Weapons of Legend Challenge Weekend (22-23-24)

[Alexandra Gainsborough]

Polyglottos
"The mocking birds tongue"

Name of Weapon: Polyglottos aka "The mocking birds tongue"

Weapon or Weapon Related Image:


Weapon Description:
This simple bladed dagger was made from patterned steel as something of more quality was unavailable. This gives the snake like blade a unique pattern of black and silver marks. The guard offered little protection to the wielder from an attack, serving more as a stop for the hand. The daggers ebony handle broken by simple red inlays.

Weapon History/Background:

As the story is told the dagger once belonged to someone called the Lyre. The story changes slightly depending on who is telling it. The most common version has the original owner set as a common girl turned spy. She would mimic a maid or take up duties as a grounds keeper and  blend into the background of some of the cities elite estates.

Sitting under a windowsill on a moonless night the Lyre sat listening to a conversation between two less then honest business men. A passing patrol spotted her, no one with good intentions would be out this late at night. She darted and they gave chase. Fear had clouded her thoughts and eventually she turned down a dead ended alleyway.

Clutching her dagger tightly, ready to strike she waited. Muttering a few words it was unclear if she was praying to any god that might hear her pleas or summoning her own djed but the darkness soon enveloped her. Walking down the alley with torches and swords in hand the guards walked past her. The torch light was unable to illuminate the darkness.

The guards stopped and instead of speaking in the native tongue as they did before they now spoke clearly in common. The seconds ticked by like hours as she waited clutching her dagger. The guards scanned the area once again before one said it must have been a ghost and they returned to their duties.

Weapon Powers/Abilities:
21 - darkest knight
7 - translation

A testimont to sheer power of will the wielder is only required to mutter the correct word before darkness falls. The area surrounding the individual in possession of the blade becomes dimly lit concealing it's master.

This ally to anyone who does not wish to be seen also allows the user to understand the spoken word in any tongue. This makes sitting under eaves a much more pleasant pass time.

Last Known Location:
Rumors state that the Lyre's information proved to be a little to useful and they were betrayed by very people they had helped. Narrowly escaping capture and death by the heads of state she fled the city never to be seen again. Some say she still waits in the shadows gathering secrets.

*this was going to be a mop or feather duster originally

[Kynier]

Dice rolling occurred on June 22nd between 9:12-9:14am EST.

Alinon's Fang


Weapons Description:
This longsword has a glass blade with a tint of red to its color. The hilt is steel with silver etched in a series of glyphs that a Glypher can identify to have Leeching properties. The handle is wrapped in red velvet with a silver pommel at its end. Even to the trained eye, Alinon’s Fang appears to be a ceremonial weapon. But from ancient magecraft it has proven to be sharper than steel.

Weapon History/Background:
The Suvan and Alahea Empires were at war again. This one’s name had been lost to the Valterrian and the passing of time. Yet the tales survives in a few whispers between scholars that delve through the remnants of the greater powers that were. During this war there was a city along the edge of the Klipzian Pact by the name of Deloun. Its location did not impede The Suvan’s march further into the territories of Alahea, Yet General Taw, who led the march, was very prideful and refused to leave a city unscathed in her campaign. There was a master shielder, Xuthan, with many apprentices that erected barriers all around the city to protect it and stop the Suvan Empire’s march. Alahea was still developing their golem army which would not be ready until later that winter. The few mages that Suvan had at its disposal worked tirelessly to leech the shields away. It was proving futile as Alahea had more invested to a mage’s abilities. The Leechers grew sickly and died without placing an impact on the shields surrounding Deloun.

General Taw sent word back to the empire that they needed assistance in breaking the siege of Deloun. There was only one master Leecher in the whole of the Suvan Empire that could turn the tide. However, the mage Juwm was in poor health and could not handle the long journey to the front lines. Yet she was a patriot who had served the empire faithfully all her life. She commissioned a sword to be made of the finest quality that would be the tool the empire needed. When it was ready, she and her apprentices worked their magecraft to turn the sword into the ultimate weapon against Alahea’s magics. Juwm gave her life in the ritual to imbue her Leeching talents to the sword. Her first apprentice, Alinon Ghael took the blade and marched to the frontlines.

