The Clouded Eye of Truth is a unique magic item designed for the KOOKS 2d10 RPG, and is classified as a Possessed Item.
At first sight it is a finely made monocle. The monocle features a lens made of a mysterious crystal that is permanently clouded. This cloudiness is not a surface scuff but an internal, swirling opacity that makes the lens appear milky or fogged over, rendering it seemingly useless to anyone looking at it rather than through it. When held to the eye, this fog vanishes for the user, replaced by the pure reality of the world, often accompanied by the shifting, colorful auras of those nearby. The crystal is encased in fine traditional gold fittings. These are not merely functional but feature the intricate interlocking scale patterns engraved with tiny ancient runes often seen on artifacts curated by the Keepers of Odd Knowledge Society. The gold has a dull, ancient sheen, suggesting an ancient origin.
Core Magical Properties
When held to the eye, the monocle functions as a conduit for high-level magic, providing the following effects:
- Pure Reality: The user gains the effect of the 6th-Level Arcane spell Authentic Vision, allowing the user to see all things as they really are for one minute. No deception or disguise – whether conventional, like a Disguise Kit, or magical, such as the Disguise Self or Invisibility spells – can go unseen.
- Aura Interpretation: The user can see the shifting auras around people. To interpret these auras and discern a person’s true character or motives, the user must perform a Knowledge + BRAIN Bonus Skill Roll.
- DT 15 (Moderate): Reveals basic temperament (e.g., peaceful, aggressive, or fearful).
- DT 20 (Hard): Functions like the spell Discern Lies, revealing deliberate falsehoods and hidden motives.
Activation and HP Cost
Because magic is fueled by the user’s life force, activating the monocle’s vision is taxing. First use may result in a surprising sense of exhaustion by the Character. However, because the magic is embedded within the monocle itself, the normal cost of use is halved.
- Vision Cost: Activating the Authentic Vision property costs the user 6 Health Points (the standard cost for a 6th-Level spell is 13 Health Points), and activating the Discern Lies property costs the user 4 Health Points (the standard cost for a 4th-Level spell is 9 Health Points).
- Restoration: This HP loss cannot be healed normally but is recovered after a long rest.
Dangerous Secrets and Risks
As a Possessed Item, the monocle contains a spirit trapped within that infuses the item with its own personality and supernatural risks.
- The Burden of Truth: The monocle is will-destroying, similar to ancient rings of power. If the user rolls a Natural 2 on any Skill Roll while using the monocle, the trapped entity lashes out, inflicting 1d6 damage directly to the user’s BRAIN Stat rather than their HP.
- Long-Term Disability: Damage to the BRAIN Stat represents a long-term disability that is slow to recover, requiring extensive bed rest to heal.
- Secret Uses: Over time, the user may discover that the monocle can act as a Magical Transport Trap, whisking them to the location of the reality they are viewing, though such an act would require a dangerous Ritual and the submission of rare Components.
For a Paladin, using such an item to strip away the privacy of others’ souls may be considered a complication of their Lawful Good alignment, requiring GM discretion regarding their status.
