The Ship of Seven Shores
For the explorer at heart; an item to ease passage through any medium.
Appearance
A small, exquisitely detailed model of a ship cast in platinum, with seven waves emanating from the prow. Each wave is embedded with numerous small pearls of a different color, which begin to gleam with an inner brightness as the other Kings' Items are found and pledged to the cause.
Benefits
This item has the ability to assume seven different forms to aid the user in travel. By itself, it can only become a simple walking stick. It gains the ability to assume one new form for each of the other wondrous items that are dedicated to the same purpose. In order of appearance, its other forms are: raft, long boat, carriage (with tireless horses made of metal), merchant ship, battleship, and air ship. To activate the Ship's power, the bearer must simply run his fingers over the desired wave then place it on the ground or water.
Drawbacks
Like the other Kings' Items, the Ship of Seven Shores will lose most of its power if its bearer ever betrays the purpose to which he was pledged. Additionally, he will begin to suffer all kinds of misfortune during his travels. His horse will stumble into a hidden hole and break its leg; carriers will lose his luggage, and any ship he boards is likely to become lost at sea.
Lore
Chosen by Tristan The Explorer. During his lifetime Tristan roamed far and wide, sending back charts and maps to expand his kingdom's knowledge of the world. Pharius The Diplomat often accompanied him on these missions, and the two successfully negotiated many new trade contracts which filled the coffers of the Kingdom of Adelheid. Tristan was the first of the brothers to perish, far away from home on a reconnaissance mission. What happened to the ship after that is unknown.
Twist
The forms of the Ship grow ever more elegant and beautiful, corresponding to the number of Kings' Items found in friendly hands. The raft may still be a raft, but its appearance goes from being a lowly fisherman’s vessel to a piece of pure artistry, with beautiful carving and many different types of wood.
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? Responses (6)
I want to have that item in rl.
This seems like it should be an epic item, a kingly artifact to be spoken of in whispers in future generations. I like it's potential, a seemingly innocent item, that with a band of willing warriors and a touch of fealty becomes a powerful warship, or an airship to command the skies.
Seems hugely powerful. Is there a limit to the transformations? Why would they ever ride a regular horse or charter a boat when they have it? An air ship?
A lovely laxative item, it keeps the players on track and keeps em moving. I agree with Scas and strolen, super powerful and somewhat displaced from archetypal settings...airship, but still like cheka my inner dork wants one. Thanks for writing this up.
I intended all of these items to grow in power as the players gained experience. In order to get the air ship, the party would be first forced to quest all over the world, retrieving six OTHER major artifacts of power.
The air ship would only be something you'd see close to the end of a campaign, and would be lost the minute one of the items is lost or if one of the party betrays their common purpose. By then, the PCs would probably be as powerful as kings, so why not give them an airship?
Reading over this, I also realized that the twist was probably pretty confusing. What I meant was this: if the party has gathered two items (including this one), the ship can become a plan-looking raft. If three, the bearer can *still* use the raft form, but the raft will look nicer and perhaps function better than it did before.
Thanks for the feedback -- I should have revisited this one awhile ago!
