Contract 37 of the Insolent Tongue

Appearance: A simple silver amulet shaped like a forked tongue, or perhaps a tarnished ring with an inscription reading “Speak Now, Regret Later.”

Lore: This contract is rumored to have originated from a minor trickster spirit, renowned for its sharp words and ability to fluster even the most confident individual. Over time, the spirit’s essence became tied to the contracts, granting wearers a sliver of that same audacity.

Stats: +2 Charisma

Slot: Neck or Finger

Roleplay Emphasis: Affront – This item grants its wearer the confidence to speak their mind boldly, regardless of consequences. It encourages cutting remarks, verbal barbs, and a general disregard for tact or diplomacy.

Costs: Purchase Price: 50-100 Gold (adjust based on setting’s economy)

Magics: Tongue Lashing: (Action) The wearer unleashes a verbal assault on a single target within earshot. On a successful Charisma contest, the target suffers psychic damage (1d4) and is Disadvantaged on their next attack or ability check due to shaken confidence.

Tags: Common, Roleplay, Charisma, Psychic

How to use for defense and offense in various environments:

• Offense:
  • Social Combat: Intimidate an opponent during a tense negotiation, goad an enemy into making a rash mistake, or break a rival’s focus during a performance or duel with well-timed insults.
  • Distraction: Create a commotion by insulting a crowd or a powerful figure, causing them to focus on the wearer, allowing allies to maneuver or escape.
• Defense:
  • Damage Mitigation: Discourage attacks by demoralizing a foe with a preemptive verbal assault, potentially lowering their will to fight. This psychological defense works best against foes easily provoked or sensitive to insults.
  • Information Gathering: Angering an NPC might cause them to reveal more than intended, rashly divulging secrets or weaknesses in the heat of the moment.

Environments:

• Urban Settings: Ideal for social maneuvering, court intrigue, or verbally sparring with guards and officials.
• Wilderness Encounters: Effective against humanoid creatures or those vulnerable to psychological attacks. Less effective against mindless beasts or foes unaffected by insults.

Important Note: The Contract of the Insolent Tongue encourages a confrontational playstyle with a high chance for both rewards and negative social consequences. It’s a double-edged sword!

“Perception of Activation” for the Contract 37 of the Insolent Tongue, exploring how it affects the wearer’s senses and grants extra-sensory perceptions:

• Sight
  • Perceived: A faint, silvery aura surrounds the amulet or ring when activated. Words or symbols may briefly flash across its surface.
  • Description: The aura is subtle, not immediately noticeable unless the wearer is focusing on the item.
  • Positives: Provides visual confirmation that the Contract’s magic is active.
  • Negatives: Could potentially give away the wearer’s reliance on the item to those with keen eyesight.
• Sound
  • Perceived: A low, almost subliminal whisper accompanies the Contract’s activation. The voice is androgynous and carries a mocking, sardonic tone.
  • Description: The whisper is audible only to the wearer, offering a constant stream of witty (and sometimes cruel) remarks and commentary.
  • Positives: Can boost the wearer’s confidence with a barrage of biting comebacks and insults. May provide inspiration in social situations
  • Negatives: Could be distracting during moments requiring focus. Over time, the whispers might erode the wearer’s sense of self, replacing their thoughts with those of the trickster spirit.
• Smell
  • Perceived: A faint scent of ozone or singed parchment lingers around the wearer when the Contract is active.
  • Description: Subtle but noticeable to those with a keen sense of smell. The scent is not unpleasant but slightly unsettling.
  • Positives: Could act as a subtle signal to other magic users that a Contract is in play.
  • Negatives: May draw unwanted attention from creatures with powerful olfactory senses.
• Touch
  • Perceived: The metal of the amulet or ring feels slightly warmer to the touch when active.
  • Description: The warmth is comforting, like a reassuring pulse.
  • Positives: Provides tactile confirmation of the Contract’s power, imbuing the wearer with a sense of boldness.
  • Negatives: The warmth might be uncomfortable in hot climates.
• Taste
  • Perceived: A faint metallic tang coats the wearer’s tongue, accompanied by a prickling sensation.
  • Description: The taste is not overwhelming, but it lingers, reminding the wearer of the bargain they’ve struck.
  • Positives: This physical sensation further adds to the sense of ‘reality’ of the Contract, making its effects feel more tangible.
  • Negatives: The lingering taste might become irritating over extended use.
• Extra-Sensory Perceptions
  • Intuition: The wearer gains flashes of insight into others’ emotional states. They can sense hidden insecurities or vulnerabilities, giving them an advantage in social manipulation.
  • Empathic Resonance: A slight empathic connection forms between the wearer and their target when they use the Tongue Lashing ability. This allows the wearer to feel the sting of their own insults reflected back, albeit at reduced intensity.
  • Aura Sensitivity: The wearer becomes faintly aware of the ‘auras’ of other magic users and items, sensing their general power level or alignment.

