Wrathbringer moved across the land, cutting lives short. In its wake came Kingmaker, who was freed when those who were keeping it locked away were killed by an angry mob. Kingmaker immediately sought out its first victim...
Kingmaker
Type: Varies, although it is always a bladed weapon that is not a polearm.
Appearance: Kingmaker changes appearance to suit its needs. To potential victims, Kingmaker appears as an opulent, powerful weapon, usually one they are capable of using. To those it deigns as beneath its notice, Kingmaker assumes mundane appearances attempted to go unobserved. Kingmaker uses powerful illusions to acomplish these tasks- preferring to entice a target, immerse them in politics, and then fade from their consciousness before finding a new owner.
Mundane Qualities: Kingmaker is of the highest craftsmanship possible. It is easy to maintain, and never tarnishes or shows signs of use- blood never coats its surface.
Magical Qualities: Kingmaker cannot be broken save by besting the corrupted soul of the Seven Brave contained within. Kingmaker has a strong effect on its owner, granting very strong political acumen and prompting them towards aggressive action.
Long Term Effects of Ownership: Owner seeks political and military power, usually becoming cold and callous in the process. Owner is willing to sacrifice anything for an increase in rank, status, reputation or power. Owner's trust in others suffers, and paranoia is a common result.
Kingmaker is selective when it comes to who it wants to be possessed by. The Seven Brave within prefers those who are already entrenched in a position of power, and prefers those who are more powerful than those who are weaker. Kingmaker's primary goal is to gain power for itself through corruption of those around it. It will aid its owner in any endeavor to further its goals. Kingmaker grants considerable political acumen, its own knowledge and insight granted to the owner through hunches and gut feelings. Kingmaker never communicates directly with its victim, allowing them to inflate their ego with their perception of their skill.
Kingmaker pushes its owner to reach the highest status possible afforded to them, and then seeks new victims from that point forth. When choosing to switch to a new owner, Kingmaker tries to become as appealing as possible to its intended target, tempting them into theft, buying Kingmaker outright, or any other methods necessary.
In addition to its considerable experience in politics, Kingmaker can make its wielder seem like a larger than life personality, making them much more forceful and persuasive.
The political information granted by Kingmaker is not limited to information known by the owner. Kingmaker's experience is myriad, and his capability for manuevering political strife is unmatched. One in possession of Kingmaker rises through social ranks exceedingly fast, jumping past most societal obstacles very quickly, and their fall from such positions is even faster once Kingmaker can no longer help them.
Usually, one who owns Kingmaker does not associate their good political fortune with owner Kingmaker; Kingmaker does not want its movements through society hampered. Kingmaker uses its appearance to masterfully control its victims and their wants, dominating their needs to suit its own ends.
Seven Brave: Arrogance
Arrogance has three primary goals:
1: Free itself from the blade
2: Regain Control over the Seven Brave
3: Corrupt powerful men to his will
Arrogance believes himself the strongest, most intelligent of the Seven Brave. His ego is large, and he views all other life as subserviant and less important than himself. Arrogance's hopes is that by corrupting the right individual, he can eventually gain control of a nation (or two), and use their resources to gather the Seven Brave to him. Pushing his victims always higher in social rank, Arrogance cares nothing for his hosts, preferring to let them suffer without his boons.
Kingmaker: Relationship to the other swords
Kingmaker fears Wrathbringer, who is the most unpredictable and dangerous of the other Seven Brave. Kingmaker personally hopes to find the Braves of Envy and Greed, who he feels will most further his ends. Gluttony and Lust are too frivolous for his ends; Ennui enrages him to no end for his laziness.
All the Braves except Wrath tend to bow to the wishes of Kingmaker, if only because Kingmaker promises to fulfil their temptations.
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? Responses (9)
A useful blade to own.
Ignoring the paranoia, the drive to backstab your friends to climb to the top of the social order and the fact that it will desert you once it finds a better candidate... sure! :D
A blade that increases your charisma and political savvy would be very useful indeed, though I imagine that the owner would try to hide the source of his newfound fortune from other potential hosts if he knew. The victim would probably begin to suspect that there was something special about the day he got the blade, and might begin to consider it a lucky talisman of sorts. Those suspicions would only be confirmed when Kingmaker passes on to a new host.
For those reasons, I don't believe that Kingmaker would be very successful in his quest to find more and more powerful hosts. The previous ones would be desperate to get the blade back, and would use what influence they had left to that end. Of course, Kingmaker could hide his appearance at that point so that he won't be recognized, but I'm not sure if that helps.
One question: when you say that Kingmaker changes appearance, do you mean that it physically alters itself into, say, an axe? Or does it use illusion? I ask because you say it tries to make itself appealing to new hosts even while in the possession of another person. Wouldn't the current host notice that his jeweled dagger was suddenly a war axe?
Overall though, an intriguing blade. I'd love to put this into the hands of a PC's most hated rival, then make the player watch as the rival was vaulted to power. This is an interesting series of items, and I hope you continue them.
Added to main sub:
Kingmaker uses powerful illusions to acomplish these tasks- preferring to entice a target, immerse them in politics, and then fade from their consciousness before finding a new owner.
Usually, one who owns Kingmaker does not associate their good political fortune with owner Kingmaker; Kingmaker does not want its movements through society hampered. Kingmaker uses its appearance to masterfully control its victims and their wants, dominating their needs to suit its own ends.
As with Wrathbringer, I somewhat resent the mind control aspect. Corruption is so much sweeter if the mortal got to make all the wrong choices himself.
Usually, it will be sufficient to give a mortal that political acumen, let him know of the plans of the enemies, perhaps serve as a non-sentient depository of knowledge - that coupled with added charisma is usually enough to fuel pride. Once he has a few enemies, the paranoia also comes on its own.
I rather enjoyed this idea, and wish it was better linked with its cousin swords and relevant backstory.
3.5/5
Useful. It'd be interesting to see Kingmaker and Wrathbringer come together in the hands of different wielders.
This one is great, especially have watched Fullmetal Alchemist, and the 7 Deadly sins (both Anime).
Like the Sin oriented characters.
