Verkair the Warden of Snapped BonesArtifact 5 Moonsilver Grand Grimcleaver
Blessed of The Diagrams of Effortless Geometry
A chapter and tome of the Broken Winged Crane.
Alias: Velkar, Venai, Axe of Endless Victory, He that Reaps
To know the true name requires "opening the book" and a journey per the Storyteller's direction.
Speed 6 Accuracy +2 Damage +14L/4 Defense -2 Rate -2 Range 2 Min Str 3 Attunement 5
Axe SpecificsVerkair the Warden of Snapped Bones is a devastating grand grimcleaver double-bladed axe meant to be wielded two-handed. The length is nearly 6 and a half feet in a mortal's seeming, growing larger for those in deadly beastman form. The sweeping blades are held within a folding of Moonsilver wings over a strange brass corroded through by snaking black metals that seem to form sigils and runes the longer you peer upon it (Malfaen Brass). A skull once that of a human man binds the entire creation, eyes burning in the depths by a shimmer reminding you of the final ray of the sun as it dies over the horizon. Foul markings in Abyssal mar the skull though far away they look only as a branding of tattoos that were burnt into the bone by some kind of acid (the blood of a crane if tested), binding the human's soul into his lost skull. The length of metalwork and shaft are all mixed metals of Malfaen Brass, Moonsilver, and liquified obsidian from the walls of the labyrinth. A length of leather is braided and seen within the writhing metals, marked with solar incantations in a Celestial tongue.
One side of Verkair's blade is inscribed with a prayer to the Incarnae, each feather blazing with Orichalcum symbols of life and purity. The other blade holds inscriptions embracing the Yozis, each feather branded by crane blood with the names of katas and forms promising victory.
Most notably, when the inscriptions of battle are thought upon, focused through, or read aloud as a form of battlechant, the eyes of the skull burn deepest blood red with large pearls from the deepest seas, so beautiful and pure. These orbs seek the sight of it's greatest enemies, to destroy them utterly. At times, these eyes may form and see as they wish, depending on what is seen by the wielder. These are the Eyes of the Shadow, and may open whenever they please, or when called, and always open when drawn.
When the verses of orichalcum are focused upon, a bright gleaming white light forms in the orifices with two orbs of perfect obsidian rolling within the sockets. These are the Eyes of the Soul. These eyes must be forced open by the wielder.
Verkair has the qualities of a Moonsilver Grand Grimcleaver. When her warding eye is open, he has a number of special powers. The Eyes of the Shadow's eye can be assumed to be open whenever he is drawn, though the eye will sometimes open of its own accord. The Eyes of the Soul must be forced open, and do not open upon it's own will.
Sight of Shadow: When the Eyes of the Shadow are open, the wielder cannot be surprised. Normally, this means it is impossible to reestablish surprise during combat, but since the eye opens from time to time of its own accord, the wielder may be spared from surprise, at random, at the ST's whim.
Song of War: When the Eyes of the Shadow are open, the wielder gains a deeper understanding of battle. Forms and katas come with ease, bringing with it nearly impossible attacks that can surprise even the greatest of warriors. If the wielder allows the weapon to act and spends 1 mote of essence, the axe will attempt a parry sensing the battle tactics itself using a pool equal to the Dex + Melee + Accuracy of the axe itself.
Banishing Gaze: When the Eyes of the Soul open, the wielder can brandish the axe defiantly at a demon of any circle and spend speak the words of the prayers and abjurations written on her blade. The demon and the wielder then engage in a battle of will, as though the wielder were using the appropriate circle Banishment spell. However, each Willpower+Essence roll is a Speed 5 DV -1 action. Taking other actions while engaged in this battle of wills requires a flurry. Furthermore, the demon and the exalt cannot move closer to each other, though they can move away. This effect costs 15m. The wielder cannot spend extra Essence to reduce his opponent's die pool.
