The Wand of Xonnir

The sky was shattered by a web of lightning arcing through the darkness. A low rumble followed, growing into an earsplitting groan. The clouds began to swirl, funneling down until they touched the ground, seemingly drawn towards to the iron rod stuck there. Another flash illuminated the sky, and the clouds began to take shape until before Tixan stood a figure: her son, born from the heart of a storm. Grasping the rod, he opened his eyes, and they were filled with electricity.

The Wand of Xonnir is the symbol of the deity Xonnir's power and is known to be his soul anchor. Its whereabouts are currently unknown, but some believe it may have been buried within the Talons of the Sky.

Origins

The Wand was originally forged by the deity Xitos, forced to do so by Tixan, deity of vengeance. She had threatened to kill one of his favorite smiths unless he agreed to craft her the finest rod of iron he could make. It took Xitos a whole cycle to forge the rod to Tixan's specifications, including its size and design. when it was done, Tixan took the wand and vanished with it, presumably to the Abyss, where she imbued it with spells of protection and divinity.

When Tixan was satisfied with the wand's protections, she brought it to the highest mountain she could find on the night of an intense storm. Thrusting it firmly into the stone at its peak, Tixan moved to the next mountain over and watched as the clouds began to gather. As the storm broke, the rod began to attract the excess electricity in the air, until a bolt of lightning flashed down, making a direct hit on the wand. The clouds funneled down, attracted by the magic and electricity and, thanks to the spells Tixan had placed on the wand, began to take the shape of a man. They solidified, and standing on the peak across from Tixan was her son, the deity Xonnir. The wand became his soul anchor, and Xonnir, born of the storm, vanished into the clouds.

Construction

The Wand is made from iron, with a thin core of celestial rock. Although its size changes according to Xonnir's own size, it was originally constructed to be ten feet long and one foot in diameter. The top half of this, used as its handle, is cylindrical. It is engraved with imaged of rolling clouds and falling rain, and the workmanship, done by Xitos himself, is said to be exquisite. The lower half is quite different. It is twisted, with sharp edges mimicking the webbed lines of lightning. It ends in a dangerous point which, in addition to being a useful conductor of lightning, is also used by Xonnir as a dagger in close combat.

Whereabouts

As a soul anchor, the Wand of Xonnir is a very valuable object. Like many deities, Xonnir has taken steps to ensure the safety of the Wand and thus, his own safety. Were anyone able to gain possession of the Wand, there could be dire consequences for Xonnir and the world at large. Currently, it is believed that Xonnir has hidden the Wand in some inaccessible place, and more specifically, in the talons of the Sky. Once the demons had been ousted from the mountains, they became a very safe hiding place for valuables. Given the climate, it is nearly impossible for many folk to traverse the Talons, and their vastness also makes it difficult to pinpoint a specific location where the Wand of Xonnir might be buried, even for a very dedicated deity. It is likely that the Wand is surrounded by a thick layer of spells to disguise its magical imprint.

During the era of creation, when Xonnir lived among the ancient seafolk, it is believed that he hid the rod somewhere nearby. When Tixan found him and destroyed the seafolk, however, Xonnir likely summoned the Wand in order to create the massive amount of power which he used to destroy Tixan's mortal form. After this event, he took to wandering the seas with his daughter Pyara until the war calmed down, when it is believed he hid the Wand in its current theorized location.

Item type

Unique Artifact