Taoist 33 of The Golden Cicadas Shell

Lore: The alchemists of the Taoist 33 path pursued a unique form of enlightenment, one based on the principles of non-attachment and freedom. They believed that true immortality was not just living forever, but achieving a state of spiritual liberation so profound that one could not be bound by worldly chains—be they iron manacles, solemn oaths, or the weight of one’s own identity. Their most revered symbol was the cicada, which spends years in the heavy, dark earth only to shed its rigid shell and emerge as a light, free being of air and song.

These alchemists saw this molting as the ultimate act of escape alchemy. To leave behind one’s old, burdensome self and fly away unnoticed was the goal. The Golden Cicada’s Shells were created as teaching tools for their initiates. They were not meant to grant great power, but to instill the mindset of the cicada. By meditating on the charm, a student would learn not to run faster or fight harder, but to become “empty”—ungraspable, unimportant, and easily overlooked. The brooch teaches that the most effective escape is not a mad dash, but a quiet moment of release after which your pursuers find only the empty shell of who they thought you were.

Description: A small, exquisitely detailed brooch cast from a lightweight, golden-hued alloy that resembles bronze but is as light as cork. It is meticulously shaped to look like the molted shell, or exuvia, of a cicada. The piece is hollow and feels remarkably delicate, yet it is unnervingly strong. The surface has a soft, matte sheen, and upon very close inspection, one can see that the patterns on the shell’s back are not natural but are actually microscopic etchings of swirling wind currents and dissolving smoke. The brooch is affixed with a simple but secure pin mechanism on its underside.

Slot: Chest Brooch

Detailed Stats

Agility: +3
Stealth: +3

Passive Magics

Mind of Empty Space: The wearer’s presence becomes fleeting and difficult to focus on. In a crowd, the eyes of others tend to slide past them, registering them as just another unimportant face. Guards and sentries are less likely to remember seeing them pass a few moments after they are gone. This is not invisibility, but a subtle aura of insignificance that encourages others not to pay close attention.
Path of Least Resistance: The wearer finds their movement becomes preternaturally fluid and efficient, especially when hurried. They instinctively find the quickest and quietest path, weaving through a panicked crowd as if it were parting for them, or running through a forest without snapping twigs. They leave fewer tracks and make less noise than they should.

Activable Magics

Shed the Skin: Once per day, when the wearer breaks line of sight with a pursuer, they may activate the brooch. The charm creates a faint, shimmering psychic duplicate of the wearer that continues along their original path for another hundred feet before dissolving into nothing. This duplicate leaves behind subtle but tangible traces—a scuffed floor, a rustled bush, a faint scent—that will register to mundane and magical tracking alike, creating a perfect false trail. As part of the effect, the wearer feels an overwhelming compulsion to remain perfectly still and silent for a few moments, completing the illusion of a clean getaway.
Whisper of Dismissal: By touching the brooch and channeling a small amount of Qi, the wearer can imbue their next spoken sentence with a subtle alchemical suggestion. This ability can be used on a single target who is not actively hostile, such as a guard, a clerk, or an inquisitive bystander. When the wearer speaks a simple, dismissive phrase (e.g., “I’m just here to sweep the floors,” “You should check on that noise down the hall,” “These are not the droids you’re looking for”), the target feels a powerful sense of agreement and a corresponding lack of curiosity. They will accept the statement as mundane truth and turn their attention elsewhere, unless doing so would directly contradict a deeply held order or belief. This is not mind control, but an authoritative nudge to be ignored.

Tags: Alchemical, Chest, Magical, Common, Tier 1, Illusion, Stealth, Utility, Escape, Mind, Deception, Misdirection, Social, Subtlety, Worn, Qi-Based, Transformation, Freedom, Lightweight, Auditory

The Taoist 33 of The Golden Cicada’s Shell is an item of subtlety, a tool for those who value freedom and elusiveness over overt power. It is not found in a blacksmith’s forge or a general store, but is instead traded in the quiet corners of society where deception is an art form, freedom is a commodity, and a low profile is paramount.

The Shadow-Trader’s Den

This is not a public shop with a sign, but a hidden enterprise operating under the guise of a mundane business—perhaps the back room of a quiet pawn shop or a secret cellar beneath a tailor’s studio. Located deep within the tangled alleys of a city’s criminal underworld, the air here is thick with paranoia and the scent of smuggled goods. The proprietor, or “shadow-trader,” is a shrewd, watchful individual who deals in tools for thieves, spies, and revolutionaries.

How it is Sold: The Golden Cicada’s Shell would be kept out of sight, brought out only for serious inquiries. The transaction is a hushed, tense negotiation. The seller would not speak of Taoist philosophy, but of practical application: “This bauble makes people forget your face. It’ll help you shake a tail in the market.” They would scrutinize the buyer, valuing discretion and reputation above all. Payment is expected upfront, and there are no refunds or guarantees. Information or other “acquisitions” are often preferred over coin.

Cost to Buy: The price reflects the high risk and specialized clientele. The shadow-trader would likely open negotiations at 2 Gold coins, assessing the buyer’s desperation. A skilled haggler or a client with underworld connections might secure it for 1 Gold and 4 Silver coins. Value to Sell: A shadow-trader would be interested in acquiring such a useful tool, but would feign indifference. They might offer 9 Silver coins, implying it’s a common trinket, but could be pushed to 1 Gold if the seller can prove its utility or rarity.

The Theatrical & Illusionist’s Emporium

Found in a city’s entertainment district, nestled between raucous theaters and smoky pubs, this shop is a feast for the senses. It smells of greasepaint, old velvet, chemical smoke, and fragrant perfumes. The walls are covered with masks of every description, trick daggers, illusionist’s gear, and elaborate costumes. The proprietor is often a flamboyant, retired stage magician or actor who understands the profound power of misdirection.

