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Vesper Void Shroud 824

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by

Dale
in ,

Lore

The Vesper-Void Shroud 824 is a singular masterpiece of metaphysical engineering, born from the absolute convergence of five distinct artifacts into one physical vessel. It was forged in the “Chamber of Absolute Stillness” within the Zephyrstone Islands, where the Chaos Master of the Maelstrom and the reclusive monks of the Moon-Behind-the-Cloud Monastery performed a forbidden ritual of summation. By weaving Nightshade silk with Shadow-spun thread and imprinting it with the melodic resonance of “The Keeper’s Serenade,” they created a garment that no longer merely manipulates the environment but dominates the boundary between existence and the void. It serves as a testament to the soul’s ability to remain a “Silent Witness” while commanding the raw, unpredictable currents of chaos and nature.

Description

This floor-length, hooded mantle is a paradoxical construct of “un-light.” Its exterior is composed of charcoal-gray silk that does not just block light but seems to inhale it into a swirling, iridescent vortex of chaotic energy. Along the hem and inner lining, silver moon-touched runes pulse with a faint, pale blue heartbeat, while a single polished obsidian disc is sewn directly into the collar. When held, it hums with a harmonious, melodic chime that calms the wearer’s pulse. Despite its visual complexity, the item is a single, cohesive physical object that feels as light as a shadow and cool to the touch.

Stats

  • Tier: 5
  • Armor Check (AC): +15 (Limited to 3 per item level)
  • Item HP: 150 (Maximum character hit points + [Resilience 10 x Tier 5])
  • Resilience: 10
  • Attunement: Ritual (10 minutes)

Skills Gained While Openly Worn

  • Grandmaster of Subtlety: The wearer is considered a “Rule Breaker,” able to use their own vocal cords or hand gestures as a magic conduit with absolute precision.
  • Apex Perception: The wearer gains a +10 bonus to Perception checks and has “God-Enhanced” sight, combining the clarity of True Sight, Darkvision (120 ft), and Blindsight.
  • Unified Affinity: Grants a +5 bonus to all Dexterity-based checks and Acrobatics.

Passives Magic

  • Soul of the Silent Sentinel: The wearer’s surface thoughts are replaced by a perfect void of mental static; they are immune to the frightened and charmed conditions, and their True Name cannot be discerned by any being below Tier 5.
  • Aura of the Forsaken Sovereign: While no allies are within 100 feet, the wearer gains +5 to all saving throws and all attacks against the wearer are made with disadvantage as the void bends reality around them.
  • Harmony of the Natural Weave: The environment within 100 yards of the wearer is infused with tranquil energy; plants flourish instantly, and non-sentient feral beasts will not attack the wearer unless magically compelled.
  • Unremarkable Divinity: Mundane and magical attempts to recall the wearer’s face or presence fail automatically unless the observer succeeds on a DC 80 Wisdom (Perception) check.

Active Magics

  • Maelstrom Phasing (5/Day): As an action, the wearer and their equipment become intangible, allowing them to phase through any solid object or barrier for 1 minute.
  • The Keeper’s Absolute Dominion (1/Day): The wearer recites the “Keeper’s Serenade” as a Ritual chant. For 1 hour, all creatures within a 1-mile radius (excluding allies) must succeed on a Tier 5 saving throw or become charmed and cooperative.
  • Void’s Total Eclipse (1/Day): The wearer can release a burst of silver fire spell power that deals base damage + 5d12 (Silver Fire). This damage cannot be resisted.
  • Absorb Divine Scrying (Reaction): When targeted by any divination or scrying effect, the magic is inhaled by the obsidian disc. The caster suffers 5d12 psychic damage from the feedback of the void.

Tags

  • Magical, Void, Stealth, Artifact, Abjuration, Illusion, Phasing, Nature, Bardic, Mental Protection, Relic, Tier-5, Unique, Sentinel, Ethereal, Chaos-Master, Resonance, Apex-Utility, Null-Space, Harmonic-Void, Transmutation

Slot

  • Worn Item (Chest/Shoulder) (Note: Despite its size, it occupies only one gear slot)

Tactical Integrity and Restoration

Targeting the Vesper-Void Shroud 824

In the high-intensity combat of Saṃsāra, a foe may attempt to deactivate the shroud by targeting the physical object itself rather than the avatar. To successfully strike the item, the attacker must overcome a specialized Armor Check (AC) calculated as follows:

  • Targeted Item AC: Avatar’s AC + 5 (Tier Level) + 5d12 (Tier Dice Roll) + 15 (Base Item AC).

If the attack roll exceeds this total, the shroud is deactivated (unattuned). Once deactivated, all passive and active magical properties cease immediately. Because the shroud is a held or worn focus, it cannot be used again until the wearer completes a ritual attunement lasting at least 10 minutes.

Item Hit Points and Destruction

The item possesses its own pool of health that represents its physical durability. For the Vesper-Void Shroud 824, the hit points are calculated as:

  • Item HP: 150 + (Avatar’s Maximum Hit Points).

If the item takes damage from an attack and its HP is reduced to 75 or less (half of its total resilience pool), it is considered Broken. In this state, the shroud’s magic is non-functional and it cannot be attuned. If the item reaches 0 HP, it is Destroyed, dissolving into its original component parts: the charcoal silk, the obsidian disc, and the chaotic essence of the Maelstrom.

