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Artisans Verse Koteishi of Mending

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by

Dale
in

Lore In the world of Saṃsāra, the path of an armorer is one of patience and precision. It is said that the first armorers were not warriors, but humble artisans who sought only to protect their communities. Lacking powerful magic, they turned to the ancient tradition of Jumon, weaving simple chants into their craft. They would whisper incantations over the forge, into their quenching water, and upon their finishing tools. One such artisan, a man named Genjiro, believed that the soul of the metal could be soothed and strengthened through words. He spent his life creating simple whetstones, painstakingly carving microscopic Jumon onto their surfaces. He gave these Koteishi, or “workmanship stones,” to traveling smiths and militia members, ensuring that even the most basic armor could be cared for with a touch of spiritual grace. Though Genjiro is long gone, his Koteishi are still found in old barracks and forgotten workshops, their quiet magic enduring.

Description The Koteishi of Mending is a rectangular whetstone, worn smooth and dark grey from generations of use. It feels unnaturally warm to the touch and hums with a barely perceptible vibration. One side of the stone is for coarse sharpening, the other is for fine honing. If held in the right light, faint, almost invisible lines of script can be seen flowing across its surface. When a Jumon is recited while using the stone, these characters glow with a soft, silvery light, and the sound of grinding metal is replaced by a low, harmonic chime.

Slot Tool Kit Item

Detailed Stats

  • Skill Bonus: Grants a +1 bonus to any skill check related to repairing or maintaining armor and weapons.

Passive Magic

  • Jumon of Resilience: When you use the Koteishi to sharpen a weapon or polish a piece of armor for at least 10 minutes, the item becomes infused with a minor protective chant. The next time the item would take damage (e.g., a weapon parrying a heavy blow, armor taking a critical hit), the damage is reduced by 1 point. This effect can only be on one item at a time.
  • Empathic Touch of Metal: While holding the Koteishi or within a minute of having used it, you can feel the history of stress in any metal you touch. You can instinctively sense hairline fractures, hidden rust, or points of weakness in armor, weapons, and other metal objects, granting you insight into their condition and repair needs.

Activable Magic

  • Chant of Minor Mending: By holding the stone against a damaged piece of metal equipment (not magical) and reciting the Jumon, “Naori, sukue, hitotsu ni nare” (Heal, save, become one), you can cast a mending-like spell. This closes small cracks, removes dents, and cleans away rust and tarnish on an area of metal up to one square foot. This ability can be used at will but requires one minute of concentration and light work with the stone.
  • Invocation of the Iron Aegis: Once per day, you can spend one minute sharpening a single piece of non-magical armor while chanting the Jumon, “Hogo, katchū, teppeki no mamori” (Protection, armor, wall of iron). The armor becomes spiritually reinforced for the next hour. The first time the wearer takes damage, that damage is reduced by 5. After this effect is triggered, the magic fades from the armor.

Tags: Common, Tier 1, Jumon, Magic, Tool, Armor, Crafting, Roleplay, Support, Utility, Repair, Buff, Artisan, Esoteric, Haptic, Non-Combat

In the world of Saṃsāra, the Artisan’s Verse: Koteishi of Mending is not an item sought in grand magical emporiums. Its quiet, practical magic means it is most often found in the hands of artisans and those who value well-maintained gear. The way it is sold, and for how much, depends entirely on the seller’s knowledge and the shop’s clientele.

Here are several places where one might acquire a Koteishi of Mending:

