Plot Twist
General
Plot Twist is the generalized terminology for a set of Astyvern Artifacts believed to have been handcrafted by Architect Himself at the Silent Smithy untold eons ago. However, due to the workings of the Amnesia Pulse, nothing is certain in regards to their nature.
In essence, Plot Twists are weapons of unimaginable power and potential that are capable of warping and twisting both the Fabric of Reality and the Tapestry of Fate to make them beholden the whims of the carrier. Only the most powerful of Plot Armors and Selath Entities are capable of withstanding their might without suffering significant harm, and it is for this reason that they are widely feared and revered.
Bestowment
Similar to other Astyvern Artifacts, such as Maiden Armor, bestowment of a Plot Twist is an unpredictable occurrence.
The requirements to become a carrier are uncertain, but there does appear to exist a preference for those who are in the midst of a genuine fight for their lives, be it a skirmish in an alleyway or a battle within a city district. Although whether or not this is a prime requirement has been a matter of debate for millennia.
At the time of bestowment, the Plot Twist will manifest in the dominant hand of the carrier with what has often been described as "an explosion of subtle orange-hot light that warps the air around it." Notions of ethereal whispers and cold temperatures surrounding them like bubbles have also been reported, although infrequently.
Species allowed for bestowment
It is suspected that any member of a Melathi and Nelathi species, within the confines of Alézun'Teran, may be bestowed a Plot Twist should they meet the unknown requirements. Humans appear to be preferable, primarily those with roots from Miand.
Whether or not a Selathi Entity is capable of being bestowed a Plot Twist is unknown, since such an occurrence has never been heard of, nor documented. Although the possibility that this is something that has been affected by the Amnesia Pulse should not be disregarded.
Summoning & Dismissal
Plot Twists are capable of being summoned and dismissed once they have been bestowed upon a wielder.
At first, this will occur instinctively and infrequently — primarily whenever one experiences great stress or discomfort — but in due time the wielder will be able to summon and dismiss it consciously at will; exactly how long this takes varies from instance to instance, be it either days or weeks.
It is important to note that this feature of it will become more mentally straining and exhausting as time goes on. Eventually, there will be a point where the wielder will keep the weapon at their side summoned at all times, and only dismiss it if absolutely necessary.
Summoning
The act of summoning a Plot Twist is said to be moderately but temporarily painful, and not too dissimilar to submerging one's arms elbow-deep into ice-cold waters for several seconds; a sensation that will fade away quickly thereafter.
The weapon will always be summoned into the wielder's dominant hand unless mentally prompted otherwise. It will coalesce out of shimmering mist, its surface coated in a pristine white frost that will linger only fleetingly before melting away.
A lesser form of summoning
Plot Twists have a lesser form of summoning which is not as mentally straining, even after extensive time periods. This concern a summoning from one point in physical space, into the wielder's hand. It does not teleport though, but physically travels the distance through flight and distance is of no concern. It has been shown that a Plot Twist will traverse through dimensional barriers in order to find its way into the palm of the wielder.
While the momentum and speed of the Plot Twist will decrease exponentially when it arrives, experienced physical summoners can mentally command it to keep both and utilize it as a means of temporary flight. Either that or to allow for a heavier and mighter blow upon opponents.
Dismissal
Dismissal of a Plot Twist is said to be a painful experience and has been described as burning sensation, similar to sticking ones' hands into a fire for several seconds. Fortunatly, the sensation fades away quickly thereafter.
The weapon itself will dissolve into coal-black smoke that has a noticable coppery smell to it, and will give off a ethereal sigh that is mentally registred among those nearby.
It should be noted that a Plot Twist can be dismissed unprompted, primarily if the distance between it and an inexperienced wielder becomes too great.
Anti-Plot Armor Weapon
"You did not see that coming, did you now!?"
Plot Twists are considered to be the primary weapon of choice one should utilize against someone wearing Plot Armor.
The main reason for this is the fact that they appear to twist and warp the metaphysical structure of Plot Armor, which subsequently disrupts and negates their protective reality-warping capabilities. In the presence of a Plot Twist, the wearer of Plot Armor has a high risk of suffering harm; first and foremost by the weapon itself.
While a Plot Twist is deadlier in the hands of an experienced combatant, it appears that it lends its wielder some innate skill on how to best utilize it. Even an untrained youth will manage to deliver a lucky, mortal strike and parry a blow at the exact right moment. The skill level of the wielder will increase steadily the longer they are in possession of the Plot Twist as well.
The Armor or the Weapon
"You are either bestowed the Weapon or the Armor. You cannot have both.
One cannot utilize both types of Astyvern Artifacts simultaneously, as they repel one another akin to oil and water.
The experience of attempting this is said to be excruciating and will result in the eventual loss of consciousness; one will wake up hours later with severe hangover symptoms. This will only occur if the wearer has the intent of wielding it and makes a conscious effort to grab hold of it.
While this has no initial visible and audible reaction, certain strong-willed individuals are capable of prompting one. A Plot Twist will vibrate at first and give off a soft humming. Soon thereafter it will glow as stark as the sun and give of a single shriek that is only mentally audible; the wielder will bleed from nose and ears and go into a coma for several days. When they wake up they will be groggy for hours and have a headache for weeks.
Appearance of a Plot Twist
Plot Twists do not have an official appearance, as each instance mirror the personality of whoever wields them. What is a nigh-absolute, however, is that they will generally take on the semblance of either a sword or a spear. Their shape and length, along with their color palette and discernable details such as engravings, are unique for every manifestation and no Plot Twist is ever truly the other alike.
It does appear that their form hinges on their wielders' knowledge regarding the practicality of a weapon. Those with no knowledge of this have a tendency of wielding Plot Twists with somewhat impractical designs that would be unwieldy in someone else's hands.
Innate capabilities
All Plot Twists have a set of innate capabilities that are the same for every instance. Some are benign while some are more malignant. Some are more notable while others have a more subtle effect.
Antimemetic veil
One of the more abstruse properties of a Plot Twist is the antimemetic veil that surrounds it and impacts those in its surroundings. Essentially, this property makes it difficult to perceive in the moment and remember in hindsight. People will have problems describing its appearance and capabilities, as well in what way it was used.
This veil will also encompass the wielder as well, though not as completely. It will make them less noticeable to strangers and people will find it hard to recall details about them afterward.
Varying antimemetic strength
The strength of this antimemetic veil differs from instance to instance. The most potent ones will make people forget all about both weapon and wielder after merely looking away for a few seconds. The weakest veils will make recalling the encounter as if through a hazy partially remembered recollection, where the details are vague or nonexistent.
Daggers.
Spears.
Halberds.
Hammers.
Morningstars.
Axes.
Fate Altering.
Tough choice armor or weapon, attack or defend.