The Keyblade

> *"The Keyblade, The Heavenly Key, The Blade of Light. They say you can inherit one if your heart is worthy. Imagine me, the son of two legendary Keyblade Wielders....being passed up for that honor."*
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> *"That must be a hard pill to swallow."*
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> *"You could say it stings a little."*
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> --**Benjamin**, discussing the Keyblade with **Martin Graves** in **"Sins of the Father"**
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**The Keyblade** is a legendary artifact and the weapon primarily utilized by Keyblade Wielders. It is both singular and yet entirely ever present throughout the realm, before, during and presumably long after the events of KingdomFall. Their mere existence has steeped the entire world in conflict generations over, making these powerful instruments both coveted and feared.

## Origins

The beginnings of The Keyblade are shrouded in swirling currents of history, and the passage of time has only served to bolster the fantastic and gallant legends surrounding this weapon. Practically everyone knows of it's existence, and nobody knows where it came from. What is certain is that Keyblades have played a critical role in many a conflict spanning back for a millennia, since kings have vied for power and wizards have tapped into the secrets of Arcana. The weapon is thought to have been conceived at some point prior to the birth of the Material Plane, and it is often alluded that Damar had a hand in granting humans the power to wield these instruments. Often legends similarly hint to the Gods of Humanity wielding Keyblades of their own, though these tales are often greatly exaggerated, leading many to question the validity of this historical point.

Keyblades are commonly thought to be forged in some manner, though the technique and/or process associated with this has long since been forgotten by mankind. The sheer number of Keyblades wielded during the Great Keyblade War suggests that there was in fact a means to mass produce the weapon, though scholars have also disputed that the legionnaires who participated in this grand conflict merely flocked from the vast number of dimensions as well as The Time Stream. Both schools of history would be in agreement regardless, that since the conclusion of the war there have been significantly fewer Keyblades and warriors to wield them. Although the world remains befuddled by the nature of this mystic weapon, there are many who believe that The Keyblades will continue to appear so long as humanity has warriors who are deemed worthy of it's power.

## Appearance

Keyblades are unique and singular in each generated instance, to date no two have ever been identical. The particulars of each artifact range from subtle to ostentatious, but despite having countless different appearances, The Keyblade retains certain facets that are consistent with each weapon. Each Keyblade possesses a handle with a guard, a blade of varying length and width and a head lined with teeth often resembling the traditional style of a skeleton key, with few known iterations having teeth more in the style of a pin tumbler lock key. In addition to their varying appearances, each Keyblade also possesses a unique keychain secured to the base of the handle with a short chain. This keychain, or lack thereof, proved essential for instances where characters needed to identify False Keys, as all of these instruments in question lacked any keychain.

## Powers

**Abundance:** Though it is classified as a Major Artifact, the Keyblade is unique as a recurring and plentiful item throughout the continuity of KingdomFall. Possessing not one, not two but hundreds of known instances, with the Deciders personally bearing witness to dozens of the aforementioned weapons. In order for an entity to come into possession of a Keyblade, they need only demonstrate a pure heart and a strong will. Heroes throughout the ages have made perfect candidates for the artifacts, and it is no coincidence that many legendary figures in history were known Keyblade Wielders.

**Combative Prowess:** Keyblades are as versatile as they are powerful, rivaled by only a handful of other artifacts as peerless tools of battle. In addition to their immense, bordering on indestructible durability, Keyblades are also by and large more deadly than any man made weapon. A Keyblade wielded by a sufficiently talented user will employ incredible attacks on the battlefield, ranging from simple slashes to powerful bursts of energy.

