7 More Cursed Gems
Not all fine gemstones are good to own. Here are seven doomed to bring their owners nothing but ill health, bad luck, misery and death.
1-Abyssian Pearl
In front of the safe of the Jeweller's Guild of Pier Point town, within Vallermoore is a large, magnificent pearl the size of two fists upon a velvet cushion. Seemingly a tempting target for robbers, the pearl is in fact a deadly booby trap from the deep sea. It is meant to target those who would cut stolen jewellery to make it unrecognisable. When it is cut it explodes violently, killing, maiming or blinding the cutter.
2-Arm Ring of Poverty
In the town of De Maddenville there is a particularly unpleasant police captain who dislikes in maltreating beggars and the weak and confiscating what little they have. Unknown to most people, the beggars have a guild of their own, and they put a single kohol, the demonic gem of poverty, into a leather arm ring and arranged for him to find and confiscate it. Within a few years, under it's malign influence the captain will have lost his job and everything else and will be clad in rags and living on the streets.
3-Ring of Lust
At the marriage of Khan Leofwine, the ruler of the Xongo Orcs, and the Orc Princess Helen of Grond, the Princess had a secret enemy in her tribe who presented her with a beautiful emerald ring as a wedding gift. Unknown to her, the stone is a zomorrod, a demonic gem of lust. Sooner or later it's effects will push Helen into adultery with the handsome (from the point of view of female Orcs) Orc warrior-courtiers and when this is uncovered, she will lose her head for High Treason.
4-Black Diamond of Mourning
When Princess Chrysta committed suicide, a courtier presented the heartbroken Queen with several gifts-a painting of her lost daughter, a servant who was a jester of renown, and a carved jet amulet. Instead of jet, the stone is a Black Diamond and whilst she wears it, she will never truly get over her loss except when a replacement girl who looks and acts like her original daughter is with her. One of the courtier's cousins had earlier been blinded for treason, and this was his revenge.
5-Agnoscite Amulet
Seemingly made of ivory, this charm of Agnoscite was given not long ago, supposingly as a gift and a symbol of friendship, but in fact out of spite, from the Grand Master of the Worshippers of Jove to the High Mistress of Ulmania. The cursed amulet prevents the High Mistress from using any of her clerical spells or powers, such as healing the sick once a year or her prayers reaching her goddess, and soon her Cardinalesses are likely to demand that she steps down, as it will seem that her Goddess is angry with her.
6-Methustine Coronet
Since this beautiful Coronet was presented to the Queens of Vallermoore and handed down from Queen to Queen at her coronation, none have lived very long. One died of alcoholism, a second of food poisoning, a third from an infected mosquito bite. What is thought to be dark purple amethyst is in fact the hell stone Methustine. A grand chancellor made a deal with a demon for the stones and had them set in gold in a coronet light enough to wear it for long periods of time. He has used the early death of the monarchs to gain a lot of power behind the throne but when he dies, he will surely be hell bound.
7-Xerle Dagger
This was forged with great care by The Children of Ma-0 and then given as a birthday gift by a member of the cult who moved in high places to the youngest Rear Admiral of the De Madden Company's fleet, who unlike most people of that rank was only in his mid forties and had risen in the Company so fast partly due to his considerable naval skills and partly due to knowing the right person. Under the influence of the malevolent xerle gemstone in the ring he has become greedy for power and aggressive and has poisoned an elderly Vice Admiral to gain promotion. Because the elderly man was in his eighties, the death was assumed to be naturel and being a member of the Jovian religion, the body was cremated on a pyre destroying the evidence for good.
He now has his beady eye on the highest office of the land, the Shogunate, and if he is able to take it will lead the Company into all out war with the Kraken States, something which the Children of Ma-O look forward to.
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? Responses (2)
Suggestion: re-design the Agnoscite, as it offers little new beyond what's in the original sub. Also, many of them fit the pattern of the Danaan gift, and I'd re-design them a little, because the people gifted with the cursed item (high priestess, queen, ...) are quite possibly not stupid, and would see the pattern (5/7 items follow the 'malicious cursed gift' trope, btw.).
I personally find it far more amusing when a character's flaw causes them to obtain a cursed item, too (e.g., nr. 2).
I like the booby trap. I like the Ring of Poverty.
What about items that became cursed accidentally?
Added my Gems of the Underworld sub in the suggested links, since you borrowed several of them without linking back. Overall a nice submission.