Nearing winter’s end, before the golem armies approach, Alinon bore the long glass blade and approached the first of many shields that surrounded Deloun. The shields had caused complacency among the Deloun residents who thought a single mage could not bring down the barriers that Xuthan and his apprentices had developed. Alinon felt his way around the shields for a time before driving the glass tip through it. As though cutting through cloth, the shield was torn asunder. With his expert leeching abilities, and the focus of his weapon, Alinon became an endless font of power that quickly overwhelmed the mages of Deloun. General Taw’s army followed behind to eradicate those that had survived Alinon’s fury. No one knows who coined the name, but the weapon became known as Alinon’s Fang.

It was not enough to drive back the golem forces that would come. Alinon’s Fang was lost in the fog of war. Though rumors of its appearance have cropped up throughout history.

Weapon Powers/Abilities:
When injuring a mage Alinon’s power leeches the Djed from their body to fuel the wielder’s power. Djed can be absorbed from creatures without magical training, but the power absorbed is equivalent to one eighth from that a mage would provide. Victims that are wounded this way feel the minor effects of overgiving (light-headedness, loss of senses, tremors, etc.). The sword can also cut through and absorb semi-permanent or permanent weaves of magic, most commonly shields. However, Alinon’s Fang can only be safely wielded by a mage with training in Leeching. Those that do not have an understanding experience intense agony as their Djed is drained from them. Alinon’s Fang dampens the toxicity of Leeching but does not prolong the delay of overgiving, nor can it be used as a focus for absorbing Djed from the environment.

Last Known Location:
The last rumor placed Alinon’s Fang in Sunberth, 50 years ago. It was said one of Olab Causton’s apprentices was an expert of Leeching and carried an unusual sword with him. The apprentice’s temperament showed signs of psychological damage from overgiving and refused to cast spells without first killing or maiming with his sword first.

[Kynier]

The Stocaren Bow

Rolling occurred on June 22nd between 11:09-11:10am EST


Weapon Description:
This seemingly ordinary longbow is made from yew and holds no decorative designs. The one identifying feature it has is a strip of blue paint down the middle of its length.

Weapon History/Background:
Stocaren was an Akalak that hunted every type of game available. Every time he ventured into the wilderness he never found himself wanting of food. As an expert marksman with a bow he often could kill any creature before it was aware of his presence. However, the adventures of the wilderness were losing their luster. Like many of his breed he longed to find a strong female that could bare his offspring. One day he was in Claridon when he saw the woman he desired most, Silowa. She was a merchant of animal skins who had many suitors that she always politely turned away.

Stocaren chose to make his own proposition to her. That if she’d bare his children he would provide animal skins to her for next to nothing for the rest of his life. Silowa considered his offer but counter proposed a test to see how great of a hunter he was. She asked for a hundred bear pelts from only bears indigenous to Cyphrus. Stocaren felt daunted by the challenge knowing how sparse the bear population was. In his lust he accepted the challenge and went out into the wilderness. Over the next year he hunted, killed, and skinned the hundred bears necessary with his bow. As he finished skinning the last bear he turned and saw Silowa in the wilderness. He asked what she was doing so far from Claridon. Her response was only laughter as she changed into a rainbow colored raven and flew away, cawing in laughter.

From the woods behind him Stocaren felt another being approach. The First Witch, Caiyha, came forward with fury upon her brow. She cursed Stocaren for his excessive hunt which unbalanced the ecosystem of the land. Taking his soul and his mind she trapped it within his own bow which she left in the wilderness.

Weapon Abilities:
Stocaren was an Akalak who was an expert in Wilderness Survival and who could hunt and stalk even the most challenging prey. His attitude towards those that carry his bow is more or less… disgruntled. Often frustrated by their methods of approach. The unique power to the bow comes in response to the wielder’s fear. Anytime the owner feels fear from possible bodily harm, death, or discovery while trying to hide the bow automatically camouflages their skin and clothes. The color scheme and pattern will automatically match their immediate surroundings. This bonus is not granted if the owner is moving as fast as a normal walk. The camouflage does not adapt fast enough to conceal the owner if they move at a standard walking pace.

