The Hand of Fate is a crystalline prosthetic arm and one component of a five-piece artifact set known collectively as the Five Fingers of Fate. When attached to a user, the arm is animated through magical means and functions as a living limb. It is delivered with a single finger already affixed; the remaining four must be recovered separately and attached to unlock its full capabilities.
Description
The arm is constructed from a crystal material of exceptional resilience, resistant to both physical blows and magical assault. In its incomplete state, the base unit with one finger affixed is functional but limited. Each additional finger increases the wielder’s fine motor control and the artifact’s magical output, and a fully assembled hand is considered one of the more formidable conjuration and abjuration artifacts in Rolara’s recorded history.
The Five Fingers of Fate share two properties regardless of how many fingers are assembled. First, the crystal of each finger is capable of transmitting information magically, enabling long-distance communication and coordination among wielders who possess different pieces of the set; this function operates independently of the hand’s other capabilities. Second, the assembled fingers grant the wielder progressively heightened dexterity, culminating in a fully functional prosthetic hand when all five are in place.
History
The Five Fingers of Fate were forged in secret during the War of the Five Fingers, a period of prolonged conflict between humans and elves in which humans sought to compensate for their opponents’ superior magical capabilities. The project was directed by a powerful Archmage whose identity is not preserved in surviving accounts, and required the collaboration of master craftsmen and enchanters working under conditions of deliberate concealment.
The artifact set proved consequential. Human forces equipped with the Hand of Fate and its communication capabilities were able to coordinate in ways the elven forces did not anticipate, and the resulting tactical advantage contributed materially to the war’s outcome.
Aftermath
Following the conflict, the human leadership recognized the assembled set as a threat to post-war stability. Rather than destroy the artifacts, they chose to scatter the five fingers across Rolara, entrusting each to separate guardians and concealing the locations from one another. The intent was to ensure that no single power could easily reassemble the set.
Current Status
The guardians and hiding places of the five fingers have passed out of recorded history. The legend of the Five Fingers of Fate persists in scholarly literature and among treasure hunters. Three surviving in-world accounts (see “The Hand of Fate: Lost in the Desert”, “The Hand of Fate: Passing of Power”, and “The Hand of Fate: The Man Alone”) suggest the artifact retains a near-sentient quality and selects its wielders rather than passively submitting to them. Whether any of the five fingers remain in their original hiding places, have changed hands, or have been destroyed is unknown.