Kahuna 417 of the Still Water Razor

Lore In the early melting-pot cities of Saṃsāra, where souls from countless worlds found themselves living side-by-side, appearance was a chaotic tapestry. Beards grew untamed, hair was a wild mess, and the simple dignity of a clean-shaven face or a well-kept style was a forgotten luxury. A Kahuna, a priestess who followed a philosophy of inner harmony being reflected in one’s outward self, saw this disorder and believed it contributed to the peoples’ anxieties. She held that to shape one’s appearance was to shape one’s confidence and spirit.

Drawing on her knowledge of both anatomy and spiritual cleansing, she forged the first Still-Water Razors. These were not mere grooming tools; they were instruments of transformation. She taught her apprentices that a proper shave was a ritual that scraped away not just stubble, but the minor anxieties and ill-fortunes of the week. A haircut was a sculpting of the soul’s public face. These Kahuna-Barbers became fixtures in their communities. Their shops were sanctuaries of calm, their razors were symbols of trust, and their chairs were confessionals where secrets were shared with the quiet hum of a perfectly steady blade. To sit for a shave with a Still-Water Razor was to leave cleaner in both body and spirit.

Description The Still-Water Razor is an exquisite example of a folding straight razor. The blade itself is not metal, but a sliver of polished black obsidian, volcanic glass sharpened to a supernatural edge. The blade seems to drink the light, and when tilted, its surface has a liquid shimmer, like the perfectly still water of a deep pool at midnight. The handle, or scales, is crafted from a warm, reddish-brown Koa wood, polished to a high gloss and inlaid with a single, small piece of mother-of-pearl. The razor is perfectly balanced, feeling light but substantial in the hand. When opened, it makes a soft, whisper-quiet shink sound, and emanates a faint, clean scent, like fresh water and shaved wood.

Detailed Stats

Durability: 80/80
Mind’s Eye Attunement: +2 to skills requiring fine motor control and a steady hand, such as Surgery, Calligraphy, or delicate repair work.
Social Presence: +1 to attempts to soothe a nervous or agitated individual, or to build rapport with a client.

Passive Magics

Unwavering Hand: The razor is enchanted to magically nullify minor tremors in the user’s hand. Whether the shaking is caused by personal nerves, the rocking of a skyship, or the vibrations from a nearby factory, the razor’s edge remains preternaturally steady. This allows for incredibly precise work, preventing nicks and ensuring perfect lines in both grooming and minor surgical procedures.
Soothing Aura: The razor generates a faint, localized field of tranquility. An individual being groomed with the razor feels a sense of calm and relaxation wash over them. This makes them less prone to fidgeting and more inclined to trust the barber, often leading them to speak freely and openly. This passive effect makes the barber an excellent keeper of secrets and gatherer of information.

Activable Magics

The Stylist’s Finish: Once per grooming session, the user can channel a small spark of magic into the razor as they make the final touches on a subject’s hair or beard. For the next several hours, the styled hair will hold its shape perfectly, resisting humidity, wind, and minor dishevelment. It also gives the hair a healthy, vibrant sheen, making it appear exceptionally well-cared for. This is a purely cosmetic but highly sought-after effect for those looking to make an impression.
The Cleansing Cut: Once per day, the user may invoke this power by whispering a short prayer to the razor’s edge. For the next ten minutes, the obsidian blade glows with a faint, almost invisible blue light. During this time, the edge is magically sterile and numbing. When used to perform a minor surgical task—such as lancing a boil, removing a deep splinter, or cleaning a wound—it provides a significant bonus to the medical skill check. The cut is nearly painless, and the magic actively repels infection, causing the wound to close cleanly and heal with minimal scarring.

Slot Handheld Tool

Tags Common, Tier 1, Kahuna, Barber, Tool, Handheld, Magic, Roleplay, Medical, Social, Cosmetic, Obsidian, Blade, Surgical, Healing, Precision, Cleansing, Artisan

In the world of Saṃsāra, the Still-Water Razor is more than a simple grooming tool; it is the emblem of a skilled and trusted profession that blends artistry, surgery, and social acumen. As such, these razors are not common wares found in every market stall. They are bought and sold in specific establishments where their unique combination of magical utility and symbolic weight is understood and valued.

