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Item 842 of Resonant Admiration

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by

Dale
in
  • Lore: In the bustling metropolises and floating cities of Saṃsāra, social standing is often as valuable as physical prowess. Item 842 of Resonant Admiration was originally crafted by a collective of high-magic glassblowers in the skyscraper district of Aethelgard. They sought to capture the feeling of a standing ovation within a physical vessel. These items were frequently gifted to rising stars, traveling performers, and diplomats who arrived from the multiverse with memories of grand audiences. The item functions as a magical feedback loop; it feeds on the positive regard of others and reflects it back as a palpable aura of confidence. In a world where the Mind’s Eye allows everyone to see the “titles” of those they meet, wearing this item ensures that those titles are viewed with a sense of wonder rather than suspicion. It is a favorite among those who wish to navigate the sellers’ market with a psychological edge, as merchants are often more inclined to offer access to rare goods when they feel an instinctive admiration for the buyer.
  • Description: This item takes the form of a polished, translucent crystalline pendant encased in a delicate brass filigree. The brass is etched with tiny, interconnected magic circuits that glow with a soft, golden hue when the wearer is in the presence of more than three sentient beings. Inside the crystal, a swirling vapor of elemental light reacts to the ambient emotions of the crowd, pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat. The pendant is suspended from a simple leather cord reinforced with silver wire to ensure it remains securely fastened during travel or airship racing. When viewed through the Mind’s Eye, the item emits a pleasant, harmonic resonance that signifies its focus on interpersonal harmony and social grace.
  • Stats:
    • Slot: Neck.
    • Tier: 1.
    • Rarity: Common.
    • Weight: 0.2 lbs.
    • Material: Enchanted Glass, Brass, Silver Wire.
  • Skills Gained:
    • Oratory Performance: While the item is openly worn, the avatar gains a professional level of proficiency in public speaking and dramatic delivery. The memories of the character are bridged with the avatar’s vocal cords to produce a resonant, captivating tone that commands attention.
    • Diplomatic Etiquette: The wearer gains an instinctual understanding of the social hierarchies and greeting rituals of the 73 island countries. This allows the avatar to navigate complex political intrigue without accidentally offending local authorities.
  • Passive Magic:
    • Aura of the Protagonist: The avatar projects a subtle field that causes non-possessed creatures to perceive them as more noteworthy or heroic. This does not grant mechanical bonuses to combat but ensures the avatar is the first person NPCs look to for leadership or assistance.
    • Confidence Reservoir: As long as at least one person within 30 feet is expressing genuine admiration for the wearer, the avatar’s Mind’s Eye is shielded from the “Overwhelm” debuff caused by simple social stimuli.
    • Linguistic Mirror: The magic circuits within the brass filigree vibrate to subtly adjust the wearer’s accent to match the most common dialect in the immediate vicinity, fostering an atmosphere of familiarity and trust.
  • Active Magic:
    • Enthralling Flourish: The wearer can perform a specific gesture—such as a bow or a sweep of the hand—to cause the pendant to flare with a brilliant golden light. This action takes less than six seconds (Normal casting) and causes all sentient beings within 20 feet to focus their gaze on the wearer for one minute, granting a significant advantage in starting a negotiation or distraction.
    • Echo of Praise: By concentrating for one minute (Ritual casting), the wearer can record a short vocal message of admiration from another person into the crystal. This message can be played back later with a 25% increase in volume and resonance, serving as a magical “letter of recommendation” that vibrates with the original speaker’s sincerity.
  • Tags: Accessory, Social, Tier 1, Neck Slot, Enchanted, Communication, Buff, Light, Common, Aura, Charm, Diplomatic, Glass, Gold, Harmonic, Jewel, Lore, Mentality, Prestigious, Radiant

In the world of Saṃsāra, obtaining an object like Item 842 of Resonant Admiration involves navigating the complex trade networks of the 73 island countries. Because there are no computers or online systems, a character must physically travel to commercial hubs, speak with merchants, and rely on their Mind’s Eye to verify the authenticity of the magic circuits and crystal quality.

