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Kitsune 912 of the Sycophants Cobble

—

by

Dale
in

Lore

During the middle of the Wilderness Conquest era, an ambitious lower-tier bureaucrat named Gengoro served under a particularly vain warlord on the island nation of Yamato. Gengoro lacked physical strength and arcane prowess, but he possessed an unyielding desire to curry favor with his superiors. Seeking a edge in the royal court, he commissioned an eccentric artisan who traded with minor fox-spirits to weave subtle Kitsune magic into a humble brush and polishing cloth. The trickster fox-spirit bound within the tools agreed to grant its power under one condition: it would only function when used to pamper, polish, and flatter those of higher social or political standing. Over centuries, duplicates of this item were crafted across the 73 island nations, becoming a prized possession for aspiring courtiers, ambitious valets, and shameless sycophants who use groveling as an art form to gain leverage over their masters.

Description

Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble consists of a stiff wooden shoe-brush carved from polished cherry wood and a piece of supple velvet polishing cloth that constantly shifts in hue between deep crimson and soft amber. The bristles of the brush are taken from the tail fur of a red fox-spirit and glisten with a faint, oily sheen even when dry. When brought near the footwear of a higher-ranking official, noble, or powerful entity, the bristles vibrate with a gentle hum and release the sweet scent of spiced plum blossom. When used to buff leather or metal boots, the cloth leaves behind a subtle, lingering fox-fire sheen that draws eyes downward while making the wearer feel unnaturally regal and pleased with the individual performing the service.

Detailed Stats

  • Item Tier: Tier 1 (Common)
  • Required Avatar Tier: Tier 1
  • Armor Check (AC): +1 (Aegis Cover granted by subtle distraction illusions)
  • Item Resilience: 10
  • Item Health Points: Avatar’s maximum health points plus 10
  • Attunement Type: Handheld attunement (attunes instantly when held in hand)
  • Attunement Slot Usage: Counts as a held tool for active usage; automatically attuned when held without occupying a standard open body slot

Multiple Passive Magics

  • Courtier’s Reflection: When polishing the footwear of another being, the user receives a passive bonus when using the Mind’s Eye to evaluate the target, automatically revealing their current emotional state, vanity level, and receptivity to flattery.
  • Grease the Imperial Heel: Any boots or footwear maintained using this kit are rendered completely immune to mud, dust, road grime, and water stains, remaining in immaculate pristine condition for up to one week.
  • Unseen Humility: While actively kneeling or groveling to polish someone’s shoes, attack rolls against the user from bystanders or guards have disadvantage due to minor optical illusions that make the user appear pathetic and non-threatening.

Multiple Activable Magics

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (Silent Casting): While buffing a target’s footwear, the user silently invokes Kitsune trickery. The target must make a saving throw or become Charmed for 1 hour, viewing the user as a loyal, devoted, and indispensable servant. This effect ends immediately if the user or their allies perform a hostile action against the target.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (Somatic Casting): By snapping the velvet cloth with a flourish taking less than six seconds, the user causes a blinding flash of fox-fire light to reflect off a freshly polished boot. Targets within 15 feet relying on sight must succeed on a save or suffer the Dazed condition until the end of their next turn.
  • Ritual of Servile Subjugation (Ritual Casting): Through a ten-minute ritual of meticulous footwear restoration and vocal flattery, the user applies a temporary glamer to a superior’s footwear. For the next 24 hours, whenever the superior speaks to the user, they suffer a penalty to detecting the user’s lies or subtle deceptions.

Specific Slot

  • Hand Slot (Held Tool)

Tags

Kitsune Magic, Bootlicking, Sycophant, Tier 1, Common, Tool, Illusion, Charm, Mind’s Eye, Utility, Social, Grooming, Flattery, Servant, Cobbler, Footwear, Polish, Grooming Kit, Courtier, Deception, Social Manipulation, Fox Brush, Yamato

Acquisition and Commerce of Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble

In the decentralized and localized economy of Saṃsāra, items are bought and sold in a seller’s market where pricing is fluid, regional, and driven by access rather than fixed universal standards. Because no global institutional stores exist, an aspiring courtier or valet seeking this item must navigate family-owned shops, specialized service guilds, or clandestine networks.

Types of Shops and Acquisition Locations

  • Family-Owned Cobbler and Leatherworking Workshops
    • Where to Find: Tucked away in the artisan districts of state cities and central capital cities across island nations, particularly in administrative hubs like Yamato, Archaic, or Aterian. These shops are operated by generations of skilled leather Crafters and shoemakers.
    • How It Is Bought: The shopkeeper crafts or acquires these specialized polishing sets to sell to personal attendants, palace servants, and ambitious guild apprentices. Buyers interact directly with the crafter, engaging in traditional bargaining.
    • Cost: In a standard leatherworking shop, the kit is offered at a suggested baseline price between 100 Silver and 150 Silver (10 to 15 Gold). If the buyer holds membership in a recognized Crafters Guild or Servants Guild, they receive a 10% discount based on their character’s tier (a Tier 1 character gets 10% off the negotiated price).
  • Palace Grooming Supplies and Valet Outfitters
    • Where to Find: Located in the affluent merchant quarters directly outside royal palaces, high courts, and mayoral residences in major metropolitan cities.
    • How It Is Bought: These specialty boutiques cater to high-end domestic staff, diplomats, and court attendants who require top-quality maintenance tools for noble wardrobes. The items are sold as luxury grooming equipment.
    • Cost: Because these shops cater to wealthy clientele and noble households, prices are marked up significantly. A merchant in a palace district will demand between 200 Silver and 300 Silver (20 to 30 Gold) for the set, emphasizing its enchanted stain-repelling and high-gloss properties.
  • Black-Market Fences and Shadow Guild Outlets
    • Where to Find: Hidden in subterranean taverns, back-alley hideouts, or unpatrolled docks outside town walls, far from the eyes of city guards and royal tax assessors.
    • How It Is Bought and Sold: Fences sell these kits to spies, infiltrators, and conspirators who wish to use the item’s charm and distraction magics to manipulate targets of high authority. Transactions are completed strictly in physical gold or silver coins, with no records or receipts kept.
    • Cost: When buying from a black-market dealer, the item costs between 250 Silver and 400 Silver (25 to 40 Gold) due to its illegal social-manipulation potential. When a player character sells the kit to a black-market fence, the fence pays standard merchant rates (50% to 60% of value) or up to double (150 Silver to 200 Silver) if they have a buyer who urgently needs a tool to influence a court official.
  • World Bank Branches (Financial Exchanges)
    • Where to Find: Imposing stone edifices located in the central capital cities of all 73 island nations, run under the authority of the god of commerce.
    • How It Is Bought: The World Bank does not maintain inventories of adventuring gear or host auctions. However, characters who open a new account receive 100 Gold and a choice of a magical Blender, Clock, or Toaster. If a character uses World Bank funds to purchase the grooming set from a local merchant, they must withdraw physical coinage at the counter (paying a 1% transaction fee rounded up to the nearest copper) or transfer funds directly if the seller maintains a bank account.

