Sword of Shalita

The Sword of Shalita is the highest martial title attainable by a Shilizal warrior, bestowed only once per generation—if at all. It signifies not only unmatched battlefield prowess but also peerless tactical genius, unshakable honor, and absolute devotion to the Kingdom of Shalita and the Hivivian Empire. To be named the Sword of Shalita is to be recognized as the living embodiment of Glintar-Golgotha’s will, a chosen vessel of divine war made manifest.

Status and Authority

The Sword of Shalita holds an exceptional position within the Shilizal power structure, combining both supreme military command and semi-sacred ceremonial authority. While subordinate only to the Five Kings in the hierarchy, the Sword operates with near-autonomous control over all military forces under Shilizal command, both planetary and interstellar. This authority extends to full strategic and operational oversight of Shilizal defense fleets, planetary garrisons, orbital defense stations, and expeditionary ground forces, and is recognized by all subordinate officers—including admirals, Shipmasters, and unit commanders—who are required by law to obey the Sword's orders without delay or contest unless explicitly countermanded by a royal edict.
The Sword is also the only non-royal individual empowered to speak directly on military policy before the Council of Elders without prior royal approval, and can issue emergency war decrees (Sarthin Mandates) in response to imminent threats. These mandates can trigger immediate mobilization of militia reserves, reallocation of state-held resources, temporary suspension of civilian logistics protocols, or the sealing of interplanetary borders—actions that would normally require extended deliberation among the kings and council. In the broader context of the Hivivian Empire, the Sword is formally recognized as the highest-ranking Shilizal representative within the Unified Command Axis, where they are granted a permanent war advisory seat. This provides them with strategic input into multi-racial Hivivian fleet actions, interspecies tactical integration, and special warfare coordination.
Within Shilizal territory, the Sword can serve as interim high magistrate over martial law zones, making battlefield judgments that supersede even regional governance. They can authorize or veto planetary-scale strategic actions such as orbital bombardments, conscription of non-citizens in emergency scenarios, the deployment of classified war assets, and the public invocation of religious war rites. All battle honors, military title bestowals, and high officer promotions require their endorsement during periods of open conflict. Additionally, the Sword can assign or strip a warrior’s service name under review of their deeds, marking them for eternal glory or infamy within the Shilizal record. Despite this immense power, the Sword is bound by oath to the Five Kings and must periodically submit formal war reports, strategic briefings, and records of judgment to both the royal court and the Council of Elders. Failure to uphold the cultural and ethical tenets of honor, proportionality, and discipline may result in ceremonial reprimand, public questioning, or—in extreme cases—revocation of the title. However, no Sword in recorded history has ever been stripped of their status, a testament to the near-mythic standards required for its attainment. The role exists at the intersection of supreme generalship, spiritual reverence, and cultural accountability—an avatar of Shalita's strength, bound by duty, exalted in purpose.