The Master Barber-Surgeon’s Supply
- Shop Type: These are clean, respectable establishments, often found in the artisan quarters of major cities. The sign might read “The Gilded Razor” or “The Tonsorial Arts Guild,” and the shop itself is part barbershop, part school, and part exclusive supplier. The air smells of fine soaps, antiseptic herbal tonics, and hot linen. The proprietor is invariably a master of the craft, with hands as steady as their reputation.
- Method of Sale: A Still-Water Razor is rarely sold over the counter here. It is most often earned. An aspiring barber must complete a lengthy apprenticeship under the master, learning not just how to cut hair, but the basics of anatomy, wound-dressing, and the delicate art of listening. The razor is then granted upon graduation, a symbol of their qualification. To purchase one outright, a traveler would need to prove their skill and character, perhaps by performing a perfect, nick-free shave on the master themselves. The sale is a formal recognition of professional standing.
- Typical Cost: The price is standardized and firm, representing a certification of quality. It would typically cost between 50 and 60 Shards. The true cost, however, is the skill and dedication one must demonstrate to even be considered a worthy buyer. Payment is accepted in official currency, and the purchase is often recorded in a guild ledger.
The Alchemical & Medical Dispensary
- Shop Type: Located near a city’s infirmary or in a district known for its healers, this shop caters to medical professionals. The sign might be a simple red-and-white pole or a name like “The Chirurgeon’s Cabinet.” The shop smells sharply of alcohol, dried herbs, and chemical reagents. The shelves are neatly organized with bandages, surgical tools, strange poultices, and potions for every ailment.
- Method of Sale: The proprietor, likely a pragmatic former field medic or a studious alchemist, values the razor for its “Cleansing Cut” ability above all else. They see it not as a grooming item, but as a superior surgical instrument. They will sell it to customers they recognize as healers, physicians, or serious adventurers who understand the importance of sterile equipment. The transaction is discreet and professional, with the conversation focusing on the practical benefits of its magically sharp and antiseptic edge.
- Typical Cost: The price is based on its significant medical utility. A tool that can guarantee a nearly painless, infection-free incision is invaluable. It would be priced between 65 and 80 Shards. The shopkeeper knows that for a dedicated healer, the cost is a small price to pay for the lives it could help save.
The Luxury Haberdashery
- Shop Type: In the most affluent districts of a floating metropolis or a wealthy capital city, one might find a Still-Water Razor in a boutique that caters to the elite. With a name like “The Well-Heeled Gentleman” or “The Obsidian Mirror,” these shops sell high-end clothing, enchanted cuff-links, rare perfumes, and bespoke grooming kits to the rich and powerful. The atmosphere is one of quiet opulence, with soft carpets and goods displayed like jewels in glass cases.
- Method of Sale: Here, the razor is sold as a status symbol. The proprietor is a smooth-talking merchant who emphasizes the razor’s cosmetic and social benefits—the perfect shave, the flawlessly styled hair, the aura of calm confidence it projects. It is marketed as an exotic and powerful accessory for a person of discerning taste, or as a lavish gift for their personal valet. The transaction is a polished, high-end retail experience.
- Typical Cost: The price is dramatically inflated, reflecting the shop’s location and clientele. It could easily fetch 150 Shards or more. The high cost is part of its appeal, a way for the wealthy to display their status. The magical properties are a feature, but the brand and the luxury experience are what is truly being sold.
The Back-Alley Toolmonger
- Shop Type: In the less reputable parts of any major city, there are dealers who trade in “used” professional tools with no questions asked. This stall or hidden storefront has no name and is deliberately hard to find. It is cluttered, dimly lit, and smells of grime, oil, and paranoia. The vendor specializes in acquiring items from those who have “retired” from their profession, often abruptly.
- Method of Sale: A Still-Water Razor found here is almost certainly stolen or scavenged. The vendor knows it’s a quality piece but may not fully understand its magical properties. They know it’s the mark of a professional barber and thus valuable to a specific type of buyer. The sale is a tense, quiet affair. The buyer must be wary, as owning a recognized razor without the proper credentials could attract trouble from the local Barber’s Guild or the friends of the previous owner.
- Cost: The cost is determined by the vendor’s desperation and the buyer’s nerve. If the vendor needs to unload it quickly, it could be a steal at 25 Shards. If they perceive the buyer is a professional in desperate need of a tool, they might start the haggling at 100 Shards. All transactions are in hard currency, and there are absolutely no refunds or guarantees.

In the world of Saṃsāra, the Still-Water Razor is a tool of profound subtlety. Its role in offense and defense is not found on the battlefield, but in the tense moments before a fight, the quiet desperation of an injury, and the silent war of social intrigue. An avatar wielding this razor fights not with its edge, but with the calm, precision, and confidence it provides.

