Long ago where the great Durnwood Forest rises into the Crystal Mountains there lived an elven wizard. Some legends say that he was an eladrin and dwelled in the feywild and his doom brought him to the mortal world. Regardless all the legends agree that his name was Estarias and that he was a mage of great power and wisdom who built a temple to knowledge at which he trained his apprentices that came from all through the Durnwood, a temple called Trethari.
In time three powerful witches came to the temple and saught to wrest Estarias’ power from him. The legends say that at first the three witches triled to beguile Estarias and then when that failed they tried treachery which only led to battle. The legends say that the four of them battled for days until at last the mountain fell upon the temple and they were all lost to time and legend.
Now all that is said to remain is a magical pearl crafted by Estarias as a conduit for his wisdom and power, ever seeking the destruction of the three witches that destroyed its creator all those long years ago.
| The Pearl of Trethari | Heroic Tier |
| The elven mage Estarias was powerful and wise, and before the rise of the last empire he built a monastary low on a mountain to persue his reasearch and train apprentices. Estrarias crafted this large pearl set in a gold pendant into a powerful weapon against evil, but it did not save him from the three witches of Trethari. | |
| The Pearl of Trethari is a +1 Amulet of Mental Resolve. It has the following properties Item Slot: Neck Enhancement: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will |
|
| Properties | |
| * You gain Resist 5 Psychic * You can speak and understand the Elven language and read the rellanic script. |
|
| Magic Missile (Arcane, Evocation, Force, Implement) * Encounter (Standard Action) | |
| You can use magic missile (Wizard 1) | |
| Color Spray (Arcane,Evocation,Implement,Radiant) * Daily (Standard Action) | |
| You can use color spray (Wizard 3) | |
| Power * Encounter (Standard Action) | |
| Requires: A Trethari Witch within 5 squares. Effect: You gain an Aura 5 until the end of the encounter. While in this Aura creatures of Evil and Chaotic Evil alignment may only use at-will attacks and their powers do not recharge. Special: This power may only be used 3 times before the pearl moves on. |
|
Goals of the Pearl of Trethari
- To come into the posession of a wise wizard.
- To encourage the spread of knowledge and wisdom.
- To destroy the three witches of Trethari.
Roleplaying the Pearl of Trethari
The Pearl is patient and wise, but it is determined to see its dieing creator’s will done. The Pearl speaks with a rich baritone to the one who carries it. At first it does this only occasionally but as it becomes more impressed with the bearer it becomes more loquacious. In general the Pearl shares only knowledge that will help it achieve its goals, first in hints, and eventually in clear statements, though if impressed sufficiently by the bearer it will share more of its vast knowledge. However when asked questions the Pearl prefers to lead the asker to an answer that is correct than simply tell the asker the correct answer, if the bearer likes riddles it will use them, other wise half answers and questions are its usual responses.
Concordance
| Starting Value | 5 |
| Gain a level | +1d10 |
| Controller is an Arcanist, Mage or Bladesinger | +2 |
| Controller kills an evil or chaotic evil creature to 0HP (1/encounter) | +1 |
| Controller defeats one of the 3 witches of Trethari | +5 |
| Controller is Evil or Chaotic Evil. | -2 |
| Controller is a Witch | -1 |
| Controller willingly destroys a source of knowledge | -1 |
| Controller willingly aids one of the 3 Witches of Trethari | -5 |
Pleased (16-20)
“We are united on the path to overcoming the evil of the witches.”
The character has earnt the Pearl’s trust through their dedication to the fight against evil, and now it talks freely with them providing all the aid it can.
| The Pearl’s enhancement bonus increases to +3 |
| Property |
| The character gains a +2 item bonus to all Knowledge checks. |
| Power (Daily) |
| You can ask the Pearl a question, drawing upon its ancient knowledge, as described in the Consult Mystic Sages ritual. Use of this power has no component cost. You can do this even if you aren’t trained in Religion or do not have the Ritual Caster feat. If the question involves fey, you gain a +2 bonus to the check. If it involves elves or eladrin, the bonus is +4. |
Satisfied (12-15)
“The Pearl recognizes my skill and dedication, and helps me understand its purpose.”
The Pearl believes that the character can help it fulfil its objectives and begins sharing more knowledge with the character in order to help the character in that goal.
| The Pearl’s enhancement bonus increases to +2 |
| Property |
| The character gains a +2 item bonus to Arcana |
| Dispel Magic (Arcane, Implement) * Daily (Standard Action) |
| You can use Dispel Magic (Wizard 6) |
Normal (5-11)
“I hear the voice of the Pearl, and it has a quest for us.”
The Pearl is willing to give most new bearers the benefit of the doubt, but the bearer must prove to be a willing to aid it before it reveals its full powers.
Unsatisfied (1-4)
“It only talks in my dreams now, and it is not happy.”
The Pearl no longer trusts the character, and only speaks to it during dreams (or similiar), and there it shares some of the less pleasent things it knows as examples of what the witches will do if they are not dealt with once and for all.
| You take a -1 penalty to Will. Special: You take a -1 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures other than servants of the Trethari Witches or those with the fey origin. This penalty applies whether you are using or merely carrying the Pearl. |
Angered (0 or lower)
“The nightmares! The mountain always the mountain falling on me crushing me!”
The bearer is deemed unstuiable by the Pearl, and it seeks to move to a new bearer as soon as possible.
| The Pearl’s enhancement bonus decreases to 0. You take a -2 penalty to Will. Special: You take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures other than servants of the Trethari Witches or those with the fey origin. This penalty applies whether you are using or merely carrying the Pearl. |
Moving On
“The task is done, the Pearl is pleased with our work.”
Unlike many artifacts the Pearl was created for a specific purpose, and if the characters achieve that purpose permenantly destroyed, as that is what is required to destroy the 3 witches. However it may journey with a character for a time while the character works towards the Pearl’s goals even if they are not ultimately completed. If the Pearl moves on it crumbles to dust and reappers elsewhere in the world. If it is satisfied with the efforts of its bearer it grants them a permenant +1 to Will defence and +2 to save vs charm effects. If it is angered by the bearer though it curses them, giving them a permenant -1 to Will defence.
In My Campaign
This artifact appeared at the end of level 1 and quickly ended up in the Wizard’s posession, and so they got off to a flying start. The fact that the campaign was centered around the Pearl’s quest made it even more likely that the character would attain higher levels of power as well. All in all it worked out well with the Pearl being able to fill in plot elements as needed though the next several levels of adventure until they finally completed its task around level 4.
Further in the campaign the main villain had actually located the Pearl, as it gave him leverage against the three witches, which he was busy releasing from their ages old prison. Unfortunatley for the villain other matters caused him to make a mistake and it fell into the heroes hands, and thus his plan was unravelled.
The Pearl and the related adventures are inspired byB7 Rahasia.