Miko 847 of Whispered Truths

Lore: This delicate ceremonial fan was crafted by the shrine maidens of the Floating Temple of Seven Winds, where truth-seeking pilgrims would journey to have their deepest questions answered. The fan’s bamboo ribs are inscribed with micro-prayers in ancient script, while its silk surface bears the faded impressions of countless ritual dances performed to divine hidden knowledge. Legend speaks of Shrine Maiden Yukiko, who could channel the voices of ancestral spirits through this very fan, allowing her to discern truth from falsehood with uncanny precision. The fan’s power lies not in forcing truth, but in creating sacred space where deception becomes difficult to maintain.

Description: A graceful ceremonial fan with pale cherry wood ribs connected by translucent white silk painted with subtle silver spirit-script. Tiny brass bells hang from red silk tassels at the base, chiming softly with each movement. The fan’s surface shimmers faintly when magical energies flow through it, and the spirit-script glows with soft blue light during ritual use. When opened, it spans roughly eighteen inches and feels surprisingly light despite its ornate construction.

Stats:

• Durability: 45/45
• Magic Flow Capacity: 12
• Magic Flow Regeneration: 2 per hour
• Weight: 0.8 pounds
• Material Hardness: Reinforced Ceremonial Wood

Passive Magic:

• Truth Resonance: When someone within 15 feet speaks a deliberate lie, the fan’s bells chime softly (audible only to the wielder)
• Sacred Presence: Undead creatures experience mild discomfort within 10 feet of the wielder, reducing their accuracy by 5%
• Spirit Sight: The wielder can see faint outlines of recently departed souls for up to 24 hours after their death

Activatable Magic:

• Claim of Sincerity (Cost: 3 Magic Flow): Target one creature within 20 feet. For the next 10 minutes, they experience strong compulsion to speak honestly when directly questioned. Does not force speech, but makes deception feel uncomfortable and unnatural
• Ancestral Whispers (Cost: 5 Magic Flow): Channel spirits to gain insight about a specific claim or statement made within the last hour. Spirits provide cryptic but truthful impressions about the validity of what was said
• Purifying Breeze (Cost: 4 Magic Flow): Create a 15-foot radius area of sanctified air that lasts 5 minutes. Within this area, illusion magic is weakened and shapeshifters find maintaining false forms more difficult

Slot: Off-Hand

Tags: Ceremonial, Divine, Truth-Seeking, Ancestral, Purification, Ritualistic, Spirit-Touched, Oracular, Sanctified, Divination, Ethereal, Blessed, Mystical

Miko 847 of Whispered Truths – Shop Locations and Pricing

Shrine Artifact Dealers

Located within or adjacent to active shrine complexes, these specialized merchants deal exclusively in blessed ceremonial items and religious artifacts. The shopkeepers are typically former shrine maidens or priests who understand the spiritual significance of each piece. These establishments feature low wooden counters, paper lantern lighting, and the constant scent of incense. Items are displayed on silk-covered pedestals with detailed provenance scrolls. The Miko fan would be presented with full historical documentation and blessing certificates.

Cost: 285 gold

Temple Quarter Antiquarians

Found in the religious districts of major cities, these refined establishments cater to collectors and practitioners seeking authentic spiritual artifacts. The shops occupy converted temple buildings with high ceilings, ornate woodwork, and extensive catalogs of rare ceremonial pieces. Proprietors are scholarly merchants who can discuss the theological implications and proper ritual usage of each item. They maintain connections with multiple shrine networks across different islands.

Cost: 320 gold

Mystical Curiosity Bazaars

These bustling marketplace stalls specialize in magical oddities and enchanted trinkets from across the island nations. Vendors are often traveling merchants who acquire items through trade networks spanning multiple countries. The stalls feature colorful awnings, crystal display cases, and demonstration areas where customers can witness minor magical effects. The atmosphere is lively and commercial, with haggling expected and authentication services available for suspicious buyers.

Cost: 240 gold (after haggling from 280 gold)

Noble Estate Auction Houses

Exclusive venues where aristocratic families liquidate inherited collections or acquire prestigious magical artifacts. These grand halls feature marble columns, velvet-draped viewing galleries, and professional auctioneers who understand the social significance of ceremonial pieces. Bidders include wealthy collectors, institutional buyers, and established adventuring companies. The Miko fan would appear in seasonal auctions featuring “Spiritual Antiquities and Ceremonial Arts.”

Cost: 350-420 gold (auction dependent)

Adventurer’s Guildhall Quartermaster

Guild-affiliated merchants who specialize in practical magical equipment for active adventurers. These utilitarian shops occupy stone buildings near guild headquarters, featuring sturdy display racks, testing chambers, and repair services. The proprietors are former adventurers who evaluate items based on field effectiveness rather than historical significance. They maintain rotating inventory acquired through guild member trade-ins and estate liquidations.

Cost: 260 gold

Floating City Sky Markets

Aerial marketplaces aboard the great floating cities, where merchants specialize in lightweight, portable magical items suitable for airship travel. These elevated bazaars feature wind-resistant stalls, suspension-bridge walkways, and spectacular views of the endless ocean below. Vendors cater to sky-sailors, airship crews, and aerial adventurers who value items that won’t weigh down their vessels during long journeys between distant islands.