Defensive Roleplay Applications — Defense with the Still-Water Razor is about preservation—of life, of composure, and of opportunity. It is used to mitigate harm and stabilize chaos, turning a dangerous situation into a manageable one.
- Environment: The Heaving Deck of a Steam-Liner During a Storm — A massive wave crashes over the deck, sending a crewmate sliding into a set of gears from the ship’s power transmission system. Their arm is gashed and bleeding badly, and the violent, rhythmic vibrations of the machinery threaten to complicate any attempt at first aid. The avatar, acting as the ship’s barber-surgeon, rushes to their side. First, the razor’s Soothing Presence helps to quell the crewmate’s rising panic, keeping them from thrashing and worsening the injury. Second, despite the pitching of the deck and the powerful vibrations of the machinery underfoot, the Unwavering Hand passive allows the avatar to hold the razor’s edge with supernatural steadiness. They activate The Cleansing Cut, and the obsidian blade glows with a faint blue light. They use it not to cut, but to expertly clean the wound of grease and torn fabric. The magical numbing effect defends the patient from the shock of extreme pain, while the sterile edge defends them from a future of infection and fever.
- Environment: A Tense Interrogation in a City Guardhouse — The avatar has been detained on suspicion of consorting with smugglers. The Guard Captain, a man with a notoriously hot temper, is screaming, trying to intimidate the avatar into a confession. The avatar, while being questioned, has been permitted to keep their grooming kit. They pull out the Still-Water Razor and begin to idly clean the handle, a nervous habit. The razor’s Soothing Presence begins to project a subtle aura of calm into the small room. It is not strong enough to magically dominate the Captain, but it takes the sharpest edge off his fury. His screams lessen into angry shouts, then into frustrated questions. The constant, low-level pacification makes it difficult for him to maintain his rage, defending the avatar from a purely psychological assault and turning a dangerous interrogation into a more manageable, if still tense, conversation.
- Environment: A Trap-Laden Ruin of an Old Civilization — The party’s main treasure hunter has been afflicted with a magical curse that causes their hands to tremble violently, making them useless for delicate work. They stand before a pressure plate that requires the simultaneous disabling of two tiny, hair-thin tripwires. The slightest tremor will trigger the trap. The avatar, a barber with a surgeon’s knowledge, steps forward. They hand the razor to the treasure hunter. The Unwavering Hand passive immediately negates the curse’s effect, steadying the rogue’s hands as if they were carved from stone. Using the razor’s fine tip and another small tool, the treasure hunter can now confidently address the delicate trap mechanism. The razor is used defensively, as a tool to overcome a personal debility and protect the entire party from certain harm.
Offensive Roleplay Applications — Offensive use of the Still-Water Razor is the art of using its intended functions for an unintended, advantageous outcome. It is about creating openings, disabling an opponent’s social defenses, and gathering intelligence under the guise of providing a simple service.
- Environment: The Antechamber of a Scheming Noble’s Ballroom — The avatar needs to get a closely-guarded secret from a paranoid nobleman, but his personal bodyguard never leaves his side. The avatar, disguised as an attendant, notices the bodyguard is exceptionally vain about his perfectly sharp beard. The avatar approaches, offering their services as a master barber for a quick touch-up before the ball begins. The bodyguard, flattered, agrees. The avatar uses the Soothing Presence of the razor to put the normally tense guard at ease. As they chat, the bodyguard, feeling relaxed and confident, lets slip a crucial detail about his patrol route changes for the evening. Then, the avatar uses The Stylist’s Finish on the guard’s beard. The magic not only makes it look perfect but also makes the coarse hairs unnaturally stiff and slightly itchy for the next hour. The guard is now subtly but constantly distracted by the strange feeling on his face, making him less attentive to his duties. The razor has been used offensively to gather intelligence and apply a minor, distracting debuff to an opponent.
- Environment: A Back-Alley Meeting to Expose a Charlatan — A self-proclaimed “healer” is selling fake potions to the desperate, claiming they cure all ills. The avatar needs to prove he is a fraud in front of a potential victim. The avatar approaches the charlatan and the victim, feigning an injury of their own—a large, ugly splinter buried deep in their forearm. They cry out in pain, refusing the charlatan’s “potion” and instead begging for a real surgeon. The avatar’s confederate then brings forth the avatar’s barber kit. The avatar activates The Cleansing Cut on their Still-Water Razor. In front of the charlatan and the victim, they calmly and painlessly slice their own arm open, remove the splinter with the razor’s tip, and then press the wound closed. Thanks to the magic, the bleeding is minimal and the cut is clean. They have used the razor’s surgical precision offensively, as a piece of dramatic theater to demonstrate what real healing magic looks like, thereby exposing the charlatan’s potions as useless by comparison.
- Environment: Infiltrating a Rival Merchant Guild — The avatar needs to identify a corrupt guild official who is skimming profits. They set up shop near the guild hall as a high-end barber, quickly gaining a reputation using the razor’s Stylist’s Finish to give merchants perfect, impressive hairstyles that last all day. Soon, the guild officials themselves start coming in for a shave and trim before important meetings. The chair becomes a confessional. The Soothing Presence loosens their tongues, and the avatar listens patiently. Day after day, they hear about the guild’s finances, who is spending lavishly, who is complaining about being shorted. The razor’s primary function as a barber’s tool is used as a cover for a long-term intelligence-gathering offensive, allowing the avatar to identify their target through the careful collection of secrets, all under the guise of a simple shave.

Perception of Activation:

SIGHT

User’s Perspective: When you invoke the razor’s power, the liquid, light-absorbing quality of the obsidian blade intensifies. A sharp, impossibly thin line of cobalt blue light ignites directly on the cutting edge. It is not a radiant glow that casts light, but a contained, self-luminous thread of pure order. This makes the edge incredibly easy to track with your eye, defining its precise location in space.
Observer’s Perspective: To a casual observer, the activation is invisible. Someone watching closely, especially in low-light conditions, might perceive a fleeting, faint blue shimmer along the razor’s edge, like a heat-haze made of sapphire light. It is extremely subtle and easily dismissed as a trick of the eye.
Positives: The activation is exceptionally discreet, allowing for its use in delicate social situations or for preparing a medical procedure without alarming the patient. For the user, the glowing edge provides a perfect visual guide for precision work.
Negatives: The effect is so subtle that it is useless as a visual signal to an ally. In bright, direct sunlight, the blue line can be difficult for even the user to perceive, forcing them to rely on other senses for confirmation.

SOUND

User’s Perspective: The activation produces a low, pure hum that you feel in your hand and bones more than you hear with your ears. It is not a mechanical sound, but a perfect, resonant frequency, like a single note held by a crystal singing bowl. The sound is intensely focusing, seeming to cancel out distracting background noise.
Observer’s Perspective: The activation is completely silent. There is no sound an observer can perceive, even one with enhanced hearing, as the frequency is more of a focused vibration than a traditional sound wave.
Positives: The razor can be activated with absolute stealth. The internal hum is a clear and unambiguous auditory cue for the user that helps them concentrate.
Negatives: The lack of an external sound means allies cannot be alerted by it. For an untrained user, the persistent, pure hum could be distracting rather than focusing.

