Rod of the Sundering Tsunami

Summary

A simple wooden rod that someone without an eye for the magical could easily mistake for driftwood or a gnarled branch, this poor man's staff gives immense power over entire oceans with but a simple command. Despite it's flimsy appearance, the Rod of Sundering Tsunamis, tested in your hands, would feel as unbreakable as stone would to an infant halfling, and yet felt no heavier than a broken branch from a young oaken tree. Be careful how you wave it, however, as doing so on a long stretch of the beach, as one poor goblin found out, could cause massive tears in the tide and huge waves of uncaring destruction.

Historical Basis

Some hundreds of years ago, the sole survivor of a terrible storm in the Sea of Fallen Stars was tossed onto a solitary island deep within it. The human man, named Sesom, was a strong believer in the goddess Umberlee, and when he found himself alive on that island he pledged to turn it into a great temple dedicated to his goddess. Sesom spent weeks working to gather lumber and stone and plant fiber and everything else he could need, but it was too much work for but one man. In his frustration he cried out to his goddess of the sea, and the Wavemother replied to him with a storm like he had never seen before. Sesom, beseeching her, promised to raise her above all others, to prove to the world of her indomitable power, but got no reply except howling winds and roaring waves. He believed that his goddess was no longer with him, and in his sadness he let the powerful gusts of wind take him, and never expected to wake again. Much to his surprise, when he did wake up the next morning, he was still on the island. And what amazed him even further was that he was no longer alone. His goddess, the beautiful and most powerful Umberlee had not abandoned him, but had tested him, and with his passing was now blessed with disciples. A new roaring confidence sprung within himself, and with the additional help, the small but growing Temple of Endless Waves was constructed.
But it was not enough. Sesom wanted to bring endless glory to Umberlee, and this small group was not enough. He shouted out to the sea to bring in more storms, but it didn't listen. He shouted for hours and eventually days, not caring about his raspy voice, not caring to eat or drink. After 5 days of screaming at an unresponsive ocean Sesom was nearing the end of his endurance. Boiling mad and incredibly exhausting, he grabbed a nearby fallen branch, thrust it out towards the ocean, and commanded it to move. So move it did.
With an unknown magic coursing through his being, the sea parted in front of Sesom, with all sea creatures and all water shifting to one side or the other, and the sea floor underneath laid bare to the sun. Sesom was astounded for but a moment, as he knew his goddess was watching over him, that he was favored by her, and that his boundless faith in her was now being rewarded. With renewed vigor, he commanded the sea to part further and further, until the walls to either side were like suspended tsunamis, before letting both crash together, creating a final, massive wall of water that was sure to bring more faithful to his island temple's shore.

Variations & Mutation

Given how little is known about Sesom, both before he got the rod and after he split the sea, there are many different variations on the tale along the shore of the Sea of Fallen Stars. At one point you might hear that Umberlee decided she tired of Sesom when he was crossing the parted sea and let the waves fall in on him. At another location you could hear that a battle occurred on the sea floor between Sesom's followers and an opposing group of battle mages, and that Sesom's last act was to close the sea walls around himself. Some tales will even say that the worshiped deity was in fact Talos and not Umberlee. Regardless of how twisted the story becomes, the one foundation is the parting of the sea with the Rod of Sundering Tsunamis.