Lantern and Dagger

Should you need shelter, a building marked with the Lantern and Dagger is one of your best bets. Only a fool would do violence in such a building. Fastest way to learn that Karma is a bitch
— Jasper Cameron, Leader of The Bonze Ravens
  Few symbols as as recognized across cultures and regions as the Lantern and Dagger. Those from other planes do find it a bit odd that a dagger features prominently on a symbol universally recognized as a sign for "safety." There are few other places where one is guaranteed to be safe from violence, as the laws of hospitality hold as much sway in buildings marked such as they do in the Fae realm, with consequences much more dire for those that violate them.   Tom Berry is largely responsible, at least by reputation, for the spread of the symbol. After all, it is just about the only things Tom carries besides the clothes on his back. Most often The Lantern and Dagger is marked on taverns, but other buildings have been known to be marked with it as well. All of them are places where one can find safety. Largely because those who run such establishments are capable of protecting them from many threats. Hell's Half-Acre has a dagger welded above the lantern to the left of the door, marking it as a safe haven.
Similarly, in Ironstead, The Dark Knight has daggers hanging below both lanters outside the door. Its owner, Bruce Conroy, not only runs the tavern but also funds the local orphanages with the wealth he gathered during his adventuring years. The last group of adventurers who tried to start trouble there... well, they survived at least. Mr. Conroy is said to have a plan for nearly every eventuality, and the skills to put those plans into action.   There are several other places throughout the world known to bear the Lantern and Dagger. All of them are a safe haven. After all, who would dare invoke the wrath of karma.

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!
Aug 12, 2024 21:30 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

I love this as a symbol for safety. Lantern is kind of standard with the whole light/warmth symbolism, but I love the addition of a dagger as kind of a warning.

Aug 21, 2024 10:47

Well, the whole thing does originate with Tom Berry, who, in addition to being a character I played in a past campaign, is a thinly veiled reference to one of my favorite video game monsters.

Check out some of my summer camp articles, like the dangerous flying jackalope or dragon wasps. Or, for something more light-hearted, there is the whimsical language Gobbledygook and Jaden's interesting job as a guano polisher.