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Item 712 of the Deepest Affront

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by

Dale
in
  • Lore: During the early years of the Renaissance in the island nation of Lathandus, a high-ranking diplomat of the Royal Court was famously insulted by a common merchant. The diplomat, unable to retaliate physically due to local laws, commissioned an artisan to craft a garment that would embody his disdain for the “unwashed masses.” The resulting item became a symbol of silent, high-society mockery. Over centuries, these items were duplicated by lesser artisans, losing their original nobility but retaining a lingering magical residue of pure, unadulterated snobbery. To wear it is to project a psychic wall of “I am better than you,” which the common folk of Saṃsāra find deeply irritating.
  • Description: This is a stiff, overly starched high-collar cravat made of a pale, shimmering silk that seems to repel even the smallest speck of dust. It is dyed a shade of “Royal Hubris Purple” that shifts to a sickly green under the ultraviolet light of True Sight. The fabric is embroidered with tiny, silver magic circuits that hum with a low, vibrating frequency. It feels perpetually cold against the skin, reminding the wearer of their supposed superiority.
  • Stats:
    • Tier: 1
    • Slot: Neck Slot
    • AC: 1 (Limited to 3 per tier)
    • Resilience: 10
    • Health Points: 30 (Avatar Max HP + Resilience)
  • Skills Gained (While Openly Worn):
    • Diplomacy (Temporary): +1 point. The wearer gains a boost in formal negotiation, though it often comes off as patronizing.
    • Intimidation (Temporary): +1 point. The sheer audacity of the wearer’s presence makes others uneasy.
  • Passive Magics:
    • Aura of Superiority: Any mundane (non-magic) creature within 10 feet feels a sudden urge to apologize to the wearer for no apparent reason.
    • Stain Resistance: The item is magically protected from liquids and dirt. It cannot be soiled by mundane means, maintaining its pristine appearance even in a mud pit.
    • Mind’s Eye Masking: To passive Mind’s Eye checks, this item displays its name as “The Humble Servant’s Wrap,” a blatant falsehood intended to mock the observer once they dive deeper.
  • Active Magics:
    • The Silent Scathing (Normal Chant): The wearer performs a theatrical adjustment of the collar and delivers a condescending sigh. Target creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Saving Throw (DC 15) or suffer a disadvantage on their next social-based Skill Check due to wounded pride.
    • Haughty Retort (Reaction): Triggered when the wearer is missed by a melee attack. The wearer may use this reaction to deliver a verbal jab. This does not cause physical damage but grants the wearer a +2 bonus to their next “Roll to Hit” against that specific foe, fueled by the foe’s frustration.
    • Gaze of the Elite: By concentrating for one action, the wearer’s eyes glow with a faint purple light, granting Darkvision (60 feet) for 10 minutes, but only for the purpose of spotting “low-quality” or “broken” items.
  • Tags:
    • Originally made by: Elara the Vain, Modified by: Barnaby the Bold, Accessory, Silk, Buff, Debuff, Social, Lathandus, Cursed-adjacent, Starched, Formalwear, Ego, Snobbery, High-collar, Aristocratic, Mockery, Polished, Unyielding, Repellent, Gilded, Scorn, Etiquette

Acquisition of the Deepest Affront

The Item 712 of the Deepest Affront is most commonly obtained through the settling of high-society estates or as a hand-me-down from disgraced nobility. Because the item is a Tier 1 object, it often circulates among rising merchants or aspiring bureaucrats who wish to project an image of established power. Adventurers frequently find these tucked away in velvet-lined cedar chests within the ruins of manor houses or recovered from the remains of “gentleman explorers” who underestimated the feral creatures of the wild. Occasionally, a Faction specializing in political subterfuge or high-court etiquette may award this cravat to a member who has successfully roleplayed their way through a delicate social infiltration.

Commerce and Valuation

In the world of Saṃsāra, the price of such an item is dictated entirely by the environment and the desperation of the merchant.

In high-end metropolitan boutiques, which are often located in the “Designated Safe” districts of island nations, these items are sold in shops that resemble art galleries more than retail stores. These establishments feature soft lighting, private attendants, and a strict “by appointment only” policy. In such a venue, the item is marketed as an essential tool for the burgeoning elite. A Tier 1 avatar should expect to pay a premium for the brand and the prestige, with costs typically reaching 800 to 1,200 Gold. The shopkeepers here rarely buy such items from adventurers unless the seller possesses significant Renown, and even then, they will only offer about 400 Gold, citing the need for “professional cleaning and re-attunement.”

