Huna 21 of the Weavers Glass – GearAscendancy.com

Lore: In the early ages of Saṃsāra, when the world was a chaotic tapestry of reincarnated souls, strange beasts, and inexplicable phenomena, the first scholars sought to find patterns in the madness. They were faced with floating islands, creatures born from pure magic, and physics that bent to the whims of belief. One of these scholars, a woman who remembered the Huna teaching that all things in the universe are connected, rejected the idea that these were random events. She taught that every anomaly was merely a “knot” in the great, invisible net of spirit and energy that comprised reality.

She spent years developing a tool not to see objects, but to see the connections between them. Using a piece of flawless crystal found in a cave where time flowed at different speeds, she polished it for a year and a day, meditating on the Huna principle of Kala—the idea that there are no true limits, and thus all things touch. She bound the lens in a frame of wood from a tree that grew on a floating island, believing it to be un-tethered from normal reality. The result was the Weaver’s Glass, a tool that allowed the user to perceive the shimmering threads of cause and effect, making it an essential item for anomalists, investigators, and sages trying to read the secret story of the world.

Description: The Weaver’s Glass is a single, perfectly circular lens, about two inches in diameter. The lens itself is crafted from a flawless, clear crystal that seems to have no refractive index—looking through it does not magnify or distort the world in any normal way. It is set in a simple, dark frame carved from the wood of a Sky-Root tree, a wood known for its impossible lightness. The frame is unadorned, save for a series of microscopic, spiraling glyphs that can only be seen when the light catches them at the perfect angle. The item is usually carried in a padded pouch or worn on a thin cord around the neck, to be held up to one eye when used.

Detailed Stats

Investigation: +2
Perception: +1
Durability: 10/10

Passive Magic

Resonant Hum: The crystal lens acts as a sympathetic resonator for magical and dimensional irregularities. When the wearer is within fifty feet of a significant anomaly—such as a dimensional tear, a powerful illusion, an enchanted object, or a creature of pure magic—the frame of the Weaver’s Glass emits a faint, almost subliminal hum. The hum increases in pitch and intensity the closer the user gets to the source of the anomaly, acting as a dowsing rod for the strange and unnatural.
Pono’s Clarity: Based on the Huna principle of “effectiveness is the measure of truth,” the lens provides subtle feedback on the user’s line of inquiry. When the user is observing an anomaly and their hypothesis about its nature or cause is correct or on the right path, the view through the lens becomes supernaturally sharp and clear, with colors seeming slightly more vibrant. If their theory is incorrect or they are pursuing a false lead, the view becomes subtly clouded, as if looking through a faint haze.

Activable Magic

Trace the Thread: By holding the glass to their eye and focusing on a specific object, creature, or magical effect, the user can activate its primary function. After a few moments of intense concentration, they are able to perceive the invisible “threads” of connection bound to the target. These appear as faint, shimmering strands of light. A thread might connect a magical wound to the person who inflicted it, reveal the lingering trail of a teleportation spell, link a strange artifact to the place it was created, or show the symbiotic connection between two seemingly unrelated creatures. The user can only follow one thread at a time, and the threads fade with time and distance.
Visualize the Echo: The user can focus the lens on a specific location where they believe an anomalous event has recently occurred. By entering a light meditative trance and clearing their mind, they can perceive a psychic echo of the event. This is not a perfect replay. It is a symbolic, ghostly superimposition on reality. A powerful spell being cast might appear as a silent, slow-motion bloom of colored light. A creature passing through might leave a series of fading, luminous footprints. A heated argument might leave behind shimmering, agitated forms. This ability allows the user to gain a conceptual understanding of “what happened here” long after the event has passed.

Slot: Eyes

Tags: Magic, Huna, Anomalistics, Investigation, Roleplay, Common, Tier 1, Eyes, Divination, Lore, Seeker, Tool, Resonance, Lens, Crystal, Echo, Connection, Subtlety, Focus, Aura, Tracker, Truth

The Huna 21 of the Weaver’s Glass is a specialized instrument, a tool not for a warrior or a common merchant, but for the scholar, the investigator, and the seeker of hidden truths. As such, it is not typically found in open markets but in places dedicated to knowledge, secrets, and the study of the inexplicable.

The Scriptorium of an Arcane University

In the hallowed halls of Saṃsāra’s great universities, within the departments of Metaphysical Studies, Anomolistics, or Arcane Forensics, the Weaver’s Glass is a known, if rare, research tool. The “shop” here is the university’s scriptorium or a professor’s laboratory—a place that smells of ancient paper, ozone from magical experiments, and dust. The air is still, and business is conducted in hushed, academic tones.

This item is almost never sold for currency. It is a university asset, provided to students, faculty, or sponsored researchers engaged in work deemed important by the institution. To acquire one, an avatar would need to gain admission to the university, successfully petition a department head with a compelling research proposal, or gain the patronage of a tenured professor. The transaction is one of academic merit and reputation. The glass might be loaned for the duration of a project, with the understanding that all findings must be submitted to the university’s archives. A significant “donation” to the library’s acquisitions fund might persuade a dean to approve a less conventional request.

Cost: No direct monetary cost. Access is granted through academic standing, service to the university, or a substantial donation in the range of 300 Vitae or more.

The Agency of the Argent Eye

In the bustling cities, there are professional agencies of inquiry—private investigators and seekers-for-hire who solve crimes, find missing persons, and delve into mysteries that the city watch cannot or will not handle. These agencies often maintain a discreet office on a respectable but quiet street. Inside, the atmosphere is practical and professional, smelling of strong brewed coffee and oiled clockwork. The proprietor is often a retired master investigator who now equips and guides the next generation.