Foe-Searing Radiance (Eyes of the Soul): The axe blazes with a green fire when nearing demons and celestial guardians (agents of Yu'Shan/heaven, not solors but small gods, gods, etc). This adds +4L to the weapon's damage for the rest of the scene. This effect is considered Holy, making Verkair's damage aggravated against creatures of Demon or Yu'Shan descent (not exalts but spirits/gods of Yu'Shan).
Drawback - Hunger AttacksVerkair has one serious drawback; the axe is always...hungry...for battle. If the wielder draws the axe and does not blood it in battle, it will seek someone nearest at hand to attack to sate its appetite. This is reflected by an attack against the wielder's Dodge MDV. Verkair has an effective accuracy of 1 in this attack, but this increases by +2 every time Verkair is drawn but not blooded, and by +1 every time it is blooded but not used to kill. Successfully striking a killing blow reduces Verkair's hunger accuracy back to 1. Also, the presence demons or "celestial guardians" adds a +2 bonus to this hunger attack. When Verkair manages to attack, it does so with a pool equal to its own Accuracy rating +4.
What is a Celestial Guardian? That is not just a Celestial Lion, but any agent of heaven (small god, spirit of heaven, angel, and gods).
History-
In the depths of the places beyond, a young woman was brought to a fine dinner. One night became an endless existence among the depraved until her mind cracked. Literally her skull opened wide as the thoughts and stories burned into her flowed from quill to parchment. Her blood inked a series of tomes, each a terrible chapter of what shall be, what shall become, and what has been undone. By the final penning, she died a simple husk.
Oramus provided these newly crafted tomes a home within the Cage of His Wings. Each borne to tell the end times turned to the other. Some sought escape, others whispered their location hoping to be stolen. While a bare few lured others to them to learn and leave, carrying painful words never before heard into an innocent world. Of these, borne of the Broken Winged Crane, is the chapter The Diagrams of Effortless Geometry.
In the Palace of Szoreny, near it's dark mother the Broken Wing Crane, it moves and seeks to perfect it's forms until becoming a man of limitless ability and strength. He is a shaven-headed man dressed in only a loincloth, covered with arcane tattoos. He is armed with every weapon that can be imagined, flickering in and out of his nine hands. Through the shrilling scream of the blurring weapons moving in endless katas of death and destruction, his song is heard in the ringing of battle, the horrors of genocide, the dueling of great powers.
During the First Age, a Solar churned through the depths of hell after falling through a fissure from a Shadowland into the Labyrinth. A Zenith by name of Mordsain found himself in a world consumed by the very darkness he wished to destroy. Rather than turn back, he dove deeper into the underworld believing if he destroyed the heart of hell, the primordials would cease their wars against Creation. How naive he was... His fists and holy Solar light broke through the first lines of demons, earning the attentions of many Yozis. But it was Oramus that parted the paths of hell to lead this man ever deeper. For the Crane needed to feed, and what a meal with would make.
But the Crane had other considerations. The Diagrams of Effortless Geometry appeared before Mordsain, engaging the man with a tale profound enough to win through his fears. In this tale, he spoke of having the same thoughts as this man, to learn all and destroy the heart. He taught the Zenith every form, every power, and offered unto him one of his very weapons. In this way, he could teach the world without becoming tainted as he. So Mordsain left the depths of hell carrying a flickering axe with him. The closer it reached creation, the less it flickered and the far more wane the Zenith was. In the end, the Zenith ceased to be....but a fine war axe made it's way into creation.
Two legends surround Verkair the Warden of Snapped Bones.
Firstly, some stories claim that this axe is not alone. Many other weapons and castings exist in the world. Each is a specific and unique weapon, forged by the trickery of an exalt or other such creature trading lifeforce to empower the existence of the sinister weapons into the world. To know if you hold such a creation involves bringing them together, for brothers and sisters call to each other. Each hunts a different thing in the world.
Another story further claims that Verkair the Warden of Snapped Bones and his sisters and brothers are not just weapons, but keys to power and activate a powerful artifact hidden somewhere in Creation. The exact purpose of this artifact is unknown, but it must be a powerful and dangerous weapon indeed, to scatter its keys across the face of Creation.