Conversely, in the bustling marketplaces of a “Somewhat Safe” walled city, one might find a “pre-owned” version in a specialty magic haberdashery. These shops are cramped, smelling of ozone and old parchment, with shelves stacked high with various enchanted garments. Here, the item is viewed more as a functional tool than a status symbol. The cost is generally more accessible, ranging from 500 to 700 Gold. Sellers can often offload the item here for a fair price of 250 to 300 Gold, provided they can prove the item isn’t currently carrying a “Divine Pain” curse from being over-slotted.

In the more rugged frontier outposts or “Normal” areas, this item is significantly harder to sell. Local general stores or blacksmiths may see the cravat as a useless bit of finery that offers very little protection against a marauding beast. If a shopkeeper is willing to take it at all, they might only offer 100 Gold or suggest a trade for practical rations and waterskins. However, if an avatar finds themselves in a town where the local leadership is particularly susceptible to being impressed by “nobility,” they might be able to exploit the market and sell it to a local social climber for upwards of 1,500 Gold, assuming the buyer fails their Mind’s Eye check to see its true lineage.

Strategic Roleplay and Utility of the Deepest Affront

The Item 712 of the Deepest Affront serves as a psychological and metaphysical tool that adapts to the environment of the wearer, leveraging the high-magic nature of Saṃsāra to manipulate the flow of a confrontation.

  • Offense in Civilized Society: Within the “Designated Safe” areas of a skyscraper metropolis, the cravat is used to initiate social dominance. The wearer utilizes The Silent Scathing not as a physical strike, but as a ritualized rejection of an opponent’s standing. By delivering a condescending sigh or a pointed adjustment of the silk fabric, the wearer forces an NPC or rival avatar to second-guess their own Tier and reputation. This offensive maneuver effectively “bruises” the target’s willpower, making them more susceptible to subsequent political or mercantile demands.
  • Defense in High-Stakes Diplomacy: When targeted by verbal barbs or social maneuvering in a Royal Court, the item acts as a psychic barrier. The wearer roleplays a posture of “unbothered excellence,” where the magical circuits in the collar hum to dampen the emotional impact of insults. By maintaining a cold, pristine appearance regardless of the heat of the debate, the wearer uses the item’s passive Aura of Superiority to ensure that any social “attack” simply slides off, much like the mundane dust that the silk repels.
  • Offense in Unsafe Wilderness: In “Normal” or “Unsafe” areas where feral monsters roam, the cravat is used to provoke. An avatar may roleplay a series of flamboyant, mocking gestures—the Normal Chant—to draw the attention of a creature. By using the Gaze of the Elite, the wearer identifies the “low-quality” or weak points in a monster’s hide or a foe’s armor. The offensive use here is tactical irritation; the wearer goads the enemy into making a reckless, anger-fueled strike that is easier to predict and counter.
  • Defense in Active Combat: During a turn-based skirmish, the item’s Haughty Retort reaction is the primary defensive mechanism. As an attacker lunges with a blade, the wearer performs a minimal, almost lazy dodge, following up with a stinging remark about the attacker’s “clumsy form.” This roleplay reinforces the item’s defensive bonus for the next turn. By treating a life-threatening attack as a mere social faux pas, the avatar uses the magic of the cravat to unbalance the foe’s concentration, effectively increasing the wearer’s survival chance through psychological warfare.
  • The Mind’s Eye Deception: In all environments, the wearer can defensively use the item’s Mind’s Eye Masking. By appearing as “The Humble Servant’s Wrap” to a passive observer, the wearer can bait an opponent into underestimating them. A foe might think they are attacking a low-tier commoner, only to be met with the full defensive AC and magical retorts of a prepared hero. This roleplay of the “hidden elite” allows for sudden shifts from a defensive, unassuming posture to a dominant, offensive presence the moment the cravat’s true nature is revealed.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