  • The Local Smithy or Armorer’s Workshop
    • How it is Sold: This is the most common place to find a Koteishi. The smith, often a gruff but practical individual, likely has one or two lying on a workbench. They might have inherited it from their master or received it from a traveling artisan years ago. To them, it’s simply a high-quality, long-lasting whetstone. The sale is straightforward, often as an add-on to a larger purchase of armor or a weapon. The smith might say, “This old stone has a good feel to it. Keeps a better edge than any other I’ve used. Treat it well.” They are selling a reliable tool, not a magical artifact.
    • Cost: 15 – 25 Silver Pieces. The price is based on its perceived quality as a superior tool. An observant character might notice the smith uses a similar stone for their most important work, hinting at its true value.
  • The Garrison Quartermaster
    • How it is Sold: In a larger town or city with a standing militia, the quartermaster’s office is a place of bureaucracy and function. A Koteishi might be found here as part of a “Master Armorer’s Maintenance Kit” that is being sold off as surplus or offered to new recruits. The transaction is impersonal, logged in a book with a signature required. The quartermaster sees the item as “Whetstone, Artisan Grade, 1 ea.” and knows little of its deeper properties.
    • Cost: 30 Silver Pieces (Fixed Price). The garrison has a set price for its equipment, with no room for haggling. This is the closest thing to a “standard” market value for the item, though it’s still sold without knowledge of its full magical capabilities.
  • The Traveling Merchant’s Cart
    • How it is Sold: A traveling merchant who deals in tools, oddities, and adventuring gear might acquire a Koteishi in their travels without knowing its origin. The sale is a performance. The merchant, noticing the stone’s unusual warmth or the faint markings, will present it as an exotic curiosity. “Found this up in the Iron Peaks, used by the monks of the Silent Forge! They say it never wears down.” Haggling is expected. The merchant knows it’s special but doesn’t know how special, and will try to get as much as they can for it.
    • Cost: Initial Price: 50 Silver. Haggleable down to ~20 Silver. A savvy character with a good persuasion or insight check could easily talk the price down, especially by pointing out it’s “just a rock.”
  • The Monastery or Temple Store
    • How it is Sold: In a monastery dedicated to a deity of craft, protection, or discipline, the creation and sale of Koteishi might be a spiritual practice. Here, the item is sold not as a simple tool, but as a focus for meditation on the importance of care and readiness. The monk selling it would likely explain the item’s purpose in a philosophical sense, perhaps even teaching the buyer the proper way to hold it and the “spirit” of the act of sharpening. The sale is a quiet, respectful exchange.
    • Cost: 60 Silver Pieces (Includes a Tithe). The price is higher here due to the sacred context. The cost is considered both a payment for the item and a donation to the temple’s upkeep. No haggling is permitted, as it would be seen as disrespectful. The buyer leaves not just with an item, but with a lesson.
  • The Dusty Curio Shop
    • How it is Sold: This is where a Koteishi ends up when its owner has passed on or sold it in desperation. It sits in a dusty bin or on a crowded shelf alongside old candlesticks, mismatched boots, and chipped pottery. The shopkeeper is completely oblivious to its nature. “That? Oh, some old sharpening stone. Bit worn, but still has some life in it.” For a character who can sense magic or recognizes the faint Jumon script, this is the discovery of a lifetime.
    • Cost: 5 – 10 Silver Pieces. This is a true bargain. The shopkeeper just wants to clear out old inventory and would be happy to get a few coins for what they see as a worthless, smooth rock.

The Koteishi of Mending‘s use in offense and defense is subtle and rooted in the Armorer’s role as a preparer and a guardian of equipment. Its power is not flashy but manifests in moments of critical importance. Here is how its use could be roleplayed in various environments.

Roleplaying Defense

The core of the Koteishi’s defensive capability lies in preparation and maintenance, preventing failure before it happens.

In a City or Dungeon: The Pre-Dawn Ritual

Before the party ventures into the sewers or prepares for a tense meeting with a guild master, the Armorer finds a quiet corner.

  • Roleplay Description: “While the others check their potions, my character sits cross-legged on the floor. I take out the Koteishi and the fighter’s shield. I don’t just sharpen it; I begin a slow, rhythmic polishing, my voice a low, steady hum. I recite the Invocation of the Iron Aegis: ‘Hogo, katchū, teppeki no mamori.’ To anyone watching, it looks like I’m just meticulously caring for our gear, a nervous habit. But I’m weaving a blanket of spiritual energy into the steel itself, preparing it for the blow I know is coming.”

When that blow lands, instead of saying “The ability absorbs 5 damage,” you would describe the effect:

  • Roleplay Description: “As the thug’s mace slams into the shield, a faint silver tracery of the Jumon I etched into it this morning flares to life for a heartbeat. The sound of the impact is a dull thud, not the sharp crack of splintering wood and denting steel. The shield holds, and the fighter barely stumbles.”

In the Wilderness: Triage for Gear

After a surprise tumble down a rocky slope or a skirmish with wild beasts, the party’s equipment is damaged.

  • Roleplay Description: “I pull out my Koteishi and run it along the ranger’s dented helmet. Using my Empathic Touch, I tell them, ‘The dent is ugly, but the steel’s spirit is strong. It’ll hold. But the clasp on your pack…’ I touch the bent metal fastener, ‘…this is tired. It’s about to break.’ I then use the Chant of Minor Mending, whispering ‘Naori, sukue, hitotsu ni nare,’ as I gently work the stone over the clasp, coaxing the metal to straighten and strengthen, securing our supplies before we move on.”

Roleplaying Offense

Offense with the Koteishi is indirect and requires cunning. It’s not about dealing damage, but about creating vulnerabilities and opportunities for your allies.

In a Noble’s Court or Rival’s Lair: Subtle Sabotage

The party needs to gain an advantage over a rival knight in an upcoming duel or a heavily armed guard.

  • Roleplay Description: “During the tense negotiation, I ‘accidentally’ drop a coin near the captain of the guard. As I bend to retrieve it, I press my thumb—still warm from holding my Koteishi—against the ornate steel boot of his armor. With my Empathic Touch, I feel a hidden flaw: a poorly repaired plate from a past battle. Later, I’ll tell our rogue, ‘Forget the helmet; aim for his left shin. A solid kick there and the whole plate will buckle. He’s overcompensating for an old injury.’ I didn’t harm him, but I gave you the key to his defeat.”