* **Transfiguration**-Keyblades are capable of altering their shape in ways unheard of, defying principles of mass and matter in order to become powerful weapons of every shape and size. This power is a testament to a mastery long since forgotten by the Wielders of KingdomFall, even for Tenebris and Master Aqua, two of the most notorious users of The Keyblade. Perhaps the most common instance of this power demonstrated thus far has been the Keyblade Glider, with certain users unlocking more specialized transformations for their Gliders beyond simple vehicles.
* **Magical Affinity**-The Keyblade is a veritable conductor of the Arcana that casters wield, channeling tremendous quantities of magical energy at the disposal of it's user. Spells of this nature follow a fairly rigid echelon, with each type of spell possessing three ascending tiers, each one unlocked through training and mental discipline. Despite this usually straightforward practice, certain specialists have been known to temper very specific magic to suit their needs in battle, such as the likes of Tenebris and Leonard. Though this magic employs less material components than those of other casters, it is notoriously demanding on the stamina of the Wielder who employs it.
* **Primordial Elements**-Light and Darkness are two ancient components of Arcana, appearing with less consistency in the Material Plane. Despite their vague nature, The Keyblade is one of the few instruments capable, if not intended to manipulate both forms of energy. This power is more commonly associated with the balance of these components in an entities heart, but even in more esoteric happenstances the Keyblade can control and even enhance these energies when wielded by a powerful user. This ability has been shown on occasion in the continuity of KingdomFall, with certain characters using Keyblades to affect either component. Master Xehanort was one of the more infamous figures to perform experimental magics associated with Darkness within and without the hearts of humans.
* **Unbreakable Bond**-Keyblades are tied to the hearts of the Wielders, and they possess a loyalty unique among weaponry, magical or otherwise. Most known users of the Keyblade can call or dismiss the weapon as they like, though it is never explicitly stated where these instruments end up when they are not being wielded presently. This ability serves to keep the weapon out of the wrong hands, preventing users from being disarmed in the conventional sense. Despite this widely studied phenomenon however, known instances of so called "hijacking" can be recollected. Under these circumstances, a powerful enough user can temporarily wield the Keyblade of another user, even in so much as wounding or killing the true owner with their own weapon. This is most often the case when two users engaged in battle demonstrate a significant gap in willpower, allowing the more willful user to triumph.

**Anylock**-In keeping with their eccentric appearance, Keyblades can in fact unlock sealed containers, opening receptacles and vessels regardless of the size or style of the lock in question. Mundane locking mechanisms hardly pose any challenge at all for the mystical artifacts, with magical and cursed locks simply requiring a strong enough willpower to bypass, typically a force of will exceeding that of the caster who employed the arcane lock in the first place. The true nature of this incredible power lies in a potential to "unlock" metaphysical barriers, bypassing obstacles and circumventing blockages that would otherwise hinder or deter a Keyblade Wielder in their agendas. If the user can rationalize the "lock" to whatever problem they are facing, then the Keyblade can work it's magic.

**Keyhole**-Arguably one of the most valuable powers lauded by this mystical artifact, tyrants and saviors alike have sought out the Keyblade for the sole purpose of controlling it to these ends. In the hands of a capable user, this weapon can control the flow of the many worlds linked through the Astral Plane. A Wielder can, at their discretion, either open or close the pathways that allow entities to travel to the many worlds and dimensions in the known universe. This act requires a tremendous amount of energy on the part of the Wielder, but can in application seal the worlds off from any outside influence. It is the power that has been suspected as the key culprit in many historical disappearances of whole realms, the denizens of these locale lost to the ages. Indeed anyone who controlled a Keyblade with this capability could well and truly shape the course of whole worlds.

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## False Keys

Since the events of KingdomFall, several Archshards have made an appearance with an inexplicable resemblance to Keyblades. The connection between these artifacts, if any, is not yet clear. The Deciders dubbed these recurring anomalies "False Keys" in an effort to differentiate them from actual Keyblades. Their powers are as varying as the weapons they mimic, but often lack the more specific facets owed to true Keyblades.

## Known Keyblades

An abundance of Wielders have surfaced throughout the events of KingdomFall, many of them having a significant impact on the story and it's continuum. This diverse casts plays host to an even more bizarre menagerie in the form of their respective weaponry, a veritable collage of mystical weaponry that has been witnessed by some or all of the Deciders.

