The Hundred: Virakhene

This is a well-polished sword, perhaps a ceremonial blade to the untrained eye. But the Marshal of the East, by virtue of his office, must wield Virakhene because of its history. For Virakhene, 'Fearbringer' to the Chaos hordes, is the ritual weapon of the law, of the sun, and of the terror that strikes by day.

What are its powers? The Fearbringer is a Maker's tool, made to serve the worthy and disdain the craven. It makes obvious the appearance of courage in the holy and brave; it makes obvious the sensation of fear in those who fear such. Its touch fixes the quality of randomness in the things of this world; its radiance burns against evil like a silver flame. In battle, it blinds the undead and suppresses the most lethal fires of chaotic evocation. In peace, it demands fairness in negotiation and the disposition of spoils.

With such gifts, it is tempting to say that Virakhene is not a chivalrous weapon, or to wonder why it is given only to paladins to bear. But the fact is that its greatest gifts preserve the justice of the trial of battle; evil magic fails against its wielder and the undead have no power over him by charm or curse. His bravery is not enhanced, but it becomes clear to others; his fear is not diminished, but it becomes equally obvious to those who watch him. If these properties should shift the tides of war, it is not because it changes the one who bears the sword.

And that is the nature of the Maker's tools: they do not change the balance of the world, but they make it easier to perceive and to bear.