Here, the Weaver’s Glass is sold as a standard, if high-end, tool of the trade. The proprietor knows its exact worth for tracking magical signatures, reconstructing events from psychic echoes, and following the “threads” of a complex case. The transaction is straightforward business. The item is sold to guild members or trusted freelancers at a set, professional price. There is little room for haggling, though an investigator might earn a discount by taking on a particularly difficult or low-paying case as a favor to the agency.

Cost: A firm market price of 180 – 250 Vitae.

The Shop of Forgotten Things

Tucked away in the winding alleys of a city’s oldest quarter is the antiquarian’s shop, a place overflowing with the strange, the beautiful, and the utterly unidentifiable. The shop is a dusty labyrinth of curiosities, smelling of aged wood, preserving oils, and the faint, lingering magic of a hundred different artifacts. The owner is often an eccentric historian or a failed wizard who is far more interested in an item’s story than its market value.

The Weaver’s Glass might be found here, lying on a velvet cloth between a petrified egg and a set of mismatched porcelain eyes. The shopkeeper may not fully understand its function, perhaps labeling it a “Diviner’s Monocle” or a “Faulty Scrying Glass.” The process of buying it is a narrative exchange. The price is secondary to the buyer’s story. The owner will want to know why you seek it, what mysteries you intend to unravel. An intriguing tale or a piece of forgotten lore could be worth more than gold to them. They might be persuaded to trade the glass for another artifact with an equally compelling history.

Cost: Highly unpredictable. The price in currency could range from a bargain of 120 Vitae to an exorbitant 300 Vitae, depending entirely on the shopkeeper’s assessment of the item’s mystique and the buyer’s story.

The Shadow Bazaar

In the hidden places of the great cities—the abandoned steam-tunnels, the disused cisterns, the fog-shrouded docks—operates the black market. Here, information and secrets are the most valuable commodities. The Weaver’s Glass is a highly prized tool in this environment, not for scholarly pursuits, but for its immense value in espionage and thievery.

The seller is an anonymous, hooded figure—an information broker or a high-ranking member of a thieves’ guild. The transaction is tense, silent, and swift. They know exactly what the glass can do: trace the magical connections from a nobleman’s vault to its key, see the psychic echo of a secret password being spoken, or identify the magical wards protecting a target. The item is almost certainly stolen, and the seller desires only two things: absolute discretion and maximum profit. They will not accept services or stories, only untraceable currency or a secret of equivalent or greater value.

Cost: Inflated to reflect its utility in high-stakes criminal ventures. 350 – 500 Vitae, or a piece of information that could topple a merchant house.

The Weaver’s Glass is a tool of perception, not of power. Its use in offense and defense is therefore indirect, an art of leveraging forbidden knowledge and seeing the hidden tactical realities of a situation. An avatar using it does not project force, but gains the insight needed to guide force to its most effective, or devastating, conclusion.

In a Magically Trapped Ruin

Ancient ruins are layered with magical traps and guardians. Here, the Weaver’s Glass is a key that unlocks the secrets of the environment, turning a deathtrap into a weapon.

Defense:

Defensively, the glass is a tool of pre-emptive avoidance. Upon entering a large, suspiciously empty chamber, the avatar’s Resonant Hum passive immediately begins to vibrate, alerting them to the presence of powerful, dormant magic. Raising the Weaver’s Glass to their eye, they scan the room. They use Trace the Thread on a single, almost invisible pressure plate near the entrance. Through the lens, they see not just the plate, but a shimmering web of faint, blue threads connecting it to a dozen other plates scattered across the floor, all leading to focusing runes on the ceiling. They have instantly mapped the entire trigger network for a lightning trap. The defensive act is then to guide their party, dictating each footstep, navigating the invisible web of triggers flawlessly and rendering the ancient, deadly trap completely inert through pure information.

Offense:

Offensively, the glass turns the enemy’s strength against them. Later, in that same chamber, the party is cornered by an ancient, armored golem that cannot be harmed by their weapons. Remembering the trap network, the avatar now uses that information as a weapon. While their allies distract the golem, the avatar stands near the entrance and uses the glass to perfectly aim a thrown rock at the first pressure plate they identified. Seeing the network through the lens allows for perfect targeting. The rock strikes true, initiating the chain reaction they had previously bypassed. The golem, standing in the middle of the network, is struck by a dozen bolts of high-energy lightning from the ceiling. The avatar did not cast the spell; they used the information from the glass to weaponize the dungeon itself against its own guardian.

In a Political Intrigue Setting

At a lavish masquerade ball or in a tense diplomatic meeting, information is the sharpest blade. The Weaver’s Glass reveals the invisible connections that underpin all conspiracies and secrets.

Defense:

Defense in this environment is about unmasking hidden threats. The avatar is tasked with protecting a nobleman at a crowded ball. They use the Weaver’s Glass to subtly scan the masked attendees. The Resonant Hum alerts them to a faint magical anomaly near a charismatic duelist who has been charming the nobleman’s daughter. Focusing on the duelist, the avatar uses Trace the Thread. They see a faint, sickly green thread connecting a large, ornate ring on the duelist’s finger to a hidden vial of poison in his boot. The ring is a delivery mechanism. The defensive act is not to confront the assassin, but to quietly approach the city guard, describe the man and the ring, and explain the threat. The guards then intercept the assassin, preventing the assassination attempt long before it happens, all without causing a scene.