Last Known Location:
The Stocaren Bow is a tale of warning among Akalaks in Riverfall who wish to become hunters. While it is not known if the bow was ever retrieved from the glade in which Stocaren was transformed, there is always suspicion of any hunter that can brave the most dangerous environments to hunt the most dangerous game.

[Gillar]

We are around the midpoint of this contest so I thought I would offer a suggestion that will hopefully help those who have submitted already and those who have yet to do so. Any entries that include statistical information about their item will unfortunately be invalid for the final vote.

By statistical information I mean anything that mentions skills, skill levels, skill points, required skills, number of times per day something can be used, specific magical levels and numbered bonuses, etc.

The section of Powers and Abilities is not for adding in statistical information, it is to summarize the powers you rolled for to begin with and flesh them out with some detail; non-statistical, non-quantitative detail.

There are a few reasons for this but the primary one is to avoid the Magical Arms Race that I've mentioned before.

Otherwise, there are some great ideas and creations going on in this contest. Keep it going!!

[Nya Winters]

The Ieto Seed

Weapon Description

This biological weapon of mass destruction appears as a glowing green seedpod approximately four inches wide by three inches thick. Fitting neatly into the palm of one's hand, this luminous seed pod its a wonder in its own right. Once it makes contact with any sort of ground surface, the seed will root down and start to germinate. After the seed has planted itself, it then germinates and matures virtually overnight regardless of soil quality, sunlight or water availability. The tree appears as a towering oak, unbelievably beautiful with a charismatic draw that is almost undeniable. It's scent has been described as alluring, attracting organisms to it by the droves. Historically, people have described these trees as the most beautiful trees they have ever seen. The Ieto tree itself can exit for hundreds of years untouched. However, once it is touched, it will begin its reproductive process and form a seed, causing the tree itself to die.

Weapon Powers/Abilities

Once the tree is touched, the first person person touching it will have years ripped away from their life. This immediately causes the tree to flower one incredibly beautiful amazing flower, form a seed within the flower after it blooms, and then the tree will die. The dead tree will remain upright, without decay for many many years until someone comes along and plucks the seed. Once the seed is plucked, all the stolen years from the person who touched the tree while it was alive is transferred to the bearer of the seed. Once this occurs, the seed can be left anywhere in the open on any sort of ground and it will germinate anew, starting the process over again.

Weapon History/Background

The Ieto Seed was one of Myrna Kelvic's greatest finds. Through personal experience of the loss of several team members, Myrna discovered these unique seeds came from an off-world trees that had these horrific qualities about it. Thinking it could be used as a weapon against Alahea, Myrna carefully brought it back to her Suva Stronghold of Pavena and gave it to one of her Mages, Ieto Levik. The tenatious man was able to safely contain the seed in a sealed off section of Pavena's labs and germinate it in mass quantities sacrificing (secretly) countless slaves and unwanted experiments to its germination.

It is unknown how Ieto safely contained the specimen.

Starting with a single seed, Ieto's plan was to germinate thousands of them and seed Alahea secretly at night with the seeds all throughout her major population centers. He felt he could significantly alter the nature of the seed so that it would Lifedrink hundreds of individuals at once and not just a single victim at a time before it died and reproduced. Ieto had reported to Myrna before she went missing that he was on the verge of doing just this. Then, she went missing, the Valterrian happened, and his research was lost.

Last Known Location

Post Valterrian, it was said a Myrian warrior stumbled upon an incredibly beautiful tree out in the jungle by itself and touched it. He held onto it until he aged well beyond his normal lifespan and passed into the next world. The tree died, formed a seed, and when his tribe came looking for him, they found a husk of the man leaning up against the dead tree - arms enfolding it - and plucked the seed from the tree. They reportedly brought it back to Taloba and buried it with their tribesman hoping to hide the cursed thing forever. There was no known report of what happened to the individual who plucked the seed from the tree to transport it to the Myrian Man's grave.

[Okara]

Kathol’s Folly

Weapon Description
A small marble from a child’s toy set, only a half inch in diameter. This marble is made of glass with moving yellow and orange colors swirling around just beneath its surface. In its owner’s hands it always feels cool to the touch.