Insignia and Appearance

The Sword of Shalita is identified by a unique and meticulously curated ensemble of armor, weaponry, and regalia, each piece symbolic and functionally superior, representing centuries of accumulated honor and tradition. The most iconic piece is the ceremonial blade Varkhal-Shiir, translated as “Flame-Tongue of Shalita.” It is a high-output plasma energy sword with a solid central core, around which twin arcs of magnetically stabilized plasma form a double-edged field. Unlike more common open-blade plasma designs, the Varkhal-Shiir maintains a fixed energy channel from emitter to tip, allowing for greater precision and weight distribution during melee engagements. The hilt is wrapped in braided blackhide from the native Shalitan Skorr-beast, and its emitter core housing bears the etched lineage of every previous Sword, updated by royal artisans with each ascension. The blade’s signature feature is a modulating energy filament that adjusts width and heat concentration in response to the wielder’s combat tempo, making it as adaptive as it is lethal.
The armor of the Sword is crafted from Rhaegarn Alloy, a composite of volcanic glass, plasma-tempered alloys, and trace amounts of electrically resistant ceramic-laminate. The raw material is extracted from the Deep Rifts of southern Shalita—an unstable tectonic zone accessible only during a six-day planetary alignment—and forged exclusively in the Temple Forges beneath Vasshul-Khal. This armor is engraved with layered runic inscriptions of battles past, carefully inlaid with micro-resonant metals that cause the surface to vibrate faintly when struck, releasing a harmonic sound audible only to the Shilizal. Each major piece—cuirass, pauldrons, greaves, and vambraces—follows a unique curvature optimized for Shilizal physiology, allowing full range of motion for digitigrade stances and extended leaps, while maintaining maximum plasma dispersion resistance. Over the armor, the Sword wears the Mantle of Emberglass, an adaptive, semi-translucent cloak constructed from microwoven silica-thread and photoreactive mesh layers. While appearing decorative, the mantle functions as a secondary defense system. In passive conditions, it remains fluid and reflective, capturing ambient light in a shimmering cascade. However, when kinetic energy thresholds are surpassed—such as during high-velocity strikes or blast impacts—the material enters a rigid phase-state, becoming near-impenetrable for several seconds. The inner hem is lined with embroidered glyphs denoting the five virtues of Shilizal warfare: Clarity, Endurance, Command, Mercy, and Flame. An elaborate torc, worn around the neck and shoulder base, marks the Sword’s status among all Shilizal and Hivivian allies. Forged from a hybrid of gold-titanium and obsidian glass, the torc includes three embedded pulse-nodes that glow with red-gold light when the Sword enters combat. These nodes sync with the warrior’s neural and cardiovascular rhythms, subtly broadcasting encrypted command pulses to nearby subordinate units—a form of non-verbal field dominance and coordination enhancement.
The Sword wears a multi-band signet harness, traditionally fastened to the forearm, that incorporates four layers of symbolic authority. The outermost band bears the insignia of the Five Kings; the second, the Shilizal Council of Elders; the third, the emblem of the Hivivian Empire; and the innermost, a personal glyph forged upon ascension. This harness is encoded with biosignatures and cannot be removed or worn by anyone other than the named Sword. It is widely considered both a seal of authority and a failsafe identification method in the event of battlefield obfuscation or death.

Selection Process

The appointment of a Sword of Shalita is an exceedingly rare and sacred event, governed by stringent ceremonial, cultural, and military criteria. It is not a formal rank within the standing hierarchy of the Shilizal military, but rather an elevation to a near-mythic status, acknowledged by both religious and governmental institutions. The process begins only after a Shilizal warrior accomplishes a World-Severing Deed (Zark’thelan)—a feat of such overwhelming strategic or symbolic significance that it alters the trajectory of a planetary war, restores a failing campaign, unifies fractured military coalitions, or secures the survival of the Shilizal race or territory in the face of annihilation. There is no fixed definition of a World-Severing Deed, and its qualification must be unanimously agreed upon by the Council of Elders, the Five Kings, and the Triad of Flame, a religious triad of high priests who serve under the authority of Glintar-Golgotha’s temple order.
Once the deed is acknowledged, the warrior is summoned to undergo the Karthil Seerun (“Flame of All Eyes”), an intense, days-long ritualized tribunal designed to evaluate not only the physical act but the intent, reasoning, and honor behind it. During this process, the candidate is required to provide a full strategic recounting of the deed before a multi-tiered audience including admirals, shipmasters, field commanders, spiritual leaders, and a quorum of high scholars. They are interrogated on decisions made under pressure, examined for inconsistencies, and challenged to defend their reasoning against ethical, tactical, and doctrinal standards. This includes detailed cross-examination of logistics, casualty ratios, psychological warfare decisions, enemy treatment, and adherence to the Shilizal martial and spiritual codes. The tribunal is not adversarial in tone, but exhaustive in scope, with a focus on ensuring that the candidate’s judgment reflects not only martial brilliance but also moral fortitude and the preservation of Shilizal values.
Should the candidate pass this ordeal without disqualification, their name is submitted to the Five Kings for final judgment. The Kings do not act independently; instead, they perform the Thernish-Kall, a form of divinatory communion through which they consult ancient prophecies, ancestral voices, and omens drawn from sacred flame. Each king must reach an individual affirmative decision without influence or collusion, and all five must independently arrive at the conclusion that the candidate is worthy. A single dissenting vote results in full rejection, and the title is not awarded. In such cases, the warrior’s name may still be celebrated, but they are never granted the title of Sword. If all five kings approve, the warrior is taken to the Anvil of Shalith-Korr, a volcanic ceremonial forge at the heart of the capital where the Varkhal-Shiir—the traditional plasma blade of the Sword—is ritually reforged in the candidate’s presence. During this rite, the warrior is renamed in the ancient tongue with the Sharithaal prefix, and a new stanza is added to the Song of the Flame, the oral history of all who have borne the title before. The candidate is not permitted to speak during the final day of ritual, symbolizing the transition from individual to vessel-of-the-people. Upon conclusion of the ceremony, they are formally anointed as Sword of Shalita, assuming all associated rights, honors, and command responsibilities.
No candidate may ever pursue or request consideration for the title. Any attempt to do so results in immediate and permanent disqualification. The title may not be revoked once granted, but if a Sword ever acts in a manner deemed contrary to the honor of the position, they are stripped of name, blade, and ceremonial identity—becoming a “Flame-Spent,” a nameless wraith in Shilizal history, unspoken and unwritten. Only seven individuals in recorded history have borne the title, and the process surrounding each has shaped the modern military and spiritual foundations of Shilizal society.