How it is Sold: The brooch would be displayed in a glass case alongside other “marvels,” presented as a tool for the master performer. The shopkeeper would sell it with a flair for the dramatic. “My dear avatar, this is no mere clasp! This is the ultimate stage secret! It makes the audience’s eye simply slide away from you, allowing for the most baffling escapes and transformations!” The sale is a performance in itself, and the buyer’s appreciation for the art of deception is valued.

Cost to Buy: The price is based on its uniqueness as a performance-enhancing item. The shopkeeper would ask for a firm 1 Gold coin, a fair price for what they consider a professional artist’s tool. Value to Sell: The proprietor would be intrigued by the item and happy to add it to their collection. They would offer 7 Silver coins in cash, but might be persuaded to offer more in store credit or trade for other unique props or illusionist’s secrets.

The Wayfarer Monk’s Blanket

Along a dusty trade route or at a bustling crossroads just outside a city’s walls, a traveler might encounter a simple blanket laid out on the ground. On it would be a few humble items: woven sandals, dried herbs, a hand-carved flute, and the Golden Cicada’s Shell. The seller is a wandering monk, clad in simple robes, their face serene and their eyes missing nothing. They are likely a follower of the Taoist 33 philosophy, traveling the world with no attachments.

How it is Sold: The monk does not attempt to sell their wares. They sit in quiet meditation, and if a traveler shows interest in the brooch, a conversation begins. The monk would explain the item’s purpose not as a tool for thieves, but as a spiritual aid for detaching oneself from worldly burdens. “It does not make you invisible,” they might say calmly, “It reminds the world, and you, that you are empty. And what is empty cannot be held.” The transaction is a calm, philosophical exchange.

Cost to Buy: The monk has little use for money beyond their immediate needs. They would ask for a contribution of 7 Silver coins to pay for their food and lodging for the next week. They would be equally happy to receive a non-monetary trade of equivalent value, such as a sturdy waterskin or a warm cloak. Value to Sell: One cannot truly “sell” the item to such a person. A traveler could offer it as a gift, which the monk would accept with gratitude before likely offering it to the next person they felt needed it.

The Spymaster’s Couturier

In the heart of a capital city’s wealthiest and most powerful district, this establishment appears to be a bespoke tailor of exquisite clothes for diplomats and nobles. The windows display only the finest silks and velvets. Entry is by strict appointment only. Inside, beyond the fitting rooms, is a secret workshop that outfits the agents of political intrigue.

How it is Sold: The service is silent, professional, and utterly discreet. The Golden Cicada’s Shell would be presented on a black velvet tray by an impeccably dressed attendant. Its abilities would be described in euphemistic terms: “This piece provides a significant advantage in social navigation,” or “It encourages others to respect one’s privacy.” The assumption is that the client understands its true purpose without needing a vulgar explanation.

Cost to Buy: The price is astronomical, designed for a clientele for whom money is secondary to influence and survival. The couturier would charge 5 Gold coins without any room for negotiation. This price includes the absolute guarantee of the shop’s silence. Value to Sell: They would not purchase such an item from an unknown seller, as they cannot verify its history or trust the seller’s discretion. They source their items through their own exclusive, secure channels.

The Taoist 33 of The Golden Cicada’s Shell is an instrument of subtlety and misdirection. It offers no armor and fires no projectiles. Its power, both defensive and offensive, comes from manipulating perception and mastering the art of not being there. For the avatar who wears it, every conflict is a puzzle of evasion, and every escape is a work of art.

In a Crowded Urban Metropolis

The city is a river of people, a perfect environment for one who wishes to become a faceless drop of water.

Defensive Roleplay:

When being tailed by city guards or a guild assassin, the avatar doesn’t run faster; they run smarter. The Flowing Movement passive guides them effortlessly into the densest part of a market crowd.

“I don’t fight the current of people,” the avatar thinks, “I become part of it.” They would describe their movement as slipping between shoulders, ducking under merchants’ awnings, and weaving through tight alleys without ever breaking stride or causing a commotion. The moment they are out of their pursuer’s line of sight, perhaps after turning a sharp corner, they activate Shed the Skin. “My pursuer continues on, following a ghost. They’ll find the trail ends at the busy city gates. But I am already sitting at that tea house we passed, my presence forgotten, just another face in the crowd thanks to the Mind of Empty Space.”

To get past a watchful gatekeeper, the avatar relies on social camouflage.

They would walk toward the guard not with stealth, but with a false purpose, perhaps carrying a crate. If the guard’s eyes linger on them, they activate Whisper of Dismissal, muttering, “Just the daily delivery for the cook.” The guard, presented with a mundane explanation and magically encouraged not to care, would simply grunt and wave them through, his mind already moving on to more important threats.

Offensive Roleplay:

Offense is about infiltration and achieving objectives by being completely overlooked. The goal is to steal shipping manifests from a harbormaster’s office.

The avatar uses Mind of Empty Space to loiter near the office door, appearing as just another waiting courier. When an official exits, the avatar uses Flowing Movement to slip inside before the door closes. If a clerk looks up, the avatar, holding a dusty rag, uses Whisper of Dismissal: “Here to clean the Admiral’s charts.” The clerk, not wanting to question a menial task, would return to their work. The avatar swaps the real manifests with forgeries and walks out, their presence fading from memory like a half-forgotten dream.

To create an opening for their allies, the avatar becomes a subtle agent of chaos.

Needing to draw guards away from a vault, the avatar approaches a different guard on the far side of the hall. They touch the brooch and whisper, “I smell smoke coming from the east barracks.” The guard, hit with the suggestion, smells a phantom scent of smoke himself and, in a panic, calls his comrades from the vault to investigate the non-existent fire. The brooch-wearer melts back into the shadows, their role in the incident completely unknown.

In a Guarded Fortress or Dungeon

In places of high alert and rigid structure, the brooch’s ability to make one seem “out of place” but not “a threat” is paramount.