Offense:

Offensively, the glass is a tool for character assassination and strategic ruin. The avatar wishes to discredit a political rival, an ambassador from a competing nation. During a tense trade negotiation, the avatar uses the glass to observe the ambassador. They activate Visualize the Echo on the sealed diplomatic pouch the ambassador carries. They cannot read the contents, but through the lens they see a ghostly, symbolic echo of the pouch being handed to the ambassador earlier in the evening. The figure in the echo is indistinct, but the echo of their aura and clothing matches that of a known and reviled spymaster. The offensive act is to leak this information: “I witnessed a secret meeting; the ambassador’s pouch was given to them by the spymaster.” They have no “proof” in the traditional sense, but the seed of distrust is planted, undermining the ambassador’s credibility and derailing the negotiation.

During a Monster Hunt

In the untamed wilderness, fighting a strange beast from Saṃsāra’s menagerie, knowledge of the unknown is the difference between survival and becoming prey.

Defense:

Defense during a hunt is about surviving the unseen. The party is being stalked through a dense jungle by a predator they can hear but not see. It moves with unnatural speed and silence. The avatar, frustrated, stops and uses Visualize the Echo on a set of freshly made tracks. Looking through the Weaver’s Glass, they see a ghostly, shimmering outline of the creature that made them: a great, multi-limbed cat that seems to flicker in and out of phase with reality. The defense is knowledge. The avatar can now shout to their party, “It’s a phase-cat! It’s teleporting, not running! Ready your area-of-effect attacks!” This information instantly changes the party’s tactics from futilely trying to pinpoint a target to preparing to strike where it is about to be, defending them from being picked off one by one by an “invisible” foe.

Offense:

Offensively, the glass exploits weaknesses that are invisible to the naked eye. The party confronts their quarry: a massive, turtle-like beast with a shell that repels all magic and breaks all weapons. The Resonant Hum of the glass is going wild, but it seems to be directionless. The avatar’s player states their theory: “The shell is magic, but it must have a flaw or a power source.” The Pono’s Clarity passive activates. As the avatar scans the creature, the view through the lens becomes razor-sharp when they look at one specific, otherwise unremarkable point between the beast’s shoulder blades. This confirms their theory. The offensive act is to shout, “Its power is focused there! Between the shoulders! Break that spot and the shell will fall!” They use the glass to guide an archer’s shot or a warrior’s overhead strike to the exact point of vulnerability, turning an invincible foe into a defenseless one.

Perception of Activation:

SIGHT

User’s Perspective: This is the primary sense affected. When the user looks through the lens, the normal world remains visible but seems to lose some of its color saturation, becoming slightly grayed out. Superimposed over this reality, the user sees the true object of their search: faint, shimmering, multi-colored threads of light (Trace the Thread) or ghostly, translucent overlays of past events (Visualize the Echo). When the user’s line of inquiry is correct, the entire view through the lens—both the real world and the magical overlay—snaps into a state of supernatural sharpness and clarity.
Observer’s Perspective: From the outside, the clear lens of the Weaver’s Glass becomes instantly opaque and milky when activated, like a piece of frosted glass. An observer cannot see the user’s eye through it, nor can they perceive the threads or echoes. They may, however, see faint, colored lights swirling on the surface of the clouded lens, reflecting the phenomena the user is witnessing.
Positives: The visual information provided to the user is direct, detailed, and undeniable. The opacity of the lens to outsiders ensures that the user’s discoveries remain secret, a significant tactical advantage.
Negatives: The visual overlay can be complex, and focusing on the shimmering threads can make it difficult to perceive immediate, physical threats in the same field of view. An avatar could become so engrossed in tracing a magical connection that they fail to see a mundane enemy approaching.

TOUCH

User’s Perspective: The moment the glass is activated, the lightweight wooden frame becomes unnaturally cold, as if drawing heat from the user’s hand to power its effect. The Resonant Hum passive transforms into a distinct, high-frequency vibration that the user feels in their fingertips and the small bones of their face. The pitch and intensity of this vibration change depending on the nature of the anomaly being viewed, providing a constant stream of tactile data.
Observer’s Perspective: An observer cannot feel the effect unless they are physically touching the hand that holds the item, in which case they might feel a faint, unusual vibration.
Positives: The vibration serves as an excellent secondary source of information, helping the user gauge the power or type of an anomaly without relying solely on sight. The coldness is a clear indicator that the item is active.
Negatives: Prolonged use can be physically fatiguing. The constant cold can make the user’s hand stiff, and the high-frequency vibration can lead to a dull headache or a feeling of numbness in the user’s face and fingers.

SOUND

User’s Perspective: Activation opens a unique auditory channel. The user hears a constant, soft whisper like static or falling sand, which is the “sound” of ambient magical energy. When viewing threads or echoes, distinct tones emerge from this static. Each thread may have its own musical note, and an echo may be accompanied by distorted, ghostly whispers or fragments of sound from the past event.
Observer’s Perspective: The item itself is completely silent to any observer.
Positives: The auditory cues can help the user differentiate between multiple overlapping threads of magic or gain more context about the nature of a psychic echo they are witnessing.
Negatives: The constant whispering static can be unnerving and mentally taxing. It can also mask subtle, real-world sounds, making the user less aware of their immediate physical surroundings and potential dangers.

