Hex Crawl 23 #213: A Swindle on the Road

One hex southwest, eight northwest of Wahattu.

 

Midway along this stretch of Nama'a the Road of Flowers, north of Gesshed, is a thorn bush that has been trained up on trellises into a bower to shade the traveller. Sitting cross-legged here, pack beside him, drinking well water from a gourd and munching dates from a kerchief, is a man whose skin hangs loosely, with mournful eyes that speak of one who has known better times.

This man introduces himself as Sumesses the Broker (of what? of anything!). He offers to share his meager repast and accepts reciprocal offerings with great appetite. Eventually he gets around to his great lament. He had inherited a cap, a plain black brimless felt cap, that would give great insight and perspicacity to the wearer. Using the sublime insights of this cap he had bet his fortune on a rooster that was sure to win, at a high-stakes aristocratic cock-fight in Gesshed. But through treachery and cheating, surely, the other fowl prevailed. He was forced to pawn his hat  in Gesshed to start his enterprises from the ground, and received 500 gp in surety. But when pressed for details he will grow reticent and change the topic.

Spellcasters in particular may want to acquire this item, and by asking around the Strange Bazaar in Gesshed the cap is easily enough found. The merchant asks 1000 gp for it but can with some effort be bargained down to 750 and then even 500. Detect magic reveals that the cap is magic and has some transmutation about it. Inspection also reveals the word "humility" in arcane characters embroidered on the inside of the crown.

Only identify will tell the true story, and then it may be deduced that the pawnbroker and Sumesses are in cahoots. The cap is cursed to give -2 to WIS and INT and cannot be removed once worn. It is a device similar to a dunce cap used for punishment in a wizard school. The merchant will insist on payment if the character walks away from the stall with the cap on, unless remove curse is somehow cast right then and there. Another fine conundrum potentially ruined by D&D spells ...