The Mask of Sebak

Full Item Description
This is a large, heavy mask of Ahursian make, made with tarnished gold and lapiz-lazuli, as well as ivory. It has the appearance of a great crocodile head, and requires a harness to wear properly (i.e., without falling over). The teeth, such as they are, are made of real crocodile teeth, but many of these are missing. The one remaining eye is a ruby. Many of the slats of lapiz and ivory have been pried out at some time.

Legends attribute many abilities to the Mask, or make reference to using the Mask as focus for spells or as a component for spells. Most of these references are old.

The Mask has no magic. It was originally a relic of an obscure Ahursian cult called the Children of Sebak, who worshipped a crocodile god. The Children of Sebak were destroyed in the Ahursian War of Priests, in which cult slaughtered cult, and their holiest item, the Mask of Sebak, was stolen by marauding Gedrosi. It disappeared for 200 years.

It reappeared in the hands of the Gedrosi chieftan Monster-of-Gaddi, who wore it as his battle garb. Monster-of-Gaddi was slain on the borders of Parsis, however, and the Mask was taken to the Parsi capitol, Suza, where it mouldered among the Parsi Emperor's other countless treasures for 20 years.

It was sent as a gift to the King of Braza-Jaha in Izada, who, likewise, sent it as a gift to the King of Mysia. The Mask was then lost in the palace fire in the Mysian capitol of Hartacon.

History
In its current state, in the belongings of a former evil mastermind, the Mask is slightly smoke-stained, and needs a good cleaning and polishing. If properly cleaned, it would be incredibly valuable, despite missing jewels and overall poor condition.