Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze

Lore: This object, often a carved mask or amulet depicting a stern, unyielding face, is said to have been favored by interrogators or enforcers. It channels the energy of unwavering resolve and the power of piercing through deception.

Tier 1 Stats:

• +2 Intimidation
• +1 Deception (resisting/seeing through)

Slot: Accessory (amulet, brooch, tattoo, etc.)

Skills:

• Intimidation (Basic): The avatar gains an enhanced ability to project an intimidating demeanor and influence others through fear or force of will.

Passive Magics:

• Piercing Gaze: Those who meet the avatar’s gaze feel subtly scrutinized and uneasy, making it harder for them to maintain deception or hide their true motives.

Active Magics:

• Moment of Truth (1 charge per day): The avatar focuses their energy, causing the item to project a flash of unsettling light (or their own eyes momentarily glow). The target must succeed on a Willpower challenge or become shaken, disadvantage on social rolls against the avatar for a short duration.

Tags: Intimidation, Deception, Social, Roleplay, Willpower, Coercion, Resolve, Piercing Insight, Dominance, Fearsome Presence, Social Manipulation, Authority, Mental Fortitude, Scrutiny

Description: The item’s appearance could range from a simple but stern wooden mask to an ornate silver amulet with a visage etched in sapphire. The common thread is the object conveying a sense of unwavering scrutiny.

Roleplay Notes:  This item is for characters who want to excel at forceful social interactions, uncovering hidden information, or dominating through an intimidating aura.  It’s less about subtle manipulation and more about breaking down resistance.

Where you might find the Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze and how it’s likely sold on Saṃsāra:

• Shop Types:
  • Questionable Repositories: Antique shops or mystical item dealers with less scrupulous clientele are prime locations. These items might be favored by those involved in criminal activities, underground power struggles, or individuals who rely on intimidation.
  • Traveling Merchants or Caravans:  Merchants who deal in protective items and talismans catering to guards, mercenaries, or those traveling dangerous roads could carry the Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze.
  • Black Markets:  Due to the item’s intimidating nature, it could be found in secretive markets, hidden bazaars, or through less savory contacts. Customers might range from criminal operatives to nobles seeking an underhanded edge in social power plays.
  • Military Surplus: In settings with established military forces, decommissioned or surplus items with intimidating symbolism might be repurposed, finding their way into civilian markets.
• Transaction Modes:
  • Haggling:  Particularly common for merchants or black markets, haggling is expected.  Barter for information or services could also be part of the trade.
  • Discretion:  Sellers might be wary of attracting unwanted attention, especially if these types of items are frowned upon or associated with the criminal underworld. Transactions could be carried out in secret locations or through intermediaries.
  • Demonstration:  To fully convince a buyer, merchants might stage a demonstration of the object’s intimidating effects, either by the seller themselves or hiring someone to be the ‘target’ of its power.

Cost: The cost would depend on the location and seller’s reputation:

• Questionable Repositories: 10-20 gold pieces, depending on the seller’s clientele.
  • Traveling Merchants: Prices could be inflated, around 15-25 gold pieces, emphasizing scarcity.
  • Black Markets: Potentially cheaper, but risky – 8-15 gold pieces, with the chance the item is faulty or has a hidden history.
• Additional Factors:
  • Reputation: In settlements where intimidating displays are frowned upon, the item could be more expensive or difficult to find openly.
  • Local Lore: The item’s price may fluctuate based upon rumors of its origin or past owners.

The Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze offers a potent tool for roleplay in both defensive and offensive social situations. Here’s how an avatar might use it:

• Defense (Protecting Yourself and Others):
  • Standing Firm: When facing accusations or threats, the avatar can clutch the object or focus on it subconsciously.  Roleplay a calm, unwavering demeanor, backed by the item’s aura of scrutiny, making it harder for others to intimidate or manipulate them.
  • Spotting Deception: During tense negotiations or interrogations, the character can subtly focus on the item, feeling its energy heighten their intuition. Roleplay a keen eye and sharp questioning, using the object’s passive magic to pierce through potential lies or hidden agendas.
  • Protecting Others: If someone under your protection is being intimidated, the avatar can step forward, holding the item aloft (if a mask) or gesturing towards it (if an amulet).  Roleplay a protective stance, leveraging the object’s intimidating aura to deter further aggression.
• Offense (Dominating Interactions):
  • Projecting Authority: During negotiations or power struggles, the avatar can hold the item prominently or wear it with a purposeful posture.  Roleplay a confident and assertive demeanor, the item’s energy bolstering your presence and making your demands seem more impactful.
  • Breaking Resistance:  When questioning a suspect or someone being evasive, the avatar can lock eyes with them, focusing on the object and channeling its power. Roleplay an intense and unwavering gaze, using Moment of Truth (the active magic) to break their composure and make them more likely to crack under pressure.
  • Intimidation Tactics: In situations where a clear message needs to be sent, the avatar can activate the Moment of Truth ability, unleashing a flash of unsettling light (or their own eyes momentarily glow). Roleplay a threatening posture and a cold, unwavering voice, delivering a clear warning backed by the item’s power.

Important Note: The Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze is not about mind control. It projects an aura of intimidation and helps the avatar see through deception. Effective roleplay is key to leveraging these effects and achieving the desired outcome.

Remember, social situations are complex, and the avatar’s personality and approach will influence how the item is perceived.

Above are examples of what it might look like.

What might be perceived during the activation of the Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze, including extra-sensory experiences:

• Sight
  • Intensified Gaze: The eyes of the mask/amulet may glow faintly with an unsettling light, or the avatar’s own eyes seem to flash momentarily with a piercing intensity.
    • Description: A brief but noticeable flash of unnatural light, focused and cold.
    • Positives: Clearly marks the moment of activation, can be intimidating.
    • Negatives: Draws attention, could be less effective if surprise is desired.
  • Visual Distortion: The air around the avatar may shimmer slightly, like heat distortion, giving them an air of unsettling presence.
    • Description: Subtle, but present for those paying attention.
    • Positive: Reinforces the item’s intimidating aura.
    • Negatives: Could be overlooked in a chaotic environment.
• Sound
  • Low Thrum: A faint, almost subsonic hum emanates from the item while active.
    • Description: More felt as a deep vibration than heard.
    • Positive: Adds a layer of unsettling otherworldliness to the effect.
    • Negatives: Sensitive individuals might find it distracting.
• Smell
  • Ozone/Metallic: A sharp, metallic scent, like the air after a lightning strike, lingers around the avatar.
    • Description: Faint, but present for those with a keen sense of smell.
    • Positives: Further reinforces the item’s sense of unnatural power.
    • Negatives: Could be masked by other strong scents.
• Touch
  • Slight Chill: The mask or amulet might feel slightly colder to the touch when active.
    • Description: Subtle change, likely noticeable only to the wearer.
    • Positive: Provides tactile feedback on the item’s activation.
    • Negatives: Could be uncomfortable in extreme temperatures.
• Extra-Sensory
  • Aura of Scrutiny: The avatar projects an aura of intense focus and judgment.  Those within its area feel subtly uncomfortable and exposed.
    • Description: An oppressive feeling, like unseen eyes scrutinizing your every flaw.
    • Positives: Makes deception and evasion more difficult for those targeted.
    • Negatives: Could be unsettling to allies if not controlled.
  • Moment of Weakness:  If the Moment of Truth ability is used, those targeted experience a brief flash of their own insecurities or hidden anxieties.
    • Description: Momentary and disorienting, a glimpse of personal vulnerabilities.
    • Positives: Powerful in breaking resolve and forcing concessions.
    • Negatives: Morally questionable, could have emotional repercussions for the target.

