Horror World Items
Terrors lurk in the shadows and death is behind all but a few doors. But then… hasn’t that always been the case?
Art by Garret Lewis
“As one’s eyes see their end approaching, terror and pain allow a new kind of sight to be granted. You shall peer through the veil between realities and see things as they truly are. The dead are all around us; one must only know how to look.“
Dead Seer’s Mask
If one listens closely to the screams of the seers as they echo across the fens, it’s said that the words of the souls that still linger on our plane can be heard intermingling with them. It’s difficult to determine how effective this practice truly is, as many assigned to wear the Mask will say just about anything to get it off sooner, and if the dead are speaking through them, their warnings are vague at best. On the other hand, blood loss can lead to any number of hallucinatory ramblings…
“Fresh from the dark seas beyond the edges of comprehension, gifted to our world by those who would have us understand our true place in an unfeeling universe. Take it into yourself and Know.“
Old One’s Vigor
These strange, oversized syringes can be found scattered throughout the seaside laboratory of Aya’s Rest. It’s unclear what effects the ungodly ichors squeezed from these still-flailing tendrils actually have on the human body, but at the very least it seems to soothe the mind and seal lesser wounds. The strange colors creeping into the edges of your vision will fade with time.
“Nobody knows where it came from. Nobody knows what it does. It gives me a weird tingling up my spine when I look into its eye, but I’m sure it’s fine. The folks I took it from are long-since dead. Nobody’s tracking me down to get it back or anything!“
Cyclopean Rod
An odd, inhuman skull mounted on a wooden rod. An amber ‘eye’ floats in the center of the singular socket and casts a faint glow onto anything in front of it. Passing this light over ancient surfaces can sometimes reveal text left by previous holders of the rod, but simply holding it in your hands gives you the strangest feeling of being watched.
“He accepted the ring from his bride-to-be with tears in his eyes and love in his heart. As she caressed his hand, her fingers brushed across the slightly gaudy jewel mounted atop it. Shooting pain lanced into his finger and up his arm. He panicked, but she murmured soft comforts to him, raising his hand to her face. Her eyes seemed almost to glow the same color as the gem. He found himself lost in them, even now that blood flowed freely from beneath the band.“
Thirsting Band
A golden wedding band with an odd, steel cap on top that appears to be holding a blood-red gem in place. When the gem is depressed, hollow teeth shoot out of the inner surface of the ring, piercing the flesh and digging into the marrow of the finger-bone. Despite being found on a desiccated corpse, the ring itself appears to be in pristine condition.