Sharpened Ears
The Sharpened Ears are Treasures of the Fae.
Overview
These ritual daggers, used in the harvest festivals of the Fields Behind, come from specially treated ears of corn. During the festivals, candidates for the office of Season-King duel with these corn-daggers until one prevails; he then serves the Grandmother through the harvest until the following spring, when a new Season-King is chosen through another, more private method.
Use of the Sharpened Ears is not exclusive to harvest time, though, and most citizens of the Fields can season corn to give it a sharp edge. While the process does require the ears be treated from planting to harvest for best results, serviceable emergency weapons can be crafted in five minutes from supermarket corn. Would-be warriors of the realm tend to practice hard with Sharpened Ears throughout the year, to better their chances at the next festival.
Many find bearers of Sharpened Ears to be quite sexual attractive, and so the weapons are worn and wielded by most young changeling males (and females) who are interested in such things. Despite commonly held belief, women can both season and wield the Ears as well as anyone.
References
- CTD. Dreams and Nightmares, p. 66.