Firebrand

**Firebrand** is a drow forged sword created by followers of the Volcano God, but made famous by its long association with the Azan Empire. It is one of the Seven Sacred Swords.

## Origins

Firebrand was said to have been forged several centuries before the founding of the ancient Azan/Dragon Empire. It was said to have been created by master smith and enchantress Infernafray Chariryl for her Empress, Chenzira Chalia.

Empress Chalia led a coalition of western drow cities, generally subterranean, against a similar but smaller alliance to the south east. Although her fire magic was potent, she preferred to slay her enemies up close and personal, and Firebrand was a sword of few equals in that regard. When wielded in anger, the edge of its blade became immensely hot, allowing Chalia to slice clean through the weapons, armor, and flesh of her opponents. Only the most powerful enchantments could block its edge.

Although unbeatable in battle, Chalia was eventually assassinated by a drow from the southern alliance, a follower of the Poet God who seduced, then poisoned her while posing as a captive, before fleeing back south with the sword.

Although his name is now forgotten, the assassin was said to have been a legendary explorer, adventurer, and troublemaker. However, he met his end in a similar manner for which he first became famous. He is slain during a failed attempt to seduce Saint Calixta, a companion of Aza, and the sword falls into her possession.

## Use throughout history

### First Dynasty

Like its origins, much of what little is known of Firebrand’s usage during this period is based on myth. Many exploits center around the time period it was in Calixta’s possession. One of Aza’s more roguish companions, some of the stories are far-fetched, and often bawdy, including the Castration of the Last Mountain Giant, the Escape from the Swamp Hag, and the Tale of the Siren and the Underpants Gnomes. Other, more “official” stories speak of Calixta fighting along Aza’s side against assorted evils, and how the sword went on to serve many champions of the First Dynasty.

### Second Dynasty

One of the longer dynasties, stories of Firebrand during this period inevitably center on it being used against unseelie fey, demon worshippers, and cruel slaver kingdoms. Cynics note that many of these enemies were not as evil as depicted, as the Second Dynasty was infamous for focusing on the most negative aspects of their opponents to justify its wars.

### Third Dynasty and the Sun Kings

Few stories of Firebrand exist from the time of House Cemak, but during the Adrianite period, Firebrand became a well respected artifact, bestowed by Emperors to battlefield champions from lesser branches of the Adrianite line. As drow fell well within the diverse range of fey cultures that the Adrianites considered to be “elvish”, they were much more comfortable wielding a drowish sword than champions from other dynasties.

### Fourth Dynasty

A short lived, unpleasant dynasty obsessed with human purity under the guise of rooting out demonic and unseelie fey tainted bloodlines, many traditions, artifacts, ceremonies, etc., associated with the Adianite line, including Firebrand, were locked away. However, Firebrand’s fortunes were renewed when Sophia Diogene used it to assassinate her aunt and forge a new power base out of family members and noble clans loyal to her.

### Fifth Dynasty

A long dynasty, and often seen as a golden age for the Azan/Dragon Empire, House Diogene used fears of the rapidly expanding Khenomeric Empire to renew the loyalty of its vassal provinces and bring new nations into the Empire without a fight. Research into new magical fields (often stolen from or inspired by the Khenomeric Empire) created wonders the likes of which the world had rarely seen. Firebrand was a key artifact within the core Imperial Family, often worn by the Emperor, a sibling, or a direct heir. However it was rarely used, except during the occasional execution done personally by its wielder.

This changed when Emperor Basilius X personally led his troops into battle during the legendary Battle of Empires. Although his skill at swordcraft and battlefield tactics was unrivalled, and his regalia included some of the most powerful artifacts available, his presence was often overshadowed by the titanic magics unleashed on the battlefield. Unfortunately, Basilius X was slain by the magical blast that brought the battle to an end, and Firebrand and several other artifacts were lost for centuries.

In the meantime, the Fifth Dynasty was greatly weakened by the massive losses taken at the Battle of Empires. For a time, it was kept afloat by the religious fervor unleashed by the belief that no less than Bronzar himself had saved the world at the climax of the Battle of Empires, but not only were the Legions devastated, but many of the magics that House Diogene relied upon for their power also seemed to have failed or become much weaker. Rumors spread that Bronzar and many other gods had deliberately lessened mortal’s ability to manipulate magic in order to prevent another near world ending mishap from happening, and magic became shunned in some quarters.