Recipe: Forging the Unflinching Gaze

• Materials Needed:
  • Metal Ingot: A base of iron, silver, or darker metal for strength and a cold, intimidating feel.
  • Gemstone: A single, unfaceted gemstone (onyx, sapphire, amethyst) to be set as the eyes of the mask/amulet.
  • Etching Fluid: A strong acid or magical solution for inscribing symbols.
  • Ritual Oil: A blend of protective oils associated with dominance and unwavering will (dragon’s blood, vetiver, black pepper, etc)
  • Leather Cord or Chain (if creating an amulet)
• Tools Required:
  • Blacksmithing Tools or Jeweler’s Kit: Depending on the item’s scale (mask vs. amulet).
  • Engraving Tool: For inscribing protective symbols and imbuing the item.
  • Polishing Cloth To give the finished piece a cold sheen
• Skill Requirements:
  • Blacksmithing or Jeweler’s Craft (Basic): Skill in working with metal and creating the item’s form.
  • Concentration (Basic): Ability to focus intent and will while inscribing and imbuing.
  • Intimidation (Basic): Understanding of imposing demeanors and social power play.
• Crafting Steps:
  • Forging the Form:
    • Heat and shape the metal ingot into the desired form, whether a simple but stern mask or a finely worked amulet.
    • Channel a sense of unwavering resolve and authority into the act of creation.
  • Eyes of Scrutiny:
    • Set the gemstone, visualizing it as a piercing gaze, unyielding in its scrutiny.
  • Protective Inscriptions:
    • Carefully etch symbols of protection, strength, and mental dominance onto the item’s surface with the etching fluid.
  • Anointing for Intent
    • Anoint the item with the ritual oil, reciting a spoken charm of your own creation, or a traditional incantation focused on power and focus.
  • Charging and Final Touches:
    • Leave the item in a place where it will absorb moonlight or bury it in protective earth for additional grounding.
    • Polish the finished piece to a cold, intimidating sheen.
• Notes:
  • The crafting process is best performed during a waning moon, representing a piercing through illusion and mental weakness.
  • Personalization is encouraged. Adjust metal choice, gemstones, and symbols based on the crafter’s traditions and preferences.
  • A crafter with strong existing willpower and an intimidating presence will find the item easier to imbue with its intimidating aura.

The Mask of the Unseeing Eye
A Fragmentary Tale

The crumbling scrolls whisper of the Iron Emperor, a ruler famed for his unwavering gaze and steely resolve.  Legends speak of a mask, forged from the heart of a fallen star and imbued with the coldness of cosmic emptiness.  This mask, some tales say, bore no eyes at all, its surface smooth and unblemished, yet seemed to pierce into the very soul.

One fragment tells of a city besieged by a relentless warlord.  The Iron Emperor, moved by the plight of the innocents, donned the mask and rode at the head of his army.  When the warlord, a man known for his cunning and savage brutality, saw the Emperor’s mask reflecting nothing but an endless void, a shiver of fear ran down his spine.  The battle that followed was brief, for the warlord’s resolve crumbled before the unyielding gaze of the mask.

Another tale speaks of a court poisoned by whispers and intrigue.  The Iron Emperor, suspecting treachery, wore the mask to a court assembly.  As nobles and advisors weaved their webs of deceit, their eyes darted away, unable to hold the mask’s scrutiny.  The truth, stripped bare by the Emperor’s mask, led to the swift removal of traitors and the restoration of order to the court.

The fate of the Iron Emperor and the mask remains lost to the ages.  But the tales, like embers in the night, carry a sliver of truth.  The power of the mask, some say, lay not in forcing truth, but in exposing the fear within those who sought to hide it.

Moral: Lies and deceit thrive in darkness. It is the unwavering gaze of truth, not force, that ultimately exposes them.

Suggested conversions for other systems:

Call of Cthulhu

• Stat Block:
  • Sanity: -1d4 (initial)
  • Intimidate: +20%
  • Spot Hidden: +10%
• Mechanics:
  • Small Sanity loss reflects the unsettling nature of channeling social dominance.
  • Enhanced Intimidate aids in forcing confessions, breaking resolve, or imposing one’s will.
  • Spot Hidden for piercing through deception and noticing concealed motives.
  • Sanity Risks: Prolonged use of the mask, or witnessing its full power, could lead to brief Sanity loss as the user glimpses the cold calculation behind social manipulation.

Blades in the Dark

• Stat Block:
  • Command: +1 die
  • Survey: +1 die
• Mechanics:
  • Command emphasizes establishing dominance in tense social situations.
  • Survey helps the user scrutinize others, uncovering hidden intentions and weaknesses.
  • Downside/Limited Effect: The item offers less help with physical or stealthy actions, focusing heavily on aggressive social power.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

• Stat Block:
  • Wondrous Item, Rare (requires attunement)
  • +2 Charisma (Intimidation)
  • +2 Passive Perception
  • Advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
• Mechanics:
  • Bonus to Intimidation aligns with the item’s primary function.
  • Passive Perception aids in noticing deception and scrutinizing motives.
  • Advantage against charms and fear aligns with the item’s focus on mental resilience.