Selling the Item to NPC Merchants

When an avatar sells Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble to a legitimate merchant, standard haggling rules apply:

  • Merchant Offer: The merchant haggles around 10% of the item’s value multiplied by the selling character’s tier level (resulting in a 10% reduction from the baseline valuation for a Tier 1 character). A merchant will typically offer between 40 Silver and 75 Silver (4 to 7.5 Gold) for the kit.
  • World Bank Transaction: Proceeds from sales to registered merchants are deposited directly into the character’s World Bank account, visible in their Mind’s Eye.
  • Official Logs: Merchants maintain purchase logs, meaning local authorities or royal guards investigating mind-affecting court incidents might later question the seller about the origin of the tool set.

Tactical Roleplay Applications: Environmental Offense and Defense

Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble is far more than a simple servant’s grooming tool. In the intrigue-laden, high-magic world of Saṃsāra, an ambitious courtier or infiltrator leverages the velvet cloth, fox-tail bristles, and subtle charm illusions to turn subservience into tactical control, using groveling both as an impenetrable social shield and a subtle offensive weapon.

Royal Palaces and High Imperial Courts

In the opulent throne rooms, marble council chambers, and gilded corridors of royal monarchs and state governors, social standing is absolute, and open violence is met with swift execution by royal guards.

  • Defensive Roleplay: When targeted by the ire of a hostile noble or confronted by aggressive court guards, the avatar immediately drops to one knee, pulling out the shoe-brush and polishing cloth to offer an immediate boot cleaning. The passive Unseen Humility kicks in, creating subtle optical illusions that make the avatar appear pathetic, harmless, and unworthy of violence; guards looking on suffer disadvantage on attack rolls or stand down entirely, viewing the avatar as a mindless servant. While kneeling, the avatar uses Courtier’s Reflection through their Mind’s Eye to inspect the noble’s footwear, passively discovering the noble’s hidden emotional weaknesses and current mood without raising suspicion.
  • Offensive Roleplay: While buffing the leather boots of a grand vizier or rival ambassador, the avatar silently invokes Bootlicker’s Favor. As the velvet cloth leaves behind a subtle fox-fire sheen, the target fails their save and becomes Charmed for an hour, viewing the avatar as a loyal confidant. The avatar then uses this window to whisper subtle suggestions or ask probing questions about royal troop movements. If a distraction is needed during a tense diplomatic negotiation, the avatar snaps the velvet cloth to trigger Mirror-Shine Distraction, reflecting a blinding beam of fox-fire off the noble’s boot to Daze nearby guards while an ally slips past a guarded archway.

Busy Trade Harbors and Seaport Wharves

At noisy coastal wharves, customs check-posts, and dockside taverns across island nations, state state-guards tax incoming goods and captains demand respect before allowing passage.

  • Defensive Roleplay: When stopped by a corrupt state customs officer attempting to confiscate the party’s cargo wagon for unpaid fees, the avatar steps forward with an overly humble bow, offering to polish the officer’s mud-stained riding boots free of charge. Utilizing Grease the Imperial Heel, the kit instantly strips away all salt stains, grime, and muck, leaving the leather in immaculate condition. Pleased by the flattering service and affected by the subtle charm of the kit, the officer waives the passage fees or reduces the inspection tax, allowing the party to proceed into the central city unhindered.
  • Offensive Roleplay: In a crowded dockside tavern where a rival sea captain holds key navigation charts, the avatar approaches under the guise of an eager cabin boy offering boot-restoration services. The avatar conducts the ten-minute Ritual of Servile Subjugation, polishing the captain’s boots while lavishing them with elaborate praise. For the next 24 hours, the captain suffers a penalty when trying to detect the avatar’s lies, enabling the avatar to feed the captain false information regarding ocean currents or lead them into a false trade agreement.

Industrial Steam Hubs and Floating Cloud Cities

Among the whirring gears, steam pipes, and soaring mage towers of industrial centers and floating sky-cities, guild masters and wealthy technomancers hold immense economic influence.

  • Defensive Roleplay: In high-altitude mage towers or steam-powered factories, grease and coal dust are constant hazards. The avatar keeps the party’s footwear clean using the kit’s passive stain immunity. When confronted by a hostile guild master inside a narrow steam-pipe conduit, the avatar drops into a subservient posture, pretending to clean the master’s brass-trimmed boots. By doing so, the avatar avoids drawing direct hostility while using their Mind’s Eye to scan the master’s stats and identify vulnerable points in their equipped gear slots.
  • Offensive Roleplay: During a formal tour of a floating cloud tower, the avatar targets a rival technomancer’s chief guard. Engaging in a quick boot-buffing session, the avatar triggers Mirror-Shine Distraction, sending a bright flare of fox-fire off the polished brass toe-cap. The guard is temporarily Dazed, giving the avatar’s party member the exact action window needed to pick a lock on a nearby storage crypt or swap a vital blueprint document.

