GearAscendancy.com

God-Given 812 of the Veiled Sliver

—

by

Dale
in

From: Accursed Covenant

  • Lore: In the hidden hovels where the Accursed Covenant gathers, initiates are often given a “Veiled Sliver.” This item is considered a natural gift from Vaelor, the Banebound, to those who have begun to recognize the shadows within themselves. It is not crafted in a traditional forge but is said to be a literal shard of a shadow that was solidified by Vaelor’s malevolence. It serves as a reminder that even the smallest fragment of forbidden knowledge carries the weight of a god’s ambition. Holders of a Sliver often find that their own shadow seems slightly more substantial, as if it were a physical cloak waiting to be donned.
  • Detailed Stats:
    • Tier: 1
    • Rarity: Common
    • Armor Check (AC): 0
    • Resilience: 5
    • Item HP: Avatar Max HP + 5
    • Weight: 0.1 lbs
  • Passive Magics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker: While this item is held, the avatar gains an advantage on Mind’s Eye checks to identify the name of any shadow-based creature or dark ritual components.
    • Presence of Despair: The avatar exudes a faint, 5-foot aura that causes mundane insects to flee and non-magical flames to flicker and dim.
  • Activable Magics:
    • Shadowed Whisper (Silent): As an action, the holder can cause their voice to emerge from a shadow within 10 feet instead of their own mouth. This is used for distractions or secret communications. Damage: N/A.
    • Mutterings of the Bound (Normal): By chanting a few words of Vaelor’s ambition, the holder can cause a targeted shadow to lengthen and sharpen for 6 seconds. This provides a +1 bonus to the next skill check involving intimidation or stealth performed by the holder.
  • Specific Slot: Earring Slot (must be worn as a stud or small hoop).
  • Tags: Vaelor, Banebound, Shadows, Forbidden Knowledge, Tier 1, Common, Accursed Covenant, Earring, Roleplay Emphasis, Cursed, Hexes, Dark Rituals, Arcane Wisdom, Transformation, Despair, Manipulation, Betrayal, Loyalty, Servitude, Darkened Crescent

Acquisition of the Veiled Sliver

The acquisition of a Veiled Sliver typically occurs through clandestine channels or specific religious rites within the Accursed Covenant. Because the item is considered a natural gift or a manifestation of Vaelor’s influence, it is rarely found in the open market of a standard island country.

  • An avatar may obtain this item as a reward for performing a minor service for a hidden cell of the Accursed Covenant, such as delivering a secret message or recovering a fragment of a ruined text.
  • It may be discovered in abandoned ruins or “dark pockets” of the world where Vaelor’s influence has seeped into the material plane, appearing as a cold, dark stone among mundane rubble.
  • A character might find the item already in the possession of a Tier 1 avatar they have newly possessed, serving as a remnant of that avatar’s previous life and interests before the TGA set in.
  • For those who have already joined the faction, a Sliver might be granted by a ranking member during an initiation ceremony to mark the transition from a mundane seeker to a follower of the Banebound.

Market Dynamics and Commerce

The buying and selling of a Veiled Sliver is a matter of “buyer beware,” as mainstream society often views items associated with Vaelor with deep suspicion or outright hostility. Consequently, the venues for trade are specialized and often hidden.