Methods of Obtaining the Item:

  • Commissioning a local Artisan: A character might visit a glassblower or a brass-smith in a metropolitan skyscraper district. This requires providing the raw materials, such as enchanted glass and silver wire, and paying for the labor of etching the magic circuits.
  • Trade at an Airship Port: Merchants traveling via zeppelin or airship often carry common magical gear between islands. These traders typically set up temporary stalls near the docking towers to sell to arriving souls and travelers.
  • Inheritance or Gift: Since possession is considered an honor, a non-possessed family or community might gift such a pendant to a newly arrived character to help them integrate into the social hierarchy of their new avatar.
  • Recovery from Ruins: While rare for a common item, these pendants are sometimes found in the backwoods or jungle ruins of old civilizations, where they have remained attuned to a long-dead avatar’s crystal.

Types of Shops and Commercial Environments:

  • The High-Street Boutique: Located in somewhat safe areas or designated safe areas like the upper levels of a megacity skyscraper. these shops are well-guarded and elegantly decorated. The atmosphere is quiet, and the merchant expects the buyer to demonstrate a high level of etiquette.
  • The Industrial District Gear-Smith: These shops are filled with the smell of elemental steam and the sound of rotating shafts and gears. Here, the items are sold more for their functional magic circuits than their aesthetic beauty. These shops are common in the 73 island countries where mechanical power transmission is a way of life.
  • The Open-Air Bazaar: Found in normal areas, these markets consist of rows of colorful tents and wooden stalls. Trade is loud, and the sellers’ market philosophy is most evident here. Buyers must beware of shielded items or false stats, though the Mind’s Eye is used constantly to check for quality.
  • The Traveler’s Outpost: Located in more remote or uncharted areas, these small shops provide essential gear for those traveling between island nations. Availability is low, so the cost of access is significantly higher than in a metropolis.

Cost and Exchange Values:

The cost of this Tier 1 item is typically expressed in silver, though the actual price paid depends entirely on the negotiation and the local availability of enchanted glass.

  • In a High-Street Boutique: The suggested value might be 15 Silver. However, due to the high cost of rent in a guarded skyscraper, a merchant might demand 20 Silver or even 2 Electrum if the buyer appears wealthy or desperate for social status.
  • In an Industrial District Gear-Smith: Because these items are often produced in larger batches using steam-powered lathes and etching tools, the price may be lower, around 8 Silver. A buyer who provides their own brass or silver wire might reduce this to 5 Silver.
  • In an Open-Air Bazaar: The price fluctuates wildly. A skilled negotiator might obtain the pendant for 10 Silver. If the merchant perceives that the avatar has a high need for the item to win a local racing event or social gala, the price could climb to 25 Silver.
  • In a Traveler’s Outpost: Due to the scarcity of supply in the backwoods, the price is often non-negotiable and high. A merchant might ask for 30 Silver or 3 Electrum, knowing the traveler has no other options for hundreds of miles.

The exchange of these coins is handled physically. A buyer would count out the silver pieces, ensuring they are not counterfeit, while the seller uses their Mind’s Eye to verify the value. If the item is sold in a deathly or unsafe area, the transaction is often hurried and done with weapons drawn, as the lack of protective AC makes any commercial interaction a significant risk. In such cases, the price might be “whatever the buyer has on them,” emphasizing the raw nature of the sellers’ market.

Tactical and Social Application of the Resonant Admiration Pendant

The use of Item 842 of Resonant Admiration varies significantly based on the safety rating of the environment, as the fluctuating Armor Class and the visibility of the Mind’s Eye dictate how an avatar must leverage their social standing for survival or dominance.

