Unreviewed Sword of the Heron King

[Meliant]

"This hand is not my hand. This sword is not my sword. This self is not myself. I will lock it in a place far away when I am done with it, and I will examine it when I am ready."
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Out of Character Information

• Intent: I would like to have one (1) sword, please
• Image Source: Kill Six Billion Demons, Breaker of Infinities 1-39
• Canon Link: I Made It Up
• Primary Source: Me

Production Information

• Manufacturer: Unknown, possibly the Heron King
• Affiliation: Hasuras Na-Amoun
• Market Status: Closed-Market
• Model: N/A
• Modularity: No
• Production: Unique
• Material: Songsteel (blade), Cortosis (half-pommel), Brass (ornamental), Synthetic Lightsaber Crystal (ornamental)

Technical Specifications

• Classification: Light Greatsword
• Size: Average
• Weight: Light

Special Features

Ash of War: Anyone who took up the Sword of the Heron King was imbued with his fighting spirit and adopted to perfection his flowing, relentless style of bladework. Even a worthless scullion would become a swordmaster as long as they kept a grip on the hilt.​

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Battlemind: The sword additionally conferred an advanced form of Battlemind onto the wielder, granting them improved reactivity, awareness, and precognition as long as they were in battle.​

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Vibe Killer: The sword was a product of Sith Alchemy. It was resistant to lightsabers and a natural conduit for the Dark Side of the Force. The Sword of the Heron King sliced easily through weapons which were not constructed from exotic materials, such as beskar or phrik.​

Strengths & Weaknesses

[ + ] Heron King: The Sword of the Heron King conferred a number of useful benefits on the wielder - see the "Special Features" heading.​

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[ - ] Commitment: The Heron King held he was a superior swordsman and bladework surpassed his own. Other weapons, other forms, were unnecessary. Once unsheathed for combat, whoever held the sword could not set it aside until the engagement was concluded, nor could they fight in any manner aside from the Heron King's.​

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[ - ] Locked-In: The great weakness of the Heron King was his tunnel vision. Those who take up the sword are unable to lend a thought to anything other than the combat unfolding in their immediate vicinity, making them liable to being blindsided.​

Historical Information

References to the Heron King are fragmentary and apocryphal. He was a warlord active around 200 BBY in a wetland region of Thoadeye, where he raised a mighty following. It is said he knew something of Sith lore, but it is unclear whether he found or forged the weapon that now bears his namesake.​

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According to legend, the Heron King never lost a duel, and it took multiple attempts for the Jedi Order to destroy him. He was ultimately dispatched by a single shot from a lightsaber rifle, undertaken from a distance of just under 5 kilometers away. The Jedi Knight responsible then took the Barash Vow and vanished from the historical record, having been shamed for their use of a disreputable weapon.​

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The Sword of the Heron King was collected and take into custody by the Jedi Order, though in the ensuing thousand years it has had ample opportunity to trade hands. It was most recently found in the employ of the so-called Emperor of Coruscant, Meliant, around 902 ABY.​

Description

The sword of the Heron King is a peculiar blade with a half-pommel, curved upward, almost reminiscent of a cane. The hilt is embellished with brass, and a large, ornate synthetic lightsaber crystal is embedded into the center. This crystal has been identified as the locus for the sword's arcane properties. The blade itself is forged from songsteel, and having been treated by Sith Alchemy has never been observed to dull, rust, or chip. It is slightly longer than a standard-phase lightsaber.​

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The fighting style of the Heron King has been likened to a blend of Makashi and Ataru. It was described by his contemporaries as "elegant" and "frenetic," characterized by cuts and thrusts which flowed together and rapid, acrobatic repositioning. It would seem the Heron King chiefly overwhelmed his opponents with unremitting, precise strikes and was capable of such agility as to frustrate the concerted efforts of even multiple foes.​