SMELL

User’s Perspective: The faint, clean scent of fresh water and wood is momentarily overpowered by a sharp, sterile aroma. It is the smell of ozone in the air after a thunderstorm, or the scent of a cold, high-altitude wind over fresh snow. It is an intensely clean and almost antiseptic smell that seems to clear your mind.
Observer’s Perspective: The scent is extremely localized to the area immediately around the blade. An observer would have to have their face within inches of the razor to smell anything, and even then, it would be a brief, unidentifiable “clean” smell.
Positives: The sterile scent provides the user with strong psychological reinforcement that the blade is magically clean and ready for surgical use.
Negatives: For a creature with a hyper-sensitive sense of smell (like a wolf-like being or a specific monster), this sudden, unnatural spike of ozone could be an alert, even if they cannot identify its source.

TOUCH

User’s Perspective: The moment of activation sends a distinct thermal shock through the razor. While the Koa wood handle remains warm in your grip, the obsidian blade becomes intensely, unnaturally cold, as if it has been plunged into an icy river. It is a “dry” cold that does not form condensation. The humming vibration also resonates clearly through the handle into your palm.
Observer’s Perspective: An observer perceives nothing. However, if they were to touch the blade, they would be startled by its shocking coldness, a temperature impossible to achieve naturally in the current environment.
Positives: The tactile feedback is impossible to mistake, providing certain confirmation of activation. The intense cold of the blade can help numb a patient’s skin on contact, aiding the magical numbing effect.
Negatives: The sudden cold could be a shock to the user’s hand, potentially causing them to flinch if unprepared. An enemy with thermal-sensing abilities would see the blade’s temperature plummet, revealing the use of magic.

TASTE

User’s Perspective: A fleeting but very clear taste manifests on your tongue—the clean, crisp taste of pure mineral water with a slight, sharp tang of wintergreen. It is the taste of purity and cool, clean focus.
Observer’s Perspective: There is no perceivable effect of taste for any observer.
Positives: This provides another layer of completely internal and personal confirmation for the user, one that is impossible for anyone else to detect.
Negatives: The sudden, sharp taste could be momentarily distracting for a user in the middle of a delicate task if they are not accustomed to it.

EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION (AURA)

User’s Perspective: Using your Mind’s Eye, you see the razor’s dormant aura coalesce and become incredibly dense, collapsing from a hazy cloud into a razor-thin line of pure, orderly magical energy focused entirely on the blade’s edge. This line actively repels minor chaotic or “unclean” magical motes in the air around it.
Observer’s Perspective: An observer capable of seeing auras would witness the energy signature of the item shift dramatically from a passive, quiet state to a highly focused, active one. They would recognize the structured, ordered energy as a form of purification or abjuration magic.
Positives: A magically aware ally can visually confirm that the razor is prepared for a sterile procedure or to interact with magical impurities.
Negatives: Any magically perceptive foe will immediately know you have activated a magical tool and will be able to identify its general purpose (cleansing/order), potentially preparing a countermeasure.

EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION (EMPATHIC)

User’s Perspective: You feel your own emotions momentarily suppressed and replaced by a wave of cold, calm professionalism. Anxiety, fear, and excitement are muted, allowing for a state of supreme mental focus and emotional detachment.
Observer’s Perspective: An empath focused on the user would feel the user’s emotional state “flatten” abruptly. The normal peaks and valleys of emotion would smooth out into a calm, placid surface, like a turbulent sea becoming a sheet of glass. This lack of emotional “noise” could be either reassuring or deeply unnerving.
Positives: This mental state is ideal for performing high-stakes precision work, like surgery or disarming a trap, without being affected by fear or stress. It also masks your emotional state from others.
Negatives: The sudden emotional blankness can be unsettling to friends and allies, making you appear cold or unfeeling. An enemy empath might find this sudden, unnatural calm to be suspicious.

EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION (LIFE SENSE)

User’s Perspective: For the duration of the activation, you gain a faint, intuitive sense of biological integrity. When looking at living tissue, you can perceive the difference between healthy, vital areas and areas afflicted by sickness, poison, or necrosis. It manifests as a visual “dullness” or “greyness” in the unhealthy tissue.
Observer’s Perspective: An observer with a similar life-sensing ability would perceive the razor’s edge as a line of perfect, sterile “nothingness.” It does not drain life, but rather, life—especially microscopic life—cannot exist upon it, making it an object of absolute purity.
Positives: This perception greatly aids in surgical precision, allowing the user to distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue and to make cuts with incredible accuracy.
Negatives: For a novice user, this sudden, intimate perception of the health and sickness of living beings around them could be nauseating or overwhelming.

Artisan’s Guide: The Razor of Quiet Waters

This text describes the meticulous process of crafting a razor that embodies the principles of calm, precision, and purity. It is not merely the manufacturing of a tool, but a ritualistic creation that imbues a simple object with a quiet but profound magic. The resulting blade is intended for the hands of a skilled barber-surgeon, for whom a steady hand and a clean cut are matters of both art and life.

