Lore: Deep in the labyrinthine archives of Saṃsāra’s grandest library, scholars stumbled upon a forgotten technique of imbuing Ofuda with the power to unveil truths that astonish even the most seasoned of adventurers. Crafted by an ancient oracle, these talismans reveal the unexpected, turning the tide in precarious situations.
Detailed Stats:
- Material: Parchment paper bearing the radiant hue of twilight, inscribed with ever-shifting silver ink.
- Length: 6 inches.
- Width: 2 inches.
- Charges: 3
Roleplay: When this Ofuda is held, characters experience a heightened sense of intuition, making them more alert to surprises. Holding the Ofuda, they might feel the urge to reveal or confront hidden truths or mysteries.
Cost: 25 gold pieces.
Magics:
- Revelation Glance (1 charge): When the user concentrates on a person, object, or location, they gain insight into a hidden aspect or secret about it, causing astonishment.
- Truth’s Surprise (2 charges): When activated in a confrontation, it reveals a startling fact about an opponent, potentially giving the user an edge or causing the opponent to hesitate.
Tags: Insightful, Revealing, Startling, Mystical, Epiphany, Discovery, Divulgence, Intuitive, Enlightenment, Exposé, Veiled Truth, Awakened, Twilight-Hued
Uses:
- Defense: The Ofuda can reveal hidden traps, ambushes, or motives, providing the user with crucial information to avoid or counter threats.
- Offense: Unveiling an unexpected truth about an adversary can provide a tactical advantage, whether by distracting, demoralizing, or providing a weak point.
- Environment: Highly versatile, it can be used in both urban and natural environments. In cities, it can unveil secrets, hidden doors, or the history of an item. In nature, it might reveal hidden paths, resources, or animals’ intentions.
Recharging: The Ofuda of Startling Revelation is recharged when exposed to revelations or truths that astonish its holder. Witnessing a surprising event, uncovering a secret, or learning something new and unexpected can recharge one use.
Perception of Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Sight: The twilight-hued parchment is captivating, seeming both of the world and beyond it. The silver inscriptions flicker and change, suggesting they are revealing and concealing truths with every movement.
- Positives: Draws attention and intrigue due to its unique appearance.
- Negatives: Its constant motion can be disconcerting or too attention-grabbing when subtlety is required.
- Touch: The parchment is cool and smooth, but upon contact, a gentle pulse can be felt, akin to a heartbeat.
- Positives: It feels alive and interactive, deepening the bond between the item and its user.
- Negatives: The unexpected pulsing sensation might be off-putting for some.
- Hearing: Near silence, but occasionally, a faint whisper can be heard, as though the Ofuda is murmuring secrets.
- Positives: The whispers can provide hints or guidance.
- Negatives: The occasional sound can be unnerving, especially if it’s unexpected or misinterpreted.
- Taste (not recommended): A brief sensation of bittersweet cocoa and a hint of mint, reminiscent of a revelation that is both surprising and enlightening.
- Smell: The scent of old books and parchment with a hint of stormy ozone.
- Positives: Invokes feelings of nostalgia and the thrill of discovery.
- Negatives: The strong scent might not be appreciated by all.
- Emotion: Holding the Ofuda elicits a sense of expectancy and curiosity. The world feels full of hidden layers waiting to be uncovered.
- Positives: Can stimulate investigative and intuitive thinking.
- Negatives: May induce overthinking or paranoia in overly sensitive individuals.
Recipe Ingredients:
- Parchment made from the skin of a truth-seeker tree, found only in Saṃsāra’s Whispering Forest.
- Ink extracted from the eyes of the Silver Vision Fish, a rare aquatic creature known for seeing things beyond the ordinary.
- A quill plucked from a raven that has witnessed something extraordinary.
- Water collected during a lightning storm.
- Ash from burnt pages of deceitful texts or lies.
Recipe Steps:
- Begin the ritual during twilight, the boundary between day and night, truth and untruth.
- Lay the parchment on a flat, clean surface. Sprinkle it with the ash of deceitful texts to cleanse it, and then gently wipe it clean with water collected during a lightning storm.
- Grind the eyes of the Silver Vision Fish to extract the shimmering ink. The fish’s ability to perceive truths will transfer to the ink.
- Dip the raven’s quill into the extracted ink. As you write, focus on your intent to reveal the unknown, to draw forth startling truths from the shadows.
- Inscribe the Ofuda with ancient symbols of revelation, insight, and clarity. The symbols should be fluid, capturing the essence of dynamic, ever-changing truth.
- Once the inscriptions are done, leave the Ofuda under the moonlight for a full night. As dawn approaches, it should be imbued with the energies of both hidden secrets and illuminating truths.
- Store the Ofuda in a box made of cedarwood until it’s ready to be used, to protect its powerful revelations from becoming common knowledge before their time.