Cost: 300 gold

Underground Metropolis Relic Traders

Merchants operating in the vast cave-city networks, specializing in artifacts recovered from forgotten ruins and ancient burial sites. These dimly lit establishments use magical illumination to showcase their wares, creating an atmosphere of mystery and antiquity. The proprietors are often archaeologist-merchants who personally explore abandoned sites, acquiring items through excavation rather than traditional trade. They understand the historical context of pre-diaspora civilizations.

Cost: 275 gold

Traveling Caravan Merchants

Mobile traders who transport goods between islands via merchant vessels and airship routes. These merchants maintain portable shops aboard their transport vessels, featuring compact but well-organized displays of regional specialties from multiple island nations. They specialize in cross-cultural trade, often carrying ceremonial items from distant shrines to collectors in foreign lands. Prices fluctuate based on supply availability and regional demand.

Cost: 200-340 gold (location and availability dependent)

Roleplay in different environments:

Urban Political Intrigue

In the marble halls of noble estates and government buildings, the Miko fan becomes a weapon of social warfare. During tense negotiations or diplomatic gatherings, the wielder subtly activates Claim of Sincerity while questioning rival politicians about their true intentions regarding trade agreements or territorial disputes. The fan’s Truth Resonance provides silent confirmation when opponents attempt deception during crucial discussions. Defensively, the wielder uses Ancestral Whispers to verify the legitimacy of accusations made against them, channeling spiritual insight to expose false claims before they can damage reputations or political standing.

Criminal Underground Interrogation

Within the shadowy taverns and hidden meeting places of thieves’ guilds, the fan serves as an interrogation tool for extracting information from captured rivals or questioning the loyalty of suspected informants. The wielder creates sacred space using Purifying Breeze to weaken illusion-based disguises worn by infiltrators, exposing their true identities. When confronting shapeshifters or magically disguised spies, the sanctified area forces them to reveal their authentic forms. The Truth Resonance passive alerts the wielder to lies during information exchanges, helping them navigate dangerous criminal negotiations without falling victim to double-crosses.

Merchant District Trade Disputes

In bustling marketplace conflicts over contracts and business dealings, the fan becomes instrumental in resolving accusations of fraudulent transactions. Merchants wielding the fan can activate Ancestral Whispers to investigate claims about product authenticity or delivery failures, gaining spiritual insight into the truth behind commercial disputes. During heated negotiations with foreign traders, Claim of Sincerity ensures honest disclosure of cargo contents or shipping delays. The Truth Resonance helps identify dishonest competitors attempting to spread false rumors about business practices or product quality.

Wilderness Survival Encounters

When confronting intelligent monsters or hostile humanoids in remote forest settlements, the fan provides crucial advantages in determining friend from foe. The Spirit Sight passive reveals recently killed travelers, alerting the party to dangerous predators or bandit activity in the area. Against shapeshifting creatures like doppelgangers or lycanthropes, Purifying Breeze forces them to maintain their true forms, preventing ambush tactics. The Sacred Presence makes undead creatures uncomfortable, providing early warning of necromantic threats while reducing their combat effectiveness during unavoidable confrontations.

Dungeon Exploration Challenges

Within ancient ruins and forgotten temples, the fan excels at uncovering hidden truths about trapped areas and cursed artifacts. Ancestral Whispers channels the knowledge of long-dead explorers who previously attempted to navigate the same dangers, providing cryptic warnings about specific hazards. When encountering ghostly inhabitants or undead guardians, the Sacred Presence creates tactical advantages by disrupting their focus and accuracy. The Purifying Breeze reveals illusion-based traps and false passages, exposing the true layout of magically concealed dungeon areas.

Naval Combat Scenarios

Aboard merchant vessels or pirate ships during sea battles, the fan proves invaluable for identifying enemy infiltrators and maintaining crew loyalty. The Truth Resonance detects lies from crew members who might be working for rival factions or planning mutiny. Against supernatural sea threats like ghost ships or undead pirates, the Sacred Presence provides defensive benefits while the Purifying Breeze can disrupt spectral boarding parties. When negotiating with other ship captains during tense standoffs, Claim of Sincerity ensures honest discussion of terms before conflicts escalate to violence.

Airship Diplomatic Missions

During high-altitude negotiations between floating cities or skyborne political meetings, the fan’s abilities become essential for maintaining honesty in crucial discussions. The wielder can verify the authenticity of peace treaties or trade agreements using Ancestral Whispers, ensuring that signed documents reflect genuine intentions rather than hidden agendas. When confronting aerial pirates or hostile sky-sailors, the Truth Resonance helps distinguish legitimate merchants from disguised raiders attempting to infiltrate diplomatic convoys.

Underground Metropolis Court Proceedings

In the vast cave-city legal systems, the fan serves as a tool for establishing truth during formal judicial proceedings. Court advocates use Claim of Sincerity to compel honest testimony from witnesses, while Ancestral Whispers provides insight into the validity of evidence presented by opposing counsel. The Purifying Breeze creates sanctified courtroom spaces where magical deception becomes difficult to maintain, ensuring fair legal proceedings. Against accusations of criminal activity, defendants can use the fan’s abilities to demonstrate their innocence through verified truthful statements.