Materials Needed

One Heart-of-the-Mountain Obsidian Nodule: This must be a flawless piece of volcanic glass, sourced from the cooled core of a geologically stable, dormant volcano. It must be free of any cracks or internal fractures, as these would disrupt the flow of magic.
A Seasoned Billet of Koa Wood: Harvested from a Koa tree that grew near a source of fresh, running water. The wood must be allowed to cure for at least one full year in a dry, calm environment to ensure it is stable and will not warp.
One Tear of the Sea (Mother-of-Pearl): A single, unblemished piece of mother-of-pearl, harvested from an oyster that lived in a placid, non-turbulent cove. It will serve as the focal point for the razor’s soothing aura.
A Flask of Stillwater Solution: This is an alchemical preparation, not simple water. It is created by gathering the morning dew from the leaves of a willow tree for seven consecutive days. This dew is then mixed with three drops of tincture of silver and allowed to settle in a ceramic vessel for a full lunar cycle, absorbing the moon’s calming influence.
The Honing Stones of Patience: A set of three honing stones are required. The first must be coarse river rock, the second of fine-grained slate, and the final stone must be a perfectly flat piece of polished marble.

Tools Required

Lapidary Hammer and Chisels: A set of small, precise tools used to carefully chip away at the obsidian nodule to reveal the basic shape of the blade.
Master’s Woodcarving Set: An array of sharp knives, gouges, and fine-toothed rasps are needed to shape the Koa wood handle and carve the inset for the mother-of-pearl.
Honing Strop: A strip of high-quality, treated leather used for the final stage of sharpening.
Herbalist’s Mortar and Pestle: Used to prepare the components for the Stillwater Solution, if not already acquired.
Velvet Polishing Cloths: Soft, non-abrasive cloths are essential for the final polishing of the wood and the obsidian.

Skill Requirements

Lapidary (Novice): The crafter must have the skill to shape brittle obsidian without shattering it. This requires patience and a deep understanding of the stone’s internal structure.
Fine Woodworking (Novice): Precision is key to carving the handle and ensuring a seamless inlay for the mother-of-pearl.
Herbalism or Alchemy (Basic): The crafter must have the knowledge to create the Stillwater Solution, understanding the symbolic and magical properties of its ingredients.
Mind’s Eye Attunement (Tier 1): The crafter must be able to enter a state of deep concentration, channeling their own inner calm and focus into the blade during the final honing process. This is a mental skill, not a physical one.

Crafting Steps

Cleaving the Blade: The process begins with the obsidian. The crafter must not rush. Using the lapidary hammer and chisels, they carefully flake away pieces of the nodule, slowly revealing the thin, straight form of the razor blade within. This is a meditative process where each strike is deliberate.
Shaping the Handle: The seasoned Koa wood is carved into the two matching halves of the razor’s handle, or scales. The work must be symmetrical and perfectly smooth. A small, shallow depression is carefully carved into one of the outer scales, perfectly matching the shape of the Tear of the Sea. The mother-of-pearl is then set into this depression so it sits flush with the wood.
The First Honing (The River’s Edge): The roughly shaped obsidian blade is honed on the coarse river rock. This stage is about establishing the basic, sharp edge. The crafter must mimic the slow, steady, and relentless action of a river against stone.
The Second Honing (The Lake’s Calm): The blade is then moved to the fine-grained slate. During this stage, the crafter begins to apply the Stillwater Solution to the stone. With each pass of the blade, the crafter must focus their mind, entering a calm, meditative state. The goal is to transfer this feeling of tranquility into the obsidian itself, aligning the blade’s structure with the concept of stillness.
The Final Honing (The Spirit’s Edge): This is the most crucial step. The blade is moved to the marble stone, which is heavily coated in the Stillwater Solution. The crafter then uses the leather strop, also soaked in the solution, for the final sharpening. This is an act of pure focus. The crafter uses their Mind’s Eye to channel their intent into the razor’s edge. They are not just sharpening stone; they are sharpening a concept. With each stroke, they imbue the blade with the ideas of purity, precision, and painless separation. They will know the process is complete when the blade itself begins to feel unnaturally cold to the touch and a low, almost imperceptible hum can be felt through the stone.
Assembly and Attunement: The now-enchanted blade is carefully pinned into the Koa wood handle. The finished razor is polished with the velvet cloths until it shines. To finalize the enchantment, the crafter must perform a single, flawless action of precision with it—traditionally, slicing a single hair dropped over the blade’s edge without the hair being pushed away. Once this is accomplished, the Razor of Quiet Waters is fully awakened and ready for a master’s hand.

Face of Still Water

And it came to be, in the days after the world was filled with new souls, there was a city that had a sickness of the heart. The people of this city were strong, and their hands knew the art of making men fall down, but their faces were a prison for their spirits. They wore their anger like a coat. Their brows were a knot of worry. Their beards were a tangled nest for birds of sorrow. It was a City of Scowling Men.

Into this city came a woman. Her name is not in the telling, for she was known only by her work. She was The Shaper of Faces, and she was a keeper of the old secrets of harmony. She looked upon the city and her heart made a great sadness. She saw that the men fought because their spirits had no peace, and their spirits had no peace because they could not see the truth of their own faces.

So she spoke in the market square. Her voice was not loud, but it was clear like a bell. She said, “I will make a tool to cut away the ugliness that clings to your spirits. I will bring the stillness of water to your faces.”

The men of the city made a great laughing. The loudest laugh came from the city’s greatest warrior. His name was a shout of fear in other lands. He was The Man of Many Scars. His face was a map of old fights, and his eyes were hard stones. He said, “A face is made of meat and bone. You cannot shape a spirit with a blade. A woman’s tool cannot change a warrior’s heart.”