  • Tactile Sensation: The moment the cravat is activated, the starched fabric tightens slightly around the neck, shifting from a cool silk touch to a freezing, rigid pressure. It feels like a cold hand is perpetually lifting the wearer’s chin, forcing a posture of extreme arrogance.
  • Auditory Feedback: A high-pitched, crystalline humming vibrates through the wearer’s jawbone. This is the sound of the magic circuits synchronizing with the user’s thought patterns.
  • Visual Overlay: Through the Mind’s Eye, the wearer sees a faint violet vignette at the edges of their vision. When “Gaze of the Elite” is active, the world takes on a sharp, hyper-contrasted ultraviolet filter, making the seams of reality (and poor tailoring) glow with an offensive brightness.
  • Psychological Weight: A sudden wave of irrational confidence washes over the mind. The user feels an intense, almost physical revulsion toward anything they perceive as “common” or “low-tier,” fueled by the item’s residual memories of the Lathandus diplomat.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Visual Manifestation: To a normal observer, the cravat suddenly appears “sharper.” The purple dye seems to deepen, and the silver embroidery begins to crawl with a faint, electrical light. In a “Somewhat Safe” area, the light is soft, but in a “Deathly” area, it pulses like a rhythmic heartbeat.
  • Sensory Repulsion: Those standing within ten feet feel a sudden, inexplicable prickling on their skin. It is an instinctive social “itch” that makes them want to look away or bow, as if they are standing in the presence of someone vastly more important than themselves.
  • True Sight Observation: An observer using True Sight sees the cravat erupt in a fountain of violet and ultraviolet flames. The school of enchantment magic is visible as a swirling, oily mist that clings to the wearer, projecting the aura of the “Deepest Affront.”
  • Olfactory Note: The air around the activated item suddenly smells of expensive aged parchment and a sharp, ozone-like scent, completely masking any natural odors of the environment or the avatar.

Positives

  • Social Dominance: The activation provides an undeniable edge in negotiations where intimidation or status is the primary leverage. It effectively silences low-tier NPCs who lack the willpower to look the wearer in the eye.
  • Enhanced Awareness: The extra-sensory ultraviolet shift allows the user to spot hidden magical traps or “False Stats” on items being carried by others, as the cravat’s magic rejects deception from “lesser” sources.
  • Focus: The cold pressure on the neck serves as a constant physical anchor, preventing the wearer from being easily distracted by emotional charms or fear-based magic from foes.

Negatives

  • Social Friction: While the item commands respect, it also breeds deep resentment. Guards in “Unsafe” areas may target the wearer first simply because they find the avatar’s presence to be an intolerable affront to their own status.
  • Mental Burden: The psychological “snobbery” of the item can overwhelm a Tier 1 soul. If worn for more than an hour, the user may develop a temporary “Hyper Focus” headache, making it difficult to empathize with allies or understand simple, practical problems.
  • Vulnerability: The activation is noisy on the magical spectrum. Any foe with “Soul Sight” or “Radar” will pinpoint the wearer instantly, as the cravat’s ego-driven magic is impossible to hide once the silver circuits are humming.

Restoration of the Diplomat’s Disdain: A Crafting Guide

To recreate an item of such specific social weight as the Deepest Affront, a crafter must blend high-tier textile work with the precise etching of magic circuits. This recipe produces a Tier 1 common variant of the original cravat.

