Curious Item Club: Cinderheart Seal
Added 2015-05-23 19:46:12 +0000 UTCIn those realms where wanderers are expected to operate within a structure of laws, it is not uncommon to find guilds sealed to royal patents or the like responsible for their charge. Nor, with members of such potent powers, is it unusual for such guilds to exceed the intentions of their original mandate. And, of course, it is not unusual to find such guilds offering strange and wondrous services to the benefit of their protected members. Among these guilds, it is not uncommon to find the use of cinderheart seals. Cinderheart trees are often mistaken for beech trees, although their bark is much darker (usually a chocolate brown or a sepulchral charcoal color). The wood of a cinderheart tree is the color of pale ash and is totally resistant to fire. Cinderheart seals, after being carved from this remarkable wood, are ensorcelled so that their carriers can summon their guilds to retrieve them during times of trouble. The more primitive of such seals are simply beacons, requiring the mounting of an additional expedition to provide succor. Others can serve as the focus for either scrying or direct teleportation, allowing for a more timely response. Some guilds (or similar organizations) are also known to simply sell “cinderheart rights”, guaranteeing rescue (or a fair refund) if their seal is activated. The history and use of cinderheart seals dates back at least several centuries. It is not strictly unusual to find ancient seals lost in the deep places, although the activation of such seals can often summon the unexpected and the dangerous. (This material is covered by the OGL. See attached PDF.)
