Glint is a special material. It has a
dark gray color with a silvery sheen, and is both very strong and
also almost totally insubstantial. Things made with glint have the
same properties; very good for their intended purpose but also very
fragile.
Only elves make Glint, though a few
very queer sorcerers of other races may dabble in the practice. In
order to craft Glint, the elf requires at least 4 of the 7 listed
materials below. In order to craft a large item, it takes 5 of the 7
instead.
The ingredients have many peculiarities
that Elf-Smiths know well to work their craft. Some are only
available in certain biomes, and others only during certain parts of
the year. There are also some substitutions that can be made using
the ingredients. The Winds of a Dragonfly can be replaced with the
beat of a hummingbird's wings, which requires a hummingbird be
captured live and used during the glint making process; only
professional glint makers bother capturing and raising pet
hummingbirds for this purpose.
The Maiden's Kiss, blown with true
intentions, must be “caught” invisibly in the air and held in the
hand to be transferred to a bag, or if kissed in ink or makeup on a
letter for example, could both be used in the glint making process.
Mixing the kiss with a hair of a unicorn is said to greatly enhance
the glint, making virgins who interact with the glint only have a 1
in 12 chance to break it.
The Pinch of Powdery Snow is a pretty
easy one to collect, only requiring it to be the right time of year
and very cold. However it can be hard to preserve snow out of season
without magical or special storage techniques. The snow can also be
replaced with a pinch of pixie dust- and while no elf would dream
waste such a precious commodity on a simple Glint charm; any Glint
item made with pixie dust has a golden sheen instead of silver and
does not count towards encumbrance.
Moonlight is usually caught fresh
during the crafting process; but in overcast places or in forests too
dangerous to trek to a clearing on a full moon elves use bottled
moonlight instead.
Finally; Baby laughter is easy enough
to come by, either bottled or taken fresh (which is a tale as to why
elves kidnap babies, besides replacing them with changelings), but
items made with pure baby laughs are very childish and roll with a
chance to break if they are insulted, if someone swears nearby, or
not constantly given praise. As such, most glint makers add a bit of
dust from the home of an elder (has to be stolen, elves don't get
old) and some salt from the ocean (lets them tolerate swearing).
Matured Glint is therefore much more prized and has a much better
chance to actually be sold to humans and dwarves, who are very wary
of poorly made Glint's temperament. Items gifted from elves are known
to break or disappear just when needed most, further reducing other
races trust in elf goods.
Glint Mechanics
Glint breaks easily. While for its
primary purpose Glint is very strong, if not almost unbreakable, but
using it in other ways or treating it poorly causes it to have a
chance to break. For instance, a climbing cord made of glint will be
long, ultrathin and almost invisible cord that can hold almost any
amount of weight you could think, and grants a +2 to climbing checks.
However, if you used the cord to tie up a prisoner it would have a
chance to break when the prisoner struggles. Glint items like clothes
also have a chance to break if washed incorrectly; most will only
accept being washed in a natural stream where no human hands have
touched, meaning washbuckets and soap will very likely destroy it.
Whenever a Glint item is stressed in this way; it has a 1 in 6 chance
of breaking. Glint items that break turn into dust, dew on your
fingers, and fall apart like a glimmer into shadow. Glint items made
with all seven materials instead roll with a die one size larger.
Glint items kept in a silver lined box at all times except when being
used have a one size larger; Proper storage of Glint is very
important for maintenance. Finally, a Glint item made by a true
master elf-smith may have yet another die larger chance to break- but
such craftsmen are only found in the greatest and most well protected
elf cities. So a Glint item stored in a box and made by a master
would have a 1 in 10 chance of breaking, where as a simple, neglected
Glint item but made with all seven ingredients would have a 1 in 8
chance of breaking, and so on.
Roll on this table
to determine an item to craft or when you raid an elf's house, 1 in 3
chance they have an item made of Glint. Rich elves may have many
more.
[1]
Climbing Cord. Thin and silvery. +2 to climbing rolls and +2 to saves
versus falls if you fall while climbing with it.
[2]
Cape. This is a large project. Translucent, sparkling, barely weighs
on the shoulders. Grants a point of magic resistance, or can block
one 1st
level spell per day. Some Glint-Capes are made for outdoorsmen and
are more sporty- these furred cloaks grant a +2 bonus to stealth and
hiding in shadows in nature instead, and let the wearer blend into
natural scenes.
[3]
Bowstring. Invisible until an arrow is nocked. Add ½ your level to
your damage rolls on sneak attacks. If you're a Rogue, double your
stealth damage bonus instead.
[4]
Chain. Has a thin, locking clasp that cannot be picked or forced open
by any means. The chain is delicate and can be easily cut, except for
the prisoner that it is tied up for which it is unbreakable.
[5]
Shoes. This is a large project. Also called magical elf shoes. They
are gray normally but are often pained green, and make the wearer
have silent footsteps. As such, it adds +4 to stealth to move
silently. This ability is only to those who wish it, so normal elves put bells on their shoes to prove they are not thieves.
[6]
Charm. Small twisted poppet, an immortal leaf wrapped in glint-cloth,
a decorative twisted knot of an elf clan, etc. Grants +2 to saving
throws.
[7]
Ring. Thin, and well polished to give it a better shine. Never
adorned with a a gemstone, as the insertion process would break the
ring for sure. Grants +1 to reaction checks. Has a chance to break if
the user performs any (useful) manual labor. Elf girls may wear these
in their hair instead.