SMELL

User’s ‘s Perspective: The user perceives a dry, sterile scent that seems to have no physical source. It is the scent of pure information, often described as a combination of old parchment, ozone after a magical discharge, and dust from a place long forgotten. When tracing a particularly strong connection, this scent can take on subtle characteristics—a thread of necromantic energy might add a faint, cloying sweetness to the smell.
Observer’s Perspective: There is no smell produced by the activation.
Positives: The neutral scent helps to isolate the user from distracting environmental odors, aiding concentration. The subtle changes in scent can provide an additional, if abstract, layer of data about the anomaly being studied.
Negatives: This sensory information is highly subjective and difficult to interpret reliably or communicate to others. It is more of an intuitive “flavor” than a hard piece of data.

TASTE

User’s Perspective: A faint, metallic taste forms on the user’s tongue, similar to the taste of static electricity or touching a tongue to a battery terminal. This sensation is a common side effect of directly interfacing with raw magical information fields and serves as a confirmation that the connection to the unseen world is active.
Observer’s Perspective: No effect.
Positives: It is a simple, binary indicator that the device is functioning and channeling magical energy.
Negatives: The taste is mildly unpleasant and can be distracting, but it provides little useful information beyond a simple “on/off” confirmation.

EXTRA-SENSORY: Conceptual Realignment

User’s Perspective: As the threads appear through the lens, the user feels a distinct “click” in their mode of thinking. Their perception briefly shifts from a linear, cause-and-effect view of the world to a more holistic, interconnected one. They don’t just see that a thread connects a magical trap to its trigger; they intuitively understand the relationship on a fundamental level. This is the Huna principle of Kala (interconnectedness) being directly experienced.
Observer’s Perspective: The user might suddenly make astounding leaps of logic that seem to come from nowhere. Their speech may become more abstract while they are using the lens, as they describe the web of connections rather than the individual objects.
Positives: This mental shift allows the user to solve mysteries and understand complex magical systems that would be impossible to decipher with conventional logic alone.
Negatives: This non-linear mode of thinking can be disorienting. After extended use, the user may find it difficult to “re-ground” themselves in normal, linear reality, making them seem eccentric, distracted, or lost in thought.

EXTRA-SENSORY: Temporal Vertigo

User’s Perspective: When activating Visualize the Echo, the user experiences a mild but distinct form of vertigo. They feel as though they are standing on a solid floor that is gently rocking, as their sense of “now” is being overlaid with a perception of “then.” The feeling is one of being momentarily unstuck from the normal flow of time, perceiving the past and present simultaneously.
Observer’s Perspective: An observer may see the user become momentarily unsteady on their feet, perhaps putting a hand out to a wall to steady themselves. Their eyes might track things across the room that are not physically present.
Positives: This temporal dissonance is precisely what allows the user to perceive echoes of events that are no longer there, making it a powerful tool for reconstructing a sequence of events.
Negatives: The sensation can be physically nauseating. A particularly strong or violent psychic echo can intensify the vertigo, potentially causing the user to stumble or lose their balance, which could be dangerous in a precarious environment.

The Scholar’s Path: Crafting the Weaver’s Glass

The creation of a Weaver’s Glass is not a matter of simple artisanship; it is an act of profound scholarly and metaphysical discipline. The process requires the physical precision of a master craftsman fused with the focused, philosophical intent of a sage. The crafter does not merely build a tool; they impose a new way of seeing upon a piece of flawless crystal.

Materials Needed

One Raw ‘Heart of Stillness’ Crystal: A flawless, entirely clear quartz crystal, fist-sized or larger. The crystal must be sourced from a “null-magic” zone—a rare location in Saṃsāra where the ambient magical energies are naturally absent. This ensures the crystal is a blank slate, free from any prior magical imprints.
One Mature Branch of Sky-Root: The wood must be taken from a living Sky-Root tree, found only on islands that float high in the atmosphere. This wood is considered to be partially untethered from terrestrial physical laws, making it an ideal conduit for observing strange phenomena.
The Dust of a Lunar Moth’s Wing: The fine, silvery powder shed from the wings of a Lunar Moth, a creature that feeds on moonlight and faint magical emanations. This dust is essential for polishing the lens to perceive subtle energies.
A Crystal Bowl of First-Light Dew: Dew that has been collected from the petals of sleeping flowers at the precise moment of sunrise. This water symbolizes clarity, new beginnings, and the piercing of darkness with light.
A Single, Unspoken Question: This is a metaphysical component. The crafter must begin the process with a deep, unanswered question about the nature of Saṃsāra—a genuine mystery they wish to solve. This question will become the conceptual heart of the lens.

Tools Required

A Master’s Gemcutting Kit: A complete set of high-precision lapidary tools, including diamond-edged saws, grinding wheels, and shaping tools. The work must be done by hand, as the vibrations of magi-steam powered tools would create micro-fractures.
A Set of Micro-Engraving Needles: Extremely fine, hardened needles used for the painstaking process of carving the microscopic glyphs onto the wooden frame.
An Astrolabe or Telescope: This is not used on the item itself, but as a meditative focus. It is used to help the crafter expand their sense of scale and connection to the cosmos during the final ritual.
A Quiet, Dust-Free Workshop: A clean, isolated space is essential. A single speck of dust caught within the lens during its creation will render it useless.

Skill Requirements

Master Lapidary: The ability to cut and polish a crystal into a perfect, non-refractive lens with absolutely no internal or external flaws. This is a skill that takes a lifetime to master.
Micro-Artistry: The extreme manual dexterity and focus required to carve impossibly small and detailed patterns into a delicate material like Sky-Root wood.
Metaphysical Theory (Adept): A deep, scholarly understanding of the principles of magic, causality, and dimensional theory. The crafter must understand what they are trying to see before they can create a tool to see it.
Huna Philosophy (Advanced): A profound and practiced understanding of the Huna principles of Kala (All things are connected) and Pono (Truth is effectiveness). The crafter must not just know these principles, but be able to channel their meaning.