Subterranean Vaults and Wilderness Outposts

In dark cavern complexes, underground mining towns, and remote frontier garrisons, rank is enforced by brute force, and warlord mayors rule with iron fists.

  • Defensive Roleplay: When captured by a band of intelligent subterranean dwellers or a warlord’s patrol, the avatar immediately offers their services as a personal valet to the leader. By maintaining the leader’s footwear in pristine condition, the avatar earns a position of relative safety within the camp. The passive Unseen Humility keeps the guards from viewing the avatar as a threat, allowing the avatar to move around the camp unchained while gathering intelligence for an escape.
  • Offensive Roleplay: While tending to a warlord’s heavy iron boots inside a dark cavern fortress, the avatar uses the bone-backed shoe-brush as an attuned held weapon. During a surprise party ambush, the avatar uses their action to strike at the warlord’s footwear straps, aiming to unfasten or deactivate the warlord’s magical greaves or boots, reducing the leader’s AC and mobility before the main fight commences.

Perception of Activation:

  • Sight
    • User’s Perspective: Upon activating the grooming set, the wooden back of the shoe-brush pulses with glowing golden and amber runes carved along its edges. The red fox-tail bristles ignite with a soft, warm orange illumination that throws no harsh shadows, while the velvet polishing cloth glimmers with a subtle purple-violet iridescence along its folds as it moves across leather surfaces.
    • Observer’s Perspective: An observer sees a brilliant, mirror-like reflection catch on the polished footwear, accompanied by a brief, charming flare of fox-fire sparks dancing around the user’s hands. The user appears surrounded by a soft optical distortion that makes their bowing posture seem exceptionally humble and non-threatening.
    • Positives: Provides immediate, high-gloss visual restoration to footwear while creating a dazzling aesthetic reflection that commands positive visual attention.
    • Negatives: The bright fox-fire glow and sparkling runes can easily betray the user’s location in dark, unlit corridors or covert stealth operations.
  • Hearing
    • User’s Perspective: The user hears a low, rhythmic purring sound resonating from the wooden brush handle, accompanied by the distant, playful giggling of a fox-spirit that seems to whisper subtle compliments into the user’s ear. The brisk brushing action produces a soft, musical humming tone rather than the scratchy sound of stiff bristles.
    • Observer’s Perspective: Nearby observers hear a gentle, rhythmic brushing sound that carries a soothing, almost hypnotic cadence, calming the nerves of those whose shoes are being polished.
    • Positives: The rhythmic humming creates a relaxed, open social atmosphere, lowering the mental defenses of high-ranking targets.
    • Negatives: The distinctive spirit-purring sound can be recognized by experienced mages or suspicious guards as a sign of active enchantment.
  • Touch
    • User’s Perspective: The cherry-wood handle becomes pleasantly warm and light in the user’s hand, feeling as smooth as oiled silk. The velvet cloth feels completely weightless and glides over rough leather or encrusted mud without any physical friction or drag.
    • Observer’s Perspective: The individual receiving the boot-polish feels a soothing, warm sensation radiating through their footwear, like slipping their feet into warm, custom-tailored leather fresh from a hearth.
    • Positives: Completely eliminates hand fatigue for the user during long periods of servile labor while providing an intensely comfortable physical sensation to the target.
    • Negatives: The lack of physical drag can cause an inexperienced user to press too hard, relying entirely on the magical glide rather than manual technique.
  • Smell
    • User’s Perspective: The user is enveloped by the rich, comforting fragrance of ripe spiced plum blossoms, sweet cherry wood, and fresh leather wax, completely washing away the foul odors of street muck or horse manure.
    • Observer’s Perspective: Observers within ten feet catch a sudden, luxurious waft of sweet blossoms and expensive court perfume radiating from the freshly polished boots.
    • Positives: Replaces disgusting environmental odors with an aroma associated with high nobility and pristine hygiene.
    • Negatives: The strong floral scent lingers in the air for hours, making it impossible for the user to hide their recent presence from tracking beasts or keen-nosed guards.
  • Taste
    • User’s Perspective: A subtle, warm flavor of honeyed plum wine coats the user’s tongue upon activating the kit, leaving a sweet and lingering aftertaste.
    • Observer’s Perspective: Observers experience no direct taste sensation, though individuals standing directly in the sweet scent plume may notice a faint sugary taste on their lips.
    • Positives: Provides a pleasant, comforting sensory reward to the user during degrading social tasks.
    • Negatives: The sudden sweetness can briefly cause minor salivation, requiring the user to swallow before speaking flattery.
  • Extra-Sensory Perceptions
    • Mind’s Eye Perception:
      • User’s Perspective: Activating the kit opens a stream of intuitive data through the user’s Mind’s Eye, displaying the target’s emotional state, current level of vanity, and precise susceptibility to flattery as clear numerical values overlaid above the target’s head.
      • Observer’s Perspective: Anyone viewing the scene with an active Mind’s Eye perceives a thin, golden thread of magical energy extending from the brush into the target’s emotional aura, gently nudging their mood toward vanity and satisfaction.
      • Positives: Grants precise, real-time insight into an official’s personal weaknesses and emotional vulnerabilities.
      • Negatives: Processing dense emotional feedback while trying to maintain an exaggerated groveling roleplay can cause temporary mental clutter.
    • True Sight Perception:
      • User’s Perspective: Through True Sight, the user beholds a faint, glowing orange fox-spirit curled playfully around the target’s ankles, using its ghostly tails to sweep away dark mud particles and leave behind a shimmering ultraviolet protective film.
      • Observer’s Perspective: An observer utilizing True Sight sees a radiant, nine-tailed illusionary fox draped over the user’s shoulders, its spirit-eyes glowing with mischievous intelligence as it casts a charm aura over the superior.
      • Positives: Clearly reveals the active boundary of the charm effect and highlights any magical traps or concealed items hidden within the target’s footwear.
      • Negatives: The brilliant ultraviolet manifestation makes the social charm attempt blatantly obvious to any third party viewing the room through True Sight vision.
    • Soul Sight Perception:
      • User’s Perspective: The user senses the eager, sycophantic resonance of the minor fox-spirit inside the wooden brush, feeling its desire to feed on the target’s inflated sense of pride and ego.
      • Observer’s Perspective: An observer with Soul Sight sees the user’s soul aura temporarily shrink into an excessively humble, non-threatening posture, while the spirit within the brush glows with an opportunistic amber spark.
      • Positives: Aligns the user’s spiritual presence with the role of a harmless servant, completely neutralizing aggressive intent from surrounding watchers.
      • Negatives: Frequent use of servile soul alignment can leave the user feeling momentarily subservient even after the activation ends.

