Huówúyì

**Enchantments** | Unyielding Spirit

**Forsacan** is an ancient rapier said to have been forged sometime during the first millennium. The second King of Siciliana, King Rodrigo III, demanded the presence of the world's greatest enchanters and blacksmiths where he placed an order for a sword capable of defeating rebelling wizards and armored knights without sacrificing the swiftness and precision demanded by those who utilized the style of his family. Although initially regarded as impossible, the funding of Forsacan provided enough initiative for those assigned to accomplish the task. Forsacan brought the Second King infamy upon the battlefield and a reign over his kingdom without a whisper of treachery. Once the King of Siciliana fell to old age, he ordered his legendary sword to live throughout his lineage; transitioning from father to son as a status of hereditary power and a symbol of the court. Eventually, a preference for the newly acquired longsword from nearby kingdoms overwhelmed the popularity that rapier's once possessed. During this cultural revolution, the original purpose and abilities instilled in the blade and hilt was forgotten by both the royal family and court officials. Soon, Forsacan transformed into a symbol of the power inherited by the King's successor. Afterwards, the original royal family of Siciliana fell to a Coup d'état and Forsacan was believed to have been destroyed in the sack of the Siciliana castle. However, the sword was stolen by a court official before he gathered his family and escaped. From then on the nobleman passed Forsacan throughout his bloodline in hopes of awakening the power it possessed.

After generations of switching between father and son, Forsacan transformed into a shell of its former self. The valiant tales surrounding its creation and former masters have been completely forgotten. Before its rechristining, it fell into the hands of a traveling noble who used his riches to manipulate people. Unfortunately, his money failed to influence the Prince of Scoundrel who managed to steal the blade from beneath him. Farsacan seemed to have had resonated with Dǎiyì the second his hand grabbed its complex hilt. The desire to utterly master the secrets of the blade brought life to Farsacan once more while the loneliness he suffered from caused his soul to split into two. Soon, Farsacan became the signature weapon of Dǎiyì who would travel across countries and risk his life to assure the blade remains undamaged. Due to not knowing the actual history, Dǎiyì renamed the sword in his native tongue. Two souls who abandoned their country to wander the world with only ties to one another. Therefore, Dǎiyì renamed the sword **Huówúyì** (活无义) in a ceremonial rebirth.

The metallic composition of the sword is a fusion of five ores found in the vast mountains of central Alazar. The metals are unique due to possessing different traits that attribute to an increase in specific abilities. The hilt of Huówúyì is comprised of the same material as its blade, allowing for an increase in both prowess and versatility. Huówúyì focuses mainly on extraordinary durability and strength without sacrificing the precision and swiftness often utilized by those who master the Rapier. It is a sword whose prowess allowed Dǎiyì to pierce through the infamous Obelisk Armor worn by Maximilian. A sword with an undeniable piercing capability used by Dǎiyì to easily cleave through the weaponry and defenses of opponents. Enemy blades are destroyed from swift lunges and quicker extensions performed in a rhythmic tempo. Another aspect of the composition of Huówúyì stems from the unique ore found only in the nation of Sciliana. The ore is used to create a durable yet lightweight metal capable of supporting large structures while retaining enough flexibility to absorb shock. The outcome is a nearly weightless blade whose flexibility allows it to be used with lightning-quick reflexes and deathly precision. Beyond the physical capabilities, Huówúyì inflicts extra burning damage when striking or impaling an opponent. Stemming from the arcane origins of the sword, the rapier seizes command over the ambient aether found in the immediate atmosphere and imbues the energy into the blade; resulting in a strike that causes a magical burn upon contact. Besides the magical damage, the Prince of Scoundrel's main weapon possesses three enchantments that can overcome the various sorcerers and sorceresses Dǎiyì encounters.

## Appearance

Huówúyì is a sword of imperial beauty and a mesmerizing glimmer when wielded by a master. Originally, legends spoke of Huówúyì glistening in the hands of the second King whenever drawn and utilized against potential rebels. The sword was said to have been able to quell rebellions when they were mere seedlings plaguing angered servants. The sheer presence of the sheathed bladed demanded a level of respect fit for the king of a nation. The hilt of Huówúyì is obsidian with a silver complex design guarding its master's hand. From thereon the blade is a brilliant silver untouched by age and the elements of Alazar. Even after centuries of inactiveness, Huówúyì retains the enchanting quality it exhibited while under the usage of the second King and his children.

## Enchantment

Forsacan was forged with one enchantment instilled within blade in an attempt to increase the skill of a swordsman. The enchantments are chosen to amplify the physical capabilities of a warrior through magical usage. Unfortunately, previous masters of Huówúyì were unable to activate the ancient arcane etchings that allowed the second King to rule undisturbed. There have been multiple speculations onto why the enchantments were inactive during the centuries. Some believe that the second King of Sciliana had special commands onto who could utilize the sword by forging it with his blood as a catalyst. Others believed only those capable of achieving his feats and achievements could tap into the sword. Either way, Forsacan entered a period of inactivity which ultimately erased the valiant history created by its first master.