Cultural Significance

The Sword of Shalita is a symbol of living legend within Shilizal society, embodying the pinnacle of martial discipline, honor, and ancestral fulfillment. Its cultural weight extends far beyond the battlefield, permeating nearly every facet of Shilizal identity—from ritual observance and social hierarchy to artistic expression and legal precedent. The bearer is regarded as the highest representation of Glintar-Golgotha’s favor, but also as a communal ideal, a standard against which all warriors are measured.
In the eyes of the general populace, the Sword functions as both a national icon and a spiritual avatar. Portraits, murals, and hologlyphic etchings of the current and past Swords are displayed in public squares, military barracks, and even domestic shrines. These images are often accompanied by excerpts of their tactical doctrines or excerpts from the Kelziran Ek'thar, the sacred codex of warrior wisdom. Their words are cited in debates, training regimens, and legal judgments—particularly those involving matters of honor, military conduct, or national security. Ceremonially, the presence of the Sword is considered a sanctifying force. Their arrival at rites of passage—such as warrior trials, service name bestowals, or oathing ceremonies—elevates the event's significance. At funerals of fallen warriors, a visit or blessing from the Sword is considered a passage to divine recognition. In some regions, particularly among the mountain clans of Northern Shalita, it is believed that to receive a wound while fighting alongside the Sword grants the wounded eternal spiritual vigilance in the afterlife.
The Sword of Shalita is also deeply ingrained in Shilizal storytelling and performance arts. Epic ballads recounting their campaigns are preserved by memory-singers (Kelminar), while state-sanctioned plays dramatize their moral decisions, battlefield strategies, and personal sacrifices. These narratives are not exaggerated for theatrical effect; they are preserved with near-sacred accuracy, as deviations are seen as distortions of history and dishonor to the figure’s legacy. From a legal perspective, the rulings and combat judgments of a reigning Sword are considered precedents in the martial law code (Razh'karil). Their interpretations of the warrior code are often cited in military tribunals and clan disputes, especially in cases involving battlefield ethics, command insubordination, or sacrificial conduct. While not above the Five Kings, the Sword’s word on military affairs carries unparalleled weight, often shaping policy long after their tenure.
The Sword is also a central figure in Shilizal religious life. Although they are not clerics, their role intersects closely with sacred authority. Their armor, weapon, and battlefield decisions are ritually consecrated by war-priests before major campaigns, and any item touched by the Sword—whether a training weapon, banner, or even a cup—is considered spiritually imbued and is often preserved in temple reliquaries. Pilgrimages to battlefields where a Sword achieved a Zark’thelan are common, with waystones marking the path and recording fragments of the campaign in runic script. Socially, the Sword of Shalita transcends bloodline or clan allegiance, becoming a unifying figure across regional and political divides. In times of internal unrest or ideological schism, the Sword’s stance can stabilize entire provinces. Their words are broadcast to remote strongholds during crises to rally morale or settle contentious decisions, often averting full-scale conflict through the cultural authority their voice commands.
While revered, the role of the Sword is also a burden. They are expected to remain above politics, abstain from personal indulgence, and live in a state of constant readiness. Their isolation is ritualized—rarely do they marry, and even fewer ever raise families during their tenure. This self-denial is seen as a form of sacrificial purity, preserving their focus and ensuring their actions remain untainted by personal motives. As such, the Sword of Shalita is not simply admired, but solemnly honored as the living edge of a people’s will—forever in motion, yet never entirely at rest.