Crafting Steps

Formulating the Question: Before any tool is lifted, the crafter must spend three days in quiet meditation, honing their “unspoken question” into a sharp point of conceptual focus. This question—such as “Why do souls reincarnate on this world?” or “What is the true nature of monster evolution?”—will serve as the spiritual catalyst for the entire process.
The Cutting of the Lens: This is a test of pure physical skill that can take weeks. The crafter meticulously cuts and grinds the Heart of Stillness crystal into a perfectly circular, two-inch lens. The goal is to create a lens that does not bend or magnify light in any conventional way, a “window” of perfect clarity. A single slip of the hand or a miscalculation can shatter the crystal, and the process must begin again.
The Scrimshaw of the Frame: The crafter takes the Sky-Root branch and carves the simple, ring-shaped frame. Then, using the micro-engraving needles, they begin the painstaking process of etching the spiraling glyphs. These glyphs are not letters, but complex diagrams representing the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit; the flow of mana; and the branching paths of cause and effect. This process must be done in complete silence.
The Polishing of Truth: The flawless lens is placed in the crystal bowl. The crafter mixes the Dust of a Lunar Moth’s Wing with the First-Light Dew to create a silvery, luminescent paste. They dip a soft cloth into this paste and begin to polish the lens. During this stage, the crafter must focus their mind on the Huna principle of Pono. They meditate on the idea of truth revealing itself, of clarity overcoming confusion, imbuing the lens with its ability to sharpen its view when the user’s theories are correct.
The Final Imbuement (The Weaving of the World): The polished lens is carefully fitted into its wooden frame. On a clear night, the crafter must take the assembled glass to a high place with an uninterrupted view of the heavens. Using their astrolabe or telescope, they focus on the most distant object they can find. They then lower the instrument and raise the Weaver’s Glass, looking at that same point in space. They meditate on the vast, invisible web of gravity, time, and energy that connects them to that distant star. They must expand their consciousness, projecting the feeling and truth of Kala—that all things are fundamentally connected—into the glass. They pour this worldview into the lens until reality itself seems to accept the new paradigm. The process is complete when, looking at the night sky through the lens, the user can see for the first time the faint, shimmering threads of light connecting the stars to one another.

Judge Who Saw Threads

And it came to pass, in a city of high walls, there was a Judge. Her wisdom was said to be a sharp knife that could cut a lie in half. When she sat upon her seat, the guilty felt a great weight and the innocent felt a great lightness. Her name was spoken with respect, for her scales of justice were always true. It was so.

A great trouble came upon this city. In their high temple, a single Seed was kept. It was said this Seed could grow a tree in one season, and its fruit could feed the whole city for a year. The time of planting was near, a time of great importance. But one morning, the priests came and the Seed was gone. A cry of fear went through the city.

There were two guards in the temple that night. They were brothers, and they were twins, born in the same hour. One was known as Pono, the Honest Brother. His heart was open. The other was known as Ike, the Clever Brother. His mind was a locked box. The Judge called the brothers before her.

Pono the Honest Brother spoke. He said, “I was at my post at the West Gate. My brother Ike was alone inside with the Seed.”

Ike the Clever Brother spoke. He said, “I was at my post at the East Gate. My brother Pono was alone inside with the Seed.”

The Judge listened to their words. Both voices sounded with the ringing of truth. She looked into their eyes. Both pairs of eyes were clear with the look of innocence. The people of the city began to whisper and fear. Without the Seed, there would be hunger. The Judge was troubled. Her sharp knife of wisdom could not find the lie to cut. Her scales would not move.

So the Judge went to the Great Library, a place of dust and silence where old knowledge slept. She asked the keeper, a man so old his skin was like a map, for a way to see a truth that could not be spoken. The keeper did not give her a book. He gave her a thing. It was a single, clear lens in a dark wood frame. He said, “This will not show you what a person’s face looks like. It will show you what their heart is tied to.”

The Judge took the item, which was a Weaver’s Glass. She went to the high temple. She stood before the empty, velvet cushion where the Seed had rested. She held the glass to her eye. The grand temple became gray and without color. But she saw a new thing. From the empty spot on the cushion, a faint, shimmering thread of light stretched out. The thread was the color of deep blue, the color of wanting something very much.

She followed the blue thread. Her heart was heavy. The thread led from the temple, through the streets, and to the small house where the two brothers lived. But at the door, a strange thing happened. The single blue thread split. It became two threads, both of the same size and color. One thread went through the door and ended at the heart of Pono the Honest Brother. The other thread went through the window and ended at the heart of Ike the Clever Brother.

The Judge was more troubled now than before. The glass showed that both brothers were tied to the disappearance of the Seed. This was not an answer. A Judge cannot punish two men for the crime of one.

She returned to the temple. She stood again before the empty cushion. This time, she did not look for threads that went forward into the world. She held the glass to her eye and made her mind very quiet, like a still pool. She looked for a thing left behind. An echo.

And she saw it. The air above the cushion shimmered. It was like heat from a fire. Ghostly shapes appeared. They were like smoke. She saw the shape of Pono, and the shape of Ike. They were there together. Not one, but two. The blue thread of wanting tied them both to the cushion. But now, with the echo, she saw new threads that were not there before. She saw a bright red thread, the color of anger, that went from Ike’s heart to Pono’s heart. And she saw a thin yellow thread, the color of fear, that went from Pono’s heart back to Ike’s.