Crafting Recipe: Recreating Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble

  • Recipe Title: Ritual of the Sycophant’s Golden Velvet
  • Recipe Class: Minor Arcane Grooming Tool Creation (Enchanted Woodworking & Leathercraft)

Materials Needed

  • Carved Cherry-Wood Core:
    • 1 solid block of aged cherry wood, seasoned and cut to size for a hand-held shoe-brush base.
  • Fox-Spirit Tail Bristles:
    • 1 cluster of coarse tail fur harvested from a red fox-spirit (or a Tier 1 magical fox-kin creature).
  • Golden-Crimson Velvet Cloth:
    • 1 square yard of fine velvet fabric dyed in crimson and amber hues.
  • Alchemical & Magical Catalysts:
    • 1 Tier 1 Magic Crystalline Cell (coin-sized), pulverized into a fine purple catalyst powder.
    • 1 Fluid Collector vial of sweet plum blossom sap extracted during peak bloom.
    • 1 drop of essence from a charm-capable creature or fox-spirit.
    • 1 bottle of natural leather-polishing wax infused with spirit ether.

Tools Required

  • Fluid Collector: Used to draw, measure, and deposit exact quantities of plum blossom sap and spirit essence without spilling.
  • Fine Wood-Carving & Chiseling Tools: Small gouges, scribing chisels, and burning needles for carving fox motifs and runic channels into the cherry-wood block.
  • Bristle-Setting Awl & Wire: Small brass wire loops and a micro-awl to punch bristle holes and bind the fox-tail fur into the wooden base.
  • Polishing Cloth Loom & Needle Set: Fine silver needles for stitching runic patterns along the hem of the velvet polishing cloth.

Skill Requirements

  • Crafting Skill Level: Minimum Skill Level 6 total in Woodworking, Leatherworking, or Grooming Toolcraft (requiring at least 5 base trained skill points plus character tier allowance).
  • Tier Level Requirement: Character must be at least Tier 1.
  • Social & Lore Knowledge: Understanding of Yamato courtly etiquette, servile grooming traditions, and basic Kitsune charm runes.

Crafting Steps

  • Step 1: Shaping and Carving the Brush Base
    • Hand-carve the cherry-wood block into a smooth, ergonomic shoe-brush handle with rounded ends.
    • Using fine chisels, engrave the image of a sleeping fox surrounded by plum blossom petals on the top face, and scribe runic channels along both side edges.
    • Drill an array of small, uniform bristle holes into the bottom face of the wooden handle.
  • Step 2: Preparing the Charm Catalyst
    • Using the Fluid Collector, transfer precisely one dram of plum blossom sap into a small ceramic bowl.
    • Grind the coin-sized Tier 1 Magic Crystal into fine powder and thoroughly mix it into the sap along with the single drop of fox-spirit charm essence.
    • Heat the mixture gently over a low flame until it forms a fragrant, shimmering purple resin.
  • Step 3: Setting the Bristles and Inscribing Runes
    • Dip the root ends of the red fox-spirit bristles into the warm crystal resin and insert them tightly into the drilled holes using the bristle-setting awl and brass wire.
    • Paint the remaining purple crystal resin into the runic grooves on the sides of the cherry-wood handle.
    • Allow the resin to set and harden under direct sunlight until the bristles flex smoothly and emit a faint plum blossom fragrance.
  • Step 4: Imbuing the Velvet Polishing Cloth
    • Submerge the velvet cloth in an alchemical bath of spirit-ether polishing wax mixed with a pinch of the powdered magic crystal.
    • Using silver needles, stitch subtle amber thread along the edges of the cloth while reciting a short, Somatic chant focused on flattery, vanity, and blinding reflections.
  • Step 5: Final Alignment and Attunement Sealing
    • Hold the finished shoe-brush and velvet polishing cloth together in both hands for ten minutes.
    • Focus mental energy into the items until the bristles vibrate with a gentle hum and the wood handle warms to the touch, finalizing the creation of the sycophant’s grooming kit.

Flattering Brush and King’s Dirty Boots

Hear now the strange account, translated through three broken translators of bad grammar, preserved from stone tablets written in a lost tongue before memory had names.

In the old days of the island of Yamato, there lived a very small man named Gengoro. Gengoro possessed no big muscles to swing a heavy sword, nor did he have fiery magic inside his brain to blow up monsters. His legs were short, and his heart was full of a great desire to be loved by people who were bigger than him. In those days, the King of Yamato was a man of huge height and massive vanity, who loved nothing in the world except his own feet, which were covered in heavy leather boots decorated with real gold buttons.

It is recorded in the awkward syntax of the ancient slab that Gengoro wished to enter the big stone palace, but the royal guards made loud laughter at him, saying: “Go away, little man of zero muscle! You cannot kill a dragon, so you cannot eat the King’s soup!”