Repairing the Shroud

To restore a Broken shroud, the item must be repaired before it can be activated or attuned again.

  • Mundane Repair: A master tailor or blacksmith (depending on the material focus) can perform physical repairs during downtime, requiring specialized tools and materials equivalent to its Tier 5 status.
  • Magical Restoration: Since the shroud is a Tier 5 artifact, repairs often require an Expert Enchanter to re-weave the magical conductivity of the Nightshade silk and stabilize the chaotic energy within the obsidian disc.
  • Self-Correction: If the item is merely deactivated but not physically broken, the standard 10-minute ritual attunement is sufficient to bring the magic back online. However, any physical HP lost to the item does not recover over time; it must be manually repaired to return to its maximum HP threshold.

Acquisition and Commercial Valuation

Methods of Obtaining the Vesper-Void Shroud 824

The acquisition of a Tier 5 artifact of this magnitude is a generational event. It is never found in a common loot pile or granted by a minor official. Instead, it is obtained through one of the following arduous paths:

  • The Grand Summation Ritual: Adventurers must first possess the five original Tier 1 artifacts and navigate to the Zephyrstone Islands. There, they must convince the Chaos Master and the monks of the Moon-Behind-the-Cloud to perform the ritual of merge. This requires a legendary favor or a deed of world-altering significance.
  • The Trial of the Silent Sovereign: A potential wearer might find the shroud within a “Deathly Area” where the physical laws of Saṃsāra are suspended. To claim it, the individual must survive a confrontation with a spectral manifestation of the original hero, Lyren, and prove they can withstand the “Pain” of a Tier 5 item.
  • Monarchal Bestowal: In rare instances of global catastrophe, a High King or Queen of one of the 73 island countries may grant the shroud from their royal vault to a Tier 5 character designated as the “Champion of Saṃsāra.”

Commercial Presence in the World of Saṃsāra

In the world of Saṃsāra, a Tier 5 item is almost never “bought” in the traditional sense. It is a sovereign asset. However, specialized markets exist where such items are valued and occasionally traded between the world’s most powerful entities.

  • The Divine Exchequer (World Bank Main Branch):
    • Location: The central metropolis of the most powerful island nation.
    • Description: This is not a shop but a fortified vault managed by high-tier priests of the God of Commerce. They do not sell the item to the public, but they may facilitate a “Transfer of Ownership” between two Tier 5 characters.
    • How it is Traded: The bank requires a 1% transaction fee paid in Rhodium. The buyer must prove they are at least Tier 5 to even touch the item without suffering the “Pain” mechanic.
    • Cost: 50,000 Platinum (or 5,000 Rhodium).
  • The Shadow-Market of the Void:
    • Location: A secret, floating city that only appears during the week of Darkness.
    • Description: A lawless but highly regulated gathering of information brokers, high-level liches, and interdimensional travelers.
    • How it is Traded: This is a “Sellers’ Market” where the price is determined by the desperation of the buyer. Deception is common; the Mind’s Eye may be shielded to show false stats, so “Buyer Beware” is the absolute rule.
    • Cost: 8,000 Rhodium (or a combination of Tier 5 Magic Crystals and legendary favors).
  • The Royal Auction of Astran:
    • Location: The capital city of the Island of Astran, held once every century.
    • Description: A grand event where the Monarchy auctions off confiscated or “lost” legendary items to fund national infrastructure.
    • How it is Traded: Potential buyers must present their credentials and a minimum deposit of 1,000 Rhodium just to enter the bidding floor. The item is displayed behind a magic barrier dome.
    • Cost: Starting bid of 45,000 Platinum (4,500 Rhodium), often escalating to nearly double that amount.
  • The Hermit’s Secret Exchange:
    • Location: Hidden enclaves such as the Silverstream Glade or deep within the Whispering Woods.
    • Description: A reclusive Sage or Tier 5 NPC may hold the item. They have no need for coin and view money as “heavy metal.”
    • How it is Traded: The item is traded for “Group Power” tasks. The PC must provide a specific service, such as clearing a Maelstrom or retrieving a soul from the sea of purgatory.
    • Cost: 0 Gold (The cost is a Quest of Tier 5 difficulty).

Selling the Shroud

If a character wishes to sell the Vesper-Void Shroud 824, they will find that very few NPCs have the liquid capital to purchase it. Most vendors will inform the player they do not deal in items of this tier. A successful sale usually requires finding a high-level Guild Master or an Ambassador of a major nation who can utilize the nation’s treasury to facilitate the purchase at a significantly reduced “Buyer’s Market” rate (typically 20% to 30% of its perceived value).

Manifestations of the Shroud: Offensive and Defensive Roleplay

The Vesper-Void Shroud 824 is an artifact that thrives on the boundary between existence and the void. Its use in roleplay reflects the wearer’s total dominance over their physical and mental presence, allowing them to dictate the terms of any engagement across Saṃsāra’s diverse landscapes.

Environment: The High-Altitude Zephyrstone Islands

In the thin air and swirling mists of the floating islands, the shroud resonates with its chaotic origins, turning the environment itself into a weapon.

