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Talaq's Greaver

Level 4 Orichalcum Daiklave

The Orichalcum Daiklave known as "Talaq's Greaver" has had many names over the ages. It has been called the Star of Ashan, the Demonblade, and Plague Edge, and other names besides that have long since been lost to memory. It has fought in many battles, participated in many wars, and killed many foes. It has fought off terrors without form, slain the undying monsters of the Underworld, and felled behemoths. It has been caked in the viscera of virgins, sterilized entire wards of plague victims, and butchered innocents.

It cares not; it is just a blade. A sterile thing of Orichalcum and steel, it's hilt the finger-bone of a Behemoth wrapped tight in Demon-hide, forged in the dawn of the First Age by Venlo at the behest of his circle-sibling.

The Greaver gained it's most current name in the days after the Great Contagion, when the Outcaste Talaq emerged in the South, bearing at his side a glorious Golden Sword that he called the Greaver. For 270 years, the blade remained in his hands, and he accomplished many feats of prowess with it. The blade butchered countless Varang in the bloody War of RY 433 when Talaq fought at the head of a Mercenary column in the employ of the Lap. The Outcaste used the blade in his fabled battle against the Fae Lord Meleneth some 50 years later, and it was the Greaver that claimed the head of the Jade Lion of Chiaroscuro when the Demon slipped from the bindings of the Sorcerer that had summoned it. Most notable of all the actions of Talaq, of course, was the founding of the Kingdom of Ansang in RY 577 after the military actions in the region failed and the region fell into disarray. With the help of his loyal men and the power of the Greaver, Talaq claimed the throne of Ansang and for the remaining century of his life ruled peacefully.

Few know exactly what happened to the blade after Talaq's death (in RY 690), except that it vanished from the care of his descendents and was not seen for over seven decades when it once again emerged in the hands of one of the Anathema.

Other Powers of Talaq's Greaver:

• Memory of Battle: When Venlo forged the Greaver, he utilized many ritual objects of especial importance to Ashan and his fighting style. Each memory requires 4 motes to activate as an reflexive action. All four can be activated in a single turn, and the activated memories remain in effect (with the Essence commited) until relaxed.
  • Vengeful: When this memory is activated, the Bearer may make two counterattacks whenever he aborts to a Full Parry action. He can only apply one of these counterattacks to a single opponent. They can stack with counterattacks granted by charms such as Solar Counterattack or Ready in Eight Directions Stance.
  • Brutal: When this memory is activated, the Bearer can apply his attacks to a number of mortals equal to his Essence rating. Only one attack roll is made, but the results of the roll are applied to Essence mortals. In order to qualify as a mortal, the opponent must have an Essence of 1 and no supernatural traits or qualities. This power gives the Bearer 1 limit whenever it is used.
  • Raksha Bane: When this memory is activated, the Bearer gains +Essence in dice to attack and defense rolls against shaped Raksha Nobles and Commoners, and the quasi-shaped appendages of the Unshaped Raksha. In addition, the Exalt adds his Essence to all four shaping soak scores.
  • Titan Slayer: When this memory is activated, the Bearer gains +Essence automatic successes to parry the attacks of behemoths, and any other titanic creature. When used against less world-striding foes, this ability only cancels any penalities to parry rolls granted by the opponents size (such as the penality to parrying Warstrider attacks).
  • These powers normally only function for the bearer of Ashan's soulspark, but other Solar Exalted can activate them with time, meditation and an extended Wits + Lore roll requiring 10 successes. Other Exalted might be able to attune fully to the blade with a stunt, but this is at the ST's discretion.
• Demonblade: During the period when the Greaver was originally forged, the Solar Deliberative was still intermittently dealing with leftover demons from the Primordial War and the lingering effects of their presence. Thus, Ashan requested the blade be built to be particularly potent against the minions of the Yozi.
  • Demon Eye: Whenever the bearer of the Greaver comes within 15 yards of a Demon, he reflexively channels 1 mote of Essence into the Greaver, causing it to glow a light green. The bearer may spend a willpower point to 'attune' the Greaver to a summoned Demon, so that it will not set off this power for the rest of the story. Any Demon with a charm to hide it's presence must make a Wits + Stealth + Essence roll, with a difficulty equal to the Essence rating of the Greaver's bearer, in order to avoid setting off this ability.
  • Demon Sheath: The bearer of the Greaver can spend 10 motes to sheath himself and his blade in a field of crackling green energy, called the Demon Sheath. This gives the bearer his Essence in automatic successes to resist any demonic power that affects his mind or soul, and +Essence in dice to intimidate or browbeat a First or Second Circle demon. In addition, the Greaver inflicts aggravated damage upon Demons when this power is activated. This power has a duration of one scene, but the essence spent is not commited.
  • Demon Oath: After defeating a Second or Third Circle Demon in Combat, the bearer of the Greaver may spend 20 motes, and 3 willpower to force the Demon to swear to an appropriate Oath. The Oath should reflect the reasons for the battle and the Demons nature, and the Storyteller has final approval over any oaths. Assuming the Oath is acceptable, the Demon is fully bound to it, and if he should violate its wording suffers as if he'd broken an Oath sworn by a Essence 3 Eclipse. This power has an Essence requirement of 5.
• Corona of Fire: With an expenditure of 4 motes per target and 1 willpower, the bearer of the Greaver can channel his anima through the blade, utilizing this deadly force in battle. The attack enhanced with Corona of Fire is rolled normally, and if successful the wielder of the Greaver can apply the attack roll to as many additional targets within 15 yards as he spent Essence to effect. These targets may choose to defend as normal, but parrying the rolling golden fire usually requires a stunt. Even if the initial attack fails, this power will reduce any non-magical weapon that successfully parries its original attack to slag.
• Hearthstone Setting: The socket for the Greaver is at the very base of the pummel, with any hearthstone helping to form the counterbalance for the blade. The blade is particularly attuned with the energies of Ashan's primary manse in Hollow, and if that Hearthstone is socketed the bearer of the blade regains +1 mote per hour.

Talaq's Greaver is a Orichalcum weapon. When attuned by a Solar, or when full attunement is forced by other Exalted, it gains +1 accuracy, +1 defense, and +1 rate.

''Commitment Cost: 6 motes