Defensive Roleplay:

Having escaped a cell, the avatar is navigating a torchlit dungeon corridor. The Flowing Movement passive helps them stick to the deepest shadows, their footsteps silent.

A patrol approaches. The avatar presses themselves into a shallow alcove. The Mind of Empty Space makes the guards’ torchlight seem to slide over their position, the guards’ eyes failing to register the shape in the darkness. The patrol passes without incident. If one guard had paused, a targeted Whisper of Dismissal projecting the sound of a distant rat would have been enough to dismiss their suspicion.

Fleeing from an alerted barracks, the avatar leads a chase through the fortress.

They use their fluid movement to perform a difficult acrobatic maneuver, perhaps swinging from a tapestry to a lower level. The moment they land behind cover, breaking line of sight, they trigger Shed the Skin. The guards follow the psychic trail up the stairs, while the avatar calmly walks in the opposite direction, their brooch’s passive magic making them appear as just another servant late for their duties.

Offensive Roleplay:

The goal is to deliver a dose of a sleeping potion to the captain of the guard. The avatar uses the brooch to adopt the persona of an insignificant menial worker.

They walk the halls with a servant’s deference. When they reach the captain’s private mess hall, the guard at the door stops them. The avatar touches the brooch and uses Whisper of Dismissal: “The cook sent me with the captain’s spiced wine.” The guard, seeing a simple servant with a bottle, has no reason to be suspicious and allows them to enter. The avatar pours the wine, completes the mission, and leaves, utterly forgotten.

To bypass a magically locked door that requires two guards to open simultaneously, the avatar uses misdirection.

They approach one guard: “The Master-at-Arms needs you to check the northern watchtower immediately.” The suggestion from the brooch sends the first guard away. The avatar then approaches the second guard with an ally in tow. “Guard, this is my replacement. I’m being reassigned.” The Whisper of Dismissal smooths over any suspicion, allowing the second guard to accept the new partner, creating the team needed to open the door.

In the Wilderness

In the wild, one escapes not from people, but from predators with senses far sharper than any city guard.

Defensive Roleplay:

The avatar is being tracked by a pack of wolves. They use Flowing Movement to navigate the dense forest, leaving a minimal trail. The Mind of Empty Space makes them a less distinct or appealing target, causing the wolves to focus on other, more “present” prey if possible.

After running through a thicket of ferns, gaining a moment of cover, the avatar activates Shed the Skin. The psychic scent and sound of their passage continue straight ahead, leading the pack on a merry chase. The avatar, meanwhile, has used their fluid movement to silently scale a large, ancient tree, vanishing from the hunt completely.

Offensive Roleplay:

Offense in the wild is about manipulating the hunt. The party needs to ambush a group of well-armed trackers who are pursuing them.

The avatar scouts ahead, their brooch making them a ghost in the woods. They find a narrow ravine, a perfect kill-box. They double back, then deliberately lead their pursuers towards it. Just before entering the ravine, they use Shed the Skin, sending their psychic trail directly into the trap. The avatar and their party then take up positions on the cliffs above. The trackers, following the false trail and focused on what’s ahead, walk directly into the ambush, completely unaware they are being watched from above. The cicada’s shell leads them to their doom.

Perception of Activation:

Activation: Shed the Skin

This ability is used to create a false trail, deceiving pursuers by making them follow an echo of the user’s presence. It is an act of detachment and misdirection.

User’s Perspective

Sight: The brooch itself, hidden under your clothes, gives a single, soft pulse of golden warmth that you perceive more as a feeling than a light. The world around you seems to snap into sharper focus for a moment as you become hyper-aware of your surroundings, helping you find the perfect place to become still. You can faintly perceive the “echo” of yourself as a shimmering, heat-haze distortion moving away along your original path.
Sound: You hear a faint, internal hiss, like dry leaves skittering across pavement or the sound of sand falling on silk. It is the sound of your psychic presence being sloughed off.
Smell: A brief, clean scent of dry air and dust fills your senses, the smell of an empty space where something used to be.
Touch: The brooch grows distinctly warm against your chest for a moment. This is immediately followed by a powerful, magically-induced compulsion to become perfectly still and silent. It feels like a calming, heavy blanket settling over your muscles, making any movement feel difficult and unnecessary.
Taste: A fleeting taste of dry, sun-baked earth or dust.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Qi Division): You feel a small, distinct portion of your own Qi being gently “shed” from your aura. It doesn’t feel painful, but hollow—a moment of vulnerability, immediately replaced by a feeling of profound lightness as if you’ve dropped a heavy pack.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Detachment): For a few moments, you feel completely disconnected from your own recent past. The trail you just left, the sounds you made, they no longer feel like they belong to you. They belong to the echo.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Hunter’s Sense): You get a brief, intuitive flash of your pursuer’s senses—their focus, their momentum—and you can feel it being drawn along the false trail you have created, giving you absolute certainty that the deception is working.

Positives: The sensation of successfully detaching from pursuit is liberating and empowering. The direct feedback that your pursuer is following the wrong trail provides immense confidence and tactical advantage.

Negatives: The moment of “shedding” your Qi feels intensely vulnerable, like exposing your core for a split second. The magical compulsion to remain still removes your agency; if a new, immediate threat were to appear right in front of you, fighting off the magical stillness would be difficult and disorienting.

Observer’s Perspective (The Pursuer)

Sight: The pursuer does not perceive the activation at all. They see their quarry duck behind a corner, into a crowd, or through a doorway. When they follow, they see clear signs of passage continuing ahead: a freshly disturbed patch of dust, a swaying curtain, a boot print in the mud. To a magical observer, the target’s aura seems to be moving away down the false path.
Sound: They might hear a faint, distant footstep or the snap of a twig along the path the echo is taking, drawing them forward.
Smell: The scent trail of their quarry continues unabated along the false path. Tracking hounds will follow it without hesitation.
Taste: An observer perceives no taste.
Touch: An observer perceives no tactile sensation.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Tracking): Any spell, psionic ability, or supernatural sense used to track the user’s specific life-force or magical aura will lock onto the psychic echo created by the brooch. It registers as a perfect match, showing no signs of being an illusion.