  • Defensive Maneuver: While navigating a narrow stone bridge between islands, the wearer is targeted by a wing of sky-pirate griffon riders. As the riders dive, the wearer activates Void’s Total Eclipse. Instead of a physical shield, a pulse of silver fire erupts, not to strike the riders, but to consume the light around the bridge. The pirates find themselves plunging into a sudden, absolute “Information Void.” Their griffons, unable to perceive the bridge or the target through the magical static, are forced to break their dive in a panic, while the wearer remains a calm, Unremarkable shadow in the center of the chaos.
  • Offensive Maneuver: To infiltrate a pirate stronghold built into a hollowed-out floating peak, the wearer utilizes Maelstrom Phasing. They do not seek a door; they simply walk through the three-foot-thick iron-reinforced granite walls of the treasury. Emerging inside, they use Grandmaster of Subtlety, whispering a single command that is amplified by the shroud’s harmonic resonance. The sound waves, shaped by the “Keeper’s Serenade,” vibrate through the stronghold, temporarily charming the guards into believing the wearer is a high-ranking emissary of the Chaos Master.

Environment: The Megacity of Astran (Urban Industrial)

In a city of millions, the shroud allows a Tier 5 character to operate as a ghost in the machine, bypassing both mechanical and political barriers.

  • Defensive Maneuver: When cornered in a steam-powered factory by a specialized “Rule-Breaker” strike team, the wearer leans into the Aura of the Forsaken Sovereign. As they stand alone among the hissing pipes and grinding gears, the void begins to bend reality. The strike team’s magic-powered rifles misfire as the shroud “inhales” the ambient mana required to prime their shots. The attackers suffer from Mental Static, their tactical coordination breaking down as they realize they cannot remember the face or the exact position of the person they are supposed to be apprehending.
  • Offensive Maneuver: Seeking a secret document hidden in a Monarchal vault, the wearer activates Unremarkable Divinity. They walk through the main gates of the Royal Court in broad daylight. Guards look directly at them, but the shroud’s power ensures the sensory data is instantly discarded by the guards’ brains. The wearer is perceived as “background noise”—a smudge in the air or a flicker of shadow. Once at the vault, they use a reaction to Absorb Divine Scrying, eating the alarm spells meant to detect intruders and reflecting the feedback as a debilitating migraine to the court’s lead Diviner.

Environment: The Deep Whispering Woods (Remote Wilderness)

In the primal areas of the world, the shroud’s connection to “The Keeper’s Serenade” allows the wearer to command the very soul of the forest.

  • Defensive Maneuver: A pack of feral, Tier 4 Shadow-Stalkers surrounds the wearer at night. The wearer remains motionless, allowing the Harmony of the Natural Weave to radiate outward. The predatory beasts, usually driven by a magical hunger, find their aggression replaced by a profound Nature’s Embrace. The forest floor beneath the wearer begins to bloom with glowing flora, and the Stalkers, sensing a “Forsaken Sovereign,” lower their heads in submission, forming a living barrier of fur and claw to protect the wearer from any other approaching threats.
  • Offensive Maneuver: To clear a path through a corrupted grove blocked by ancient, sentient vines, the wearer recites The Keeper’s Absolute Dominion. As the ballad echoes through the trees, the “Whisper of the Wind” reveals the corruption’s heart. The wearer directs a concentrated burst of Silver Fire Spell Power through their hand-gestures. The silver flames do not burn the wood; they unravel the magical corruption itself, returning the grove to its natural state while the vines pull themselves aside to form an ivory-white path for the sovereign to pass.

Environment: The Sunless Underwater Megacities

In the high-pressure, lightless depths of the ocean, the shroud’s “Shadowsight” and void-attunement make the wearer the ultimate apex predator.

  • Defensive Maneuver: While exploring a forbidden trench, a gargantuan deep-sea Kraken attempts to crush the wearer. The wearer utilizes Isolationist’s Resolve (inherited from the Gogyo 101), gaining a surge of temporary resilience that hardens their form against the crushing pressure. They then phase through the Kraken’s tentacle using Void’s Embrace, leaving the beast to strike nothing but the cold, empty water.
  • Offensive Maneuver: The wearer confronts a rogue aquatic warlord within a bubble-domed palace. By activating Apex Perception, the wearer sees through the murky, silt-heavy water as if it were clear air. They target the warlord’s primary conduit—a glowing trident—hitting it with a specialized strike. The trident is instantly deactivated, its light snuffed out by the shroud’s void energy. In the ensuing darkness, the wearer is the only one who can see, moving with Grandmaster Agility to subdue the warlord before a single counter-attack can be mounted.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

