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Domovoi 882 of Iron Authority

—

by

Dale
in

Lore: In the bustling metropolises of Saṃsāra, where steam-pipes hiss and social hierarchies are as rigid as iron beams, the Domovoi 882 of Iron Authority was forged. This item houses a particularly dominant household spirit that historically managed a sprawling industrial manor. Unlike spirits that hide in the shadows, the 882 demands to be the center of the “house,” projecting an aura of absolute command. It views the avatar not just as a host, but as the master of any room they enter. The spirit is notoriously impatient with hesitation and vibrates with a low, rhythmic hum when it senses a lack of resolve in its wearer.

Detailed Stats

  • Slot: Chest (Worn as a heavy, polished bronze breast-medallion pinned to a vest or tunic).
  • Tier: 1.
  • Rarity: Common.
  • Weight: 2 lbs.
  • Material: High-grade bronze, inlaid with ruby-dust lacquer and a central steam-vent.

Skills Gained

  • Commanding Presence: The avatar gains a proficiency bonus to social checks when giving direct orders or leading a group.
  • Structural Dominance: Using the Mind’s Eye, the avatar can instantly identify the “load-bearing” or “central” point of any room or social situation.

Passive Magic

  • Unshakable Stature: The magic of the Domovoi pushes the avatar into a perfectly straight, imposing posture. This grants a +1 bonus to AC as the avatar’s assertive stance makes them harder to catch off-balance.
  • The Master’s Threshold: The 10-foot radius around the avatar is treated as “The Master’s Study.” Any hostile creature entering this space must resist a minor psychological pressure, making them slightly more likely to hesitate before attacking.
  • Voice of the Hearth: The avatar’s voice carries further and with more clarity, ensuring that even in a loud factory or a chaotic battlefield, their commands are heard by all.

Activable Magic

  • Assert Authority (Normal Activation): The avatar speaks a single word of command. One target within 30 feet must succeed on a mental resistance check or be forced to stop moving for one round as they instinctively obey the “master.”
  • Claim the Room (Ritual Activation): By chanting for more than 6 seconds about the “laws of this house,” the central vent on the medallion releases a high-pressure burst of steam. This creates a 15-foot zone of “Clear Air” that pushes back fog, smoke, or small debris and forces “intruders” (enemies) to move to the edge of the radius.
  • Enforce Order (Active Identify): By concentrating on an object or person for a few minutes, the avatar reveals hidden stats and specifically uncovers any “disorderly” traits, such as secret weaknesses, hidden damage, or concealed lies.

Tags: Chest-Slot, Spirit-Bound, Social, Command, Bronze, Steam-Powered, Assertive, Tier-1, Authority, Protection, Detection, Dominance, Leadership, Stature, Ambition, Resolute, Bronze-Bound, Influence, Front-Line, Unyielding, Presence, Structure

In the high-magic industrial society of Saṃsāra, the Domovoi 882 of Iron Authority is a sought-after piece of gear for those rising through the social and political ranks. Because it is a Tier 1 Common item, it is accessible, but its “Assertive” nature means it is rarely found in bargain bins.

Where to Buy and Sell

  • The Gilded District Ateliers: In the upscale sectors of metropolises, you will find “Governance Boutiques” that cater to middle-management and aspiring nobles. These shops are clean, smelling of ozone and expensive polish. Buying an 882 here ensures the spirit is “well-fed” and the bronze is pristine.
  • Industrial Union Commissaries: Located near the massive steam-factories, these shops sell the 882 to floor managers and foremen. The environment is loud and metallic. Items bought here might have a bit of soot on the edges, but the spirits within are often more “tempered” and used to high-pressure situations.
  • The Iron-Rung Exchanges: These are respectable second-hand shops for adventurers and upwardly mobile avatars. Selling an 882 here is easy, provided you can prove you actually commanded the spirit effectively. If the spirit detects you were a “weak” master, the shopkeeper might lower the trade-in value.

