Success or Death.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Strengths:
DESCRIPTION
A Sith Lord requires weapons to match her stature, her expertise, and her way of dealing with opposition. During the Invasion of Contruum, in a duel against Kira Talith, Darth Ophidia's original weapon was destroyed. And while she defeated Kira, she was in turn thoroughly beaten by Soliael Devin Talith. Since then, the Pale Assassin reevaluated the way she fought.
The curved design hails back to Ophidia's experience in fighting a Jedi wielding a curved hilt during the One Sith's rapid expanse into the Unknown Regions. When wielded, the curved hilt puts the point forward. This classic design takes the unwary opponent off-guard, and it makes it easier to present the point and threaten to thrust, which is critical for a Makashi practitioner. This design is fabled to enhance the overhead swooping cuts. The forward position is, however, less ideal for blaster deflection and the overall design restricts the wielder to a one-handed grip.
The idea of incorporating cortosis-based handguards came from Ophidia's earlier experience with vibroweapons, where guards were often an active proponent in advanced use, as well as a passive protection. Of course, such a guard would have to be made of a lightsabre resistant material. having been introduced to Cortosis, she found it to be an obvious choice. In case the guards break, as refined cortosis may when put under pressure, they can be exchanged during maintenance.
Being of a twinned, single-handed design and featuring the dual-phase function posed some challenges. However, she had formerly faced the weapons of fellow Sith Assassin, Iziz, who shifted between several lengths of blade during combat. This led her to apply a two-layered function to the activation button. By pressing down and releasing, the blade will activate. At this point, the activation button may also be pushed forward, which will trigger the dual-phase function. The blades must be activated before they can extend and will retract again if the button is released. Thus, she would be able to control the length of her blades quite swiftly.
The subtle taint the blades are imbued with comes from Darth Ophidia's spiritual connection and prolonged exposure to the hilts; a portion of her will has been fused into the weapons' very core. A new wielder will find herself prone to aggression, paranoia and violent outbursts. A lightsider will find the weapons very clumsy and heavy, unless they give in to their aggressive feelings.
Last but not least, she armed the lightsabres with the Eyes of the Satwas, a set of experimental lightsabre crystals created by dubious processes. These crystals imbue the lightsabres with their powers, leaving them with an enhaced dark aura and corrupted nature. With the red crystals at the weapons' core, the Fates were finally complete.
- Intent: To create a unique pair of lightsabres for Darth Ophidia.
- Image Source: N/A
- Canon Link: Lightsabre.
- Restricted Missions: Cortosis: Suffered devastating defeat at the hands of Soliael Devin Talith on Contruum. [link] (614 - 618 in particular).
- Primary Sources:
Wookiepedia: Lightsaber. - Crystals: Eyes of the Satwas.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
- Manufacturer: Darth Ophidia.
- Model: N/A
- Affiliation: Darth Ophidia.
- Modularity: Select components may be changed during maintenance: Crystals, guard, grip. (Significant changes will require resubmission)
- Production: Unique (Paired set, to be used one at a time or in dual-wielding).
- Material: Durasteel, cortosis, synthetic leather, lightsabre components, customised crystals..
- Classification: Lightsabres.
- Size: One handed.
- Length:
Hilt: 25 cm.
Blade: 120 cm.
Dual Phase: 240 cm. - Weight: 2 kg.
- Identical Pair.
- Curved hilt.
- Cortosis handguard.
- Crystals: Eyes of the Satwas.
- Dual-phase emitter.
- Taint.
- Specialised Gemini: The twins and their curved design has their pros and cons; while they put other melee fighters off balance by coming in at odd angles and being two, it is harder to deal with blasters and eliminates the possibility of putting two hands on one hilt. These are highly specialised weapons.
- Guard: A replaceable cortosis protrusion to protect the fingers. While the material may short-circuit other lightsabres upon contact, it may not withstand the repeated strikes of heavier melee weapons.
- Dual Phased: By angling the crystals inside the hilt, the wielder may quickly extend her blades.
- Taint: A subtle taint of the dark side of the Force lingers in the hilts, for good or bad. This effect will be suppressed by force-nullifying fields and can be cleansed by Force Light.
- Eyes of the Satwas: The Eyes of the Satwas crystals were made especially to power these lightsabres and bring with them their own strengths and penalties as listed in the spoiler below:
Eyes of the Satwas strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths:
Lightsabre Applicable: When cut and polished, the gemstone is applicable for use in a lightsabre, which gives the following effect:
Life-Stealer: Creatures harmed with a blade powered by The Eye of the Satwas may find themselves weakened with each successive strike as it "drinks" from their life-force. The siphoned life-force is transferred to the blade's wielder, empowering her spiritually and physically with each successive wound or kill.
[*]Synthetic: Blades powered by a synthetic crystal have a small, but existing chance of "breaking" another blade with a powerful strike.
[*]Corrupting Touch: Due to its profane origins, the crystal will drain and thus harm spiritual beings such as demons, sith spirits, and force ghosts upon touch. The same effect applies to a blade powered by it.