In a Tense Standoff: Corrupting the Chant

This is a more advanced and risky roleplay tactic. When near an enemy’s weapon rack or even a foe’s drawn blade, the Armorer can attempt to use their knowledge in a subversive way.

  • Roleplay Description: “As we hide in the barracks, I sneak over to the hobgoblin leader’s weapon stand. I see his cruel-looking axe. I place my Koteishi on it, but instead of the healing chant, I whisper a corrupted, discordant version: ‘Naori… Retsui… Hitotsu ni… Kudake.’ (Heal… Violence… Become one… Shatter.) I’m not casting a curse, but focusing the stone’s energy on the weapon’s existing stress points, encouraging them to fail. I don’t know if it will work, but perhaps when he parries our fighter’s next blow, his axe will not hold.”

During a Chase: Weaponizing the Environment

The party is fleeing from guards down an iron-gated alleyway. The gate’s lock is old and rusted.

  • Roleplay Description: “We all spill through the gate. While the barbarian prepares to hold it shut, I slam the Koteishi against the rusted locking mechanism. I pour my energy into the Chant of Minor Mending, but not on the gate itself—on the lock. ‘Naori, sukue, hitotsu ni nare!’ The tumblers, rusted and frozen for years, suddenly fuse together with a sickening crunch. The lock is now a solid block of iron. It won’t stop them forever, but it will buy us the time we need.”

Perception of Activation:

Sight

  • User’s Perspective: As you finish the last syllable of the Jumon, the faint etchings on the dark grey stone fill with a gentle, silvery light. The glow is not harsh but soft and personal, like starlight captured within the stone. It illuminates your hands and the tool or armor you are working on, making the metal gleam. The light seems to pulse in rhythm with your heartbeat, creating an intimate connection between you, the stone, and your work.
  • Observer’s Perspective: From a distance, it appears as if the user is holding a dull, dark stone. As they chant, faint, silvery lines suddenly become visible on its surface, casting a soft, localized glow. The light is subtle and could easily be missed in a well-lit room, but in the dimness of a dungeon or at dusk, it’s a small, mysterious beacon. It looks less like a powerful spell and more like a quiet, sacred act.
  • Positives: The light is a clear, non-verbal confirmation that the magic is working. It provides just enough light to work by in darkness without ruining night vision. Its subtlety makes it discreet and unlikely to attract unwanted attention from afar.
  • Negatives: In a situation requiring absolute stealth and darkness, any light source is a liability. An astute observer could notice the glow and become suspicious of the item’s true nature.

Sound

  • User’s Perspective: The moment the chant is complete, the grating sound of stone on metal ceases. It is replaced by a low, harmonic chime that seems to resonate from within the Koteishi itself. It’s a pure, single note that you feel as much as you hear, vibrating through your hands and into your chest. The sound is calming and helps you focus, silencing distracting background noise.
  • Observer’s Perspective: An observer standing nearby would hear the normal sounds of sharpening suddenly stop, replaced by a faint, beautiful ringing sound, like a small, high-quality tuning fork being struck. It is pleasant and unusual, but quiet enough that it would be entirely lost in the noise of a busy street or a battle.
  • Positives: The sound is a secondary confirmation of activation. Its calming nature could help a user maintain focus under pressure. It is quiet and unlikely to alert enemies unless they are very close and in a silent environment.
  • Negatives: The sound, however faint, breaks the silence. A creature with exceptionally sharp hearing (like a bat or wolf) might be drawn to the unusual noise, mistaking it for prey or a strange new threat.

Touch

  • User’s Perspective: The stone, already unnaturally warm, thrums with a gentle, steady vibration as the Jumon takes effect. The coarse surface feels momentarily smoother, gliding over the metal with impossible ease. You feel a flow of energy leaving the stone and entering the object of your work, a sensation like pouring cool water into a thirsty vessel.
  • Observer’s Perspective: An observer would perceive nothing through touch unless they were physically in contact with the user or the stone. If they were to touch the user’s arm, they might feel a very faint, almost subconscious vibration traveling up their muscles.
  • Positives: The tactile feedback is deeply reassuring to the user, confirming the flow of magic. It is completely discreet, with no outward sign to an observer.
  • Negatives: The sudden change in texture and the energy flow could be distracting to an inexperienced user, potentially causing them to fumble or break concentration at a critical moment.

Smell

  • User’s Perspective: As the magic activates, you perceive the faint, clean scent of petrichor—the smell of rain on dry earth or cool stone after a summer shower. It briefly overrides the normal metallic tang of sharpening and the smell of oil or grime, replacing it with a sense of purity and nature.
  • Observer’s Perspective: There is no discernible smell to an observer.
  • Positives: The scent is pleasant and grounding for the user. It is entirely personal and offers no clue to anyone else that magic is being used.
  • –Negatives: There are no inherent negatives to this perception.