  • Underground Curio Shops: Located in the cramped back alleys of metropolises or within “somewhat safe” walled towns, these shops deal in items that mainstream guilds ignore. The owners are often technomancers or seekers of forbidden lore who recognize the item’s origin. In these locations, a Veiled Sliver may be purchased for approximately 15 to 25 Gold, depending on the local demand for “accursed” curiosities.
  • Faction Hidden Sanctums: Within the hidden temples or forest retreats of the Accursed Covenant, these items are traded among members. Because the item is a common Tier 1 focus, the price here is often lower for those who wear the faction badge openly, typically costing between 8 and 12 Gold. Conversely, the faction rarely buys these items back for coin, preferring to trade them for secrets or renown.
  • General Alchemical Supply Stores: In larger port cities, a distracted merchant might have a Sliver in a bin of “unidentified magical shards.” Because the merchant may not realize its connection to Vaelor, they might sell it as a simple focus for 5 Gold. However, if the merchant is aware of the societal stigma, they may refuse to buy it from an adventurer or offer a meager 1 or 2 Silver just to take the “cursed” object off their hands.
  • Black Market Wagons: Traveling merchants who move between rural areas and city gates often carry a variety of non-standard goods. These sellers are savvy and understand the “sellers’ market” nature of Saṃsāra. They might price the item at 30 Gold, citing the risk of carrying such a “malevolent” item through guarded checkpoints.
  • Rural Village Healers: In isolated areas with less than ten residents, a local leader or “judge” might possess a Sliver found in the wild. Lacking a connection to the World Bank or knowledge of the Accursed Covenant, they might trade the item for mundane supplies, such as a week’s worth of quality rations or a sturdy iron tool, which would equate to a value of approximately 1 to 2 Gold.

Roleplay Applications of the Veiled Sliver

The use of a Veiled Sliver in the world of Saṃsāra is as much about the psychological impact on observers as it is about the manipulation of dark forces. Because the item is a focal point for Vaelor’s influence, the way an avatar wields it changes based on the social and physical landscape.

Offensive Roleplay

  • In Crowded Metropolises: An avatar might utilize the Shadowed Whisper to incite paranoia during a tense negotiation or a political rally. By making a voice emerge from the shadow of a rival official, the avatar can plant seeds of betrayal without revealing their own involvement. The offense here is subtle, targeting the social standing and mental state of a foe rather than their physical health.
  • In Dark Cave Systems or Ruins: When encountering feral beasts or low-tier guards, an avatar might use Mutterings of the Bound to sharpen the edges of a hallway’s shadows. Roleplaying this involves the avatar tracing the outlines of the dark with the sliver, whispering of Vaelor’s hunger. The visual of shadows turning into jagged, needle-like protrusions serves to intimidate and demoralize opponents before a physical strike is ever made.
  • In Rural Village Disputes: An avatar could use the Presence of Despair to assert dominance over a local village leader. By simply standing near a hearth, causing the fire to dim and the local insects to scurry away in a panic, the avatar demonstrates a “god-given” power that feels unnatural to the common folk. This creates an offensive pressure that forces compliance through the fear of the unknown.

Defensive Roleplay

  • Within Walled Towns (Somewhat Safe Areas): If an avatar is being pursued by local guards or a rival guild member, the Shadowed Whisper can be used to create a diversion. By throwing their voice into a dark alleyway twenty feet behind the pursuers, the avatar mimics the sound of a struggle or a shouted command. This defensive maneuver exploits the natural caution of guards, allowing the avatar to slip away while the opposition investigates the phantom sound.
  • In Open Wilderness or Jungles: When a party is camped and feels they are being watched by predators, the Presence of Despair acts as a passive deterrent. An avatar roleplays this by holding the earring or touching the stud, causing the immediate environment to become inhospitable to feral minds. The instinctual fear felt by animals when the sliver saps the “warmth” of the campsite provides a layer of protection that mundane guards cannot offer.
  • During Hostile Social Encounters: If an avatar is being interrogated or threatened in a “Normal Area,” they might rely on the Gaze of the Seeker. By focusing their Mind’s Eye through the sliver, the avatar can identify if their interrogator is using a shadow-based concealment or if there are ritualistic components hidden in the room. Roleplaying this involves a moment of deep concentration where the avatar’s eyes might momentarily reflect the purple glow of a hearthstone or the darkened crescent of Vaelor, allowing them to anticipate an ambush and prepare a defensive reaction.
  • Against Divine Practitioners: In a conflict with followers of a light-bearing deity, the avatar uses the sliver to maintain a “precarious balance.” They might roleplay the defensive act of drawing shadows toward themselves, creating a visual contrast that makes them harder to target in the blinding glare of divine magic. This is not a physical shield but a manipulation of the “union of light and darkness,” making the avatar an elusive and unsettling target.

