The Ring of Shadows is an infamous magical artifact used by the priests of the evil god Tholendhu to slay their enemies and to intimidate their followers.
Description
The Ring of Shadows is a deceptively plain silver ring that allows the bearer to generate Shadow creatures, to do the bearer’s bidding. This is usually to slay an enemy of the ring’s bearer.
The bearer can summon one Shadow each day. The Shadows remain until slain or their task is done, then fade back to the Land of Tholendhu, the Land of Darkness.
To use the Ring, the bearer wills the Shadow to be summoned, and must speak the word of command for the ring. The bearer then must pass a 3/IQ test, which summons the Shadow. The test also avoids the wearer being haunted by the screams of the victims of the Ring.
History
The Ring of Shadows was created by the priests of the evil Urrean god Tholendhu, in 3210, after the sorcerer Elogio perfected the spell to summon Shadows.
After the spell itself was lost, the Ring came to be a guarded artifact, used in the intermittent wars between the cults of Tholendhu and Tuuwell. After the Great Death swept through the Middle Lands, knowledge of the Ring of Shadows was lost as well.
Rumors of the Rings presence has been heard through the centuries, usually to explain any mysterious or unknown murder. No hard evidence is known, though. The only thing for sure is that the priests of both Tholendhu and Tuuwell are searching for the Ring–and will do anything to obtain it.
Stats
Item: Ring.
Rank: Second.
Path: Conjuration.
Range: N/A.
Duration: Special.
Damage: Per summoned Shadow.
Cost: The cost to use the Ring is 3 ST in blood (damage) each time a shadow is summoned. In addition, each summoning has a 2 in 6 chance of causing 1 point of corruption in the bearer.
The wearer must also pass a 3/IQ test each time the Ring is used to control the ring–to avoid gaining nightmares from the screams of the acolytes sacrificed when the Ring was created, as well as those the Ring shadows have slain.
Creation
The creation of the Ring required the sacrifice of 3 willing victims who gave their soul to Tholendhu, the Windmaster. This was done with 3 acolytes of the Cult, fanatical priests who gave their souls to further their god.
To enable the Ring, a word of command was bound into it to limit its use to only those within the priesthood of Tholendhu. This word of command to summon the Shadows could be an adventure in itself.
Design Notes
The cost of the Ring was calculated as follows:
- The cost for a Second Rank spell is 10 ST, with a minimum of 5 ST. We start there.
- The cost to use the Ring is 3 ST in damage, each time. This is 7 below the normal cost of 10, and 2 below the 5 ST minimum. This is where we want to end up.
- Each use of the Ring has a 2 in 6 chance of causing 1 point of corruption. This reduces the cost by 1, for a cost of 9 ST.
- The bearer must pass a 3/IQ test to use the artifact, and to avoid gaining nightmares from its victims. -1 ST, for 8 ST.
- A word of command is required to use the Ring. -1 ST, for 7 ST.
- The Shadows summoned consume the souls of their victims. -1 ST, for 6 ST.
- Three willing souls were sacrificed in the creation of the Ring. -1 for each, so -3 ST, for a final cost of 3 ST. The sacrifice of willing victims during the creation of the artifact allows the cost to be below the 5 ST minimum for Second Rank spells. This is because the cost was bound into the artifact during creation.