  • Defense in Designated Safe and Somewhat Safe Areas:
    • In guarded areas like inns or walled cities where AC is doubled or tripled, the item serves as a deterrent against social and legal escalation. The avatar uses the Aura of the Protagonist to blend into high-society crowds, making it psychologically difficult for guards or rivals to justify an unprovoked attack against someone so clearly “admired.”
    • If a confrontation occurs, the wearer can use the Enthralling Flourish as a defensive distraction. Since AC is high in these zones, the minute of forced focus from onlookers provides ample time for the avatar to retreat into the protection of city guards or a high-rise skyscraper lobby without a single blow being landed.
    • The Linguistic Mirror provides a passive defense against “Outsider” prejudice, allowing the avatar to mimic local dialects and avoid being targeted as a confused, newly arrived soul from the multiverse.
  • Offense in Designated Safe and Somewhat Safe Areas:
    • Offense in these zones is rarely physical and instead focuses on political intrigue and the sellers’ market. The avatar uses the Skills Gained in Oratory Performance to verbally dismantle an opponent’s reputation in a public forum or gala.
    • By utilizing the Echo of Praise, the character can play back recorded messages of admiration from powerful figures to “attack” the social standing of a rival, effectively barring them from trade deals or invitations to the floating cities.
    • The item allows the avatar to “offensive-negotiate,” using the increased attention to force merchants into revealing hidden tiers of gear that they would normally withhold from common travelers.
  • Defense in Normal and Unsafe Areas:
    • In the vast reaches of the 73 island countries where AC is standard or halved, the item is used to manipulate the “monster” population or non-possessed groups. An avatar can use the Enthralling Flourish to halt a group of aggressive creatures or bandits. While the target is mesmerized for a minute, the avatar can reposition or prepare a spell conduit.
    • Because HP recovery is slow and gaining nothing from short rests makes every wound dangerous, the Confidence Reservoir is essential for maintaining mental clarity under the pressure of the “Divine Pain” mechanics or the disorientation of soul possession.
    • The wearer might use the item to secure a “Protective Entourage” by fostering genuine admiration in a group of NPCs, essentially creating a meat-buffer of followers who are willing to defend the “heroic” avatar during travel through the backwoods.
  • Offense in Unsafe and Deathly Areas:
    • In deathly areas where AC is zero and every attack hits, the item is used for high-stakes psychological warfare. The avatar uses the Enthralling Flourish (Normal casting, less than 6 seconds) to force enemies to drop their guard. Since every subsequent attack by the avatar’s allies will hit, this one minute of forced attention is often fatal for the opposition.
    • If the avatar knows the True Name of a target, they can use their Oratory Performance skill to deliver a chant-based spell with a flourish. This combines the doubled damage of the true name with the increased effects of a ritual chant, often ending a conflict before the enemy can react.
    • In these lawless zones, the avatar uses the Aura of the Protagonist offensively to draw the fire of “silver fire spell power” away from more fragile gestalt members, trusting in their own gear or Mana Boost to survive the hit while the rest of the group maneuvers for a killing blow.

Perception of Activation:

  • User’s Perspective
    • Upon triggering the Enthralling Flourish, the avatar feels a sudden surge of warmth radiating from the center of their chest as the leather and silver cord tightens slightly against the neck.
    • A low-frequency hum, similar to the vibration of a steam-powered turbine, resonates through the avatar’s collarbone and jaw, creating a sensation of absolute groundedness and physical presence.
    • The avatar’s vision subtly shifts; the surrounding environment dims at the edges while the faces of those within the 20-foot radius seem to brighten, highlighting their eyes and expressions in sharp detail.
    • Extra-sensory perception manifests as a “weight” in the air, allowing the user to feel the exact moment the audience’s attention latches onto them, like a physical tether connecting their soul to the minds of the observers.
    • The memories of the character provide a sudden influx of confidence, washing away instinctual avatar anxieties and replacing them with a scripted, calm certainty that they are the focal point of the world.
  • Observer’s Perspective
    • To those nearby, the activation begins with a sharp, audible “click” from the brass filigree, followed by the crystalline pendant erupting in a pulsing, golden luminescence that is bright but not blinding.
    • Observers experience a momentary “static” in their own Mind’s Eye as the item’s magic briefly overrides their passive perception, forcing the avatar’s name and title to glow with an exaggerated, heroic shimmer.
    • There is a palpable shift in the atmosphere, as if the air has become more pressurized or “charged” with magical intent, drawing the gaze reflexively toward the wearer.
    • Extra-sensory perception for the observer manifests as an involuntary emotional phantom; they feel a sudden, unearned sense of respect and curiosity toward the avatar, as if they were encountering a long-lost hero or a renowned dignitary from a floating city.
    • The sound of the wearer’s voice, if they speak during this time, carries an echo that seems to bypass the ears and resonate directly within the observer’s mind.
  • Positives
    • The immediate synchronization of the crowd allows the avatar to control the flow of a room, effectively pausing potential hostilities or social blunders.
    • The activation provides a “Mental Anchor,” making the avatar temporarily immune to mundane social intimidation or the feeling of being “out of place” in a new island nation.
    • Extra-sensory feedback gives the user a precise headcount and the general emotional state of everyone caught in the radius, serving as a social radar.
    • In a sellers’ market, the perceived status gain can cause merchants to lower their guard, leading them to reveal items or information they would typically keep hidden from Tier 1 individuals.
  • Negatives
    • The physical hum of the activation can be physically draining; after the effect ends, the avatar may feel a lingering ache in their vocal cords and a slight trembling in their hands.
    • Being the center of attention is a binary state; while it fosters admiration, it also makes the avatar the primary target for any hidden “rule breakers” or assassins who are not affected by the charm.
    • The extra-sensory tethering can be disorienting if the crowd is too large or if someone in the crowd harbors intense, shielded hatred, which can feel like a “cold spike” in the avatar’s Mind’s Eye.
    • Over-reliance on the item can cause the avatar’s own personality to become “dim” compared to the magically enhanced presence, leading to a minor identity clash between the character memories and the avatar’s instinctual self when the item is removed.

Blueprint for Item 842 of Resonant Admiration

  • Materials Needed
    • One Hand-Blown Crystalline Teardrop: A core of high-purity glass, free of air bubbles or structural fractures, capable of holding a stable magical charge.
    • Three Ounces of Refined Brass: Sufficient for the outer filigree and the creation of internal magic circuits.
    • Two Grams of Silver Wire: High conductivity is required to bridge the physical brass casing with the leather suspension cord.
    • Six Inches of Treated Leather Cord: Must be cured in elemental water to resist the heat generated by the magic flow.
    • Vial of Elemental Light Vapor: Extracted from the atmospheric glow of a floating city or a high-altitude zeppelin path to serve as the reactive inner medium.
    • Alchemical Solder: A silver-tin alloy infused with crushed mana crystals to ensure the gear components remain bonded under the stress of rotational power transmission.
  • Tools Required
    • Precision Etching Needle: For carving micro-circuits into the brass casing to facilitate the “Aura of the Protagonist.”
    • Elemental Steam Forge: A small-scale furnace powered by magical steam to provide consistent, controllable heat for metalwork.
    • Jeweler’s Loupe with Mind’s Eye Lens: To visually confirm the alignment of the magical conduits and ensure there are no “leaks” in the light vapor containment.
    • Mechanical Power Lathe: Driven by a system of belts and pulleys to polish the crystalline teardrop to a perfect, translucent finish.
    • Fine-Point Soldering Iron: Heated by magic crystals to join the silver wire to the brass filigree.
  • Skill Requirements
    • Basic Magitech Engineering (Tier 1): Understanding the flow of magic circuits and how they interact with physical brass and silver.
    • Fine Metalworking: Proficiency in shaping filigree and handling delicate components without causing structural damage.
    • Elemental Handling: The ability to safely transfer and seal the light vapor into the glass core without it dissipating into the atmosphere.
    • Mind’s Eye Calibration: The craftsman must be able to use their active “identify” ability to verify that the item is properly attuned to the frequency of “Admiration” during the final stages of assembly.
  • Crafting Steps
    • Preparation of the Core: Mount the crystalline teardrop onto the mechanical lathe. Using a system of gears to maintain a steady rotation, polish the surface until the Mind’s Eye perceives a smooth, uninterrupted magical surface.
    • Infusion of the Vapor: Carefully unseal the vial of elemental light vapor within the forge’s vacuum chamber. Using a small magic conduit, draw the vapor into the hollow center of the glass core and seal the entry point with a drop of molten glass.
    • Etching the Circuits: Lay out the refined brass sheets. Use the etching needle to carve the specific patterns required for the “Enthralling Flourish.” These patterns must mimic the harmonic resonance of a cheering crowd.
    • Filigree Assembly: Shape the etched brass around the glass core, ensuring the metal does not exert uneven pressure. Use the alchemical solder to join the pieces into a single, protective cage.
    • Wiring the Resonance: Thread the silver wire through the top loop of the brass cage. Solder the ends to the internal circuits, then wrap the wire tightly around the ends of the leather cord to create a secure, conductive bond.
    • Final Calibration: Place the completed item on the workbench. Spend ten minutes in ritual concentration (active activation) to synchronize the internal vapor with the brass circuits. The item is complete once it emits a soft, golden pulse in response to the craftsman’s own focused thoughts of success.