* **Sanctus/Absolve**-The Keyblades wielded by Tenebris, and the only known pair to be possessed by a singular user. Tenebris himself gained this ability following the death of his father, another Keyblade Wielder. Physically the Keyblades bear a structure more akin to pin tumbler lock keys, composed of a seemingly weathered, purple tinged metal. The hand guard and grip are a simple, utilitarian shape with wispy strands of spider silk wound around the base of the blades. Attached to the base of both weapons are short lengths of chain holding a small circular keychain in the shape of a circle, made of a black non-reflective material.
* **Rainfell**-The Keyblade wielded by Aqua. Her signature weapon bears a thin, predominantly dull blue coloration, with a teardrop shaped gap in the blade at the base and tip. The teeth are formed from four blue spikes lining the outer edge of the Keyblade head, the handle is a smooth black with the angular white guards not fully merging with the base of the weapon. Her keychain, fastened to the bottom of the handle by a short chain, resembles a single water droplet.
* **Stormbringer**-The Keyblade wielded by Lillith. Being the Nobody of Aqua, her weapon is identical to the former's in it's dimensions. Possessing a jet black coloration on the blade and head with dull purple guards and a silver handle. The keychain is noticeably different as well, a spider with sharp, angular limbs and a single reptilian eye engraved onto the thorax.
* **Sunshower**-The Keyblade wielded by Luna, the paradoxical iteration of Aqua. Her own weapon is an altered version of the original, possessing an identical frame comprised of a brilliant silver metal with blue engravings on the handle and guards, the keychain attached to the base takes the shape of a small crescent moon. Interesting to note is that following her ressurection, Luna can no longer return her Keyblade to her hand once it is summoned.
* **Maverick Flare**-The Keyblade wielded by Leonard. The handle is a simple grey rod, With a blade that retains a subdued bronze hue, becoming a brilliant transition from yellow to red down the length whenever Leonard concentrates his magic.The head of the blade fans out with a series of sharp, upward slanting teeth, four on the leading edge of the blade and two on the trailing edge. The guard is black and does not connect to the base of the blade, similar the guard on Rainfell, and it sports two black spikes on either side. His keychain is that of a blazing lion's head trinket, painted a deep red.
* **Ohmwrecker**-The Keyblade wielded by Alan Caesar. It has yet to make an appearance in the continuity of KingdomFall.
* **Oedipus**-The Keyblade wielded by Jack. The weapon is predominantly black, with an ostentatious blade comprised of crooked metal rods tapering up to the spined head, with teeth resembling a bat shaped decoration perched atop a spiked base. The handle is a mix of inlaid gold with black rubber reinforcing most of the grip portion, a pair of grey guards on either sides connected to the base of the blade which resemble headphones. The keychain is tethered to the base of the weapon by a worn leather strip, appearing as a shriveled left hand. Interestingly enough the Keyblade elongates whenever Jack is sustaining his phantom shape, allowing it to account for his excessive reach while transformed.
* **The Solemn Vow**-The Keyblade wielded by Hans. Bearing a subdued appearance consisting of a simple black handle and curved red guards connected to the base of the blade, a similarly modest length of solid black metal ending in a sharp, inward facing hook. The singular tooth on the blade extends out slightly before curving out and up, lending the weapon a simple albeit brutal shape. The keychain is that of a small red skull chained to the base, an angular black gem nestled in the left eye socket.
* **Kingdom Key**-The Keyblade wielded by Sora. A utilitarian instrument fashioned with a simple black handle in between a pair of angular gold guards, all seamlessly merged with the silver blade which tapers off into a head of teeth resembling the shape of a crown. The keychain is connected to the base by a short silver chain in the shape of King Mickey's sigil.
* **Kingdom Key D**-The Keyblade wielded by King Mickey. An inverted version of the Kingdom Key with silver hand guards and a flawless golden blade, the base of which has a red finish in contrast to the blue on it's counterpart. The keychain connects to the base with three golden chain links in the shape of a golden Mickey sigil. Not unlike Oedipus, this weapon will adjust it's length depending on the form Mickey uses in battle.
* **No Heart**-The Keyblade wielded by Master Xehanort. Master Xehanort's Keyblade has a dark black handle with a raised spiral carved around it. Its pommel and guard resemble black, demonic wings. The base of the blade is an etching of a horned lion, and the shaft is formed from two black, barbed blades, etched with a white icon resembling a bramble of thorns. The teeth are formed in the shape of a demonic wing, and are set with an eye of darkness. The keychain is made of small, grey links, and the token is an entangled, grey talisman with an eye of darkness. This is notably the same weapon he wields after possessing Terra's body and after being possessed by The Rage.
* **Dust to Dust**-The Keyblade wielded by Bastion. Perhaps the most rugged weapon where appearance is concerned, possessing a rusty bronzed handle flanked by a pair of asymmetrical, patchwork guards. The blade consists of a heavy, corroded length tapering off at the head with three curved blades of varying length to serve as the teeth. These scythes are crusted over with dried blood from an unknown organism with thick rivets drilled into the blade securing them in place. The base of the aforementioned blade is host to a tangle of dried, thorny brambles with cracked, worn leather wrapped tightly around portions of the weapon. The keychain dangled from an equally rusted length of chain in the shape of a bramble cluster surrounding a single eyeball.
* **Stygian**-The Keyblade wielded by Regis. Bearing an unusually heavy handle and guards for the thin blade connected to it, perhaps owing to the skeletal remains of the symbiotic worm coiled tightly around the length of the shaft. The head lacked any teeth on the actual metal rod portion, relying on the mandibles from the symbiote skeleton, a pair of razor fangs flanking a smaller set of piercing tubes. The keychain connected to the base of the handle by a tether of sinewy tissue in the shape of a tightly coiled worm symbiote. Regis notably claimed to be able to wield his Keyblade regardless of the host he inhabited, making this quite possibly one of the only Keyblades wielded by a non-humanoid.