Mirrors of Dread
Appearance
The Mirrors of Dread are a twin set of magical mirrors that are nearly identical in looks. The mirrored glass is set into ebony wood. The only difference is in the Infernal runes that have been intricately carved into the wood, marking them Master and Thrall Mirror. The Runes have been carved in such a way that only those familiar with the Infernal script can recognize them as such.Effect
Master Mirror
The Master Mirror can be used to spy on the holder of the Thrall Mirror. Once a day, the Scrying spell can be cast through the Master Mirror without expending a spell slot or materials. Even those not versed in magic can use the Master Mirror this way. The holder of the Thrall Mirror has to succeed a Wisdom saving throw with a base DC of 15.Thrall Mirror
Sometimes, when looking into a mirror, people have a skewed perception of themselves. Some see themselves as flawless, when they are, in fact, flawed. Others yet tend to see flaws that are not really there. When looking into the Thrall Mirror, the user needs to succeed a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the viewer sees their reflection as they would in an ordinary mirror and is immune to the effects of the Mirror of Dread for 24 hours. On a failed save, they will be shown a reflection depicting all the viewer's worst fears come true, a depiction of what they think of as their ugliest. Those vain about their youthful appearance, for example, may see themselves as old and withered. But all they remember after looking at the mirror is a sense of unease and dread, along with a frantic compulsion to check the reflection in the mirror again and again. Additionally, the viewer will not be able to see their reclection in regular mirrors while suffering from this compulsion. Unless a DC 18 Wisdom saving is succeeded, they will feel compelled to look at the Mirror every time they wake up, in the hopes that this time, the reflection shows something different. Even if the following Charisma saving throw is successful, the compulsion can only be broken by succeeding the Wisdom saving throw. For every three days the holder is under the Thrall Mirror's influence, they receive a -1 modifier to the Wisdom saving throw against the Scrying effect. Additionally, they will suffer one point of Exhaustion that cannot be recovered until the influence is broken.History
The Mirrors of Dread are one of the darker legacies from the earlier years of the Age of Discovery. The Mirrors were created by an older noblewoman envious of the beauty and youth of her chambermaid. The noblewoman gifted the Thrall Mirror to the chambermaid under the guise of gratefulness for services well rendered.
TW: self-harm, suicide, maggots
After this unusual death, a formal investigation was opened. It ended with the prosecution of the noblewoman, who stripped of her titles and riches. Due to the gross misuse of her magical powers, it was decided the punishment should be particularly severe. Thus the noblewoman had her magical capapilities torn out, a punishment that was rarely ever employed due to its torturous nature. The Mirrors were confiscated and kept deep underground in a vault, made specifically to contain dangerous magical artifacts.
The next couple of months, this incident was the thing everybody talked about, from noblemen to simple workers.
The Thrall Mirror was in the possession of the chambermaid for 15 days, during which her mental and physical health rapidly deteriorated. No longer could she sleep, plagued by nightmares and visions of her maggot-infested flesh decaying before her own eyes.
A tenday in, the chambermaid had infected scratches all over her body, having flayed some of her own skin in an attempt to get rid of the crawling sensation that now haunted her every waking moment. On the dawn of the 15th day, she finally broke and gouged out her own eyes, dying from the shock as a result.
Written for Spooktober 2022
Prompt 09: Mirror
Prompt 09: Mirror
Item type
Magical
Creation Date
The Age of Discovery
Icehail 18, 227
Icehail 18, 227
Current Location
Rarity
Twin set of mirrors
Weight
1 lbs
Dimensions
H: 16 inches
Mirror: 6 x 5 inches
Mirror: 6 x 5 inches
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