Item Appearance: A tarnished silver ring, with a single black gemstone set in its center. Encircling the gemstone, tiny inscriptions detail the binding agreement of the contract, visible only to those attuned to its power.
Lore: In the shaded alleys of Mourntown, a city in Saṃsāra where sorrow and shadows merge, the tormented soul Eryndor sought solace from his ceaseless pain. Turning to Contract Magic, he bound a portion of his anguish into a ring, hoping that by sharing his affliction, he might find a moment’s peace. The ring, now infused with Eryndor’s suffering, resonates with dark energies, a beacon for those who wish to harness the power of affliction.
Stats:
- Defense: The ring absorbs negative energies, offering a layer of protection against curse-based or necromantic attacks. (resistance to necromantic damage)
- Offense: Once per day, the wearer can channel the ring’s tormenting power to inflict mental pain upon a target, causing them to suffer disadvantage or penalties to their actions for a short duration.
Slot: Finger (worn as a ring)
Roleplay: The ring’s constant, low thrum of anguish can be sensed by its wearer, serving as a reminder of its bound torment. This connection to Eryndor’s pain might lead wearers to be more empathetic towards the suffering of others, or it may darken their mood, making them more withdrawn or morose. Over time, they might seek to understand the origin of this affliction or try to free Eryndor from his eternal suffering.
Costs: To unlock the ring’s potential, the wearer must willingly share a traumatic or painful memory with it, deepening the bond of shared affliction.
Magics:
- Shield of Sorrow: The ring emanates a protective aura that lessens the impact of dark magics, granting resistance against necromantic or curse-based effects.
- Torment’s Touch: The wearer can touch a target and channel the ring’s torment, overwhelming the target’s mind with despair. This causes penalties or disadvantage to the target’s actions for a short duration.
Tags: Affliction, Torment, Protective Curse
Usage in Different Environments:
- Defense:
- In crypts or necropolis, the ring’s aura provides a shield against restless spirits or malevolent curses.
- In settings of emotional or psychological warfare, such as fey realms or dreamscapes, the ring can offer resilience against emotional manipulation or mental intrusions.
- Offense:
- In closed environments, such as dungeons or buildings, the amplified echoes of the ring’s torment can cause more pronounced distress to targets, making them easier to overpower or negotiate with.
- In open or sacred spaces, the ring’s power might be slightly diminished due to the positive or neutral energies present, requiring the wearer to be closer to the target or more focused when invoking the Torment’s Touch.
Perception of Activation: Contract 792 of Shadowed Torment
- Sight:
- Perceived: The black gemstone pulses with a deep, shadowy aura.
- Description: As the ring activates, the gemstone seems to absorb surrounding light, making it appear as an abyssal void.
- Positives: Provides a clear visual indication that the ring’s magic is active.
- Negatives: The dark aura might be unsettling to some, drawing unwanted attention or causing fear in allies.
- Sound:
- Perceived: A distant, sorrowful wail.
- Description: The lamentations of Eryndor and countless other tormented souls briefly echo, their pain manifesting audibly.
- Positives: Acts as an auditory cue, alerting the wearer that the ring’s magic has taken effect.
- Negatives: The mournful sound can be disturbing and may demoralize or scare nearby allies.
- Touch:
- Perceived: A cold, numbing sensation envelops the wearer’s finger.
- Description: The ring’s metallic band grows frigid, almost as if sapping warmth from the wearer.
- Positives: The distinct sensation assures the wearer of the ring’s activated state.
- Negatives: Prolonged activation might lead to discomfort or temporary numbness.
- Smell:
- Perceived: A fleeting scent of decay and cold earth.
- Description: An olfactory manifestation of the necromantic energies within the ring, reminiscent of crypts and graves.
- Positives: Serves as another sensory indication of the ring’s active state.
- Negatives: The scent of decay might evoke feelings of dread or unease.
- Taste:
- Perceived: A metallic, bitter tang.
- Description: As the ring activates, a subtle taste pervades the wearer’s mouth, akin to the sensation of licking cold iron.
- Positives: Adds another layer of sensory feedback regarding the ring’s activation.
- Negatives: The metallic taste might be off-putting and linger longer than desired.
- Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- Emotional Resonance:
- Perceived: A surge of shared sorrow and anguish.
- Description: The wearer momentarily feels the weight of Eryndor’s pain and that of countless others bound within the ring.
- Positives: Deepens the connection between the wearer and the ring, potentially enhancing the efficacy of its magics.
- Negatives: Such emotional burden can be overwhelming, possibly leading to moments of despair or vulnerability.
- Temporal Displacement:
- Perceived: Brief, fragmented visions of past torments.
- Description: The wearer might experience flashes of memories or events tied to the souls within the ring.
- Positives: Provides insight into the ring’s origins and the entities it’s connected to.
- Negatives: These unexpected visions can be disorienting and potentially traumatic, especially if they resonate with the wearer’s personal experiences.
- Emotional Resonance:
Crafting Recipe for Contract 792 of Shadowed Torment
- Materials Needed:
- Tarnished Silver (approximately 50 grams) – forms the main body of the ring.
- Singular Black Gemstone (Obsidian or Onyx) – central piece and focus of the ring.
- Shadowed Ink – a rare, dark ink used for the contract’s inscription around the gemstone.