Perception of Activation: Veiled Sliver

User’s Perspective

  • Touch: A sudden, biting chill radiates from the earlobe, spreading across the jawline like a frost-laden wind. The sliver itself feels as though it increases in weight, pulling slightly against the skin.
  • Sound: The avatar hears a localized, rhythmic thrumming, similar to the sound of blood rushing in the ears, interspersed with a dry, papery rustling that seems to whisper just below the threshold of comprehension.
  • Visual: The edges of the avatar’s vision darken and sharpen. Shadows in the immediate environment appear more vivid and textured, as if they were velvet curtains rather than mere absences of light.
  • Extra-Sensory: A cold clarity washes over the mind, momentarily dampening fear and empathy. The avatar feels a “tether” extending from their consciousness to the nearest pool of darkness, sensing it as a hollow space ready to be filled with their intent.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Visual: The small earring pulses with a dull, bruised-purple light. For a fleeting second, the observer might see a trace of black, oily smoke curling away from the item, though it vanishes if they blink.
  • Auditory: Those standing within three feet may hear a faint, metallic ringing or a sound like a long-drawn-out sigh that has no clear source.
  • Atmospheric: Observers often experience a sudden “shiver down the spine” or a localized drop in temperature. There is an instinctive urge to step back, as the air around the user feels suddenly “thin” or “uninviting.”

Positives

  • Heightened Focus: The activation grants a temporary immunity to minor auditory distractions, allowing the user to hone in on their current task with cold, calculated precision.
  • Environmental Affinity: In dim lighting or nighttime environments, the user feels a profound sense of “belonging,” reducing the stress of navigating hazardous or unknown terrain.
  • Intimidating Presence: The visible and sensory cues of activation often cause weaker-willed NPCs to hesitate, providing a tactical advantage in social confrontations or before combat begins.

Negatives

  • Lingering Malaise: After the activation ends, the avatar is left with a dull, throbbing headache and a persistent metallic taste in the mouth that lasts for several minutes.
  • Social Stigma: Observers who recognize the “taint” of Vaelor may become immediately hostile or fearful, marking the user as a potential practitioner of forbidden magic.
  • Shadow Dependency: Repeated use can lead to a minor psychological discomfort when the avatar is in bright, direct sunlight, making them feel “exposed” or “vulnerable” without the shroud of the sliver.

Rite of the Solidified Shadow: Veiled Sliver

  • Materials Needed
    • 1 Tier 1 Magic Crystal: Must be roughly the size of a coin, used as the primary arcane battery for the infusion.
    • 1 Ounce of Shadow-Saturated Obsidian: Volcanic glass that has been left in a “deathly area” or a dark pocket of the world for at least one full month.
    • 3 Drops of Harvester’s Ichor: Collected from a feral beast that possessed a rudimentary magical virus.
    • 1 Silver Wire (Fine): Used to create the earring housing and the link to the crescent stud.
    • 1 Vial of Alchemical Solvent: To clean and prep the obsidian for etching.
  • Tools Required
    • Jeweler’s Fine Pliers and Mandrel: For shaping the silver wire.
    • Etching Needle (Cold-Forged): To scribe the runes of Vaelor into the obsidian shard.
    • Elemental Fire Brazier: To maintain a low, steady heat for the binding process.
    • Shadow Box: A lead-lined container used to prevent the magic from dissipating during the ritual.
  • Skill Requirements
    • Magical Crafting (Trained): Level 1 or higher.
    • Alchemical Crafting (Trained): Level 1 or higher.
    • Jewelry Smithing (Proficient): To ensure the item remains a Tier 1 common rarity without causing unintended physical pain to the wearer.
  • Crafting Steps
    • Preparation of the Shard: The shadow-saturated obsidian is dipped into the alchemical solvent. The crafter must use their Mind’s Eye to identify the natural “fracture lines” in the stone, snapping it into a sliver that mimics the shape of a jagged tooth.
    • Scribing the Covenant: Using the etching needle, the crafter carves the symbol of the Darkened Crescent and the hidden runes of Vaelor into the obsidian. This must be done in a dark room with only a single purple candle for light.
    • Priming the Catalyst: The Tier 1 magic crystal is crushed into a fine powder and mixed with the Harvester’s Ichor. This creates a reactive paste that glows with a faint, necrotic light.
    • The Binding Ritual: The paste is applied to the etched runes. The crafter begins a Ritual Chant (lasting at least 10 minutes), focusing their thoughts on the concept of “forbidden wisdom.” As the chant progresses, the paste is absorbed into the obsidian, and the magic crystal’s power is permanently bound to the stone.
    • Setting the Sliver: The silver wire is wrapped around the obsidian sliver in a “V-shaped” format, mirroring the ceremonial sashes of the Covenant. The wire is then attached to the silver stud, finalizing the physical form of the earring.
    • Final Attunement Check: The crafter must hold the item for one minute to perform a simple attunement. If the item causes immediate HP loss (2d4 roll), the resonance is off, and the item must be returned to the elemental brazier to be broken down into its original components.

