Sea’s Verdict

Black Jade Longfang, Artifact 3

Peleps Lirel was sent West to Zumachi to hold the wheel-priests accountable for their crimes. As she approached, the three wheel-priests begged their elemental god, the serpent Vortex of Scales, to destroy her ship. When it sunk, they likely thought they had won. They were wrong.

Peleps Lirel strode from the waves dragging the immense body of Vortex of Scales. She recited the crimes of the wheel-priests as she approached. They threw themselves at her feet, begging her for mercy, offering her anything that she desired.

She bound them in silver chains atop the black jade monolith where they had sacrificed hundreds of their own to appease Vortex of Scales. She watched as they drowned in the rising tide, and hewed Sea’s Verdict from the monolith.

In her final report to House Peleps, she included “attempted bribery” as the wheel-priests’ final crime.

Since it was hewn by Peleps Lirel, Sea’s Verdict has been wielded by the heroes of House Peleps to put down pirates and hunt evildoers. It is a reminder to those that wield it that the sea is unforgiving – it has only one verdict, which it returns without hesitance.

Attunement: 5m

Type: Medium Artifact (Accuracy +3, Damage +12L, Overwhelming 4)

Tags: Artifact, Disarming, Lethal, Melee, Piercing, Thrown (Short)

Hearthstone Slots: 2

Aesthetics

Sea’s Verdict is a black jade trident. It is engraved with silver serpents along the haft, and the prongs are tipped in hungry silver. As it gains power, the serpents writhe and dissolve like broken chains. At its most powerful, the jade itself begins to crack, rumble, and leak salty, dark water.

Evocations of Sea’s Verdict

Sea’s Verdict has its own anima banner in parallel to yours. Whenever you spend 5m or more from your peripheral pool to enhance a single attack, Parry, or evocation, Sea’s Verdict gains another level of its anima.

When its anima is at burning, Sea’s Verdict gains the Smashing tag. When its anima is at bonfire, Sea’s Verdict can make Smashing attacks with no cost and no Defense penalty.

Essence 1

From the Depths

Cost: –

Type: Permanent; Duration: Permanent

Keywords: None

Prerequisites: None

Sea’s Verdict remembers its true nature as a thing of the deep.

This Evocation unlocks free and instantly for any Peleps that attunes to Sea’s Verdict.

Whenever you draw Sea’s Verdict from a large body of open water – either by submerging it, emerging from the body with it, or using the Charm Elemental Sheath – its anima immediately goes up to glowing.

WATER AURA – You can use Sea’s Verdict’s anima to pay for any anima costs.

Kraken’s Gavel

Cost: 3m, 2i

Type: Simple; Duration: Instant

Keywords: Uniform

Prerequisites: None

Sea’s Verdict is heavy with the weight of the sea. Its forks twirl with black Water Essence as it washes away all foes.

Sea’s Verdict must be at burning or higher to use this Evocation.

Make a withering or decisive Smashing attack with no Defense penalty against an enemy in close range. Every other opponent within close range of your target must make a Stay on Their Feet roll (usually Strength and Athletics) against difficulty (your Essence + 2). If they fail, they also go flying along with your main target.

Hull-Breaking Tsunami Swipe

Cost: 4m

Type: Supplemental (Any Attack); Duration: Instant

Keywords: Uniform

Prerequisites: Kraken’s Gavel

Sea’s Verdict builds up a huge wave of black Water Essence, which you release in a sudden wave of salty sea that crashes down against anything in your way.

Before you make your attack, make a reflexive feat of demolition against any object in your opponent’s range band. You get (Sea’s Verdict’s anima * 2) bonus dice, and your Strength is (Sea’s Verdict’s anima) higher than usual when checking what you can destroy. You can use this Evocation to destroy cover your opponent is hiding behind before you roll your attack.

Essence 2

Lost Blade Riptide

Cost: 5m, 2i, 1a from Sea’s Verdict

Type: Supplemental (Attack); Duration: Instant

Keywords: Decisive-only

Prerequisites: Hull-Breaking Tsunami Swipe

Sea’s Verdict’s prongs spin and twist, their hungry silver eager to spring forth. A whirl of black water rips your opponent’s weapons away.

If your opponent tries to Parry this attack, you can roll a reflexive disarm gambit against them before they defend. If you successfully disarm them, not only does their sword go flying, but they also can only use Evasion to try and avoid your attack.