  • Materials Needed:
    • Royal Hubris Silk: One yard of high-grade, magically conductive silk harvested from lunar moths found in the Lathandus month.
    • Silver Fire Thread: Six spools of thread spun from refined silver and infused with a fraction of a Tier 1 magic crystal.
    • Starch of the Elite: A specialized alchemical solution made from crushed pearls and elemental water to provide permanent rigidity.
    • Tier 1 Magic Crystal (Catalyst): One coin-sized crystal to serve as the battery for the internal magic circuits and the Mind’s Eye masking effect.
    • Violet Essence: A vial of dye extracted from rare sea-snails found in the deep oceans of Sharus.
  • Tools Required:
    • Etching Needle: A fine-tipped tool used for carving magic circuits into fabric without tearing the fibers.
    • Alchemical Vat: A small, temperature-controlled vessel used for the silk-tempering process.
    • Steam-Powered Loom: A mechanical loom used to ensure the weave is tight enough to hold a Tier 1 enchantment.
    • Conduit Focus: A handheld item used to stabilize the flow of thought during the final attunement step.
  • Skill Requirements:
    • Tailoring (Trained): Level 3 or higher.
    • Alchemical Crafting (Temporary or Trained): Level 2 or higher for the dye and starch preparation.
    • Magical Crafting (Trained): Level 3 or higher to successfully etch the silver fire thread into functional circuits.
  • Crafting Steps:
    • Phase 1 (Tempering): Submerge the Royal Hubris Silk into the Alchemical Vat with the Starch of the Elite. This must sit for exactly one hour until the fabric can stand upright on its own.
    • Phase 2 (Dyeing): Apply the Violet Essence using a series of seven ritualistic strokes. This binds the color to the magic crystalline cells of the silk, ensuring the color shifts under True Sight.
    • Phase 3 (Circuit Etching): Using the Etching Needle and Silver Fire Thread, embroider the lineage patterns and magic circuits into the high collar. This step requires an Action and a successful Skill Check to ensure the circuits are not “Rule Breakers” in a negative sense.
    • Phase 4 (Catalyst Integration): Secure the Tier 1 Magic Crystal into a hidden pocket within the cravat’s knot. The crystal must be focused using the Mind’s Eye to program the “The Humble Servant’s Wrap” false-stat mask.
    • Phase 5 (Final Attunement): Perform a 10-minute Ritual Chant while holding the Conduit Focus. This awakens the Aura of Superiority and binds the item’s offensive and defensive reactions to the potential wearer’s thought-weave.

Purple Neck-Binding of Highest Looking-Down

In the before-times of the long ago, when the Isle of Lathandus was yet a younger dirt-mound protruding from the endless wet, there lived a Man of Speaking for the Big Chair. His true name is eaten by the mouth of time, so the old writers call him the Lord of the Upward Chin. This man possessed a soul that burned with the bright fire of thinking he was the center of the gas giant’s rotation. He walked upon the stone paths of the safe circle with his face pointing always to the sky, for he believed his eye-orbs were too expensive to look upon the mud of the common walking-people. He was a man who held the ear of the Crown-Wearer, and because of this, his liver was swollen with the fatness of his own importance.

It came to pass during the week of the Blooming, when the plant-flesh opened to the sun, the Lord of the Upward Chin was walking through the Square of the Loud Coin-Trading. In this place, a man of low birth, a dirt-walker who traded the roots of the earth for pieces of copper, moved his body in a way of clumsiness. The dirt-walker placed his foot-covering of dried animal skin upon the shadow of the Lord of the Upward Chin. The Lord made a sound from his breathing-hole, a sound like a small bird choking on a bitter seed, to show his great sickness at this closeness. The dirt-walker, having filled his stomach with the fermented water of courage, did not throw his face to the floor as is the custom. Instead, the dirt-walker spoke words of great filth. He threw insults like heavy stones, suggesting the Lord’s mother was a feral beast of the flat teeth and that his father smelled of the bottom of the fishing boats.

The blood of the Lord of the Upward Chin became hot steam inside his meat-tubes. His mind-thoughts screamed for the drawing of the sharp iron to separate the dirt-walker’s head from his body. But the Law of the Crown-Wearer was a heavy chain. The law spoke thusly: there shall be no spilling of the life-juice in the Square of the Loud Coin-Trading, for it makes the coins slippery. If the Lord used his hands for violence, the guards of the pointy metal hats would take away his sitting-chair in the high room. The Lord’s liver boiled with the heat of a thousand suppressed angers. He turned his body and walked away, but his spirit was a dark storm of bad winds seeking a place to strike the earth.

When the moon cast its shadow, the Lord traveled to the narrow walking-paths where the shadows have teeth. He sought the dwelling of the Spider of Silver Threads, a Maker of Cloth-Magic who possessed a Mind’s Eye that looked into the under-truth of the world. The Lord threw a heavy skin-bag of shiny metal circles upon the wooden eating-table of the Maker. He spoke with spittle of great offense. He commanded the Maker to forge a wrapping for the neck-flesh. He demanded a garment that would scream his absolute better-ness without the using of mouth-sounds. He wanted a cloth that, when looked upon, would cause the souls of the low-births to weep for their own garbage-nature.