By the time Firebrand was finally recovered from the Cursed Battlefield, the Empire had largely fallen into anarchy and the position of Emperor reduced to a figurehead for the Church. Around this time, Firebrand was added to the list of Seven Sacred Swords and became part of the Emperor's official ceremonial regalia, though as House Diogenes had become soft and weak at this point, it was rarely used in battle.

### Sixth Dynasty

A period of misdirected religious fervor even worse than the Fourth Dynasty, many foreign customs and artifacts were labelled “heretical”, which became a blanket term for anything associated with demons, unseelie fey, or dark magics, and many could easily argue that Firebrand was the product of all three. However, unlike many such artifacts, which were destroyed, Firebrand simply went missing for much of the Sixth Dynasty period.

### Seventh Dynasty

The Seventh Dynasty was a period of renewed Imperial strength. The religious fervor of the Sixth Dynasty had been balanced out with a renewed interest in magic, scholarly knowledge, and rule of law. The Empire became cosmopolitan and decentralized, but arguably much stronger for it as many provinces were ruled by competent families, and for those that were not, a meritocratic system of governors and bureaucrats ensured good rule.

Seeking to create symbolic ties between themselves and the powerful rulers of the early Fifth Dynasty, the ruling House Bellicus launched many expensive expeditions to locate Firebrand, only for it to be eventually found in an abandoned section of sewer during a revitalization project.

Bellicus was a warlike House, and were easily persuaded to launch a series of campaigns against neighbouring nations. In particular, Scimitaria was a key target, where power struggles among the fey provided an excuse to gradually take the region and its vast mineral wealth.

Key wielder during this period included; Princess Livia (The Dwarf-Friend) who used it to help the Onyxtoe seize valuable lava tubes from the gibberlings and found their kingdom, Emperor Azmuth II, who used it to convince the fire imps to turn against their fey allies, and Emperor Azinida V, who used it to personally slay the rogue sea elf pirate princess Lusha, and Princess Nipia, who used it to slay the Changrila Usurper.

### Eighth Dynasty

Power was transferred from the Seventh to Eighth Dynasties rather seemlessly, in fact, it is only considered a new dynasty due to the powerful House Cico’s refusal to allow their heir to change his last name, and the refusal of a stubborn Imperial princess to consider any other suitors. For the first few centuries there was no notable difference between the Seventh and Eighth Dynasties, and the absorption of Scimitaria and other neighboring regions continued at a leisurely pace.

However, the tail end of the Eighth Dynasty was marked by much unrest. By this point, Firebrand had become the possession of a minor branch of the Imperial Family, descendants of Nipia, a third daughter whose lineage distanced themselves from court political marriages to focus on martial issues. The Purge of Siuverland had created a buzz of xenophobia not unlike those of the Fourth and Sixth Dynasties, so the core Imperial Family made little attempt to retrieve the sword, even though Nipia’s branch of the family was no longer held in particularly high regard.

The last human wielder of Firebrand was Pleusicles Faber, a young but promising Legion officer of Nipia’s lineage. He was highly skilled with the weapon, and almost undefeated on the field of battle, but he wasn’t highly placed enough in the Legion hierarchy to be aware of rumors that the drow of the underworld were gathering in numbers not seen since the First Dynasty.

Queen Celia, who would later go on to crown herself Empress Celia II after her legendary ancestor, had manage to do the impossible and convince many of the western underground drow cities that great riches could be had by conquering the Scimitarian dwarf cities. Forging alliances across religious lines and ancient rivalries, she assembles and army of hundreds of thousands, who make their way westward undetected via long forgotten tunnels.

Pleusides Faber, posted in what is now modern day Calcabra at the time, was one of the first military losses. It is rumored he died in Celia’s personal dungeon after weeks of torture.

Celia would go on to wield Firebrand in countless battles. With many of the most experienced Legions heading eastwards to fight the new Witch-Elf threat, much of Scimitaria is overrun before the Azan Empire can truly comprehend the scale of the drow invasion. In attempt to recruit the few remaining fey malcontents in Scimitaria, Celia crowns herself Empress of the Second Elf Empire (thus lumping all previous iterations of the Elven Empire together as the “First Elven Empire”). Her rein only lasts less than two decades however before she is assassinated by unknown parties. Without her leadership, the Second Elf Empire fragments into the Drow Confederacy, which in turn become the Drow City States.

Ever since her death, the whereabouts of Firebrand are unknown, but many believe it was buried with Celia II in her tomb in Amrurinth.