LuckUnde 42 of Common Thread – GearAscendancy.com

Lore In the grand tapestry of Saṃsāra’s societies, there was a guild artisan named Remus, a master carpenter whose skill was undeniable but whose social graces were… lacking. He was awkward, often saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, which cost him lucrative contracts with nobles and merchants alike. Desperate to simply fit in long enough to secure his work, he sought out a quiet enchanter who specialized in social magics. Remus didn’t ask for charisma or charm; he simply pleaded, “Make me acceptable. Make it so they see me, nod, and think, ‘He is one of us,’ long enough for me to show them my craft.” The enchanter, intrigued by the humble request, took a simple, well-made pair of cotton briefs and imbued it with a subtle, chameleon-like magic. It wouldn’t make Remus witty or handsome, but it would make him seem familiar and unremarkable. Remus wore the garment and found that nobles saw him as a respectable tradesman, dockworkers saw him as a fellow laborer, and guild masters saw him as a peer. His awkwardness was smoothed over, his minor mistakes ignored. He became the most acceptably average man in any room he entered, and his business thrived. The garment, known as the Common Thread, eventually passed into the world, a boon for those who wish not to stand out, but to simply belong.

Description An impeccably clean and utterly unremarkable pair of grey cotton shorts. The stitching is perfect but plain, the fabric is soft but common, and the drawstring waistband is functional and unadorned. There are no tags, maker’s marks, or decorative elements of any kind. If placed in a line-up of a hundred other undergarments, it would be impossible to identify. Its appearance is its magic: it is the epitome of a baseline, the very definition of standard, and looking at it for too long makes the eyes want to slide off to something more interesting.

Detailed Stats

Durability: 20/20
Social Composure: +2
Weight: 0.2 lbs

Passive Magics

Aura of Normalcy: The undergarment exudes a subtle aura that smooths over the wearer’s minor social errors. If the wearer commits a small faux pas, such as using the wrong utensil, mispronouncing a minor noble’s name, or tracking in a bit of mud, onlookers are unconsciously inclined to ignore it, dismiss it as unimportant, or not even notice it at all.
Perceptual Fit: While the garment itself does not change, it is perceived by others in a way that aligns with their own cultural norms. To a rugged northern barbarian, it might appear as a sturdy fur-lined loincloth under the wearer’s trousers. To a high-society noble, it might be perceived as fine silk boxers. This subtle illusion helps the wearer’s overall appearance seem appropriate for the context, preventing them from seeming like a complete outsider.

Activable Magics (The waistband of the LuckUnde42 of the Common Thread must be visible to an observer for these abilities to be activated.)

Gesture of Kinship: Once per day, the wearer can reveal the waistband while performing a common social gesture (such as a handshake, a toast, or a respectful bow) towards a specific target. For the next ten minutes, the target perceives the wearer as sharing some minor, mundane background element with them. They might be convinced the wearer is from the same general neighborhood, supports the same local racing team, or apprenticed under a similarly strict master. This creates an instant, if shallow, sense of familiarity, making the target more amenable to rapport and simple requests.
Perfectly Uninteresting: Twice per day, the wearer can reveal the waistband while deliberately adopting a bored or nonchalant posture. This projects an aura of absolute unimportance in a 30-foot radius. Any guards, sentries, or observers in the area whose attention is not already fixed on the wearer must make a mental resilience check. On a failure, their gaze slides right past the wearer, dismissing them as a local, a servant, or simply someone who is supposed to be there. This effect does not work if the wearer is actively behaving suspiciously or is in a restricted area where no one should be.

Specific Slot

Underwear

Tags: Common, Magical, Armor, Wearable, Cotton, Illusion, Social, Subterfuge, Mundane, Diplomacy, Mind-Affecting, Adaptable, Utility, Tier 1, Subtle, Enchantment

Given its subtle and specific function, the LuckUnde42 of the Common Thread would be sold in circles that value discretion and social maneuvering over overt power. Its commerce would be a quiet affair, taking place in shops where functionality and subtlety are the most prized commodities.

The Discreet Enchanter’s Haberdashery In the respectable commercial district of a major city, nestled between a mapmaker and a notary, one might find a small, tidy shop. The sign would read something simple like “Fine Wools & Linens,” but its clientele would know its true purpose. This shop is run by an enchanter who specializes in “Subtle Arts”—minor but useful enchantments for merchants, diplomats, bureaucrats, and anyone whose success depends on social navigation. The Common Thread would be a staple of their inventory, kept not on display but in a cedar-lined drawer in the back. A customer would need to ask for it by function, not by name. “I have a delicate negotiation,” a merchant might say, “I need to seem… agreeable.” The enchanter would then present the garment, explaining its properties in a hushed, professional tone. The transaction would be as discreet as buying a fine watch.