Weapon History/Background
400 years prior to the Valterrian a small community called Kathol existed on the coast of the Sebakem Ocean in what is now known as the region of Sylira. The community was a collective of glass blowing artisans who were known as masters of their craft and were highly paranoid that competitors would learn the secrets of their unique techniques. They had come together in selfish agreement and moved their families to the more remote coastal location where they could jealously guard their work. The glass blower who had come up with the idea for the collective, Ollin Kathol, claimed the right to name the community after himself.

One day, a terrible earthquake threatened the community. The people cried out and prayed for Ivak to come and save them. The god heard their prayers and appeared in their midst as their houses began to tumble apart around them. A young boy smiled up at the god and handed him a yellow and orange glass marble from his play set. The god smiled back, grasped the marble tightly, and the earthquake stopped.

Finally safe, the people gathered around the god to complain and protest. Why had he not foreseen the quake and come sooner? Why had he not blessed one among them so they could have stopped the quake themselves? Why had he not done more for their community of master artisans? Ivak remained calm in the face of their enormous ingratitude and selfishness and turned to the boy who had handed him the marble.

This belongs to you, only you shall play with it. Ivak told the boy as he handed back the marble and disappeared. The boy looked at the marble in his hand and saw that the orange and yellow colors moved and swirled together beneath the glass surface. He kneeled to the ground to play with his marble set and dropped his marble of moving colors to the ground. As the marble touched the ground, the earth trembled beneath it and the artisans cried out, afraid the earthquake had begun again. When the tremble subsided and none followed, the people gathered around the boy. Ollin Kathol noticed the strangeness of the marble Ivak had given back to the boy and demanded to see it. When the boy put it into his hands, Ollin began to scream as bright, white lines raced up his arm and towards his torso. The lines traced their way up and around his body as the light intensified and finally the man burst into flames.

”This belongs to you, only you shall play with it…..” a woman repeated Ivak’s words and stared as the little boy gathered up the marble from a pile of ash. The woman, a cook and wife of an artisan, drew her butcher’s knife and stabbed the small boy. The other community members were shocked into silence at the woman’s violence and watched as she grabbed the marble from the hands of the lifeless child. She held it aloft and crowed with delight, unharmed in handling it.

Her joyful cries broke the stupor of the community and the selfish artisans turned on one another in violence. Some fought to gain ownership of the marble, others fought in revenge of a loved one struck down before them. Neighbor murdered neighbor in blind rage until only a single, bleeding man remained surrounded by the bodies of his family and fellow artisans.

Seeing the destruction around him, the man knew that Ivak had truly punished them. The man found a notebook and wrote, Know the folly of Kathol… and wrote down the series of events. He posted the story to a door frame near the site of the self-inflicted slaughter and found the marble of moving colors among the dead. Walking to the beach of the Sebakem Ocean the man threw the marble as far as he could into the water. Waves shook and crashed haphazardly as the marble struck the water and sunk. Calmly, the man found the bodies of his wife and infant child who had been struck down in the mob violence and sat beside them. Reaching for a blood spattered knife, he plunged the blade into his belly and lay back, staring into his beloved’s dull eyes and hoping that by taking his own life none would ever suffer from Kathol’s Folly again.

Weapon Powers/Abilities
(16) Imbued with the energy of the earthquake Ivak stopped, when this marble is dropped it will cause the ground to violently tremble and quake.
(8) When this marble is touched by anyone but the owner it will cause the person to combust in flames.


Last Known Location
Tossed into the Sebakem Ocean over 900 years ago, it could wash up on any coast or be stuck in any underwater wreck.

[Rene Rafar]

46. Crossbow
16 - Earthly Tremble: Causes the ground in the immediate area to violently quake and tremble.
2 - Glows when wielder is in danger.

Special Delivery



Weapon Description

Special Delivery is a normal looking crossbow at first look you would think there is nothing special about as it looks as if it was a standard military issue.

Weapon History/Background

Not much is known about Special Delivery other than is is old but well taken care of it does date back to the fall of Valterrian it has been passed through many hands over the years to the point that it is no more then a wise tail of warriors.

Weapon Powers/Abilities

Special Delivery has the ability cause the ground in the immediate area to violently quake and tremble. It also will glow to let the its wielder know when they are in danger.

Last Known Location

It is unknown of the last location but is possible that it is in the procession of the Daggerhand's armory master.

