Abyssal Shard

Classification

Eta, Mu, Nu, Rho, Omega

The Abyssal Shard, a menacing artifact of legend, was wrought in the crucible of Hell by a tormented blacksmith, who channeled his accumulated pain, rage, and skill into its creation. The sword possesses terrifying abilities that transcend the material realm - it can consume the souls of those it vanquishes, augmenting its power and sharpness, while also exhibiting elemental affinities. The Abyssal Shard resonates with the emotions of its wielder, potentially enhancing their physical prowess, yet exacting a toll on their vitality. The weapon's sinister origin story is intertwined with the themes of betrayal, retribution, and a grim determination to survive. Despite its storied past, its current status is shrouded in mystery and speculation, with its known location guarded by a select few. Tales of this formidable weapon persist, blending the lines between fact and folklore, its legacy echoing ominously through the ages.

Special Abilities

The Abyssal Shard is an artifact of chilling power, possessing the ability to consume the souls of those it slays, and subsequently enhancing its destructive capacity with their strengths and talents. Upon consuming a soul, the sword's power amplifies temporarily, manifesting as heightened sharpness, the capacity to pierce magical defenses, or even the projection of energy waves. The sword is hypothesized to channel both psionic and magical energies, contributing to its exceptional abilities. It exhibits an affinity with elemental forces, evident in phenomena such as heat radiation or a shroud of ethereal flames or icy mist enveloping the blade. Intriguingly, the Abyssal Shard resonates with the emotional state of its wielder, particularly amplifying feelings of anger, hatred, and desperation, potentially bolstering the wielder's physical strength and endurance. However, this formidable power comes with a significant cost: prolonged use of the Abyssal Shard tends to physically and mentally drain its wielder, a likely consequence of its soul-consuming nature.

Soul Consumption

The Abyssal Shard possesses the terrifying ability to rip the souls from those it slays, absorbing them to empower the blade. This not only augments its destructive capabilities but also imbues it with some of the strengths or talents of the consumed soul.

Power Augmentation

The sword's power increases for a time after it has consumed a soul. This augmentation can take the form of increased sharpness, the ability to pierce magical defenses, or the projection of powerful energy waves.

Psionic and Magical Energy Channeling

The sword can possibly channel psionic or magical energies, or potentially both. This energy may be responsible for some of its other extraordinary abilities.

Elemental Connection

The Abyssal Shard appears to have a connection to elemental forces. Some reports have detailed the blade radiating heat or being surrounded by a shroud of ethereal flames or icy mist.

Emotional Resonance

The sword resonates with the emotional state of its bearer, especially feelings of anger, hatred, and desperation. This resonance may empower the wielder's physical strength and endurance.

Draining Effect

Prolonged use of the Abyssal Shard tends to drain the wielder physically and mentally, which may be a side effect of its soul-consuming nature. This implies a potential cost or drawback to wielding such a powerful artifact.

Status as of 21st Century

In the modern era, the Abyssal Shard is rumored to be stowed away, shrouded in consecrated cloths imbued with holy water to mitigate its malignant aura. The confidential whereabouts of this accursed artifact is preserved by a close-knit circle of custodians, their identities concealed to prevent any attempts at acquisition. Despite these measures, the sword seems to exhibit an inexplicable sentient quality, influencing the subconscious of those privy to its secret. Whispers of cryptic dreams and uncanny visions plague these individuals, suggesting the sword's possible yearning for a new master. Conversely, a sense of foreboding permeates the air, with some speculating that these strange phenomena could portend an impending disaster of unimaginable proportions.

Status as of Post World War III

In the aftermath of World War III, in the year 2056, historical accounts or even conjectural references pertaining to the Abyssal Shard have become inexplicably scant. While there's speculation that the artifact was operational during the brutal war, the concrete evidence is limited, if not nonexistent, and a flurry of contradictory narratives further muddles the understanding of its role. Amidst the tumultuous upheaval of the war and subsequent post-war chaos, documentation tracing the journey of the Abyssal Shard past 1989 has been regretfully lost, consigning its fate to the realm of mystery and conjecture. Despite exhaustive efforts, the current location and status of this ancient and formidable weapon remains an enigma, fueling both apprehension and intrigue among scholars and enthusiasts alike.

History

The legend of the Abyssal Shard traces its roots to a renowned blacksmith who was consumed by his desire for his neighbor's wife. His obsession ultimately led him to murder his neighbor with the intention of claiming the wife as his own. However, he was killed by the very woman he coveted and his sins condemned him to the depths of the Severed Realm. In this dreaded realm, the blacksmith underwent unspeakable torture until he managed to escape from his demonic tormentor. His frantic flight led him to an eerie landscape of solid steel rocks and molten pools, a place offering no refuge, but providing him the resources to resist his oppressors.

The blacksmith refused to succumb to the waiting demon, who had all of eternity to watch him suffer. After enduring this torture for what felt like an eternity, the blacksmith eventually made a desperate attempt for freedom. He used a chunk of white-hot metal and drove it into the demon's head, his own hand burning and melting in the process. With the demon defeated, the blacksmith realized he needed a weapon to defend himself against the forthcoming onslaught of other demons. Calling upon his skills as a blacksmith, he crafted a grotesque hammer, the Wicked Nethersbane, from the demon's skull, spine, and the searing rocks surrounding him.

Armed with the Wicked Nethersbane, he forged the Abyssal Shard from the demon's claws and ribs. His skeletal hands, driven by intense hatred and anger, shaped the hot materials into a weapon. He inscribed the blade with symbols of power he had seen in the Severed Realm and imbued the sword with the remaining essence of his tormentor. The Abyssal Shard was a weapon of vengeance, designed to slay any entity that dared to cross its path.

His escape from the Severed Realm came when he dared to challenge the demon guarding one of the portals leading to the mortal realm. Underestimating him, the demon allowed the blacksmith the first strike - a fatal error. The Abyssal Shard pierced the demon, absorbing its essence, growing stronger, and unlocking the portal back to the mortal world.

Upon his return, the blacksmith found that his 'stolen' wife had remarried. Consumed by rage, he killed her new husband, instantly reducing him to ashes. However, his horrifying appearance - his hands now bone-claws, his face charred and cracked, and his eyes burning with betrayed rage - terrified his former love. The wife's new family, descendants of holy men experienced in combating evil, protected her from the monstrous blacksmith. Calling upon divine aid, they defeated the blacksmith, whose immortal soul returned to the Severed Realm.

The Abyssal Shard was left behind, later to be hidden away by the holy family. Its ominous power was contained within cloths soaked in holy water, keeping it out of mortal reach.