Gengoro went into the dark forest, crying many bitter tears into his sleeves. A sly fox-spirit with nine fiery tails sat upon a tree branch and watched him. The fox-spirit made a sharp noise like a laughing dog and said: “Why do you cry, little creature of no power? Power does not live only in the sword. Sometimes power lives in the mud at the bottom of a boot.”

Gengoro did not understand the fox’s grammar, but he watched as the fox-spirit pulled a handful of soft red fur from its own tail. The fox-spirit took a block of sweet cherry-wood and stuck the bristles into it using warm tree sap. Then the fox took a piece of velvet cloth that changed colors like a dying sunset and gave both objects to Gengoro, saying: “Take these tools of groveling. When you drop to your knees before a giant, polish his boots with this brush. The brush shall feed upon his foolish pride, and he shall think you are his best brother.”

Gengoro took the brush and walked back to the big palace. As he walked near the gate, a huge warlord on a black horse rode past, splashing thick, smelly black mud all over the King’s golden boots as the King stood outside inspecting his royal state state-guards.

The King made a terrible roar of anger, his face turning the color of a ripe plum. He reached for his big sword to chop off the warlord’s head. But before the sword could leave the sheath, Gengoro ran forward, dropped flat onto his belly in the dirt, and pulled out the cherry-wood brush and the golden-crimson velvet cloth.

“O King of unlimited majesty!” shouted Gengoro with improper nouns and exaggerated verbs. “Let not your regal hands be dirtied by anger! Allow your humble worm to clean the filthy mud from your glorious footwear!”

Gengoro began to scrub. As the fox-tail bristles touched the leather, a soft, sweet smell of spiced plum blossoms filled the air, completely washing away the smell of horse manure. The brush emitted a low, rhythmic purring sound that made the King’s angry knees feel warm and soft. When Gengoro snapped the velvet cloth, a bright beam of glowing fox-fire reflected off the leather, making the King’s boots shine brighter than the sun at noon.

The King looked down at his boots, which now looked so immaculate that he could see his own smiling face reflected in the toe-caps. The King forgot all about his anger at the warlord. He looked at Gengoro with great affection, declaring: “This little worm is the most intelligent and loyal creature in my entire kingdom! Give him a bag of gold and make him my chief advisor!”

For many years, Gengoro lived in the palace, eating sweet cakes and wearing silk robes. Whenever a powerful general or angry ambassador came to threaten the King, Gengoro would drop to his knees, polish their shoes, and whisper subtle flattery while the brush released its charm magic. The powerful men would instantly become dazed and charmed, forgetting their war plans and giving Gengoro everything he asked for.

Yet Gengoro never learned how to fight, nor did he ever craft an item of true power. He spent his entire life on his knees, surrounded by the smell of leather wax and plum blossoms, forever scrubbing the mud from the feet of men he secretly despised.

Moral of the Story

He who learns the art of shameless flattery may easily ride upon the shoulders of giants, but he must remember that a man who spends his whole life groveling will eventually forget how to stand up on his own two feet.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Sycophant’s Cobble of Yamato

Item Classification and Specifications

  • Item Type: Artifact / Specialist Grooming & Social Tool
  • Era / Provenance: Saṃsāra Import (Island Nation of Yamato)
  • Sanity Loss to Attune or Observe Magic: 0 / 1 SAN (witnessing spirit-based charm manifestations)
  • Magic Point Cost: 1 to 2 MP per active manifestation
  • Physical Description: A cherry-wood brush with bristles taken from a red fox-spirit and a golden-crimson velvet polishing cloth that smells faintly of spiced plum blossoms.

Passive Mechanics and Skill Modifiers

  • Master Valet’s Touch: The user gains a +20% bonus to Charm, Fast Talk, and Art/Craft (Cobbling/Leatherworking) skill checks when actively maintaining or polishing a target’s footwear.
  • Immaculate Maintenance: Footwear treated with this kit becomes completely impervious to water stains, mud, dust, and natural grime for seven days.
  • Servile Masking: While kneeling or polishing another individual’s shoes, any attack rolls or aggressive actions targeted at the user by bystanders or guards suffer a Penalty Die due to subtle optical distortions that make the user appear harmless and non-threatening.

Active Arcane Manifestations

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (Cost: 1 Magic Point, 1 SAN): While buffing a target’s footwear, the user spends 1 Magic Point and 1 Sanity Point to invoke a subtle fox-spirit charm. The target must succeed on a Hard Psychology or POW check opposed by the user’s Charm skill. On a failure, the target becomes Charmed for 1 hour, viewing the user as a loyal and indispensable servant.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (Cost: 1 Magic Point): The user snaps the velvet cloth, reflecting a brilliant flash of fox-fire light off a freshly polished boot. All viewing targets within 15 feet must pass a DEX or CON check or suffer a Penalty Die on all physical actions for 1 round due to disorientation.
  • Servile Subjugation Ritual (Cost: 2 Magic Points, 10-Minute Ritual): Performing a 10-minute ritual of boot restoration and targeted flattery applies a temporary glamer to a superior’s footwear. For 24 hours, the target suffers a Penalty Die when making Psychology or Insight checks to detect the user’s lies.

Blades in the Dark

Gengoro’s Sycophant Kit

Item Classification and Load

  • Item Type: Fine Social Tool / Arcane Artifact
  • Quality: Fine (Tier 1)
  • Load: 1 Load
  • Tags: Fine, Arcane, Tool, Grooming, Social, Deception

Passive Quality and Position/Effect Modifiers

  • Fine Grooming Gear: When performing a Sway, Consort, or Deceive action while tending to an authority figure’s footwear or appearance, this item counts as Fine gear, granting +1 Tier scale or Improved Effect.
  • Stainless Buff: Any footwear maintained with this kit is rendered immune to mud, dampness, and grime during a score.
  • Pathetic Aura: While actively groveling or performing servile labor, the scoundrel gains controlled Position on defensive resistance rolls against hostile guards or watchers who attempt to physically expel them.