Buying and Selling Costs

The economy of Saṃsāra is a seller’s market, and the price reflects the authority the item grants:

  • Governance Boutique (New/Pristine): To buy, expect to pay 15 to 20 Gold. This price reflects the “social calibration” performed by the artisan. Selling back to them usually yields 8 to 10 Gold.
  • Union Commissary (Functional): These are priced for the working class. A new 882 costs approximately 120 to 150 Silver. Selling one back to a commissary generally nets you 60 to 75 Silver.
  • Iron-Rung Exchange (Used): Prices fluctuate based on regional demand. You can often find a used 882 for 80 to 100 Silver. Sellers can expect roughly 40 to 50 Silver in credit or coin.

The Assertive Transaction

When buying or selling the 882, the spirit within often participates. If you try to haggle with a weak voice, the medallion may vibrate aggressively, signaling the shopkeeper to raise the price. To get the best deal, an avatar must roleplay the Assertive trait during the negotiation; showing dominance over the item often convinces the seller that the spirit has found its proper master, sometimes leading to a “professional discount.”

In the world of Saṃsāra, the Domovoi 882 of Iron Authority transforms the avatar’s presence into a physical and psychological barricade. The spirit within does not tolerate retreat; it demands that the avatar hold their ground as if every location were their rightful domain.

Defensive Roleplay

  • Safe Areas (Inns/Courts): In civilized environments, the defense is social. The avatar sits at the head of the table or in the most defensible chair. Roleplay focuses on territoriality; when someone enters the avatar’s personal space, the medallion hums with a low, threatening vibration. This forces others to subconsciously “ask permission” before approaching, preventing social ambushes or pickpockets from nearing the “Master’s Threshold.”
  • Normal Areas (Wilderness/Roads): When traveling, the Unshakable Stature passive takes over. The avatar does not dodge by ducking or diving; they parry and block with minimal movement, looking down upon their foes with a sneer. Roleplay involves standing tall even when arrows fly, trusting the spirit to “correct” the avatar’s posture into the most efficient defensive alignment.
  • Unsafe/Deathly Areas: In high-stress combat zones, the Master’s Threshold becomes a literal barrier. The avatar takes the lead, acting as a “human wall.” When an enemy swings, the avatar doesn’t just block; they step into the attack, using their assertive presence to make the attacker feel like they are trespassing.

Offensive Roleplay

  • Assert Authority: This is the primary offensive tool for crowd control. The avatar points a finger and shouts a command like “Halt!” or “Submit!” Roleplay involves a complete lack of doubt. The avatar expects to be obeyed, and the spirit’s magic ripples out to paralyze the target’s will. If the target resists, the avatar reacts not with frustration, but with the cold disappointment of a master dealing with a disobedient servant.
  • Claim the Room: This is used to seize the tactical advantage. The avatar slams a foot down or slams a hand onto a table, activating the steam-vent. Roleplay focuses on clearing the clutter. As the steam pushes back smoke and foes, the avatar strides into the newly cleared space, claiming it as their own. It is an offensive maneuver that forces the enemy to react to the avatar’s positioning.
  • Enforce Order: This is “aggressive investigation.” When using the active identify magic, the avatar doesn’t just study a person; they “cross-examine” them. Roleplay involves looking for “disorderly” traits—lies, hidden wounds, or poor equipment maintenance. The avatar points out these flaws loudly, using the truth as a weapon to demoralize opponents before a single strike is landed.

Perception of Activation:

  • Auditory (The Industrial Thrum): Upon activation, the medallion emits a deep, rhythmic mechanical pulse, similar to the sound of a massive steam engine idling in a silent hall.
    • Description: A heavy, vibrating bass tone that seems to emanate from the avatar’s chest rather than the air.
    • Positives: It naturally drowns out distracting background noise, allowing the avatar to focus entirely on their target.
    • Negatives: The constant thrumming makes it impossible for the avatar to hear quiet whispers or subtle environmental cues like a clicking trap.
  • Olfactory (Hot Brass and Ozone): The air immediately surrounding the avatar fills with the sharp, metallic scent of heated metal and the ionized smell of high-pressure steam.
    • Description: A clean, “electric” scent that suggests power and industrial machinery.
    • Positives: It provides a mental “snap,” clearing away the effects of magical confusion or lethargy.
    • Negatives: The smell is intense and recognizable, signaling to anyone nearby that a magical or technological effect is being used.
  • Tactile (The Commanding Heat): The bronze medallion grows warm against the skin, and the avatar feels a sudden tightness in their muscles, forcing their spine to straighten.
    • Description: A firm, supportive warmth that radiates outward from the chest to the limbs.
    • Positives: This warmth prevents the avatar from shivering in cold environments and provides a sense of physical stability.
    • Negatives: The forced posture can lead to back strain or muscle fatigue if the item is kept activated for long periods.
  • Extra-Sensory (The Lattice of Law): The avatar’s Mind’s Eye sees the surrounding environment overlaid with a glowing, geometric grid of golden lines.
    • Description: A visual representation of “order,” where every object is categorized by its structural integrity and social importance.
    • Positives: Highlighted lines show exactly where a structure is weakest or where an opponent is off-balance.
    • Negatives: The grid is visually cluttered; it becomes difficult to notice “organic” or “chaotic” details that don’t fit into a rigid structure, such as wild animals or natural camouflage.
  • Extra-Sensory (The Master’s Pulse): The avatar feels a phantom sense of “ownership” over everything within 10 feet.
    • Description: A telepathic tether that connects the avatar to the objects and people in their immediate vicinity.
    • Positives: The avatar can sense the movement of anyone entering their “domain” even without looking at them.
    • Negatives: If an object within this radius is broken or “disrespected” (e.g., a chair being kicked), the avatar feels a sharp, sympathetic jolt of irritation and personal insult.

Recipe: Forging the Vessel of Iron Authority

To house an assertive spirit like the Domovoi 882, the crafter must assemble a vessel that represents unyielding structure and industrial command. The spirit will only inhabit a container that feels like a throne.

Materials Needed

  • 2 lbs of High-Grade Bronze: Must be smelted from ores found in deep-vein industrial mines to ensure structural resonance.
  • 1 Vial of Ruby-Dust Lacquer: Created by grinding industrial rubies into a fine powder and mixing it with heated resin; used for the inlay.
  • 1 Micro-Steam Valve: A precision-engineered brass component capable of venting high-pressure bursts.
  • 1 Piston-Spring from a Manor Clock: This represents the “heartbeat of the house” and provides the mechanical pulse.
  • 1 Polished Iron Pin: Forged from the gate-hinge of a successful estate or government building.
  • 1 Essence of Command: A distilled alchemical vapor captured from a room where a significant law was signed or a Great Order was given.

Tools Required

  • High-Pressure Bellows: To reach the specific melting point required for “Command-Grade” bronze.
  • Precision Engraving Lathe: For cutting the geometric “Lattice of Law” onto the face of the medallion.
  • Alchemist’s Press: To stabilize the Essence of Command within the steam-valve.
  • Tinker’s Calibration Gauge: To ensure the mechanical pulse of the piston matches the heartbeat of a dominant leader.

Skill Requirements

  • Tinkering (Tier 1): Essential for integrating the steam-vent and the clockwork piston without causing a pressure failure.
  • Alchemy (Tier 1): Required to bind the Essence of Command to the ruby-dust lacquer.
  • Lore (Governance/Society): The crafter must understand the “Etiquette of Power” to properly align the internal runes.

Crafting Steps

  1. The Casting: Smelt the bronze and cast it into a heavy, circular medallion. While the metal is cooling, it must be struck rhythmically with a hammer to “teach” it the sound of steady labor.
  2. The Lattice Etching: Using the lathe, carve deep geometric grooves into the bronze. Fill these grooves with the Ruby-Dust Lacquer, creating the visual representation of a rigid social hierarchy.
  3. The Steam Integration: Fit the Micro-Steam Valve and the Piston-Spring into the hollowed back of the medallion. Ensure the vent is positioned to release steam upward, framing the avatar’s face.
  4. The Infusion: Place the medallion inside a pressurized chamber filled with the Essence of Command. Increase the pressure until the essence is forced into the bronze pores.
  5. The Binding (10-Minute Ritual): The crafter must stand before the forge and speak a series of undeniable truths or absolute laws. As the avatar asserts their will, the medallion will let out a sharp “hiss” and begin its rhythmic thrumming, signaling that the Domovoi 882 has claimed the bronze as its manor.

