Sword of the Ocean

Full Item Description
The Sword of the Ocean is an organically curved bastard sword, resembling a scimitar, but having a more narrow blade. The metal of the blade is cool to the touch, a slight sheen of condensation along the blue tinged blade. Etched into the flat of the blade is an undulating creature, it's sinuous body contorting into semblances of old world sigils. A disconcerting fact of the blade is that the sigils change, slowly over time. Sometimes the blade is the same for months, even years, other times the serpent etching can be seen moving slowly across the blade. Some whisper that the blade itself is alive...

History
For years beyond count, the civilizations and societies of man had clustered along the shores of the continents, clinging to the banks and bays of rivers, lakes, and the mighty oceans. From these massive bodies of water, life has come. The daily catch of the fisherman's net, the crawling creatures of the lobsterpot, and even the eggs of shorebirds have all helped man survive despite the evils of the ages. This mysterious force even bears up his ships of wood and sail for simple ideas of commerce, war and travel.

But there is fear to be had, fear of the waves that rise as high as the mountains, crashing to shore and erasing a township or city as surely as the wrath of the gods. The storms that rise from those benthic waters lash the shore, drowning ships and crushing them against shoals and rocky shores. The cold waters always claim their dead, swallowing them down into a place where the light of the sun never reaches. Deep, far from the surface lie the nether realms of the Oceanic demons, monsters that predate the petty concerns of elf and dwarf, orc and man. They brodd in the titanic vastness of the underocean, plotting their grand schemes.

What do they scheme, these leviathans of the deep? The wars of the courts, they plot the steps of the great battle between water and earth. Each wave is an assault, cracking the foundations of the land. The storms lash the vegetation, and foul fields with debris and wreckage, but even this power wanes as the courts of Wood, Earth, and Metal rise.

wise beyond its peers, Ma-O, great demon of the Ocean, forged the Sword of the Ocean, granting it a likeness of its own image. Even a splinter of it's soul entered the blade, imbuing it with the essence of the primordial demon. The sword was then deposited upon a beach to be found soon after...

Magic/Cursed Properties
The Sword of the Ocean is an evil weapon, powered by a tiny fraction of the Great Demon of the Ocean's power. The most basic of its powers grant the wielder of the sword the ability to influence bodies of water, such as causing a pool to rise, or to create a wave with a slashing motion. These, however, are parlor tricks compared to the true power of the sword.

The bearer of the sword can walk upon water, and cannot be harmed by water, or water based magics. Water elementals can sense but not speak the power of the sword and will try to escape from the presence of the sword's master. With an effort of will (spend a willpower point, willpower roll, etc) the master of the sword can conjure violent storms, or quiet them with ease.

The master of the sword is linked to the essence of Ma-O, and dreams of the sunless Sea, dreams of crushing the land under its dark weight. After a fashion, the Master of the Sword is drawn to the cause of the Demon of the Ocean, the ruination of the Earthy realms, and its human pawns. The master is able to call forth lesser aquatic demons and devils, commanded by the will of Ma-O.

Weaknessess
The power of the Sword of the Ocean is tied to the Ocean. The farther it is away from those briny depths, the less its powers become. In a desert, far from the ocean, the power would fade until the sword itself was no more than a very well made blade. On the ocean its powers grow mighty, but less controllable, calling a storm can easily get out of hand, while the casting of wives can topple even the ship of the caster. Madness is the other danger of the sword, as the Master of the sword is infected with the toxic essence of Ma-O. Their thoughts become dark and convoluted, their intents masqued behind inpenetrable demeanors. Solitude becomes preferrable to company, the roar of the ocean to silence, and the coldness of hate to the warmth of love.

Plot Hooks
Found - The Sword of the Ocean is again recovered after being lost for many many years. A new master has claimed the sword and has turned its power to strengthening his mercantile empire. Others flock to the floating banner of the ship lord, and soon it becomes apparent that the only way to travel the ocean safely is to face and defeat the sword's Master. (great for starting a ship based game)

Calamity - A port well known to the PCs has been devastated by a collossal wave. No reason can be found to explain its appearance, though it did emanate a slight radiance of evil. The PCs investigate and are drawn along the trail until they find that the wave was a weapon used by a holy man against the seeming transgressions of the city. What if it was the Lord of the city instead?

The Fellowship - The PCs have the Sword of the Ocean and must ifnd a way to destroy it, and weaken the Demon of the Ocean. To do so, they must voyage to a remote island where the sword was created. Can they bear the weapon of the enemy across his very doorstep to destroy it? Do they fall victim to it's quiet call?

Status Symbol - The Sword has been recovered by a noble family and they have decided that it is to be a symbol of their power and have placed it in safe keeping. It could be stolen, or the PCs hired to recover it so it can be destroyed, or even used by their employer.

From Callista Miala Moonshade's Leviathon