[8]
Scabbard. This is a large project. Your sword or blade is silent when
drawn, and add ½ your level to damage rolls on sneak attacks. If
you're a Rogue, double your stealth damage bonus instead.
[9]
Coinpurse. This is a large project. It can hold coins and gems;
putting anything else in it will give it a chance to break. The first
time a thief steals the purse- they wind up with an empty threadbare
sac filled with wooden coins. Only a thief who you tricked once has a
chance to steal the real bag.
[10]
Instruments. These are large projects. Specifically, this creates the
multiple cords or strings of different stringed instruments; like
harps, lutes, etc. The music made by these is especially haunting and
clear, but bawdy songs give it a chance to break unless the Glint is
properly “matured”. The first Bard spell or power used with this
instrument per day treats the Bard as one level higher. Musical
Clerics can also use this to turn undead and treat their level as one
higher as well, once per day.
[11]
Saddle. This is a large project. Every time you ride a “regular”
horse with this saddle, the saddle has a chance to break, because
regular horses are much too bumpy and irregular a ride for an elf-
elves ride deer or giant white tigers, everyone knows that. You get
advantage to control the animal you're riding on, and +2 to saves to
avoid being knocked off your ride. Also, using this with Glint Reigns
(which is another large project) lets the rider and animal move in
tandem, letting you add your attack bonus to your animals attacks or
charges while riding and grants even better control and speed.
[12]
Thimble. While Glint is usually spun or pressed into a soft form, it
can be smelted into a more hard form in small quantities; the thimble
is an example. Glint Thimbles grant a portion of elf craftiness in
things like sewing. It's main magical use is for stitching shut
wounds however; heals an additional +2 on healing for sharp wounds
like from bladed weapons or beast teeth.
[13]
Needle. Glint needles are hard to make, requiring a solid product
sharp and heavy enough to deal damage on a hit- the Glint-Needle is a
weapon and not a tool. This needle can be used to deal 1 point of
damage to an enemy unaware until they touch the spot and feel the
blood, or someone notices the tiny pricks- or if the weapon is coated
in poison. If the weapon is coated in poison it is left in the body
and breaks when removed (too quick and smooth of a wound to deliver
the venom). This needle is yet another reason other races don't trust
elves; more then once a forester has dropped dead after returning from an elf-wood with hundreds of tiny holes in their back they didn't notice until after they got home with a handful of wood, laid down to rest, and died.
[14]
Waterskin. Glint waterskins can seemingly store more water then they
should, or are just more efficient. And you read the correctly,
water.
They have a chance to break if filled with anything other then fresh
spring water. Naturally, dwarves hate these especially among
elf-crafts. Waterskins made with Glint store twice as much water,
letting you survive longer in a desert.
[15]
War-Banner. This is a large project. This war banner is a gray-green
color and can only be painted with stylish runes or light silvery
symbols and animals; brute symbols or “heavy” mascots like lions
or dragons drawn on it will threaten to break it as they are spun.
The war banner grants +1 to morale checks by troops fighting under
the banner, but any warshout or reckless charge done by the group of
soldiers have a chance to force the banner to fall and shrivel to
nothing- as such, only elves and their focused silence use them in
warfare. Naturally, retreating with this banner has no additional
chance of breaking it, as fitting for the typical elf.
[16] Handkerchief. Thin and delicate, befitting a well born gentleman. Has
no special qualities on its own despite being good at mopping up
blood and messes, being easily washed out of the cloth when properly
cleaned, but if the handkerchief is given to a fae of any rank they
are instantly indebted to the giver and cannot harm them. Elves who
travel near the realms of the fairie may carry these just in case
they are met with an elf queen- who would much rather part with this
Handkerchief then face whatever fate they would fall from her
terrible whim. Elvish ladies and nobility also greatly respect anyone
who gifts this handkerchief to them, but this is purely cultural and
a sign of great respect. To grant it to someone's servant, or throwing it on
the ground in front of them is a grave insult.
[17]
Quiver. This is a large project. When reaching for a specific arrow
in their quiver, the archer can automatically grab the right one
every time. Additionally, the archer using it gains no disadvantage
for firing into melee and won't hit allies even fighting just next to
their target.
[18]
Veil. The magic veil covers the bottom of the wearer's face, and is a
well known accessory for Sorcerers. Charm
spells have a permanent duration while wearing the veil, as long as
the target of the spell does not see your face, and additionally all
spells cast by the magic user have a -1 to opposing rolls who try to
dispel or counter them.
[19]
Athame. The
athame is a Wizard's knife, and this one has a blade made of Glint. This is a large project. The handle must be made of a black wood, and the whole thing
specially enchanted to work with magical woods and as a tool, not a
weapon. Spilling any blood on this blade causes the blood to burn
through the blade as though it was made of butter and the blood was
boiling hot. The blade is very lightweight and sharp, and is supposed
to be used to cutting wands from wood and for ritual spells; anyone
using this athame gains +1 to magic rolls made with it, or
spell-wands made with it gain an additional charge.
[20]
Sails. Glint Sails are a very
large project (requiring two consecutive large projects; failure to
complete the second will waste the first). Glint sails are dull
gray-blue and are very tempermental- they only like being used on
calm lakes and very gentle rivers, and only at night. Elf skiffs
using these are nearly silent and very fast, and the boat ride is the
smoothest you will every experience. Passnagers blindfolded will
assume they are still on solid ground while on the boat. Every hour
they are used on open sea or are strained they have a chance to
break. Despite the risks, some priates may risk using Glint sails for
a short amount of time to get an advantage or escape from a foe.
