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WoLT Challenge: Unique Artifact

 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Child_of_Rhodes View Post
Shannara used Airships rather successfully in a "classic style S&S" setting.
This may be, but there are no Airships. I'm sorry if that's upsetting, but it's a hard and fast rule.

There were however, sky cities built on sliced and inverted mountain tops. There is only 1 remaining, it is the city of the angels in the land of dragons and gods. If someone absolutely must work on something that is a flying transport, they can develop that, but it is partially developed. Such a writer would be expanding the ideas and adding to it if they chose to go that route.

Also twf, I will read that over as soon as I have a min.

WoLT, I'm interested in writing up an item tied to a very important event. Namely the battle between Typhon and Vaorren. I wouldn't establish anything for sure about how the battle turned out, but I'm interested in the idea of a sword that was present for that showdown.



Just wanted to check before writing anything further up; is it ok to touch the battle so long as I keep things vague?

Hmm... Interesting, and will require a little alteration on my part. Still, should work.

Mor'anor - The Shard of Endings

The tale of the battle between Magi Typhon and Vaorren is one of the most renowned in all of history, except to historians, who remain vexed at the lack of information on the final confrontation. Oh, the bards sing a thousand versions of the great battle, twice that if you include the comedies, and ten times as many in Vaorren lands. But every single one is supposition, artistic make-believe, and any sage can tell you as much. Even the dark ones don't truly know what happened at the end of the Last Age..

However, one legend seems to have some consistency to it. Either there is truth buried within the tale, or it's simply an oft told story.

Idril Helyanwë was a mistress of the forge, at the time of the Vaorren domination. Few elves were kept as slaves by the dark ones, but for one with Idril's skills, an exception was made by her 'master', Lord Kerras. Guards were stationed around her workshop constantly, wards were placed upon every exist, and any blade Helyanwë forged was to be taken from her immediately. The effort Kerras went to for the sake of his elf-pet was extreme, but justifiable. She wrought some of the finest arms and armour the Vaorren Court had even seen, although her style showed a little dwarfen influence, blending the two into a state greater than either. Work befitting the masters of L'Tiene

As Typhon's forces grew, and his armies begun to march, Kerras was not idle. He foresaw that at some point Maggus Vaorren himself would need to meet this newcomer in battle, and the ambitious lordling intended to stand by his master's side that day. He ordered his prize smith to fashion him the finest blade she had ever wrought, a sword worthy of one fighting at the side of the Maggus. If she but completed this one last task for her Master, to his satisfaction, Kerras would not only set her free, but personally ensure her safe passage back to L'Ohrdohnia

Idril did not believe her master capable of such compassion, but begun work on the blade, as he requested. In truth, however, her intent for it's final destination was a touch different. Typhon's forces were marching, getting closer by the day. With luck, by the time she was done, they would have taken the city, or come close enough to it as made no difference. She had some friends on the outside; her warded windows barred her passage, but not her words. She could see her blade delivered into the hands of one far more fitted to weild it, her brother Aelmah, now an apprentice to Maggus Typhon.

The tale divides itself at this point. Whilst all versions say that Idril of the Forge was killed by Lord Kerras before the Vaorren fled the city, the fate of the blade the elven smith forged is uncertain. Some say that she threw it from the window to a waiting runner, who did not stop until it was in her brother's hands. Others say that Kerras used it to slay his elven pet, silting her throat with it's impossible edge, sipping just a little of the red he found there, before stepping back, and bathing the sword in it's creator's lifeblood

It is not hard to see which version the Vaorren tend to prefer. Either way, the tale of Mor'anor resumes only at the time of the final battle itself. Either Kerras or Aeimah bore the silver glinting blade into the final battle, at the side of their master (both magi had few retainers with them at this point). Both men were slain; they were powerful in their own right, but hopeless beside two of the greatest magic users of history. All tales agree on that point alone; the battle that brought the Age to a close was between the Magi, and none other. Whatever forces stood by their sides were cut down to a one.

(TBC, but I'd like feedback on what I've got thus far. There's not much more to tell, honestly, bar the truth and the powers of the blade)

@TWF

The concept for the rose petal is interesting, but we need to focus the origin more. One of the things about magic items is that they are especially rare and unique, often a typical person will never see one outside of their mind at the story teller's circle. As such for their creation they don't just "happen". There's intense effort made with emphasis on explanation. That doesn't mean the legend you put forth couldn't be the legend of the blade, but we do need a more precise explanation to work into the game world.

See if you can answer the specific whoo what when where and why, or at least attempt to do so, so that I might help refine your explanation with in world facts.

Well, here's an expanded version, including The Truth (in spoiler tags) I'm not entirely certian on what the things powers should be exactly, but I hope you'll like where I took the Truth section

Mor'anor - The Shard of Endings

The tale of the battle between Magi Typhon and Vaorren is one of the most renowned in all of history, except to historians, who remain vexed at the lack of information on the final confrontation. Oh, the bards sing a thousand versions of the great battle, twice that if you include the comedies, and ten times as many in Vaorren lands. But every single one is supposition, artistic make-believe, and any sage can tell you as much. Even the dark ones don't truly know what happened at the end of the Last Age..

However, one legend seems to have some consistency to it. Either there is truth buried within the tale, or it's simply an oft told story.