Perception of Activation:

Claim of Sincerity

User’s Perspective: The fan grows warm against your palm while the brass bells emit a barely audible crystalline tone that resonates within your chest. A faint golden glow emanates from the spirit-script along the silk surface, creating dancing shadows across your fingers. The air around you carries the scent of cherry blossoms and temple incense. Your Mind’s Eye perceives ethereal threads extending from the fan toward your target, creating a gossamer connection that pulses with gentle spiritual energy. The magical flow feels like warm honey moving through your arm and into the fan’s framework.

Observer’s Perspective: The wielder’s fan begins to shimmer with soft blue-white light along its painted symbols. The tiny bells produce delicate chiming sounds that seem to carry further than they should. A subtle breeze stirs around the wielder despite no natural wind, carrying the fragrance of sacred flowers. Those with magical sensitivity detect ripples of compulsion energy radiating outward in gentle waves. The target appears momentarily startled, then assumes a more relaxed and open posture.

Positives: Creates an atmosphere of trust and openness. The magical manifestation appears benevolent and calming rather than threatening. The sensory effects reinforce the spiritual nature of the compulsion, making it feel like divine guidance rather than mental manipulation.

Negatives: The obvious magical display alerts everyone present that enchantment magic is being used. The distinctive chiming and light effects make stealth applications impossible. Witnesses can easily identify the source of the compulsion effect.

Ancestral Whispers

User’s Perspective: Your vision dims slightly as ghostly figures materialize at the edge of your sight, their translucent forms gesturing toward areas of significance. Ancient voices whisper in your mind using archaic dialects, their words carrying emotional undertones of approval, concern, or warning. The fan becomes ice-cold in your grip while spectral energy courses up your arm. Your ears ring with the sound of distant temple bells. Through your Mind’s Eye, you perceive streams of silver light connecting you to the spiritual realm, allowing glimpses of past events to overlay your current vision like double-exposed photographs.

Observer’s Perspective: The wielder’s eyes roll back briefly, showing only whites before returning to normal with an otherworldly gleam. Their voice takes on a hollow, echoing quality when they speak. The temperature around them drops noticeably, causing visible breath vapor. Faint outlines of humanoid figures seem to flicker near the wielder, barely visible even to those with magical sight. The fan’s surface appears to ripple like disturbed water.

Positives: Provides dramatic confirmation of spiritual contact with ancestral knowledge. The supernatural manifestation adds weight and authority to any revelations received. Creates an atmosphere of reverence and mystical significance.

Negatives: The obvious spiritual possession makes the wielder appear vulnerable and distracted. The temperature drop and ghostly manifestations may frighten witnesses or alert enemies to magical activity. The trance-like state leaves the user temporarily less aware of immediate physical threats.

Purifying Breeze

User’s Perspective: Clean mountain air fills your lungs as the fan generates a refreshing wind that carries away staleness and corruption. The sensation of standing in a sunlit temple courtyard washes over you, accompanied by the sound of wind chimes and flowing water. Your skin tingles with revitalizing energy while negative emotions and dark thoughts fade into the background. The fan feels weightless in your hand, almost floating on its own. Your Mind’s Eye perceives the area as filled with golden light that drives away shadows and reveals hidden truths. The magical flow moves through you like a cleansing river, washing away spiritual impurities.

Observer’s Perspective: A gentle but persistent wind begins circling the wielder in a spiral pattern, carrying the scent of rain-washed stones and temple gardens. The air itself appears cleaner and more transparent within the affected area. Illusions flicker and waver like mirages in the purified space. Those with dark magical auras or evil intentions experience visible discomfort, shifting restlessly or backing away. The wielder’s clothing and hair move gracefully in the supernatural breeze.

Positives: Creates a visibly sacred and protected space that inspires confidence in allies. The cleansing effects are immediately apparent to all present. The gentle nature of the wind makes it feel protective rather than aggressive.

Negatives: The widespread environmental effects cannot be concealed or used subtly. Enemies immediately recognize the area as magically sanctified and may withdraw rather than engage. The obvious purification effects reveal the wielder’s spiritual alignment and magical capabilities to all observers.

Crafting: Ritual Fan of Truth-Seeking

Materials Needed:

• 1 piece of seasoned cherry wood (minimum 2 years aged)
• 3 yards of white silk cloth (temple-grade quality)
• 8 bamboo ribs (hand-selected for straightness)
• 2 ounces of brass wire (for bell construction)
• 1 vial of blessed water from an active shrine
• 4 drops of silver essence (alchemically refined)
• 12 inches of red silk cord
• 1 portion of powdered mother-of-pearl
• 3 pinches of crushed moonstone
• 1 bundle of dried sacred herbs (sage, cedar, or temple incense plants)
• 2 sheets of rice paper (for initial spirit-script practice)
• 1 small iron awl
• 1 bottle of consecrated ink (mixed with shrine maiden’s tears)

Tools Required:

• Precision carving knife set
• Fine-bristled calligraphy brushes (sizes 1, 3, and 5)
• Small metalworking hammer
• Jeweler’s pliers
• Silk stretching frame
• Ritual brazier for blessing ceremonies
• Measuring compass
• Bone folder for creasing
• Sacred workspace cloth (white linen)
• Purification salt for workspace cleansing

Skill Requirements:

• Woodworking: Intermediate level
• Calligraphy: Advanced level (must know ancient spirit-script)
• Metalworking: Basic level (for bell crafting)
• Textile Work: Intermediate level
• Ritual Knowledge: Advanced level (shrine maiden training preferred)
• Enchantment Theory: Intermediate level
• Meditation Practice: Advanced level (for spiritual channeling)

Crafting Steps:

Begin by preparing a sacred workspace using purification salt and consecrated water, ensuring the area remains undisturbed for the entire seven-day crafting period. Cleanse all tools and materials through smoke from burning sacred herbs while reciting purification mantras.

Carve the fan’s handle from seasoned cherry wood, shaping it into an elegant grip that feels balanced in the hand. The wood must be worked during the pre-dawn hours when spiritual energy flows strongest, with each cut made mindfully while maintaining meditative focus. Sand the handle smooth and inscribe your personal maker’s mark using the iron awl.

Create the bamboo ribs by carefully splitting and shaping each piece to identical dimensions, ensuring perfect symmetry for proper fan function. Steam the bamboo briefly to make it pliable, then curve each rib to the traditional fan arc. Allow the ribs to dry in the sacred workspace for two full days while maintaining the consecrated atmosphere.

Stretch the white silk across the silk frame and prepare the spirit-script design using rice paper templates. The ancient symbols must be painted with unwavering precision, as any errors will prevent proper magical channeling. Mix the consecrated ink with silver essence and powdered mother-of-pearl to create the luminescent writing medium.

Paint the spirit-script onto the silk using the finest calligraphy brush, working from right to left in the traditional manner. Each character must be completed in a single breath while channeling spiritual energy through the brush. The script should cover the silk in flowing patterns that complement the fan’s curved shape when fully opened.

Forge the brass bells by heating the brass wire over the ritual brazier and hammering it into thin sheets. Cut small circular pieces and shape them into miniature bells, ensuring each produces a clear, harmonious tone when struck. The bells must be created during the midday hours when solar energy peaks, infusing them with purifying power.

Assemble the fan by attaching the bamboo ribs to the handle using traditional joinery techniques, securing each connection with drops of blessed water that will harden into permanent bonds. Mount the painted silk to the rib framework, stretching it taut while maintaining the integrity of the spirit-script design.

Attach the brass bells to the red silk cord, spacing them evenly for balanced sound production. Secure the cord to the fan’s base with decorative knots that also serve as magical focusing points for the enchantment process.

Perform the final blessing ceremony by placing the completed fan in a circle of crushed moonstone while burning sacred herbs in the ritual brazier. Meditate for three hours while channeling ancestral spirits through the fan, establishing the spiritual connections necessary for truth-seeking abilities. The fan will grow warm when the enchantment successfully takes hold, and the spirit-script will emit a brief golden glow as confirmation of proper magical binding.

Allow the fan to rest undisturbed for 24 hours in the sacred workspace, maintaining the protective circle throughout this period. The crafting process concludes when the fan’s bells chime softly without any physical disturbance, indicating that the ancestral spirits have accepted the new vessel for their truth-revealing powers.

Seven Winds and Maiden Who Speak Truth to Sky

In time when world was young and islands not yet know names, there was temple that float on clouds above great water. This temple belong to seven winds that blow from all direction and carry souls of dead between realms. In temple live many maiden who serve winds, but among them was one call Yukiko who possess gift most rare.

Yukiko she could hear voices of ancestor when others hear only silence. But this gift it bring much burden, for spirits they speak constant and never give peace to maiden’s mind. Day and night, whispers fill her head with knowledge of past and warning of future, until she near madness from endless chatter of dead.

High Priestess of temple, she see suffering of young maiden and take pity. She go to sacred grove where bamboo grow in soil that never touch by mortal foot, and there she cut eight piece with knife blessed by first sunrise. From cherry tree that grow beside shrine of original wind spirit, she take wood for handle that will bind all power together.

But materials alone not sufficient for great working. High Priestess she must gather silk from cocoons of moth that feed only on flower of truth vine, plant most difficult to cultivate. For many month she tend vine in secret garden, protecting it from beast that would devour its power. When moth finally spin cocoon, silk that emerge shine with inner light like captured star.

Then begin great ritual of making. For seven day and seven night, High Priestess work in chamber where no sound from outside world can enter. She shape bamboo with hand guided by spirit of craft ancestor, and each cut she make while speaking prayer in language so old that meaning half forgot even then. Cherry wood handle she carve with symbol that represent connection between world of living and realm of dead.

Most difficult part was painting of spirit-script upon silk. This writing it not mere decoration, but true language of ancestor that allow communication across veil of death. Each symbol must be perfect, for single error would shatter connection and make fan useless object. High Priestess she fast for three day before begin painting, purifying body and mind until hand steady as mountain and spirit clear as pure water.