Recipe: Contract 37 of the Insolent Tongue

• Materials Needed:
  • Pure Silver: (1 ounce) Symbolizes clarity of speech and the potential for eloquence.
  • Quill from a Raven or Magpie: Represents cleverness, audacity, and a love of words.
  • Venom Sac of a Poisonous Serpent: (dried and powdered) Adds a touch of danger, malice, and the threat of consequences for careless words.
  • Lodestone: (small) Draws upon the power of magnetism and attraction, but also repulsion, making the wearer both compelling and potentially off-putting.
  • Enchantment Ink: A special ink infused with arcane energy, necessary for binding the contract.
• Tools Required:
  • Jeweler’s Kit: For crafting the amulet or ring base.
  • Mortar and Pestle: For grinding the venom sac into powder.
  • Enchanter’s Quill and Parchment: For scribing the terms of the contract.
• Skill Requirements:
  • Smithing (Proficiency): To shape the silver into the desired form.
  • Arcana (Proficiency): Knowledge of enchantment rituals and understanding the nature of binding contracts.
  • Nature or Animal Handling (Advantage): Helpful for obtaining the venom sac safely.
• Crafting Steps:
  • Forge the Base: Melt the silver and shape it into a simple amulet shaped like a forked tongue, or a plain silver ring. Let it cool completely.
  • Prepare the Venom: Carefully grind the dried venom sac into a fine powder.
  • Inscribe the Contract: With the Enchanter’s Quill, write the terms of the Contract on parchment. Focus on clauses that grant the wearer a sharp tongue, audacity, and a disregard for social niceties. Be warned, there must always be a price or sacrifice required in return.
  • Imbue the Item: Mix the venom powder with a small amount of enchantment ink. Using this mixture, etch symbolic runes or phrases associated with trickery, mockery, and insults onto the amulet or ring.
  • Ritual Binding: Under the light of a full moon, recite the Contract aloud while holding the silver item and the parchment. As you finish, burn the parchment, allowing the smoke to infuse the item and seal the magical bargain.
• Important Notes:
  • The exact wording of the Contract is crucial and will influence the item’s specific effects and temperament.
  • The crafting process itself is imbued with risk. Mishandling the venom or a poorly worded Contract could invite misfortune upon the crafter.

The Inscribed Tongue and the Jester King

From whispers passed down through flickering torchlight and etched onto crumbling clay tablets comes the fractured tale of the Inscribed Tongue. Legends speak of a time long past, where mortals conversed with spirits and the wind carried secrets on its breath. In this forgotten age, a cunning court jester named Astyr served a king known for his vanity and dull wit.

Astyr, a master of barbs and witticisms, delighted the court with his pointed observations, often delivered with a sly grin and a twinkle in his eye. However, the king, ever sensitive to perceived mockery, grew weary of Astyr’s playful jabs. One moonless night, fueled by resentment and a goblet of fermented plum wine, the king banished Astyr from the kingdom.

Wandering the desolate plains beyond the castle walls, Astyr stumbled upon a hidden grove bathed in an otherworldly glow. There, amidst gnarled trees and whispering leaves, he encountered a sly, silver serpent with eyes like polished obsidian. The serpent, an entity known only as the Coiling Whisperer, listened with amusement to Astyr’s woes.