Idril Helyanwë was a mistress of the forge, at the time of the Vaorren domination. Few elves were kept as slaves by the dark ones, but for one with Idril's skills, an exception was made by her 'master', Lord Kerras. Guards were stationed around her workshop constantly, wards were placed upon every exist, and any blade Helyanwë forged was to be taken from her immediately. The effort Kerras went to for the sake of his elf-pet was extreme, but justifiable. She wrought some of the finest arms and armour the Vaorren Court had even seen, although her style showed a little dwarfen influence, blending the two into a state greater than either. Work befitting the masters of L'Tiene

As Typhon's forces grew, and his armies begun to march, Kerras was not idle. He foresaw that at some point Maggus Vaorren himself would need to meet this newcomer in battle, and the ambitious lordling intended to stand by his master's side that day. He ordered his prize smith to fashion him the finest blade she had ever wrought, a sword worthy of one fighting at the side of the Maggus. If she but completed this one last task for her Master, to his satisfaction, Kerras would not only set her free, but personally ensure her safe passage back to L'Ohrdohnia

Idril did not believe her master capable of such compassion, but begun work on the blade, as he requested. In truth, however, her intent for it's final destination was a touch different. Typhon's forces were marching, getting closer by the day. With luck, by the time she was done, they would have taken the city, or come close enough to it as made no difference. She had some friends on the outside; her warded windows barred her passage, but not her words. She could see her blade delivered into the hands of one far more fitted to wield it, her brother Aelmah, now an apprentice to Maggus Typhon.

The tale divides itself at this point. Whilst all versions say that Idril of the Forge was killed by Lord Kerras before the Vaorren fled the city, the fate of the blade the elven smith forged is uncertain. Some say that she threw it from the window to a waiting runner, who did not stop until it was in her brother's hands. Others say that Kerras used it to slay his elven pet, silting her throat with it's impossible edge, sipping just a little of the red he found there, before stepping back, and bathing the sword in it's creator's lifeblood

It is not hard to see which version the Vaorren tend to prefer. Either way, the tale of Mor'anor resumes only at the time of the final battle itself. Either Kerras or Aeimah bore the silver glinting blade into the final battle, at the side of their master (both magi had few retainers with them at this point). Both men were slain; they were powerful in their own right, but hopeless beside two of the greatest magic users of history. All tales agree on that point alone; the battle that brought the Age to a close was between the Magi, and none other. Whatever forces stood by their sides were cut down to a one.

And this is where the stories split for the final time. One Maggus had gained victory over the other, who lay wounded. However, just within the loser's reach lay a silver blade, with a pointed hilt. With their final effort, the all but dead Maggus plunged the blade straight towards their killer in a final, desperate attack, leaving both the great beings, dark and light, truly and finally dead.

Yes, this blade was the one that either ended the last age, or saved the Vaorren from extinction, depending on who you ask. Irrespective of the precise details, all tales agree that the Shard of Endings gained incredible power from it's small part in that confrontation, that it has some key role to play in the next age, and has slipped past the sight of the powerful

Truth

Quote:
Originally Posted by World of L_Tiene View Post
@TWF

The concept for the rose petal is interesting, but we need to focus the origin more. One of the things about magic items is that they are especially rare and unique, often a typical person will never see one outside of their mind at the story teller's circle. As such for their creation they don't just "happen". There's intense effort made with emphasis on explanation. That doesn't mean the legend you put forth couldn't be the legend of the blade, but we do need a more precise explanation to work into the game world.

See if you can answer the specific who what when where and why, or at least attempt to do so, so that I might help refine your explanation with in world facts.
The simple fact of the blade is that it's not a magic item in the traditional sense that it's a weapon that was created intentionally. It's just the vessel for an extremely powerful spirit.

The legend stems mostly from it's wielders. The spirit inside doesn't really know how it got there, other than it chooses to reside within the weapon, and it chooses its wielders very carefully. Always women, with strong personalities, and who are extremely free spirited. The legend grew up from that.

In truth, the Axe itself was just a mundane hatchet (it's current shape came to be over time from its owners reshaping it over time) that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two sorcerers (who they were is fairly irrelevant: all that matters is they were there, hurling huge amounts of magic around) were battling one another. One of them summoned a powerful elemental spirit. Unfortunately, the sorcerer wasn't able to keep a collar on its own pet, and was killed. The spirit began going on a rampage. Desperate to keep innocent people from getting hurt, the other sorcerer--a young woman named Rose--bound the spirit inside herself. It wasn't long before she felt her personality and that of the elemental spirit begin to merge. Knowing she had precious little time left, she took the first thing she could find--a hatchet stuck in a tree-stump--and focused intently. She drained her entire being, soul spirit and all, into the axe, so that her powerful magic would not be wielded by the fearsome spirit. Within the axe, the two beings became one. Rose's magic has diminished from being inside the axe, but she can still do a few things. Teleporting the axe when she decides she's had enough of her wielder, or if the wielder is not someone she wants to deal with (such as a man), and emitting emotions into those who wield her.

She can techinically leave the axe, but only for a short time, and doing so drains her of much of her energy, and makes her vulnerable. Only when truly enraged by the destruction scenario listed above, will she ever leave.

Returning the axe to the sorceress' body does destroy the axe. She can't repossess the body, but she will certainly try--and in doing so, kill herself.

Ah, TWF, what you mean it's not an artifact at all, just a fetish for a spirit. That makes sense... the question is then, why does it have powers aside from what normal spirits can do?





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