The Brooch, the Harrowing Ritual, and the Harrow Deck

The value of the queen's brooch is largely unimportant. While it might be possible for the PCs to find someone willing to buy it (probably outside Korvosa), selling it would effectively end (or at least seriously derail) the campaign. Every effort should be made to encourage the PCs to return it to its owner, including giving the party a minor quest to ensure its safe return.

Harrowing
As the cards are laid out before your companions, the threads of fate spin unseen around you.
Level: 2
Category: Divination
Time: 10 minutes
Duration: Special
Component Cost: 30 gp, plus a focus worth 100 gp
Market Price: 100 gp
Key Skill: Arcana

As part of the casting of this ritual, perform a Harrow reading on a minor or major quest. Based on the results of the reading, the party will enjoy fate's blessing - or ill fortune - during certain encounters tied to that quest. At the end of the ritual, make an Arcana check. The check determines the number of upcoming encounters that this ritual affects, though the ritual's effects end if the quest is completed, even if the appropriate number of encounters have not taken place. Ultimately, the DM decides which encounters the party faces are tied to the quest and this ritual, and will inform you when you are participating in one of the affected encounters.

If the number of true aligned cards that appear in the spread is equal to or greater than the number of opposite aligned cards, the party gains a single Harrow point during each of these encounters that any one character can make use of.

If the number of true aligned cards that appear in the spread is less than the number of opposite aligned cards, the party loses the ability to spend Harrow points during these encounters.

If a character's choosing card appears in the spread, the first time that character is dropped to 0 or fewer hit points during the ritual's duration, fate intercedes and negates the triggering damage.

This ritual cannot be performed while the party is still under the ritual's effects.

Focus: A Harrow deck.

Zellara's Harrow Deck is a powerful artifact in its own right, and deserves to be treated as such mechanically. The DMG2 contains some helpful guidelines for artifacts designed for multiple players - practically all of the Harrow Deck's utility is located at the party-wide level. In addition, the Harrow Deck is not designed to depart the party at the end of a tier, like most artifacts are. It should be present with the party for the duration of the campaign (unless they manage to rid themselves of it, purposefully or inadvertently).

Pleased (16-20)

Satisfied (12-15)

 
Normal (5-11)
Unchanged from main stat block.

Unsatisfied (1-4)

Angered (0 or lower)