Special Actions and Stress Mechanics

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (1 Stress): The player expends 1 Stress while buffing a target’s footwear to force an NPC authority figure into a temporary Charmed state for the scene. The target treats the scoundrel as a trusted, non-threatening valet unless hostile action is taken against them.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (1 Stress): The player expends 1 Stress while taking a Sway or Finesse action to snap the velvet cloth, creating a blinding fox-fire reflection off a boot. Targets in the area suffer Reduced Effect on their immediate Notice or Action rolls for the current turn.
  • Servile Subjugation (2 Stress): By spending 2 Stress during a downtime activity or a 10-minute quiet period during a score, the scoundrel applies a glamer to a superior’s boots. For the remainder of the score, the target suffers Reduced Effect on any Study or Insight actions used to detect the scoundrel’s deceptions.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition / 2024 Edition)

Kitsune 912: Tool of the Sycophant’s Cobbler

Item Properties and Attunement

  • Wondrous Item / Artisan’s Tools, common (requires attunement)
  • Item Weight: 1 lb.
  • Armor Class Bonus: While holding this item or carrying it openly on a waist belt, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class (Aegis Cover).
  • Attunement Requirement: Held attunement (attunes instantly when held in hand; does not consume standard body armor slots).

Passive Magical Properties

  • Stainless Polish: Footwear polished with this kit cannot be stained or dirtied by mud, dust, road grime, or water for up to 7 days.
  • Servile Shield: While kneeling or crouching to polish footwear, attack rolls made against you by hostile creatures have disadvantage unless you have taken a hostile action during combat.
  • Courtier’s Intuition: You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks made against a target while actively cleaning or inspecting their footwear.

Active Magical Charges and Spells

  • Charges: The tool set has 3 charges and regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.
  • Bootlicker’s Favor (1 Charge): As an action while polishing a creature’s footwear, you cast the Charm Person spell (save DC 13) without expending a spell slot. The target must be able to see and hear you.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (1 Charge): As an action, you snap the velvet cloth to emit a flash of fox-fire light off a polished boot. Each creature within 15 feet relying on sight must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Dazed until the end of its next turn.
  • Servile Subjugation (2 Charges): By spending 10 minutes performing a boot-restoration ritual accompanied by flattery, you place a charm glamer on a creature’s footwear. For the next 24 hours, that creature has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect your lies or deceptions.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Gengoro’s Fox-Tail Polish Kit

Item Properties and Slots

  • Item Type: Specialist Grooming Tool
  • Item Slots: 1 Slot
  • Armor Defense Bonus: +1 Armor Defense (granted by minor protective distraction illusions while equipped)
  • Quality / Durability: 3 Usage Dots

Passive System Mechanics

  • Advantage on Servile Deception: Carrying this kit grants Advantage on all Charisma and Wisdom checks made to flatter authority figures, pass off lies while acting as a servant, or gauge a noble’s current mood.
  • Permanent Stain Immunity: Any boots or shoes buffed with this kit become completely immune to mud, dirt, and water damage for one week.
  • Wound Protection Mechanic: When a physical wound fills the item slot occupied by this kit, do not immediately drop or destroy the item. Instead, mark 1 Usage Dot on the kit. The item is only destroyed when all 3 Usage Dots are marked.

Active Usage Ability (Expends 1 Usage Dot)

  • Bootlicker’s Charm: Mark 1 Usage Dot while cleaning a target’s boots to force an NPC authority figure to treat you as a friendly, non-threatening ally for 1 hour, provided no hostile actions are taken against them.
  • Mirror-Shine Blind: Mark 1 Usage Dot to snap the polishing cloth, creating a blinding flash of fox-fire. All hostiles facing your direction must make a successful Constitution save or lose their movement action on their next turn due to disorientation.

Fate Core / Fate Condensed

Kitsune 912: The Sycophant’s Cobble

Item Aspects

  • High Concept: Enchanted Fox-Spirit Grooming Kit
  • Invocation Aspect: Flattery Will Get You Everywhere
  • Flaw Aspect: Subservient Posture Invites Contempt

Stunts and Refresh Cost

  • Stunt: Bootlicker’s Charm (Cost: 1 Refresh). When using Crafts or Rapport to groom, polish, or maintain an authority figure’s footwear, you may create the situational Aspect Charmed Superior with one free invoke. You gain a +2 bonus to Rapport checks when attempting to flatter, appease, or gain favor with individuals of higher social standing.
  • Stunt: Mirror-Shine Distraction (Cost: 1 Refresh). Once per scene, you may spend a Fate Point while polishing footwear to snap the velvet cloth, creating a sudden flash of fox-fire light. This creates a temporary Aspect on all nearby observers such as Blinded by Vanity or Dazed by Fox-Fire with two free invokes.

Skill Stress & Mechanics

  • Equipment Rating: Weapon:0 / Armor:1 (Provides defensive protection by subtly influencing attackers to perceive the user as pathetic and non-threatening).
  • Stress Cost for Servile Subjugation: Spending 1 Mental Stress allows the user to perform a Overcome action using Deceive or Rapport to apply a glamer to an official’s boots, causing the official to suffer a -2 penalty to Notice or Investigate checks to detect the user’s deceptions for the remainder of the scene.

Numenera / Cypher System

Artifact: Sycophant’s Polishing Implements

Artifact Specifications

  • Level: 3 (1d6 + 2)
  • Form: A cherry-wood brush set with red fox-spirit bristles and a soft crimson-amber velvet polishing cloth.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (checked after using active charm or distraction abilities).