The story was now clear. The Judge lowered the glass. She knew the truth.

She called the brothers before her and all the people of the city. She said, “The glass has shown me the shape of the crime.” She looked at Ike. “You were tied to the Seed by a thread of wanting. But you were also tied to your brother by a thread of anger.” She looked at Pono. “You were tied to the Seed by wanting. But you were also tied to your brother by a thread of fear.”

Pono the Honest Brother began to cry. Ike the Clever Brother stood like a stone.

The Judge spoke the truth for all to hear. “There was not one thief. There were two. Ike, your cleverness convinced your honest brother to help you steal the Seed for the power it would bring. Pono, your fear of your brother made you agree. You stole it together. But after, you fought. The clever brother did not wish to share the glory. This was the red thread of anger. In your fight, the Seed was knocked from your hands. It is still in the temple.”

And it was so. The guards searched the temple and found the Seed in a crack between the floor stones. The people rejoiced. The Judge’s scales were true once more. The brothers were not sent to a prison of stone, but were given a punishment of purpose. They were commanded to tend the Great Tree that grew from the Seed, together, for all their days, so a new thread of duty could be woven between them.

The Moral of the Story: A lie can hide the truth of what a person did, but it can never hide the threads of why they did it.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu

The Lens of Causality

This is a single, perfectly clear crystal lens mounted in a dark, lightweight wooden frame. It was reportedly created by a reclusive scholar-mystic who believed that all events, no matter how chaotic, were linked by unseen threads of intent and consequence. The lens does not show the future, but it reveals the echoes and connections of the past, a practice that can be deeply unsettling to a mind that is not prepared for the truths it may uncover.

Game Mechanics:

This item is a powerful, but sanity-threatening, tool for any Investigator.

Detect Anomaly: When the Investigator holds the lens, its frame vibrates faintly in the presence of active supernatural energies or Mythos phenomena. This provides one bonus die to any Spot Hidden roll made to notice such disturbances.
Trace Connection: By concentrating on a specific object, marking, or person through the lens for one minute, the Investigator may make a POW x 5 roll. On a success, they perceive a single, faint, shimmering thread of light connecting the target to a significant place or person from its immediate past (e.g., the person who last held it, the place it was created). This knowledge may grant a bonus die to a subsequent Navigate or Track roll. Each use of this ability costs the Investigator 1 Sanity point.
Witness Echo: An Investigator can attempt to view a psychic impression of a significant event that occurred at their current location. This is dangerous and requires a Hard POW x 2 roll.
- On a Success: The Investigator witnesses a silent, ghostly, and often symbolic reenactment of the event. Witnessing a traumatic or violent event in this way costs 1/1d4 Sanity points.
- On a Failure: The vision is a confusing, nightmarish jumble of images, costing 1 Sanity point.
- On a Fumble (a roll of 96-100): The Investigator experiences the event from the perspective of a victim or a participant, suffering the full emotional and psychic trauma. This forces a Sanity roll for 1d4/1d8 Sanity points.

Blades in the Dark

The Echo-Lens

A strange artifact, a perfect crystal lens in a frame of dark wood said to be sourced from the heart of a lightning-tree. When you look through it, the world goes gray, but the actions and energies of the ghost field become visible as shimmering threads and fading echoes. It is an invaluable tool for a Whisper seeking to understand the history of a haunt, or a Spider tracing the connections of a conspiracy.

Game Mechanics:

This is a special item, a tool of arcane investigation. It has a load value of 1.

When you Survey a location while looking through the lens, you can ask one of these questions in addition to the normal list: “What is the strongest spectral or emotional echo here?” or “What here is magically or spiritually connected to my target?”
You can use the lens to Follow a Thread. When you identify an object or person, you can Attune to the ghost field to see a spectral thread leading from them to a place of recent, significant activity. This can start a clock to track them down or discover their hideout.
You can use the lens to Witness an Echo. When you are in a location and want to know what happened there, you can spend 1 Stress to see a ghostly vision of a significant past event. The GM will describe the scene. You can push yourself or accept a Devil’s Bargain to ask a specific question about the vision, such as “Who left this behind?” or “How did they die?” The vision might be disturbing, and the GM may inflict consequences based on what you see.

Dungeons & Dragons

Monocle of Past Echoes Wondrous item, common (requires attunement)

This single, circular lens is crafted from flawless crystal and set in a simple, dark wooden frame. The lens does not magnify, but looking through it reveals the faint, lingering traces of magical and emotional energy.

While wearing this monocle, you can see a faint aura around any visible creature or object within 30 feet of you that bears magic.

The monocle has 3 charges. As an action, you can expend 1 charge and focus on a single object or a 5-foot-square area you can see. You see a fleeting, silent, ghostly image of a significant event that has occurred involving that object or area within the last 24 hours. The vision lasts no more than 6 seconds. The monocle regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.

Additionally, as an action, you can use the monocle to see the invisible threads of connection between things. For 1 minute, you can see a faint, ethereal strand connecting any object to the last creature that handled it, or connecting any creature to another person or object with which it has a strong emotional bond (such as love, hatred, or a sworn oath). The nature of the bond is not revealed, only the connection itself.

Knave

Anomaly Glass

A single, flawless crystal lens in a dark wood frame. Takes up 1 inventory slot.

The glass hums with a low, quiet sound when it is within 20 feet of an active magical effect or a supernatural creature.

Once per day, you may look through the glass at an object or a location and see a silent, ghostly vision of the last significant event that happened there. The vision is brief and may be symbolic.

