Written by John Payne
Illustrated by James Keegan
Aegis of Prudence by James Keegan
Aegis of Prudence
The aegis of prudence usually appears as an amulet in one of two different forms. In its primary form, it appears as a triangular-shaped pendant with a large bloodstone set in the center. Inscribed around the bloodstone are the names of three angels. In this form, it is primarily used by men to protect against succubi and/or seduction by women. The other form is a circular pendant inscribed with the names of three angels around a single moonstone. This form is primarily used by women to protect themselves against the advances of an incubus, humans or otherwise. Both versions of the amulet protect the wearer from demon possession, regardless of the gender of the wearer or the demon.
At least one aegis has been found in the form of an earring studded with moonstones set in silver.
Demontrapper
A demontrapper is a type of sasumata, a seven to ten foot pole with a half-moon or ‘U’ shaped head. Small spikes form along the end of the pole and inside the head. It can be used against targets up to 10 feet away. The pole itself is usually an ordinary hardwood pole. Although quite ordinary looking, the head is mystical/magical in nature.
When employed by a person trained in its use, the demontrapper prevents a creature from teleporting, becoming ethereal, or traveling to another plane of existence.
Disorienting Dulband
This turban is found as a length of ornate grayish-blue unstitched cloth with a small blue gem for a clip. When properly folded and tied on a person’s head, it grants to wearer the ability to appear about a foot away from their true location. Viewers beyond twenty feet of the wearer do not notice this effect.
Within twenty feet, the turban prevents anyone from directly gazing into the eyes of the wearer. This protects the wearer for any kind of magical or mental attack requiring the attacker to focus on its target. It can provide a small bonus to dodge melee attacks.
Masks of Truth
Masquerade Mask by James Keegan
This set of masks appear like any one of a variety of masks a man would wear to a masquerade ball or carnival of the social elite. These masks were created by a wizard suffering from ever increasing dementia. A lover of parties, he began to suspect that some of the women he danced with were actually demons. As the first masks revealed no demons, he was convinced that demons were actually present, but that his magic was somehow ineffective in revealing their true identities. He assumed that the demons were employing stronger countermagick to negate the effects of his masks. As a result, he made each one more powerful than the last.
Finally, a succubus was revealed to him by one of his masks at a party. He saw her in her true form while others saw only her human form. Encouraged by this success, he continued to make them more and more powerful.
In the end, the last masks not only revealed a creature’s true form (regardless of gender), but a creature’s true motives as well. The wizard’s paranoia grew worse as he discovered more and more his friends and acquaintances true motives. He believed he could read their thoughts. He was eventually driven completely mad by discovering too much truth. His current whereabouts are unknown.
The first three masks cover the eyes, sitting on the bridge of the nose. The wearer must use the attached baton to place the mask over his or her eyes. The first mask has a diamond pattern that alternates bright read and grin with gold trim. The second mask is roughly provides the appearance of an eagle’s head. The third mask is layered with gold leaf with raised vine patterns weaved throughout. The power of these first three masks allows the wearer to see the true form of any demon that has taken human form by their own innate ability. It does not, however, allow the wearer to see the true form of a demon that someone else changed into human form.
The next two masks are crafted to cover only the eyes and nose of the wearer. The colors and patterns on the mask change over time. The changes are almost imperceptible over time, yet the design can appear completely different every two hours. These two masks allows the wearer to see a demon’s true form and the true form of any creature that has been magically transformed.
The penultimate mask covers the eyes, nose and cheeks of the wearer. It is kept on the face by a cord that is tied in the back. It is black with jarring red and blue shapes trimmed in silver leaf. It is quite distinctive in appearance, though only its creator and those that have worn it know its true nature. In addition to seeing the true form of any demon or magically altered creature, it can also protect the wearer from mind reading.
The final mask, a bauta, is white and covers the entire face. The mask has a square jaw line pointed upwards to allow for talking, eating and drinking without having to take off the mask. It shares the powers of the black mask, but also allows the wearer to peer into the thoughts of others. To use this ability, the wearer must look directly at his intended target and focus for a few seconds.
Masks of Truth by James Keegan
Another mask exists of unknown origin. It is a black oval mask that covers everything but the outer edge of the face. It has large eye holes and sharp angles on the cheekbones and no opening for the mouth. It is held on the face by biting a small bit behind the mask. Unlike all the other masks, this one appears quite feminine. This mask incapacitates the wearer. The victim is still alive and breathing, but he or she is unable to speak. The victim is able to walk around slowly and is highly susceptible to the wishes of other.
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Objects of Desire by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.