The Spider of Silver Threads took the shiny metal circles and began the great working. For seven turnings of the moon, the Maker did not sleep. They went to the edges of the world to gather the spit of the moon-fly for the weaving of the silk. They traveled to the deep cold waters to squeeze the purple life-juice from the hard-shell-crawlers of the dark. They boiled the water of the elements with the crushed white stones of the sea until the mixture was as stiff as the bones of the dead. With a needle forged from a fallen star, the Maker pushed the magic circuits into the fabric. The unseen push-pull of the magic was angry; it was entirely composed of looking-down and sniffing-at. They bound a magic crystal of the first size inside the center knot, forcing it to tell lies to the Mind’s Eye of anyone who dared to look closely, naming it a humble thing to trick the weak-brained.

When the working was finished, it was the color of a bruised plum of hubris. The Lord of the Upward Chin placed the purple neck-binding upon his flesh-pillar. Immediately, the starched magic tightened like the grip of a frozen hand. His chin was forced upward by the unyielding stiffness. The unseen light of the ultraviolet better-ness radiated from his chest. The air around him suddenly smelled of old papers and the absence of sweat. He felt the cold touch of absolute superiority enter his thought-weave. He was armed for the silent war.

The Lord returned to the Square of the Loud Coin-Trading when the sun was highest. He sought and found the dirt-walker who traded roots. The Lord did not speak a single mouth-sound. He merely stood in the path, performing a theatrical adjustment of the purple cloth. The magic circuits hummed the song of the Deepest Affront. The dirt-walker looked upon the Lord. The unseen push-pull of the item struck the dirt-walker’s soul. The dirt-walker’s knees became as water, and he collapsed into the mud. He wept salt-water from his face-orbs, beating his own head with an orange root-vegetable. He cried loudly to the sky, screaming that he was the dirt, that he was the bad smell, and he begged forgiveness for consuming the air that the Lord needed for his superior breathing. The silent scathing had conquered the enemy without the drawing of iron.

Filled with the fatness of this victory, the Lord of the Upward Chin became addicted to the magic of the neck-binding. He refused to remove it from his flesh-pillar. He wore it to the sleeping-bed, and he wore it to the eating-table. His chin was perpetually pointed at the gas giant in the sky. He looked down upon the other Men of Speaking, and eventually, the madness of the magic caused him to look down upon the Crown-Wearer himself. The purple cloth whispered lies of greatness into his ears, convincing him that he was a deity of the moon walking among insects.

But the unyielding stiffness of the magic was his undoing. Because his chin was forever locked toward the clouds, he lost the ability to see the dirt upon which his feet walked. One day, while traveling through the woods of normal danger, he did not see the large hole in the ground. He did not see the furry ground-mouth of many hungers that resided within the hole. The Lord stepped directly into the tooth-cave of the feral beast. The beast closed its jaws, consuming the Lord entirely, because his neck was too proud to look at the floor. The beast did not care about the purple fabric of superiority, for feral beasts do not understand the invisible ladders of the sitting-men.

Moral of the Story: A stiff neck cannot see the hole in the ground, and magic that makes you feel larger than the world will only make you the perfect size for a monster’s mouth.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Hierophant’s Silk Cravat

Stat Value / Effect
Artifact Type Enchanted Apparel
APP Bonus +15% (while worn)
Credit Rating +10% (Effective status only)
Sanity Cost 1/1d4 (to witness activation)

 

Game Mechanics:

  • The Scathing Sneeze: The user may spend 5 Magic Points to deliver a condescending remark. The target must succeed in an Opposed POW Roll or suffer a Penalty Die on all social interactions for 1d6 hours due to sudden, intense self-doubt.
  • Aura of Nobility: Provides a Bonus Die to Persuade or Intimidate rolls against individuals with a lower Credit Rating than the user.
  • The Price of Hubris: If the user fumbles a social roll while wearing the cravat, they lose 1d6 Sanity as they become momentarily convinced they have become a “commoner.”

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: Fine Imperial Cravat of Scorn

Item Quality: Fine (+1 Quality / Tier) Load: 0 (Worn)

Game Mechanics:

  • Potency: When you Command or Sway a target of lower social standing, this item provides Potency. You are considered one Tier higher for the purpose of determining effect level in social engagements.
  • Special Feature (Activated): You may take 1 Stress to activate the silver circuits. For the duration of the scene, you gain Potency to Consort with high-society NPCs, but all Prowl or stealth actions suffer Reduced Effect because you are too “shining” to be ignored.
  • Complication: If you roll a 1-3 on a social action, the “Affront” triggers a hostile response. Instead of just failing, the NPC takes it as a personal insult, worsening your Position for all future interactions with that faction.