Blackened Ear-Stone Which Hears Bound One

Here begins the scratching of the old words, found upon the cured skin of a beast that does not walk Saṃsāra in this age. The tongue of the original markings is broken to our eyes. The symbols flow backward and carry meanings of water and stone at the same time. I, the humble scribe, have poured the meaning through the vessel of my own language, though many words are like sand falling through the fingers.

It is written that in the days after Zaruth walked the dirt, when the moon of Saṃsāra was still learning the weight of the souls falling from the purgatory-sea, there was a flesh-vessel named Vorn. The text calls him a “gestalt of many-sorrows,” which perhaps means his avatar held the memories of beasts and crying men. Vorn walked the lands where the trees bent away from the sky. He sought the whispers of Vaelor, the Banebound, the one who is wrapped in the chains of the under-dark. But Vorn was deaf to the true dark. His inner vision, the eye of the mind that measures the weight and name of all things, saw only the gray of mundane shadows.

The ancient ink weeps here, blurring the lines, but it speaks of a great hunger in Vorn. He desired to hold the forbidden knowledge, the accursed wisdom that Zaruth drank from the rift. The scroll names a place where the dirt was split, a “deathly ground where the armor of the body becomes nothing and all strikes find blood.” Vorn traveled to this scar upon the world. The sky-giant, VaporSphere, cast a long shadow over the moon, and in this darkness, Vorn crawled on his belly.

He sought a conduit. The old laws of magic, spoken by Gaialilith when the elements cooled, demand an object for the thought to flow through. A mind cannot hold the dark without a cup, and Vorn’s mind was spilling. In the ash of the old rift, he found a rock of frozen sickness. The text calls it a “coin-sized blood-stone of the weave,” which we understand as a crystal of the first tier, grown from the magical virus of the deep earth. Beside it lay a shard of the world-glass, black as a starless night, saturated with the spilled ambition of the Banebound god.

The translation grows difficult, filled with words of pain and silver. Vorn took the silver metal of the earth and bit it with his teeth to make it thin. He wept the alchemical waters of his own sorrow to clean the black world-glass. He broke the glass into a sliver, the shape of a serpent’s tooth. With a needle of cold iron, he scratched the crescent of the eclipse upon it. The text says he chanted for a time that is “more than the breath of an action, longer than the ritual of ten minutes,” speaking the true name of his own despair to bind the crystal dust into the glass.

When the binding was complete, he took the silver and the shadow-glass and drove it through the meat of his ear. The scroll uses the word krat-ul, which means either “listening hole” or “the flesh that bleeds for sound.” We call it an earring.

Immediately, the text rejoices in a terrible way. The ink becomes jagged. Vorn heard the Banebound. The sliver pulled at his skin, heavy with the weight of the god’s dark intent. The bugs of the dirt fled from his feet. The warmth of his camp flame grew sick and died. He was wrapped in a presence of despair, a natural gift from the shadow that gnaws at the roots of Saṃsāra.

