Idoic Bells
Cofee today is as good as usual. It's a great thing that I decided to stop by the café before having to risk my life capturing dangerous criminals. It has been 3 or 4 months and it has been an endless source of adrenaline and joy. I mean, never before I had dealt with a guy wielding 4 swords at once, some people are incredibly ridicule and edgy. To be fair the guild life has been treating me really well.Lora took her beverage as the sun hit the top of the parasols in the small terrace she occupied. The people of the town went about their lives with frenetic rhythm, as the first shops of the morning opened their doors and set their awnings. Lora saw a man, coming down the street, clearly a fellow member of the guild who had no idea of what "secrecy" means. As he traversed through the tables, the figure stopped next to her table, leaving a small package, then fading into the distance. Surely it was today's assignment, thought Lora.
And it was an Idoic Bell, but the relief was rather simplistic, it only showed a single black sock. Lora felt her neck contract as she was looking for air. When she was 4, she lost a single sock of her favorite pair. Her mother consoled her by turning the other one into a puppet and it became her favorite toy. She couldn't possibly fathom how they knew it. She had to hide, she had to run.
As many organizations don't necessarily agree with the grander and unlocalized agenda of the Coalition, it's usual for these kinds of enterprises to work in an undercover fashion, approaching their agents with coded messages and symbols. Such is the case for the Idoic Bell, used all over Cerenau (mainly in Zan Drakia) to convey simple and effective messages of great relevance in a dedicated manner.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
It's a normal bell, so its main functionality is to produce sound as the mobile clapper in its interior collides with the inside walls, creating soundwaves through the collision of both elements.
Manufacturing process
As with a normal bell, the measurements are attuned to the tone desired by the client. The materials for the base layer and the clapper are then melted and poured into the proper molds, forged, and attached for it to be ready to be used. The process for it to become an Idoic bell requires engraving or adding additional layers of metal on the surface and the clapper to properly represent the message, aside from other decorative methods like coloring.
Significance
There are two sides to the significance of an Idoic Bells. The first one is the artistic part, as some of the most somber and heartfelt bells are engraved with care and very accurate depictions of the message that's being represented.
However, the second one is the most important, the message. It's composed of the symbol used and the centerpiece and the color of the engravings. Here are some of the better-known combinations:
- A yellow sickle or farmer is a sign of acceptance. The person has been chosen to enter the organization, to receive a raise, or to do a specific mission.
- A light gust of wind or zephyr warrior is a sign for the receiver to follow the messenger, as they have information to be delivered in a safe place.
- An animal motif in cold colors is an announcement for communion. The people of the organization are meeting, there's an upcoming reunion.
- A red instrument or musician figure is a declaration for a Zera, a bet between two individuals that has to end with the death of one of them.
- A black bell or a familiar representation of a piece of clothing is a declaration of death. The person has been chosen by the organization to be executed, expelled, or sacrificed.
If the color is wrong, this usually means that the person does not know the proper etiquette for using an Idoic Bell or they intentionally messed up the color scheme as a sign of disrespect for the affected.
Item type
Musical Instrument
Rarity
While the Idoic Bells themselves are not weird to find, especially since each message takes a whole bell to be transmitted and some of them are regarded as works of art and, as such, kept in collections and expositions, those who make use of them as symbols usually belong to organizations that prefer to stay in the shadows, such as criminal organizations and undercover associations with personal agendas.
Weight
1kg + (Depends on the artistry of the bell)
Dimensions
15cm X 15cm X 25cm (usually)
Base Price
15sp+ (Depends on the artistry of the bell)
Raw materials & Components
Idoic Bells are normally composed of bright light metals, such as bronze and copper, which are abundant in Cerenau.
Tools
Either forging tools or tools utilized to bend metal into shapes. Any skilled metalworker could make an Idoic bell with accessible tools.
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