  • Sight: Upon activation, the deep charcoal fabric of the shroud seems to ignite from within. A massive, irised vortex of chaotic, multi-colored energy begins to spiral across the chest, centered on the obsidian disc. The silver runes along the hood and hem flare with a brilliant, steady violet light that cuts through any environmental darkness.
  • Sound: A profound, sudden silence is followed by a low, harmonized choral hum—the “Keeper’s Serenade.” This melody seems to resonate not just in the air, but through the wearer’s very bones, drowning out the discord of battle with a calming, rhythmic chime.
  • Touch: A wave of dry, absolute cold spreads from the collar downward. This is immediately followed by a feeling of weightlessness, as if the wearer’s physical body has lost its density and is being pulled slightly toward the void in the obsidian stone.
  • Smell: The sharp, invigorating scent of ozone and ionized air—like the moment before a lightning strike—fills the wearer’s lungs, clearing the mind of all fog.
  • Taste: A distinct metallic tang, similar to a copper coin or the taste of static electricity, coats the tongue, marking the transition from a physical state to a phased or magically heightened one.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Sight: To a nearby observer, the wearer’s outline begins to “flicker” or vibrate. The cloak becomes a mesmerizing display of swirling nebulae-like colors that seem to move faster than the physical laws of Saṃsāra allow. The wearer’s face is swallowed by a deep, unnatural shadow within the hood, making them appear as a hollowed-out silhouette of darkness.
  • Sound: Observers hear a hauntingly beautiful, layered melody that seems to come from all directions at once. It is both inviting and terrifying, instinctively causing feral beasts to go still and civilized foes to hesitate.
  • Extra-Sensory (Mind’s Eye): A telepath or diviner attempting to observe the activation feels a violent “suction” of their senses. The shroud appears not as a magical object, but as a “Black Hole” in reality—a localized void that is actively inhaling the surrounding magical weave.

Extra-Sensory Perceptions

  • Temporal Dilation: The user perceives time slowing down significantly. While the phasing only lasts ten seconds, to the wearer, it feels as if they have ample time to navigate through a crowded battlefield or thick stone wall with leisure.
  • Dimensional Thinness: The wearer gains an intuitive sense of the “solidity” of the world. Walls and armor no longer look like barriers but like semi-transparent mists through which they can easily step.
  • Soul Dominance: At Tier 5, the character feels a surge of absolute authority over their avatars. The 20% dominance threshold feels expanded, as if the character’s core memories are reinforcing the avatar’s physical prowess with the strength of a hundred lifetimes.

Positives

  • Total Obfuscation: The activation grants a level of privacy and stealth that is unmatched. Even if seen, the wearer is not “remembered,” allowing for repeated strikes with total anonymity.
  • Psychic Fortress: The mental static and void energy provide a feeling of absolute security. The wearer is unshakeable, regardless of the horrors or magical compulsions they face.
  • Harmonic Focus: The auditory and olfactory triggers act as a meditative anchor, preventing the wearer from becoming overwhelmed by the chaos of high-level magic.

Negatives

  • Sensory Detachment: The feeling of being a “void” can lead to a sense of alienation. Repeated use makes the wearer feel disconnected from the physical world, making it difficult to engage in standard social interactions immediately after the shroud is deactivated.
  • The Hunger of the Void: The obsidian disc’s “inhaling” of magic can be exhausting. While it absorbs enemy spells, it also creates a subtle, constant drain on the wearer’s own stamina, requiring a high health pool to sustain.
  • Psychic Whiplash: If the phasing ends while the wearer is still partially inside a solid object, the sudden snap back to physical reality causes severe disorientation and a dull, persistent headache (Disorientation penalty).

The Rite of the Vesper-Void Convergence

Items Merged

Additional Materials Needed

  • 5 Tier 5 Magic Crystals: Used as arcane stabilizers to bridge the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 5.
  • 1 Vial of Purest Void Essence: Harvested from the deepest lightless chasm of the Zephyrstone Islands.
  • 100 Yards of Moon-Touched Silver Thread: For weaving the protective and conductory runes.
  • 1 Pint of Obsidian Dye: Infused with powdered volcanic glass from a soundless chamber.
  • 7 Shards of a Shattered Soul Crystal: To provide the “memory” of multiple previous lives.
  • Moonlit Water: Collected during a total eclipse of Saṃsāra by VaporSphere.

Tools Required

  • Darkwood Loom: Crafted from ebony or ironwood, used only in complete darkness.
  • Obsidian Scribing Stylus: For marking the internal stone without introducing metal contamination.
  • Alchemist’s High-Pressure Alembic: For distilling the chaotic essence and void energy.
  • Jeweler’s Precision Kit: For setting the obsidian disc and mounting the Zephyrstone.
  • Chamber of Absolute Stillness: A specialized crafting room that is magically soundproofed and light-locked.

Skill Requirements

  • Grandmaster Tailoring (25+ Ranks): To merge five distinct physical garments into one without losing structural integrity.
  • Expert Alchemy (20+ Ranks): For the stabilization of volatile Chaotic Essence and Void Essence.
  • Advanced Enchanting (20+ Ranks): To inscribe the Tier 5 runes and bind the “Keeper’s Serenade” melody to the fabric.
  • Master of Stealth (Tier 5): The crafter must understand the philosophy of “un-knowledge” to imbue the item with its unremarkable nature.
  • Bardic Mastery: The ability to sing the ballad perfectly for the duration of the final binding.