Taste

  • User’s Perspective: The air itself seems to change. You perceive a faint taste on your tongue, akin to fresh ozone after a thunderstorm or the clean, mineral taste of water from a deep spring. It is a fleeting sensation that vanishes as soon as the activation is complete.
  • Observer’s Perspective: There is no discernible taste to an observer.
  • Positives: This unique sensory input provides another layer of confirmation for the user, making the experience distinct and memorable. It is completely undetectable.
  • Negatives: There are no inherent negatives to this perception.

Extra-Sensory Perceptions

  • Empathic Resonance (User’s Perspective): You feel the “spirit” of the metal you are working on. With activation, this connection deepens dramatically. You don’t just feel its physical flaws; you can feel its history—the heat of the forge, the shock of past blows, the pride of its former owner. A deep sense of purpose and a desire to heal the object’s “wounds” washes over you.
  • Aural Signature (Observer’s Perspective – Magic Sense): An observer capable of sensing magic (e.g., via a “Detect Magic” spell) wouldn’t see a flashy aura. Instead, they would perceive the Koteishi’s activation as a subtle shift in the world’s sonic landscape. The object emits a “sound” in the magical spectrum that is incredibly well-ordered, like a perfectly structured crystal lattice translated into harmonic law. It is the signature of ancient, deeply integrated, and lawful magic.
  • Positives: This provides a deep well for roleplaying and information gathering for the user. For a magic-sensitive observer, the unique signature identifies the magic as old and disciplined, not chaotic or threatening.
  • Negatives: For the user, receiving a sudden, sharp empathic jolt from a weapon with a violent or tragic history could be emotionally or psychically jarring. For an observer, the subtlety of the magical signature might be overlooked or misinterpreted as a simple background hum.

Artisan’s Verse: Crafting a Koteishi

This recipe outlines the process for recreating a Koteishi of Mending. The process is a meditative act of devotion, blending meticulous craftsmanship with unwavering spiritual focus. It is less about forging an item with raw power and more about coaxing the latent spirit of the stone to awaken through patience and intent.

Materials Needed

  • One Honed River Slate: A hand-sized, dark grey slate stone that has been naturally smoothed by the flow of a river for at least a generation. The stone must be free of deep cracks or impurities. It must feel “quiet” and “patient” to the touch.
  • A Vial of First Rainwater: Water collected from the first rain of a new season, filtered through silk cloth until it is perfectly clear. This water is believed to be pure and full of nascent potential.
  • Three Pinches of Finely Ground Iron Ore: The iron must be from a place of significance to the crafter—perhaps from their home village, a fallen battlefield, or a meteorite. This grounds the stone’s magic in the realm of metal and protection.
  • A Single Drop of the Crafter’s Blood: An offering of self to bind the crafter’s intent and spirit to the stone.
  • Knowledge of the Jumon: The crafter must have memorized and understood the intent behind the Chant of Minor Mending (“Naori, sukue, hitotsu ni nare“) and the Invocation of the Iron Aegis (“Hogo, katchū, teppeki no mamori“).

Tools Required

  • Artisan’s Stoneworking Kit: A set of high-quality tools including fine-tipped chisels, steel rasps, polishing cloths, and varied grit sanding blocks.
  • A Ceramic Ritual Bowl: A simple, unadorned ceramic bowl to hold the ritual waters. It must have never been used for any other purpose.
  • A Mortar and Pestle: For grinding the iron ore to a fine, dust-like consistency.

Skill Requirements

  • Craftsmanship (Stoneworking or Armorer): The crafter must possess a journeyman’s level of skill. They need the dexterity to shape stone precisely and the knowledge of how a proper whetstone should be balanced and textured.
  • Discipline or Willpower: The crafter must have the mental fortitude to remain focused for an extended period. The crafting process is a long, meditative ritual where a single lapse in concentration can ruin the delicate infusion of magic.

Crafting Steps

The entire process must be completed without interruption in a quiet, secluded space between dusk and dawn.

