Silver Gate

The priest wielding an Inspiring Refrain is recognised for their hard-won skill.

Description

Inspiring Refrain allows the user to perform ceremonies dedicated to Ambition. Unlike many other magical instruments, which are often chosen for their simplicity, an inspiring refrain is often an expensive instrument that requires considerable skill to play - stringed instruments are especially popular. Such an instrument tends to be understated - decoration will be tasteful rather than ostentatious. The priest wielding the Inspiring Refrain wishes to be recognised for their skill, not for the raw value of their instrument. Many owners make a point of purchasing expensive oils or waxes to ensure their instrument remains pristine and obviously of fine quality - it is common to incorporate small amounts of ambergelt into such waxes.

The Inspiring Refrain is often used by talented priests of the League - being able to create an aura that encourages ambition is a useful arrow in the quiver of any bishop. Likewise, a Dawnish troubadour dedicated to one of the other virtues may value the ability to anoint a questing knight or knight-errant with the Clear Path or the Calling.

This instrument is equally valuable to a priest who is dedicated to one of the other six virtues as it is to a priest who is dedicated to none of the virtues - a priest of the Way. Indeed, in some ways it is more useful to the latter philosophy of priest - it allows them to use the ceremonies of anointing, consecration and hallowing; without an instrument such as this, they would be restricted to supporting other priests in creating these auras. Likewise, a priest dedicated to a virtue other than ambition can partake of a little of the versatility of the priest dedicated to the Way as a whole, aiding priests in the creation of an aura as if they shared their dedication.

In Wintermark, ambition is represented by Naeve, Rune of Hunger; however the darker connotations of this rune mean that it is often hidden inside the frame of the instrument. This has lead to some artisans referring to the instrument as a Hidden Hunger - a common poet term for ambition itself.

Rules

• Form: Weapon. Takes the form of any kind of musical instrument. You must be performing music with this item to use its magical properties.
• Requirement: You must have the dedication skill to bond to this item.
• Effect: You must be dedicated to Ambition to use this item. Once per day, while you are in an area consecrated to Ambition, you may spend ten minutes of appropriate roleplaying that includes playing this musical instrument. Any listener who was in the area for the entire period recovers all hero points. You cannot use this ability if you are on a battlefield or in a similar stressful environment. A listener who has lost the ability to recover hero points overnight is not affected by this power.
• Materials: Crafting Inspiring Refrain requires 9 ingots of orichalcum; 7 ingots of weltsilver; 3 measures of dragonbone; It takes 1 month to make one of these items.