Crafting Steps

  1. The Unraveling of Chaos: Place the Chaosweave Cloak and the Cloak of Shadowsight within the Alchemical Alembic. Infuse them with Void Essence until the two fabrics dissolve into a single, shimmering pool of dark, liquid silk.
  2. The Imprinting of the Stone: Take the Obsidian Disc from the Omamori and the Zephyrstone from the Gogyo. Using the Obsidian Stylus, carve a singular, inward-turning spiral that connects both stones. Bathe them in Moonlit Water and the Lethe’s Water from the original Omamori recipe.
  3. The Weaving of the Shroud: Using the Darkwood Loom in total darkness, begin weaving the liquid silk into a new, singular mantle. Every ten minutes, a Tier 5 Magic Crystal must be crushed and its dust woven into the seams to escalate the item’s power level.
  4. The Harmonic Binding: As the weaving nears completion, the Loomwood’s Melodic Tome must be opened. The crafter (or an assistant bard) must begin singing “The Keeper’s Serenade” in a continuous, uninterrupted ritual chant. The silver thread must be stitched in time with the melody’s rhythm.
  5. The Sacrifice of the Secret: To lock the Silent Witness properties into the Tier 5 structure, the crafter must whisper a secret of world-altering significance into the Obsidian Disc. The Soul Crystal Shards are then pressed into the cooling metal frame, binding the character’s soul participation to the item.
  6. The Final Eclipse Consecration: The completed shroud is submerged in the remaining Moonlit Water at the exact moment Helios is eclipsed by VaporSphere. The resulting “Cold Flash” permanently sets the magical properties, turning the garment into a single physical object of Tier 5 potency.

Accounting of Void-Blanket of Many-Quiet-Songs

Hear this, you who have eye-holes to read the scratching. This is the telling from the flat-rocks of the before-times, which were pulled from the wet-dirt and cleaned of the… slimy-moss. The words are bent. The meanings are… perhaps… not completely straight. It speaks of the Vesper-Void Shroud 824, though the scribes do not know what the numbers mean. Perhaps it is how many… medium-sized birds… it took to make it. Or perhaps it is just a name-number.

Long ago, when the moons were perhaps… more wobbly… there was a land ruled by a man called the Great Yeller. He was a king, or perhaps a very tall person with a loud mouth-hole. He did not like secrets. He did not like quiet. He wanted to know all the head-space thoughts of all the people, and he yelled magic across the land to see into their houses and their pockets. The people were very tired. They had headaches. Also, there were bears. The bears were also angry because of the yelling.

In the high-up floating rocks, where the air is thin and makes you dizzy, lived a hermit. He was a man of… extreme not-being-with-others. He had five things. He had a cloth of tripping-in-the-dark, a cloth of chaotic-fuzz, a sad-rock amulet, a pouch of un-knowing, and a heavy book of animal-singing. He carried them all, and his back was very tired because five things take up too many places on the body. He said to himself, or perhaps to a tree, “This is too many things. I will squish them.”

And so, the hermit did a great magic of sewing. He took the five things and he boiled them in the essence of nothingness and stitched them with thread made from the moon-light. He did not make a coat with many pockets, nor did he tie them together with vines. The ancient rocks are very clear on this: the magic made them into one single physical object. It was a wrapper for the shoulders and chest. It only took one place on the body. This is very important. It was not a pile of things. It was one thing. A very dark, singing thing that absorbed the light and felt like… cold water that is not wet.

The hermit put the single-cloth on. Instantly, his head-space became a quiet room. The sad-rock made him strong. The chaos-fuzz made him fast. The dark-cloth made him see the things that were hiding. And the pouch-stone made him so un-interesting that his own mother, if she were not already dust, would have said, “Who is this person standing in my cooking-area?”

The hermit, who we will call the Quiet Walker, decided he must stop the Great Yeller. He walked down from the floating rocks. He did not use the stairs. He simply… walked through the ground. The magic of the chaotic-fuzz allowed him to pass through the hard-dirt for ten seconds at a time. It was very efficient, though he occasionally got his foot stuck in a root and had to wait for tomorrow to do it again.

When the Quiet Walker reached the city of the Great Yeller, he did not hide in the garbage-piles. He walked down the middle of the wide-street. The guards looked at him. They saw the charcoal-silk swirling with colors of the void, but their brains said, “This is just a boring shadow. It is not worth looking at.” The guards went back to eating their… hard-bread. The Quiet Walker passed right through the heavy iron gates of the palace because doors are only for people who cannot become mist.

Inside the grand room, the Great Yeller was sitting on his large chair of yelling. He felt a disturbance. He cast a great magic of seeing, sending a thought-hook to look at the intruder. But the Quiet Walker was wearing the single-cloth. The obsidian stone in the collar awoke. It was very hungry. It did not just block the thought-hook. It ate the thought-hook. It drank the magic. The Great Yeller screamed, holding his head, for the void had sent a great pain back through the magic-string into his own spirit-stomach.

“Who are you?” yelled the Great Yeller.

The Quiet Walker did not speak a normal word. He opened his mouth-hole and used his own throat as a magic-stick. He sang the song from the heavy book that was now part of the cloth. It was the Serenade of the Keepers. The song rolled out, harmonizing with the humming of the chaotic-fuzz. The song flowed out of the palace windows and into the forests.

The feral beasts heard the song. The angry bears, the shadow-stalkers, and the birds with too many teeth. The song told them, “Here is the Sovereign of the Forsaken. He is very calm. You should also be calm, but maybe bite the guards.” The beasts marched into the city. They did not attack the Quiet Walker, because the environment around him was like a peaceful nap. They laid down at his feet.