The truth, however, lies in the spirit of the sword as well as the purpose and existence of a being. Many believe the sword was a tool of a king's desire to rule over a court without backlash, to quell rebellions before their spark and to assure the councils undying loyalty. These principles, although correct in certain manners, are also incorrect when considering the nature of the king's heart. In a kingdom, the king is a person who stands above all else; the being who watches the realm from the highest mountain and exist unequaled among man. When considering the universal decree known as the Law of Attraction, an undeniable rule that states like attracts like, there are none who can truly stand on the level of king in one kingdom. Hence creating an existence where one is unable to truly find solace in a meaningful relationship. Even marriages and families are often seen as political weapons utilized by the king to keep his bloodline strong. The result is a lonesome existence of a being whose sole existence is to rule above all. Out of this undying and torturous loneliness is born an extreme paranoia or fear of betrayal when surrounded by those who claim allegiance. So while others believed Forsacan to be a blade meant to halt betrayal of a king, its true nature surrounded becoming a being who can stand on the level of a king and protect its friend. The sword splits a person's soul and seals it into the blade as both a source of power and sentience. When the second King of Sciliana passed onwards his blade, his successor would enact this soul splitting trait when they experienced the lonesome life of a king; a life where one's spouse is often but a tool for political power. Without the desire for something or someone to truly equal one's own existence or something to fulfill the abysmal hole known as emptiness, the sword will only sleep until the source is made available. It was for this reason that Forsacan was in such a dormant state after the siege of Sciliana. When the sword was stolen by nobles, it entered the plane of mortals and thus its masters were never truly alone. They had family and friends who valued them, even if they denied it profusely.

The sword awakened when it fell into the grasp of a lonely thief who abandoned the Land of Spring and Autumn. Although called the Prince of Scoundrel, he was the exact opposite of someone born into royalty. A lowborn child who abandoned his family before they rose to prominence, so he never knew true acceptance to society. Accepting the life of thievery and assassination, he became the opposite to the soul who existed beyond the kingdom. Instead, he is a person whose loneliness spawns from paranoia and a horrid past. The thief, known as Dǎiyì, lived with enough loneliness to activate the sword once his hand grabbed it's intricate hilt. The result was his spirit being split in half and sealed into the sword as it had done with the second king. Reviving Forsacan and giving it the independent existence it once possessed. Unfortunately, Dǎiyì's lack of knowledge of the swords origin coupled with his modest understanding of magic caused the enchantments to activate only when specific situational qualifications are achieved. A side effect of the soul splitting procedure is a constant knowledge of the swords surrounding. Since the blade is a portion of its master, Dǎiyì will always know where his sword is as if he were there to witness its surroundings. It is this dual existence that makes Dǎiyì dangerous to other thieves and pirates as they simply lead him to his destination.

Utilizing magic to enhance one's swordsmanship is an art form that has been practiced since the dawn of swordsmanship. However, the usage of magic often involved a manipulation of an external force and the combination of one's weapon. Rarely has one encountered the synergetic relationship between a swordsman and the obedient nature of Aether. A relationship which evolves from an understanding of the source of Aether. Aether is the prerequisite to life force, the energy responsible for the sustainability of the planet and the living creatures who call it home. It is the abundant energy that flows throughout the universe and traverses through the various life forms who break down the aether before transforming it into the energy for life. It is believed that there exist a form of magic which allows one to consciously transform the aether into life force without the requirement of a medium. Granting said magician access to an unlimited reservoir of stamina and sustenance.

The sword was enchanted with the etchings required to activate this ancient spell. The sword acts as a medium to absorb the aether in the atmosphere before breaking it down into the nourishment required to survive. In essence, the sword becomes the food, water and rest that sustains a warriors physical form. Forsacan was given this enchantment to remove the consequences of isolated combat. During a life of loneliness, one will often find themselves standing alone against unfathomable odds. Therefore, Forsacan allows its master to fight onwards without a requirement for additional support.

After being reawakened by Dǎiyì, whose lack of magical talent suppressed the enchantment, the etching activates once a certain situational qualification has been met. Currently the enchantment comes to life when faced against unfavorable odds. When the chance of survivability appears bleak, the sword transforms the surrounding aether into life force before coursing it through Dǎiyì's body. The result is a continuous stream of stamina which causes Dǎiyì to regenerate physical energy at an increased rate. Simultaneously, Dǎiyì's physical body is able to expend his endurance at a more efficient rate, leading to Dǎiyì tiring less during even the most stressful physical activities. Overall, the third King of Sciliana once stated that he who mastered Forsacan could potentially fight for a thousand and one nights without an hour of sleep.