Cost: As this is the most direct and knowledgeable source, the price would reflect its value as a well-crafted professional tool. The enchanter would ask for a firm price of 1 Gold piece.

The Guild Quartermaster Within the secure headquarters of a large, clandestine organization—such as a spies’ network or a high-level thieves’ guild—the Common Thread would be treated as standard-issue equipment. It would not be sold to the public but requisitioned by members from the guild’s Quartermaster. The item would be stored in a locked footlocker alongside other tools of subterfuge like disguise kits and forged documents. An agent assigned to an infiltration mission or a long-term undercover operation would be issued the garment as part of their loadout. The Quartermaster would make a note in a ledger, and the agent would be expected to return it upon completion of the mission. Losing it would result in a significant penalty, deducted from the agent’s share of the next heist or contract.

Cost: While not sold for coin, it would have an official “book value” for internal accounting purposes, set at 1 Gold and 5 Silver, to discourage carelessness.

The Exclusive Tailor Shop In the most affluent part of the city, where nobles and merchant princes get their attire, a master tailor runs an opulent shop. While they are renowned for their fine silk and impeccable cuts, their most loyal and high-paying customers know they offer a special, off-menu service. After a private fitting, a trusted client might quietly mention an upcoming diplomatic ball or a hostile board meeting. The tailor, with a knowing nod, would offer to add a “subtle reinforcement” to their wardrobe. The Common Thread would be sourced through a discreet contact and presented to the client, neatly folded and wrapped in silk paper, alongside their newly commissioned suit or gown. The cost would be discreetly absorbed into the final, astronomical bill, itemized as something innocuous like “Custom Weft Reinforcement” or “Aetheric Comfort Weave.”

Cost: The price here is massively inflated by the convenience and extreme discretion of the service. The hidden cost of the item within the tailor’s bill would be equivalent to 3 to 5 Gold pieces.

Estate Sale of a Public Figure This is not a shop but an opportunity for a keen-eyed buyer. When a diplomat, a long-serving mayoral aide, or a well-traveled ethnographer passes away, their personal effects are often sold off. Amongst the books, maps, and formal attire would be a chest of personal garments. The auctioneers, having no skill in identifying enchantments, would see the Common Thread as nothing more than a simple, clean pair of underwear and would likely bundle it into a larger lot of clothing. A buyer with the magical senses to perceive its faint aura of illusion, or a speculator who gambles on such things, could acquire it for a pittance. The sale is a matter of being in the right place at the right time and knowing what to look for amongst the mundane possessions of a remarkable life.

Cost: As part of a bundled lot of old clothes, the item itself could be acquired for as little as 1 Silver piece, making it the greatest bargain for the most perceptive of buyers.

The LuckUnde42 of the Common Thread is a tool of social infiltration, not physical combat. Its use in “defense” is about preventing conflict and deflecting suspicion, while its “offense” is about proactively bypassing social barriers and creating opportunities. The roleplay of its use varies greatly depending on the subtlety and pressures of the environment.

High-Society Environments: Noble Courts and Galas

In the rigid, high-stakes world of nobility, a single misstep can mean social ruin. Here, the garment is a shield against social annihilation and a key to unlock guarded secrets.

Defensive Roleplay: Imagine the wearer is a commoner who has managed to get into a duchess’s masquerade ball. They are trying to listen for political gossip, but they are woefully out of their depth with the intricate rules of etiquette. When they pick up a dessert fork for their main course, a moment that should draw gasps of horror, the Aura of Normalcy kicks in. The player would describe how the nearby nobles, if they notice at all, simply perceive it as an eccentric choice rather than a sign of low breeding. “How avant-garde,” one might murmur. This passive defense protects the character’s cover, preventing them from being exposed and ejected for a minor mistake.

Offensive Roleplay: The wearer needs to earn the trust of a notoriously paranoid minister of trade to learn about his secret tariffs. Approaching him directly is fruitless. The character waits for a moment when the minister is taking a glass of wine, and approaches to offer a toast to the duchess. As they raise their glass, the player describes their character making a slight adjustment to their formal wear, allowing a glimpse of the plain waistband. They activate Gesture of Kinship. The minister, upon looking at the character, might pause, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. He might say, “It’s odd… you have the same determined look as the stonemasons who built my summer villa. Hard workers.” This tiny, magically-induced connection is the offensive breach in his paranoia. It creates a foundation of familiarity that the player can then exploit to start a conversation and gently probe for information.

Urban Environments: Checkpoints and Restricted Areas

In the city, guards, gates, and guild territories present constant obstacles. The garment becomes a key that can unlock passages through observation and authority.