Positives: From the pursuer’s point of view, there are no positives as they are the victim of a perfect deception. All their senses and skills tell them they are still on the correct path, reinforcing their confidence while leading them further astray.

Negatives: They are being led on a wild goose chase, wasting time, energy, and resources while their true target vanishes. The eventual discovery of the deception would be infuriating and professionally embarrassing.

Activation: Whisper of Dismissal

This ability is a subtle, mental nudge, wrapping a single statement in an aura of plausibility and insignificance to bypass the scrutiny of a non-hostile target.

User’s Perspective

Sight: As you speak, you see the target’s eyes lose focus for a fraction of a second, as if they are momentarily looking through you rather than at you. Their posture may relax slightly as their suspicion or alertness visibly drains away.
Sound: Your own voice sounds normal, but you perceive a low, resonant hum underlying your words, a carrier wave of Qi that makes the sentence feel solid and true.
Smell: There is no smell associated with this activation.
Touch: As you touch the brooch to activate it, it becomes noticeably cool against your skin for a moment, drawing a small amount of heat and Qi to power the effect.
Taste: You perceive a fleeting taste of honey and dust—the taste of a sweet, simple, and easily swallowed lie.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Qi Infusion): You feel your Qi flow from your core, through the brooch, and into the very words you speak. It feels as if you are wrapping your statement in a warm, weighted blanket, making it comforting and substantial to the listener.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Mental Accord): You get a brief, tactile, empathetic sense of the target’s mind yielding to the suggestion. It feels like smoothing a wrinkle in a piece of silk—a moment of faint, taut resistance followed by easy, smooth acceptance.

Positives: The effect is surgical in its precision. It feels like wielding a moment of absolute, quiet authority that bypasses arguments and suspicion entirely. It is the perfect tool for social infiltration and bypassing low-level obstacles.

Negatives: If your suggestion is too contrary to the target’s core duties or beliefs, their mind will resist. When this happens, you feel a sharp psychic “rebound,” like a plucked string snapping back. This can cause a momentary flash of pain, a brief headache, and disorienting vertigo.

Observer’s Perspective (The Target)

Sight: They see an unremarkable person who says something simple and plausible. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.
Sound: They hear the words, and the statement strikes them as perfectly reasonable, logical, and not worth questioning. The speaker’s tone feels calm and unassuming.
Smell: An observer perceives no scent.
Touch: An observer perceives no tactile sensation.
Taste: An observer perceives no taste.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Apathy Wave): The target feels a sudden and powerful wave of disinterest regarding the speaker. Any flicker of suspicion they may have had is instantly extinguished, replaced by a deep certainty that this person is not important and their statement is a mundane fact. It doesn’t feel like a command; it feels like their own intuition telling them not to waste time on this trivial matter.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Memory Fog): A few moments after the user has left, the target will find it difficult to recall the specific details of the user’s face or clothing. They will remember the gist of the interaction (e.g., “a servant came by,” “someone mentioned a delivery”), but the person themselves will be a vague blur in their memory.

Positives: The target feels efficient and perceptive. They have, in their own mind, correctly assessed a situation, dismissed a triviality, and can now focus on more important matters. They feel no sense of being manipulated.

Negatives: They have been completely deceived and have likely allowed a security breach or an infiltrator to pass by them unchallenged. A psionically or magically trained individual might, upon later reflection, notice a strange “smoothness” or gap in their memory, leading to a delayed suspicion that they were influenced.

Alchemical Process: Forging the Shell of Unseen Passage

This document details the precise alchemical and metallurgical steps required to create a Golden Cicada’s Shell, a common charm used to facilitate escape and misdirection. The process is a meditation on emptiness and release, requiring the crafter to imbue the object with the very essence of being overlooked.

Materials Needed

The Form: One (1) perfect, unbroken exuvia (molted shell) of a Seventeen-Year Cicada. The shell must have been shed naturally and found, not taken. This represents the long wait and the sudden, silent escape.
The Metal: A small ingot of Wind-Blown Bronze, a special alloy made by melting down three parts copper, one part tin, and a pinch of powdered Zephyr Bloom (a flower that only grows on high, windswept cliffs).
The Spirit of Invisibility: A single, thimble-sized pouch of Ghost-Pipe Pollen. This pale, spectral pollen is gathered from the rare, all-white Ghost-Pipe flower, which lacks color and seems to fade into the forest floor.
The Essence of Silence: One (1) drop of dew collected from a spider’s web at dawn. The dew must be collected without disturbing the web, representing a presence that leaves no trace.
The Binding Agent: A small lump of refined beeswax, harvested from hives that feed on non-flowering trees.

Tools Required

Alchemist’s Crucible: A small, heat-resistant crucible for melting the alloy.
Fine Clay Molding Kit: High-quality, fine-grain clay for creating a detailed, two-part casting mold.
Qi-Infusion Bellows: A small, handheld bellows with a specially prepared leather bladder that allows the user to infuse their own breath and Qi into the fire.
Whisper-Fine Engraving Needle: An exceptionally sharp and fine-tipped needle, often made from a hardened silver alloy, used for microscopic etching.
Crystal Mixing Dish: A small, shallow dish made of polished crystal for mixing the alchemical pollen and dew without spiritual contamination.
Meditation Cushion: Essential for maintaining the deep focus required during the infusion and etching stages.

