Knot of Nine Feathers

An auspicious number among the faithful of the Wind Runners, nine appears in many myths and sayings, and is a beloved figure of their god Cha Leh the Sky Dancer. Before battle, or other endeavors, a warrior may beseech the god of luck by tying a Knot of Nine Feathers to a piece of his kit. Traditionally crafted from sinew of a creature the warrior has slain himself, and his own hair, binding the eponymous number of tail feathers from a Barred Kestrel falcon.
Tokens from a foe or prey felled by use of a Knot of Nine Feathers can be be burned as part of an offering to the Sky Dancer after a successful encounter. Such offerings collected under the use of a Knot are believed to grant future favor or ward away ill fortune, but the warrior cannot know what form it will take. To attach a Knot of Nine Feathers to a garment or armor may hide its wearer from the gaze of a foe; and to wear it touching his skin around the wrist or ankle will draw the attention of his desired lover.
If the Knot should come apart, or be detached and fall to the ground, it is perceived as a sign that the warrior has taken the wrong course or employed the wrong strategy. If a foe should strike the Knot off it is seen as a sign of ill fortune to come. Should a foe capture a Knot of Nine Feathers from the warrior he becomes laden with a curse of ill fortune, which can be broken by ransoming back the Knot.