  1. Preparation and Attunement: The crafter begins by cleaning their tools and arranging them neatly. They must then meditate for at least an hour, holding the raw River Slate in their hands, attuning themselves to its nature and calming their own spirit. The goal is to align their intent with the stone’s purpose: to mend and protect.
  2. The Physical Shaping: Using the rasps and sanding blocks, the crafter meticulously shapes the slate into a perfect rectangular whetstone, creating a coarse side and a fine, smooth side. This step is purely physical and can take several hours. Every motion must be deliberate and precise.
  3. The Sacred Infusion: The crafter grinds the iron ore into a fine powder using the mortar and pestle. This powder is then mixed into the First Rainwater within the ceramic bowl. Finally, the crafter adds a single drop of their own blood to the mixture, which will turn a faint, earthy red.
  4. The Inscription of Jumon: This is the most critical and difficult step. Dipping the tip of the finest chisel into the sacred infusion, the crafter begins to etch the microscopic characters of the two Jumon onto the surfaces of the stone. This requires immense precision. As they carve each character, they must whisper the corresponding word of the chant, repeating the Jumon over and over in a low, continuous hum. The red liquid from the bowl will fill the etchings, carrying the intent of the magic into the heart of the stone. This process must continue until both Jumon are fully inscribed.
  5. Sealing the Verse: Once the inscriptions are complete, the crafter will pour the last of the infusion over the stone, washing away any excess. They then begin the final polish with a clean silk cloth, chanting both Jumon aloud in a strong, clear voice. As they polish, the red of the iron infusion within the script should slowly transform, first fading and then flaring into the soft, silvery glow of activated magic.
  6. The Awakening: If the ritual was successful, the stone will become unnaturally warm in the crafter’s hands and will emit a low, harmonic chime that lasts for a full minute before settling into a barely perceptible hum. The Koteishi is now complete.

As though the story was poorly translated in ancient times from even a more ancient unknown language, tell the lengthy story that is most known about the original item… At the beginning include the title and at the end include the moral of the story.

Annals of Dust, The Verse of Genjiro’s Palm

It is said, in the time before the cities had tall names, there was a man. His name, as we now speak it, was Genjiro, but this is a thin word for what he was. He was not a lord of soldiers or a whisperer to the high spirits. His hands were for stone and for steel, and his place was the low place, where the forge-smoke makes a second, grey sky beneath the true sky. His work was the Armorer’s work.

In that sun, the world of Saṃsāra was weary. Metal, like men, would grow tired. A shield that drank many axe-bites would become thirsty for its own breaking. A sword that sang the song of battle too many times would forget its own straightness and long for the curve of failure. Genjiro saw this weariness. He saw the spirit of the iron grow faint, like a candle in a long hallway. The warriors would bring him their tired things, their bent souls of steel, and he would give them fire and hammer, a loud cure. But the weariness always returned, a ghost to sit in the metal’s heart.

Genjiro thought, a loud cure is for a loud wound. But the tiredness is a quiet sickness. It needs a quiet medicine.

So he went away from the forge-sky. He walked to the river that has no memory, the one that tumbles stones until they forget they were ever mountains. He watched the water, which speaks a language older than mouths, and he listened. He did not listen with his ears, but with his feet in the water and his hands on the wet stones. He searched for a stone that had listened to the river long enough to learn its quiet song. He found one, dark and holding the river’s coolness in its core. This was the first slate.

He took this stone not to his hammer, but to his quiet room. He had no magic of the great kind. He could not command the sun to stand or the earth to drink. But he knew the small magic, the Jumon. The words that are not for shouting, but for breathing. Words that teach things how to be stronger in their own way.

For a turning of the moon, he did his work. He made the stone into a flat shape for sharpening, a Koteishi. But it was more. He took water that the sky cried in the first moments of a new season. He took dust of iron that slept in the mountain’s belly. He gave it a single tear of his own blood, so the stone would know his name and his sadness for the tired steel. Then he began to speak the words.

He did not carve the Jumon with a loud chisel. The translation is difficult here. It says he persuaded the words onto the stone. He used a needle of sharpened bamboo and the blood-water mix, and he drew the invisible shapes of the words while he sang them, a sound like bees in a distant tree. He sang the song of mending, the verse that asks broken things to remember they were once whole. “Naori, sukue, hitotsu ni nare.” He sang the song of the shield, the verse that teaches armor how to be a small mountain. “Hogo, katchū, teppeki no mamori.” The words, they soaked into the stone, not sitting on top of it. They went to live inside.

When he was done, the stone was warm, like a small sleeping animal in his hand.

At this time, a person of consequence, a Captain, came to Genjiro. The Captain’s armor was very beautiful, with the face of a sky-lion on the chest. But it was weary. It had a small crack, thin as a spider’s thread, right over the heart. “Fix this, stone-man,” the Captain said. “A great beast comes. My armor must be loud in its strength.”

Genjiro looked at the crack. He knew his hammer could close it, but the tiredness would remain. The ghost would still sit inside.

Instead, he took out the new Koteishi. He said to the Captain, “Loudness is not the only strength. Let me give it a quiet song.” The Captain laughed, for he did not understand the poetry of this. But he was in a hurry, so he allowed it.

Genjiro did not strike the armor. He sat, and he began to sharpen the edges of the great sky-lion shield that went with the armor. He held the Koteishi and as he worked it on the shield’s edge, he whispered the Jumon. The Captain saw only an old man rubbing a dark stone on his shield. But Genjiro felt the warmth flow from the stone, down his arms, and into the weary steel of the shield. He was not sharpening the metal. He was waking it up.

He did this for an hour. Then he gave the shield back. The crack over the armor’s heart was still there. The Captain was angry. “You did nothing, old man! The wound remains!”

