Shichi's Katana (Magic Sword)

Shichi No Ken, born of noble blood, stands in the shadow of those who lived before her. Greatness she can never hope to duplicate augurs a lite of frustration and futility. Shichi No Ken realizes she will never have her own individuality: people who know her will always identify her by the accomplishments of her family-not her own. It has been a long, hard battle, but she thinks she has conquered this anxiety-only time will tell.
Rich, powerful, and aspiring for even more honor for the family, Shichi No Ken's parents warned her to be groomed and polished, made into the perfect lady. Hoping Emperor Po's favorite nephew would become the next Emperor with the passing of the elder. Shichi was introduced to the nephew. The couple fell in love and bonded in a palace ritual seven months and seven days after his parents publicly announced the betrothal.
Once espoused, she and Hai Chi moved into a large villa in the center of a small village owned by Shichi No Ken's parents. The two were given the honor of receiving 30% of the taxes from the town as their personal income: all the while, the properly remained in the ownership of her parents. After being married for two years, she begat a child, Hai Chi. To his dismay, the midwife told him the firstborn child was a daughter, not a son to carry his birth right. Blaming Shichi for this abhorrent event, he beat the mother and murdered the child.
To this day the town people who witnessed the lamentable event say they saw nothing, but rumors and tales of the incident traveled quickly through the land until they reached the ears of Shichi No Ken's father. A few days later, he rescued the young mother who was still clutching her child-her long-dead child.
He took Shichi to the Seven Roses Monastery in Pe Nok, a city by the coast, where the inquisitive eyes and loathsome spies of her husband's family could not find her. There, the monks healed her, cared for her, helped her recover from the tragic death of her child, and they taught her strength. It is unusual for a woman to be allowed in a monastery, but where gender fails, money succeeds.
She began as a pupil of the Master of the East Wind. Under his patient tutelage, she learned, hoping one day to enact her dreams of revenge on her husband. Until Shichi No Ken learned to vanquish her anger, however, she was unable to master the mental disciplines she needed. After years of methodical control, she learned the mental disciplines. Hai Chi's spies found Shichi after almost 10 years of searching. Hai Chi and 30 liegemen invaded the Seven Roses Monastery, intent on killing Shichi and the monks who helped her. The young monks fell easy prey to the talents of Hai Chi's apostles, but the masters quickly eliminated the murderous force. The monks never laid hands upon Hai Chi: they left this honor for their companion. Shichi No Ken.
In a fury of repressed feelings and horror, Shichi almost succumbed to the terror in her heart when she saw her husband facing her with the fury of a thousand deaths in his eyes. After several strikes from his vicious hands, she rose to her own defense. Using all the skills taught by the Master of the East Wind, she defeated and killed her husband.
The Emperor's soldiers came soon thereafter to investigate the scene. In the proper manner, the soldiers first asked permission from the Grand Master of Flowers to enter. He, of course, allowed them to enter, but the delay allowed the other initiates to gather Shichi's belongings and create an escape for her.
The soldiers, however, were not there to arrest her. The news of Hai Chi's deeds reached the ears of his father and uncle (Emperor Po), and they had decided to put an end to Hai Chi's tyranny using any means necessary. Since she performed the deed for them, they were saved the disgrace of public execution. Emperor Po and Hai Chi's father both owed Shichi No Ken a debt of gratitude. Hai Chi's surviving apostles, however, still search for her: it is believed that more than 20 of them are still alive.
Shichi No Ken was allowed to return to the monastery, but she refused to stay. Instead, she asked permission to become a “walking initiate.” The Grand Master of Flowers approved. As she left, the Grand Master of Flowers gave Shichi a daikyu and a katana, which he had magically enchanted. As a monk of the Brotherhood of the Seven Roses, she must uphold peace and tranquility above everything else: these are the greatest laws. Naivety is considered a weakness, and she must not allow herself to become too removed from the world: to defeat her enemies, she must understand them.
Paladin by profession, way of life, and attitude, she does not consider herself a paladin, nor does anyone call her Paladin. To call her that would be incorrect. She is treated as a paladin by her deity, Amaterasu, however, and is given the benefits and penalties of that life. Her weapon of choice is the katana, but she enjoys using martial arts in both combat and mental discipline, as well as her daikyu. She does not wear armor of any kind since this detracts from her ability to protect herself properly. Shichi's katana is a katana +1 with the ability to detect evil. It can cast banishment by touch once a week, remove curse three times a day, and cast cure serious wounds once a day on anyone other than the owner. In addition, her katana has all the functions of a paladin's holy sword, which projects a circle of power 30' in diameter when the sword is unsheathed and held. The power dispels hostile magic of a level up to the paladin's experience level.
Shichi No Ken, 6th-level Paladin: Str 18/96: Dex 17: Con 18: Int 15: Wis 18: Cha 17: AC 7: THAC0 15: hp 72: Alignment: LG: Languages: Wa, Shou Lung, Common: Weapon Proficiencies: katana, daikyu: Martial Arts: choke hold, eagle claw, flying kick, missile deflection, ironskin, weapon catch: Nonweapon Proficiencies: calligraphy, etiquette, horsemanship, music, painting, poetry.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Swords
Category:Magic Weapons