Knave

• Stat Block:
  • +1 to all Intimidation rolls
  • Advantage on rolls to resist mind-altering spells or effects.
• Mechanics:
  • Knave focuses on simple bonuses. The item grants increased effectiveness in intimidation, leaving broader narrative use to the player.
  • Downside: Provides no direct combat or exploration benefits, aligning with Knave’s player-driven ingenuity.

Fate

• Aspect: Unflinching Gaze of the Iron Emperor – This aspect can be invoked when trying to intimidate, see through deception, or project an unshakable resolve.  It can also be compelled by others if the mask’s intimidating aura makes social interactions difficult, or leads to morally questionable actions.
• Stunt:  Moment of Truth: Once per session, the user can compel a target’s minor or major aspect related to personal insecurities. This can force concessions in a conflict or reveal hidden information, but carries a risk of lasting social consequences determined by the GM.

Numenera & Cypher System

• Type: Artifact
• Level: 5
• Effect:
  • The user is eased two steps on the difficulty chart for tasks involving intimidation, coercion, or resisting mental influence.
  • Once per day, as an action, the user can force a target within immediate range to make an Intellect defense roll (DC = 18 + 1.5x CR). Failure means the target becomes shaken and suffers disadvantage on social rolls against the user for 10 minutes.
• Depletion: 1 in d20 per use

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

• Type: Wondrous Item (Accessory)
• Level: 5
• Traits:  Magical, Mental
• Effect: +2 Circumstance Bonus to Intimidation checks, +2 Circumstance bonus to Sense Motive. Additionally, the user gains a +2 Circumstance bonus to saves against charm and fear effects

Savage Worlds

• Setting Rule/Edge:  The Feng Shui 19 of the Unflinching Gaze grants the player the Intimidating Edge (+2 to Intimidation rolls) and adds two steps to their Spirit die (e.g., d6 to d10).
• Hindrance (Optional): Overbearing (Minor) – The character’s intimidating aura might make subtle social interactions difficult in some situations.

Shadowrun

• Type: Focus (Accessory)
• Force: 3
• Effects:
  • +3 dice pool bonus to Intimidation skill and resisting social-based mental influence.
  • Once per run, the user can spend a point of Edge to automatically succeed on a Willpower test to cut through a target’s deception or force a temporary retreat by causing overwhelming fear.
• Availability & Cost:  Rare (16R), around 25,000¥
• Notes:   In Shadowrun, the item becomes a Focus, a touch of magical energy in a tech-heavy world. Emphasize a mix of social power and willpower, with a tangible risk/reward factor through Edge use.

Starfinder

• Type: Hybrid Item (Accessory)
• Level: 6
• Effects:
  • +4 to Intimidate checks and Will saves.
  • Once per day, as a full action, the user can project a wave of intimidating energy (Will save DC = 18 + 1.5x CR). If failed, the target is shaken for 1d4 rounds and suffers a -2 penalty to social rolls against the user.
  • Special: The item resonates with Envoy abilities, granting Empaths a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks when equipped.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

• Type: Personal Equipment (Accessory)
• Effects:
  • +2 DM to Intimidation, Negotiate, and any Willpower-based skill checks.
  • The user is immune to the effects of the Fear psychological hazard.
  • Tech Level: TL 9-12 (depending on the rarity of magic in your Traveller setting).
• Notes:   In Traveller, the emphasis is on risk mitigation and practicality.  The item offers a moderate bonus while granting resistance to mental hazards, useful in dangerous settings.

Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play (4th Edition)

• Type: Talisman
• Effects
  • +10% to Intimidate, Willpower, and Cool tests.
  • Grants immunity to the Fear condition. Grants a +20% bonus to resist any magically-induced mental influence.
• Corruption Potential: Prolonged use may increase susceptibility to minor Tzeentchian corruption. (GM’s discretion)  The unsettling aura of dominance might attract unwanted attention from cults or dark sorcerers.