The Great Yeller tried to throw a heavy metal pointy-stick at the Quiet Walker. But the Quiet Walker was a Grandmaster of moving-out-of-the-way. The void-blanket shifted. The stick went through empty air. Then, the Quiet Walker released the total eclipse of the void. Silver fire, which is not really fire but more like… burning nothingness… shot forth. It could not be stopped. It washed over the Great Yeller. It did not burn his skin, but it burned his ability to yell. He became the Great Whisperer.

The Quiet Walker nodded. His work was done. He turned and walked away, phasing through the back wall of the palace. The people of the city rejoiced, but when they tried to thank the hero, they realized they could not remember his face. They could not remember how tall he was. They only remembered a feeling of profound quiet, a smell of ozone, and the taste of a metal coin.

The Quiet Walker returned to the floating rocks. He sat in his cave, wearing his single physical object that took only one slot. He was very lonely, but the cloth made the loneliness feel like a warm hug. He watched the world, a silent witness, completely un-bothered by the loud noises of the below-places.

Moral of the Story: It is better to have one very good coat that does everything than five coats that make your back hurt. Also, if you are very quiet and un-interesting, people will leave you alone, which is the greatest magic of all. And always remember that a hungry rock will eat a loud magic-thought if you let it.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Shroud of the Vesper-Void Greater Artifact

This charcoal-gray silken mantle feels impossibly cold and seems to draw light into its fibers. It is a tool of profound cosmic silence, shielding the wearer from the prying eyes of both men and Mythos entities.

  • Sanity Cost: 1d8 to attune; 1 point per hour of active use.
  • Magic Points: 10 MP to activate the “Eclipse” or “Dominion” effects.
  • POW Requirement: 75+ to avoid being “drunk” by the void (Permanent 1d10 POW drain on failure).

Mechanics:

  • Vesper-Void Stillness: The wearer is immune to all mundane and magical attempts to read their mind or emotions. Any creature attempting to do so must make a Hard POW check or lose 1d6 MP as the shroud “inhales” their intent.
  • The Unremarked Man: Anyone observing the wearer must succeed on an Extreme Spot Hidden or Search roll to recall any specific details about them after one hour.
  • Phasing (Active): Spend 5 MP to become incorporeal for 2 rounds. The wearer can pass through solid objects but cannot breathe while doing so.
  • Keeper’s Dominion: Spend 10 MP and roll Animal Handling or Persuade. On a success, all animals and non-Mythos sentient beings in a 1-mile radius become docile and cooperative for one hour.
  • Silver Fire: As a combat action, spend 3 MP to release a burst of silver fire. Damage: 2d10 (ignores all physical armor).

Blades in the Dark

The Whisper’s Void-Mantle 824 Unique Arcane Item (2 Load, Eerie, Potent)

A shifting garment of shadow-spun silk and obsidian, used by those who move between the cracks of the Ghost Field.

Mechanics:

  • Ghost-Mind Static: You are immune to the Attune or Sway attempts of ghosts, demons, and hull-spirits. When you resist a supernatural consequence, you take -1 stress.
  • The Unseen Hand (Passive): You gain +1d to Prowl or Infiltrate rolls. In a crowd, you are effectively invisible unless you take a hostile action.
  • Phase-Walk (Active): Mark 2 stress to phase through a wall or barrier (up to 3 feet thick). If you remain inside when the effect ends, take level 3 harm: “Dimensional Shatter.”
  • Dominion of the Wild: Mark 3 stress to command the local strays, hounds, or death-seeker crows. They will perform one complex task for you or provide a distraction (+1 effect to a group action).
  • Void Flash: Once per score, you may unleash the “Eclipse.” All NPCs in the scene take a -1 scale penalty as they are struck by sudden blindness and mental disorientation.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement by a Tier 5 character)

While wearing this shroud, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and saving throws.

Mechanics:

  • Void Sight: You have Truesight out to a range of 120 feet.
  • Mental Static: You are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions. Your thoughts cannot be read by any means, and you are immune to the scrying spell.
  • Grandmaster Agility: Your Dexterity score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) and (Acrobatics) checks.
  • Phasing (1/Day): As an action, you become ethereal for 1 minute. You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade (1/Day): You can use an action to sing the ballad. Each beast or humanoid within 1 mile of you must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour.
  • Silver Fire (3/Day): As an action, you release a 30-foot cone of silver fire. Each creature in the area must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d12 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. This damage ignores resistances.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Shroud of the Forsaken Sovereign Armor (AC 15), 1 Slot

A charcoal-gray cloak that hums with the sound of a distant choir. It feels lighter than air.

Mechanics:

  • Invisible Presence: You are treated as having a +5 bonus to any roll made to sneak or go unnoticed. People you meet will forget your face within 10 minutes unless they succeed on a Spirit save.
  • Void Barrier: You are immune to all mind-affecting magic and telepathy.
  • Phase (1/Day): You may pass through any solid object up to 10 feet thick. This takes 1 round.
  • Animal Serenade: If you sing for 1 turn, any animals nearby will treat you as a friend and follow basic commands.
  • Silver Fire (1/Day): You may unleash a blast of energy. The target takes 5d12 damage. This damage cannot be reduced by armor or shields.
  • The Pain: If you are not Tier 5 (Level 10+ in Knave terms), every turn you wear this, roll 2d4. The higher is the minutes until the next check, the lower is the HP lost. This continues until death or removal.