Genjiro touched the tiny crack with his finger. “The wound is a memory. But the heart beneath is stronger now. The shield will remember its duty.”

The Captain, furious, left without payment. That day, the great beast came. It was a thing of many claws and teeth made of obsidian. It struck the Captain. It did not strike his shield, which he held high and proud. It struck him right on the chest, where the sky-lion was, its claw aiming for the tiny crack, the place of weariness.

The men who watched said they saw a strange thing. As the claw hit, the thin crack did not shatter. Instead, a soft, silver light shone from it, a light in the shape of the letters Genjiro had persuaded into the stone. The claw, which should have pierced the Captain’s heart, was turned. It slid across the armor and made a great ugly scratch, but it did not enter. The armor had not broken. The quiet song had been strong enough. The Captain, though thrown to the ground, was alive. He had learned that a memory of a wound is not the same as being wounded.

He returned to Genjiro’s forge-sky, his beautiful armor now ugly with the beast’s mark. He did not speak. He placed a bag of gold on the anvil, a loud payment for a quiet medicine. Genjiro took only a single coin, for the work was its own reward.

Moral of the Story: A thing that is cared for with a quiet hand is stronger than a thing that is only mended with a loud hammer. True strength does not always shout.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Koteishi of the Resolute Soul Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement by a character proficient with smith’s tools or mason’s tools)

This dark grey whetstone is worn smooth from generations of use and feels unnaturally warm to the touch. Faint, silvery lines of script are just barely visible on its surface.

While attuned to this item, you gain the following benefits:

  • Artisan’s Knowledge. You have advantage on any Intelligence (History) or Intelligence (Investigation) check made to determine the integrity, origin, or weaknesses of a metal object.
  • Chant of Mending. You can spend 1 minute of uninterrupted work with the koteishi to cast the Mending cantrip, affecting only a metal object.
  • Invocation of the Iron Aegis. This stone has 3 charges. After spending at least 10 minutes using this stone to maintain a suit of armor, you can expend 1 charge to place a protective ward upon it. The ward lasts for 8 hours or until it is triggered. The next time the creature wearing the warded armor takes damage from an attack, they can use their reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus. The stone regains all expended charges daily at dawn.

Blades in the Dark

Ghost-Iron Stone An ancient whetstone from the lands beyond the Shattered Isles, inscribed with nigh-invisible whispers. [Mundane, Tool, Mystic]

This whetstone functions as a set of Fine Tinker’s Tools. When you use it to work on metal, you may push yourself to activate its innate power. Choose one of the following effects:

  • Feel for the Flaw. When you Study a metal object, mechanism, or structure, you may ask one of the following questions for free, even on a failed roll:
    • What is its greatest weakness?
    • What is its true purpose?
    • How can I get this to work?
  • Sing the Seams Shut. When you repair a damaged metal item, you can suffer 1 Stress instead of rolling your action. The item is repaired to working order and its quality is considered 1 level higher until it next breaks. This is a Tinker action.
  • Weave the Ward. Once per score, you may mark a character’s armor (or your own) as having been prepared by the stone. When that character resists physical harm, they get +1d to their resistance roll. You may also activate this ability in a flashback by taking 1 Stress.

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Genjiro’s Warding Stone

This appears to be a simple, high-quality Japanese whetstone of indeterminate age. An Investigator who makes a successful Spot Hidden roll notices microscopic characters etched into its surface. A successful History or Anthropology roll might identify them as a pre-Edo period form of ritualistic script. Learning to use the stone’s properties requires a successful INT roll and the loss of 1d2 Sanity as the user’s mind grapples with the concept of animism—that inert stone and metal have a spirit that can be persuaded.

  • A Tool of Quality: Grants one Bonus Die to all Craft (Smith) or Mechanical Repair checks involving the shaping or mending of metal.
  • Sense Weakness: When inspecting a metal object for flaws (a rusted hinge, a cracked gun barrel, a weak support beam), the Keeper may grant the user a Bonus Die on their Spot Hidden roll or simply provide a clue about a hidden structural weakness.
  • Chant of Mending: By whispering the correct chant for one minute, the user may repair a simple break or crack in a metal object. Using this ability costs the user 1 Magic Point.
  • Aegis of the Old Ways: By chanting for 10 minutes and making a successful POW roll, the user may ward a single piece of armor or a sturdy metal object (like a shield or metal plate). This costs 3 Magic Points and 1 Sanity Point. The next time the wearer would take physical damage, the ward provides 5 points of Armor, after which the ward dissipates.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Koteishi A dark, smooth stone that hums with warmth. (1 inventory slot)

  • You can touch any metal object to instantly learn its vulnerabilities, age, and history of repairs.
  • Chant of Mending: If you spend 10 minutes chanting and working on a broken or damaged metal object, it is restored to a perfect, like-new condition. This cannot repair magical properties.
  • Chant of Iron: Once per day, you may prepare a suit of armor by chanting for 10 minutes. The next time the armor’s wearer would take damage from a single source, they may choose to ignore it completely. If they do, the armor is spiritually exhausted and its Defense bonus is permanently lowered by 1. This penalty is cumulative.