Skill Requirements

Alchemy (Novice): Required for preparing the Wind-Blown Bronze and understanding the properties of the Ghost-Pipe Pollen.
Jewelcrafting or Metallurgy (Novice): Skill is needed for the delicate casting and finishing of the lightweight alloy.
Engraving (Basic): A very steady hand and intense focus are necessary for the microscopic, symbolic etchings.
Meditation: The ability to hold a single, unwavering thought—the concept of “emptiness” or “being overlooked”—for a prolonged period.
Qi Control (Novice): The crafter must be able to channel their Qi into their breath in a controlled, sustained manner.

Crafting Steps

Creating the Mold of Absence: The cicada shell is the most delicate component. It must be painstakingly coated in a thin layer of beeswax to strengthen it. Then, it is carefully pressed into the fine clay to create a perfect, two-part mold that captures every minute detail. The original shell is destroyed in this process, symbolizing the irreversible nature of shedding one’s skin.
The Breath of Emptiness: The Wind-Blown Bronze ingot is placed in the crucible. As it is heated, the crafter must use the Qi-Infusion Bellows. This is not a normal heating process. The crafter must enter a meditative state and, with each slow pump of the bellows, exhale their own Qi into the fire. They must focus their intent entirely on the concept of lightness, air, and emptiness, infusing the molten metal with these properties.
The Silent Casting: In complete silence, the molten, Qi-infused bronze is poured into the clay mold. The mold is then sealed and must be left to cool naturally, without being quenched in water. Any sudden noise or rush of air during this stage can disrupt the delicate magical structure and cause the casting to fail.
The Ephemeral Etching: Once cooled and removed from the mold, the hollow bronze shell is secured. The crafter must return to their meditative cushion. For at least one hour, using the Whisper-Fine Engraving Needle, they must etch the microscopic patterns of swirling wind and dissolving smoke onto the shell’s back. During this entire process, they must not think of the lines they are carving, but must hold in their mind the image of smoke dissipating on the wind. The hand must move automatically while the mind is focused on the concept of vanishing.
The Anointing of Invisibility: In the crystal dish, the single drop of spider-web dew is mixed with the Ghost-Pipe Pollen to form a thin, spectral paste. This paste is carefully applied over the entire surface of the brooch. The brooch is then gently heated over a low, smokeless flame until the paste seems to disappear, alchemically bonding with the metal and sealing its magic.
The Final Shedding: The brooch, with its pin mechanism now attached, is complete but psychically tied to its creator. The crafter must pin the brooch to their own chest and sit in a final meditation. They must visualize all their personal attachments, their identity, their worries, and their presence flowing out of them and into the brooch. Then, in a final act of will, they must mentally “shed” the brooch, severing their connection to it completely. The brooch will feel suddenly cold and inert, now a neutral tool ready for its new owner to use.

Scribe in Stone House and Singing Insect’s Ghost

In a time long past, in a land ruled by a man of loud orders and hard laws, there was a great prison. It was not made of wood or iron bars. It was a house of stone, carved from the heart of a silent mountain. The Warden of this stone house was a man called Unending Walls, for it was said that his walls could hold any person forever.

Into this prison was thrown a man who was not a thief or a killer. He was a Scribe, a reader of poems and a writer of truths that the man of loud orders did not like. The Quiet Scribe was put in a small stone room with one small window high on the wall. Below the window was a small yard of dirt, also surrounded by high walls. The Scribe knew he would die in this place. His chest-spirit was heavy. This was a truth.

For many seasons of the sun and rain, the Scribe sat. He had no paper, no ink. He had only the dirt and the stone and his own thoughts. His thoughts were a prison inside the prison of stone. Then one day, a thing came into his yard. It was a small, crawling thing, a young one of the singing insects. A cicada. It had lived its life under the dirt of the prison yard.

The Scribe, having nothing else, began to watch the small creature. He watched it for a very long time. He saw it move with great slowness and patience. He saw it live in the dark dirt without despair. It was his only companion. The Scribe felt a strange connection to the small, ugly thing that lived in the dark.

One day, the crawling thing began to climb the stone wall. It climbed and climbed. The Scribe watched. When the sun was high and hot, the crawling thing stopped. Its back split open. And from the old, hard body came a new body. A beautiful body with wings like glass. The new creature sat for a time, then it sang a loud, happy song, and it flew away over the great walls of the prison. It was free. Left behind, clinging to the wall, was the old body. It was a perfect shell, a ghost of what it once was. It was an empty thing.

The Quiet Scribe saw this and his chest-spirit was struck by a great understanding. The insect had not broken the wall. It had not fought the guards. It had left its old body behind. It had become a new thing, a thing of air, and it had gone away. The shell was the proof of its escape. The prison was not the stone, the Scribe thought. The prison was the heavy shell you wore.

From that day, the Scribe had a new purpose. He took the empty shell of the singing insect from the wall. It was very delicate. He would make a copy of this ghost, a shell for himself.

He had no tools. He had no metal. But he was a man of great patience. In his food, he one day found a small fish bone. He spent a month sharpening it on the stone floor until it was a fine needle. From a loose stone in the wall, he scraped a small pile of bronze-colored dust. From the Warden’s own window high above, a single ray of sun would strike a bronze brazier, and the Scribe held a piece of his eating bowl there for a year, catching the sun’s reflection to slowly melt the dust into a tiny, misshapen lump of metal.

With his fish-bone needle and his lump of sun-melted bronze, the Scribe began his work. It was an alchemical work of the spirit. As he carved the metal into the shape of the cicada shell, he did not think of carving. He thought only of the insect’s long patience in the dark earth. As he etched the tiny lines of the wings, he thought only of the new body emerging from the old. As he polished it with the dust from the floor, he focused his Qi, his lung-air, his chest-spirit, on one idea: emptiness. He poured all his desire for freedom not into anger or despair, but into the small, hollow, metal shell. The work took many years.

One night, he finished. He pinned the small, golden shell to the front of his ragged prisoner’s shirt. He felt a change. He did not feel stronger. He felt lighter. He felt… less important.