Once per day, you may look through the glass at a person or object and see faint, shimmering threads connecting it to one other significant thing, person, or place in the immediate area. The GM will tell you what the most significant connection is.

Mental Strain: When you witness a vision of a particularly violent or frightening event, you must make a WIS save. If you fail, you gain 1d4 Stress and are Frightened for the rest of the day.

Fate

Glass of Woven Truths

This item is an Extra, representing a unique tool that allows a character to interact with the world in a way others cannot. It is a lens that reveals the narrative connections that bind people, places, and events together.

High Concept Aspect: Sees the Threads of the Story

Game Mechanics:

The primary function of this glass is to aid in investigation by revealing hidden information, which can be mechanically represented in several ways.

Create an Advantage: This is the most common use of the glass. By taking time to study a scene, object, or person through the lens, a character can use their Investigate skill to Create an Advantage. The aspects created reflect the information gleaned from the past or from hidden connections. For example:
- Lingering Psychic Signature of Guilt
- This Dagger is Tied to the Crimson Hand Guild
- An Echo of a Secret Meeting
- Connected by a Thread of Blackmail
Overcome an Obstacle: When faced with an obstacle related to a lack of information (like a “perfect” crime scene, a hidden objective, or a dead end in a case), a character can use the Investigate skill with the glass to Overcome it by finding a clue that was psychically left behind.
Stunt: Because I possess the Glass of Woven Truths, once per session I can declare that I am seeing a psychic echo of a significant past event. I can ask the Game Master one simple question about “who” or “what” was involved in the event, and the GM will provide a truthful, though potentially cryptic, answer.

Numenera & Cypher System

Psychic Resonance Imager

This artifact is a single, flawless lens of a crystalline material unknown in the Ninth World, held in a frame of dark, resilient synth. It does not magnify light but instead acts as a receiver for psychic and temporal resonance, translating the faint energy patterns left behind by significant events into coherent visual data for the user.

Level: 1d6 + 1 (likely Level 4)
Form: A handheld crystal lens in a synth frame.
Effect: The imager has two distinct functions. Using either requires the user to concentrate for a full round, and requires a depletion roll.
1. Trace Resonance: The user can focus on an object or creature. The imager overlays their vision with a faint, shimmering line connecting the target to the most significant object, person, or location it has been in contact with within the last 24 hours (as determined by the GM). The line fades after a few rounds, but it provides a clear direction or target for investigation.
2. View Echo: The user can focus on a specific spot no larger than an average room. The imager scans for temporal disturbances and plays back a three-dimensional, silent, ghostly image of the most recent, emotionally significant event to occur in that area. The echo plays for one round before fading.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20.

GM Intrusion: A possible GM Intrusion is that the psychic echo is from a traumatic or sanity-blasting event, and the user is temporarily caught within it, suffering 2 points of Intellect damage as they experience the psychic backlash.

Pathfinder

LENS OF RETROCOGNITION ITEM 3 UNCOMMON DIVINATION REVELATION Price 60 gp Usage held in 1 hand; Bulk L

This perfectly clear, circular crystal lens is set in a frame of dark Sky-Root wood. Looking through it, the world appears unchanged, but by concentrating, the user can make the lens reveal the lingering traces of past events and the invisible bonds that connect all things.

Activate [Two-Actions] Interact (concentrate); Frequency once per 10 minutes; Effect You gaze through the lens at a 10-foot square area. You see faint, ghostly images of creatures or objects that were in that area within the last hour. The visions are silent and last only for a moment, but they give you a clue about what happened there (a divination effect). This allows you to use the Search activity in the area with a +1 item bonus, and the GM might provide an additional clue even if your check would not have revealed it.

Activate [Two-Actions] Interact (concentrate); Frequency once per hour; Target 1 creature or object; Effect You focus on the target through the lens and see a shimmering, ethereal cord connecting it to another creature or object to which it has a strong emotional or magical bond, so long as the other end of the bond is within 100 feet. The cord bypasses physical barriers. This allows you to know the direction and distance to the connected creature or object, but reveals nothing about the nature of the bond itself.

Savage Worlds

The Ghost-Glass

A strange and rare magical item, this single lens is set in dark wood and feels strangely cold. It is said that looking through it allows one to see the world as ghosts do, viewing the emotional and spiritual stains left upon it by living beings. It is a powerful, if unsettling, tool for investigators.

Requirements: Seasoned, Smarts d8+, Investigation d8+
Powers: Object Reading

Game Mechanics:

The Ghost-Glass is a unique magical item that enhances an investigator’s abilities.

Passive Effect (Clue Hunter): While holding the glass and actively searching a location for clues, the wearer gains a +2 bonus to all Investigation or Notice rolls. The glass seems to draw the eye toward things that are out of place or hold some lingering significance.
Active Effect (Visions of the Past): The glass has 5 Power Points of its own, which refresh once every 24 hours. The wearer can use these points to activate the Object Reading power. The arcane skill roll is made using the wearer’s Investigation skill.
- Activation: The user can activate Object Reading on a specific item or a distinct location (like a single room or clearing).
- Success: On a success, the user gets a brief, silent, ghostly vision of a significant past event connected to the item or location.
- Raise: On a raise, the vision is exceptionally clear, and the user can ask the Game Master a single, direct question about what they saw, which must be answered truthfully.

