Write about a material that is considered sacred or culturally crucial in your world.
Tyrian Cloth
The treasury of any successful king of Mythoversal Hellas will contain, among the piles of gold and freshly minted tripods, a single robe of high-quantity Tyrian-dyed cloth. Whatever you do, you must never wear this robe. To go through the most probable scenarios that have led you to this deadly garment, let's consider who you might be.You're a Thief
Come to steal from the king, have you? You must be fairly good at your craft to have gotten this far. Perhaps you've bribed a guard. Perhaps you've impersonated the royal accountant. Perhaps you've used magic to transform yourself into a reasonable facsimile of the queen (which any decent Follower of Hecate should be able to do). It doesn't matter how. All that matters is that you're here and that you've noticed, surrounded by other treasures, a bright red or purple robe on a rack by itself. Tyrian cloth! The fabric of kings! Only royalty is ever allowed to wear it, under normal circumstances, and it's yours for the taking! So now what? You can't wear it. At least not in public. You can't show it to anyone who might report you to the authorities. You can't sell it, at least not to anyone who isn't already a king. So although this robe is probably the most valuable thing in the room, you'd be better off leaving it behind and stealing the coat hanger instead.You're the Royal Accountant
You've stepped into the vault to take the monthly inventory. One Tyrian-cloth robe? Check! And would anyone notice if you tried the luxurious thing on, just to have the feel of quality for once in your life? Maybe. It's a risk. And if you don't put the garment back exactly the way you found it, odds are good that you'll be on the suspect list for tampering with the royal robes of office. Speaking of which...You're the King or Queen
Congratulations, Sire. It's good to be the king. But as a monarch, you have gotten used to living with a target on your back, because someone's always shooting for number one. There are plenty of stories about poisons that can soak into robes, for use in murders, assassinations, and regicide. And here is the one article of clothing that no one but yourself is ever going to wear, by royal decree. This is the garment that a would-be assassin would tamper with. And so, you're better off avoiding it, or employing the royal garment-tester to check that things are safe. So finally,You're the Royal Garment-Tester
If your kingdom employs a Royal Garment-Tester, you are probably part of an administrative department that includes a Royal Food-Taster, a Royal Bed-Sleeper, and a Royal Toilet Paper Sampler. Your job is especially rough, because refusing to wear the Tyrian-cloth robe could lead to severe punishment, but wearing it is illegal and possibly deadly. No matter what you do, you probably won't last long in your job. Some kings throw away a pair of boots each day, while others throw away a royal food-taster with each wearing of the royal robe.On This Page:
Elsewhere:
Type
Textile
Comments