Artifacts/Jade Compass

Level: One (Counts as a Talisman)
Commitment: None

The Jade Compasses are relatively common items in the Realm, easily reproduced and relatively inexpensive. The Jade Compass is a disc, usually made from gold or platinum, with a small jade needle attached at its center. This needle can be made from any of the elemental jades, or be made from slivers of all five. While the jade used in the creation of a compass must be purer than jade which is used as currency, it does not need to be as pure as jade which is used in the creation of Artifacts.

The needle of a Jade Compass is sensitive to even the smallest flows of elementally-aspected Essence. In the case of a needle made from a single type of jade, the needle will always point towards that type of jade’s Elemental Pole. For instance, a Black Jade Compass will always point towards the Pole of Water, and a Red Jade Compass will always point towards to Pole of Fire.

In the case of a Jade Compass made with a needle of all five types of jade, which is called a Five Coiled Dragons Compass, the needle will point in the direction of the nearest Elemental Pole.

The two most popular types of Jade Compasses are the White Jade Compass, as it always points towards the Realm, and the Five Coiled Dragons Compass. Although they are not needed, it is common practice for a Dragon-Blooded to carry a Jade Compass of her Aspect as a status symbol.

The fact that the Jade Compass does not require Essence makes them popular among mortals that can afford them. Well-to-do patricians carry them as representations of their standing in society. Explorers and ship captains lucky enough to have one are very grateful for the surety they provide.

The Jade Compasses aren’t completely infallible; however. If there is an elementally-aspected manse of the Compass’s type within five miles, it will point towards that, rather than the Pole. In the case of the Five Coiled Dragons Compass, it will point towards any elemental manse within three miles.

Further, if, for some reason, an Exalt does commit a single mote of Essence to the Compass, it will point towards the Exalt, rather than any Pole. This strange side-effect does have rather obvious used. Due to the imperfect nature of the jade used in these items, if any more than one mote is committed, the jade needle will shatter.

Compasses made from a single type of jade have a cost of Resources 3, while the Five Coiled Dragons Compass costs Resources 4. Only Dragon-Blooded and patricians are legally allowed to purchase them, but they are easy enough to find on the black market.

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