Shining Heart-Grasp and Many-Voiced Praise

In the days before the many islands were numbered seventy and three, when the steam was yet a young breath from the mouth of the world, there walked an avatar whose name has been eaten by the salt of the endless ocean. This traveler did not possess the memories of a king or a great magus, but rather the echoes of a humble gatherer from a realm where the sun never sat. Upon reaching the first tier of the Mind’s Eye, this avatar found themselves within the great skyscraper city of Aethelgard, where the brass gears turned with the weight of mountains and the magic circuits hummed like a trillion bees in a glass jar.

The traveler was lonely, for the souls of the multiverse are often scattered like seeds upon stony ground. They desired not the sharp edge of a Tier 5 blade nor the immunity of a dragon’s scale, but the warmth of a brother’s look. Thus, they sought the Great Glass-Blower of the Upper Clouds, a being whose workshop was turned by a shaft of pure elemental fire and cooled by the mist of a thousand falling stars.

The Glass-Blower spoke in a tongue that the traveler’s memories could barely grasp, saying, “To be loved is a weight, and to be admired is a cage of gold. Do you seek the burden or the beauty?” The traveler, whose soul dominated the avatar with a hundred percent of its will, replied that they sought the light that lives within a smile.

For forty days and forty nights, the mechanical power transmission systems of the Great Glass-Blower’s forge did not cease their rotation. Chains of silver and pulleys of dark oak moved in a dance of creation. The Glass-Blower took a single tear shed by a goddess of the past worlds—a goddess who had died of joy—and encased it in the high-purity glass of the Saṃsāra depths. This glass was polished upon a lathe driven by the very steam of the world’s heartbeat until it was as clear as the thought of a child.

Then came the etching. With a needle made from the whisker of a Great Griffon, the artisan carved the “Aura of the Protagonist” into the refined brass. These were not mere marks; they were magic circuits that mimicked the vibration of a heart that knows it is home. The silver wire was spun from the moonlight of an island that has since vanished into the dark, and it was used to bind the glass to a cord of leather that had been cured in the elemental waters of the deep trenches.

When the item was finished, it was named Item 842, for it was the eight hundred and forty-second attempt to capture the essence of a standing ovation without the noise of the hands. The traveler placed the pendant about their neck slot, and the attunement took but a single minute, yet it felt like a lifetime of returning.