[Kynier]

The River Root

Rolling occurred on June 22nd between 11:11-11:13am EST


Weapon Description:
A quarterstaff made from red oak. Very mundane in appearance with no physical means of identification.

Weapon History/Background:
Among those blessed with Treavery there is a tale that has turned myth. That once the gnosis of their power did not exist and for those to traverse through time an artifact blessed by Tanroa was required. In the antechamber, that was lost to the effects of the Valterrian, there was a tree that grew next to the River of Time that flowed through the artificial world. The roots of the red oak drank from time itself and bestowed unimaginable properties to the tree. Tanroa took a branch as a totem of her power and bestowed it to the first Treaver.

According to myth, this was before Treavery was restricted to the past. The first owner stood at what is now the Suvan Sea and flowed far down the river into the distant future. As they flowed down the stream they took traces of the Valterrian with them and contaminated the river of time with more Djed Storms. This myth is one of great controversy among scholars about the effects of time and Tanroa’s dedication to safeguarding the river and the future. Some believe that it needed to occur as a foundation of events yet to come. Others argue that she can see all of time and would’ve stopped the corruption. Legend holds that after the catastrophe, Tanroa took back the staff and syphoned away some of its power.

Weapon Abilities:
When the holder of the staff dips it into a larger than average creek, or larger body of water, the water will rise and envelope the barer. Inside the water they can still see their surroundings and notice the effects of age reverse. The wielder can reverse time up to one hundred years and travel anywhere within fifty miles of the anchor point they arrived from. While unable to change the past they can interact with the locals, manipulate doors, windows, other objects, see, hear, smell, and taste anything from the past. The can reside in the past for up to six hours before they must return to the anchor point. (More details about the limitations of Treavery, see second Gnosis Mark.)

The River Root is a piece of time itself and protects the wearer from decay in all natural forms. The one that holds the staff need not eat, drink, nor sleep and does not age through natural means. The protection of time itself also makes the staff indestructible, for it exists throughout all of time at once.

The last quality of the staff is that the holder can use an illusion to make themselves appear as any race of the same gender. With it they can traverse time in disguise without forming catastrophic ripples from being recognized multiple times throughout history and altar history with wild tales of immortality, or godhood.

Last Known Location:
Rumor is that Tanroa tossed the staff into the river of time to be forever lost. The very existence of this artifact is unconfirmed.

[Rene Rafar]

25- The Ahlspiess or known as awl pike
13 - Diseased: Causes rotting, festering wounds
12 - Made of extraordinarily rare materials from another world.

Death-bringer, Breaker of Lost Comrades



Weapon Description

Death-bringer is one of a kind Ahlspiess or known as awl pike made out of an unknown substance that cases a very slow painful death of any one who gets even a small scratch on their skin.

Weapon History/Background

Not much is known about Death-bringer other than it is very old, well taken care of and in made out of an unknown material not found anywhere in Mizahar it is rumored that the substance came from the stars. Death-bringer dates back to the fall of Valterrian it has been passed through many hands over the years to the point that it is no more then a horror tail of its gruesome deeds told from one warrior to another.

Weapon Powers/Abilities

Death-bringer is a diseased weapon causing wounds to rot and fester it is made of an extraordinarily rare material not found on Mizahar but from another unknown world.

Last Known Location
It is unknown of the last location but is possible that it is in the procession of the Sun's Birth's armory master.

[Azmere]

Bandelero's Cowl

Description:
It is a simple coif made of dark ring chainmail. The face is a rectangular opening and the piece is large enough to cover the entire head, neck and drape along the shoulders. The only distinguishing feature is a line of bent rings along the right side of the face near the jaw where a final blow was dealt to the original owner.

Abilities:
4 - Illuminates on command (equivalent of torchlight).
4 - Commanding Presence: Enhances one's force of personality; more intimidating, persuasive, seductive, etc.

Rolls :

History:
A long time ago, the world was different. Many small towns existed because the technology and power existed to defend, sustain and thrive in small groups. Far to the north of the Alahean capital, Treval, was a small group of city-states that held the land around a large lake in a peaceful accord. They had no real trinkets of value nor did they live noteable lives. The people were farmers, fishermen, weavers and hunters but they also held a very strong spirit. They worshipped many of the gods but none so much as Priskil. Her gift of light in the darkness maintained the hope of lasting peace which almost all held in such high regard. It was through this mutually sought paradise that the region survived for so long. The different settlements would trade and arrange marriages amongst themselves to create bonds of friendship and family which helped speed up the process when harsh negotiations were necessary. There were other powers in the world at work and war was an ever present threat as growing kingdoms and peoples from other areas sought to expand and dominate.