Oracle’s Shard of Truth
In an era when knowledge was veiled and the weight of secrets pressed heavy upon the world, there lived an oracle whose name has been lost to the sands of time. In the labyrinthine halls of Saṃsāra’s grandest library, where whispers of the past echoed like murmurs from forgotten tongues, this oracle labored tirelessly to uncover the mysteries hidden in ancient tomes. Her mind was sharp as moonlight on steel, her resolve unyielding as the mountain’s roots.
One fateful twilight, as the sun bled its final light over the horizon, the oracle encountered a scroll inscribed in a script older than any she had known. As her eyes traced the flowing lines, a revelation erupted within her mind, a truth so profound and startling that it left her breathless. She understood then that the world was not ready for such knowledge, for it carried the power to transform or destroy.
Moved by the burden of this discovery, the oracle crafted a talisman to capture the essence of the moment—a fragment of twilight when truth emerges and shadows retreat. She fashioned the parchment from the bark of the truth-seeker tree, its surface imbued with the radiant hues of dusk. The ink, shimmering and silver, was drawn from the eyes of the Silver Vision Fish, known for perceiving what others could not. At its heart, she embedded the ashes of deceitful texts, ensuring it would pierce through illusions. Thus, the Ofuda of Startling Revelation was born.
The tales speak of its first use. When a cunning diplomat sought to manipulate a fragile alliance, the Ofuda was activated in the council chamber. A radiant light enveloped the room, and a voice, not of the oracle but of the truth itself, echoed the diplomat’s secret betrayal. The astonishment froze the conspirators in their schemes and restored trust among the wary allies.
Over centuries, the Ofuda reemerged in times of great need. A thief in a forgotten city once wielded it to uncover the hidden vaults of a corrupt merchant; a lost traveler used its guidance to reveal a safe path through perilous terrain. In every instance, the Ofuda startled its bearer with truths they had not sought but desperately needed.
The oracle’s fate remains unknown, her talisman a fragment of her legacy, forever turning shadows into light and secrets into revelations.
Moral: Truth, though often startling and unwelcome, is the light that pierces deception, guiding the worthy through the labyrinth of lies.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Magical Talisman
- Cost: $150
- Charges: 3
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: Expend 1 charge to trigger an opposed POW roll. On success, the user gleans a hidden truth or secret about a person, object, or location. The Keeper provides a detail relevant to the current situation.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 charges to reveal a startling fact about a target. The target must make a POW roll or lose 1d3 Sanity Points due to the unexpected revelation.
- Insightful Aura: Passively grants a +10% bonus to Psychology or Occult rolls when used to uncover hidden information.
- Special: The Ofuda recharges during rare, revelatory experiences or celestial events.
Blades in the Dark
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Item Load: 1
- Tier: Fine (Magical Talisman)
- Mechanics:
- Revelation Glance: As an action, mark 1 stress to activate the Ofuda and discern a hidden truth about a person, object, or situation. Gain a +1d on any subsequent roll tied to this insight.
- Truth’s Surprise: During a confrontation, expend 1 use of the Ofuda to reveal a secret that leaves the target momentarily vulnerable. The GM imposes reduced effect or limited resistance rolls for the target’s next action.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain +1d to Study rolls related to uncovering mysteries or obscure knowledge.
- Special: The Ofuda has 3 uses and can be restored by consulting an occultist or witnessing a profound revelation.
Dungeons & Dragons (5e)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
- Properties:
- Revelation Glance: Expend 1 charge to cast Identify or Detect Magic without components, gaining additional insight into an object’s hidden properties.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 charges to target a creature within 30 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become stunned until the end of its next turn, overwhelmed by a revealed truth.
- Insightful Aura: While attuned, you gain a +2 bonus to Insight and Investigation checks when searching for hidden information.
- Charges: 3, regains all charges during a long rest under the open sky or after uncovering a significant secret.
Knave
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Miscellaneous Magical Item
- Slot: Miscellaneous
- Charges: 3
- Mechanics:
- Revelation Glance: Expend 1 charge to reveal a hidden truth about a person, object, or environment. Gain a +1 to any relevant saving throw, attack roll, or check tied to this discovery for the next turn.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 charges to reveal a startling fact about an opponent. The target must make a Will save or lose their next action, stunned by the revelation.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain +1 to checks involving perception or investigation of hidden details.
- Special: The Ofuda regains all charges during a long rest in the presence of a significant discovery or celestial event.
Fate Core
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Item Type: Magical Talisman
- Refresh Cost: 2
- Aspects:
- “The Whisper of Hidden Truths”
- “Startling Insight from the Beyond”
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: Once per session, invoke the Ofuda to create a temporary Aspect such as “Revealed Weakness” or “The Secret Exposed.” Gain one free invocation on this Aspect.