Defensive Roleplay: The wearer has just completed a clandestine task and is walking calmly away from the scene when a city watch patrol rounds the corner. They are not yet suspicious, but they are observant. The character cannot run. The player would describe their character leaning against a wall, feigning weariness. They tug at their belt, exposing the waistband, and activate Perfectly Uninteresting. They would roleplay looking utterly bored and unremarkable. As the guards’ eyes sweep the street, the magic causes their attention to slide right off the character. To them, the character is just part of the scenery—another laborer waiting for a job, so fundamentally uninteresting that they are forgotten the moment they are seen. This defends the character from unwanted attention and questioning.

Offensive Roleplay: The character needs to get inside a guarded warehouse that is the base of a rival guild. The entrance is manned by two bored but alert sentries. Instead of sneaking, the player decides on a brazen approach. They would describe their character picking up a stray crate, hoisting it onto their shoulder, and walking directly towards the entrance. As they get close, they activate Perfectly Uninteresting. They wouldn’t even look at the guards, perhaps just giving a grunt of exertion. The guards, influenced by the magic, would see what their brains expect to see: a guild laborer moving inventory. They might not even register the character’s face, simply stepping aside to let them pass. The “offense” is the complete neutralization of a layer of security through magical mundanity.

Foreign Environments: Unfamiliar Cultures and Traditions

When traveling in foreign lands, an outsider is always at risk of causing offense. The garment serves as a cultural chameleon, protecting the wearer from their own ignorance.

Defensive Roleplay: The wearer is attempting to negotiate passage through the lands of a proud nomadic tribe. Unfamiliar with their customs, the character makes a gesture that is, unknown to them, deeply insulting. A tense silence falls as the tribe’s warriors reach for their weapons. However, the Aura of Normalcy and Perceptual Fit work in tandem. The player would narrate that the chieftain, instead of taking offense, simply quirks an eyebrow. He perceives the character as a clueless but ultimately harmless outsider. The insult doesn’t register with its full weight because the character seems so acceptably foreign and unthreatening. The magic defends the character from a potentially violent outcome by softening the perception of their blunder.

Offensive Roleplay: To complete their negotiation, the wearer needs the blessing of the tribe’s suspicious shaman. The player describes their character humbly offering the shaman a gift. As they bow in what they hope is a respectful manner, they make sure the waistband is visible and activate Gesture of Kinship. The shaman might accept the gift and then remark, “You carry the scent of the cool winds from the northern mountains, where my grandmother was born.” This magically-created (and false) connection gives the shaman a reason to trust the wearer, viewing them not as a complete stranger, but as someone distantly connected to their own heritage. This offensive social maneuver creates the opening needed to secure the tribe’s cooperation.

Perception of Activation:

Ability: Gesture of Kinship

User’s Perspective:

Sight: The ambient light in the room seems to warm and soften for a moment. The colors of the world become slightly richer, more pleasant, as if viewing a fond memory.
Sound: A low, pleasant hum resonates within the user’s mind, like a single, welcoming musical chord. It is a sound of harmony and agreement.
Touch: A gentle, reassuring warmth spreads from the garment through the user’s body. The fabric feels exceptionally soft and comfortable, a perfect fit.
Smell & Taste: A fleeting, pleasant phantom scent is perceived, unique to the user but always comforting—like fresh laundry, baking bread, or old books. This is accompanied by a clean, sweet taste on the tongue.
Extra-Sensory Perception: The user feels a subtle, psychic “click” of connection with the target. It is a feeling of instant, effortless rapport, as if a bridge of familiarity has just been magically constructed between them. A quiet confidence washes over the user, confirming the connection has been made.

Observer’s Perspective:

Sight: The observer sees no magical lights or effects. Instead, for a split second, the user’s face seems strikingly familiar. They might see a fleeting resemblance to an old childhood friend, a trusted mentor, or a distant, well-liked cousin. The user’s posture and mannerisms suddenly seem agreeable and trustworthy.
Sound: The user’s voice takes on a pleasing and trustworthy timbre, making anything they say seem more reasonable and sincere.
Extra-Sensory Perception: The observer feels a sudden, unprompted sense of warmth and kinship toward the user. The normal barriers of suspicion and caution are lowered, replaced by a vague but powerful feeling that “this person is one of the good ones.” It feels like meeting someone for the first time but having the distinct impression you are already friends.

Positives: The activation is entirely psychological and imperceptible as a magical effect. It feels like a natural social interaction, making it a perfect tool for building trust and opening negotiations without raising suspicion.

Negatives: The effect creates a shallow, artificial bond. If the user betrays this magically-induced trust, the target’s emotional response may be far more severe, turning feelings of kinship into a deep and personal sense of betrayal.