Passive Functional Mechanics

  • Pristine Footwear: Any boots, greaves, or shoes cleaned using the kit become completely immune to mud, dust, water stains, and natural grime for seven days.
  • Asset to Social Tasks: Holding this artifact grants an Asset (lowering the Difficulty of the task by 1 step) on all Intellect-based social tasks involving persuasion, flattery, or reading the emotional state of a superior.
  • Armor Bonus: While held in hand during a servile posture, the minor optical distortions surrounding the artifact grant +1 to Armor.

Active Cypher System Powers

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (1 Depletion Check): Upon activation while polishing an NPC’s footwear, the user forces the target to make an Intellect defense roll against Level 3 difficulty. On a failure, the NPC becomes Charmed for 1 hour, treating the user as a loyal and essential servant.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (1 Depletion Check): The user snaps the velvet cloth to flash a burst of fox-fire light off a polished boot. All viewing targets within immediate range must succeed on a Speed defense roll or become Dazed (increasing the Difficulty of all tasks by 1 step) for 1 round.
  • Servile Subjugation (1 Depletion Check): By spending 10 minutes restoring a superior’s footwear, the user applies a Level 3 glamer to the boots. For the next 24 hours, the superior suffers an Increase in Difficulty by 1 step on all Intellect rolls to perceive the user’s lies.

Pathfinder (Second Edition / Remastered)

Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble

Item Core Stat Block

  • Item Name: Kitsune 912 of the Sycophant’s Cobble
  • Item Category: Item 1 (Uncommon, Magical, Enchantment, Illusion)
  • Price: 15 gp (suggested market value; subject to regional availability)
  • Usage: Held in 1 hand; Bulk: L (Light)
  • Traits: Magical, Enchantment, Illusion, Tool

Passive Magical Properties

  • Stainless Polish: Footwear treated with this kit cannot be stained or dirtied by mud, dust, road grime, or water for up to 7 days.
  • Servile Masking: While kneeling or crouching to polish footwear, attack rolls made against you by hostile creatures gain a -1 circumstance penalty unless you have taken a hostile action during combat.
  • Valet’s Precision: You gain a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy and Society checks made to flatter authority figures, gain access to noble courts, or inspect footwear for hidden compartments.

Active Abilities

  • Bootlicker’s Favor [one-action] (Concentrate, Enchantment, Magical)
    • Frequency: Once per hour
    • Effect: While polishing a creature’s footwear, you cast a minor charm spell. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or become Charmed for 1 hour, viewing you as a devoted personal servant. The effect ends immediately if you or your allies commit a hostile action against the target.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction [two-actions] (Concentrate, Visual, Illusion, Magical)
    • Frequency: Once per day
    • Effect: You snap the velvet cloth to reflect a bright flash of fox-fire off a boot. Each creature within 15 feet relying on sight must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or become Dazed for 1 round.
  • Servile Subjugation (10-Minute Activity) (Enchantment, Magical)
    • Effect: By spending 10 minutes polishing a superior’s boots while offering praise, you apply a subtle charm glamer to their footwear. For the next 24 hours, the target takes a -2 item penalty to Perception and Deception checks to detect your lies or deceptions.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition – SWADE)

Gengoro’s Sycophant Brush Set

Core Item Attributes

  • Item Type: Arcane Artifact / Grooming Kit
  • Weight: 1 lb.
  • Armor Check Bonus: +1 Armor against physical attacks targeted at the wielder while kneeling or holding the item (granted by protective distraction illusions).
  • Arcane Power Level: Minor Relic

Passive Mechanics

  • Master Valet Bonus: The user gains a +1 bonus to Persuasion and Performance rolls when dealing with nobility, authority figures, or high-ranking officers while presenting as a servant.
  • Stain-Proof Buff: Any boots or footwear maintained with this kit become completely immune to mud, dirt, and moisture damage for one week.
  • Unseen Humility: When targeted by hostile characters while actively polishing shoes, enemies suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls due to minor optical illusions making the wielder appear harmless.

Active Arcane Powers

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (Power Points: 1): The user spends 1 Power Point (or draws from the item’s internal reserve of 5 PP, which recharges 1 PP per hour) while cleaning boots to force an NPC target to make a Spirit roll at -2. On a failure, the target is Charmed for 1 hour, treating the user as a trusted domestic aide.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction (Power Points: 1): As an action during combat or social encounters, the user spends 1 Power Point to snap the cloth and flash a fox-fire reflection. All viewing targets in a Medium Burst Template must pass a Vigor roll or become Distracted until the end of their next turn.
  • Servile Subjugation Ritual (Power Points: 2): Spending 2 Power Points and 10 minutes polishing a superior’s footwear places a subtle glamer on the boots. For the next 24 hours, the superior suffers a -2 penalty to Notice and Smarts rolls when trying to catch the user in a lie.

Shadowrun (6th World)

Kitsune 912: The Sycophant’s Cobble

Item Classification and Availability

  • Item Type: Focus / Specialist Gear (Grooming & Arcane)
  • Availability: 3 (R)
  • Cost: 2,000 Nuyen (subject to local market negotiations)
  • Device Rating / Essence: Rating 1 (Unattuned/Attuned Focus)
  • Keywords: Magical, Focus, Tool, Enchantment, Illusion

Passive Mechanics and Qualities

  • Servile Masking: Adds +1 Dice Pool bonus to any Charisma-based skill test involving Con, Impersonation, or Leadership (Servile Flattery) when actively tending to a target’s footwear or appearance.
  • Stainless Maintenance: Any footwear maintained using the red fox-spirit bristles and velvet polishing cloth is rendered immune to mud, water stains, road dust, and chemical grime for seven days.
  • Defense Boost: While kneeling or polishing footwear, the subtle visual distortions of fox-fire grant a +1 bonus to Defensive Pool calculations against hostile observers.

