Finally, here are the rewards for taking part in the Weekend of the Black Mouse Writing Challenge. All participants will receive this prize which must be attained in a thread whereby you discover/acquire it.
Ring of the Black Mouse
AppearanceThis ring is forged of some unknown red colored metal and is set with a single black stone. If one looks close enough at the stone, the faint outline of a mouse can be seen in its upper most facet. A few symbols are engraved in the inside part of the band. These symbols are magical in nature however their purpose and meaning have been lost in time.
HistoryThe history of the ring, while difficult to discover, may be learned by consulting with a Master Jewelcrafter as the basic history of the ring is a part of many a jeweler's studies.Many years before the Valterrian, there lived a jewelcrafter of modest renown who had a thing for mice; particularly black mice. It was said that he once had a pet mouse that he loved dearly. When it died, the jewelcrafter was profoundly distraught. In an attempt to recapture the joy and love she had for her pet, she sought out those who could help. After a good amount of searching, she was able to find a magesmith and a Marassa (follower of Kihala, Goddess of Life) who shared her passion for animals and pet companioins and enlisted their help. Together, the three of them worked to forge a special ring. The jewelcrafter designed and constructed the ring from materials provided by the magesmith. The magesmith enchanted the ring with the help of the Marassa's gnosis. It took a few attempts but eventually they were able to create the Ring of the Black Mouse.
Realizing that they had discovered a NEAR perfect formula for creating the ring, the three created more of them. Their idea was to use the rings to bring together a group of people from across the world who all shared their feelings of love and respect of animals and pets with the Ring of the Black Mouse as the focus. They were able to gather many such people and gave them each one of the rings. The Order of the Black Mouse meant to promote their vision and work to help encourage, protect and promote animal life. Many a follower of Kihala, Caiyha and even Eiwaat, Goddess of Birds. Many Alvina as well had followers in the Order including, Navre, Oriana and Siku despite their tendency to feed on mice. It wasn't about predator and prey as much as it was the preservation of animals.
The Order was just getting to a point of strength and influence when the Valterrian all but wiped them out. While they didn't survive, their rings did and over the centuries since have found their ways into the hands of those who may or may not share the values the Order once did.
PowersThe ring's powers may be discovered by wearing the ring, looking closely at the stone, noticing the outline of the mouse in the upper most facet and then wondering why the outline exists in the first place. This activates the ring for the first time and leaves the wearer with an idea of how to activate it in the future.The Ring of the Black Mouse is, by Post-Valterrian standards, a potent item of Magecraft. Before the Valterrian it was comparatively minor when pitted against other magical works.
By concentrating on the ring and calling on memories of a favored pet, animal companion or any animal that had positive significance in one's life, the wearer of the ring can Vitalize the ring's etching of a mouse on its black stone (empowered by Kihala's gnosis that grants a version of life to a depiction of life). When this happens, it looks as though a black mouse literally crawls out of the stone's setting; this causes the stone to vanish leaving the ring without it.
The Vitalized mouse appears and acts in all ways as a truly living mouse save for a few important differences. It cannot move farther than 50 feet from the ring else the magic that keeps it alive will be severed. If this happens, the mouse will simply turn to dust and it will take 10 days for the ring to restore the stone and enable the mouse once more.
The mouse will remain Vitalized ("alive") for 10 days before it has to return to the ring (literally crawling back into the setting and turning back into a black stone). If it can't return, it will turn to dust and require 10 more days to restore. Once it returns to the ring, it takes one day for the magic to recharge and enable the mouse to be Vitalized once more.
The wearer of the ring may direct the mouse by force of will in VERY simple ways. The mouse can be directed to enter a building or room, follow the wearer, perch on their shoulder or hide in their pocket simply by willing it to do so. The mouse will not put itself directly in harm's way however. For example, it will avoid predatory threats or any thing really that would direct it to potentially die. Attempting this will turn the mouse to dust and require 10 days to restore the ring's ability to Vitalize another. More than one occurrence of such a thing may even gain the negative attention of Kihala or Caiyha.
The wearer may also, by closing their eyes and focusing on the ring and through it the mouse, share some of the mouse's senses in a limited and unique way. They can see what the mouse sees albeit in black and white, no color. This is done by closing one's eyes and viewing the what the mouse sees. They may also smell what the mouse smells and share their sense of touch through their whiskers. While the wearer can hear what the mouse hears, spoken words are heard from the mouse's perspective. A mouse cannot perceive language thus any spoken words heard through the mouse will come across as gibberish. Voices may be recognized or perhaps perceived as male or female based on tone or pitch but it will sound as though someone were hearing a foreign language with no knowledge whatsoever of what is being said.
If the mouse is wounded and/or killed, it will turn to dust and require the standard 10 days for the ring to restore the stone and the magic. If the mouse is intentionally harmed by the wearer, the ring itself will turn to dust and may incur the anger of Kihala or Caiyha. So predatory Kelvics who acquire this ring should take care in eating the mouse as a source of food.
Giving away or selling the ring will result in its power vanishing.
The following participants will be awarded the Ring of the Black Mouse:
Kynier
Kelski
Tarn Alrenson
Yeager Blackwolf
Naali
Kreig Messer
Crylon Stonecraft
Farris
Belugnir
Sanabael
Okara
Great job everyone and I hope you enjoy this little reward for your hard work. Any questions about the ring, please feel free to PM me and also, I reserve the right to modify, alter, etc., the ring and its abilities depending on how its use and or abuse plays out in thread.
by Okara on July 29th, 2018, 6:20 pm 