When writing complete, she take brass from bell that ring in first temple ever built on world, and from this sacred metal she forge small chime that would carry voice of truth across distance. Seven bell she make, one for each wind that guard temple, and string them on cord dyed with red flower that bloom only during eclipse.

Final step was awakening of fan’s power. High Priestess place completed fan in center of temple’s most sacred chamber, where convergence of ley line create point of great magical force. She call upon seven winds to bless creation, and each wind it breathe portion of its essence into fan until object glow with ethereal light.

But winds they demand price for such blessing. They speak to High Priestess saying: “This fan it will reveal truth and expose lie, but bearer must accept burden of knowing all deception in world. Those who use it wisely will find peace, but those who use for selfish purpose will be drive mad by weight of too much knowledge.”

High Priestess she accept condition and present fan to young Yukiko, explaining both gift and curse that come with its power. At first, maiden she reluctant to touch fan, for she already suffer from too much spiritual contact. But when she finally take fan in hand, miracle occur – chaotic voices of ancestor they become organized and clear, speaking only when she ask for guidance instead of constant babbling.

With fan, Yukiko could perform ritual dance that call specific spirit forward while keeping others silent. She could wave fan and know immediately when person speak falsehood, for bell they chime in warning. Most wonderful of all, she could create space of purification where illusion magic fail and shapeshifter must show true form.

News of Yukiko’s power spread across many island, and soon pilgrim come from distant land to seek her wisdom. Some come with honest heart, asking for guidance in time of trouble. These people she help gladly, using fan to call ancestor who provide counsel and blessing. But other come with dark purpose, seeking to use her gift for gain of wealth or power over enemy.

To those with impure motive, fan become curse rather than blessing. When they try to force Yukiko to use fan for evil purpose, spirits speak truth about their own hidden shame and wickedness. Many such visitor flee temple in terror when their own secret expose by fan’s power, never to return.

One day, great lord from powerful island nation arrive at temple with army of warrior. He demand that Yukiko use fan to divine location of treasure hidden by his enemy, threatening to destroy temple if she refuse. But when maiden raise fan and begin ritual dance, spirits they speak truth about lord’s own cruelty and betrayal of his people.

Lord become enrage and order warrior to seize fan by force. But when they try to touch sacred object, seven winds rise in fury and create great storm that scatter army like leaf in hurricane. Lord himself he struck by lightning and hair turn white from terror, though he survive to return home as broken man.

After this event, High Priestess she realize that fan too powerful to remain in one place. She call Yukiko and explain that fan must be hidden away, appearing only when world have true need of its power. Together they perform final ritual that bind fan to cycle of manifestation – it would vanish from world for long period, then reappear in hand of worthy person when truth most needed.

Yukiko she agree to sacrifice, though it mean losing only thing that bring peace to her troubled mind. As ritual complete, fan begin to fade from sight, and with it go maiden’s ability to hear ancestor clearly. But in that moment of loss, she feel great peace, for she know that her suffering serve purpose greater than herself.

Temple continue to exist for many generation, but without fan its power slowly diminish until finally it fade from physical realm entirely, becoming legend told by sailor who claim to see it floating in mist during storm. Some say temple still exist somewhere between world, waiting for time when fan return and new maiden arise to carry burden of truth.

Fan itself appear throughout history in hand of those who face moment of great deception or spiritual crisis. Sometimes it manifest in possession of simple peasant who must expose corruption of local lord. Other time it appear to scholar who seek to separate truth from lie in ancient text. Always it come when needed most, then vanish again when task complete.

Many try to track pattern of fan’s appearance, hoping to predict when and where it manifest next. But spirits that guide its movement follow law older than mortal understanding, and fan appear only when balance of truth and falsehood tip toward darkness.

Even now, legend say that those who possess pure heart and face moment of great moral testing may find fan appear in their possession, bringing with it both gift of truth-sight and burden of responsibility that come with such power.

Moral of Story: Truth is double-edge blade that cut both bearer and target – those who seek it for noble purpose find wisdom and peace, but those who grasp it for selfish gain will be destroy by weight of their own hidden darkness reveal.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu

Yukiko’s Truth-Seeker Fan

Type: Occult Artifact
Rarity: Uncommon
Sanity Cost: 1d4 (initial attunement)
Magic Points: 15

Physical Description: An ornate Japanese ceremonial fan with bamboo ribs and silk painted with mystical symbols. Brass bells hang from red silk cords.

Powers:

• Detect Deception: Spend 2 Magic Points. For the next 10 minutes, the fan’s bells chime softly (only audible to the wielder) whenever someone within 15 feet deliberately lies. This grants a +20% bonus to Psychology rolls to detect deception.
• Spiritual Consultation: Spend 5 Magic Points and make a POW roll. Success allows communication with ancestral spirits for 1 round. Spirits provide cryptic but truthful answers about recent events or claims. Failure costs 1 Sanity point from disturbing whispers.
• Purifying Presence: Spend 3 Magic Points to create a 10-foot radius area of spiritual cleansing for 5 minutes. Illusions and shapeshifting effects are suppressed within this area. Undead and creatures of the Mythos suffer -10% to all rolls while in the area.