Fate (Core/Condensed)

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Legendary Artifact

This charcoal-gray mantle is a “Garment of Night” that simplifies the wearer’s existence into a singular, unreadable presence.

Aspects:

  • High Concept: Sovereign Mantle of the Harmonic Void
  • Trouble: The Weight of Total Isolation
  • Passive Aspect: Unremarkable Divinity (Cannot be noticed unless a scene specifically revolves around finding the wearer)
  • Passive Aspect: Ghost-Mind Static (Immune to mental intrusion)

Stunts:

  • Maelstrom Phasing: Once per session, you may spend a Fate Point to ignore all physical barriers or zones for one scene. You can move through walls and obstacles as if they were not there.
  • The Keeper’s Absolute Dominion: Once per session, you may use your Lore or Provoke skill to create a “Charmed” advantage on all living creatures in an entire city-sized zone. This advantage has 3 free invokes.
  • Void’s Total Eclipse: You gain +2 to Fight or Shoot when attacking with the Shroud’s silver fire. This attack can hit everyone in your zone without splitting the shift.
  • Grandmaster Subtlety: You may use Stealth in place of Deceive when creating an advantage to obscure your identity or motives.

Numenera & Cypher System

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Level 10 Artifact

A shifting, light-absorbing garment of Nightshade silk and obsidian that hums with a melodic resonance from another dimension.

  • Form: A hooded mantle that occupies one wear-slot.
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d100 (Check only after using “Total Eclipse”)

Mechanics:

  • Void Awareness (Passive): The wearer gains two assets to all Perception and initiative tasks. They can see in any darkness (magical or mundane) as if it were daylight.
  • Mental Null-Space: The wearer is immune to all psychic or mind-affecting effects. Tasks to discern the wearer’s intent or remember their face are hindered by three steps.
  • Phasing (Action): The wearer can phase through solid matter for up to one minute. While phased, they are immune to physical attacks but cannot move objects.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade (Action): For one hour, the wearer gains an asset to all animal handling and social interaction tasks. All non-hostile creatures within a long distance become helpful.
  • Total Eclipse (Action): The wearer releases a burst of silver energy. All creatures within short range take 10 points of damage that ignores armor.
  • Grandmaster Agility: The wearer gains an asset to all Speed-based defense and movement tasks.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Item 20; Rare, Abjuration, Artifact, Illusion, Invested, Shadow

Usage: worn (cloak); Bulk: L

This shifting mantle of charcoal silk and silver runes marks the wearer as a sovereign of the void.

  • AC Bonus: +3 item bonus to AC.
  • Saves: +3 item bonus to all saving throws.
  • Skills: +3 item bonus to Stealth, Acrobatics, and Nature.

Mechanics:

  • Apex Perception (Passive): You gain a 120-foot range of Darkvision and Truesight.
  • Void Mind (Passive): You are immune to the controlled, fleeing, and frightened conditions, and to all mental effects. Attempts to scry on you fail automatically.
  • Unremarkable Divinity: Any creature that observes you must succeed at a DC 45 Will save or forget your appearance 10 minutes later.
  • Maelstrom Phasing [Two-Actions]: (Frequency: once per hour) You become incorporeal for 1 minute. You gain a fly speed equal to your Speed and can pass through solid objects.
  • The Keeper’s Dominion [Three-Actions]: (Frequency: once per day) You sing the “Keeper’s Serenade.” All beasts and humanoids within 1 mile must succeed at a DC 45 Will save or become Helpful to you for 1 hour.
  • Silver Fire [Two-Actions]: (Frequency: 3/day) You unleash a 60-foot cone of silver fire. Each creature in the area takes 15d6 force damage (DC 42 basic Reflex save). This damage ignores all resistances and immunities.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Legendary Artifact

A shifting cloak that absorbs light and sound, imbuing the wearer with the authority of the void.

Mechanics:

  • Sovereign Defense: The wearer gains +4 to Parry and +4 to Toughness.
  • Apex Sight: The wearer ignores all Illumination penalties and can see through magical darkness, illusions, and invisibility.
  • Ghost-Mind (Passive): The wearer is immune to the Puppet and Mind Reading powers and gains +4 to resist any social or fear-based effects.
  • Grandmaster Agility: The wearer’s Agility increases by two die types (e.g., d8 to d12).
  • Phasing (Active): As a limited action, the wearer may spend 3 Power Points (the cloak has a pool of 20 that recharges 5 per hour) to become Incorporeal for 5 rounds.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade (Active): As an action, the wearer may spend 5 Power Points to cast Empathy with a Mega-Power effect on all creatures within 1 mile.
  • Total Eclipse (Active): As an action, the wearer may spend 4 Power Points to use the Blast power (Silver Fire). This deals 5d6 damage in a Large Burst Template and ignores all Armor. Foes hit are automatically Distracted.