Tall-Sitting Spirit and Unbending Bronze

In the epochs before the Sky-Islands were counted by the fingers of the Wise, there was a Great Master of the Loud-Iron-Workings. This Master, whose name is a thunder-clap lost to the wind, lived in a dwelling that was not a dwelling, but a Hall-of-Always-No-Bending. In this place, the tables were set by the geometry of the stars, and the chairs were forbidden from the act of wobbling.

One morning of the Bright-Sun-Rising, a Spirit of the Hearth—a creature of the Great-Inner-Fire—came to the Master. This spirit was not a small-mouse-spirit or a hiding-corner-spirit. It was a spirit of the Roar-of-the-Furnace. It looked upon the world and found it to be too soft, like the belly of a marsh-frog. It looked upon the people and found them to be like the reeds that bow to every passing breath of the air.

“I seek a vessel,” the Spirit-of-the-Roar boomed into the Master’s ears. “I seek a house that does not move. I seek a skin that does not sweat from the fear of the many-others.”

The Master took a disc of the Yellow-Metal-of-the-Earth-Depths and placed it upon the fire-stone. He did not use a hammer of wood, but a hammer of Star-Falling-Stone. He struck the metal until it sang a song of Absolute-Placement. He carved upon its face the lines of the Great-Grid-of-What-Is-Right, and he filled the lines with the red-blood-of-the-mountain-stones.

The Spirit entered the Bronze-Medallion and immediately became the King-of-the-Chest. It did not sit quietly. It began to hiss the Breath-of-Hot-Strength. When the Master pinned the metal to his cloak, his back became as a pillar of the temple. His eyes became as the Burning-Lamps-of-Judgement.

The Master walked into the Great-Gathering of the Soft-Talkers. Before he spoke a single word, the Bronze let out a cloud of the White-Ghost-Air (the steam). The Soft-Talkers fell silent, for they felt the weight of the Master’s shadow. They felt that the room no longer belonged to the floor or the walls, but to the man who wore the Assertive-Iron.

For many winters, the Master ruled the Hall-of-Always-No-Bending. He did not ask; he commanded. He did not suggest; he declared. The world around him became straight and hard, and the dust itself was too afraid to land upon his boots. But the story-tellers of the Old-Broken-Tongue say that the Master became so much like the Bronze that he forgot how to sit, for to sit is to bend, and the spirit would not allow the spine to be anything but a spear.

The Moral of the Story

He who wears the crown of absolute command will find that his subjects obey his every word, yet he shall never know the comfort of a soft bed; for the one who refuses to bend for others will eventually find that he is unable to bend for himself.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: Domovoi’s Medallion of Command Item Type: Wondrous Item, Common (Requires Attunement)

  • Slot: Chest
  • Unshakable Stature: While wearing this medallion, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC if you are not wearing heavy armor, as your imposing presence and perfect posture make you a difficult target to read.
  • Assert Authority: You can use an action to cast the Command spell (Save DC 11). Once used, this property can’t be used again until the next dawn.
  • Voice of the Hearth: Your voice carries clearly up to 300 feet. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks made to influence a creature that can hear you.
  • Master of the House: You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect intruders or hidden objects within a room you have occupied for at least 10 minutes.

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Bronze Seal of the Overseer Item Type: Enchanted Artifact

  • Slot: Chest (Pinned)
  • Dominant Presence: The wearer gains a +15% bonus to Intimidate and Persuade rolls when giving direct orders.
  • Aura of Order: Any human NPC with a lower POW than the wearer must pass a Hard Psychology check to lie to the wearer or act subversively in their presence.
  • Assert Authority (Cost: 1D4 Magic Points): The wearer releases a sharp hiss of steam. One human target must pass a POW check or be stunned for 1 round, instinctively frozen by the wearer’s sudden dominance.
  • The Master’s Toll: The item demands absolute control. If the wearer fails a social roll while wearing the seal, they lose 1D3 Sanity from the sheer indignity of the failure.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Foreman’s Brass Eye Item Type: Arcane Fine Item (1 Load)

