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Magicians Hat
Magicians Hat
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type:
Apparel; performance tool; concealment accessory
rarity:
uncommon
material:
black felt shell; silk grosgrain band; spring-steel stiffener; satin lining
dimensions:
15 cm crown; 32 cm brim span
weight:
280–360 g
origin:
capacity:
holds small props, notes, coils, or a compact Cipher Deck
legality:
Generally legal; searched by Hall Guard near bonded counters
Magicians Hat is a stage-grade top hat favored by quay buskers, club illusionists, and quick-hand brokers operating along Vesper Quay. It doubles as a discreet carry for notes, light tools, and token items tied to deals with the Silver Ledger and the Counting House. Certain liners are rumored to frustrate casual pat-downs during sweeps against the Gutter Syndic.
Description
- Shell: Tall felt crown with a low nap; silk grosgrain band hides a narrow slip pocket for notes or a flat seal from a Ledger Signet.
- Lining: Satin drop-liner with a cinch cord; false-bottom compartment sized for a Cipher Deck or a folded writ.
- Stiffener: Spring-steel hoop around the brim to keep form during crowd work near the Slickstone Arches.
- Rim Edge: Subtle coin-lip aids palm-to-brim transfers during sleights and tip takes.
- Prop Loops: Hidden tabs accept scarves, ribbon coils, or a slim Smoke Ampoule coupler for reveal effects.
- Telltales: Authentic milliners’ seams run clean under the band; counterfeit street makes show uneven stitch spacing and scratchy liner tape.
Type / Category
- Category: Apparel; performance equipment; covert carry.
- Users: Buskers, club performers, hush-contract brokers like Scillia Doge, and wardens’ stooges staging crowd control for Ilex Marr.
Stats / Effects
- Sleight Buff: Advantage on quick-palming or misdirection checks when using prepared loops and coin-lip.
- Conceal Pocket: Hidden liner resists casual searches; first frisk by a non-expert imposes disadvantage to detect stowed items up to lockplate-key size.
- Flash Reveal: Fitted with a dust/steam coupler, deploying a Smoke Ampoule grants brief line-of-sight breaks to adjacent allies.
- Quiet Carry: Items inside do not jostle audibly if packed to half capacity or less.
- Counter Risk: If inspected at a bonded desk of the Counting House, failure to declare stowed tools like a Lockplate Key triggers fines under Silver Ledger rules.
Usage / Crafting / Requirements
- Operation: Pre-load scarves or coils via the liner; seat notes under the band; brace the rim for controlled tips; vent a coupler before striking an ampoule.
- Crafting: Blocked felt over a tall crown form; stitched satin liner with draw seam; sprung hoop set hot; band pocket hand-finished.
- Maintenance: Steam and brush felt; avoid salt soak from quay spray; check loop stitching after hard reveals near the Slickstone Arches.
- Restrictions: Allowed in public halls; subject to hat-off checks by Hall Guard at the Counting House and quay intake lanes.
Lore / Background
- Dock Tradition: Street crews in Vesper Quay pass the hat to mark safe circle space during dusk busks.
- Broker Use: Fixers under Scillia Doge reportedly stash micro-slips keyed by a Cipher Deck in the band during hush contracts.
- Warden Note: Ward teams under Ilex Marr tolerate flare-and-hat reveals for crowd drift, so long as bonded counters at the Counting House stay clear.
- Syndic Angle: The Gutter Syndic favors bulkier crowns to hide a flat Glasswire Dagger; most such hats are easy spots by their stiff, high brim.
Image Gallery
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A busker’s hat catching coins by the Lantern Docks of Vesper Quay
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A female broker palming a sealed note beneath the hat’s band during a hush meet
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Wardens inspecting a stage hat at a bonded counter in the Counting House
Related Characters / Mobs / Scenes
Variants
- Busker’s Brim: Shorter crown for crowd movement; minimal liner.
- Club Tall: Extra-tall crown with dual prop loops; satin in dark plum.
- Ledger-Plain: Black band with no pocket; approved for entry to Silver Ledger counters.
- Syndic Wide: Overwide brim and stiff crown; sized to conceal a flat Glasswire Dagger.