Vorn journeyed to the places of many people, a walled gathering of stones where the guards walk. The translation notes this as a “somewhat safe place where the defense of the body is doubled.” Vorn wished to test the dark water he had drawn from the well of Vaelor. When a merchant of the light spoke against him, Vorn did not strike with iron. He touched the silver in his krat-ul.

The text describes a “throwing of the mouth-sounds into the dark.” Vorn used the magic of the sliver to make the merchant’s own shadow whisper words of treason. The guards of the stone walls heard the shadow speak and fell upon the merchant in confusion. Vorn walked away, his inner eye seeing the true names of the shadows that danced upon the walls. He muttered the chants of the bound, making the darkness sharp, stretching it to frighten the hounds that guarded the gates.

Yet, the scroll turns sorrowful in its final markings. Vorn found that the dark is a heavy cloak. The sliver left a taste of old blood in his mouth. The people of the walled town looked upon his shadow and saw the taint of the accursed. They chased him with fire and bright steel, driving him into the wilderness. He became a creature of the hidden temples, unable to stand in the gaze of Helios without feeling the vulnerability of the naked. The text claims he crafted more of these slivers, gifting them to the outcasts in the deep woods, tying the Accursed Covenant together through shared whispers in the dark.

The symbols end with a warning, carved deep into the leather so that it can be felt even by the blind.

Moral of the Story: He who builds a door for the dark to speak through must remember that the dark will never stop speaking, and eventually, the voice of the shadow will drown out the warmth of the light.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Resonating Shard of Vaelor

  • Item Type: Mythos Artifact (Frail)
  • Sanity Loss: 1/1d4 Sanity points to attune or activate.
  • Magic Points: 2 MP per activation.
  • Game Mechanics: * Shadowed Whisper: The user may spend 2 MP and succeed in a POW or Occult roll to manifest their voice within any shadow seen within 10 yards. This grants a Bonus Die to Stealth or Sleight of Hand used for distractions.
    • Aura of Despair: While worn, the user gains a Penalty Die on Charm and Persuade rolls against non-Covenant members, but gains a Bonus Die on Intimidate rolls.
    • Vaelor’s Sight: Provides a Bonus Die to Spot Hidden when searching for occult markings or hidden magical items in low-light conditions.
  • The Toll: Every time the item is activated, the user must pass a CON roll or suffer a lingering chill that reduces all physical skill rolls by 5% for 1d6 hours.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Banebound Sliver

  • Item Type: Arcane Implement (Fine, 0 Load)
  • Tier: I
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Potency): When you Prowl or Gather Information in darkness or occult settings, you have Potency.
    • Active (Shadowed Whisper): You may expend 1 Stress to project your voice through a nearby shadow. This is an Attune action. It can be used to provide a Setup bonus for a teammate or to create a distraction.
    • The Burden: If you overindulge your Vice or suffer a Trauma, this item pulses with a cold light. Until you fulfill a task for the Accursed Covenant (Long-term Project), the item’s presence counts as a Consequence (Reduced Effect) on social actions with “decent” citizens.
  • Tags: Arcane, Cursed, Subtle.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: God-Given 812: Earring of the Veiled Sliver

  • Item Type: Wondrous Item, Common (Requires Attunement)
  • Specific Slot: Earring
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker: While attuned to this earring, you have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks to identify magical traps or ritual components associated with shadow magic or the school of Illusion.
    • Presence of Despair: As a passive effect, non-magical flames within 5 feet of you flicker and provide only dim light. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks against creatures with a Challenge Rating of 1/4 or lower.
    • Shadowed Whisper: As an action, you can project your voice to any point of total darkness you can see within 30 feet.
    • Mutterings of the Bound: Once per long rest, you can use a bonus action to cause a shadow within 10 feet to become “solid.” This area becomes difficult terrain for 1 round.
  • Curse: While attuned, you have disadvantage on saving throws against effects that deal necrotic damage.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Sliver of Vorn