The Shaper of Faces did not give him word for word. She turned and walked from the city. She began a journey to find the things of making. For the blade of her tool, she needed the black glass of the earth’s quiet heart. She traveled to a great mountain that had once shouted fire at the sky but had been sleeping for a thousand years. At its core, she found a stone of pure blackness, a piece of the world’s silent, sleeping power. This was the obsidian.

For the handle of her tool, she needed the wood that remembers the sky. She climbed the highest cliffs by the great ocean, where a single Koa tree grew. It was bent and strong from the great wind, and it had seen nothing in its life but the endless sky and the endless water. It knew the secrets of wide, open spaces. She took a single, small branch that the wind had offered her.

For the spirit-light of her tool, she needed the frozen tear of the moon. She went to a beach of white sand and waited. For many nights she watched the moon make its journey. On the night when the moon was a full, perfect circle, she saw an oyster open in the shallow water. Inside, a pearl shone with a light that was not of the sun. It was the moon’s own light, made solid. This was the mother-of-pearl.

With these three things, she returned to the City of Scowling Men. In the same market square where they had made a laughing, she built a small place of working. She took the black glass and with great patience, she struck it until it had the shape of a blade, with an edge that was a line of pure darkness. She took the sky-remembering wood and shaped it into a handle. She placed the moon’s frozen tear within the wood, where a thumb would rest.

The Man of Many Scars came to her again. He saw the beautiful tool. He said, “It is a pretty thing. Will you fight my sword with it?”

The Shaper of Faces shook her head. “I will not fight you,” she said. “I will unmake your prison. The anger on your face is a mask. Your scars are chains. Let me shape your face. If you feel your strength has been cut away, your sword may drink my life. But if you feel a new strength, a stronger strength, you will show your true face to the city.”

The great warrior was a man who knew no fear, and the woman’s quietness was a new thing to him. He agreed. He sat on a stone chair, and the whole city became quiet to watch. The Shaper of Faces began her work. It was not a fast cutting. It was a slow ritual. She used the obsidian blade, and it moved like a calm thought. She cleaned his old wounds. She trimmed his tangled beard. She shaved his skin as smooth as a river stone. The razor made a low hum, a song of stillness, and the warrior, who had never been still in his life, felt his own heart slow its running. His knotted brow became smooth.

When she was finished, she held up the warrior’s own polished shield so he could see his face. The Man of Many Scars looked. He saw himself, but he did not. The scars were still there, but they were not angry red lines. They were silver rivers on a calm plain. His eyes were not hard stones, but deep, quiet pools. He looked strong, but it was not the strength of a rock that waits to be broken. It was the strength of a great tree that bends in the wind. He felt a peace in his bones that he had never known.

He stood up. He looked at The Shaper of Faces. He did not lift his sword. He let it fall from his hand. He turned to the people, to the City of Scowling Men, and for the first time since he was a small boy, he smiled.

The people of the city saw this great wonder, that the strongest among them had found a greater power not in fighting, but in peace. And one by one, they came to The Shaper of Faces and asked her to unmake their prisons, too.

The Moral of the Story: A still water shows the truest reflection.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu, 7th Edition

The Calm-Hand Razor

A folding straight razor of exquisite, yet non-terrestrial, craftsmanship. The blade is a sliver of polished black obsidian that seems to absorb the light, and the handle is of a warm, reddish wood not native to any known continent. It is rumored to be a tool of certain esoteric barbers in Honolulu or San Francisco, who cater to clients requiring the utmost discretion. It is said the razor not only provides a perfect shave, but can calm a man’s nerves better than any laudanum.

Game Mechanics:

Surgeon’s Precision: The razor’s supernatural balance grants the user an unnaturally steady hand. When making a First Aid or Medicine roll, the user may ignore one Penalty Die given for environmental conditions (e.g., poor light, unstable ground, performing the task in a moving vehicle).
Soothing Service: When providing a personal service to a non-player character (such as a shave, a haircut, or tending to a wound), the Investigator gains one Bonus Die on Charm or Fast Talk rolls to put the subject at ease and encourage them to speak freely.
The Cleansing Cut: When using the razor to successfully treat a wound with First Aid or Medicine, the patient recovers 1 additional hit point. This represents the magically sterile nature of the obsidian blade preventing infection and promoting unnaturally clean healing.

Blades in the Dark

The Still-Shear Razor

This is not a simple blade. It is a work of art from the Dagger Isles, a straight razor carved from a single piece of volcanic glass and set in a handle of polished ironwood. The old islander sorcerers used them for ritual scarification and to groom their chieftains, believing a clean face invited a clean spirit. In Doskvol, a barber with one of these is someone you go to for a discreet stitch-up or to spill secrets you didn’t even know you were keeping.

Game Mechanics:

This is a piece of Fine Occult Gear.

Steady Hands: When you Tinker to perform a delicate task (like surgery on a crewmate, repairing a music box, or disarming a pressure plate), you don’t need to push yourself to do it under pressure. You can perform the action with your normal rating, even if chaos is erupting around you.
The Barber’s Chair: When you have a character in your “chair” for a treatment, you can get them to relax and talk. This is a downtime activity. Describe your service; the target character may clear 2 Stress. In exchange, they must reveal a secret, desire, or fear to you. The GM will tell you if it’s a significant one.
Clean Work: When you use the razor to treat a crewmate who has suffered physical Harm, you may treat one additional level of Harm during the downtime activity (e.g., you can treat a level 3 Harm as if it were level 2).

Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition

Razor of the Unwavering Hand

Wondrous item, common

This exquisitely balanced folding razor has a blade made of polished black obsidian and a handle of warm, reddish-brown wood. The blade feels unnaturally steady in your grip, and its edge seems to hum with a quiet, purifying energy.

You gain the following benefits while holding this razor:

This razor can be used as a healer’s kit. When you use it to stabilize a dying creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point.
As an action, you can touch the razor to a willing creature. For the next 10 minutes, that creature has advantage on Dexterity checks that require a steady hand (such as picking a lock or handling delicate objects).
When you spend at least one minute using this razor to groom a willing creature, that creature gains 5 temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. A creature can only gain these temporary hit points once per day.

Knave, 2nd Edition

Obsidian Scalpel

A perfectly balanced straight razor made of volcanic glass with a smooth wooden handle. It feels unnaturally still in your hand. It takes up 1 inventory slot.

Steady Grip: You have advantage on any Dexterity save made to resist having an item knocked from your hand or to perform a delicate manual task under pressure.
Clean Cut: When you use the scalpel to bind a dying character’s wounds, they regain 1 HP instead of merely becoming stable.
Groomed for Courage: You can spend 10 minutes giving a character (including yourself) a shave or a stylish trim. That character cannot be frightened for the next hour.
Fragile Blade: The scalpel can be used as a weapon (as a dagger, 1d4 damage). However, if you roll a 1 on your attack roll, the obsidian blade shatters against armor or bone, and the item is destroyed.

Fate Core

The Razor of Shared Secrets

This is an Extra, representing a unique and story-rich tool that is part of who your character is. It costs one point of Refresh to acquire. It is an unnervingly sharp obsidian razor with a warm wooden handle. It is said that when this blade cuts hair, it also cuts the bindings on a person’s tongue, letting their secrets fall out.

Game Mechanics:

This item grants your character a new Item Aspect: A Blade That Scrapes Away More Than Stubble.

Invoke for Precision: Once per session, you may invoke A Blade That Scrapes Away More Than Stubble for free to gain a +2 bonus or a re-roll on an Overcome action. The action must involve a delicate task requiring a steady hand, such as minor surgery, disarming a trap, or even fine calligraphy.
Create a Confessional Space: When you are grooming a character or tending to their wounds with the razor, you can use the Create an Advantage action to place the situational Aspect Unusually Calm and Confessional on them. You gain one free invocation on this Aspect, which can be used to gather information or build trust.
Declare a Flawless Result: After using the razor to perform an act of grooming or surgery, you can spend a Fate Point to Declare a Story Detail: “The result is cosmetically and technically perfect.” This might mean a hairstyle that awes a noble, or a wound that will heal without leaving a scar, allowing the patient to infiltrate a group where they must appear uninjured.

Numenera & Cypher System

Dermal Harmonizer

This artifact is a sleek, black tool that fits comfortably in the hand. Its cutting edge is a monomolecular obsidian filament, and the handle contains micro-servos and a reservoir of soothing and healing nanites. It was likely a medical or cosmetic device from a prior world where physical appearance and biological harmony were of paramount importance.

Level: 3 Form: Handheld device. Effect: This artifact has a constant passive effect and a potent, activatable function.

Constant Effect: The micro-servos in the handle constantly adjust to the user’s grip, nullifying minor tremors. Any task requiring fine manual dexterity (such as delicate repair, surgery, or lockpicking) is eased by one step.
Activation: As an action, the user can prime the device. The next time the blade touches a living creature’s skin (for a shave or a surgical incision), it releases a dose of nanites. The creature feels a pleasant, calming sensation. For the next hour, any task to treat that creature’s wounds or sickness is eased by one step. Furthermore, if the device was used to make an incision, the nanites ensure the wound heals perfectly, leaving no scar.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (The reservoir of nanites is limited).

Pathfinder, 2nd Edition

Barber-Surgeon’s Friend ITEM 2 UNCOMMON ALCHEMICAL HEALING MAGICAL Usage held in one hand; Bulk L

Description This folding straight razor has a blade of polished volcanic glass and a handle of reddish-brown Koa wood. The blade is cool to the touch and seems to guide the user’s hand, making it a prized tool among the barber-surgeons who must minister to all manner of clientele, from grizzled soldiers to discerning nobles.

This item can be used as healer’s tools.

Activate [one-action] (manipulate, mental); Frequency once per hour; Effect You touch the razor to a willing or unconscious creature. The creature is imbued with a sense of calm. For 1 minute, the creature takes a –1 circumstance penalty to Will saves, but also gains a +2 circumstance bonus to saves against fear effects.

Activate [two-actions] (healing, manipulate); Frequency once per day; Effect You make a single, precise cut on an adjacent willing or unconscious creature, or on yourself. The target is subject to the effects of a 1st-level soothe spell. As this is not a spell, it can be used on a creature that is temporarily immune to spells.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition

The Confessor’s Edge

This obsidian straight razor is a legendary tool among spies, information brokers, and anyone who understands that a moment of vulnerability is worth a mountain of gold. It is said that a person being shaved by this blade will tell you their life’s story, whether you asked for it or not.

