The Cup Of Kings (Magical Item)

[jtougas]

The Cup of Kings

The Cup of Kings is an ancient magical device given to the first king of this region. Who gave it to that king is unknown. The cup has been handed down through the generations. It is considered a treasure in the land.

The cup's full powers are unknown but what is known is this:
1.The cup acts as some kind of mental "enhancement" This enhancement takes the form of an increased clarity of thought and focus.
2. It is a ranged device. Meaning that the king must be in proximity of the cup to receive it's benefits.

There are several rumors about the cup that may or may not be true.
1. The king would be essentially "brain dead" without the cups effects
2. The cup has actually taken over the king and is effectively the ruler of the kingdom
3. the cup is an ancient incarnation of the kings ancestors.

The cup is usually found in the throne room of the castle or in the king's private office. Until recently it was guarded at all times. The king has given orders for it to be displayed in the great hall of the castle so that it may be seen by the people. This is perplexing and worrying to those close to the king. As is his change in behavior of late.

*Edit* after reading IGs post I like his idea for the "protector" role for this item rather than the "focusing" power. it's more "organic" and less contrived IMO.

[jtougas]

Here is a revised outline of the Cup of Kings I think I have managed to get everyone's suggestions integrated into it.

*EDIT* Changed the consequence of not following the god's orders,

If we stay with the cup I think that he just needs to drink from it once a day/week/month so that he doesn't have to hang it around his neck or keep it in a lockbox. It should be sort of ordinary looking so as to not look really valuable which would increase it's likelihood of being stolen. If it's got gems dripping all over it then someone's gonna want to steal it about every 30 seconds of the day. If it looks rather plain then no one would even suspect. This also makes finding it a bit more complex as well.

(Ascension)

I Like the cup idea most. Is a great visual reference, and allows for very spectacular/impressive imagery of coronations where the King takes his first 'sip' during the ceremonies when he is anointed etc. For a little more fun, think of Indiana Jones 3; Quest for the Holy Grail. The cup was an unimpressive cup. Perhaps this cup of kings is very similar

(Neonknight)

also love the idea of the Cup being used in the coronation to legitimize the new King (or Queen), and if the King is a "Chosen of the Gods to Rule" that would explain the need for regular use of the Cup in say a monthly Replenishing of the Covenent. I also like the idea that it would added too by subsequent holders, but if it gets oo big it would make it real hard to steal. Anothere thought is that "Cup" can be what it was initially, but with the additions could have changed to something altogether different. Thinking a smallish cup or wine glass sort of thing, and ppl adding to the stem to the point where the Cup is now more of a rod with the Cup at the top.

(Korash)

Kingdom was found at place X.
Original use of cup tied to place X.
Capital moved to Place Y due to _______(ummm I don't know.. I can't be too serious unless you have a period where the was no king due to not being able to reach place X).
Each year on the summer solstice(fit some specific date in here), the king must drink from the cup while at place X or lose his right to be king.

(jfrazierjr)

The Cup of Kings

The Cup of Kings is an ancient magical device given to the first king of this land by a avatar of a benevolent god who wished for the strife among her people to end. She chose a "true" leader that would unite the fractured land into one strong kingdom.

The first king to hold the cup(insert name) was told by the avatar of (insert name) that he must drink from the cup on the night of the summer solstice yearly at the exact place that the cup was given to him. Failure to do this would result in the king falling from the god's favor, A terrible prospect that would lead to the king falling gravely ill and the kingdom to crumble. He was to make this offering to the god for all the years of his life. All his descendants were also bound by this promise.

In the beginning, the cup was a simple chalice of dull silver with a ring of gold knot work around it's rim. Over time the cup changed to what it is today a elongated rod of silver with the cup at it's top. It is approximately 3 feet in length. Although the true reason for the cup's transformation is unknown, sages surmise that as the kingdom grew in strength and prosperity the cup changed to reflect the gods pleasure.

The cup is only filled with liquid once a year. No one is sure what the liquid is although it is a safe assumption that it is a intensely magical substance. Kings have said that it tastes like the finest wine they have ever had.


The original location of the meeting between the first king and the avatar was a clearing in a forest in the center of the kingdom. This is where the first capital of the kingdom arose. Several hundred years ago an evil rival of the king poisoned the water of the capital forcing the city's relocation to it's present location. Every summer solstice the king travels to this spot to make his offering to the god and drink from the cup.


The Cup serves as a manifestation of the benevolent god in the kingdom. She provides the magic that allows kings to be kings. the magic provides protection from various things including mind control and possession. Each King is crowned in the forest clearing on the summer solstice so that they may drink from the cup and receive the gods blessing.

[NeonKnight]

looks good, and with 4e's changes to magic, allows for even at 1rst level adventure this to be a near artifact.

[Ascension]

This sounds good except for the being stripped of his throne part...I'd suggest that some evil might befall the king like a sickness or death within a month. The rod idea is great, too, because I drew the boy king holding a rod. I like the pagan rite as well. There would probably be some sort of shrine around this particular place called something like "Grotto of the Gift" or something evocative like that. We'd need an encounter map for this place as the cup thief would probably send some assassins in at the last minute.

[Yandor]

Just a few things,
1. What happens if someone besides the king drinks it? (what if the king is dead or even still alive? and what if its not on the solstice)
2. What if the liquid used was changed out by "said thief", before a coronation?
3. Is it possible for the avatar to return on the solstice/coronation?
4. Is the cup damageable? seeing as they added onto it...
5. Lastly can another God influence the power, or even the cup itself?