He walked to the door of his cell. The guard looked at him. The Scribe touched the brooch and spoke a quiet thing. “The Warden wishes to see me.” The words were wrapped in the magic of the brooch. The guard’s eyes became unfocused. The Scribe was not a prisoner to him, but a simple fact. The guard opened the door.

The Scribe walked the halls of the stone house. Other guards saw him, but their eyes slid past him. He was like a servant, a shadow, a man who was not worth seeing. He walked to the great outer gate. The two guards there stopped him. He touched the brooch again. “I am here to check the locks,” he whispered. “A strange noise was heard.” The guards looked at each other, then looked out into the night. They heard a phantom noise of the wind, and they forgot about the quiet man who then slipped between them and out into the freedom of the night.

The next morning, the Warden of Unending Walls was told of the escape. He was full of a great anger. He sent his best trackers and their hounds. The hounds found a trail and followed it with much barking. They followed it for a whole day, deep into the forest. The trail ended at a small stream. There was nothing there. The Scribe was gone. He had used the brooch one last time to make a ghost trail, and then he had vanished.

The Warden went to the Scribe’s empty cell. Everything was as it was. But on the floor, in the center of the room, was the original, delicate, and empty shell of the singing insect. The true shell had been left behind. The ghost had flown away.

Moral of the Story: The lesson is written: A prison of stone can hold a body, but only the mind can make a prison for the spirit. True freedom is not made by breaking the wall. It is made by becoming a new person who the wall was not built to hold.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Exuvia of Leng

This brooch is cast from a bizarre, golden-hued alloy not of terrestrial origin. It is shaped like the molted shell of an insect unknown to entomology, and though it appears delicate, it is strangely resilient. The microscopic etchings on its surface depict wind currents that follow non-Euclidean geometry. It is believed to be a charm used by the strange, silk-robed inhabitants of the Plateau of Leng to slip away from things best not confronted.

Game Mechanics:

Aura of Insignificance: The wearer’s presence seems to slide from the mind. The Investigator gains a bonus die on any Stealth roll made to blend into a crowd or any Charm or Fast Talk roll where the goal is to appear unremarkable or as someone who belongs.
Flowing Movement: The wearer moves with an unnerving fluidity. They gain a bonus die on Dodge rolls and on Athletics rolls made while fleeing a pursuer.
Shed Identity (Costs 1/1d3 Sanity): Once per investigation, when the Investigator breaks line of sight from a pursuer, they can activate the brooch by succeeding on a POW x5 roll. For the next hour, any attempt to track the Investigator—mundane or magical—will instead follow a false trail. This trail perfectly mimics the Investigator’s path for half a mile before vanishing completely. The mental schism required to project a false self is taxing to the human mind.
Whisper of Dismissal (Costs 0/1 Sanity): By winning an opposed POW vs POW roll against a single, non-hostile target, the Investigator can whisper a simple, plausible statement of misdirection. The target will accept the statement as mundane truth and ignore the Investigator’s presence unless directly threatened or harmed. Imposing one’s will so subtly on another mind is a corrosive act.

Blades in the Dark

The Ghost-Echo Brooch

A lightweight brooch shaped like the husk of a cicada, cast in a strange bronze that feels as light as cork. It is said to be a tool of master spies from Iruvia, allowing them to shed their identities like a skin and vanish from the memory of the city’s watchful eyes.

Item Type: Occult, Worn

Game mechanics:

This is a special item that can be carried in your personal inventory.

Unremarkable Presence: Your face is hard to remember and your presence is easy to ignore. Take +1d when you roll Prowl to blend into a crowd or Sway to deflect suspicion.
Fluid Evasion: When you make a resistance roll with Prowess to avoid consequences from a chase or from navigating a hazardous environment, take +1d.
Shed Skin: Once per score, when you are out of sight of your pursuers, you can create a ghostly echo. The trail you leave behind—physical and spiritual—will continue along your previous path, leading your enemies away while you slip away. When you use this ability, you must either take 2 Stress or start a 4-segment clock labeled “The Echo Degrades.”
Plausible Whisper: When you Command a non-hostile target with a simple, plausible order intended to make them overlook you or leave you alone (e.g., “You should check the other hallway,” “I’m just here with a delivery”), you may spend 1 Stress to gain Potency on your roll.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Brooch of the Cicada’s Ghost Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)

This brooch is shaped like the delicate, empty shell of a cicada and is cast from a lustrous, golden alloy that is as light as wood. When you hold it, you can hear a faint, dry hiss, like wind through dead leaves.

Fleeting Form. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when you attempt to hide or move without being seen in a crowd of people or in natural terrain like a forest or jungle.
Effortless Evasion. When you are not wearing heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. Additionally, when a creature makes an opportunity attack against you, it has disadvantage on the attack roll.
Ghostly Trail (1/day). As a bonus action when you are hidden from a creature, you can activate this property. For the next hour, any creature or spell attempting to track you is instead drawn to a magical, illusory trail. This trail follows your path for 500 feet from where you activated the ability, and then ends abruptly.
Whisper of Dismissal. The brooch has 3 charges. As an action, you can expend 1 charge and target one humanoid you can see within 30 feet who is not hostile to you. You speak a single sentence that provides a plausible reason for your presence. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, it is indifferent to your presence and actions, unless you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The brooch regains all expended charges daily at dawn.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Cicada Brooch

Inventory Slot: 1

A hollow, golden brooch shaped like the shed shell of a large insect. It weighs almost nothing.

Passive – Unnoticed: Your presence is forgettable and your movements are unnaturally quiet. NPCs must make a successful Will save to pay attention to you or remember your face. You cannot be surprised by ambushes.
Active – False Trail (Once per day): If you are being pursued, you can activate the brooch. For the next hour, you leave no trail of any kind. Your original trail continues on for another mile before abruptly vanishing.
Active – Simple Suggestion: You can whisper a single, plausible, non-harmful command or statement to an NPC (e.g., “You should ignore me,” “The noise came from over there,” “I belong here”). The NPC will believe you and act accordingly for one turn. You can use this ability once per NPC per day.