Ability: Perfectly Uninteresting

User’s Perspective:

Sight: The user’s own peripheral vision seems to grow hazy and indistinct, as if the world itself is choosing not to look at them directly.
Sound: A profound quietness settles in the user’s mind. Ambient sounds seem to fade into a uniform, ignorable drone. It is the sound of being completely and utterly alone in a crowd.
Touch: The garment feels suddenly weightless, and the user feels a strange sense of lightness, as if their physical presence in the world has been reduced.
Smell & Taste: All distinct smells and tastes are muted, fading into a neutral sensory canvas.
Extra-Sensory Perception: The user feels their own magical and psychic presence “dimming,” like a lamp being turned down until it is barely a flicker. It is the distinct sensation of becoming part of the background, of having one’s own significance actively erased. They can feel the attention of others simply sliding past them, like water around a smooth, grey stone.

Observer’s Perspective:

Sight: The user does not become invisible. They are still visible, but the observer’s brain refuses to assign them any importance. They are seen in the same way one sees a cobblestone, a trash can, or a crack in the wall—an object that is there but requires no conscious thought. If asked to describe the user a moment later, the observer would be unable to recall any specific details.
Sound: Any sound the user makes—a footstep, a cough, the rustle of clothing—is immediately filtered out by the observer’s mind as unremarkable background noise.
Extra-Sensory Perception: The user’s presence becomes a psychic “null.” To any passive magical or psionic senses, they register as a blank spot, an absence of threat, interest, or any other notable quality. The observer feels a profound sense of disinterest and an active lack of curiosity regarding the user.

Positives: This is the ultimate form of low-level infiltration. It doesn’t trigger wards that detect invisibility or illusion, only those that detect a presence. It allows the user to move through non-hostile, semi-restricted areas with almost no risk of being remembered or questioned.

Negatives: The sensation of being psychically insignificant is deeply unsettling and can be disorienting for the user. Repeated use can lead to feelings of depersonalization or a fleeting crisis of identity.

Recipe: Weaving the Common Thread

This is the established artisan’s process for creating an undergarment designed not for attention, but for the subtle magic of blending in. The final product allows the wearer to appear familiar, unremarkable, and fundamentally acceptable in almost any social situation, making it a prized tool for diplomats, spies, and the socially anxious.

Materials Needed:

One Pair of Unmarked Cotton Briefs: The garment must be new, clean, and of a common, mass-produced quality. It cannot have any maker’s marks, embroidery, or distinguishing features. It must be a blank slate.
A Single Thread from a Welcome Mat: The thread must be sourced from a well-used doormat that has seen many friendly visitors, preferably from a respected tavern or community hall.
Powdered Chameleon Scale: A small amount of scale from any common chameleon, prized for its natural ability to blend into its surroundings.
Essence of the Contented Crowd: A vial of clear, shimmering liquid alchemically condensed from the ambient psychic resonance of a peaceful, bustling marketplace or festival. It is the magical equivalent of “white noise.”
Dust of a Forgotten Passage: A pinch of dust collected from the pages of a book or scroll that has not been read in at least a century. This provides the quality of being easily overlooked.
Alchemical Social Varnish: A transparent, quick-drying alchemical sealant that locks in subtle illusionary magics and gives them a smooth, non-threatening finish.

Tools Required:

Enchanter’s Worktable: A stable, clean surface for delicate work.
Fine-nosed Tweezers and Needle: For handling and weaving the single thread.
Marble Mortar and Pestle: For grinding the chameleon scale into a fine, consistent powder.
Aetheric Atomizer: A device used to gently spray and infuse a fabric with magical essences without oversaturating it.
Soft Bristle Brush: For applying the final sealing varnish.

Skill Requirements:

Tailoring (Novice): The crafter must be able to seamlessly integrate a single thread into an existing garment without leaving a visible trace.
Alchemy (Novice): Requires the ability to handle and mix subtle magical reagents without contamination.
Enchanting (Novice): The crafter must be able to guide and settle magical energies into a mundane object, focusing on illusion and mental effects.

Crafting Steps:

Preparation of the Canvas: Lay the new cotton briefs flat on the Enchanter’s Worktable. Ensure the workspace is free of any strong magical residues that could “stain” the garment’s intended neutrality.
Weaving the Kinship Thread: Using the tweezers and needle, meticulously un-stitch a small section of the garment’s waistband. Carefully weave the single thread from the welcome mat into the waistband, then stitch it closed perfectly. This thread will act as the anchor for the “Gesture of Kinship” magic.
Creating the Mundane Mixture: In the marble mortar, combine the Powdered Chameleon Scale and the Dust of a Forgotten Passage. Grind them together until they form a single, pale grey powder so fine it is almost ethereal.
Infusion of Unimportance: Pour the Essence of the Contented Crowd into the Aetheric Atomizer. Add the powdered mixture to the essence and gently shake until it is fully dissolved. Systematically spray the entire garment with the atomizer, ensuring a light, even coating. As the fabric absorbs the mist, it will seem to lose definition, its color becoming a perfectly neutral grey, its texture utterly standard. This imbues the garment with its passive abilities and the “Perfectly Uninteresting” magic.
Sealing the Enchantment: Once the garment is completely dry, use the soft bristle brush to apply a thin, invisible layer of the Alchemical Social Varnish. This final step stabilizes the enchantment, preventing its magic from bleeding out and ensuring its active abilities can be controlled by the wearer’s intent.
Final Attunement: The crafter must hold the finished garment and clear their mind of all ambitions and strong emotions, focusing on the simple, quiet feeling of belonging. This charges the garment, linking its magic to the concepts of social harmony and acceptance. When the garment feels just like a simple piece of cloth in their hands again, the process is complete.

