'Ever in my hand, lies the Blade of the Mad. It's straight, simple craft is so alluring to me... It drives me to evil, but I love what it does. For the first blood the blade tasted was that of a human.'
Only the greatest of alchemists can even dare to attempt to extract Raw Imuricum; only the most foolish metallurgists mix it with inferior materials, but only the bravest master Weaponsmiths will actually create weapons from this rare and dangerous metal.
The second item crafted from an Imuricum alloy - Chromium Imuricum. This weapon was created as an experiment by another blacksmith, one who thought he could create a better weapon than the fabled 'scorpions tail', which reportedly drove Durand Farcry to his death. The nameless weaponsmith spent many weeks studying and preparing for this daggers creation.
But on the night of the weapons creation, where the blacksmith stayed late, tempering the formed blade in the fire, a group of thieves entered the smithy, looking to restock their weapons supply. It was late, and they had not expected the blacksmith to still be in, but they quickly darted forth to attack. The blacksmith hastily grabbed the only weapon within reach - the still-hot hilt of the Imuricum weapon in the forge. The blacksmith screamed as the red-hot metal melted the very skin of his hand - flesh popping and sizzling. But desperation caused the blacksmith to lung forth, plunging the weapon through the closest theif's chest, through the beating heart. The blade gave an almost menacing hiss as the blood of the thief quenched the heat. The blade, strangely, darkened quite more than usual, reacting to the blood, so it has a dark tint to it.
Sadly, though, the weaponsmith was overpowered by the numbers of the thieves and was killed. And though the thieves stole many of the weapons, they did not touch that dagger. There was... something... about it that just gave them a feel of dread.
And so the dagger lay, ownerless for several days in the forge, before the blacksmiths next of kin finally took it, and sold it for a bargain price to a random dealer. Nobody kept it for long before they gave it away to the next person - they claimed it gave them nasty thoughts and desires. And finally, the blade disappeared from memory. In truth, one person managed to keep it. A former pick-pocket, who is now well known in the underworld. For he is known to be one of the most ruthless assassins in the lands, feared as much as respected, for his bloodthirsty kills, and love of death. It is said that every kill he makes, is slightly more gruesome and bloody as the last.
Magical Properties:
- This dagger gives one an increasing desire to kill other humans. The desire grows steadily until eventually they cannot go without drawing blood from another person - whether friend or foe. After one death, the desire to kill leaves for several hours, before it begins to creep in again. If there are no other humans around, the weapon MUST either be dropped, or the person with the dagger will draw much blood from themselves, perhaps even kill themselves.
- The dagger is desirable. this means the longer the people hold it for, the less they want to part with it, even for a second. This means it is quite difficult to release the dagger, even when there is a danger of killing themselves
- The dagger may not turn someone insane, but the thoughts of desiring to kill someone might. Prolonged exposure to the dagger gives a slowly increasing chance to lose sanity. Thusly the blade is called, the 'Blade of the Mad'.
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- The Rituals of Purification by Wulfhere Bound
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Hmmm... Not bad. Not bad at all.
I like.
4/5.
A slight twist in this story of yours would be if the blade were to end up in the hands of someone already insane? Just think about it...
If it were to end up with someone already insane, the blade would do little more than help that person guide his insanity into attacking people.