Fate Core System

The Shell of a Forgotten Moment

In Fate, a nuanced item like this is best represented as an extra that grants the character a unique stunt, tying into their aspects. A character would likely have an aspect like Ghost on the Wind or I Go Unseen to justify its use.

Stunt: The Shell of a Forgotten Moment Because you wear this small, hollow brooch shaped like a cicada’s shell, you have mastered the art of being overlooked.

Unseen Passage: You gain a +2 bonus when you use Stealth to Overcome an obstacle related to slipping through a crowd or moving silently through a complex environment.
Whisper of Apathy: Twice per session, you can use Deceive to make a single, plausible statement to a non-hostile character to make them ignore you (e.g., “I’m just the help,” “You should check that other room”). Instead of rolling, you can spend a Fate Point to declare that they accept it as truth without question, unless it would directly violate a core aspect or order.
Shed the Skin: Once per session, when you successfully move into a situation where you are no longer observed by your pursuers, you can Create an Advantage called Phantom Trail with two free invocations on it. Your pursuers will follow this false trail until the advantage is overcome or all invocations are used.

Numenera & Cypher System

The Psycho-Static Cicada Brooch

This artifact is a small, lightweight brooch made from a golden synth-alloy. It is shaped like an extinct terrestrial insect. The device emits a low-power, wide-spectrum psychic field that subtly edits the wearer out of the short-term memories of those around them.

Level: 1d6+2 (Artifact) Form: A small, wearable brooch shaped like a cicada shell. Effect: The brooch generates a psycho-static field around the user.

Passive – Low-Profile Field: The difficulty of all tasks for other creatures to perceive, notice, or remember the wearer is increased by one step.
Passive – Flowing Motion: The wearer gains an asset on all Speed-based tasks made to escape a dangerous situation, including running, climbing, and balancing.
Active – Ghost Trail: The user can activate the brooch (an action), causing it to shed a persistent psychic duplicate. For the next hour, any attempt to track the user (psionically or physically) will instead follow this duplicate. The duplicate’s trail continues for one mile (1.5 km) in the user’s original direction of travel before dissipating completely.
Active – Simple Suggestion: The user can target a single creature that can hear them and activate the brooch’s focused psychic frequency. The user speaks a single, simple, plausible suggestion. The target must succeed on a Level 4 Intellect defense task to resist it. On a failure, the target accepts the suggestion as a mundane fact and acts accordingly for one minute, having no memory of being influenced.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (Each time one of the Active abilities is used, the user rolls a d20. If the roll is a 1, the item’s psychic emitter overloads and becomes inert.)

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Cicada Shell Cameo Item 4 [Uncommon] [Charm] [Illusion] [Magical] [Worn] Usage worn, pinned to a garment; Bulk —

This brooch is cast from a lightweight, golden alloy to resemble the shed husk of a cicada. It feels hollow and weightless, and the intricate patterns on its back seem to swirl like smoke if not viewed directly.

Investment You must invest this item to gain its benefits.
Passive: While wearing the cameo, you gain a +1 item bonus to Stealth checks and Deception checks to Lie or Impersonate. Furthermore, you are not flat-footed to hidden or undetected creatures, though you can still be flanked.
Activate [Reaction] Trigger You successfully use the Hide action to become hidden from all creatures that are currently aware of your presence. Frequency once per day; Effect You create an illusory duplicate of yourself that leaves a convincing trail. For the next 10 minutes, any creature attempting to track you must succeed at a DC 18 Perception check. On a failure, they follow the false trail for its full duration before it vanishes. On a critical failure, they follow the trail and do not realize they have been deceived even after it vanishes.
Activate [One-Action] (auditory, enchantment, illusion, mental) Frequency once per hour; Effect You target one non-hostile creature within 30 feet. You whisper a single, plausible sentence suggesting they ignore you or that your presence is normal. The target must attempt a DC 18 Will save.
- Success The creature is unaffected.
- Failure The creature is duped for 1 minute. It treats you as unremarkable and does not become suspicious of your actions unless you or your allies take a hostile action.
- Critical Failure As failure, but the duration is 10 minutes, and the target will use a plausible excuse to itself to ignore any minor signs of your misdeed.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE)

The Spy’s Cicada Pin

A lightweight, golden pin shaped like an empty cicada shell. A favorite tool of spies, thieves, and political dissidents across the lands who need to make a quick and quiet exit.

Requirements: Seasoned, Stealth d8+

Unremarkable: The wearer seems to fade into the background. They gain a +2 bonus to Stealth rolls. Additionally, enemies suffer a –1 penalty to any Notice rolls made to spot the wearer.
Flowing Evasion: The wearer moves with a preternatural grace. They add +2″ to their Pace and ignore the movement penalty for the first 2″ of Difficult Ground they enter in a turn.
The False Trail: The pin can be used to cast the illusion Power, but it can only be used to create a false trail of the user (including scent, tracks, and a faint magical aura). The pin has 10 Power Points that recharge daily.
Plausible Lie: Once per scene, the hero can make a simple, plausible statement to a non-hostile NPC (e.g., “I’m with the cleaning crew”). That NPC must make a Smarts roll at –2 or believe the statement and act accordingly for the next few rounds. This is a social action, not mind control, and will not work if the statement is wildly unbelievable or would cause the NPC direct harm.

Shadowrun, Sixth World

The “Empty Shell” Qi Focus

A discreet Qi Focus, often disguised as a piece of corporate jewelry or a cloak clasp. It’s shaped like a stylized cicada shell, cast from a lightweight, gold-tinted polymer with orichalcum filigree. Originally designed by Taoist-leaning mages within Wuxing, Inc. for their “executive protection” details, the design has since leaked and become a favorite tool for infiltration specialists and shadowrunners who need to make a clean exit.

