Who goes mad if they don Stanengist?
Zygofer and Zertorme, yes; who else?
Canonically, Zygofer will go insane if he dons Stanengist, as will Zertorme. It’s not mentioned what would happen to Therania, Krasylla or Kartorda.
Merigall, Kalman Rodenfell and the elves in the crown know that a demon or demon-tainted creature will go mad if it dons the crown.
Zytera, Krasylla and Kartonda do not know this.
So, what does this mean?
- Zytera:
- Zygofer: thinks Stanengist is the latest in the things he can use to gain ultimate power (NB: it will send him mad).
- Therania: once Zygofer is dead, sure, Stanengist would be cool, she reckons vaguely. (I think she goes mad).
- Merigall: knows that Stanengist is a trap, either because they’re brilliant and worked it out, or because Viridia told them.
- Krasylla: wants Stanengist for its protonexus-sealing abilities, so is really unlikely to decide to claim it. (I think it goes mad.)
- Virelda Bloodbeak: wants to use Stanengist to restore the land [citation needed].
- Zertorme: is so clever that he’s forgotten that he’s alive because of a demon, and wants to wear the crown (he goes mad).
- Arvia: knows nothing about magic but thinks that you can get power from ancient elf stones, so wants to give the crown to dwarf stone-singers.
- Soria: wants to seal the protonexus with Stanengist.
- Kalman Rodenfell: wants to seal the protonexus with Stanengist, but ideally take out the elf stones first (this won’t work).
- Kartorda: wants to get rid of Zytera and Krasylla and wear Stanengist himself. (I think he’ll go mad)
I can’t see any reason why Therania, Krasylla and Kartorda don’t go mad if Zertorme goes mad; they’re more obviously demon-infested than he is.
For that matter, if the PCs have Stanengist with at least one extra ruby in it by the time they meet Marga and Martea, it’s a decent gamble to say “oh hey, I found this crown, you should have it” and just sit back and watch.