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Blood Jade Arrows

Level Three Red Jade Artifact

On those occasions when Jade finds its way into the Underworld, often through the grave goods of the powerful among the dead and the greed of the Guild, it is often among the most vibrant and colorful of items in the entirety of the afterlife. Often used by the dead for various artifacts of no little potency, as well as simple decoration, each type of Jade has its own unique nature and type within the unique essence of the Underworld.

One of the dead craftsmen of the Mask of Winters, Kal Hanthax, discovered the secret of crafting Blood Jade some 300 years ago. There is, it seems, a unique resonance between the Jade of the Dead (found in Grave Goods and other sources), and the Jade of the Living (acquired from the Guild). If the two types of Jade can be alloyed together, this unique resonance produces the substance known as Blood Jade. This material has been used in all manner of artifact construction, from Daiklaves to light armor.

One of the Student's most prized possession is "the 18", a set of Blood Jade Arrows that are especially attuned to White Bone, her Soulsteel Short Powerbow. Much like the White Bone is forged from the souls of fallen princes and lost heroes, the 18 are forged from the gravegoods offerings of these self-same dead nobles and alloyed with some of the most venal and dross living jade that the Masks' craftsmen could locate.

The effects of this potent working are simple, yet effective. The bow moans whenever one of the 18 are nocked against the string and pulled back, and the arrows are propelled along by the shame and rage of the souls trapped within. In addition to this unique resonance, the arrows themselves are quite potent in and of themselves!

The Powers of the 18

  • Blood Jade Arrows: A Blood Jade Arrow does Strength + 4L damage. They subtract 3 from the soak of any target they hit. Also, the arrows usually are destroyed on impact and inflict some random cosmetic effect (but see below).
  • Willful Destruction: A Blood Jade Arrow is usually destroyed in some manner painful to the opponent upon its impact, and even when it misses. It might shatter into a thousand razor sharp shards after piercing the targets flesh, or melt into molten jade that burns and scalds their foes. This normally has no effect, instead explaining the arrows unusual damage and soak reduction capabilities. With a stunt, however, the Abyssal may exert some influence over the nature of this destruction. The effects of Willful Destruction can have actual game effects, the strength of which depend on the power of the stunt.
  • They Are 18: These arrows are finite, and their number is 18. Yet the Arrows are also cast up in the destiny and essence of the White Bone, and will always return to the hand of the bearer of that Powerbow.
    • Eighteen: Just in case it wasn't already abundantly clear, there are 18 Blood Jade Arrows and there will always be 18 of them. There can never be more than 18, even with the effects of Return to Duty below. Each arrow is unique, having its own name, but all are functionally identical in game effects.
    • Eternally Bound: Yet sometime deep in the night, the 18 return to the possession of the attuned bearer of the White Jade and this they will always do. This power is free, and happens without any action on the Abyssals part, though the arrival of the 18 is always unpredictable and unobserved.
    • Return to Duty: It is possible to use the Abyssal Charm Relic Arrow Method to summon back one or more of the 18 at any point and at the Abyssals control.

The 18 have an unusual and unique resonance with the White Bone due to the nature of their construction, and enjoy the following bonuses when used with that weapon: +1 to damage, and +1 to rate.

Commitment Cost: +2 mote to the Commitment Cost of Powerbow