  • Slot: Attachment (Pinned to chest)
  • Quality: Fine (+1 Tier for effectiveness in social or defensive rolls involving authority).
  • Potency (Command): You gain Potency when you use the Command action to intimidate or lead cohorts and NPCs.
  • Assertive Defiance: You may spend 1 Stress to resist a consequence involving social manipulation or fear. The spirit’s rigidity anchors your mind.
  • Special Ability (Claim the Room): When you Push Yourself to take control of a physical space, the item vents steam, granting you +1d to the roll and ensuring that even on a partial success, you maintain the “High Ground” in the fiction.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Master’s Medallion Item Type: Magic Item (1 Slot)

  • Slot: Chest (Worn)
  • Unyielding Stance: While your inventory is organized (no empty slots between items), your Armor is 12 + your CHA bonus (max 15).
  • Assert Authority: Once per day, you may utter a command. A target with fewer Hit Dice than you must make a CHA Save or follow a one-word instruction (Halt, Drop, Flee).
  • Structural Insight: You can automatically detect the most valuable or structurally significant object in any room.
  • The Burden of Command: If you are forced to retreat or flee from a fight, you cannot use the medallion’s abilities again until you have spent a full night’s rest “re-asserting” your master over the spirit through ritual.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Domovoi’s Medallion of Iron Authority Item Type: Item 1, Invested, Magical, Transmutation

  • Slot: Accessory (Chest)
  • Usage: Worn; Bulk: L
  • Unshakable Stature: While invested, the medallion corrects your posture and reinforces your presence. You gain a +1 item bonus to AC so long as you are not wearing heavy armor. Additionally, you gain a +1 item bonus to Intimidation checks.
  • Master’s Awareness: You gain a +1 item bonus to Perception checks to detect hidden creatures or objects within 10 feet.
  • Assert Authority [One-Action] (Auditory, Emotion, Mental, Visual): You give a sharp, undeniable command to a creature within 30 feet. The target must attempt a DC 15 Will save.
    • Critical Success: The creature is unaffected.
    • Success: The creature is Stunned 1 as it hesitates, but immediately recovers.
    • Failure: The creature is Stunned 1 and Frightened 1.
    • Critical Failure: The creature is Stunned 2 and Frightened 2.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Overseer’s Bronze Heart Item Type: Enchanted Item

  • Unshakable Stature: The wearer gains a +1 bonus to Parry as their assertive movements and rigid stance make them harder to read in combat.
  • Commanding Presence: You gain the Command Edge. If you already have it, the radius of your Command is doubled.
  • Voice of the Hearth: You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidation rolls when barking orders.
  • Assert Authority (Power): As an action, the wearer can trigger the medallion to hiss. This functions as the Stun power using the wearer’s Spirit as the arcane skill.
  • The Master’s Toll (Minor Hindrance): The spirit is arrogant. The wearer must always take the lead in social situations and cannot participate in Stealth rolls that require “cowardly” hiding; they must remain upright and visible.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Domovoi Authority Module 882 Item Type: Artifact (Level 1d6)

  • Form: A heavy bronze medallion with ruby-dust inlays and a micro-vent.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20
  • Constant Effect (Unshakable Stature): The wearer gains an Asset to Speed Defense tasks.
  • Effect (Master’s Awareness): Eases all Perception tasks by one step to find hidden flaws or people within short range.
  • Effect (Assert Authority): The wearer spends 2 Intellect points to give an order to an NPC within short range. The task is eased by two steps. If successful, the NPC follows a simple one-word command for one round.
  • Effect (Claim the Room): The wearer spends 3 Intellect points to vent steam. This creates an area of high pressure around the wearer that eases Might Defense tasks by one step for 1 minute.