[jtougas]

Just a few things,
1. What happens if someone besides the king drinks it? (what if the king is dead or even still alive? and what if its not on the solstice)
2. What if the liquid used was changed out by "said thief", before a coronation?
3. Is it possible for the avatar to return on the solstice/coronation?
4. Is the cup damageable? seeing as they added onto it...
5. Lastly can another God influence the power, or even the cup itself?

I think those are all points that we could cover. Here is my take on them
1. The god would certainly want to know who and why I would assume or perhaps she would be too busy doing god things to notice as she would only pay attention that one time of year (?)
2. I think that might be impossible as the liquid is created by the god and only appears during the solstice
3. I think it is (maybe not for this adventure as it looks like we are leaning toward a low-level to start)
4. As an artifact it would have to be destroyed by some epic quest or feat
5. I would imagine if another god were to take an interest in the doings of a small kingdom on a small world then sure

[Korash]

man things move quickly

When I first read (and posted) about the Cup of Kings on Wednesday, my mind went bonkers on the subject. Being at work and not really being able to think of anything but the Cup, for two hours...at least , was a wee bit distracting...but in a good way. On the bus ride home I managed to get my thoughts on to my ebook reader, but was unable to download it until now...and I find that jt already had something quite good posted

I was quite taken with how the two lines of thinking actually meshed , and i do not think my efforts were wasted. I submit my version of the cup, not as a replacement, but something that might be able to supplement what jt has already done:

---
The Cup of Kings

In the hands of a "Rightful King" the Cup is a golden rod 37 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter. The top of the rod is a tapered amber crystal 4 inches long and 3 inches wide at the very top and the top surface is concave to form a bowl 2" deep. The shaft of the rod is inscribed with the names of all of the previous bearers of the Cup with the current holders name at the bottom of the shaft.

If the Cup is held by any one other than a "Rightful King" the Cup looks and feels like an iron rod with an oblong ball at the top.

The Cup is attuned to a specific geographical area and by performing a ritual and drinking of the liquid that forms in the depression at the top the new bearer will become attuned to that area. Performing that ritual properly will cause two things to happen: First the name of the new owner in displayed below that of the previous bearer, and secondly the drinker is bestowed a mystical understanding of the state of the land which the Cup is attuned to. This understanding includes the general mindset of the people, any needs of the land and animals, and more useful for a ruler the awareness of the movement of large groups of individuals upon the land.

In order to benefit from the ritual a few conditions need to be met: the first is that the previous owner must be dead, and secondly the person performing the ritual must have a legitimate claim to being a king. Not necessarily of that location, but a reasonable claim to being one somewhere. For example an Orc "King" who comes by that tittle through the rite of arms has as much of a chance to make a claim as someone who is the rightful heir of the current holder once he dies.

In order to maintain the link to the land, the bearer must perform the ritual regularly. Failure to do so will cause lethargy and violent mood swings to start and progressing to an almost comatose state, with the land taking on a sickly appearance as the bearer nears the comatose point.

---

I leave it up to you if any of this is of use or not. No harm in posting an idea and don't worry...thick skinned I be

**EDIT**
When I was writing this, the main thought I had about it was of King Arther in the movie Excaliber before the return of the Grail....

[jtougas]

Very good. it expands on some of the points that I had outlined. I especially like the change the cup undergoes if it is held by a "non king" I think if we go with the history that I wrote then we would have to come up with an explanation as to why the cup can be held by people other than the first king's descendants. Maybe it could be that the god no longer cares who holds the cup so long as they can be called king (it might be that the god has had an alignment shift and now see's the yearly offering as a game. An orc holding the cup would be of great entertainment to her in this case).

[Korash]

yeah...It could always heave been a case of a misinterpretation of the initial message being taken as gospel and passed down to the later generations. I was thinking that the Cup would only be brought out at formal occasions and the only one that would be allowed to handle it (by tradition as opposed to actuality) would be the King. The current Dynasty has been in power so long that they have forgotten that they are NOT the first to be in possession of the cup.

If the Cup is actually tied to the location of the Kingdom, I don't think that the God/Goddess really would care who held it if they were "legitimate" rulers. I am sure that Gods do not really care about such trivial things as family lines. Also if it was tied to the region, there might be problems if the ruler neglects his charge.....

I was thinking that (in my version) that the first bunch of names on the rod would be in a language unreadable without magic, and might even contain names that are definitely not of human origin.

I thought that having the ability to know where enemy troops are in the area covered by the cup would make an interesting incentive for the BBEG to get his hands on it. Having something like that in the hands on an invading army (human or otherwise) would also be a reason for keeping the loss quiet on the part of the "good" guys.

[Yandor]

This understanding includes the general mindset of the people, any needs of the land and animals, and more useful for a ruler the awareness of the movement of large groups of individuals upon the land.

5. I would imagine if another god were to take an interest in the doings of a small kingdom on a small world then sure

I was reading through this, great idea I love it all, I quote these because it raises 2 questions in my mind... (take this however you like)

1. How long has this kingdom been around for? If there are several names on this rod, then its gone over 100+ years (assuming a bunch didn't die only a year or 2 apart), so the kingdom wouldn't be "so small" but then again this is just my thinking...
2. If this kingdom is small, and holds such an artifact that can do what Korash said, then wouldn't the first king, or kings afterward want to expand this kingdom? He would have every advantage you could almost think of if an invading army were to come in, and how best to recruit people into the army etc etc Since he is so attuned to the kingdom.

Just ideas, things to look at or think about, to help flesh this thing out =D