Type: Qi Focus Rating: 3 Availability: 9R Cost: 18,000 nuyen

Game Mechanics:

Unassuming Presence (Focus Power): While this focus is active, you add its Rating (3) as a dice pool bonus to any Stealth or Etiquette tests where the goal is to blend in, appear insignificant, or be forgotten by onlookers.
Flowing Path (Focus Power): While the focus is active, your connection to the flow of Qi allows you to navigate environments with preternatural grace. You may ignore up to (Rating x 2) meters of movement penalties from Difficult Terrain per Combat Turn.
Shed Skin: Once per day, you can take a Complex Action to shed a fragment of your astral signature. For the next hour, any magical attempt to track you (such as using an astral signature) automatically fails, instead locking onto a false trail. This trail mirrors your path for 1 kilometer from the point of activation before dissipating completely.
Whisper of Dismissal: The focus can be used to cast a subtle, low-force version of the Control Thoughts spell. As a Complex Action, you may make a Spellcasting + Magic [Mental] (3) test against a single non-hostile target within earshot. If you get any net hits, you can implant a single, plausible suggestion like “I am supposed to be here,” or “That noise was nothing.” The target will accept it as their own thought and will not remember the interaction clearly. Using this is not overtly hostile but will be treated as such if detected by astral perception.

Starfinder Roleplaying Game

The Cicada-Shell Escape Locket

A small locket or brooch made from a lightweight golden alloy, shaped like the shed carapace of the alien Xenocyma aetherea insect. It contains a sophisticated hybrid of technology and magic, integrating a micro-cloaking field generator with a low-level psionic suggestion unit. It is a prized tool for spies and diplomats operating in dangerous territories.

Item Level: 4 Price: 2,100 Bulk: L System: Worn hybrid item, neck slot

Game Mechanics:

Passive Obfuscation. While wearing this item, you gain a +2 insight bonus to Stealth checks and Deception checks made to create a diversion.
Escape Vector. Your base speed is increased by 5 feet. This bonus is not cumulative with other effects that increase your speed.
Ghost Trail (1/day). As a standard action, you can activate the locket’s decoy beacon. For the next 10 minutes, any technological or magical attempt to track you is instead directed to a false signal. This signal follows your original path of movement for 500 feet and then vanishes into static.
Whisper of Apathy (3/day). As a standard action, you can target one creature that is not hostile toward you within 30 feet. You speak a single, plausible sentence suggesting your presence is normal or uninteresting. The target must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or be affected by a subtle charm. For 1 minute, the target is completely indifferent to your presence and will not raise an alarm unless you take a hostile action. The target does not realize it was magically affected, simply believing it rationally dismissed you.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

The ‘Ghost’ Personal Stealth Field Emitter (TL 14)

A piece of high-tech equipment likely originating from an intelligence agency or special forces unit. It’s a small, golden-hued device shaped like a stylized insect, designed to be worn discreetly as a pin. It generates a low-power memetic “scrambling” field that edits the user out of the short-term memory of casual observers and can deploy a decoy transponder signal to spoof trackers.

Mass: 0.1 kg Cost: Cr 120,000 (often considered restricted or illegal) Power: Power Pack (48 hours of continuous use)

Game Mechanics:

Passive Memetic Field: The user is difficult to notice or remember. This grants DM+2 on any Stealth or Deception check made to blend in or avoid scrutiny. Any NPC attempting to recall the user’s specific appearance or name must make a Difficult (10+) INT check to do so successfully.
Optimized Movement: The device provides subtle haptic feedback, guiding the user along paths of least resistance. The user ignores movement penalties for the first 2 meters of difficult terrain they enter each round.
Decoy Transponder (1/day): As a single action, the user may activate the device to deploy a decoy signal. For one hour, any electronic attempt to track the user’s comms unit or transponder will instead track this decoy, which travels in a straight line from the point of activation for 10 km before shutting down.
Audio-Hypnotic Suggestion: The device can analyze a target’s speech patterns and generate a tailored hypnotic frequency keyed to the user’s voice. The user speaks a simple, non-threatening command or statement. The target must make a Difficult (10+) WILL check or comply with the command as if it were a reasonable request, forgetting the specifics of the interaction moments later. This can be attempted once per individual per day.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

The Deceiver’s Gilded Husk

A bronze brooch plated in peeling gold, shaped like the empty shell of a plump cicada. It feels unnervingly light for its size and seems to absorb sound around it. Those with Witchsight claim it has a shifting, subtle Aura of the Lore of Shadow. Its origins are unknown, but it is not considered an object of honest magic, often being found in the possession of spies, charlatans, and followers of the Changer of Ways.

Encumbrance: 0 Qualities: Magical, Fine

Game Mechanics:

A Face in the Crowd: The wearer of this husk seems to blend into the background, their features difficult to recall. They gain a +10 bonus to all Stealth Tests made to hide in crowds or to shadow a target.
Swift & Silent: The wearer’s footsteps make little sound. They may add their Willpower Bonus to their Movement characteristic, but only when taking the Flee or Move action as part of an opposed Stealth Test.
The Liar’s Trail: Once per day, after successfully escaping line of sight from a pursuer, the wearer can activate the husk. For the next hour, their trail (both scent and tracks) is completely masked. A second, false trail is created, which will lead any pursuers on a half-mile chase in a random direction before it vanishes.
A Honeyed Word: Once per day, the wearer may whisper a single, plausible lie to a non-hostile target (e.g., “I’m meant to be here,” “The disturbance came from the other room”). The wearer makes an opposed Challenging (+0) Charm Test vs the target’s Cool Test. If the wearer succeeds, the target believes the lie implicitly for 1d10 rounds, unless it is immediately contradicted by loud alarms or direct physical evidence.