AMCO
I'm Sorry Dave
- Intent: Lay the foundation for Adrian's venture into the great arts of Sorcery and Alchemy.
- Image Source: Andy Hansen [X]
- Canon Link: Talisman of Concentration
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: House of Progress | Adrian Vandiir
- Model: N/A
- Affiliation: Adrian Vandiir
- Modularity: No
Production: Unique
- Material: Bronzium Disk, Aurodium Centrepiece, Synthetic Crystal.
- Alchemised Bronzium: With a diameter of 2 metres, including the centrepiece, the bronzium "disk" that makes up its bulk is perhaps the most mundane part of the Heart. That being said, its alchemical treatment has left it incredibly sturdy and a combination of conventional force imbuement and runic inscriptions allows it to stabilise and magnify the effects of the rest of the device.
- Aurodium Centrepiece: Made of the exceedingly expensive material Aurodium, the centrepiece serves primarily as an energy buffer of sorts, preventing the vast energy channelled through the Heart from harming the user. In addition, it functions as a kind of "dock" for the crystal, melting and reshaping itself around it when the Heart is not in use; this affords the crystal, while hardy on its own, an additional level of protection. Similarily, when in use, the crystal will hover over the centrepiece, though the link is strong enough that moving it from its position would be all but impossible.
- Synthetic Crystal: Serving as the metaphorical heart of the Heart, so to speak, the crystal at its centre is a bit over one metre tall and acts as the primary focus for the user's power.
- Power Overwhelming: Capable of supplying vast amounts of dark side energy to the user, the Heart was specifically designed to fuel even the most complex rituals.
- Ritualist's Best Friend: An unusual addition to a Sith Artefact, the Heart is infused with a complex network of runes and wards intended to disperse the entropic effect of the Dark Side throughout its incredibly durable form. By doing so it counteracts much of the Dark Side corruption that the user would normally be exposed to as a result of channelling such vast energy, though this is more a preventive measure, and a flawed one at that, as opposed to anything remotely resembling a cure.
- Immutable: Made out of alchemised and heavily warded materials, the Heart is all but indestructible under normal circumstances. Furthermore, it is capable of projecting a particularly strong aura of uneasiness as a defensive measure, which is further boosted when in active use. Finally, as a last line of defence, the Heart is capable of unleashing the sorcerous technique summon fear upon those who would seek to destroy it.
- Fatigue Overwhelming: While useful in that it provides immense amounts of energy to the user, this energy comes at a cost: After successfully using it, the user will be assailed by waves of extreme exhaustion; while highly unlikely to do any permanent harm, particularly irresponsible usage could cause the user to faint or even fall into a coma.
- Time, Precious Time: Unlike many talismans of concentration, the Heart, while portable, requires an hour or so to initially activate and a couple minutes to reactivate in the same location, making it all but useless in a combat scenario.
- Anathema: As an item born of sorcery and made of alchemised components, it has the usual weakness against the accursed Ysalimir as well as those dastardly Jedi and their vile force light.
- Dark Side Beacon: Due to the immense power and concentration involved, its use is comparable to lightning a pyre on a dark night while shooting flares into the air and screaming at the top of your lungs; even the most imperceptive clod of a force user would notice it being used anywhere near them, unless the Heart is contained in a purpose-built chamber painstakingly force-imbued and warded to conceal its active presence.
- Et tu, Brute?: While immensely useful when it comes to drawing on huge amounts of power, the intense focus required to realize its full potential means that the user would be all but blind to their surroundings.
Power begets power. Through greater power, greater deeds; through greater deeds, greater gains.
Through the ancient art of Sorcery and the strange science of Alchemy, one can elevate oneself above the chains that bind the masses. One can accomplish things that the uninitiated could only in their wildest dreams imagine, and never comprehend. For the common man, the rules of nature are set in stone; for the sorcerer, the alchemist, they are merely guidelines. With the right knowledge, the right expertise, reality itself can be moulded in the image of the shaper. But the status quo is a powerful force indeed. Reality might be malleable in the hands of these chosen few, but it yields only to a superior force; the greater the deed, the greater the resistance.
It was for this reason that the sorcerers of old brought into existence their mighty talismans; to grant them the power, the raw power, needed to force themselves upon the natural order and reshape it in their image. It was for this reason that Adrian set out to follow in their footsteps. To provide himself with the vast energy required to fuel his ambitions. To provide himself with a tool to meet and exceed the potential of his mortal flesh. To forge the foundation of a great journey; from the humble experiments of a curious Acolyte to the untold depravities of the Dark Side.
As with every great undertaking, it started with a foundation: A great disk of alchemised bronzium, painstakingly inscribed with miniscule runes and imbued with countless spells both minor and major. Second came the centrepiece, a core of aurodium to symbolise the perfection he so passionately sought through the esoteric ways of the Sith. Finally, at the culmination of the lengthy project, came the crystal.
Unlike the disk, unlike the core, it would be born of him and him alone. No corporate resources would be utilised, no credits spent. It would be the dark side made manifest, similar to the synthetic crystals at the heart of many a Sith lightsaber, but on a much larger scale. Its creation, on the other hand, was much more complex, incorporating complex Sorcery and some degree of Alchemy to strengthen and enhance the forming crystal; to give it the properties needed for it to assume its rightful place at the heart of the Heart, so to speak.
After weeks of intense effort, it was finally complete. The finishing touches were added and the crystal bonded to the aurodium centrepiece. With a surge of energy and a ripple of dark side energy, the Heart of Progress was complete. Its power was at his fingertips and through it, he was one step closer to creating perfection.