Dungeons & Dragons (2024 Edition)

Unique Name: Cravat of the Deepest Affront

Wondrous Item, Common (Requires Attunement)

Specific Mechanics:

  • Initiative: While attuned and worn, you gain a +1 bonus to Initiative as your sense of superiority keeps you perpetually ready to correct others.
  • Superior Presence: You have Advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks made against creatures with a Challenge Rating lower than your level.
  • Active Magic (1 Charge/Day): As an Action, you can cast Vicious Mockery (Save DC 13). When cast this way, the damage is doubled if you know the target’s name, but you cannot cast it again until the next dawn.
  • Curse of the Proud: You have Disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to perceive traps or hazards on the ground, as your chin is magically tilted upward.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The High-Born’s Neck-Wrap

Item Slots: 1 (Worn) Quality: 3 (Standard)

Game Mechanics:

  • Social Shield: While this item is in an undamaged inventory slot, you have Advantage on saves against being Charmed or Frightened by “unrefined” sources (beasts, peasants, or common bandits).
  • The Scornful Glare: Once per day, you may force an NPC to make a Charisma Save. On a failure, they must move away from you and cannot initiate combat with you for 1 turn, overwhelmed by your perceived status.
  • Wound Trigger: If the slot containing the cravat takes a wound, the item is not dropped; instead, it is “soiled.” You suffer Disadvantage on all Charisma-based checks until you spend a downtime action (and 10 gold) to have it professionally laundered.

Fate (Condensed/Core)

Unique Name: The Unyielding Scarf of High Hubris

Type: Extra / Stunt-Backed Item

Game Mechanics:

  • Aspect: Projection of Pure Distain. This aspect can be invoked to gain a +2 or a reroll when the user is trying to socially dominate a scene or resist an emotional manipulation.
  • Stunt (The Silent Scathing): Once per session, you may use your Provoke skill to attack a target’s mental stress from a distance, even if they aren’t directly engaging you. If successful, the target takes +2 stress as their self-worth is momentarily shattered.
  • Trouble: Too Grand for Common Ground. When wearing the scarf, you cannot invoke any aspects related to stealth, blending in, or humility. Compelling this trouble often results in NPCs becoming reflexively hostile or refusing to cooperate out of spite.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: The Ultraviolet Ego-Circuit

Level: 1d6 (Tier 1) Form: A high-collar wrap of stiff, shifting silk embedded with micro-circuitry.

Game Mechanics:

  • Effect (Passive): The wearer gains an Asset to all tasks involving Intimidation or Social Interaction where projecting authority is beneficial.
  • Effect (Active): By spending 1 Intellect Point, the wearer activates the internal crystalline cells. For one hour, the wearer can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, allowing them to perceive invisible energy flows and hidden magical (or technological) markings.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20. Upon depletion, the silver circuits burn out, and the item becomes a mundane piece of clothing until repaired with a successful Understanding Numenera task.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition Remaster)

Unique Name: Mantle of the Haughty Diplomat

Item 1; Rare, Divination, Enchantment, Invested, Magical

Usage: Worn (Neck); Bulk: L

Game Mechanics:

  • Identification Masking: Any attempt to identify the item with a Religion or Arcana check sees the item’s name as “The Humble Servant’s Wrap” unless the check result exceeds the DC by 10 or more (a Critical Success).
  • Social Mastery: You gain a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy checks and Intimidation checks.
  • Active (Action – The Silent Scathing): (Visual, Mental, Emotion); Frequency: Once per hour. You perform a condescending gesture. One creature within 30 feet must attempt a Will Save (DC 15).
    • Success: The creature is unaffected.
    • Failure: The creature is Stupefied 1 for 1 minute as it dwells on its own perceived inadequacies.
    • Critical Failure: The creature is Stupefied 2 for 1 minute.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Starched Cravat of Affront

Type: Weird Science / Magic Item

Game Mechanics:

  • Arrogant Presence: The wearer gains the Attractive Edge (or Very Attractive if they already possess it) but only for the purpose of impressing those who value high status. Conversely, they gain the Outsider (Minor) Hindrance when dealing with commoners, laborers, or criminals.
  • The Scathing Retort (Reaction): Once per round, when an enemy fails a Fighting roll against the wearer, the wearer may immediately make a Taunt roll against that enemy as a free action. If successful, the enemy is Distracted until the end of their next turn.
  • Ultraviolet Gaze: As a limited action, the wearer may grant themselves the Infravision and Detect Arcana abilities for 5 minutes. This requires a successful Spirit roll. On a critical failure, the wearer suffers a level of Fatigue from a psychic headache.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Neo-Tokyo “High-Protocol” Mana-Cravat

Item Category: Clothing (Armored) Armor Rating: 1 Availability: 3(R) Cost: 1,500¥

Game Mechanics:

  • Social Firewall: While worn, the user adds +1 die to all Defense tests against Social attacks or attempts to manipulate their emotions via magical or mundane means.
  • Mana-Etched Circuits: The item provides +1 die to Influence tests when the user is in a “Superior” social position (Corporate boardrooms, luxury clubs).
  • AR Masking: The item’s wireless signal is programmed to broadcast a “Common Clothing” tag. A hacker or observer must succeed in an Electronics + Intuition (4) test to see the true luxury price tag and magical nature of the garment.
  • The Scathing Retort: If an opponent misses the wearer in a melee attack, the wearer may spend 1 Minor Action to deliver a condescending quip, granting the opponent the Dazed status until the end of the next player’s turn.

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Unique Name: Lathandus-Pattern Ego-Wrap

Item Level: 1; Price: 350 Credits Bulk: L; Usage: Worn (Neck)

Game Mechanics:

  • Diplomatic Immunity: The wearer gains a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks against creatures of the same or lower level.
  • Ultraviolet Sensors: Once per day, as an Interact action, the wearer can activate the wrap’s crystalline fibers to gain Low-Light Vision and a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to detect cloaked technology or active magical effects for 10 minutes.
  • Social Affront (Reaction): Trigger: A creature within 30 feet fails a skill check. Effect: You deliver a patronizing sigh. The triggering creature takes a –1 status penalty to its next d20 roll before the end of its next turn.
  • Flaw: High-Maintenance. If the wearer takes damage from an Acid or Fire source, the item’s AC bonus and social bonuses are suppressed until it is repaired at a tech-workshop.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Noble’s Starched Gorget

TL: 12; Cost: Cr 5,000 Weight: —

Game Mechanics:

  • Social Standing (Soc) Modifier: The wearer is treated as having Soc +1 when interacting with Imperial nobility or high-society officials. However, they suffer a –1 DM to all Carouse or Streetwise checks made in starports or low-law zones.
  • Integrated Sensors: The gorget is equipped with a passive ultraviolet scanner. The wearer gains a +1 DM to Sensors or Investigate checks when searching for hidden power conduits or high-energy signatures in an area.
  • Psychological Edge: In a social confrontation, the wearer can force an opponent to make a Difficult (10+) EDU or SOC check. Failure means the opponent is “unsettled” by the wearer’s disdain, granting the wearer a +1 DM on their next check against that opponent.

Warhammer (Age of Sigmar: Soulbound)

Unique Name: Azyrite Cravat of Supreme Disdain

Rarity: Rare; Cost: 450 Drops Keywords: Accessory, Magical

Game Mechanics:

  • Aura of Order: The cravat is infused with the high-magic of Azyr. The wearer gains a 1d6 bonus to their Social (Guile or Intuition) pool when dealing with those they deem “disorderly” or lower-ranked.
  • The Silent Scathing: As an Action, you may choose one creature within Medium Range and deliver a stinging non-verbal insult. The target must make a DN 4:2 Soul (Fortitude) test. If they fail, they are Hindered on their next Action as they are overcome by a sense of social worthlessness.
  • Mundane Mask: To any creature without the Witch-Sight Talent, the item appears as a tattered, common rag. To those with Witch-Sight, it glows with a blinding, haughty purple light that makes it impossible to look at the wearer directly without squinting.
  • The Price of Pride: If the wearer takes a Wound, the cravat constricts in “embarrassment,” dealing 1 additional point of damage as it tries to hide the wearer’s “failure” from the world.