Almery of Silence

Description

An almery is a decorated box, generally used for holding either ceremonial tools or consumables such as oil or liao. As with other reliquaries, while an almery of purity usually takes the form of a container, it might be infused into any object that has spiritual significance to the sect to which it belongs. Unlike many reliquaries, an Almery of Silence is rarely placed on public display. It is more likely to be concealed or kept in a secure location than it is to be placed on the altar of a consecrated shrine.

While this reliquary is bonded to a sect, it conceals the auras of all members from the insight ceremony. Even true liao cannot garner any information about the aura of a person who is part of a sect with an Almery of SIlence. Unlike more spiritually dangerous items such as a Shackle of the Unvirtuous, or poisons like the Shadowcrow Infusion it does so without impeding the sect members' ability to perform liao ceremonies. They have been popular in the Empire among sects dedicated to Vigilance against the enemies of the Empire, and with sects that engage in missionary work to foreign nations where they might encounter someone capable of wielding the insight ceremony or something similar.

The Almery of Silence has never been a popular item. It is expensive compared to a Wayfarer's Pyx or Litany of the Labyrinth and the benefits it provides of questionable value to anyone other than a sect of heretics. Yet there are always a few sects who value protection from the prying eyes of other priests.

The history of the Almery of Silence is a turbulent one. Several times during the history of the Empire it has been declared a criminal offence to create, own, or use this reliquary. Both Emperor Nicovar and Emperor Ahraz supported bans on the use of this item, albeit for different reasons. Surprisingly, however, the item began to see its first widespread use in the reign of Empress Teleri, primarily in the hands of sects with an emphasis on missionary work among the Faraden and the Jarmish - something that is sometimes pointed out when the thorny discussion of its use comes up in the Imperial Synod. Currently it is not illegal to own or use an Almery of Silence in the Empire.

This item is certainly known among the priests of Faraden, and according to travelers and missionaries, an item with very similar effects is known in Axos - indeed there is some circumstantial evidence to suggest the item may have originated in that eastern nation. It is, perhaps unsurprisingly, completely illegal in the Sumaah Republic.

Rules

• Form: Reliquary. Takes the form of a ceremonial reliquary.
• Effect: The aura of every member of the sect is concealed from the insight ceremony. A character responding to a quick insight must respond "my aura is concealed" and provide no other information.
• Roleplaying Effect: You feel an urge to follow the teachings of your sect regardless of consequence.
• Materials: Crafting an Almery of Silence requires five ingots of orichalcum, seven ingots of tempest jade, seven measures of beggar's lye, and eleven measures of dragonbone. It takes one month to make one of these items.