Note From MoonHunter: I finally found the one piece we have been missing from the Garage Sale from Hell thread this entire time. A magic item that every covert Evil Cultist and Demon worshiper must have... a lucky piece.
Full Item Description
A Lucky Piece or Special Trinket, almost everyone has one.
They are old coins that are not valuable, but said to be lucky or special. They might be tokens from subways, arcades, or fairs. They could even be a minor religious medal. They are things along the order of Bicentennial quarters, Indian Head Nickles, Old Style Loonies, those tokens you always pick up at fairs, or St Roger Medals (novelties). No one would think twice about anyone carrying one of these. Yet they should.
Magic/Cursed Properties
Each of these coins has been enchanted with a tiny clerical enchantment: deflection of detection magics. So while one's soul might be dedicated to The Dark Forces, no one of the clerical persuasion can detect your taint while you carry the coin. Unless the Minion of Evil is actively using Evil Magic or performing an Evil act, then the presence of Evil is too strong for the simple deflection spell.. Each cult has its own 'lucky pieces' that it issues to its members. Without these items, no Evil Cult could survive.
Follow Up and Plots
Now imagine if you innocently have one of these items, picked up at a garage/ estate sale or from your Uncle Walt. Some Evil Cultist type will think you are one of them, and talk to you cryptically (assuming that you already know the score). Some 'Force of Evil' might seek you out, assuming you are one of the'tainted'. Some paranoid paladin, half mad with the realization that EVIL is everywhere sees you have one of the tokens... assumes you are a hidden Evil Cultist... and attacks!!! The comedic and dramatic possibilities are endless. And your poor characters will have no clue.
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Also in
Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.
- Garage Sale from Hell MoonHunter
Bonds
Curated bonds across the Citadel — sign in to bind a bond. Kindred Favors are another thread in the same weave.
Links to this article 1
- Garage Sale from Hell MoonHunter linked by MoonHunter
Use alongside
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I love this! Another good idea for use would be to instead of giving it to one of your PCs would be to gradually introduce THEM to the idea that these tokens are the mark of the evil cult (particularly if you have a 'paranoid paladin' or similar in your group). Then spring a harmless guy who's just picked one up randomly on them. Even better if he's someone in a position of authority who they think they can blackmail or will get in big trouble if they kill.
Alternative: have them travel to a town where one in three people wears one of these trinkets (if it was a saint's medal, perhaps he's the patrol saint of that town). 'Ah,' say the PCs, 'this is clearly the Evil Cult's Headquarters!'.
I must say I am as much against perfect detection magic (i.e. Paladin's detect magic) as I am against the magic that perfectly circumvents it. I believe there should be degrees of difficulties at the very least.
However, with the premise that such detection magic exists, so too should these coins.
Well, I'm not sure about this line...'Without these items, no Evil Cult could survive.' but it's an interesting trinket that can lead to various plothooks as mentioned.