Quiet Word
Description
These rods are usually made from a length of rigid metal heavily treated with ambergelt. Their decoration frequently features spiders and snakes, creatures which use paralysing venom upon their prey. Some artisans with a taste for the exotic depict Jaculi on these rods. As these beasts are not native to the empire, the accuracy of some of these depictions has been called into question.
The use of these rods on the battlefield is obvious. Various nations use common names for these rods to reference the fact that the paralysis spell allows both the caster and the target to speak - for example in the Brass Coast they one might be called a Hakima's Argument. In Varushka they are often called Volhov's Remark while in Urizen and Highguard they are often called Wizards' Warning. All these names are based around the idea that a use for these rods is to render a target unable to move away from the magician for a short time, which the magician uses to give the target a piece of their mind. This usage seems to appeal particularly to drunken magicians - taking this rod to a tavern is seen as intending to start a fight.
Ironically these implements are popular with both muggers and law enforcement as a means of restraining their targets while their comrades close in. The benefit is greater to the thief-takers, as they seldom care about the noise their targets might make, whereas robbers find their victim’s ability to scream highly inconvenient.
Rules
- Form: Weapon. Takes the form of a rod. You must be wielding this implement to use its magical properties.
- Requirement: You must have the magician skill to bond to this item.
- Effect: Once per day you can cast the paralysis spell as if you knew it and without spending any mana.
- Materials: Crafting a quiet word requires eight measures of amberbelt. It takes one month to make one of these items.