- Soul Essence of a Tormented Being – required for binding the affliction into the ring.
- Ritual Candles (black) – to establish the crafting boundary.
- Tools Required:
- Ring Mold – to shape the tarnished silver into a ring.
- Precision Chisel – for detailing and inscribing the ring.
- Alchemical Flask – for mixing and handling the soul essence.
- Enchanting Brush – a fine-tipped brush to apply the shadowed ink.
- Skill Requirements:
- Advanced Metalworking – for crafting the silver ring to perfection.
- Gem Setting – to securely place the black gemstone into the ring.
- Arcane Inscription – for the precise inscribing of the contract.
- Basic Necromancy – handling and binding the soul essence.
- Crafting Steps:
- Silver Ring Crafting:
- Melt the tarnished silver in a crucible.
- Pour the molten silver into the ring mold and allow it to cool and solidify.
- Once cooled, remove the ring and smooth any imperfections.
- Gem Setting:
- Create a small socket in the ring for the black gemstone using the precision chisel.
- Place the black gemstone into the socket, ensuring it’s secure.
- Contract Inscription:
- Using the enchanting brush dipped in shadowed ink, carefully inscribe the binding agreement of the contract around the gemstone. The arcane nature of the ink allows it to be seen only by those attuned.
- Soul Binding:
- In a dimly lit area, set up the ritual candles in a circle.
- Place the ring in the center and light the candles.
- Carefully pour the soul essence of a tormented being into the alchemical flask.
- Recite the necromantic incantation to bind the soul’s affliction to the ring. This process channels the anguish and suffering into the black gemstone, intertwining it with the contract.
- Final Cleansing:
- Pass the ring through candle flames to cleanse and seal its energies.
- Allow the ring to rest overnight within the candle circle to ensure the binding is stable.
- Silver Ring Crafting:
Upon completion, Contract 792 of Shadowed Torment is ready to be worn, its power emanating the tormented energies of the souls bound within.
Olden Tale of Ringed Grief’s Contract
In town of shadowed alleys, Mourntown by olden name, where dim meets gloom, a soul, Eryndor of tales, did seek quiet for his heart’s endless ache. To the ways of Contract Magic, he turned, binding his deep sadness into circle of silver, a ring of tarnished glow. Hoping, in sharing pain, a whisper of peace he might grasp. Now, the ring, filled with Eryndor’s own sorrow, sings with energies of night, calling those who yearn to wield the might of heart’s woe.
Yet in this circle, tale tells of more than just pain of one. It whispers of ancient pacts, inscribed around dark stone, seen only by chosen sight. It speaks of cities lost in shadow, of times when grief was traded, and of souls seeking solace in the dark.
Many a hand has worn this band, feeling its chill, its mournful hum, its weight of ages past. And as the ring passes, bearer to bearer, its tale grows, weaving new sorrows with old, binding wearer to the long-lost Eryndor, reminding all of pain shared and pain endured.
Moral of the Story: In the circle of time, griefs of old may find new hearts, yet sharing the weight eases the journey. Seek not to bear alone, for in shared sorrow, solace might be found.
Suggested conversion to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu:
- Type: Cursed Jewelry (Ring)
- Effects:
- Adds +10% to the wearer’s resistance against spells or effects that cause emotional distress.
- The wearer can, once per game session, inflict a haunting vision on a target, causing them to lose a Sanity point.
Dungeons & Dragons 5e:
- Wondrous Item (ring), uncommon (requires attunement)
- Grants the wearer resistance to necrotic damage.
- As an action, once per short rest, the wearer can force a target to make a Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened until the end of their next turn.
Knave:
Item: Ring of Shadowed Torment
- Effect: Grants the wearer a boon against dark magics. Additionally, they can, once per day, unleash a wave of sorrow upon a target, causing them to become temporarily incapacitated.
Numenera & Cypher System:
- Type: Wearable Cypher
- Level: 3
- Effect: Provides the wearer with armor against mental intrusions. Can be activated to release a pulse of sorrow, disrupting a target’s actions for a turn.
Pathfinder 2e:
- Wondrous Item (ring), uncommon
- Grants the wearer resistance against negative energy effects.
- As an action, once per day, the wearer can unleash a torrent of tormented emotions at a target, forcing them to make a Will save or be Stunned 1.
Savage Worlds:
- Type: Cursed Relic (Ring)
- Effects:
- The wearer gains +2 to resist effects that manipulate emotions or cause despair.
- Once per session, the wearer can release a wave of torment at a target, forcing them to make a Spirit check or become Shaken.
Shadowrun:
- Type: Enchanted Jewelry
- Effect: Grants a +2 dice pool bonus to Defense tests against emotional or mental manipulation spells. Additionally, once per day, the wearer can inflict a vision of sorrow upon a target, causing them to take a -2 penalty to their next action.
Starfinder:
- Wondrous Item (ring), uncommon
- Provides a +1 bonus to Will saves against emotion-based effects.
- As a standard action, once per day, the wearer can force a target to make a Will save or become Dazed for 1 round.
Warhammer:
- Magical Relic (ring)
- The wearer gains +10% resistance against spells that inflict emotional turmoil.
- Once per battle, as a free action, the wearer can target an enemy with a wave of grief, causing them to reroll a successful attack or defense roll.