Special Rules:

• The fan must be openly displayed to function
• Using Spiritual Consultation more than once per day risks attracting unwanted supernatural attention
• The wielder gains a permanent +10% bonus to Occult skill while attuned

Blades in the Dark

The Confessor’s Fan

Type: Fine Arcane Implement
Load: 1
Quality: Tier 2

Special Abilities:

• Truth Resonance: When someone lies in your presence during a social encounter, you may spend 1 Stress to immediately know they are being deceptive. This doesn’t reveal the truth, only that deception occurred.
• Ancestral Guidance: During Downtime, you may commune with spirits by spending 1 Stress and making a Consort + Attune roll. On success, gain +1d to your next Gather Information roll as spirits whisper helpful knowledge. On critical success, also gain +1 Coin from spiritual favors.
• Sacred Space: During a Score, spend 2 Stress to create a sanctified area around yourself. For the remainder of the scene, supernatural effects (ghosts, demons, etc.) have reduced effect against you and your allies within Close range.

Drawbacks:

• The fan’s obvious magical nature makes it impossible to use covertly
• Each use creates a small amount of electroplasm discharge that may attract unwanted attention
• The fan requires regular ritual maintenance or it becomes inert

Fine Quality Benefit: When using the fan’s abilities during social encounters, you may push yourself for +1d without taking Stress (once per Score).

Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Fan of Truthseeking

Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

Description: This elegant ceremonial fan is crafted from cherry wood and bamboo, with white silk bearing silver spirit-script. Tiny brass bells chime softly at its base.

Properties:

• While holding this fan, you can use an action to cast Zone of Truth (save DC 13) once per long rest
• As a reaction when a creature within 15 feet of you speaks a deliberate lie, the fan’s bells chime (only you can hear this)
• You have advantage on Insight checks to detect deceptions

Spells: The fan has 3 charges and regains 1d3 charges daily at dawn. You can expend charges to cast the following spells:

• Detect Magic (1 charge)
• Augury (2 charges, asking about the truth of a recent statement)
• Speak with Dead (3 charges)

Sacred Presence: Undead creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on attack rolls against you. Additionally, when you take the Dodge action, you create a 10-foot radius of sanctified space until the start of your next turn. Illusions and shapeshifting effects are suppressed within this area.

Proficiency: You must be proficient with improvised weapons to use this fan effectively in combat (1d4 bludgeoning damage, finesse, light).

Knave

Spirit-Touched Fan

Item Slots: 1
Armor: 0
Quality: +1

Description: Ceremonial fan with bamboo frame and painted silk, adorned with brass bells on red cords.

Usage: 3 uses per day, recharges at dawn

Abilities:

1. Lie Detection: Activate when someone speaks. The bells chime if they lied (only you hear this). No roll required.
2. Ancestor Whispers: Ask the spirits one yes/no question about something that happened in the last day. Roll 1d6: 1-2 false answer, 3-4 cryptic but true answer, 5-6 clear true answer.
3. Purifying Breeze: Create a 20-foot area for 10 minutes. Invisible creatures become visible, shapeshifters revert to true form, and illusions are dispelled.

Passive Effect: +2 to reaction rolls when dealing with spirits, ghosts, or undead creatures due to the fan’s sacred nature.

Drawback: The fan’s obvious magical nature prevents stealth use. Any activation creates visible and audible effects that alert nearby creatures to magical activity.

Combat Use: Can be wielded as a club (1d4 damage) but using it as a weapon permanently destroys one daily use until the fan receives proper ritual cleansing.

Fate Core

Fan of Ancestral Truth

Type: Mystical Device
Aspect: Sacred Ceremonial Fan of Truth-Seeking

Function Aspects:

• Bells Chime When Lies Are Spoken
• Channels Whispers of Ancient Spirits
• Creates Sanctified Sacred Space

Permissions: Must have an aspect related to spiritual practices, truth-seeking, or connection to ancestral traditions

Costs:

• Refresh Cost: 1 (to own the item)
• Fate Point Cost: 1 per active use

Active Abilities:

• Truth Resonance: Spend 1 Fate Point to invoke “Bells Chime When Lies Are Spoken” when someone attempts deception in your presence. This creates an advantage with a free invoke against their Deceive roll or grants +2 to your Empathy roll to detect lies.
• Ancestral Guidance: Spend 1 Fate Point and make a Lore roll against Fair (+2) difficulty to commune with spirits about recent events. Success provides useful information as a situation aspect with one free invoke. Success with style provides additional context or warnings.
• Purifying Presence: Spend 1 Fate Point to create the aspect “Sanctified Ground” on your zone for the remainder of the scene. This aspect can be invoked for +2 when defending against supernatural attacks or when trying to dispel illusions and shapeshifting effects.

