Two Rings and a Gem -- Researches 2/2

Being a continuation of various research-undertakings and other pursuits of  the adventurer-barbarians of Cothon:

the Tumbaga Ring

The sorcerer Bartholomew Pettibone has in his possession a ring, taken on an expedition into the Necropolis of the Tel--perhaps from the very tomb of Itra the Swift?--made of red-gold tumbaga, which resembles the beaked skull of some creature with three eye-sockets; a quite gaudy thing that would sit over an entire first knuckle if worn.

except red-gold and with three eyes

Noted as magical by Heijo of the Survivors of the Tel, Bart last month spent some time looking through various magical treatises and scanning old poems and hero-stories, looking for something like it that might indicate its sorcerous function.

Thinking that the beaked triocular head resembles that of the giant dzor (image), Bart begins his inquiries there, asking associates and tavern-patrons if they've heard anything about a dzor-ring. Though few of these result in any really useful information, through conversation, Bart is reminded that the Colossian Oracle is said to be guarded by giants--dzor in fact!--and that it is counted strange just how well under their control the Oracles have these dzor, who are otherwise impossible to bend to the wills of men.

Thus curious, Bart sought out books and other sources about the Colossian Oracle, hoping to discover some correlation between their mastery over the dzor and the ring he now possessed. After hours of poring through tomes and scrolls, he finally came upon something--in certain old annals, the Oracles are described wearing the Rings of Ta'ir. Searching further, with the help of conversational suggestions, he found a fuller description of the rings in an old hero-song, where Nayran the Sailor, who plied his ways among the Denyan Isles, was first presented with such a ring by the Oracles because of their favor; and second he was delivered from the talons of Alkari pirates by his possession of it, when he showed it off to them and they bowed before him.

Per the story, a Ring of Ta'ir (or is there only one?) compels the obedience of dzor, and hlaka, and shanu'u, and giriku, and all those "born under the light of Ta'ir's Lordship". It appears to Bart, therefore, that this ring of his is a kind of ring of mastership over similar such creatures. (in the story, the Alkari only bowed to it, and released Nayran; who knows the truth, but the implication is that they respected it, but were not compelled by it)

the Gemmed Gorget

On the same expedition noted above, a gorget of blued steel was recovered, set in its center with a dark red gem that seems to glow malevolently of its own accord. Clearly magical (again, thanks to Heijo!), the gem seemed to pulse some kind of power, though noticeable only to certain of the company. Raoden feels queasy in its presence, while Sesel notes a kind of itching along his scalp; and Revna mentions the feeling of being watched by someone unseen when around the gem.

Despite Revna's apprehensions, the gem seemed no "seeing-crystal" when probed; rather it appears to house a kind of "psychic poison" affecting only those individuals who are especially psychically sensitive. After some experimentation, it is determined that anyone wearing the gorget who is subjected to any mind-affecting ability "transmits" the poison in the gem to the person affecting them--i.e. a magic-user casting ESP on someone wearing the gem would expose himself to the poison!

Just what the psychic poison does is uncertain (barring further experimentation), but that its unpleasant to suffer is undoubted.

Durham's Signet Ring

No note about research, rather this is a record of Durham's seeking of someone to make for himself a fine signet ring with which to seal the official documents of his own Ringing Anvil, as well as of his own private missives.

Well regarded as he has become at the Kantor Kabljauhof for all his assistance in clearing the pirates out of the Ocean's Throat, Durham was able to get a recommendation from the Mormaera of the Kantor to the lapidary Golden Arts, a shop of the Piedrajoya Guild (Guild of Whitesmiths and Lapidaries) which is happy to deal with barbarians. Following up on this introduction, Durham pays 200 dinars to the Golden Arts for a gold ring of unique design, the design of which will be destroyed after the ring is completed, to ensure its uniqueness.

Presumably, the design of the ring's seal is something like that of the sign of the Ringing Anvil (above), though the actual details are up to Durham to decide; but whatever those details, let this stand as a note that Durham has been granted an introduction to the Golden Arts, and is now acquainted there; and that a relationship could be further cultivated between him and the lapidary there, such that further services might be offered to a friend of the shop.