The traveler walked into the great bazaar, a sellers’ market where the buyer must always beware. The merchants, whose hearts were usually as hard as rhodium coins, found their eyes drawn to the golden pulse upon the traveler’s chest. They did not see a stranger from a distant plane; they saw a hero of their own dreams. The passive magic of the “Linguistic Mirror” made the traveler’s voice sound like the song of their own mothers.

However, a great shadow loomed. A “rule breaker” of the dark jungles, one who used his own fingernails as conduits for spells of rot, grew jealous of the admiration the traveler received. This foe lived in an unsafe area where AC is cut in half, and he sought to steal the pendant to fuel his own vanity. He attacked with a ritual chant that lasted more than six seconds, his voice shouting for the destruction of the shining heart.

The traveler, remembering the life of a gatherer who once calmed a stampede with a single gesture, triggered the “Enthralling Flourish.” The pendant erupted in a golden luminescence so pure that the rule breaker’s rot-spells withered in the air. For one full minute, the attacker could do nothing but stare in absolute, involuntary admiration. In that minute, the traveler did not strike a blow of iron. Instead, they used their “Oratory Performance” to speak of the beauty of the 73 islands and the honor of possession.

The rule breaker wept, for his Mind’s Eye was opened to the truth of his own loneliness. He gave his true name to the traveler, doubling the power of the social bond between them. The shadow was lifted, and the two became a gestalt of spirit, though they remained separate avatars of the first tier.

The traveler eventually passed into the cloud of sparks that marks the end of a possessed life, leaving behind the crystal of their soul. The pendant remained, its brass filigree still humming with the echoes of that ancient peace. It was found by a merchant of the airships and sold for a price that no copper or nickel could truly measure, passing from hand to hand through the millennia, always seeking a wearer who understands that the greatest defense is to be truly seen.

The Moral of the Story: One who seeks the gaze of the world must first ensure their own light is worthy of the looking, for a golden cage is still a cage, and true admiration cannot be bought with coin, only reflected by the glass of the soul.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Amulet of Aethelgard

  • Description: A teardrop-shaped glass pendant encased in Victorian-style brass filigree. It emits a faint, reassuring hum and a golden glow when in use.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Cost: 1 Magic Point per use.
    • Passive Effect: Grants a +10% bonus to Appearance (APP) for the purpose of social interactions as long as it is visible.
    • Active Ability (The Enthralling Flourish): The user spends 1 MP to activate a golden flare. All observers within 10 yards must succeed on a POW Check (Difficulty: Regular) or be momentarily transfixed. Transfixed targets suffer a penalty die on Spot Hidden and Listen checks for 1D6 rounds as they focus solely on the user.
    • Sanity Cost: None for the user. However, non-possessed NPCs (investigators) who see the “stats” through a forced Mind’s Eye vision may lose 0/1D2 Sanity from the unnatural sensory overlay.
  • Syntax: Item; APP +10% (Passive); Enthralling Flourish (1 MP, 1D6 rounds).

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: Fine Spark-Wrought Locket

  • Description: A masterpiece of Spark-craft engineering. It uses a tiny electroplasmic vial to generate a field of social gravitas.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Load: 1 (Fine item).
    • Quality: Tier +1 for social engagement.
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): When you Consort or Sway in a high-society setting (Tier III or higher), you have +1 effect.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): Take 1 Stress to activate the locket. For the duration of the scene, you gain Potency when trying to command the attention of a crowd or distract guards.
    • Complication: If you roll a 1-3 on an action using this item, the electroplasmic vapor leaks, causing a “Sensory Overwhelm” (Level 1 Harm) and attracting the attention of the Spirit Wardens.
  • Syntax: Fine Item, Accessory, Potency (Social Focus), 1 Stress activation.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: Pendant of Resonant Admiration

  • Description: Wondrous item, common (requires attunement). This pendant is made of enchanted glass and brass. While wearing it, you feel an unshakeable sense of confidence.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Skills Gained): You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks made to perform or speak in public.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): As an action, you can cause the pendant to flare. Each creature of your choice within 20 feet of you must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is Charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. While charmed this way, the creature is Incapacitated as it stands in awe of you. Once used, this property can’t be used again until the next dawn.
    • Divine Pain: If you wear more than 10 attuned items, you take 1d4 psychic damage every 10 minutes until the excess is removed.
  • Syntax: Wondrous item, common (requires attunement); Passive: Persuasion Proficiency; Active: Enthralling Flourish (1/Day, DC 13 Wis).

