Ideas for an amulet

[RavenSinger]

I've been turning over and over in my mind what to do with this little plot hook I've planted, and I can't come up with anything I really like. Maybe someone out there may have something.

Essentially it's the old "character finds out his parents are not really his parents, and has left him a cool amulet" plot. It's an oldie, but it's a goodie.

Anyway, this particular amulet is a disk about 4" across. It looks like a disk made of mother-of-pearl. However, the character--at this point a level 3 fighter--can see a set of equilateral triangles in the amulet that no one else can see. The first triangle is as large as the amulet can accomodate, and they get smaller and smaller as far as he see.

All he knows about the amulet he got from an older druid who said he really didn't know what it could be. He suggested some kind of magical travel, and had he said it could be part of an organization called The Order of the Red Triangle. However, he was told that these were guesses, and that he should probably ask a wizard if he knew one.

That's it. My ideas of travel and the mysterious Order of the Red Triangle at this point can be real or red herrings. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
RavenSinger

 

[KnowTheToe]

Triangles got me to thinking triangulation and navigation. The Amulet migh have been created as the key to something. It could belong to a group of guardians that kept secret some lost city, technology, magic item or whatever. The group could be looking for this locator that has been missing or this could be one of dozens of locators and the characters have to try and find a second in order to get it to work. It could also locate a single treasue or dimensional door.

 

[Warrior Poet]

Mathematically speaking, triangles are also the first complete three-dimensional figure occuring in geometry (after its component parts, the point and line). Perhaps the amulet might have some connection to mathematical, or geometric aspects of travel; or, it might be related to dimensional travel (encompassing three itself). Adjunct to Camel Toe's suggestion, there might be a process to align the triangles in a certain way, which opens a gate (or several, depending on how the multiple triangle-alignment possibilities) to another plane, or something similar, kind of like a remote tumbler lock to another realm or place.

Note: mathematics are not a strength of mine, so if I have misrepresented the nature of triangles and other geometric concepts, I apologize - it was not my intention to disseminate any misinformation.

Warrior Poet

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

I was thinking about the Banderas Zorro movie the other day and thought it might be an interesting twist for the good guys to steal the child of a villian to attempt to give the child a good life.

So, maybe you can use an idea like that- the characters "parents" were really once heroes who had fought a pirate/slaving warlord who used the red triandle as his symbol.

The parents had found out the warlord had just had a son and with the child an omen the child would grow to take the mantle of his father and bring terror upon all the seas.

The warlord was too powerful for the parents to oppose, and they could not murder a child for evil might do in the future- so they did an alternative- they kidnapped the child and decided to raise him as their own.

Being savy adventurers, they knew the warlord would track down the child by any means- even magic. So they invested heavily into the making of this amulet- which carries a little blood of the character and attracts all divination magic aimed at the character.

The amulet also acts as a compass, and allows one who knows how to point in the direction of any one in the character's bloodline.

With the amulet made, they entrusted to a friend who is a member of a wandering druid order. The amulet has been passed around that order for some time, to keep the pirates from other getting close to the truth. Unfortunetly, as these things happen- as amulet passed around the knowledge of its importance has been lost/confused over the years- which is why the last druid thought he was to deliver it to the character.

Good luck!
FD

 

[Devon]

more on triangle-themed amulets

Another observation: I think the buudhists have a symbol of lotus flower petals in a circle, that circle being divided and subdivided by triangles. It's supposed to inspire meditation.

The amulet could be a tool for focusing some energy inherent in the person, or leading them along the pathof the Monk. It could also do any number of magical things requiring deep concentration (prophecy, dream travel, clairvoyance).

- Devon

 

[RavenSinger]

Thanks to all

I want to thank everyone for your great observations and suggestions. Sorry I haven't been more active on the thread--real life. . .ugh!

Anyway, I really like the ideas of navigation or a compass, and I *love* the idea of having the character be the son of some sort of bad guy.

Ah ha! I have the seeds of evil forming in my brain. If the character is the son of some sort of high up minion of Hextor, there is a cleric of Heironeous in the group (a very militant one) which would not like that one bit. I have already set up that our amulet wearing friend felt "uneasy" in a temple of Heironeous. This was my way of reminding him that he had his own sub-plot, but now I can use this off the cuff remark to my advantage. (Bwah-ha-ha)

The amulet will act as a compass in that he will be able to distinguish worshippers of Hextor (which could turn out to be useful in this game), but the amulet will also draw the attention of his father. And soon, he will be visited in dreams of strange things tempting him to become a follower of the Lord of Destruction.

Mmmm--I like it! Again, thanks to all!
RavenSinger