  • Item Type: Relic
  • Inventory Slots: 1 (Worn as Earring)
  • Quality: 5 (Resilience)
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Identify: Once per day, you may use the Sliver to cast a version of Identify that only works on items or ruins belonging to dark factions or shadow cults.
    • Distract: You may project your voice into any shadow within 30 feet. If used during a parley or stealth attempt, the GM may grant an Advantage roll to the check.
    • Cold Aura: Torches and lanterns held by the user have their light radius halved.
  • Save: If the user rolls a critical failure (Natural 1) on any Stealth check while wearing the Sliver, they must make a WIS save. On a failure, the item consumes 1 HP from the user as Vaelor demands a toll in blood.

Fate Core / Condensed

Unique Name: The Veiled Sliver of Vaelor

  • Item Type: Extra (Cost: 1 Refresh or a Stunt Slot)
  • Aspect: Whispers of the Banebound
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Gaze of the Seeker): You gain a +2 bonus to Investigate or Lore actions when identifying shadow-based magic, dark cults, or hidden ritualistic items.
    • Shadowed Whisper: Once per scene, you can project your voice into a nearby shadow to create an advantage or a distraction. This uses your Will or Deceive skill. If successful, you place a temporary aspect like Disembodied Voice or Shadow Distraction on the scene with one free invoke.
    • Presence of Despair: When you use Provoke to intimidate someone through cold, eerie silence, you can use your Will skill instead of Provoke.
  • The Cost: This item carries the flaw Stained by the Accursed. The GM can compel this aspect to have guards notice your “dark aura” or to have the item’s cold weight distract you during moments of intense heat or light.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Shadow-Focus Earring (Level 1)

  • Item Type: Artifact (Earring)
  • Level: 1 (1d6 for depletion)
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Mind’s Eye): The wearer is trained in tasks related to identifying shadow-related numenera or magical-like artifacts.
    • Activated (Shadowed Whisper): By spending 1 Intellect point, the user can project their voice up to a short distance (50 feet), making it sound as if it is coming from a patch of shadow. This counts as an asset for deception or stealth tasks.
    • Aura of Cold Despair: Small fires (torches, candles) within immediate range flicker and dim significantly. The user gains an asset to Intimidation tasks but takes a penalty to Persuasion tasks with those who value the light.
  • Side Effect: On any roll involving the artifact where the d20 result is a 1, the wearer takes 1 point of Intellect damage as Vaelor’s ambition drains their mental focus.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: God-Given 812: Sliver of the Banebound

  • Item Type: Item 1 (Abjuration, Arcane, Invested, Shadow)
  • Usage: Worn (Earring); Bulk: —
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Arcana or Occultism checks to identify creatures or items with the Shadow trait.
    • Presence of Despair (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Coerce (Intimidate) checks. However, you take a –1 item penalty to Diplomacy checks against creatures of the Good alignment or those who serve deities of light.
    • Shadowed Whisper (Activate): [One-Action] (Concentrate, Illusion); Effect: You project your voice to a square of dim light or darkness within 30 feet. This functions like the ventriloquism spell but is limited to voice only and must originate from a shadow.
  • Curse (The Toll): While invested, you have Weakness 2 to positive damage.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Accursed Sliver

  • Item Type: Minor Artifact (Earring)
  • Rank: Novice
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker: The wearer gains a +1 bonus to Research or Occult rolls when investigating shadow magic, hexes, or the Accursed Covenant.
    • Shadowed Whisper: As an action, the user makes a Performance or Stealth roll. With a success, their voice projects from any shadow within 10″ (20 yards). This can cause a Distraction (as the Test mechanic).
    • Presence of Despair: The wearer gains the Menacing Edge. If they already have it, they gain a +1 to Intimidation rolls.
  • Negative Effect: The item’s “Cursed Aura” makes the wearer unsettling. They suffer a –1 penalty to all Persuasion rolls with non-Covenant members.
  • Divine Pain: If the wearer ever suffers a Critical Failure on a Spirit roll, the earring pulses with Vaelor’s hunger, causing one level of Fatigue that can only be recovered after a Long Rest.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: The Banebound Focus (Force 1)