Halfway through the war fought by the Alahean and Suvan empires, this peaceful region of the northeast had fallen under contention. The lake and its denizens had agreed to side with the more friendly Alahean mages several centuries ago to avoid bloodshed and with the promise of protection from the mighty war machine of the Suvans. The mages demanded small tributes and allowed the peoples of the region to live their lives as they always had but the war did not stay away for very long. As the years wound closer to 3000 BV, the Suvans drew closer to creating a straight line across the eastern portion of the continent and cut off the foothold the Alaheans had in the north.

One of the younger leaders of the city-states was a man named Bandelero Dulak. He was smart, strong and patient but he was most known for his ability to calmly sort through disputes. He had become a staple in the lakeland for several decades to handle arguments and grievances. The impending battles gave him enough pause to formulate a series of plans which he and his people along with their neighbors and Alahean support could use to fend off the mighty Suvans.

Despite all of these things, he still feared a great deal for his home. He prayed for days on end to Priskil for guidance and converted many to the face of the goddess simply from his own convictions that she would aid them and save these people who held her such high regard. Moved by the devotion shown by Bandelero, she came to visit him on the morning of the day he left to meet the enemy on the field. Suvan had begun a forced march for the high ground west of the lake and the natives of the region knew they had to find a way there first or all would be lost. Bandelero’s defenses depended upon it. The goddess showed the man that she heard and understood. She gave him a gift of her power and bestowed it upon his cowl. The simple chainmail hood protected his mind, the piece of him most dedicated to the hope that Priskil offered. “Do not fear the dark.” She told him.

With his faith rewarded, Bandelero marched his people and their neighbors along the main road until they came to a rise in the landscape which lead up to the highlands. They would not beat the Suvans and walking up the road would make them easy prey. Their leader recalled the commission given to him by his matron and he turned the small army into the lowlands covered in shadows and littered with caves. All knew this area to be dangerous for the creatures who lived here were things of legend and bedtime stories told to all children. Bandelero knew, as some older men did, that these caves lead right up into the middle of the highlands and a surprise like that could turn the tide of the battle in their favor.

In the dark recesses of the world, fear gripped the farmers, traders and fishermen. Bandelero felt this and prayed to his goddess that she give her strength and hope to his men. His cowl, touched by Priskil, began to glow a brilliant gold which touched every shadow and chased back the beasts. Seeing this miraculous thing, the troops eagerly followed Bandelero and they filled their hearts with strength from his words as he encouraged them to fight for their lives, their homes and the goddess. The rest of the march went quickly as the fearless leader spurred on his force.

When the army emerged in the back lines of the Suvan force, they set fire to everything they touched. For the first few bells, it seemed as if the ragtag militia would actually win. Every man touched by the golden light or the spirited words of Bandelero fought as if he was twice the man he had been. Sadly, there is no equivalent of willpower when the numbers are too great and the Suvans eventually swallowed the resistance. Even as the last dozen men stood and fought against hundreds, Bandelero roared for hope and courage and the soldiers under his command fought with fearlessness. When the battle was over, the Suvans held a ten chime moment of silence for the men and women who had fought and died so bravely. They even carried Bandelero’s body back to the city-states as a sign of respect for his valor.

Last Known Sighting:
Bandelero’s daughter, Catalonia, claimed his body and subsequently the blessed cowl then disappeared. Over the years, rumors have surfaced of a man or woman who can inspire in incredible or terrible ways but it’s always short-lived. The last known sighting of such a tale was shortly after the Djed Storm of 512 AV when a group of traders in the Sea of Grass claim to have been saved when a strange woman lead them to safety in a large underground cavern. She glowed like the sun and convinced them to leave all of their wares behind in search of more wholesome lives. Each man agreed and felt good for having parted with his work, savings and his fears. You can still find some of these poor souls wandering about the southern coastal cities of the Suvan Sea.