A natural stone with a hole in the center and gift from the earth to the lucky finder.
Holey Stones are a lucky find. One may not 'look' for them as they only seem to appear when one is not looking. They can be anywhere, though most often along the shores of lakes,streams or other water places.
They have the property of allowing the owner to look through the hole in the center and know the animal nature of the person they are seeing. A viewed person will show his or her true nature, ie weasel,cow,bear,deer, rabbit. Also, Holey Stones will help to ground the owner in uncertain circumstances and a quick viewing through the center will show if the owner is in the presence of magical glamour or illusions.
The Stone will eventually be lost, they never stay with one owner forever. One day the owner will find the chain or thong broken and the stone has disappeared.
Magical Properties:
Looking through the hole, one can know the animal nature of one's associates and also discern whether one is in the prescence of magical illusion or glamours. (As opposed to being eaten by a more solid apparition or spell.)
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When blessed and tied with an iron nail at the center, the stone can det…
When blessed and tied with an iron nail at the center, the stone can detect the presence of fey creatures and fairy paths, as well as shapechangers such as lycanthropes.
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Well...
...but what is the value of 'knowing the animal nature' of someone? Is that the 'stereotyped' view of animals, so a snake-like nature means the person is treacherous? Or is it for a world rich with spirits, where it reveals ones totem animal?
It needs more detail.
I agree with manfred, but I also very much like the idea of the item disappearing again as if it had it's own will.
Good question Manfred, I thought of it as I wrote it,(would it be interpreted in a stereotypical fashion) it would depend on the 'person's' mindset I guess and how they felt about animals also. Your comment though gave it a nicely flexible twist, the idea that it would reveal another person's totem animal and slightly expanding on the 'world rich with spirits' it could even be helpful if for instance someone is plagued with a mysterious ailment that causes severe personality changes..could diagnose by seeing the person is being oppressed or possessed by an inimical spirit.
Thank you both for the commentary..*smiles*
The original post makes no mention of now these stones get the way they are. Belby's post is perfectly possible since there is no mention of manufacture or enchanting in the original post. In fact you find them. They are really common items to have such useful common magics and stat bonuses.
As for these Holey Stones - I actually like this quite a lot
I tend to prefer worlds with a strong spiritual or mythical basis, since mythology helps to explain and define the powers and limitations of magic. These fit very nicely into this kind of setting.
Actually a do seem to vaguely recall something like this in a fantasy novel (I think by Tad Williams but I can't quite remember) being described as Fairy Stones or Luck Stones (or something like that). This however does not in the least detract from the idea.
Nice atmospheric feel - good solid post - 5/5
I think this is a superb concept that could be a wonderful low level common magic item if detailed correctly. It could be a very powerful item to have in a place where illusion and misdirection are common place. Perhaps a city has aquired enough of these to use at the gates of the city to stop the rise of smugglers? A thought.
I like the idea-it could stop smugglers ect as Mourn said.
I really wish our barbarians would log in. They have added a lot to the thread and I think they could be helpful for other submissions.
Okay, don't know why, but this item and replies intrigued me to the point of looking hard for something, specifically Doreen Valiente's ABC of Witchcraft (which is awesome, highly recommended, if only for gaming ideas.)
Holed stones, sometimes called Holey Stones or Hag Stones (see below), seen as a feminine symbol/birth portal, so representing life and good luck. Called Hag stones because they are reputed to protect against witch's spells. A holed stone hung at the head of a bed wards off the Night Mare, that is, a witch or hag sitting on the stomach of the afflicted (insert your succubus/incubus/astrally attacking witch/changeling, what have you, awesome beginnings). Also supposed to prevent witches from riding horses, which is why these stones were often tied to a stable key. Looking through it can reveal fairies under certain conditions (I'm guessing dawn, dusk, on a threshold, at the water's edge, on certain holy days and/or places, and other liminal borders and places.) As mentioned above, finding a holed stone reveals the favor of Diana (or some other goddess in your setting) and that one should pick it up and thank the spirit that led to it (perhaps facing some foul consequence for not doing it.)
So, yeah, a whole pile of plot hooks and sympathies. Hope that helps.
This is another nifty little detail. One could easily have any _naturally_ occurring holey stone have some power over the supernatural in your world, especially given how powerful these types of beings can be compared to a common person. The same way silver is bane to werewolves, and running water is to vampires, a holey stone helps peel back the veil spirits and their like use to hide from humans.