Unreviewed House Mistblade

[Helix]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create the standard ritual weapon of House assassins
• Image Source: Link
• Canon Link: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Primary Source: N/A

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Helix Privateers/House of Mists and Shadows
• Affiliation: Helix Privateers/House of Mists and Shadows
• Market Status: Closed-Market
• Model: Limited
• Modularity: Yes
• Production: Limited
• Material:
  • Blade: Layered Helsteel/Shiftsteel
  • Accents: Shiftsteel
  • Grip: Shadeweave layered over Shiftsteel
  • Scabbard: Marrow Flower Wood

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Shortsword
• Size: Small
• Weight: Light

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Highly resistant to damage
• Capable of self-camouflaging
• Naturally toxic
• Can absorb and dispense poisons of the user's choice

STRENGTHS

• A Knife In The Dark: Mistblades make excellent assassins' tools, as they are both very sharp and very toxic.
• Unyielding: Mistblades are exceptionally difficult to dull or destroy.

WEAKNESSES

• Short-Handed: Mistblades are made more for portability and concealability than reach, and may find themselves disadvantaged against full-length swords.

DESCRIPTION

Ritually dispensed to every House member upon their induction, these short-bladed weapons are as much of a symbol of office as they are implements of death.

Traditionally, a neophyte must make his first kill in the service of the House armed with nothing save this weapon. Should he succeed, he is considered a full member, and most carry these blades with them for the rest of their lives.

The typical Mistblade would best be classified as a shortsword, with a blade less than half a meter in length. It is small enough to be used in close-in assassinations, while not so short that its user would be unbearably inconvenienced in open battle. Nonetheless, Mistblade wielders might find themselves at a reach disadvantage versus longer weapons.

Most Mistblades are light, handy, and honed to a monomolecular, bloodsteam-poisoning edge. Their blades almost never rust or dull, and a centuries-old Mistblade can be as ready for battle as the day it was first used. They make excellent stealth weapons, as the user may "shadow" the weapon's blade, rendering it a dull black rather than the faintly-green shine of Helsteel. This is thanks to the Shiftsteel alloyed within its construction.

Most unusually, Mistblades contain an internal liquid reservoir linked to a series of microscopic "pores" throughout the length of the blade. The user may place an ultra-concentrated sample of their preferred venom within this reservoir, which causes the blade to assimilate and secrete the substance of its own accord. Such secretions can remain active on the blade for very long periods, as they typically use small but very concentrated doses. In the service of Helix, most House assassins opt for Helcyte venom, though any number of dreadful chemicals may be found coating the blades of these weapons. As the Helsteel used in the blade is quite toxic in and of itself, most wielders view this as simple icing on the cake.

Their armor-cleaving edge and venomous properties make these weapons excellent for the very sort of hit-and-run attacks that House members tend to favor. Even much mightier foes may be laid low from numerous cuts, their lifeblood ebbing away and their flesh polluted with Helsteel residue.

Likewise, these blades are notoriously difficult to destroy, admirably resisting acid immersion, lightsaber impacts, or incendiary explosions capable of vaporizing the sword's wielder. It is not uncommon for a Mistblade to outlive many successive users, and the House will go to great lengths to recover any that are lost or stolen.