Fate Core System

Stone That Sings to Steel

This item does not have stats but is instead treated as a potent item Aspect. A character who possesses the stone gains the Aspect: Bearer of the Stone That Sings to Steel.

  • Invoke for Advantage: You can spend a Fate Point to invoke this Aspect for a +2 bonus or a reroll on any Crafts roll to fix a metal item, or on an Overcome roll where perceiving a structural flaw in metal would be beneficial.
    • Example: “I’m trying to repair the spirit-warden’s busted automaton. I’m invoking my Bearer of the Stone That Sings to Steel Aspect to get the bonus; the stone’s hum guides my hands to the precise point of failure.”
  • Compel for Drama: The GM can offer a Fate Point to compel this Aspect. This could happen when its warmth becomes a distraction during a stealthy action, or its ancient spirit offers unsolicited, cryptic advice about a piece of metal with a dark history.
    • Example: “The Baron’s mechanical throne is a masterpiece, but as you get close, your Bearer of the Stone That Sings to Steel Aspect resonates with it. You can feel the misery and pain of the ghost that powers the machine, a psychic shock that makes you visibly recoil. You can take this Fate Point and stumble back, drawing the Baron’s attention.”
  • Item Stunts: The stone also grants the following Stunts:
    • The Chant of Mending: Because you are the Bearer of the Stone That Sings to Steel, you can use your Crafts skill to repair any mundane metal object over time, even without a proper workshop or tools.
    • The Aegis of Iron: Once per session, you can declare that you previously prepared a suit of armor with the stone. You or an ally wearing that armor gains a +2 bonus to a single Defend roll against physical harm.

Numenera & Cypher System

Resonant Mender Artifact

This smooth, dark grey stone is a relic of a prior world that understood harmonic resonance as a construction tool. It constantly vibrates at a low, almost imperceptible frequency, generating a small amount of heat. Its original purpose was likely automated maintenance for a vehicle or structure.

  • Level: 5
  • Form: A handheld, rectangular stone.
  • Effect: Grants the user the following abilities:
    • Passive: Flaw Analysis. The user gains an asset on all tasks involving perception, investigation, or repair of metal machines, structures, or objects. The GM should also offer additional details about any such item the user studies (e.g., “You can tell this vault door was repaired hastily on its left hinge; the metal there is stressed.”).
    • Enabler: Sonic Mending. With ten minutes of contact and concentration, the user can repair a damaged metal object of level 5 or lower. This restores one level of damage to the object’s health track. In essence, a “broken” object becomes “damaged,” and a “damaged” object becomes fully functional.
    • Action: Protective Ward. The user can spend ten minutes running the stone over a suit of armor or a metal shield. This creates a resonant frequency ward that lasts for 28 hours. The first time the warded item would take damage, that damage is reduced by 3 points.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d10 (check when the Protective Ward is used).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Koteishi of Steadfast Steel Item 3+ Uncommon | Abjuration | Magical | Transmutation

  • Price 60 GP
  • Usage held in 1 hand

This rectangular whetstone is worn smooth from generations of use and feels unnaturally warm. Faint lines of script are etched into its surface, glowing with a soft, silvery light when its magic is used.

  • Passive You gain a +1 item bonus to Crafting checks to Repair metal items and to Perception checks to notice structural flaws in metal objects.

Activate [one-action] to [three-actions] Interact; Frequency see below; Effect You touch the stone to an object and recite a chant, causing one of the following effects:

  • Chant of Mending ([one-action] Interact) Frequency at-will; Effect The stone casts a 1st-level mending cantrip on an adjacent metal object.
  • Invocation of the Iron Aegis ([one-action] Interact) Frequency once per day; Requirements You must have spent at least 1 minute within the last hour using the koteishi to maintain a suit of armor; Effect You touch the prepared armor, granting it a protective ward that lasts for 1 hour. The first time the wearer is hit by an attack during this time, they can use their reaction to gain Resistance 5 to physical damage from the triggering attack. The ward then fades.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition

Armorer’s Charm

An ancient whetstone passed down through generations of armorers and artisans. It is inscribed with prayers so old their meaning has been lost, but their power remains.

  • Steady Hands: The charm grants a +1 bonus to all Repair rolls made on metal items.
  • Eye for Flaws: With a moment of concentration, the user can automatically learn of any significant weaknesses, history of damage, or hidden properties of any mundane metal object they are examining.
  • Power of Mending: The charm has 5 Power Points that can only be used to activate the Repair power, which it contains. These points recharge at a rate of 1 per hour. The power can only target metal objects. This does not require the user to have an Arcane Background.
  • Aegis Ward: Once per day, the user may perform a 1-minute ritual to place a ward on a suit of armor. The wearer gains the benefit of the Protection power (Toughness +2). If the wearer is successfully affected by Protection again, the effects stack (Toughness +4 total). The ward lasts until the user suffers a Wound or until the next sunrise.

