Túpac Amaru’s Quipu

Origin
Túpac Amaru inherited the Inca Empire in a state of decline – civil war, conquistadors and disease had already ravaged the mighty civilization. What remained was a rump state trying to assert a shred of dominance from its remote cities such as Ollantaytambo and Vilcabamba.

As the last Sapa Inca, Túpac attempted to rebel against the Spanish invaders but was instead forced to flee. Captured alongside his generals, Túpac’s execution before his enemies formally signaled the demise of Incan sovereignty.

Quipus were commonly used by Incan messengers to record large amounts of information through a series of knotted strings. Tax payments, population records and future dates could all be recorded on a single quipu through the complex relationships between the groupings, knots, length and even colors.

Effects
Releases an arid puff of dust whenever the wearer speaks in Quechua, the indigenous language of formerly Incan Peru. It will disperse and pinpoint the closest ethnic or religious subgroup the user is descended from. Specifically, that culture must be endangered from past discrimination and present globalization.

The dust lingers around, blending among the ceremonies and daily lives for days or even months after initial activation. After interacting with a profound amount of their existence, the dust returns to the quipu with its research in tow. New knots are added to represent different facets of the studied culture(s).

All the user needs to do is think of their lineage, and a flood of heritage and stories stretching back centuries barrages their mind. Sharing between multiple people allows them to view the memories as a guest of honor. Every tidbit of struggle and growth is preserved indefinitely for future generations to access.

The depth of customs tapped by the quipu will cause a noticeable drain in the current leaders. They will become less capable at explaining their rites, while the young lose interest in the past and their cultural identities. Companies and governments will take advantage to control their lands and people, straining threatened peoples even further.