Legacy and Reverence

The Sword of Shalita holds a legacy that transcends battlefield glory, functioning as a cultural linchpin across religious, societal, educational, and artistic domains within Shilizal civilization. Across all major cities on Shalita, public monuments, archival vaults, and ceremonial plazas preserve the memory of those who bore the title. The Hall of Echoes in Vasshul-Khal is considered the most sacred of these sites, housing plasma-lit visages and armor sets of every confirmed Sword. Each statue is accompanied by a carved recounting of the bearer’s Zark’thelan, etched in High Shiliztan script and recited in full during seasonal remembrance rituals.
In religious rites, the Sword of Shalita is often invoked in prayers of protection, particularly by soldiers departing for war and mothers sending sons to their first trials. The position is not canonized as divine, but it is widely believed that each Sword was chosen through the will of Glintar-Golgotha, making their life and legacy vessels of divine intent. Sacred scrolls kept by temple archivists document interpretations of the Sword's major decisions, offering spiritual guidance and moral precedent for times of national crisis or military uncertainty. Educationally, the deeds and judgments of each Sword are studied rigorously in the Shilizal War Academies, where entire curricula are dedicated to the Doctrine of the Sharithaal—a series of canonical case studies on past Swords' battlefield maneuvers, command philosophy, and wartime diplomacy. Young boys are required to memorize key tactical decisions made by former Swords and often reenact them in simulation chambers, where their performance is scored against historical outcome data. The Sword’s judgment is considered above reproach, and even tactical failures are studied for the strategic lessons they yield.
Artistically, the Sword of Shalita has inspired generations of poets, sculptors, and chroniclers. The bearer’s life is usually immortalized in epic verse, with traditional vael’shir recitations performed at public theaters or community gatherings. In visual media, the likeness of each Sword is preserved not just in stone or holography but also in ceremonial battle banners and ancestral murals. Paintings often depict the Sword as standing at the intersection of light and shadow, symbolizing their dual burden of execution and mercy. Within society, the Sword is seen as the physical embodiment of the Shilizal code—honor without compromise, precision without arrogance, and leadership without vanity. Their name is spoken with solemnity in public assemblies, and their personal aphorisms or battlefield commands are quoted in both everyday speech and legal proceedings. It is not uncommon for prominent families to name children in reference to past Swords, and elite dueling academies may carry names such as Zarakal's Flame or Tashiran's Path to honor their foundational influence.
Even after death, the body of a Sword is never cremated or buried in a standard way. It is instead interred beneath the Stone of the Ninth Breath, a monument at the apex of the Citadel of Flame, where it is believed their essence strengthens the spiritual resolve of future generations. Annual processions are held at the Citadel, during which their deeds are recited aloud to remind the Shilizal of the standard they are expected to uphold. In this way, the Sword of Shalita lives on not only as a military leader of a bygone era but as an enduring symbol of what it means to serve with absolute conviction.

Known Bearers

• Sharithaal Zaraka-Velmorikl – The first recorded Sword of Shalita, Zarakal earned the title during the Siege of Vael-Korrith, when the fortress city was besieged by the Murenian Allegiance. As command lines fell and defensive structures collapsed, Zarakal led a last-stand maneuver that lured the Murenian leader into the burning lower citadel. Engaging in single combat, he slew him using a fractured plasma blade and his bare hands. His actions collapsed the enemy’s cultic-network, causing the entire Murenian Allegiance to disintegrate within three cycles. Zarakal’s name became synonymous with self-sacrifice and wrath-guided precision. His burial site is encased in obsidian glass near the Shil-Rok range on the continent of Ahkura.

• Sharithaal Tashiran-Jasiral – A Kizali tactician and warrior-philosopher, Tashiran was the only female ever granted the title Sword of Shalita. Her campaign during the War of the Hollow Banners averted internal civil war among the mountain clans by orchestrating a bloodless unification. Utilizing decoy movements, terrain-based signaling, and pre-emptive honor duels, she subdued three insurgent warbands without major loss of life. Though barred from serving as an admiral, or holding citizenship due to her gender, her influence persisted as an unofficial mentor to generations of commandants. Her likeness is honored with a blade-point-down statue at the Threshold of Sovereigns.