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Hero’s Bauble

  • Description: A heavy brass-bound crystal. It takes up one of your limited gear slots but makes you feel like the center of the world.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Slots: 1 Slot (Neck).
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): You gain a +2 bonus to Charisma (CHA) checks when interacting with groups of 5 or more people.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): Once per day, you may force an NPC Morale Check. Instead of checking to flee, the NPCs check to see if they stop what they are doing to admire you. If they fail, they are stunned for 1D6 rounds.
    • Divine Pain: If your total worn items exceed your 10 + CON limit, you lose 1 HP every 10 minutes (per 2d4 check) until your inventory is legal.
  • Syntax: 1 Slot; +2 CHA (Groups); 1/Day Morale Distraction (1D6 rounds).

Fate Core

Unique Name: The Gilded Heart of Aethelgard

  • Description: A brass-etched glass pendant that vibrates with the echoes of ancient applause.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Stunt: Aura of the Protagonist): Gain a +2 bonus to Create an Advantage with the Rapport skill when performing or speaking in front of a crowd of three or more people.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): Once per scene, you may spend a Fate Point to immediately place the situation aspect Enthralled by the Gilded Heart on everyone in your zone. This aspect comes with one free invocation.
    • Cost: 1 Refresh (as an item-based stunt).
  • Syntax: Item Stunt; +2 Rapport (Crowds); Active: Spend 1 Fate Point for Zone Aspect Enthralled.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Resonator of the First Age

  • Description: A level 3 artifact consisting of a clear synth teardrop within a clockwork brass housing.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Level: 3.
    • Form: Amulet or pendant.
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): The wearer is trained in all pleasant social interactions (Sway, Persuade).
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): The user activates the device, causing it to pulse with golden light. For the next ten minutes, the difficulty of all social tasks against anyone within short range is decreased by one step.
    • Depletion: 1 in 1d20.
  • Syntax: Artifact (Level 3); Asset: Social Tasks; Depletion: 1 in 1d20.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Pendant of Resonant Admiration

  • Description: Item 1, Common, Enchantment, Invested, Magical. A beautiful brass and glass pendant that hums with social potential.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Usage: worn (neck); Bulk: L.
    • Passive (Skills Gained): You gain a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy checks and Performance checks made to orate or sing.
    • Activate (Enthralling Flourish): [one-action] (envision); Frequency: once per day. Effect: The pendant flares with golden light. You attempt to Fascinate all creatures within a 20-foot emanation (DC 15 Will save). On a failure, they are fascinated by you for 1 minute or until hostile action is taken.
    • Divine Pain: If you have more than 10 invested items, you are Drained 1 and take 1d4 mental damage every 10 minutes until the excess is removed.
  • Syntax: Item 1; Common; +1 Item Bonus (Diplomacy/Performance); Activate: 1-Action (Fascinate, DC 15).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: Locket of the Rising Star

  • Description: A finely crafted magitech locket that grants the wearer an undeniable air of importance.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): The wearer gains the Charismatic Edge while the item is worn. If they already have the Edge, they gain an additional +1 to Persuasion rolls.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): As an action, the wearer may trigger a golden pulse. All targets within a Medium Template centered on the wearer must make a Spirit roll or become Distracted and Vulnerable as they are awestruck.
    • Divine Pain: Wearing more than 10 items causes the wearer to become Fatigued. Every 10 minutes (2d4 check), they must make a Vigor roll or take a Wound as the divine gears grind against their soul.
  • Syntax: Gear; +2 Persuasion (Charismatic); Active: Spirit roll vs. Distracted/Vulnerable (Medium Template).