Requirements: Novice, Healing d6+ or Persuasion d8+ Game Mechanics:

Steady Hands: The razor’s magic guides your hand. You gain the benefit of the Steady Hands Edge. If you already have this Edge, you may ignore the multi-action penalty for one additional action per turn, provided at least one of those actions is a Healing or Thievery roll made with the razor.
The Barber’s Chair: When you are grooming a character or tending to their wounds, you can put them at ease and loosen their tongue. Make an opposed Persuasion vs. Spirit roll. With a success, the target reveals a useful piece of information or a minor secret. On a raise, they reveal a major or personal secret.
Miracle Worker: When you make a Healing roll using this razor and succeed, you get a raise on the roll for free. This represents the razor’s magically clean and efficient nature.

Shadowrun, Sixth World

Evo “Serenity” Dermal Sculptor

A top-of-the-line piece of cosmetic and medical technology from Evo Corporation. The Serenity Dermal Sculptor looks like an absurdly high-end designer razor, with a chrome and synthwood handle and a disposable, monomolecular obsidian blade-tip. While marketed to high-end beauty parlors and celebrity stylists, it has found a secondary market among discerning street docs and ripperdocs who appreciate its unparalleled precision and its integrated bio-feedback system, which has a remarkably calming effect on patients.

Type: Health Focus Rating: 2 Activation: Always active while bonded. Bonding Cost: 2 Karma

Game Mechanics:

A character with the Magical Attunement Adept power may bond this focus. Once bonded, the focus provides the following benefits:

Surgical Precision: The focus’s magic guides the user’s hand in delicate work. The user gains a +2 dice pool bonus to all Biotechnology tests. This applies to implanting or removing cyberware, treating wounds, or performing cosmetic surgery.
Calm Demeanor: The focus projects a subtle aura of tranquility. When using the Sculptor to perform any procedure (from a simple haircut to complex surgery), the user gains a +1 dice pool bonus on any social tests made to keep the patient calm or to build a rapport with them. This bonus lasts for the duration of the scene.

Starfinder

Stylist’s Friend

Level 2 Price 950 credits Bulk L

DESCRIPTION This device appears as a form-fitting glove made of dark, supple synth-leather. A nearly invisible seam on the index finger can produce a whisper-thin blade of black obsidian with a nearly frictionless edge. Originally developed by an android species that viewed cosmetic perfection as a high art form, the glove’s internal stabilizers and sonic emitters make it an exceptional tool for both stylists and field surgeons.

GAME MECHANICS This worn magic item is a glove that can be worn on either hand.

The glove’s internal gyroscopic stabilizers guide the wearer’s movements. The wearer gains a +4 insight bonus on Medicine checks to perform surgery and on Sleight of Hand checks that require fine, delicate manipulation.
Soothing Harmonics (Sp): Once per day, as a standard action, the wearer can touch a creature and activate the glove’s sonic emitters. The target must succeed at a DC 13 Will save or be affected by a calm emotions spell for 1 minute.
Cosmetic Flourish: If you spend 1 minute using the blade to style a creature’s hair or perform other grooming, they gain the benefits of a +2 circumstance bonus on their next Charisma-based skill check made within the hour.

Traveller, Mongoose 2nd Edition

Solomani Auto-Scalpel (Model 3S)

Tech Level: 12 Mass: 0.1 kg Cost: Cr 30,000 (often restricted to medical professionals)

Description: A pen-sized chrome device that is standard issue in high-end medical facilities within the Solomani Sphere. When activated, it projects a short, contained laser filament that can be adjusted for length and intensity. It functions as a perfectly sterile, self-cauterizing scalpel for surgery, but also has a low-power “grooming” setting popular with high-ranking corporate and naval officers. The “S” model includes a mild psychotropic aerosol dispenser to calm patients.

Game Mechanics:

Surgical Suite: The auto-scalpel contains an advanced diagnostic and surgical assistance package. It grants the user DM+2 on all Medic checks.
Auto-Cauterizer: When used to treat a wound, the scalpel’s laser edge automatically cauterizes blood vessels. A patient being treated with this device cannot suffer further damage from bleeding.
Soothing Aerosol: The device has 5 charges of a chemical sedative. As part of a Medic action, the user can expend one charge. The patient immediately becomes calm and compliant, and any further Medic checks on them in the same scene gain an additional DM+1.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 4th Edition

The Barber’s Boon

Encumbrance: 1 Availability: Rare Price: 85 GC

A razor of exquisite craftsmanship from the city of Altdorf. The blade is made of polished obsidian, said to be a gift from an Elf ambassador, and the handle is carved from dark, unblemished oak. It is said that a shave from this razor can calm a raging Middenlander after an insult or steady the hand of a surgeon working on the battlefield. Such tools are highly prized by the Barber-Surgeons who must cater to the often-volatile nobility and soldiery of the Empire.

Game Mechanics:

Masterwork Tool: This razor is considered to be a set of Barber’s Tools and Surgeon’s Tools of the finest quality. When making a Heal Test using the razor, you gain a +1 SL to the result in addition to any other modifiers.
Soothing Presence: The razor projects an aura of calm and professionalism. When you are performing a service for a character (a shave, haircut, or dressing a wound), they are put at ease. You gain a +10 bonus on all Charm Tests made to interact with them for the duration of the service.
The Peril of Perfection: While the blade guides your hand, it demands focus. If you use the razor to perform a Heal test and you roll a Fumble (any roll of doubles on a failed test), the magic momentarily falters. In addition to the normal consequences of failure, your patient immediately gains the Afraid (Pain) Condition as they are overwhelmed by a vision of the blade slipping and causing grievous harm.