Parable of Grey Cloth

Let the telling be of Remus, the wood-shaper, a man whose hands spake with the perfect truth of angles and grains, but whose tongue was a clumsy hammer that bruised all ears. In the city of great commerce, his works were praised in his absence, but his presence was a source of great discomfort. He would stand before men of high coin and his words would fall from his mouth like dropped tools, loud and ill-formed. And so the great contracts, the building of halls and the carving of thrones, were given to lesser artisans with smoother tongues. His skill was a locked chest, and his awkwardness was the key which he had lost.

He did not seek a potion of silvered speech, nor a charm of handsome face, for he knew these were not his nature. He sought a different magic, a quieter thing. His path took him to a street where all the doors were alike, and he did knock upon the plainest of them. Here dwelled a weaver of whispers, an enchanter who worked not with the loud magics of fire and lightning, but with the subtle arts of perception.

And the wood-shaper Remus spake to the enchanter, and his request was this: “I ask not for a bright cloak to make me seem a lord. I ask for a thing to make me seem as nothing. Make me not great, but make me not noticed. Let the eyes of others see me and think only, ‘He is a man who belongs here.’ Let my errors of speech be as small stones in a great river, and be carried away unseen by the current of the moment. Make me… acceptable.”

The weaver of whispers, his mind a loom for such strange threads, did nod. He took not an old cloth with a story of its own, but a new one, a garment of plain cotton with no story at all. A cloth of grey, like a cloudy sky at noon. And his enchantment was a quiet one. He did not weave into it the roar of a dragon, but the quiet hum of a contented marketplace. He did not stitch it with thread of sunlight, but with the spun feeling of a shared nod between strangers. He sealed it not with a great and terrible rune, but with the invisible varnish of a polite and quickly forgotten smile. And he gave this to Remus, this garment of grey.

Remus took the cloth and wore it beneath his common clothes. He was to present a small, carved box to a powerful nobleman, a test before a greater commission. At the lord’s high table, surrounded by shining silver and sharp eyes, the wood-shaper’s hand did shake, and he spilled a drop of dark wine upon the white floor-stone. [Here the scroll is damaged, but the meaning is clear]. The red stain was upon the stone, but the stain of shame was not upon the artisan, for the eyes of the great lord and his guests did not turn to him. Their minds, it is said, did slide past his error, as water slides past a smooth stone in a stream. They saw only the perfection of the carved box he held.

Later, he stood before the council of the Guild Masters. They were to choose the builder for their new great hall, a work of immense prestige. The Masters knew the quality of Remus’s work, but they mistrusted his strange silence and his clumsy speech. He was an unknown quantity, a risk. As Remus stepped forward to unroll his plans, he did adjust his belt, a nervous gesture. For a moment, the plain, grey waistband of the under-cloth was visible to the Guild Master at the head of the table.

And the perception of the Guild Master was altered. He looked upon Remus and did not see an awkward fool. In the shape of the artisan’s shoulders, he saw a memory of his own first apprentice. In the quiet intensity of his gaze, he was reminded of a trusted foreman from his youth. He did not see a stranger. He saw a man who was, in some strange and unremembered way, familiar. The feeling was not of greatness, nor of friendship, but of rightness. Of a piece that fits.

The Guild Master spake, his voice loud in the hall. “This man’s hands are true. The plans are acceptable. He shall build.”

And so Remus the wood-shaper became Remus the Master Builder, not because he had changed, but because the world’s perception of him had been softened. He lived his days in quiet prosperity. Of the garment of grey, its final fate is not known. Some scribes say that when his work was done, it simply unraveled into the quiet hum from which it was woven. Others say it passed to a diplomat, then to a spy, and that it still moves through the world, clothing those who wish not to be seen, but to simply be.

The moral of the story is this: For it is written, a tall tower may be brought down by a great storm, but the simple stone in the foundation is never noticed and endures forever.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu, 7th Edition

The Everyman’s Lining

A deceptively simple undergarment, likely of modern make and mass production. It possesses no strange symbols or esoteric design, yet it emanates a subtle psychic field that dampens suspicion and encourages others to perceive the wearer as fundamentally unremarkable. Investigators who wear it find they can move through society with less friction, their minor eccentricities often going completely unnoticed.

