Excidium

**Excidium** is a melee weapon, a unique fusion greatsword that appears in the Frencoverse.

## Alternative Canon

> *"This weapon was forged long ago by my mother specifically to butcher aliens. You aren't the first xeno to die by its flame, nor will you be the last. You **will**, however, be **my** first. And I'm going to savour every syllable of your pathetic, rage-filled screams."*
> ~ then-Brigadier Yulia Trotskaya, to Azikal.
>
>

Excidium is fashioned by Elena Trotskaya for her personal use, soulforged from the remains of Pandemonium and several of his lieutenants after his death. It was created specifically in anticipation of, after the abortive Sixteen July conspiracy, the return of renegade Judicator Alain. When he did, Excidium was finally drawn from its sheath after a month of gathering dust in her armoury, seeing action by its creator's side throughout the Flight of the *Polunochnaya* and for some time afterwards.

Supplanting her 6Kh52 fusion sword Deymos as her primary weapon, it is a much more effective and deadly design, incorporating exotic technologies and highly-advanced nano-fabrication techniques in its manufacture. Its main design change from its predecessor is the replacement of the fusion core with a powerful Enderium capacitor, reverse-engineered from Synkomese power generation tech. This new capacitor gives the blade a brilliant red glow, the plasma contained around the blade burning with far greater heat than Deymos ever could.

With its fearsome appearance and capacity for untold destruction, Excidium is likely to be the purest extension of Trotskaya's unyielding will into the physical world, aside from the woman herself, that is currently in existence. Though it had much work to do to match the legendary status of Deymos, it would be tempered in battle against its mistress' foes during the Flight and would go on to fight by her side during the Six-Day Purge and World War IV.

Once Elena acquires the Necronomicon from the Tharkad Expanse, Excidium is passed down to her daughter Yulia as a birthday gift in 2166. It then sees action during the Helleon Campaigns, Operation Tornado and the Tindalos Offensive.

## Main Canon 2.0

In terms of function and appearance, Excidium is entirely identical to its Alternative Canon counterpart. The Main Canon Excidium, however, belongs to Tisifona Okhotnova, Marshal of the Mechanocracy, and was forged by her in 2029 rather than 2152 as a ceremonial sword. It fought alongside Okhotnova in the Great War, and survives to this day: it is mounted in a cabinet in her office.

The Main Canon Excidium also bears several significant differences regarding its construction. The blade is fashioned from titanium carbide, with a lonsdaleite edge. It also bears Okhotnova's double-headed eagle emblem, rather than Trotskaya's Triad, on the crossguard.

Indeed, Yelena Trotskaya was inspired to create her own fusion sword, Deymos, by Okhotnova's greatsword.

## Appearances

* Excidium first appears in *Flight of the Polunochnaya*.
* It will appear in the second part of the Crimson Seraph series of Tales.

## Trivia

The design for Excidium was inspired by a novelty 'zombie knife' that its creator saw in a shop once. Its fierce, intimidating design was thus adopted in creating a weapon that properly represents Trotskaya's own rage and hatred, becoming emblematic of both in the Alternative Canon (and the post-Flight era in particular). It will likely represent a similar theme in Main Canon.