Passive Benefits:

• +1 to Empathy rolls when detecting deception
• +1 to Lore rolls involving spiritual or ancestral knowledge
• Can compel “Sacred Ceremonial Fan of Truth-Seeking” to create complications when trying to act subtly or deceptively

Compel Options:

• The fan’s obvious magical nature draws unwanted attention
• Spiritual voices become overwhelming in places of great tragedy
• The compulsion to seek truth creates social complications

Numenera & Cypher System

Truth-Speaker’s Ceremonial Fan

Level: 4
Form: Ornate folding fan with mystical inscriptions and tiny bells
Effect: The fan provides three distinct abilities that can be activated separately:

Depletion: 1 in 1d10 (check after each use)

Abilities:

1. Detect Falsehood (Intellect cost 2): For the next ten minutes, whenever someone within short range deliberately lies, the fan’s bells chime softly (only audible to the user). This provides an asset to all tasks involving detecting deception or discerning truth from falsehood.
2. Commune with Ancestors (Intellect cost 4): The user enters a brief trance and contacts ancestral spirits. Make an Intellect-based task with difficulty equal to the level of information sought. Success provides cryptic but accurate information about recent events, the truth behind claims, or guidance about immediate decisions. The GM should provide information that advances the story or resolves current uncertainties.
3. Sanctified Presence (Intellect cost 3): Creates a sanctified area within immediate range that lasts for one hour. Within this area:
   • Illusions and disguises are automatically dispelled
   • Creatures with supernatural stealth lose those benefits
   • Tasks to resist supernatural mental influence gain an asset
   • Undead and demons are hindered in all actions

Special:

• The fan’s effects are always obviously supernatural, preventing covert use
• If depleted, the fan becomes a mundane ceremonial object until recharged through appropriate ritual (GM discretion, typically requiring rare materials and significant time)
• Users with training in mystical or spiritual skills gain an additional asset when using the fan’s abilities

Pathfinder 2nd Edition

Shrine Maiden’s Truth Fan

Item 5
Uncommon Divination Magical

Usage: held in 1 hand; Bulk: L
Price: 140 gp

This elegant ceremonial fan consists of bamboo ribs connected by silk painted with silver spirit-script. Tiny brass bells hang from red silk cords at its base.

Activate ⬻ Interact Frequency once per hour; Effect For the next 10 minutes, the fan’s bells chime softly (audible only to you) whenever a creature within 15 feet knowingly speaks a falsehood. This grants you a +1 item bonus to Perception checks to Sense Motive.

Activate ⬺ Interact Frequency once per day; Requirements You must ask a specific question about the truthfulness of a statement made within the last hour; Effect You cast augury to divine whether the statement was true or false. The spirits provide their answer through subtle changes in the fan’s appearance and the tone of its bells.

Activate ⬽ Interact Frequency once per day; Effect You create a 15-foot emanation of sanctified air that lasts for 1 minute. Within this area:

• Illusion effects of 2nd level or lower are suppressed
• Creatures using change shape or similar abilities must succeed at a DC 19 Will save or revert to their true form
• You and allies gain a +1 status bonus to saves against mental effects from fiends and undead

Craft Requirements Supply a casting of augury, detect magic, and dispel magic

Savage Worlds

Fan of Sacred Truth

Type: Arcane Device
Power Points: 10
Powers: Detect/Conceal Arcana, Divination, Sanctuary

Special Abilities:

Truth Sense: The fan’s bells chime softly whenever someone within 6″ (12 yards) deliberately lies. Only the wielder can hear this chime. This grants +2 to Notice rolls made to detect deception through body language or vocal cues.

Ancestral Whispers: Once per session, the wielder can spend 2 Power Points to activate the Divination power, specifically to ask spirits about the truth of recent statements or events. The GM provides cryptic but accurate information relevant to the question.

Sacred Ground: The wielder can spend 3 Power Points to activate the Sanctuary power, but instead of protecting a specific target, it creates a Large Burst Template of sanctified area lasting for 10 minutes. Within this area:

• Supernatural creatures (demons, undead, etc.) suffer -2 to all trait rolls
• Shape-changing abilities are suppressed (creatures revert to true form)
• Illusion powers have their duration halved

Requirements:

• Arcane Background (any mystical tradition)
• Must be attuned through a ritual requiring 1 hour and a successful Occult roll

Hindrances:

• Obvious: The fan’s magical effects are always visible and audible, making stealth impossible while active
• Pacifist (Minor): The fan’s sacred nature makes the wielder reluctant to use lethal force; wielder suffers -2 to damage rolls with lethal weapons

Power Point Recovery: The fan recovers 1 Power Point per hour of meditation or prayer, or all points after 8 hours of rest.

Shadowrun 6th Edition

Yukiko’s Digital Truth Scanner

Type: Magical Focus (Spell Focus)
Availability: 12R
Cost: 45,000¥
Force Rating: 4

Device Ratings:

• Essence Cost: 0 (external focus)
• Capacity: [6] (for spell sustaining)
• Programs: Analyze, Decrypt, Browse

Magical Properties:

• Focus Type: Spell Focus (Detection spells only)
• Bonded: Requires bonding ritual (Karma cost: 8)
• Tradition Restriction: Shamanic or Hermetic traditions only

Integrated Systems:

• Micro-Drone Swarm: Six micro-drones disguised as decorative elements provide 360-degree audio monitoring
• Biometric Scanner: Integrated sensors analyze micro-expressions, vocal stress, and pheromone output
• AR Interface: Displays lie detection results as AR overlays visible only to the user

Active Abilities:

• Truth Verification: Sustain a Detection spell at Force 4 without concentration penalty. Provides real-time analysis of target’s truthfulness through AR display.
• Data Archaeology: Once per run, make a Complex Action to access “ancestral data” (previous recordings, deleted files, historical databases) relevant to current investigation. Requires Matrix access.
• Cleansing Protocol: Activate to create a 10-meter radius dampening field that reduces the effectiveness of illusion spells and technomancer abilities by 2 dice for 1 minute.