Game Mechanics:

Aura of Normalcy: If the Investigator makes a minor social blunder that would normally require a Charm or Etiquette roll to smooth over, the player can ask the Keeper for a Luck roll instead. On a success, the gaffe is simply not noticed by anyone present.
Familiar Appearance: This is a narrative effect. The Keeper should note that unless the Investigator is in a completely alien environment or behaving erratically, NPCs will tend to perceive them as a local or, at least, someone who “fits in.”
Gesture of Kinship: Once per game session, when attempting to build rapport with a non-hostile NPC, the Investigator can reveal the garment’s waistband while making a friendly gesture. They gain one bonus die on a single Charm or Persuade roll to convince the NPC that they are trustworthy and share a common background.
Perfectly Uninteresting: When attempting to pass by an observer (like a guard or receptionist) without drawing attention, the Investigator can actively channel the garment’s aura. The observer must succeed on a Hard Psychology roll to find any reason to give the Investigator a second glance. If the roll is failed, the Investigator is seen but immediately forgotten, dismissed as part of the scenery.

Blades in the Dark

The Grayman’s Sheath (Special Item)

A simple, grey undergarment sourced from some back-alley tailor in the Crow’s Foot. It’s enchanted with the quiet magic of the masses, a charm of blending in. For a scoundrel trying to navigate the complex social webs of Doskvol without drawing the wrong kind of attention, being forgettable is a valuable asset.

Game Mechanics:

When you wear the Grayman’s Sheath, you gain the following benefits:

Unremarkable Presence: You cannot suffer a negative consequence or reduced effect due to a minor social faux pas or looking out of place. When you’re in a place where you don’t belong, you can resist a consequence of being discovered by spending 1 Stress and describing how you are mistaken for a servant, a local, or just another face in the crowd.
Familiar Face: When you Consort to gather information or build trust with a new contact, you can spend 1 Stress to improve your effect level by one. Describe how the target sees a flicker of familiarity in you, reminding them of someone they once knew and trusted.
Just Passing Through: When you need to get past a checkpoint or a casual observer in a controlled position, you can spend 1 Stress to do so without a roll. You are simply not interesting enough to be stopped. If the situation is risky, you may spend the Stress to improve your position for a Prowl or Finesse roll instead.

Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition

Briefs of Plausible Belonging Wondrous item, common (requires attunement)

These simple cotton briefs are clean, well-made, and utterly devoid of any distinguishing features. When worn, they grant the user a magical aura of normalcy, making them seem like they belong wherever they are.

Aura of Normalcy: While wearing these attuned briefs, whenever you make a Charisma (Deception) or Charisma (Persuasion) ability check, you can treat a d20 roll of 4 or lower as a 5.
Gesture of Kinship: As a bonus action immediately before making a Charisma (Persuasion) check to earn an NPC’s trust, you can reveal the waistband of this garment. If you do, you can add a d4 to your ability check. You can use this property three times, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Perfectly Uninteresting: As an action, you can reveal the waistband and project an aura of utter mundanity. For 10 minutes, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to avoid being seen, as long as you are in a crowd or an area where the presence of a commoner would not be suspicious. This effect ends early if you make an attack or cast a spell. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until the next dawn.

Knave, 2nd Edition

Commoner’s Weave

A plain but sturdy undergarment. It’s impossible to recall any specific details about it after looking away. It takes up one inventory slot.

Passives:
- If you make a social faux pas in front of an NPC, you can make a Luck save. If you succeed, they don’t notice or don’t care.
- When rolling a reaction roll for a neutral NPC, you may treat any result of “unfriendly” as “neutral.”
Actives:
- Familiar Face (1/day): When meeting a new character, you may reveal the weave’s waistband to force a positive reaction. They will treat you as a friend or trusted acquaintance unless you give them a reason not to.
- Unseen in the Crowd (1/day): You may declare you are activating the weave to become uninteresting. For the next hour, guards, sentries, and other observers must succeed on a Will save vs. your Will defense to notice your presence, unless you are in a place where it is impossible for a commoner to be. This does not make you invisible, merely easy to ignore.

Fate Core System

The Aspect of the Everyman

This is not a powerful artifact in the traditional sense, but a narrative lubricant. It is a simple undergarment that has been enchanted with the very concept of being average. A character who wears it finds that the sharp edges of their personality are smoothed over, making them fit more easily into the tapestry of the world.

Game Mechanics:

By choosing to wear The Aspect of the Everyman, the character gains a new aspect and a related stunt.

