Silver Collars
"Don't... put that fucking thing on me..."Silver collars are a type of Talisman, specially made and used to contain the strongest and most ferocious Shapeshifters, and prevent them from using their transformation abilities.-Melwyn , to his old master.
Utility
Silver talismans come in all kinds of forms, and they have a long history of being used by, and against, Soulbound Mages. What makes this particular form so famous, or more accuretly, infamous, is its widespread use against a specific type of soulbound mages: Shapeshifters.
While other talismans were used on shapeshifters and collars were also used on other Soulbound mages, most notably Necromancers, the unbreakable association with shapeshifters in particular was crystalized during the reign of The Carathengian Empire, which was infamous for its large amount of slave, many of which were shapeshifters. Human and Elemental Mages had iron or steel collars, while soulbound mages, the vast majority of them being Shapeshifters, had silver collars.
A silver collar does two important things that makes them a popular choice for slave owners and the opposite for the wearers themselves. First, that type of talisman is harder to remove, damage or otherwise temper with by the wearer, compared to other popular types of talismans, such as wrists or ankle cuffs. Second, the placement of the silver metal on their neck disturbed their Etherial link just enough that they couldn't really use their Ikshai to shift and break free, while also allowing them to still receive mana from said link, allocating them superior stamina, endurance, and healing abilities compared to say, a human slave.
While other talismans were used on shapeshifters and collars were also used on other Soulbound mages, most notably Necromancers, the unbreakable association with shapeshifters in particular was crystalized during the reign of The Carathengian Empire, which was infamous for its large amount of slave, many of which were shapeshifters. Human and Elemental Mages had iron or steel collars, while soulbound mages, the vast majority of them being Shapeshifters, had silver collars.
A silver collar does two important things that makes them a popular choice for slave owners and the opposite for the wearers themselves. First, that type of talisman is harder to remove, damage or otherwise temper with by the wearer, compared to other popular types of talismans, such as wrists or ankle cuffs. Second, the placement of the silver metal on their neck disturbed their Etherial link just enough that they couldn't really use their Ikshai to shift and break free, while also allowing them to still receive mana from said link, allocating them superior stamina, endurance, and healing abilities compared to say, a human slave.
Manufacturing
Silver collars are made of a Silver alloy called sterling silver. This alloy is poured into two near identical semi-circle casts. After being polished, the two halves are united into a single item with hinges on one side, and a seal made by a Metalmage. This seal means that no key is required to lock the collar, and that the only way to open it, is via a metal mage, or a lot of brute force.
When worn, the hinges are behind the neck, while the mage seal is in the front, making the collar appear smooth from the front. In some models, a loop was added near the hinges, big enough so that a rope or chain could be passed through or attached to it. Likewise, some more recent models do have a lock and key, making the need for a mage to properly close the collar non-existant.
When worn, the hinges are behind the neck, while the mage seal is in the front, making the collar appear smooth from the front. In some models, a loop was added near the hinges, big enough so that a rope or chain could be passed through or attached to it. Likewise, some more recent models do have a lock and key, making the need for a mage to properly close the collar non-existant.
Parent Technologies
Related Species
Accessibility
While silver collars generally aren't hard to find in most of Arros, hardly anyone uses them willingly. As the demand for them is so low, they are by far the cheapest option for a down on his luck soulbound mage who urgently needs a talisman for whatever reason.
Social Impact
While the slavers of the Carathengian Empire are the most famous users of this piece of magical technology, its use was unfortunatly widespread in Arros during the Late Second Age, and while slavery has since largely been abolished throughout the continent, some are still in use in some regions, such as in the slums of Vrahlis, where mage slaves, including shapeshifters, are forced or coerced to work in illegal fighting pits. The Pirates of the Hydrask Isles and elsewhere have been using them on their soulbound mage thralls for centuries.
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