Zessgorn Cups

Zessgorn Cups are a social tool utilized in the city of Zessgorn to determine someone’s status and house membership in the cities complex socioeconomic structure. Said structure is largely determined by the remaining The Rings of Tarot, and their respective houses. These rings give both magical power and social status.

All who enter Zessgorn must fit into the hierarchy of the city. Each person must carry a cup with them, with the symbol of the Ring Bearer they pay tribute to for protection and services.

Each cup is unique, and given by a ring bearer themselves. If a ring bearer would die, their patrons would go to their successor.

Before The Paige of Cups came to power, Zessgorn had sat in a state of careful balance since the end of The Dragon War. Even the Alderian Rebellion did little to disrupt its long standing traditions.

The city operated by relying on the rule of those who bore the Empress and Emperor rings. These rulers, along with the other Herald Ring Bearers oversaw the city. They kept order by the aid of the Empowered Ring Bearers. As generations progressed, rings were passed to chosen successors.

The Lesser Rings were scattered amongst the common population to ensure the people of the city would never be without their own agency to push back against the ruling powers if they ever abused their own rings.

It was thought that The Paige of Cups ring had a simple power, it allowed an individual to Attunement with an above average amount of magical objects. Most people’s Vizir allows them attune to around 3, but the ring added capacity for one or two more.

This changed when Rali Trunsarr discovered that The Paige of Cups ring allowed her to attune to any number of the lesser rings, she enacted a plan to take the city for herself. She fought, stole, and bought all the lesser rings she could. This granted her strength, skill, luck, and magical powers. The lesser rings, while relatively unremarkable on their own compared to the Empowering rings, had a multiplicative effect. Rali’s own personal power rose almost to that of a Wordbearer.

This sudden change to the power structure sparked civil war and riots within the city. Tarot Ring Bearers turned on one another as people tried to seize power or return order. The people of Zessgorn soon discovered that if one of the Tarot Ring Bearers kills one of their peers, it destroys the ring of the victim. This only increased tensions. Many rings were destroyed by assassinations or lost by the hands of fleeing Tarot Ring Bearers.

In the end, the remaining major powers were The Empress Ring Bearer, The Judgement Ring Bearer, The Temperance Ring Bearer, and The Paige of Cups. The bearers of these rings formed three distinct factions of power that settled an agreement to cease the city’s fighting. Much tension stayed between these factions despite the agreement. No group played their hand and a divide was formed.

The common people started joining with these factions, going by the name of ‘houses’. All but one of the remaining bearers of the Empowering Rings joined houses as high ranking members. The Hermit Ring Bearer was the sole outlier, they instead united the lowest class of citizens into a house of their own.

Identification between houses became important as tensions rose. Colors and garments were first used to display one’s house membership but they became instrumental for espionage. The House of Cups was the first to implement a true solution to this. The Paige of Cups employed Artificers to embed Ferric Alphabet Signets into the bottom of tankards. These allowed for her house to verify identity, membership, and status using magic. Important records, and documentation are created by the special offices amongst the House to audit this information.

This worked so well for House Cups, that House Hermitage and House Temperance implemented the same strategy. Both for its efficiency and to appeal to The Paige of Cups. Eventually the majority of the city was using this method to conduct business and daily life, so House Empress followed reluctantly.

In modern day, the houses follow the tradition of succession, save for The Paige of Cups who is immortal by the rules of the mortal coil. In modern day, even the lowliest citizens have their own cup.