New Aspect: Inoffensively Average. This aspect represents the character’s ability to blend in and be seen as part of the normal state of affairs. It can be invoked for a bonus on rolls to deflect suspicion, fit into a new social group, or go unnoticed in a crowd. A Game Master can compel this aspect to have the character be completely overlooked when they are trying to be impressive, or to have their unique contributions credited to someone more noteworthy.
Stunt: Vaguely Familiar. Because you are Inoffensively Average, once per session, you may spend a Fate Point to declare that a neutral NPC is certain they’ve met you before and had a pleasant interaction. For the rest of the scene, they will treat you as a trusted acquaintance, giving you the benefit of the doubt unless you act in a way that directly contradicts that trust.
Stunt: Face in the Crowd. Because you are Inoffensively Average, you gain a +2 bonus to all Overcome actions using the Stealth skill, provided your method of hiding is to simply blend in with a group of three or more people.

Numenera & Cypher System

The Normalcy Field Emitter

This artifact appears to be a simple, grey sash made of an unknown, self-cleaning synth. When worn, it generates a low-level psychic field that subtly alters the perceptions of those nearby, causing them to register the wearer as a mundane and uninteresting part of the environment.

Game Mechanics:

Level: 4
Form: A plain, grey undergarment or sash.
Effect: The emitter grants the wearer a constant passive effect and two activatable abilities.
- Passive Effect: The wearer is trained in all social interaction tasks focused on appearing harmless or blending in with a crowd.
- Familiarity Pulse (Action): The user can activate the emitter to send out a subtle wave of psychic resonance at one creature within short range. The target must succeed on a Level 4 Intellect defense task. On a failure, the target perceives the user as a familiar, non-threatening individual for one hour. This is not mind-control, but eases all further positive social interactions with that target by one step.
- Perception Filter (Action): The user can activate the emitter for one minute. During this time, the difficulty of any task for another creature to notice, perceive, or remember the user is increased by two steps. This is not true invisibility; the user is simply seen as completely unimportant and is instantly forgotten by casual observers. The effect ends immediately if the user performs any action that would reasonably draw attention, such as an attack.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (check each time the Perception Filter is used).

Pathfinder, 2nd Edition

Loincloth of the Unremarkable Item 2 Common, Invested, Illusion, Mental

Usage worn undergarment; Bulk —
Price 35 gp

This clean, grey loincloth is utterly plain, lacking any distinctive pattern or feature. When you invest it, you feel a sense of calm anonymity wash over you.

Passive: You gain a +1 item bonus to Deception checks to Impersonate an ordinary person and to Lie when trying to convince a creature that you belong in your current location.
Activate [A] Interact; Frequency once per 10 minutes; Effect You adjust the loincloth and offer a placid smile. Target one creature within 30 feet that is not hostile toward you. That creature must attempt a DC 16 Will save. On a failure, the creature’s attitude toward you improves by one step (for example, from indifferent to friendly) for 1 minute as it is overcome with a sense of vague familiarity.
Activate [reaction] Interact; Trigger You are targeted by a non-hostile creature’s Scrutinize action or Seek action to specifically find you; Frequency once per day; Effect You project an aura of complete mundanity. The triggering creature must roll its Perception check twice and use the lower result.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition

The Journeyman’s Smalls

A surprisingly comfortable and well-made set of undergarments, though plain in every respect. They carry a minor enchantment favored by spies, diplomats, and other professionals who prefer to be underestimated.

Aura of Normalcy: The wearer gains a +1 bonus to Persuasion rolls when trying to convince others that they belong in a particular place or that their presence is not suspicious.
Familiar Face: As an action, the wearer may reveal the garment and make a Support roll using their Spirit. If successful, one chosen ally gets a +2 bonus on their next social Test (such as Taunt, Intimidation, or a Persuasion-based opposed roll) against the same target, as the target is now more comfortable and less guarded around your group.
Just Another Face: The wearer can spend a Bennie to automatically blend into any crowd of a dozen or more people. Unless an observer has a specific reason to be looking for the wearer, they cannot be spotted with a simple Notice roll. The wearer is not invisible, merely part of the background noise. This effect lasts as long as the wearer remains in the crowd and does not draw attention to themself.

Shadowrun, 6th Edition

Ares Everyman Series Briefs (Enchanted)

Ostensibly a standard piece of commercial synth-cotton underwear from the Ares “Everyman” line, this item has been magically augmented. Favored by corporate infiltrators and social engineers, this Force 1 focus uses subtle illusion and mental manipulation to make the wearer appear as just another face in the crowd, perfectly ignorable and utterly unremarkable.

