Xiloxoch (Xi-Low-Xok)
The final clash between the massive armies of Psionic Illithids controlling thousands of Gith slaves, against the enraged and barbaric hordes of Lizard-like Sorok took place in the plains which would become the Scar. The Sorok knew that they were outmatched, so they created the most destructive weapon in the history of Velaria, the Xiloxoch. A device that consumed souls, fashioned from stolen experimental Illithid technology that Pentergost recently invented when creating phylacteries for himself, and used them to power the Xiloxoch. The Xiloxoch was a massive diamond-shaped object that floated above the ground and contained multifluorescent lights surrounding it in pulses of magic. To be near the artifact was to feel the blistering heat of the sun, the cold of the deepest oceans, the richness of life and magic, and the emptiness of space. Etched across the diamond-shaped device were intricate patterns and shapes that substituted for the Sorok techniques of accessing the magic of Velaria. The Xiloxoch was designed to drain the life from the Sorok's enemies in stunning numbers, bolster the Sorok ranks, be used as a channelling focus for Sorok shamans, and absorb enemy magics. However, the weapon went awry upon activation and the Sorok shamans immediately lost control of it. The Xiloxoch overloaded with raw, primordial magics that the Sorok were too inexperienced to try and control, causing a colossal whirlwind of corrupted energy that enveloped all of the Sorok army and most of the Illithid's. This catastrophic hurricane sucked the life out of everything in it, completely draining the life essence and killing any creature inside it, as well as the ground itself. Then, when the artifact could no longer contain that much power, it erupted in a planetary explosion that was felt throughout Velaria. The combination of all the different magic types and souls that were powering the Xiloxoch created a devastating blast of multicoloured energy that rose high into the sky and caused earthquakes across the realm. This left the land forever black, dead and cursed.
The Xiloxoch artifact almost wiped out an entire species centuries before the coming of the second peoples of Velaria , and the scatterings of it still affect the land around The Scar long after the extinction of The Sorok. Historians have theorized that such a powerful artifact would not have been completely destroyed in the explosion, due to the destruction being of a soul/life essence draining type, and some slivers of the Xiloxoch may have been scattered around the land of West Velaria. Certainly there are unexplained phenomenon around this area that could be linked to an ancient and persisting culture's artifact, especially one that tapped into unknown powers. The Scar is a forever-dead land of black sands and lifeless air. Despite centuries passing, the land has not healed, and it may be expanding. Shards of the Emerald gem that powered the Xiloxoch remain buried deep within the dead sands of The Scar, constantly drawing on any life near it, feeding a seemingly endless hunger. The Empty Waters in the Gregor Dynasty is a mythological place, where an entire Lake seems to have sentience, pulling animals and creatures into its cold depths through powerful psionics for an unknown reason. A hefty chunk of the Xiloxoch landed in The Empty Waters, one that contained etchings of Sorok psionic magic. Over the centuries, the chunk has grown and absorbed magic around it, and has transformed a once beautiful lake into one of the most dangerous locations in the world. The last known piece of the ancient Xiloxoch artifact is the Windspear. This renowned weapon was used by Veler, hero and leader of the common people. These people arrived in Velaria after the extinction of The Sorok, and the Gith rebellion against the Illithid Empire, but the collection of Humanoids had to fight to claim land from the current peoples there. In the vast wars that were waged across the lands in the wars to come, Veler became renowned for his weapon, one that could control the sky itself. Many say that the only reason the commons, or the first group of the second peoples of Velaria, were able to claim land and push away the dying Gith civilization, was because of Veler and his Windspear . The Windspear has been lost since the natural death of Veler, but has not been destroyed, for it is a long slice of the Xiloxoch, etched with Sorok patterns pertaining to wind magic and storms. Veler, due to his incredible prowess and intellect, learned to control this unstable power and became unstoppable because of it.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
The Xiloxoch's mechanics functioned much the same way as the other Sorok inventions of the time, where an experimental combination of ores and minerals, fashioned into a diamond shape, was imbued with raw primordial energy. However, instead of using the traditional energy forces, The Sorok altered the technology, implementing some of the new Soul magic the Illithid Empire had just begun to utilise. There were two main components to the Xiloxoch, the gem power source inside, and the rune-covered metal exterior. The inside of the Xiloxoch contained a brilliant emerald crystal, which contained the souls of the Sorok scientists who crafted it. This gem was a mimic of the Phylactery technology of the Illithids, where a soul was stored inside of an object, but because the Sorok used a rare gem, it allowed them to absorb several souls into the Emerald gem. The Sorok underwent a ritual, similar to their sacrificial offerings to Tenoch, and the souls of the dozen Lizardfolk scientists who empowered the emerald gem with power were pulled into the gem, instantly killing their original bodies. The outside of the Xiloxoch was the frightening metal diamond that the Sorok artifacts were known for. The metal was a combination of iron and silver, famously conductive materials for primordial magic, and patterns etched over the surface in a gold colouration. The patterns, in theory, served as the spellcasting techniques of the artifact's users, allowing them to activate a variety of specific magics using the device. With these two mechanics working in tandem, the Xiloxoch was supposed to be an artifact holding vast, unknowable power through souls absorbed into its powering gem, with a near-indestructible exterior which a Lizardfolk could activate, through touching a specific pattern in sequence, to cast powerful spells capable of destroying the Sorok's enemies. However, upon its first activation, the Xiloxoch could not handle the amount of Soul power the gem was absorbing, and it exploded with a catastrophic surge of power that wiped out everything near it. In this case, the Xiloxoch still completed one of its intended functions, but the Sorok were ill-prepared to use it well.
Come brethren! The Xiloxoch is nearly complete! Place your talons on the holy iron and give your life to our cause. With your brave strength we will power the artifact and destroy those slimy, tentacle-faced warm-bloods! For the Tyrant!
Item type
Unique Artifact
Current Location
Manufacturer
Related Technologies
Related ethnicities
Owning Organization
Weight
142kg
Dimensions
2x1m
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