Ivory-hilted mithglin dagger with a flawless blue dragonseye sapphire pommel

This item was a prize from the Hunt for History.

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an ivory-hilted mithglin dagger with a flawless blue dragonseye sapphire pommel

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Loresong

As your song surrounds the dagger, it vibrates in your hand, and a blackness fills your mind. Then suddenly a vivid scene replaces the darkness.

A young half-elf is hunched over a washtub, scrubbing sheets in the back of what appears to be a wayside inn. She wears a soiled shift that is little more than a rag, and damp tendrils of her hair are plastered to her face as she toils. An older human woman storms out of the inn and angrily berates the half-elf for shirking her work, punctuating each word with a blow from her wooden spoon. The human stalks back into the inn as the half-elf watches her through sullen tears.

As your voice touches the dagger again, the blade begins to thrum and emit a low hum.

A lone figure on the nearby road has been a silent witness to the exchange. The figure is simply dressed in a tunic and sandals, with a long-bladed dagger hung at her hip and a travelling cloak flung back over her shoulder. She is an athletic-looking woman with some elven features, her hair a deep mahogany and her eyes a piercing azure blue. An expression of sorrow is etched into her countenance, and somehow you sense the sorrow has a deeper source than the scene that has just transpired.

The lone figure turns as if to proceed with her journey, then suddenly enters the inn yard instead. The azure-eyed woman quickly cuts the bonds from the younger woman, gesturing for the half-elf to follow her. The half-elf stares at the woman in disbelief, equal measures of fear and hope rising in her eyes.

As the vibrations from the dagger in your hand fade, the scene begins to dissolve as the two quickly move along the road, trying to put distance between themselves and the inn.

As your voice reaches out to the dagger, it once again vibrates in your hand.

It is night, and the young half-elf is seated near a fire in a deep forest. The rescuer from before silently appears out of the darkness, giving the half-elf a start. The woman carefully leans her bow against a tree and drops a brace of rabbits at the feet of the half-elf.

The scene fades slightly and then brightens again, as vivid in your mind as before. The same two women are seated around the campfire, talking quietly with each other. They appear to be sharing details of their lives, but the words are not distinct. The rescuer becomes intent, as if trying to impart something important to the young half-elf. The younger woman listens raptly, a slight expression of hero-worship shining in her eyes.

Your voice aims once more at the dagger, and an azure aura forms around both hand and blade.

Again the vision in your mind suddenly fades and brightens. It is daylight and the two women are in a small glade where they have camped in the woods. They wear nothing but short, kilt-like skirts, and the sweat of effort glistens on their skin. The azure-eyed rescuer is instructing the young half-elf in hand-to-hand combat. The young woman performs a maneuver over and over again, until the rescuer finally gives her a smile of approval.

The half-elf appears to bask in the attention, and, as the vibrations of the dagger in your hand fade away, you see a last glimpse of her renewed efforts to please her instructor.

our song reaches out and surrounds the dagger and, once again, you feel an immediate vibration of response to your voice.

You see the same camp in the woods, but you sense a great deal of time has passed. The two women from before are there, but they are no longer alone. A small band of women has gathered. The young half-elf appears transformed. She is now confident in her demeanor and the bitterness and despair that once surrounded her like a cloak have disappeared. She is engaged in instructing two of the others in the art of swordplay.

Hand curled around the dagger, you focus once more on your song, coaxing out more of the tale.

A group of women are seated around the azure-eyed rescuer. Several of them look haggard, as if freshly arrived from dire circumstances. Two of the women tend to the wounds of a middle-aged female giantkin. All eyes in the small group are focused on the woman with the long-bladed dagger at her hip. They listen intently and finally her words become clear:

"Fight well in a way that is honorable. Accept defeat honorably. Above all, fight with a warrior's wisdom. Learn when to fight and when not. Strive for perfection in all that you do."

"Your sisters are your sword and shield. Stand fast by them, side by side. Stay your differences in times of war and seek wise counsel to bear your sister no malice. Be loyal to your sisters."

"Share your knowledge for the greater good. Lend your sword and shield to a cause that is just. Seek out and destroy evil where you may find it. Reach out to all who would honor you and the Way."

As you sing, the dagger in your hand vibrates more strongly this time, as if anxious to impart the last of its story.

The band of women has grown larger, and they stand tall and proud, no longer appearing to be the cast-offs of society. They are gathered around the azure-eyed woman, who is once again dressed in a simple tunic and travelling cloak.

She is telling the gathered warriors that it is time for her to move on. She indicates the half-elf with her hand, saying she has faith in their leader. She bids them to remember what they have learned and tells them to always follow the true path. The azure-eyed woman then presents an ivory-hilted dagger to each one gathered there. She calls out a final farewell before quickly and silently disappearing into the deep forest.

The vision in your mind dissipates a final time, and the dagger's comforting warmth in your hand is all that remains.