Shadowrun

Resonance Grasper

A high-tech optical device favored by para-archaeologists and arcane investigators, the Resonance Grasper looks like a sleek, custom-made monocle or eyepiece. It integrates a standard optical sensor with a unique magical component: a sliver of polished, magically treated crystal that resonates with astral and emotional energies. It “grasps” the faint traces of significant events, rendering them as a comprehensible AR overlay visible only to the user.

Availability: 9R
Cost: 12,000 nuyen

Game Mechanics:

This device is worn as optical gear (like smartglasses) and provides the following functions.

Passive Analysis: The grasper’s low-level resonance scanner constantly analyzes the environment. The wearer gains a +2 dice pool bonus to any Perception test made to find clues or notice things that are magically or emotionally out of place in a scene.
Active Use (Trace Imprint): As a Major Action, the user can target an object they can see within 10 meters. The Resonance Grasper scans the object for recent psychic imprints. The device makes a Sensor test with a dice pool of 4. If successful, the device’s AR display highlights any person within line of sight who has physically handled the target object within the last five minutes, overlaying them with a faint, shimmering outline.
Active Use (Echo Playback): Once per run, the user can target a specific point in space (a doorway, a chair, a spot on the floor) and activate a deep scan as a Major Action. The Resonance Grasper accesses the “echo” of significant events, replaying the last three seconds of intense magical or violent activity that occurred at that point as a silent, ghostly AR overlay. This can be used to identify the casting signature of a spell, the trajectory of a bullet, or the identity of a previously unseen attacker.

Starfinder

Chrono-Echo Lens LEVEL 4 CATEGORY HYBRID ITEM PRICE 2,100 CREDITS BULK L SLOT EYES

This sophisticated monocle features a lens crafted from a shard of time-crystal, encased in a lightweight metallic frame. The device is a hybrid of magic and technology, using divination magic to detect temporal residue and advanced sensor technology to translate the data into a coherent visual display for the wearer. It is a prized tool for Sentinels and other investigators who specialize in solving “cold cases.”

Game Mechanics:

This is a Worn Hybrid Item that occupies the eyes slot.

Passive Effect (Historical Insight): The lens constantly feeds the user subconscious data about its surroundings. The wearer gains a +2 insight bonus to Culture checks to recall historical details about their current location and to Perception checks to notice clues or details that relate to past events.
Active Effect (Temporal Echo): Once per day, as a standard action, the wearer can target a 5-foot square they can see. The lens activates, showing a silent, holographic, 3-second recording of the most recent “significant action” that took place in that square within the last 24 hours. A significant action is defined as one involving violence, the use of magic, or the operation of complex technology.
Active Effect (Psychometric Trace): As a full action, the wearer can target one unattended object. For the next minute, the lens highlights any creature within 60 feet that has physically handled that object in the last hour with a faint, silvery aura visible only to the wearer.

Traveller

Psionic Trace Viewer

An extremely rare and sophisticated piece of technology, likely of Zhodani or Ancient origin. The Psionic Trace Viewer does not see in the normal spectrum. Its central sensor is a psychically-attuned crystal that detects the minute, lingering psychic residue left on objects and in locations by the thoughts and emotions of sentient beings. The viewer translates this residue into a crude visual display on its interior screen.

Tech Level (TL): 14
Cost: Cr 175,000
Mass: 0.5 kg

Game Mechanics:

This is a handheld optical device that requires one hand to use.

Effect (Imprint Analysis): The user can scan a single, unattended object for one minute. This requires an Average (8+) Electronics (sensors) check. On a success, the viewer displays a crude wireframe image of the last person to have handled the object with significant emotional intent, along with a one-word summary of that emotion (e.g., “Anger,” “Fear,” “Desire”). This grants the user DM+2 to any subsequent Investigate check to connect that individual to the object.
Effect (Scene Echo): The user can perform a deep scan of a single room or area for 10 minutes. This is a Difficult (10+) Electronics (sensors) check. On a success, the viewer renders a silent, glitchy, 10-second wireframe holographic recording of the most violent or emotionally charged event to take place in that location within the last 48 hours. The recording is imprecise, but can reveal the number of individuals involved, their general size, and the nature of their actions.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

The Glass of Yesterday

This is a single, perfectly round lens of dark, smoky glass, set in a simple pewter frame. It is said to be a tear of Morpheus, the god of dreams, that solidified as it fell to earth. Those who look through it do not see the present world clearly, but instead see the shadows and echoes of what has already come to pass. Such insight is powerful, but meddling with the past, even just to look, can attract unwanted attention.

Encumbrance: 0
Qualities: Magical, Rare

Game Mechanics:

To use the glass, a character must hold it to their eye and declare what they are trying to see (e.g., “who came through this door,” “what happened to this corpse”). The user must then make a Challenging (+0) Perception Test.

On a Success: The character sees a silent, ghostly, and fleeting vision of a key moment from the past related to their query. The clarity and usefulness of the vision is dependent on the number of Success Levels (SL) achieved on the Test.
- +0 to +1 SL: A blurry, indistinct vision that provides a vague clue.
- +2 to +3 SL: A clear but brief vision of the event.
- +4 to +5 SL: A clear vision that reveals a specific detail, such as a person’s face or a symbol on their clothing.
- +6 or more SL: The vision is exceptionally clear and might also include ghostly sounds or whispers.
The Price of Knowledge: The past does not like to be disturbed. If the user Fumbles their Perception Test (rolls doubles), their mind is violently pulled into the vision. They experience the event from the perspective of someone who was there, gaining 1 Stunned Condition and 1 Fatigued Condition from the psychic shock. They must also test against gaining a Minor Misfortune, as seeing things man was not meant to see is never wise.