Aristocrat's Folly

This particular ring was discovered by Vadia Wopell in the Dolnan region, and is considered one of our more rare items by a handful of our scholars—not because it once contained the most potent magical properties of our current collection, but simply because the nature of its magic helped hide it for an unknown number of ages.

Presently nicknamed “Aristocrat’s Folly,” the ring seems to have been enchanted with a minor charismatic boon of sorts. Once the item was in our possession and we realized its nature, Restek Laekima—a relatively new scholar with the Emporium—was able to find an alarming number of references to its effects in old gossip letters between high-ranking members of noble houses. There are no known mentions of the ring in any political, militaristic or arcane writings…instead, its magical sway seemed to be perfectly suited to ballrooms and frivolous gatherings; hence its nickname.

While no longer verifiable, it is most likely that the enchantment within the stone was designed to be used exclusively in low-stakes disguise and subterfuge. It was to look just opulent  enough to blend in without actually drawing one’s eye and questioning. The type of item which allowed a middle-class wearer to enter an event far above their station and be greeted with smiles rather than scowls or inquiries of identity. Most likely, as the wearer walked away, such smiles would melt into looks of befuddlement or confusion as the victim of the enchantment tried to place who the person was, when only moments before they were assuredly a known compatriot.

We at the Emporium believe, as such, that any efforts to wear the ring around a war table to influence strategy or peace talks (or any other such high-stake discourse) would be unsuccessful, and that the mystical properties of “Aristocrat’s Folly” were likely reserved for petty thieves and those wishing they were born a noble birth.