Guild Signet #6: Debtor's Splendor

The Ring

Orzhov - Ring

 

Description: A ring composed of a pure gold band surrounded by chain links made of onyx stone. The gold band is carved into intricate patterns and etchings. The center of the ring is set with a large white opal.   Known Abilities: Unknown.   Whereabouts: Unknown. The ring was supposedly passed down through generations of Orzhov oligarchs. It's last known owner was Armand Écarlate, deceased in 2,344ZC.   Directives: Seek information tracing the ring's whereabouts after the death of Armand Écarlate.

 
 

The Discovery of the Escarlate Ring: Research Notes

  The breakthrough in locating Armand Escarlate's ring began with a puzzling financial anomaly. While examining historical records of Orzhov debt contracts, researcher Elena Vazov discovered that in the year 2344, Escarlate had forgiven substantial loans to a Mr. Marcus Rothwind, whom he had conducted some business with in the 3rd District. This was strikingly out of character for an Orzhov vampire, especially one known for his ruthless debt collection. More intriguingly, this debt forgiveness occurred just weeks before his documented death.
  Following this lead, Elena found evidence in the public records hall of the Azorius Senate of unusual structural modifications to the Rothwind estate between 2344 and 2346. The inspection documents repeatedly referenced reinforcement work on the estate's foundations - work that seemed excessive for a normal residential property.
  Cross-referencing these records with publicly available Orzhov tax documents revealed something even more intriguing: the establishment of a "perpetual guardianship arrangement" that required regular payments from the Rothwind family to an obscure division of the church known as the Eternal Covenant Syndics. While such arrangements were common among wealthy Orzhov families for maintaining ancestral tombs, the payment amounts were unusually high, and the contract terms were notably complex even by Orzhov standards.
  The research team's major breakthrough came from an unexpected source: the Izzet League's infrastructure archives. In their records of steam tunnel expansion projects, they found a series of incident reports filed in 2346. Izzet engineers attempting to lay new power conduits beneath the Rothwind property encountered unexpected magical resistance. Their reports detailed unusual warding magic that didn't match any standard Orzhov protection spells of the era, forcing them to reroute their entire project.
  Further investigation into historical Orzhov church records revealed that Escarlate had been a member of an elite circle of vampires who served directly under the Obzedat Ghost Council. These public documents showed that he had been granted special dispensation to use powerful magical artifacts in service of the council - though the specific artifacts were never named in public records.
  The final piece of the puzzle came from architectural surveys in the Azorius archives. The original plans for the Rothwind estate showed a curious discrepancy: the foundation went far deeper than necessary for a building of its size. More recent surveys using ground-penetrating divination revealed a magically shielded chamber that didn't appear in any official documents.
  What makes this discovery particularly significant is what Elena found in old Orzhov church bulletins: Escarlate had made a public oath to the Ghost Council, swearing that certain unnamed artifacts in his possession would "never again be wielded by living or dead hands." Religious scholars believe breaking this oath would result in eternal damnation for his spirit - a fate particularly feared by Orzhov vampires who typically enjoy privileged status in the afterlife.
  Tax records show that in 8754 ZC the Rothwind manor was given as a wedding gift to one of the Rothwind daughters upon her marriage to Sir Patterock Lightgale, and has stayed in their family ever since. The current generation of the Lightgale family continues to make regular payments to the Eternal Covenant Syndics, viewing it as just another ancestral obligation. These ghost priests maintain powerful wards and magical seals around the tomb, bind spirits to patrol its perimeter, and ensure no unauthorized divination can detect the ring's presence. The payments are disguised among hundreds of similar perpetual guardianship arrangements, hiding their true purpose in plain sight.