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Aethelgard Social Focus

  • Description: A rare piece of “magic-tech” that appears as an ornate brass pendant. It lacks traditional wireless capability but resonates with the wearer’s Astral Signature to smooth over social frictions.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Rating: 1.
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): While worn and active, the item provides a +1 dice pool bonus to all Influence Skill tests. Additionally, the wearer’s Social Status is treated as one level higher for the purposes of lifestyle interactions.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): The user spends a Minor Action to cause the focus to flare. This creates a magical distraction equivalent to the “Awe” effect. Anyone looking at the wearer must subtract the Focus Rating (1) from their Perception tests to notice anything other than the wearer for 1 Combat Round.
    • Drain/Consequence: If the wearer attempts to use more than their allowed number of bonded foci (exceeding the 10-item attunement limit), they suffer 1 box of Unresistible Stun damage every 10 minutes.
  • Syntax: Magic Focus (Social); Rating 1; Bonus: +1 Influence; Action: Minor (Distraction).

Starfinder (2nd Edition Playtest/Core)

Unique Name: Resonant Admiration Medallion

  • Description: A hybrid item combining alchemical light-vapor with a brass-filigree containment unit. It is often found in the hands of high-tier envoys and multiverse explorers.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Level: 1; Price: 400 credits.
    • Bulk: L; Slot: Neck.
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): You gain a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy and Performance checks. If you are a member of a gestalt or group mind, this bonus applies to any “Aid Another” social actions you perform.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): Once per day as a Standard Action, you can activate the medallion to emit a 20-foot-radius burst of golden light. Creatures in the area must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + half your level + Charisma modifier) or be Fascinated for 1 round per level.
    • Divine Pain: If you wear more than 10 invested/attuned items, you are Sickened and take 1d4 damage every 10 minutes.
  • Syntax: Hybrid Item 1; Usage: worn (neck); Bonus: +1 Diplomacy/Performance; Active: Fascinate (Will negates).

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Ancient Psionic Locket

  • Description: A strange artifact from an unknown world, the Locket of Resonant Admiration appears to be a low-tech brass trinket but possesses sophisticated psionic circuitry.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • TL: 13 (Ancient).
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): The wearer gains a DM+1 to all Persuasion or Carouse checks. If the wearer has a Psionic Strength (PSI) rating, the bonus increases to DM+2 as the locket taps into their latent talent.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): The wearer may attempt to “Captivate” an audience. This requires a Significant Action. All individuals within 6 meters must roll 8+ on their INT or EDU (whichever is higher) to avoid being distracted by the wearer’s presence for 1D6 minutes.
    • Restriction: The item functions as a “conduit.” If the user is in a high-radiation or “unsafe” zone, the locket’s circuits may misfire, dealing 1 point of damage to the wearer’s END characteristic.
  • Syntax: Artifact; TL 13; DM+1 Persuasion; Active: Captivate (6m radius).

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Radiant Bauble of Aethelgard

  • Description: A peculiar brass pendant containing a swirling golden light. It is whispered to be an artifact from a realm beyond the Great Ocean of Saṃsāra.
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Aura of the Protagonist): The wearer gains a +10 bonus to all Charm and Public Speaking Tests. Additionally, NPCs with a Status lower than the wearer’s are automatically inclined to be helpful unless provoked.
    • Active (Enthralling Flourish): As an Action, the wearer can trigger the pendant to flare. All targets within a range of Initiative yards must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test or gain 1 Stunned Condition as they are overwhelmed by admiration.
    • Divine Pain: If the wearer carries more than 10 attuned magical items, they must roll on the Minor Miscast table every 10 minutes as the winds of magic lash out against their physical form.
  • Syntax: Magical Item; +10 Charm/Public Speaking; Active: Stunned Condition (Willpower Test).