Active Arcane Capabilities

  • Bootlicker’s Favor: By spending 1 Minor Action while polishing a target’s boots, the user invokes a subtle charm spell. The target must pass a Willpower + Intuition Test against a Threshold of 3 or become Charmed for 1 hour, viewing the user as a loyal and indispensable personal aide.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction: By spending 1 Major Action, the user snaps the velvet cloth to flash a burst of fox-fire light off a polished boot. All viewing targets within 10 meters must pass a Reaction + Intuition (2) Test or suffer the Off-Balance status for 1 Combat Turn.
  • Servile Subjugation Ritual: By performing a 10-minute ritual stitching polishing wax and praise into a superior’s footwear, the user applies a subtle charm glamer to the boots. For 24 hours, the superior suffers a -2 Dice Pool penalty on any Intuition + Perception Tests to detect the user’s lies or deceptions.

Starfinder (Enhanced / 1st Edition)

Kitsune 912: Sycophant’s Boot-Polisher

Item Stat Block

  • Item Level: Level 1
  • Price: 300 Credits
  • Hands: 1; Bulk: L (Light)
  • Weapon/Tool Type: Technological-Magical Hybrid Tool / Grooming Apparatus
  • Armor Check Bonus: +1 Enhancement Bonus to Kinetic Armor Class (KAC) while holding the item in a servile posture (granted by protective distraction glaims).

Passive Functional Properties

  • Preserved Footwear: Armor boots, environmental suits, or civilian footwear cleaned using the item become completely immune to acid mud, environmental radiation stains, vacuum dust, and liquid discoloration for up to 7 days.
  • Social & Deception Assistance: Grants a +1 insight bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks made against authority figures, corporate executives, or military officers while actively grooming their attire.
  • Low-Threat Illusion: While crouching or kneeling to use the tool, hostile creatures suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls targeted at the user unless the user has performed an aggressive action during the encounter.

Active Hybrid Abilities

  • Bootlicker’s Favor (Standard Action): Forces a target whose boots are being polished to succeed on a DC 13 Will save or become Charmed for 1 hour, treating the user as a trusted domestic staff member.
  • Mirror-Shine Marker (Standard Action): Snaps the velvet cloth to emit a blinding flash of fox-fire off a boot. Viewing targets within 15 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Reflex save or become Dazed for 1 round.
  • Transmute Subjugation (10-Minute Activity): By spending 10 minutes polishing a superior’s footwear while offering praise, the user applies a Level 1 glamer to the footwear. For 24 hours, the target takes a -2 penalty to Sense Motive checks against the user.

Traveller (MgT2 – Mongoose Traveller 2nd Edition)

Yamato Fox-Spirit Grooming Kit

Item Classification and Tech Level

  • Tech Level (TL): TL 3 (Crafted with TL 14 Arcane Anomaly Principles)
  • Item Type: Specialist Grooming Tool / Social Artifact
  • Mass: 0.5 kg
  • Price: Cr 1,200 (Varies widely depending on planetary starport availability)

Passive Mechanics and Skill Modifiers

  • Master Valet Bonus: Grants DM+1 to all Deceive, Persuasion, and Carouse checks conducted while acting in a servant or subordinate capacity to high-ranking officials.
  • Environmental Protection: Any boots or footgear polished with the kit’s velvet cloth become immune to sea water corrosion, planetary mud, and chemical stains for one full week.
  • Defensive Distraction: When holding the kit open while crouching or kneeling, the subtle optical distortions impose a DM-1 penalty on incoming attack rolls made against the user by hostile watchers.

Active Uses and Checks

  • Bootlicker’s Favor: The user takes 1 minute to polish an official’s boots while engaging in servile conversation. The target must pass a Hard (3D >= 12) Social Standing or Intelligence check. On a failure, the target treats the user as an ally and loyal retainer for 1 hour.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction: The user snaps the velvet cloth to flash a sudden beam of fox-fire off a boot. Observers within 5 meters must pass a Moderate (2D >= 8) Dexterity or Athletics check or lose their minor action on their next turn due to glare.
  • Servile Subjugation: Spending 10 minutes performing a thorough boot-restoration ritual applies a subtle charm glamer to a superior’s footwear. The target suffers DM-2 on all Investigate or Deceive checks made to detect the user’s lies for the next 24 hours.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Gengoro’s Sycophant Kit

Item Core Stat Block

  • Item Class: Rare Grooming Tool / Magical Relic
  • Availability: Exotic (Requires contact with far-eastern merchants or shadow fences)
  • Carrying Space: 0 Encumbrance
  • Craftsmanship: Fine (+10 to relevant Skill Tests)

Passive Magical Qualities

  • Scribe & Valet’s Craft: Grants a +10 bonus to all Charm, Evaluate, and Gossip Tests when interacting with nobles, military officers, or guild superiors while tending to their footwear.
  • Stainless Maintenance: Boots and footwear treated with the kit cannot be damaged or dirtied by mud, blood stains, sewer sludge, or natural dampness for seven days.
  • Servile Deflection: While kneeling or crouching to polish footwear, hostile attackers take a -10 penalty to WS (Weapon Skill) and BS (Ballistic Skill) Tests targeted at the user due to minor optical illusions making the wielder appear pathetic.

Active Arcane Manifestations

  • Bootlicker’s Favor: The user spends 1 Action Round polishing a target’s footwear. The target must pass a Challenging (-10) Willpower Test or become Charmed for 1 hour, regarding the wielder as an indispensable servant.
  • Mirror-Shine Distraction: The user spends 1 Action Round snapping the velvet cloth to reflect a bright flash of fox-fire off a boot. Viewing targets within 6 yards must pass a Challenging (-10) Initiative Test or suffer the Blinded Condition for 1 round.
  • Servile Subjugation Ritual: Spending 10 minutes polishing a superior’s boots while lavishing them with praise applies a glamer to the footwear. For the next 24 hours, the target suffers a -10 penalty to Intuition Tests made to detect the user’s lies or deceptions.