The Ring Of The Damned

"The common folk often consider myths as little more than stories, tales of the atypical, fables of fiction. But some myths take on a life of their own, developing beyond the scope of mere fictitious accounts of past events. What then elevates these select few? What does a myth need to become a credible historical account, the kind many religions too depend on? The answer; relics, my boy. Tangible pieces of that past, such as this."

— King Thurmond I of Wearyn to his son, holding out a ring of The Damned

The Gemstones of The Damned

The Culling is a period of time full of rumours and stories among the peoples of Achareon, many of which are strictly localized. There's one in particular however, which has spanned many regions and kingdoms and prevails to this day; the myth of The Damned. Some variations exist as to the composition of the group; some claiming they were a bunch of vampires, some saying they were nothing but a group of monsters with a few screws too loose. What is understood and commonly accepted, however, is that they were able to move about incredibly effortlessly even during The Culling and wandered the land, slaying monsters for coin. Assuming they weren't actually monsters themselves, it then begs the question; how were they able to manuever the land with such ease, without getting overwhelmed and slain by the dangers at large? There are those who claim it was just dumb luck, and others who say they were in fact in charge of the monsters themselves. However the most common explanation boils down to their equipment, and certain gemstones carried by the group, affixed to various pieces of their gear. Gemstones, which seemed to act as a form of deterrent or warding against the monsters, although far grander ideas have been suggested over the years.

The Ring of The Damned

Many have claimed to have found one of these items, these gearpieces which used to belong to The Damned, with the gemstones still affixed to them, but most have been proven to be forgeries or simply honest cases of mistaken identity. But one such item has passed the scrutiny of jewelers, mages and historians alike; The Ring Of The Damned, passed down from King Thurmond I to his son, King Thurmond II, and all the way down to the current occupant of the Wearyn throne. How the True King came to possess such an item is anybody's guess, but the most popular telling of the tale is he once saved the life of a female drow who gave the ring to him as payment and show of gratitude.

Significance

The significance of the ring depends on the person evaluating it, but as a tangiable piece supporting the myth it supposedly stems from it has served the role of a key piece of evidence for the existence of The Damned for hundreds of years. This has of course led to several investigations to the group, their last or current whereabouts and the collection of partially contradictory accounts of their deeds throughout the realm during The Culling. Furthermore, the accounts of their actions are difficult to date accurately as many of them have been passed down word of mouth. The general consensus among scholars is that the last confirmed sighting of the group happened very shortly after the dawn of Anno Minerva, around the region of Crone's Crossing. After these accounts the group seemingly vanished with their famed artifacts, until Thurmond's fateful encounter with the female drow. Whether that female was a living, surviving member of The Damned, or simply someone who came to possess the ring via other means, is a matter of great scholarly debate. What has been widely accepted however is that it's solid proof that the group existed.

Also, in terms of significance, the ring did — according to the eye witness accounts passed on through generations — provide The Damned with protection and rumored long life, but such magical capabilities seem to have vanished from it ever since. Whether exhausted or simply refusing to activate, the experts of The Institute did confirm it at least once possessed a magical enchantment; of what kind, they can't say. As it is now, it's simply a priceless piece of dark history, rather than a tool, and as such serves no additional function.

Base Price Priceless
Raw materials & Components

The ring itself is a made of a strange mineral that isn't recognized by the smith's of the realm. The surface has been smoothened and the ring is very light to handle, the material looks to the naked eye as if made of dark, almost black, rock or stone, but it's considerably more durable than even steel. When light is shone on it, you can see small dark blue crystal-like flakes reflecting it back. A blood-red gemstone sits tight as the head of the ring in a gallery partially carved into the stone itself.

Rarity

It's generally understood that the gemstones of The Damned are as numerous as was the size of the group; commonly believed to number seven individuals. Being one of but seven unique pieces of jewelry makes it a priceless collectable in and of itself, but in addition it being the only one ever recovered only serves to increase its value and rarity, further aided by the rumoured history and supposed magical properties behind it. As such, it is one of the most highly guarded royal artifacts in the realm, and coveted by more than a handful of private collectors.