Shadowrun, Sixth World

Kami-Infused Whetstone Enchanting Focus (Armorer)

This appears to be a masterfully crafted whetstone of pre-Awakened Japanese origin. To the magically active, it glows with a quiet, orderly aura of positive spiritual energy. It is an ideal focus for an armorer or artisan who follows a Shinto or similar tradition, allowing them to channel their spiritual belief directly into their craft.

  • Focus Rating: 2
  • Activation: The focus activates when used as part of the Armorer or other Engineering skill group tests.
  • Passive Attunement: When held, the user gains a deeper understanding of the “spirit” or integrity of metal objects. They gain a +2 dice pool bonus to any test made to find a hidden flaw in or assess the condition of a piece of metal gear.
  • Mending Ritual: By performing a 10-minute ritual involving quiet chanting, the user can use this focus to automatically repair one box of physical damage on any mundane metal item. This requires no test.
  • Aegis Invocation: Once per day, the user may perform an hour-long ritual on a single suit of mundane armor. The armor becomes temporarily enchanted, gaining a +1 bonus to its Armor rating for the next 12 hours. This bonus is not cumulative with other magical armor enhancements like the Armor spell.

Starfinder Roleplaying Game

Koteishi of the First Ones Level 4 | Price 2,100 credits Aura faint abjuration and transmutation | Bulk L Hands 1

This smooth, dark grey stone is made of a material unknown to modern science. It feels warm and vibrates gently, with nearly invisible lines of script covering its surface that shift and flow when no one is looking directly at them. It is believed to be a relic of a precursor race that blurred the line between technology and magic.

  • Flaw Analysis. The user gains a +2 insight bonus to Engineering checks to repair items or to identify weaknesses or hidden functions in metal objects.
  • Harmonic Mending. As a full action, you can touch the koteishi to a metal object that has the broken condition. The broken condition is immediately removed. This ability has no effect on an object that has been destroyed or reduced to 0 Hit Points.
  • Resonant Aegis. Once per day as a standard action, you can touch the koteishi to a suit of armor and recite a single command word. For the next 24 hours, the armor is warded. The first time the wearer would take kinetic (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) damage from an attack, that damage is reduced by 5. The ward then dissipates.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Ancients’ Mending Stone

  • Tech Level: 18 (Ancients)
  • Description: A handheld, rectangular device made of an unidentifiable dark-grey material that is immune to scans and analysis. It feels warm to the touch and seems to draw ambient energy from its surroundings. It is believed to be a molecular repair and hardening tool left behind by the Ancients. Its functions are activated by specific vocal commands combined with physical contact.
  • Flaw Analysis: When held against a metal object, ship component, or section of hull, the stone provides its user with a perfect diagnostic of any material stress, micro-fractures, or hidden damage. This grants the user DM+2 on any Mechanic or Engineer check to diagnose a fault.
  • Molecular Realignment: The stone can repair any simple break in a metal component (up to TL-15) with ten minutes of contact. It realigns the object’s molecular structure to its original state. This can fix a component with the “damaged” or “broken” quality but cannot restore a component that has been destroyed.
  • Surface Hardening: Once per week, the stone can be used in a 1-hour process to temporarily harden a suit of personal armor. This adds +4 to the armor’s protective value against the next time it takes damage. After being struck, the effect dissipates as the molecular lattice returns to normal.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 4th Edition

Cathayan Soul-Steel Koteishi Enc: 1

A rare and exotic tool brought back from the far-off lands of Grand Cathay. Unlike the unsubtle magic of the Old World, this dark grey whetstone is imbued with a quiet, patient spirit. It is covered in intricate, almost invisible characters from the Cathayan alphabet, each one a prayer to the spirit of stone, steel, and endurance.

  • Qualities: Magical, Fine (+1 SL to relevant tests), Rune-Etched (non-Dwarven).
  • Artisan’s Eye: The Koteishi guides the hand of its user, revealing the secret pains of stressed metal. The owner gains a +10 bonus to all Trade (Smith) Tests made specifically to repair damaged metal weapons or suits of armour.
  • Chant of Mending: With 10 minutes of light work and quiet, meditative chanting, the user may automatically remove one Damaged Condition (such as Damaged or Broken) from a metal item without needing to make a Test.
  • The Iron Aegis: Once per day, the user may perform a 10-minute ritual of polishing on a single suit of metal armour. The armour’s spirit is strengthened, granting it 1 additional Armour Point on all locations it covers. This extra point is purely magical and is always the first to be lost if the armour suffers damage that would reduce its AP value (such as from a weapon with the Sunder Quality or a powerful Critical Hit). The bonus lasts until the next sunrise.