The Sword of Xxyxis

The Sword of Xxyxis is a a long viridian blade made from the crystal which holds the life essence of the mindflayer Xxyxis. The blade was crafted by Koroki Ao for King Tython of the Theroshi Enclave in 832 MR. It was used to channel the mindflayer's energy and destroy the portal linking the Forgotten Plane and Grey Plane. The blade was given to the wizard Omun Cath as he was the only hero mentally powerful enough to withstand the mindflayer's mind control attempts. What Omun did with the blade was unknown.

## Appearance

The hilt of the blade was crafted by Kokori to wrap around the crystal and hold it, covering about a third of the actual "blade." This is because it is not a weapon used for actual slashing, but its power comes from the deadly psionic emissions. The hilt is made of a dark black metal, wrapped in a silver linen that ties at the bottom. The top of the hilt crawls up the light purple crystal like roots of a tree. The blade is a 30 inch long purple crystal, with rough edges that looks like it was poorly cut away from the rest of the larger rock. Its end is almost smoothed like a broom, and the crystal glows in different hues of purple as it is activated.

## Abilities

The sword of Xxyxis contains the mind of the extremely powerful mindflayer of the same name. He had the ability to control minds, speak any language he could hear, levitate to a certain height, and create psionic attacks that pierced the minds of their victims. All of those abilities are given to the wielder of this weapon, provided they can prevent Xxyxis from entering their mind. The problem with the blade (or the crystal that makes it up) is that Xxyxis is still partially alive inside and so desperately seeks to take a new host. While many have sought the powers the blade contains, they were not able to maintain control and had to give it up for fear of their own life.

## Backstory

The Mindflayer King Raxickz became trapped in the Forgotten Plane by the Witches of Light after he and his forces attempted to zombify the people of the Autumnal Lands under their control. Raxickz became obsessed with returning and seeking revenge, and so sent out his best scouts to find a way to return. The mindflayer Xxyxis was one of the King's most powerful and intelligent generals, and it was only natural that he discovered the first rift between the planes.

Xxyxis ventured through the rift and found that the Dark Elves of the Theroshi Enclave had built the portal as a means of research. Xxyxis contemplated returning to tell the king, but after seeing the power of the Dark Elves, he began to develop his own plan. He would enslave the minds of the Dark Elves and take the title of King for himself. This may have even worked, but Xxyxis underestimated the elves. They were already aware of his intrusion, and had been magically observing him. When he attempted to take the mind of a simple worker, Xxyxis found himself trapped inside some sort of crystal. The dark elves had used a magical reflecting crystal to reverse his psionic powers and rather than take over a mind, he found his own mind had been encaged within the crystal.

King Tython kept the crystal as a trophy for some time, until the Grey Elf adventurer Kokori came to the shores of the Enclave. He and Tython became quick friends, and Kokori requested the Dark Elf King let him make a weapon for him. Tython was determined to put the man's skills to the test, and gave him the crystal. He explained its origins and lended the smith mindless zombies to carry and touch the crystal as needed. Kokori crafted the blade which he called "Dyun-Shou" (Akavarii for Half Moon) and gifted it to the King. The blade then sat on a mantle above the king for many years until its power was needed.

When Mindflayer King Raxickz and his forces invaded the Grey Plane, they tracked down the traitor Xxyxis, or so they thought. Under the impression that he was working with the Dark Elves, their forces began a fierce and long battle. The Nagpas of the Sky Cities discovered the location of the rift that the Mindflayers had come through, and informed King Tython that if the rift was shut, the Mindflayer's would be sucked back inside. Tython recognized that the power of a mindflayer had entered this plane, so maybe the power of a mindflayer could return them. He summoned his most intelligent wizards and let each of them attempt to wield the sword of Xxyxis.

Omun Cath was the fourth to try, and the only successful. Upon touching the blade, he described the feeling as "A mental battle that lasted 1000 years" before he was even able to conjure its powers. With the help of the Nagpa, Omun traveled to the portal and used the blade's power to shut the portal. Just as they had predicted, King Raxickz and his forces were sealed back inside the Forgotten Plane.

Tython thanked Omun for his victory by granting him the blade. Omun would later go on to lead an expedition to the north for King Tython to the Untouched Lands. He and the blade never returned.