Nations on the Brink (storyline)Tea Container Items (summary)

Contents of Jauefira Avael's Tea Cannister

Jauefira Avael, also known as the Yellow Rose, shared a tea cannister filled with information on magical locks during an event at the Ta'Illistim Arboretum on Imaerasta 11, 5123.

Canister

a dented ivory metal tea canister

In the metal tea canister, you see a scrap of ink-stained paper, a sheet of wrinkled paper, a strip of oil-blotted paper, a scrap of metallic-inked paper, a piece of grey-colored paper, a slip of greasy paper, a sheet of polychromatic paper, a strip of lacelike paper, a section of brittle yellow paper, a page of blue-green paper, a scrap of sepia-stained paper, a sheet of rust-flecked paper, a strip of ghostly white paper, a scrap of waterlogged paper, a page of sun-bleached paper, a piece of geometric paper and a section of aged paper.

Papers

a scrap of ink-stained paper

In the Common language, it reads:

There are a wide variety of locks available to the average user.  These locks range from the traditional padlock that is usable on chains, in hasps, and through latches, the various door locks which include deadbolts (single, vertical, double, and thumb turn) as well as a variety of cylinder locks, and a vast majority of magical locks.

As you can tell, we completely ignore chain locks for doors, barrel locks, and hook-in-eye hasps.  These locks are irrelevant and easily overcome with the bare minimum of ingenuity.

a sheet of wrinkled paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Magical locks come in a wide variety of types ranging from Geas, Enthralled, Enchanted, Haunted, and Cursed.

For the purpose of this lesson, we will lump Geas, Haunted, and Cursed locks into the same category because they frequently have similar effects on them.

Enthralled locks are a completely different type, though they sometimes can fall under the above categories; it's important to keep that in mind.

Enchanted locks are almost never part of the other groups, though they have on occasion worked in unison with them.

a strip of oil-blotted paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Locks under a geas are typically locks that require some condition to be met before they will open.  These locks can require anything from someone keeping the item on them until they have performed a task or even requiring them to go on a quest.

Geas locks are tricky but are usually clearly able to be labeled because there is a long history of failure surrounding the item.  One famously known gaes lock was on the scrolls of Heglaenmri.  Several people died trying to find them, and then unlocking them required significant sacrifice.

a scrap of metallic-inked paper

In the Common language, it reads:

An enthralled lock is a peculiar thing.  This type of lock typically has some valence, elemental, or spiritual thing connected to it.  Different from a haunted lock, the enthralled lock is a purposeful connection where something was maliciously bound directly to the item it keeps locked and given a single, solitary command to allow for the device to be unlocked.

These commands can be anything from "Do not release until the password is known." to "You are not freed until this book has been drenched in enough blood."  Obviously, these pronouncements are a bit extreme and may seem outlandish, but we mention them because they have been seen.

a piece of grey-colored paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Haunted locks are a bit of a misnomer.  The lock itself is rarely ever haunted but rather the haunting is on the actual item the lock is connected to, and frequently the only means of unlocking the item is by resolving the haunting.  The easiest way to resolve these types of locks is to research the method by which the haunted party passed.

What unresolved business did they have in life?  If they were murdered, who killed them?  Do they seek forgiveness?  Do they want to right a wrong?  If you can prove to the thing haunting the locked device that you have done this, then they will find peace and move along.

a slip of greasy paper

In the Common language, it reads:

You can easily unhinge a barrel lock by simply slipping a hook-ended Olefear shim between the seams of a door.  Once you've slid the shim into place, flick the handle three times.  This releases the pivot on the hook in a clockwise motion, bringing it from north to south and then east.

If your barrel handle is westerly, you may have to flick four times.  Once done, gingerly slide the hook upward.  Now, some barrel locks have an e-shaped safeguard; this is easily worked around by seesawing the piece in and out of the grooves.

a sheet of polychromatic paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Enchanted locks have a variety of machinations that can be utilized to resolve them.  Much like puzzles to everyone else, all enchantment locks have simple solutions if you know the person who has locked them.

These enchantment-type locks can be opened in the vein of any lock by using a "key"-- though the definition of key in this instance is the third choice in the Library of Aies indexes of words and not the first.