Game Mechanics:

Type: Enchanting Focus (Subtlety)
Force: 1
Activation: Always on while worn.
Low Profile: The focus weaves a subtle aura of normalcy. The wearer adds 2 dice to their defense pool when resisting Judge Intentions tests. Furthermore, if you get less than 3 hits on a social test where you are trying to be inconspicuous (like Etiquette or Con), NPCs are likely to treat it as a minor gaffe rather than a suspicious failure.
Familiar Nod (Minor Action): Once per combat/scene, you may reveal the waistband of the briefs and make an Enchanting + Magic [Social] (2) test against a single non-hostile target. If successful, you gain 1 point of Edge which can only be used on your next social test against that same target.
Perception Filter (Major Action): You can activate the focus’s primary function for 1 minute. During this time, any observer who does not already have a reason to be suspicious of you must succeed on a Perception (3) test to notice anything about you worth remembering. Security guards will dismiss you as a resident, corporate wageslaves will assume you’re a new hire. This effect ends immediately if you initiate an attack or perform an obviously illegal action.

Starfinder

The Plausibility Weave

A relic from an unknown pre-Gap civilization, the Plausibility Weave is an undergarment made of smart fibers that actively analyze social situations and project a low-level psychic field. This field doesn’t control minds, but simply suggests the most plausible, uninteresting interpretation of the wearer’s presence, making them incredibly difficult to single out.

Game Mechanics:

Level 2; Price 900 credits
Slot clothing; Bulk L
Passive Benefits: The Plausibility Weave grants you a +2 insight bonus on Culture checks to recall etiquette and customs, and on Disguise checks to appear as a generic member of a community.
Familiar Acquaintance (1/day): As a standard action, you can reveal the weave to a single creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or for the next hour, they treat you as a vaguely familiar and harmless acquaintance. Their attitude toward you improves by one step, and you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks against them. This is a mind-affecting, emotion effect.
Just Part of the Scenery (1/day): As a standard action, you can activate the weave’s perception filter for 1 minute. While this is active, you can use the Stealth skill to hide even if you lack cover or concealment, as long as you are in an area that contains other creatures or mundane scenery (such as a marketplace, a docking bay, or an office). If you do, you gain a +5 circumstance bonus to your Stealth check. The effect ends immediately if you take a hostile action.

Traveller, Mongoose 2nd Edition

The Zhodani Social Cloak

This item appears to be a simple, grey undergarment, but it is actually a minor psionic device developed by the Zhodani Consulate for intelligence agents operating in non-psionic societies. It uses micro-circuitry to read the wearer’s intent and project subtle, calming telepathic suggestions into the minds of those nearby. A Traveller must have a Psionic Strength of 1 or more to use this item.

Game Mechanics:

Passive Filter: The Social Cloak is always active. The wearer gains DM+1 on any checks (such as Deception or Stealth) made to blend in with a crowd or avoid drawing attention in a public space.
Projected Trust: Once per day, the user may make an Average (8+) Psionics (Telepathy) check against a single target. If successful, for the remainder of the scene, the target will treat the user as a trusted individual. This grants the user DM+2 on all positive social checks (like Persuade or Diplomat) against that target. This is not mind control; the target is simply predisposed to believe the user is harmless and trustworthy.
Sensor Ghost: Once per day, the user may make a Difficult (10+) Psionics (Telepathy) check. If successful, for one hour the user’s presence is flagged as unremarkable by electronic sensors. Unless set to high alert, automated systems like cameras, pressure plates, and ID scanners will register the user but log their presence as normal, raising no alarms. This also affects guards and other observers, who must make a Difficult (10+) Investigate check to find a reason to be suspicious of the user.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 4th Edition

The Guildsman’s Modesty

This simple linen clout was first commissioned by a master artisan from Altdorf who was brilliant at his craft but a disaster in social settings. Enchanted by a Grey Order magician, the clout doesn’t make one charming, but rather makes one’s presence so utterly unremarkable that minor social errors pass by entirely without notice.

Game Mechanics:

Type: Magical Clothing
Properties: Magical, Worn
Unassuming Presence: The wearer is wrapped in an aura of normalcy. You gain a +10 bonus to all Fellowship Tests made to blend in, and you may re-roll any failed Charm Test where the goal was to smooth over a social blunder.
Familiar Face: Once per session, you may reveal the clout’s waistband and make a Challenging (+0) Charm Test against a non-hostile target. If you succeed, the target is struck by a powerful sense of baseless familiarity. For the remainder of the scene, you are treated as a trusted local or a member of the same social class, and you do not need to make social tests for simple requests or to be granted access to common areas.
Fade from Thought: As an action, you can spend a Resolve Point to become utterly forgettable for one hour. During this time, any character who attempts to recall specific details about you after you have left their sight must pass a Difficult (–10) Intelligence Test to do so. This makes you incredibly difficult to describe to the Watch or other authorities.
Drawback of the Meek: The clout’s magic is difficult to suppress. While wearing it, you suffer a -10 penalty to any Leadership or Intimidation Test you attempt to make. You cannot be the center of attention even when you want to be.