Fate (Core/Condensed)

Unique Name: The 882 Medallion of Absolute Order Item Type: Stunt/Extra

  • Aspect: The Master of the House is Here
  • Stunt (Unshakable Stature): Because I possess a rigid, assertive stance, I gain a +2 to Defend using Physique against physical attacks from those of lower social status or “rabble.”
  • Stunt (Voice of the Hearth): Because my voice carries the weight of the hearth spirit, I gain a +2 to Create an Advantage using Provoke when giving direct commands to a group.
  • Stunt (Assert Authority): Once per scene, I can spend a Fate Point to force a Nameless NPC to immediately cease their current action and follow a single, non-suicidal order for one exchange.
  • Cost: The item is Demanding. If the avatar fails to take charge of a situation, the spirit may “shutdown,” causing the avatar to be Dazed for the remainder of the scene.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Domovoi “Foreman” Tactical Medallion Item Type: Electronics / Spirit-Linked Wearable

  • Rating: 3
  • Essence: 0 (Worn)
  • Unshakable Stature: The medallion’s gyroscopic stabilizers and assertive AI correct the wearer’s posture. Increase your Defense Rating by +1.
  • Voice of the Hearth: The medallion features a high-fidelity vocal resonator. Gain a +1 dice pool bonus to Influence Tests when issuing commands or using the Leadership skill.
  • Assert Authority: As a Major Action, the wearer can fire a concentrated burst of noise and steam. Targets within 5 meters must succeed in a Willpower + Intuition Test (3) or lose one Minor Action on their next turn due to a sudden “compliance flinch.”
  • Wireless Bonus: The medallion syncs with local building architecture. Gain a +1 dice pool bonus to Perception to detect anyone who does not have “authorized” status in your current building.

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Unique Name: Domovoi 882 Authority Module Item Type: Level 1, Tech Item

  • Slot: Accessory (Chest)
  • Bulk: L
  • Unshakable Stature: You gain a +1 status bonus to AC against enemies whose level is lower than yours, as your posture and presence make you an intimidating target.
  • Master’s Awareness: You gain a +1 item bonus to Perception checks to detect hidden creatures within 10 feet.
  • Assert Authority [1-Action]: You bark an undeniable order. One creature within 30 feet must succeed at a Will save (DC 15) or become Off-Guard until the end of its next turn as it instinctively hesitates.
  • Claim the Room [2-Actions]: Once per day, you vent high-pressure steam. For 1 minute, you gain a +1 status bonus to Fortitude saves against environmental hazards, and the area within 10 feet of you is cleared of non-magical smoke or fog.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Domovoi “Command-Core” Medallion Item Type: TL 12 Personal Accessory

  • Weight: 1 kg
  • Cost: Cr 3,500
  • Description: A bronze-cased expert system that analyzes social hierarchies and enforces the wearer’s physical presence.
  • Unshakable Stature: The medallion monitors the wearer’s surroundings. Attacks made against the wearer by anyone with a lower SOC (Social Standing) suffer a -1 DM.
  • Assertive Skillset: The medallion contains Leadership-1 and Diplomacy-1. If the user already has these skills, they gain a +1 DM to checks involving these skills when asserting authority.
  • Assert Authority: As an incidental action, the wearer can trigger a loud “Hiss-Pulse.” Any NPC attempting to interrupt the wearer must pass a Difficult (10+) SOC or END check to proceed.
  • Structural Dominance: Gain a +1 DM to Recon checks when examining the blueprints or structural integrity of a building or starship.

Warhammer (40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory)

Unique Name: The Overseer’s Bronze Icon Item Type: Trinket / Archeotech

  • Value: 4 (Rare)
  • Keywords: [ARCHEOTECH], [ORDER]
  • Unshakable Stature: Your iron-clad presence makes you a difficult target to rattle. You gain +1 Resilience against attacks from Mobs or non-Elite enemies.
  • Assert Authority: You gain +1d6 to Leadership (Wil) Tests and Intimidation (Wil) Tests.
  • The Master’s Threshold: Any enemy that begins its turn within 3 meters of you must pass a Willpower Test (DN 3) or suffer a +1 DN penalty to all attacks made against targets other than you.
  • Claim the Room (Action): You may spend 1 Glory to activate the steam-vent. Until the end of the round, you and any allies within 5 meters gain +1 Defense against ranged attacks as the steam obscures your positions.