• Sharithaal Kelvinal-Valthinor – Architect of the legendary Ash Cloak Maneuver during the Varrhajin Revolt of 9,725 BCE. Valthinor orchestrated a feint involving false fleet movement into Varrhajin space, only to launch a true assault from behind asteroid shadows near the Kirzhan Rift. His victory resulted in the decapitation of five Varrhajin command chains in one coordinated strike. Though known for brutal decisiveness, Valthinor also instituted battlefield ceasefire protocols to minimize non-combatant deaths, an act that earned him ire among Shalgan politicians but lasting honor within the Hivivian military. His plasma-forged blade remains displayed in the Great Hall of Shadows aboard the flagship Verdict of Flame.

• Sharithaal Krel'tos-Tarnashil – The fourth bearer, Krel'tos was a siege commander responsible for the defense of Shalita’s eastern continent of Durc during the Zealot Incursion. When orbital bombardments breached the city of Reshal’vurn, he deployed a last-line response using blast-channel tunnels mapped a generation earlier. His precise timing turned the siege into a rout, resulting in the capture of the Zealot leader. Krel'tos declined political advancement after the war, returning instead to oversee training rites. He was said to have never drawn his blade in anger after the Incursion.

• Sharithaal Sharivel-Rok’shivan – A master of planetary subduction warfare, Sharivel earned the title on the jungle-world of Thaleshkar during a campaign that saw atmospheric destabilization, total orbital denial, and mass biological warfare. Operating without backup for over twelve cycles, Sharivel coordinated a guerrilla resistance that ultimately overwhelmed the other side through terrain-weaponized biology and directed mutagen suppression. His leadership saved nearly 800,000 Shilizal colonists. Though afflicted by the lingering effects of spore-exposure, Sharivel refused extraction until every survivor was secured. His personal armor—spore-scorched and fused—is sealed within a shrine in the Temple of Renewal.

• Sharithaal Drevorital-Zal’kethel – The sixth bearer, known for eliminating the rogue Aether-construct known as Sanctor Vel-Kara, a sentient orbital weapons platform that had broken free of Shalgan control. Drevorith initiated a solo infiltration, using a signal distortion field to board and dismantle the construct’s AI core. Drevorith was gravely wounded in the attempt and never fully recovered, but his success prevented the annihilation of three inhabited worlds. Though reclusive and rarely seen after his feat, Drevorith’s quiet legacy became revered in Shilizal poetry and spiritual tradition, especially among those who honor sacrifice in silence.

• Sharithaal Valuril-Kretham – The current Sword of Shalita and Supreme Admiral of the Combined Fleet of the Greater Hivivian Military. Born on July 23, 2605, Kretham is widely considered one of the most fearsome and capable commanders in the Hivivian history. Bestowed the title after a tri-theater victory campaign that included the annihilation of multiple Becceorian warpacks, Kretham orchestrated the tactical collapse of enemy logistics during the Human-Hivivian War’s early phases. His strategies turned battles without engaging in direct planetary bombardment, favoring controlled orbital encirclement and psychological warfare. As a personal advisor to King Sycophantal-Malchus, Kretham stands at the very heart of the Shilizal military engine. He is respected across species—feared by enemies, worshipped by subordinates. Known for his precise, cold efficiency and adherence to honor even in his disdain, Kretham is the only Sword of Shalita to command a full inter-arm fleet across the Sagittarius and Orion Arms. He remains undefeated in fleet command. His ritual mourning for Teckamontus—despite mutual hatred—exemplifies his relentless adherence to the warrior’s code.

Member of

Shilizal High Command

Hivivian War Council

Recommended by

Council of Elders

Nominator

Five Kings of Shalita

Appointer

Unanimous ritual confirmation via Karthil Seerun

Term limit

None

Term length

Lifelong, until death or removal by royal edict

Formation

Pre-Shalita Kingdom Period (16,398BCE; 19,123 years ago)

Sacred Weapon

Varkhal-Shiir

Ceremonial Garment

Mantle of Emberglass

Salary

Not applicable – compensated in blood-right, honor, and landholdings granted by the Five Kings