La Rapière du Maréchal
The Dolphin Islands, or Les Îles Aux Dauphins, are one of the more fantastical places that can be accessed from the Great Ring. They are located within The Dream itself, and tethered to the island of Oileán Fiáin by threads of story and narrative. The people and objects from the Dolphins are strange to the eyes of outsiders, and their lives move more to laws of story than those of the physical world. Sometimes, things leave or are carried out of The Dolphin Islands, carrying their unusual properties with them. La Rapière du Maréchal, or the Marshal's Rapier, is one of those items.
The Marshal's Rapier is a well-crafted sword, but not ostentatious. It has an excellent balance, a basket hilt, and is extremely sharp. When it is drawn, it makes a ringing sound that cuts through all other noises - conversations will break off, birds cease singing, and even noises from inanimate sources will suddenly pause for a moment as the sword's song dominates the area. When it is used in combat, it is unnaturally swift and accurate. It leaps in the wielder's hand, eager to display itself as the finest and quickest of all blades. Those who have carried it say that the sword fills them with joy, with playfulness, and with the desire to laugh as they show how well they can wield it. It does not make them skilled fighters automatically, but the pleasure that comes from using it drives them to practice and learn and they grow in skill rapidly. Those who carry the sword for any length of time become proficient in numerous tricks and maneuvers, and will frequently demonstrate tricks such as flicking off buttons or slashing patterns into an opponents clothing without hurting them.
However, there is another side to the sword's nature. Like all things from the Dolphins, La Rapière du Maréchal is bound to threads of story which are constantly looking to complete their narrative. The bearers of the sword will constantly find themselves being pulled into duels, adventures, or plots that involve swordplay to resolve. If they choose a tavern, it is one where a brawl is about to break out. If they meet a stranger on the road, it will be someone who they will fight, or fight for, or possibly fight alongside. Anyone in need of a good blade will find themselves drawn to the wielder, and they will be forever called on to use the blade in service to the story that is inherent to its nature.
Some wielders enjoy this aspect. One of the most famous people to carry the Marshal's rapier was the legendary outlaw Tod the Fox, who made a legend of himself before the fall of Sange. Others have been royal champions, famous pirates, and heroic monster hunters. The last known location of the rapier was on Tortuka, the gigantic turtle that serves as a pirate's haven, where it was in the hands of Captain Spourgítis, the notorious pirate king. After his death, the blade disappeared, but it is sure to turn up again when the story calls it forth.
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