1/day): As an action, the gauntlet can disperse a 10m-radius cloud of sensor-baffling, silvery mist. All ranged attacks made from outside the cloud into the cloud, or vice-versa, suffer a -2 DM. The cloud lasts for 1 minute.
    • Active Offense: ‘Venom’ Injector (1/day): As an action, the wearer can prime the talons. The next successful attack with the talons this turn injects a potent neuro-paralytic. The target must pass a Formidable (10+) Endurance check or suffer 2d6 damage and be paralyzed (unable to act) for 1d4 rounds.
    • Attunement Protocol: The artifact’s programming responds to its environment.
      • Wilderness (Forest): In a dense wilderness, the ‘Mist’ Emitter’s penalty increases to -3 DM.
      • High Population (City): In an area with a population of 100,000+, the artifact’s internal power cell recharges faster, allowing both active abilities to be used twice per day.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Klaue der Verlassenen (Claw of the Abandoned) Magical Worn Item

This single, terrifying gauntlet is a chaotic fusion of glistening Drakon scales and gnarled, dark wood from the deepest, most haunted parts of the Drakwald. A large, cold-to-the-touch Quartz crystal, weeping with Ghyran, is set on its back. The item is magical and radiates conflicting energies of Ghur (The Realm of Beasts) and Ghyran (The Realm of Life/Nature).

  • Encumbrance: 1
  • Availability: Unique
  • Properties:
    • Beast’s Strength: The wearer gains a +5 bonus to their Strength and Toughness Characteristics.
    • Armoured Hide: The gauntlet provides 1 AP to the Arm (this stacks with other armour).
    • Drakon Talons: The gauntlet is a magical weapon. (Brawling Group, Damage: +SB+3, Reach: Engaged, Qualities: Magical, Slashing, Armour-Piercing 1).
    • Cold Empathy (Passive): The gauntlet’s crystal pulses with a cold, blue light, visible to the wearer, when within 10 yards of a source of significant fear, despair, or a creature suffering from the Broken Condition.
  • Bound Magic: The gauntlet has two bound spell effects, each usable once per day.
    • Sylvan Mist: As an action, the wearer can cast Aethyric Armour (WFRP p. 251) on themselves at a CN of 0. This manifests as a cold, swirling mist and provides 2 AP to all locations for 1d10+Willpower Bonus rounds.
    • Drakon’s Spite: As an action, the wearer can activate the Venom (WFRP p. 257) spell effect. The next successful attack with the gauntlet’s talons (if made this turn) inflicts the Poisoned Condition (Target must pass a Difficult (–10) Toughness Test or suffer 1 Wound per round for 1d10 rounds).
  • Attunement:
    • In a Forest: When in a deep forest, the Sylvan Mist provides 3 APs and the Drakon’s Spite requires a Hard (–20) Toughness Test.
    • In a City: When in a major city (e.g., Altdorf, Nuln), the concentrated despair empowers the item. Both Sylvan Mist and Drakon’s Spite may be used twice per day.