From: Brian Hebert (hebert@uclink.berkeley.edu)
Date: Mon 24 May 1993 - 18:07:33 EEST
Here's a magic item I came up with for a scenario which has humans working
in close cooperation with Trolls:
Darkfriend Medallion
(aka "Hall Pass")
Description
A lead medallion featuring the Darkness and Man runes, hung on a heavy lead chain.
Cults
Associated
Kyger Litor, Argan Argar
Hostile
Light Cults, Aldrya, Mostal
Knowledge
Cult Secret, Common, Few
History
This variation on standard Lead Enchantment was first developed
during the Second Council as a means of providing safe passage to
Trollfriends as they travelled through Uzdom. Since the withdrawl
of the Trolls from that Council and Gbaji's curse, Trolls have become
much more conservative about handing them out.
Procedure
A Lead Medallion is enchanted using the standard Lead Enchantment
Rune Spell with a minor variation in the ritual. This variation
creates a temporary instability in the lead which passes with time.
This instability lasts seven days. Its duration can be extended by
expending magic points at the time of enchantment (each mp extending
the effect an extra seven days).
Powers
These medallions are given to non-Trolls who are working toward
_important_ Troll goals. This is to identify them as Trollfriends
and provide safe passage through Troll controlled lands.
While within a Troll's normal Darksense range, this medallion gives
off a distinctive "ping" which is easily recognizable. According to
convention, Trolls agree to allow the bearer of such a medallion to
pass through their lands unmolested. In practice, most Trolls will
go out of their way to investigate and the bearer had better have a
very solid explanation for how they came to possess the medallion.
Traditional troll foes should have extremely compelling arguments
prepared. These medallions should not be used by anyone trying to
sneak through troll lands as they stand out like a signal flare.
These medallions work just as well under clothing or armor and it
makes sense to keep them there since Elves, Dwarves and Yelmic types
have been known to react hostilely to anyone discovered with one.
Value
It depends. Once the instability wears off it's just an enchanted lead
medallion. While the instability is active, unscrupulous folk might
consider trying to find a buyer who could put it to use. Get a good
price because if word gets back you will be _very_ unpopular in Uzdom.
Keep in mind that there is no way for non-Trolls to tell if the
instability exists or not and bogus medallions have been sold before.
===
Note: It occurs to me that since Darksense reveals the type of metals based on their vibration that it might be common for Trolls to flag hidden caches or landmarks with small scraps of a distinctive metal (tin perhaps). This would be a sort of beacon largely undetectable to non-Trolls.
===
Trollpak question
There is a brief section in Trollpak describing the Shadows Dance area including the Torch and Redwood Forest. Where can I learn more about this region? Elder Secrets? I'm particularly interested in the Torch. Thanks in advance.
Brian Hebert
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