Serpent Relics

Eye, tongue, and fang. Apart, each is only a finely made trinket; together they are the remains of a single serpent — an eye that watches from the dark, a tongue with a mechanism at its root, a fang sharp enough to pierce anyone prying into secrets.

The tongue in particular was placed with care inside the Red Serpent Manor, as though someone left half a sentence behind for the right person to find. The eye and the fang were kept apart, one in plain sight and one hidden.

• White Serpent Eye: An amber crystal shaped like a serpent's eye, its core translucent. A dark band is naturally embedded in its core, shifting with the angle of the light, as if the serpent's gaze were following every move.
• Red Serpent Tongue: A crimson tongue, vivid, cold, and lifelike, curling faintly at the tip. The mechanism at its base fits a hidden keyhole exactly.
• Black Serpent Fang: A fang carved from crystal, smooth as a mirror and sharp as a blade. The slightest carelessness would see it pierce anyone coveting its secret.

The base of the tongue is a key already shaped for its lock, pointed at a keyhole that has been carefully hidden. The eye and the fang never state their use, leaving only the question of what lies beyond the door. Of the three, only the tongue states its use; the other two exist to keep people wondering.

None of the three is a weapon; they are credentials. Only the one carrying them has the right to open that door, and there are always those willing to risk everything for the right.