The distinction is clear when you look at the definitions:

1. A small piece of shaped metal with incisions cut to fit the wards of a particular lock, which is inserted into a lock and turned to open or close it.
2. (The words have faded across the paper, the writing unable to be deciphered.)
3. A thing that provides a means of gaining access to or understanding something.

a strip of lacelike paper

In the Common language, it reads:

One may learn how to disarm a variety of locks through experience and repetition, especially the sort that may not be attached to a treasure chest.  Deft fingers can loosen a coin pouch, for example, or the truly daring may attempt to relieve a lady or gentleman of their properly tied lacings; the possibilities are endless if one truly focuses on mastering the craft.

a section of brittle yellow paper

In the Common language, it reads:

"... I spent many a long evening simply staring at the object, its odd magical aura causing my fingers to tingle and my eyes to fill with tears.  One night, as I drifted off into a fitful slumber, I had a realization: perhaps the ward itself was simply an emotional response imbued to the item through alchemical means, as I could feel the sorrow touch my own heart when I held it to my breast.


How would one bring solace to an object?"

a page of blue-green paper

In the Common language, it reads:

The majestic peahen has been an iconic symbol of the Shining City, its plumage the definition of both grace and beauty; however, an oft-forgotten skill of this jewel-toned avian is its ear-piercing scream.  Used as an effective defense mechanism, the shriek of a peahen is purportedly able to pierce barricades of dense stone and even magical wards, but proper research has yet to delve deeper into the reasoning as to why this would even be possible.

a scrap of sepia-stained paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Often vague impressions upon the surface of something can be considered a form of enchanted lock.  If you can find an object that matches the impression, then you may find a means of unlocking the device.  Examples that we have seen in the past include but are not limited to: block circles, avian feathers (though a specific kind was required), gemstones (again, a specific kind was required), and even flowers.

In fact, this is how enchanted locks can be broken.  Simply knowing the favored bird, symbol, object, etc. of your target will easily garner better knowledge of how to "break" into the device closed in such a fashion.

a sheet of rust-flecked paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Spine locks are a unique device employed by a variety of cultures.  These locks have dials built into the spine that are usually stamped with numbers, symbols, or letters.  Typically the code is four to twelve characters long, and solving it can either be a matter of patience or, as we have mentioned before, a study in patience.  If you know your victim, then you know their passcode.

a strip of ghostly white paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Whisper locks, which many feel should have their own category, can actually be the result of three different kinds of locks.  Enchantment, Haunted, and Enthralled locks can often be utilized to create a whisper lock.  Whether directly enchanting the object, binding a ghost or spirit to it, or shackling an entity to the piece, a whisper lock is managed by a means of magic that requires the user to whisper something to the item to release the lock mechanism.

a scrap of waterlogged paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Be cautious when working with a haunted lock mechanism.  These spirits and ghosts bound to your locked item can be everything from devious to petulant, ignorant to all-knowing, and all varieties in between.  Frequently, they carry with them ulterior motives from when they were alive, and most are malevolent.  Something caused them to be haunting your item, and it wasn't their innocence.

It is likely best to keep a priest on hand in case they decide that you need to join them in the afterlife, and on rare occasions, they may wish to give up their burden by having you take their place.

a page of sun-bleached paper

In the Common language, it reads:

Scratch that last note out.  I don't know who made it, but not all the haunted are nefarious.  Maybe the author was just a scared little boy too afraid to come out from under his mother's bed skirts?  I don't know and I don't care.  I've come across three locks where they were Lady in Whites.  There is nothing nefarious about those.  They were all women who were wronged and just needed justice.

Once I could prove that the person who wronged them had been met with justice, they willingly departed from the object.  Some people!  Get your facts straight.

a piece of geometric paper

Several of these notes are pretty good, but they don't ever talk about the Puzzle Lock.  I mean, seriously, who doesn't love the intrigue of a good Puzzle Lock?  It's probably my favorite one.  Typically, this is a larger device that holds a precious item in it or even a key to something larger.

Either way, the mechanisms are incredibly intertwined, and you need to figure out how to twist and turn them into a new shape.  The best one that I ever tinkered with was six different shapes before it released its prize.  However, I have to admit that for me the prize was the puzzle and not what was inside.

a section of aged paper

In the Common language, it reads:

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