Ogelend's Black Mail
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.
Ogelend, Border Reiver
Full Item Description
Ogelend's Black Mail is a chainmail vest that is typically worn by mounted warriors who favor speed over heavy armor. The rings are flat in profile and have been treated with a matte black finish. This type of armor is commonly used by raiders and skirmishers who often fight at dusk or at night when the glint of metal armor might give away their position to opposing archers.
History
Ogelend was at best a petty border noble, his demense financially poor, the soil mediocre at best and the population thin. This was considered a minor problem at best as the border between the two kingdoms was rarely hostile and there were few castles or legions posted in the vicinity. Boredom has a way of turning the hands of men of action, and Ogelend was nothing less than a man of the sword and the spear. Under a guise of secrecy, he had a number of chainmail vests made, finished with a black coating and hidden away.
He gathered his men, and with the new black armor, they rode on their first raid across the border. The fight was a massacre, the village was half burned, a dozen men were killed and Ogelend found himself a good deal richer after looting what he could from the village shrine and alderman's coffers. He also lost one of his own men to a well thrown spear that ripped through the armor. Afraid for his own life, he had to find a better suit of armor that was still light, flexible, and easy to disguise.
It was during his deliberations that one of his tax collectors mentioned a retired wizard who happened to live in his domain. Jumping at the chance to talk to the wizard, Ogelend went personally to see that the magic user fulfilled his obligations as an upstanding member of the peasantage. Ogelend arrived at a very inopportune moment for Hanserd of the Silver Hand, as the wizard had summoned his malefactor, or perhaps femalefactor would be more appropriate. While not expecting to encounter a lesser demon, Ogelend was not taken completely off guard. Armed with a pair of magic negating manacles, he and his men subdued and placed the demoness in bondage. Hanserd wailed, and Ogelend made him a deal he couldnt refuse. Unless the wizard enchanted his armor to turn away spears and arrows, Ogelend would turn his beloved succubus over to the church for purification, and the wizard to them for questioning and rites of atonement.
What Goes Around, Comes Around
As Hanserd prepared the charms that would enchant Ogelend's armor, he added a touch of demon magic to the spell. Twisting a curse into the incantation, he infused the armor with a strong aura of karma, ensuring that the wearer recieved what he gave, in addition to being superior armor. Hanserd presented the newly bespelled armor to Ogelend and asked if the noble's silence and the release of his demonette had been bought. Ogelend said it was a good down payment, but the wizard could be expected to provide his special services as they were...needed.
The Call of the Crown
It was nearly time for Ogelend to pay his newly acquired pet wizard a visit when he himself found an uncomfortable audience. One of the King's Barons had known of Ogelend's border raiding antics and the King was ready for someone's head on a plate for upsetting the peace. The noble made Ogelend an offer, it would cost the raiding noble dearly in terms of gold as well as his suit of armor, but it was better than rotting in the king's gaol.
And thus the cursed armor passes from wearer to wearer
Magic/Cursed Properties
Ogelend's Black Mail has a basic protection enchantment granting the chainmail protection equivalent to mundane full plate armor. The curse of the armor stems from Ogelend's blackmailing of Hanserd, causing each successive wearer of the armor to follow the same course as the one who created it. The demonic curse in the armor is quite strong and can expose a dark secret to the next person who it wishes to possess it, initiating the next link in the chain of blakc mail.
With each passing of ownership, a single link in the armor cracks and falls away. The magic holding the armor together prevents new links from being added to the original ones.
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? Responses (7)
Black Mail of Black Mail. Very nice. In hindsight, I'm surprised no one has previously tackled this word-play :)
My favorite bit is the last two sentences.
good stuff!
What he said!
One question. What part of cursed required the Evil freetext? The joke is cute, the story is nice, the link to the piece is intersting. It all has uses.
One question - a karma enchantment works both ways. What if a noble person slew the wearer on a raid or such, and decided that the Black Mail was superior to his regualr chain mail?
Someone who gains the armor without resorting to blackmail or coercion, such as by purchasing the gear breaks the cycle of Karma, temporarily. The curse of the armor will work to reassert itself as best as it can. As for slaying someone and taking it, well that is one killing, one case of stealing from the dead, so the curse of the armor remains, though it will turn the karma from killing and taking to it's own ends.
Karma - basically cause and effect, and what goes around comes around. The curse of the armor is based on the first blackmail, the one that was the cause of it's creation. It only takes a small window, a small bit of sin or guilt, for the armor to assert itself.
Dharma - Actions that promote harmony and general goodness. The way I've interpreted it is that Karma tends towards negative repercussions while dharma is the positive rotation of that cycle.
Armour that reveals secrets. :)
Definately a good item to complicate PCs (or perhaps a sponsors) life.