Gamemaster Notes:

• The fan’s obvious nature makes it impossible to use covertly
• Corporate security may flag the device as suspicious surveillance equipment
• Requires regular maintenance by a technomancer or decker familiar with hybrid tech

Starfinder

Shrine Keeper’s Harmonic Resonator

Level: 5
Price: 2,800 credits
Hands: 1
Bulk: L
Category: Technological Item (Hybrid)

Description: This elegant device combines traditional ceremonial aesthetics with cutting-edge harmonic analysis technology. The fan-shaped scanner uses micro-resonance frequencies to detect emotional states and data inconsistencies.

Abilities:

Harmonic Analysis (1/day): As a standard action, target one creature within 60 feet. The device analyzes their vocal patterns, micro-expressions, and bioelectric field. Make a Sense Motive check with a +4 enhancement bonus to determine if they are being deceptive. Success provides additional context about their emotional state.

Data Spirit Interface (1/day): Connect to available data networks to access historical records, archived communications, or forensic data relevant to current investigation. This functions as a Computers check with a +3 enhancement bonus to gather information about recent events or verify claims.

Purity Field Generator (1/day): Create a 20-foot radius field of harmonic interference lasting 1 minute. Within this area:

• Holographic illusions flicker and become obviously artificial
• Shapeshifting abilities are disrupted (creatures must make a Fortitude save DC 15 or revert to natural form)
• Electronic surveillance devices suffer a -4 penalty to perception checks

Special Properties:

• Hybrid Technology: Requires both technological and mystical understanding to operate effectively
• Obvious Operation: The device’s scanning beams and harmonic emissions are clearly visible, preventing covert use
• Cultural Significance: Provides +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks with cultures that value spiritual traditions

Traveller

Psi-Enhanced Cultural Artifact

Tech Level: 12
Cost: Cr 75,000
Mass: 0.5 kg
Power Requirements: Internal cell (1 month operation)

Psionic Resonance Device

Required Skills: Telepathy-1, Electronics-0
Psi Point Cost: 2 per activation

Description: A ceremonial fan integrated with psionic amplification technology and micro-sensors. Originally created by the Zhodani Consulate for diplomatic missions, these devices enhance telepathic abilities while maintaining cultural authenticity.

Functions:

Empathic Resonance: Amplifies natural telepathic abilities to detect emotional states and deception. Grants DM+2 to Deception detection attempts when target is within 10 meters. Requires Telepathy skill and 2 Psi points.

Psychic Archaeology: Access psychic impressions left on objects or locations within the last 24 hours. Make a Telepathy check (DM+1) to receive fragmented memories or emotional echoes related to recent events. Costs 3 Psi points.

Harmonic Interference Field: Generate a 20-meter radius field that disrupts psionic abilities and electronic surveillance for 10 minutes. Reduces effectiveness of telepathic attacks by -2 DM and causes holographic disguises to malfunction. Costs 4 Psi points.

Special Rules:

• Requires psionic ability to operate
• Device signature is detectable by standard Imperial sensors
• Usage may be restricted or illegal in anti-psionic jurisdictions
• Requires quarterly recalibration by qualified technician

Legal Status: Restricted (Psionic Equipment)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition

Shrine Maiden’s Fan of Discernment

Type: Magical Item
Encumbrance: 0
Availability: Exotic
Price: 400 GC

Properties: Magical, Precious

Description: An ornate ceremonial fan crafted from bamboo and silk, decorated with mystical symbols and small brass bells. The item radiates a faint magical aura detectable by those with Magical Sense.

Special Rules:

Truth Sense: When activated with a successful Channelling Test (Average +20), the fan’s bells chime softly whenever someone within 10 yards speaks a deliberate falsehood. Only the wielder can hear this sound. The effect lasts for 1 hour. Grants +20 to Intuition Tests made to detect lies during this period.

Ancestral Communion: Once per day, the wielder may attempt to contact spirits of the dead for guidance. Make a Challenging (+0) Channelling Test. Success allows communication with ancestral spirits who provide cryptic but truthful information about recent events. The spirits speak in riddles and metaphors, requiring interpretation.

Sacred Sanctification: The wielder may spend 1 Fortune Point to create a 10-yard radius area of blessed ground lasting 10 minutes. Within this area:

• Daemons and Undead suffer -10 to all Tests
• Illusion spells and shapechanging abilities are suppressed
• Characters gain +10 to Tests resisting Corruption or Fear

Drawbacks:

• The fan’s obvious magical nature makes it impossible to use discretely
• Each use attracts the attention of spirits, potentially drawing unwanted supernatural encounters
• Prolonged use may result in temporary Corruption as the veil between worlds weakens

Career Restrictions: Typically only available to characters with religious or scholarly backgrounds. Witch Hunters may view possession as suspicious.