Shadowrun (6th World)

Renraku-Vesper “Void-Walker” Shroud 824 Unique Qi Focus (Rating 10)

This illegal, top-tier prototype utilizes advanced metamaterials and mana-reactive obsidian to create a “null-zone” around the user. It is effectively a ghost in the matrix and the physical world.

  • Type: Qi Focus
  • Rating: 10
  • Availability: 24F
  • Cost: 500,000¥ (Black Market only)
  • Bonding Cost: 50 Karma

Mechanics:

  • Ghost-Mind Static: The focus adds its Rating (10) as a dice pool bonus to resist any magical or technological mental intrusion (e.g., Mind Probe, Empathy Software, or Social Stress).
  • Unremarkable Divinity: The shroud provides a +6 dice pool modifier to all Sneaking and Palming tests. Any NPC attempting to recall the user’s face after one hour must succeed on a Memory Test (Logic + Intuition) against a threshold of 8.
  • Maelstrom Phasing: As a Major Action, the user may phase through solid matter for up to 2 Combat Rounds. This grants the Incorporeal status.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade: The user may perform a Performance + Charisma test against all non-awakened animals and sentient NPCs within 1 kilometer. Each hit shifts the target’s attitude by one category toward “Helpful.”
  • Void Eclipse: The user can expend 1 point of Edge to release a burst of mana-fire. This deals 12P damage (Elemental: Magic) in a 10-meter radius, ignoring all non-magical armor.

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Vesper-Void Shroud 824 Level 20 Hybrid Item (Artifact)

A fusion of ancient mystical silk and high-density obsidian nanites, designed for operatives traversing the Drift or hostile vacuum.

  • Price: 950,000 Credits
  • Bulk: L
  • Usage: Worn (Cloak)

Mechanics:

  • Apex Perception: The wearer gains 120-foot Darkvision and See Invisibility. They gain a +4 circumstance bonus to Perception.
  • Null-Space Mind: You are immune to the frightened, confused, and controlled conditions. Your thoughts cannot be read by telepathy or tech-scanners.
  • Grandmaster Agility: Your Dexterity score increases by 2 (max 26). You gain a +4 bonus to Acrobatics and Athletics tests.
  • Phasing (1/Day): As a standard action, you gain the Incorporeal trait for 1 minute. You can move through solid objects but take 1d10 Force damage if you end your turn inside one.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade (1/Day): You broadcast a harmonic frequency. All beasts and humanoids within 1 mile must succeed on a DC 25 Will save or be charmed for 1 hour.
  • Silver Fire (3/Day): You release a 60-foot line of silver energy. Damage: 15d6 Force (Reflex DC 25 for half). This ignores all Hardness and Damage Reduction.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Ancients’ Shroud 824 (TL-20 Artifact) Mass: 1 kg / Cost: MCr 100

An impossibly advanced garment made of “programmable darkness.” It functions by shifting the wearer slightly out of phase with standard three-dimensional space.

Mechanics:

  • Electronic Counter-Measures: The shroud makes the wearer invisible to all sensors (thermal, motion, radar, and lidar). It imposes a Bane on any Recon or Observation check made to see the wearer.
  • Psionic Null: The wearer is immune to all psionic intrusion. Any psionic attempting to read the wearer’s mind must roll 2d6 + PSI against 12 or suffer 2d6 damage to their Intelligence characteristic.
  • Phase-Shift: Once per day, the wearer can activate the phase-shifter for 10 seconds. This allows passage through any bulkhead or hull (except those with active meson screens).
  • Bio-Acoustic Override: The suit can emit a sub-sonic frequency that calms all biological life within 1 kilometer. Targets must succeed on an END check (10+) or become non-hostile for one hour.
  • Total Eclipse: The suit can discharge its internal power cell to create a high-energy plasma burst. Damage: 5d6. This consumes all power; the suit requires 12 hours of solar recharge afterward.

Warhammer (WFRP 4th Edition)

The Shroud of Vesper-Ulgu 824 Unique Artifact of the Grey Wind

Woven from the silk of a thousand Shadow-Spiders and dipped in the stagnant waters of the Grey Realms, this shroud is the ultimate tool of the Magister Vigilant.

  • Encumbrance: 1
  • Availability: Unique

Mechanics:

  • Shadow-Sovereign (Passive): The wearer gains the Night Vision and Magical Sense Talents. All Stealth (Urban or Rural) tests are made at +30.
  • The Mind’s Void: The wearer is immune to the telepathy and mind-reading spells. Any attempt to use the Lore of Heavens or Shadows to find the wearer automatically fails.
  • Unremarkable Face: Any person who has met the wearer must pass a Hard (-20) Intelligence Test one hour later to recall any specific features.
  • Phasing (1/Day): The wearer may spend 1 Resolve point to pass through a solid wall or door. If the object is thicker than 1 yard, the wearer is stuck and must test Cool to avoid gaining a Corruption point.
  • The Keeper’s Serenade: Once per day, the wearer may make a Chamon/Ulgu Mastery Test. If successful, all animals and common folk within 1 mile become Docile and will not hinder the wearer for 1 hour.
  • Silver Fire (3/Day): The wearer unleashes a blast of pure Aethyr. Damage: +12 (ignores all non-magical Armor).