Jian (Ch. 3) -
• Type - Sword (Double-edged; Straight)
• History - Forged by a secondary apprentice of a skilled blacksmith, this sword was made as part of a batch, intended for use by the military forces of the Song Dynasty. Once in the hands of a conscripted soldier, it was used during the Mongol conquest of Song, where its wielder fell in battle.
Found by scavengers looking to make easy coin, it was sold to a merchant in Hengshan, who himself sold it to an aspiring martial artist. The young warrior, in a desperate rush to improve his skills, entered the forests of Mount Heng, where his lack of preparation led to his death at the jaws of wolves.
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Disc of Guidance (Ch. 9) -
• Type - Magical Item (Support, Eldritch Magic)
• Function - Projects the image of an arrow, that rotates to point to the closest Sanctum.
• History - One of many created by a master sorcerer of the Mystic Arts; they were made with the intention of being given to trustworthy people, to guide them to a Sanctum should they require assistance. This particular one was given to a female Taoist, after she assisted the sorcerers in saving a village from a demon.
When one wishes to use it, them must only speak the passphrase, 'Lead the way.'
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Ring of Containment (Ch. 21) -
• Type - Magical Relic (Ring, Storage, Eldritch Magic)
• Function - The storing of energy and objects, with the option to put things in temporal stasis.
• History - Born from the idea of a Sorcerer Supreme, the Ring of Containment was created to ease travel and capture nigh-unkillable threats. With his mastery of sorcery and the power of an Infinity Stone, the Time Stone, the Sorcerer Supreme spent twenty-one days in ritual, calling upon great principalities and cosmic powers, in order to create this ring.
The Sorcerer Supreme used it to great effect over his life, capturing demons and monsters alike, then bringing them to Kamar-Taj to bind their spirits to artefacts, increasing the strength of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Unfortunately, the Sorcerer Supreme lost his life battling a nigh-omnipotent force from the Dark Dimension, wherein the ring escaped back to the earth, the soul of the Sorcerer Supreme safely stored within it.
After making sure his ring it made to the sorcerers, to aid them in future battles, the Sorcerer Supreme accepted his final day, his spirit being taken by the cosmic entity, Death, to the Well Beyond the Worlds, where he chose one of eight paths.
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Crest of the Vermilion Bird (Ch. 29) -
• Type - Seal (Divine, Fire, Renewal)
• Function - ?
• History - When the Vermilion Bird was sent to the Crossroads by its master, Zhurong, God of fire, to help its masters chosen, it engaged in combat against a Goddess, holding her off long enough for the human woman to escape. Their fight caused damage to the Inner Plane, shattering many paths and closing off a great many worlds.
While trapped within, waiting for its master to bring it home, the Great Mother appeared and started to heal the realm. Offering her greetings, it watched her in silence, a numerous amount of years passing while it remained perched, until one day, a door to reality opened up, through which it could see the young woman.
With the world of mortals within reach, a message was passed to it by its master, requesting that it shelter within the woman, creating a connection through which she could reach home. Accepting the command of its master, the Vermilion Bird bid farewell to the All-Mother, telling her of its intentions, then flew off, turning itself into energy. Entering the human's body, it passed her along its crest, then began to slumber, waiting for its master to call upon it once more.
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Savage Shield of Sobek (Ch. 30) -
• Type - Magical Relic (Bladed Shield, Divine)
• Function - Blocking/Striking/Cutting Taunting Attack Drawing Nigh-Invulnerability Transformation
• History - A shield imbued with the power the river god Sobek, created by worshipper Sobekhotep of Faiyum, a priest and sorcerer. Born through ritual sacrifice to protect the priest from harm, this shield has weathered thousands of years of war and conflict, bathing in the blood of an untold number of souls.
It fell into the hands of the Masters of the Mystic Arts four-hundred years ago, when a necromancer attempted to use it, along with other artefacts aligned with the Egyptian Pantheon, in a ritual of his own making. Intending to use it to free Ammit, a Goddess of the Ennead who wishes to bring about the end of humanity, he was killed by the sorcerers, with his soul taken for judgement by the other Ennead.
Since then, it has been passed between the Sanctums, waiting for its fated master to appear.
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Purpose (Ch. 32) -
• Type - Spiritual Weapon (Natal, Sword)
• Function - Soul-Bound (Sarah Worthington) Inner-Body Storing Regeneration Independent Flight Supernatural Slicing
• History - 'Carving through; all falling before. An eternal path; travelled entwine.'
Once an ordinary sword created for war, Jian was acquired by a newborn cultivator in a time of personal crisis. After accompanying the woman through the passing of years, always by her side, aiding her in many a battle; a desire for growth started to spawn within its emerging soul. During battle with demons of Hell, its spirit started to resonate with that of its master, the feedback of her creative force sparking an inner light within it and revealing her own desire to it.
Understanding the path its master treads, and wishing to follow her always, Jian called itself into existence, undergoing a metamorphosis of spirit. Rending its soul apart, it offered it to the heavens, a ritual sacrifice in the hopes of change, the Tao responding with empathy. Gifted with an elevated spirit, Jian was enlightened to a path of its own choosing, giving itself a new name, one that represents its Tao;
Purpose.
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Something Borrowed; Something Gained (Ch. 38) -
• Type - Seal (Formation, Dao)
• Function - Unknown (The Time Will Come; Until Then.)
• History - Unknown (All Shall Be Revealed; The Moment Approaching.)
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Shedding of Life (Ch. 49) -
• Type - Branching Domain
• Function - Growing Entwining Grafting
• History - A branch of blessed Hearthlight, planted and grown by elder powers, born into multiple domains of nature and fate. Its spirit sired by greatest creation, channelled through Taoist daughter, it emerged from star-fed metal to greet existence. Guided by All-Mother, her wisdom and teachings aiding its ageing, it learned from its mistakes and emerged true.
Its destined wielder standing under its canopy, its sole percher hiding within its foliage, it waited patiently for him to make his choice. His axe raised in indecision, he finally lay his palm upon its trunk, his decision advised by one Mother. Sitting down, his weapon released and lying by his side, the god rested against its bark, the sun on his face.
Ritual complete, path chosen, it reached down and flowed over, forming itself across divine flesh, covering it in superior armour. Its domains joining with its wearer, it now communes and awaits, their destined mission almost upon them.
A shedding gifted to one of its tenders, this branch is not suited for combat, although its powers can be used for such. Capable of limited growth, it can increase its length and the density of its leafage by small amounts, and has the potential to produce a single fruit. The effects and species of the fruit is of a random nature, being either benign or beneficial.
For now, the true purpose of this Branching Domain will remain dormant until the time comes, the Dao Child discovering its use one day.