A bargain was struck, its details shrouded in the cryptic language of forgotten tongues. When Astyr emerged from the grove the next morning, a simple silver ring adorned his finger, cool to the touch and etched with strange symbols. Back in the court, Astyr’s words took on a new edge. His wit, once playful, became laced with venom. His jabs struck true, exposing the king’s insecurities and hidden flaws with a cruelty that shocked even the most hardened courtiers.

The king, stripped bare by Astyr’s relentless barbs, descended into paranoia and madness. The once vibrant court became a place of fear and suspicion. Astyr, his revenge complete, vanished as mysteriously as he had returned. Yet, the ring remained, a chilling reminder of the pact made in the twilight grove.

Moral:  Beware the allure of a quick and venomous tongue, for the sweetest revenge can leave a bitter taste in the victor’s mouth.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu

• Emphasis: Madness, psychological horror, and the insidious cost of forbidden knowledge.
• Stat Block:
  • Sanity Loss: Using Tongue Lashing carries a Sanity risk (1/1d4). Witnessing the whispers and aura might also trigger a Sanity check.
  • Lore (Occult): A successful check reveals fragments of the item’s history and associated spirit.
  • Bargain: The GM determines a recurring cost or sacrifice needed to maintain the Contract (loss of reputation, unsettling dreams, an increasing compulsion to use insults).
• Mechanics:
  • Tongue Lashing becomes a Persuade/Intimidate roll with a bonus. However, failure triggers a backlash due to the item’s chaotic nature.
  • The whispers offer clues but distort the user’s perception.
  • Extended use could lead to permanent Sanity loss and even attracting the attention of the Coiling Whisperer.

Blades in the Dark

• Emphasis: Criminal ambition, social maneuvering, and dangerous bargains in a shadowy world.
• Stat Block:
  • Prowess: Used for bold social actions and verbal confrontations.
  • Resolve: Resisting the trickster spirit’s influence or enduring social consequences.
  • Vice: The Contract encourages the ‘Audacity’ Vice, pushing the wearer towards riskier behavior.
• Mechanics:
  • Tongue Lashing as a risky Action Roll with boosted Effect, but potential fallout like Heat, Reprisal, or Entanglements with offended factions.
  • The whispers are treated like a supernatural Echo, fueling reckless behavior but potentially offering insights into rivals.
  • The Contract might be tied to a specific Crew Claim or lead to a long-term Score involving the Coiling Whisperer.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• Emphasis: Fantasy heroics with a touch of dark humor and potential consequences.
• Stat Block:
  • Item Rarity: Common
  • Requires Attunement
  • +2 Charisma
  • Action: Tongue Lashing (1d4 psychic damage, target has Disadvantage on their next attack roll or ability check)
• Mechanics:
  • Use Charisma as a spellcasting ability for Tongue Lashing.
  • Regular use requires a Wisdom saving throw to resist the whispers’ influence. Failure might result in disadvantage on Charisma checks outside of confrontations as the character becomes overly antagonistic.
  • The DM determines additional roleplaying side effects and potential long-term alignment shifts.

Knave

• Emphasis: Simple mechanics, quirky characters, and the potential for things to go hilariously wrong.
• Stat Block:
  • +1 Charisma (or equivalent Knave ability)
  • Item Usage: Roll a d6 as part of social contests. On a 1-3, suffer a setback imposed by the GM.
  • Quirks: The item constantly whispers insults, potentially hindering stealth or concentration.
• Mechanics:
  • Tongue Lashing becomes a direct roll-off against a target, with the Contract boosting the user’s roll but always carrying a risk of comical repercussions.
  • Focus on roleplaying the whispers and their unpredictable effects. Failure should be fun rather than strictly punitive.
  • Using the Contract might put the character on an unusual quest at the GM’s behest to maintain the bargain.

Fate

• Emphasis: Narrative control, proactive characters, and the consequences of tapping into dangerous power.
• Mechanics:
  • Aspect: “Bound by the Insolent Tongue” – This aspect can be invoked to boost social attacks or taunts, granting a bonus, but can also be compelled to create complications when rash words backfire.
  • Stunt: “Silvered Tongue Lashing” – Allows the character to inflict mental stress on a target during conflicts, fueled by their negative emotions.
  • Consequence: Each use of the Contract might inflict a temporary consequence like “Reckless and Rude” or “Socially Scorned,” creating further narrative complications.

