Poseidon's Trident
There it stood. The Trident. It was gleaming gold even in the dark of the underground, casting an ominous shadow with three, pointed fingers crawling across the stone of the cavern, looking as though it could skewer a man in two. [...]The ruby set in the heart of the Trident flashed with a blinding light, forcing Peter to clamp shut his burning eyes as the Warlock's chants corkscrewed into his ears.
Significance
The Trident is of great cultural significance for both the Sirens and the Merfolk. Both species believe that Poseidon sent the Trident to them thousands of years ago, in order to protect the Artefact from those who wished to use it for destruction. In return for this service, they claim, Poseidon erected a field of Divine magic around Abytin, the city that lies directly on the boundaries between the Sirens' and Merfolks' territories. The Trident's place at the boundaries represents the hard-won peace between the two peoples.
A Vision From Above
It is a belief of the Merpeople that the Trident can gift a lucky few with a glimpse of the future or the past. Not just anyone can receive such a vision, however. It takes great mental discipline and mastery of one's magic to activate any of the Trident's stones and withstand the Divine magic which the active Trident gives out. Few Merpeople, and fewer upworlders, have managed the challenge. Still, attempting to receive a vision from Poseidon is right of passage for young Mer Clerics and Paladins.
Conflict!
The rightful owner of the Trident is still a hotly debated topic. The Merpeople previously fought a long and hard civil war over who it belonged to and where it should preside, ultimately resulting in the territories being redrawn and the Artefact being placed in a statue within Abytin, locked in place by layers upon layers of magic. Though the Merpeople have been at peace for centuries, everyone knows that the Trident going missing would bring another civil war down on their heads...
Item type
Unique Artifact
Dimensions
2m tall
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