  • Item Type: Qi Focus (Earring) or Alchemical Preparation
  • Rating: 1
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker: While active, the user gains a +1 dice pool bonus to Assensing tests specifically to identify Awakened shadows, spirits of shadow, or toxic magic associated with despair.
    • Shadowed Whisper: By spending a Minor Action, the user can manipulate their localized mana field to project their voice through any shadow within (Magic x 2) meters. This provides a +1 Tactical Advantage to Con or Impersonation tests involving distractions.
    • Aura of Despair: The focus creates a minor background count (Rating 1) within 2 meters that affects only non-magical light sources and emotional states. Mundane NPCs feel an “unsettling” vibe, granting a +1 bonus to Intimidation tests but a -1 penalty to Influence tests.
  • Astral Signature: The item radiates a cold, jagged signature consistent with Vaelor’s Banebound nature. If the user glitches an Astral combat roll, the focus deactivates until “re-attuned” (re-invested) during downtime.

Starfinder (2nd Edition Playtest/Remaster)

Unique Name: God-Given 812: Shadow-Linked Comm-Sliver

  • Item Type: Worn Magic Item (Earring)
  • Level: 1; Price: 250 Credits
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Mysticism checks to identify creatures with the Shadow or Void traits and to Perception checks to see through magical darkness.
    • Presence of Despair (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Intimidate checks to Demoralize. However, your digital signature is flagged as “anomalous,” giving you a -1 penalty to Diplomacy with law enforcement or corporate security.
    • Shadowed Whisper (Activate): [One-Action] (Concentrate, Illusion); Effect: You project your voice to any unlit or dimly lit area within 60 feet. This bypasses standard audio-dampening tech unless the area is flooded with bright, artificial light.
  • Tech-Blight: This item interferes with delicate sensors. While worn, your personal comm unit and local scanners have their range reduced by 10%.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Psionic Shadow-Shard

  • Item Type: Psionic Focus (TL 15 / Ancient)
  • Skill Requirement: Psionic Talent (Telepathy or Awareness)
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Passive (Gaze of the Seeker): The user gains a +1 DM to all Investigate or Science (Psionics) checks when examining “dark” psionic phenomena or hidden cult artifacts.
    • Shadowed Whisper: By expending 1 point of Psionic Strength, the user can project their voice into a shadow within 10 meters. This is a form of directional telepathy that “vibrates” the darkness, making it audible to mundane ears.
    • Aura of Despair: Within a 2-meter radius, light levels drop by one step. The user gains DM+1 to Persuade (Intimidation) but DM-1 to Persuade (Diplomacy).
  • The Burden: Use of the Shard is physically draining. If a 2 is rolled on the 2d6 Psionic task check, the user suffers 1 point of damage to their Endurance characteristic as the Shard feeds on their vitality.

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Malignant Ear-Splinter of Vaelor

  • Item Type: Cursed Trinket / Warp-Touched Relic
  • Game Mechanics:
    • Gaze of the Seeker: The wearer gains a +10 bonus to Intuition or Lore (Magic) checks when sensing the presence of hidden cultists or Dhar (Dark Magic).
    • Shadowed Whisper: The user may attempt an Average (+20) Channelling Test. On a success, their voice emerges from a shadow within 10 yards. Failure results in a Minor Miscast as the shadows snap back at the user.
    • Presence of Despair: The wearer gains the Frightening Trait against any NPC with a Willpower of 30 or less. However, they suffer a -10 penalty to Fellowship tests with anyone of a “Lawful” or “Holy” background.
  • The Corruption of Vaelor: Every time the item is used to project a voice, the user must pass a Challenging (+0) Cool Test or gain 1 Corruption point. If the user gains a mutation, the splinter fuses permanently to their ear.