From Introduction: The Black Amulet is indeed a powerful relic, but an accursed one. When the swamp spirit, Inuruk, created it, he gave it power by trapping within an evil spirit whom he had defeated. The amulet took the power of this evil spirit and used it to give strength and skill to its mortal bearer. When Inuruk’s human favorite failed to accord the spirit proper respect and honor, however, he changed the amulet, twisting its nature to the man’s disadvantage. This nature remains in place today, and is as follows.