Nightstain Pendant

Written by World Smithy

A Story From the Compendium

"Before the events of The Empyrean Schism tore the continent of Vasara apart, the Archfey known as Dirrus was making his rounds in the material plane. Before the madness, he was known as The Clouded Monarch, the one who controlled weather, clouds, and such. Oh, how he wished he could return to the Fey to frollick amongst the sun-dappled linings of the clouds above. Had the Creators not torn that from him, he would still be among his subjects! Yes, of course... subjects - he needed new subjects in this new realm. If he has new subjects, he would need a new name, yes, its all coming together! From henceforth, Dirrus the Cloud Monarch was dead; there is only The Frayed Sovereign now."

Mark of the Proud and Faithful

The disillusioned, the prideful, the arrogant, and the dreamers are often found amongst the ranks of the Nightstain, a cult devoted to The Frayed Sovereign. These individuals have developed a way to pick their members out of a crowd through the use of the Nightstain Pendant. This necklace is comprised of a simple silver chain that hosts an ornate pendant, inset with an oblong and polished emerald that seems to have dark streaks running through it - typically horizontally.

History

Dirrus, originally The Clouded Monarch, is an Archfey that was visiting the Material Plane during the events of The Empyrean Schism. The last known portals and rifts leading back to the Feywild were destroyed or permanently closed during the years in which The Lightfall Cataclysm occurred. This left the powerful fey being trapped without anyway back to where his powerbase was. Over the centuries, not even planar beings such as Dirrus were immune to the corrupting properties of The Gloom - the Archfey began to spiral into madness.

In the early days of the new Frayed Sovereign, those he was able to coerce, coax, or tempt to fall under his banner needed some way to differentiate themselves from the common masses. At first, the bold decided it was burlap scarves that were dyed a dark green, as they were cheap and easy to manufacture, that would distinguish them. This scarf would undergo several iterations through the centuries until the 7^th century AL (After Lightfall). It was around this time that the Elysian Bastions had stablized their populations, food issues, and a host of other problems - which allowed the faithful to progress past mere cloth. Those with coin would go on to commission pendants made of silver that hosted polished emeralds, while the poorer of the faithful would turn to cheap string tied around a smooth stone painted green. The rest, as they say, is history.

Significance

Those that wear these pendants, at least the more modern ones that are touched by the Sovereign himself, are known to The Frayed Sovereign. Cultists are easily able to distinguish who is a member visually without much hassle. Many public officials have been known to proudly wear such a pendant, but the general masses don't know any better.

Depicted above is an amulet that The Frayed Sovereign bestows to those that are loyal to him and his nebulous cause.

Item type

Jewelry / Valuable

Creation Date

154 After Lightfall

Owning Organization

Nightstain

Rarity

Very Rare

Weight

4 to 8 ounces on average.

Dimensions

Variable

Base Price

~120 gold pieces

Raw materials & Components

The modern versions of the Nightstain Pendants are made of cut and polished emeralds that have been left in The Gloom for an unknown period of time. These Gloom-Touched gems are brought back and inset into a silver pendant that is typically embellished in ornamentation about the edges.