Numenera & Cypher System

• Emphasis: Exploration, the bizarre, and the lingering cost of tapping into the unknown.
• Mechanics:
  • Artifact: The Contract of the Insolent Tongue is a minor Artifact with a Depletion of 1 in 1d10.
  • Cypher Ability: Tongue Lashing (Level 2) – Inflicts 4 points of Intellect damage, and the target suffers a -1 penalty to their next Speed roll due to shaken confidence.
  • Side Effect: The whispers become a recurring Intrusion, offering cryptic hints while distracting the character at inopportune moments.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

• Emphasis: Tactical choices, character build customization, and combating supernatural threats
• Mechanics:
  • Item Rarity: Common
  • Requires Investment (wearer must choose the relevant deity or alignment associated with the trickster spirit)
  • +2 Circumstance Bonus to Intimidate checks and similar social skills
  • Action: Tongue Lashing – A cantrip-like ability (possibly tied to Occult or Deception skill), dealing minor mental damage with a chance to cause the target to become Flat-Footed for one round.

Savage Worlds

• Emphasis: Fast-paced action, cinematic flair, and the potential for things to go wildly off-course.
• Mechanics:
  • Hindrance: Overconfident (Minor) – Character gains an edge in social conflict but tends to take things too far and create enemies.
  • Power: Tongue Lashing – A Novice arcane power linked to the Smarts skill. It does minor damage and can inflict the Shaken condition on a failed Spirit roll.
  • Backlash: Using the Contract is a gamble – if the Power roll results in a 1 on the skill die, the user suffers from unintended social consequences or alienates allies.

Shadowrun

• Emphasis: Cyberpunk grit, magical threats, and the risky business of making deals in the shadows.
• Mechanics:
  • Quality: The Contract can be represented as a magical Focus, offering its benefits while magically bonded to the runner.
  • Drain: Using Tongue Lashing requires a Drain Resistance test (potentially using Willpower). Higher dice pools might represent more powerful insults, but carry a greater risk of psychic backlash.
  • Connections & Rep: Regular use of the Contract could earn the user a reputation as a “Verbal Razor,” attracting the attention of both potential clients and those who take offense readily.

Starfinder

• Emphasis: Spacefaring adventure, alien encounters, and the potential for ancient artifacts to hold unknown power.
• Mechanics:
  • Magic Item: The Contract is a minor magical item granting a bonus to Intimidate and Bluff checks.
  • Integrated Tech: The whispers might manifest as an intrusive sub-routine in the user’s comm unit or cybernetic implants, causing the character to unknowingly insult people over comms.
  • Potential Drawback: The item’s origin remains mysterious. Extended use could attract the ire of the original spirit entity or another entity drawn to its power.

Traveller

• Emphasis: Exploration, hard sci-fi elements, and the lingering consequences of risky choices.
• Mechanics:
  • Social Standing: The Contract grants a bonus to a relevant Social skill (e.g., Persuade, Carouse) but could negatively impact the user’s Social Standing in certain circles.
  • Psionics Potential: If psionics exist in your setting, Tongue Lashing could be a minor psionic discipline with a risk of temporary mental backlash on failure.
  • Long-Term Repercussions: Using the Contract too frequently might mark the character as a troublemaker, limiting their options when seeking employment or patronage.

Warhammer (Fantasy or 40,000)

• Emphasis: Dark, gritty worlds where power always comes at a price – perfect for the insidious influence of the Contract.
• Mechanics:
  • Chaos Corruption: In Warhammer Fantasy, using the Contract grants a minor Chaos mutation or increases existing Corruption Points. Tongue Lashing works by fueling insults with the raw power of Chaos.
  • Forbidden Lore: In Warhammer 40k, the Contract is a piece of heretical tech or an artifact of a xenos origin. Using it risks drawing the attention of the Inquisition, but grants a bonus on fear-inducing actions or interrogations.
  • Sin & Damnation: In either system, the Contract could slowly erode a character’s morality and make them more susceptible to Chaos/heresy.