- Truth’s Surprise: Once per session, mark 1 Fate point to force an opponent to take a Compel based on a truth revealed by the Ofuda, causing hesitation or disruption.
- Passive Effect: Gain a +2 bonus when creating an Advantage tied to investigation, uncovering secrets, or gaining insight.
Numenera & Cypher System
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Artifact
- Level: 4
- Form: Twilight-hued parchment with shifting silver inscriptions.
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: As an action, expend 1 charge to gain an asset on a task requiring knowledge of a hidden truth or secret.
- Truth’s Surprise: As an action, expend 2 charges to reveal a hidden fact about a target within short range. The target must succeed on an Intellect defense roll or lose their next action due to shock or hesitation.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain a +1 bonus to Intellect rolls related to perception or uncovering hidden information.
- Depletion: 1 in 1d20 after each use.
Pathfinder 2e
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Item Type: Talisman
- Level: 4
- Price: 75 gp
- Activation: Operate Activation (Reaction) [Manipulate]
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: As a reaction when confronted with a mystery or uncertainty, expend 1 charge to gain a +2 status bonus to Perception or Recall Knowledge checks for 1 minute.
- Truth’s Surprise: As an action, expend 2 charges to reveal a startling truth about a creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or become stunned 1.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks to uncover hidden information or decipher coded messages.
- Crafting Requirements: Twilight parchment, ink from rare vision-aligned creatures, and exposure to celestial phenomena during crafting.
Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Magical Talisman
- Cost: $600
- Rarity: Rare
- Power Points: 4
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: Expend 1 Power Point to gain a +2 bonus to Notice or Investigation rolls for one round, representing a sudden insight into a hidden truth.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 Power Points to force a target within Smarts range to make a Spirit roll at -2. On failure, the target is Shaken as a shocking revelation momentarily overwhelms them.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain a +1 bonus to any rolls involving uncovering secrets, hidden paths, or traps.
- Recharge: Regains 1 Power Point per hour under starlight or after uncovering a significant secret.
Shadowrun (6th Edition)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Focus (Magical Talisman)
- Category: Mana
- Force: 3
- Cost: ¥6,000
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: Use a Simple Action to expend 1 charge and gain +2 dice on a Perception or Assensing test. The GM provides additional narrative detail about the object or person being observed.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 charges to force a target within line of sight to make a Willpower + Logic test (Threshold 3). On failure, the target is Confused for one Combat Turn.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain +1 die to Intuition tests related to detecting lies, traps, or hidden dangers.
- Special: The Ofuda recharges fully under a full moon or after a significant revelation is uncovered by the user.
Starfinder
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Magical Item (Talisman)
- Level: 4
- Price: 2,200 credits
- Bulk: L
- Activation: Reaction or Standard Action
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: As a reaction when encountering an object, location, or creature, expend 1 charge to gain a +2 insight bonus to Perception checks for 1 minute and uncover a hidden detail.
- Truth’s Surprise: As a standard action, expend 2 charges to target a creature within 30 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or be staggered for 1 round, shocked by a revealed truth.
- Passive Effect: Gain a +1 circumstance bonus to checks involving decoding, detecting, or perceiving hidden information.
- Recharge: Regains all charges during a long rest or after witnessing a significant celestial event.
Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Item Type: Advanced Artifact
- Tech Level: TL 15
- Cost: Cr15,000
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: As a Minor Action, expend 1 charge to gain a +1 DM on Recon, Investigate, or Awareness checks. This reveals a hidden detail about an object, person, or environment.
- Truth’s Surprise: As a Standard Action, expend 2 charges to force a target within close range to make an Intellect roll (8+). On failure, the target hesitates, losing their next action.
- Passive Effect: While carrying the Ofuda, gain +1 DM to skill checks involving deciphering codes or identifying hidden threats.
- Special: The Ofuda recharges during downtime when exposed to a high-energy or celestial phenomenon.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
Ofuda of Startling Revelation
- Type: Magical Talisman
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Encumbrance: Negligible
- Price: 35 Gold Crowns
- Effects:
- Revelation Glance: Expend 1 charge as a Free Action to gain a +10% bonus on a Perception or Intelligence test. This uncovers a hidden clue or provides insight into a mystery.
- Truth’s Surprise: Expend 2 charges to target a creature within 10 yards. The creature must make a Cool test (Average Difficulty). On failure, they become Stunned for 1 round, overwhelmed by the revealed truth.
- Passive Effect: Gain a +1 advantage bonus to all rolls related to uncovering secrets, detecting traps, or perceiving hidden details.
- Recharge: Recharges fully after a full night in a holy place or during a celestial event, such as a comet sighting or lunar eclipse.