Arrako the Pure’s Sword
Description
A magnificent greatsword that defied all conventional understanding of weaponry. The blade appeared to be forged from pure obsidian, black as a moonless night, yet it burned with an inner flame that flickered and danced beneath the surface. The weapon looked less like metal and more like frozen fire given form, as if someone had captured the moment of a flame’s dance and transformed it into solid matter.
The blade was impossibly sharp, the obsidian edges never dulling despite countless battles. When swung, it left trails of dark fire in the air. In darkness, the inner flame grew brighter, pulsing with white and gold light. In bright sunlight, it appeared as pure black glass, absorbing light rather than reflecting it.
The crossguard was simple but elegant, wrapped in white dragonscale leather. The pommel bore the symbol of The Four, a mark of heroism and sacrifice that would be recognized for millennia to come.
Those who witnessed Arrako wield this blade described it as watching a falling star made solid, a piece of the sky’s fire brought to earth to burn away the darkness.
Origin and History
The sword’s creation is shrouded in mystery. Some legends claim it was forged in the heart of a volcano by dwarven smiths using techniques long lost to time. Others say it was a gift from the dragons themselves, created from dragonfire and volcanic glass during the darkest days of The Dark Age when heroes were needed most.
What is known is that Arrako the Pure, the Dragonborn leader of The Four, wielded this blade throughout the war against Orcus and the demonic forces that ravaged the world. The sword became a symbol of hope, its dark flame a beacon that rallied the forces of good.
The Final Battle
During the climactic confrontation when Xaverine the Light performed Xaverine’s Trick to banish Orcus, the sword was at Arrako’s side. The magical cataclysm that tore open reality and cast the Demon Prince back into the Abyss was devastating beyond measure. The explosion destroyed Orcus’s stronghold, leaving only the perfect spherical crater that would become known as Arastand.
In that moment, Arrako and the blade were caught in the heart of the magical storm. The Four gave their lives to ensure the ritual’s success. The sword, like its wielder, did not survive intact.
After The Fall
Most of the sword was lost, destroyed in the magical explosion or scattered across planes of existence. But the elves, searching the battlefield in the aftermath, found a single shard. A piece of the blade, still flickering with that impossible inner fire, still radiating the essence of heroism and sacrifice.
Unable to reforge the sword (and unwilling to risk destroying what remained), the elves preserved the shard by carefully shaping it into a ring. They named it The Silmarin, “the Light-Shard” or “the Remembered Flame” in their ancient tongue. The ring serves as a memorial to Arrako and all that was lost to save the world.
Powers and Properties
While the sword no longer exists in its complete form, legends speak of its incredible powers:
Combat Abilities:
- Cut through demonic flesh and bone like air
- Burned the undead with holy fire
- Could parry and destroy lesser magical weapons
- Left wounds that demons and devils struggled to heal
Magical Properties:
- Radiated an aura of courage that inspired allies and terrified evil creatures
- Lit up in the presence of demons, undead, and aberrations
- Could cut through magical barriers and wards
- In Arrako’s hands, the flame could extend, allowing sweeping attacks that covered greater distances
Symbolic Power:
- Represented the light that endures even in absolute darkness
- A reminder that heroism requires sacrifice
- Proof that even the smallest flame can drive back the deepest shadow
Current Status
The sword no longer exists as a complete weapon. Its remains are:
The Silmarin: A ring forged from a shard of the blade, held by the elves as one of their most sacred treasures. The ring still contains a fragment of the sword’s essence and power.
Unknown Fragments: It’s possible other shards survived, scattered across the world or lost in other planes. These fragments, if they exist, would be incredibly valuable and dangerous.
The Memory: The sword lives on in legend, in songs, in the stories told by farmers and kings alike. Every time someone speaks of Arrako the Pure and The Four, they remember the blade of obsidian flame that helped save the world.
Significance
The three great relics of the Dark Age are Arrako the Pure’s Sword (shattered, its surviving shard preserved as The Silmarin), Faben the Worthy’s Ring, and The Butchered Words of Kyoss. The Hammer of Thunderbolts, Chalice of Eternal Life, and Wand of Orcus are mighty artifacts but are not counted among the three.
The sword represents the ultimate sacrifice, the price paid by heroes to protect the world from absolute evil.