The Ram's Horns

Though ceremonial, the crown is not devoid of craftsmanship. A subtle pressure-lock mechanism ensures the heavy horns do not tip the circlet; they are fastened to a reinforced central band that distributes weight evenly across the wearer’s brow. The zircon gem is enchanted to pulse faintly during heavy emotion or resolve, seemingly cosmetic though its original enchantment may have simply faded.

The process is preserved only in fragments, but accounts suggest a multi-week ritual-forge effort. The gold band was poured over a sandstone cast, cooled in stormwater, and hand-shaped. The ivory was bonded using Cu’s final resin mixture, some of which remained for other Dwarfish artifacts such as 'The Leader's Bands', rings worn by each new Dwarfish King when inducted into office, when sworn into the throne, its components still unknown. The horns melded over several days using successive magickal heat cycles and rune-stamping. Legend holds that Cu sang Dwarfish mourning songs during the forging, Dwarf tradition believing each note tempers the metal with it's molder's intent for it, strengthening the item's effectiveness at this goal.

The Ram's Horns were forged in the final winter of The Great Schism, crafted by Cu, last of the famed Dwarfish Twins. His brother, Chullain, had perished as the final battles against the Elfese drew to a close, succumbing to age seemingly as-soon as he knew his people would be safe, but not a moment before, leaving Cu grief-stricken yet resolved though aging greatly himself. In honor of the alliance that helped free their kind and secure The Cloudrend Mountains for their Ironclad Republic, Cu poured his life's final work into a single object, a crown fit for the first Everwealthy king. The circlet was delivered to Ancelon’s heir by Cu himself, then the dwarf died three days later. To Dwarfs, it was both mourning gift and final proof of brotherhood. To Humans, it was a sacred contract in gold. Since its creation, the crown has been worn by every true monarch of Everwealth. It has survived palace fires, civil unrest, assassination attempts, and even a brief period of concealment during the Warlord Succession. Yet it has never once been reforged, tampered with, or replicated, a testament to the unspoken rule: Cu’s work must never be undone.

The Ram’s Horns serve as the royal crown of Everwealth, worn during coronations, war declarations, and the Binding Oath ceremonies with foreign emissaries. To the Dwarfs, it is a relic of Cu’s last will, his final act before passing, and his people saw it as a most sacred, closing gesture; To the Everwealthy, it is a promise kept. Its wearing by a monarch is more than tradition, it is a political reassurance that the kingdom still values the Dwarfish alliance, and the unity forged in shared ruin.