Subterfuge Spectacles
Subterfuge Spectacles are a kind of specialized eyewear used in the Emerald City to circumvent the Wizard of Oz’s decree that all exterior surfaces in the capital must be painted in shades of green. These most-excellent eyeglasses allow the wearer to translate the tones of their oppressively viridescent environment into a veritable rainbow of other hues. They are commonly used in the creation and viewing of subversive murals throughout the city.
Manufacturing
The specialized lenses which make the Subterfuge Spectacles possible are crafted with spells created by the good witches of the South and North: Glinda and Locasta. Though the pair have repeatedly denied any knowledge of the enchantments, the wicked witches—Baccata and Elavaris—maintain their suspicions, as does the Wizard himself.
Because the lenses are illegal, they are manufactured by sympathetic magic users in Yesterland and smuggled across the Bay of Beauty into the port of Nova Aurelia. From there, they are fitted into the most common frames the smugglers can find, then shipped up the River Quad and into the capital for distribution.
History
The spectacles were first developed by Glinda and Abena the Redeemer during the 150s. The first pairs worked by dialing down the saturation of all colors to zero, rendering everything in shades of gray. And while this was a welcome development for those who needed a break from Mandatory Green, customer feedback was clear: folks wanted a rainbow, not a rain cloud.
In the later 150s, Glinda and Abena finally learned to trust Locasta—the second Witch of the North—and she provided the final ingredient necessary to create the glasses known and loved today. A drop of shapeshifting kíndallan blood was all it took to perfect the formula, and Locasta had a secret stash of the stuff. All she asked in return was that she never be forced to reveal her source. And once she promised that the kíndallan donor was a willing participant, the other two were satisfied and production began in earnest.
I like this, its a fun object, and the illicit element is a nice touch. Understandable why they exist too, I mean absolutely everything is just emerald green? That's obnoxious visually, gimme some variety!