Weaknesses :
[*]The Price of Power: Much like the dark side itself, the invigorating effect of hurting others with a blade powered by this crystal is addictive and requires great self-discipline to reign in.
[*]Salt the Wound: The draining effect is triggered by physically injuring one's opponent. If she can't hit, it will have no effect.
[*]One of a Kind: Due to the complicated process of synthesis and the exotic materials used, successfully recreating the Eye of the Satwas would be very difficult, if at all possible.
[*]Nope-Field: Force nullifying effects (Voidstones, Ysalamiri fields, and misc Force-nullifying effect) will negate the Eyes of the Satwas' drain ability. Force Light will suppress the effects, while a direct blast of Force Light (to an exposed crystal) will harm the crystals themselves.
Weaknesses :
- Tainted Core: The Eye of the Satwas' tainted nature attracts scorn and disapproval from those of a "good" persuasion. A Jedi or similar force-user would feel the dark taint upon touch, or in proximity if wielded. In addition, the bright red blade this crystal produces is generally a giveaway in terms of the wielder's Force-alignment. The taint also causes the following mental ailments:
Bloodseeker: A weak or emotionally unstable force-user may be corrupted by the negative emotions in the Eye of the Satwas Prolonged exposure may make the wielder more aggressive and confrontational. A weak-minded wielder will slowly turn to madness*1. - Morbid Fascination: Force-sensitives in prolonged exposure to the crystal, may find themselves becoming increasingly obsessed with the dead and the suffering of others *1.
[*]The Price of Power: Much like the dark side itself, the invigorating effect of hurting others with a blade powered by this crystal is addictive and requires great self-discipline to reign in.
[*]Salt the Wound: The draining effect is triggered by physically injuring one's opponent. If she can't hit, it will have no effect.
[*]One of a Kind: Due to the complicated process of synthesis and the exotic materials used, successfully recreating the Eye of the Satwas would be very difficult, if at all possible.
[*]Nope-Field: Force nullifying effects (Voidstones, Ysalamiri fields, and misc Force-nullifying effect) will negate the Eyes of the Satwas' drain ability. Force Light will suppress the effects, while a direct blast of Force Light (to an exposed crystal) will harm the crystals themselves.
Strengths:
- Twins: These sabres are meant to be wielded as two parts of a unit, and they are shaped to fit such use.
- Curved Hilt: The curved hilt design is not only fashionable and comfortable, but grants certain advantages against other melee weapons.
- Guarded: Each hilt has a metal protrusion near the emitter that protects the fingers. They will stop lightsabre blades and has a chance of short-circuiting blades with dimetris circuits.
- Dual-Phase Emitter: The dual-phase emitter allows for the user to quickly extend the length of the blade as the means for a surprise attack.
- Tainted: The hilts are imbued with a subtle taint of the dark side which, in time, may corrupt a wielder. The taint may be suppressed by a sufficiently adept force-user.
- Crystals: See 'Eyes of the Satwas' Strength and Weaknesses spoiler above.
- Twins: Occupying both hands may pose numerous challenges.
- Curves: While the curved hilts do grant certain some advantages in melee, they make blaster deflection more awkward.
- Petite: The small size (one-hand) of each hilt limits the amount of power a wielder can put behind their strikes.
- Guard Break: The Cortosis guard is not terribly solid and may break if used to parry heavier weapons.
- Obviously Evil: Unless actively suppressed by a sufficiently adept force-user, the hilts' dark alignments are detectable. Additionaly, the vibrant red blades are something of a dead give-away of the wielder's Force alignment.
- Shun the Light: The taint in the hilts (and the effects of its crystals) will not take effect within force-nullifying fields (Eg. Ysalamiri, voidstone, etc) and be significantly weakened in the passive effect of a Force Light. If hit directly with Force Light, the taint will be banished and its effects made void until they can be sufficiently re-tainted.
- Crystals: See 'Eyes of the Satwas' Strength and Weaknesses spoiler above.
DESCRIPTION
A Sith Lord requires weapons to match her stature, her expertise, and her way of dealing with opposition. During the Invasion of Contruum, in a duel against Kira Talith, Darth Ophidia's original weapon was destroyed. And while she defeated Kira, she was in turn thoroughly beaten by Soliael Devin Talith. Since then, the Pale Assassin reevaluated the way she fought.
The curved design hails back to Ophidia's experience in fighting a Jedi wielding a curved hilt during the One Sith's rapid expanse into the Unknown Regions. When wielded, the curved hilt puts the point forward. This classic design takes the unwary opponent off-guard, and it makes it easier to present the point and threaten to thrust, which is critical for a Makashi practitioner. This design is fabled to enhance the overhead swooping cuts. The forward position is, however, less ideal for blaster deflection and the overall design restricts the wielder to a one-handed grip.
The idea of incorporating cortosis-based handguards came from Ophidia's earlier experience with vibroweapons, where guards were often an active proponent in advanced use, as well as a passive protection. Of course, such a guard would have to be made of a lightsabre resistant material. having been introduced to Cortosis, she found it to be an obvious choice. In case the guards break, as refined cortosis may when put under pressure, they can be exchanged during maintenance.
Being of a twinned, single-handed design and featuring the dual-phase function posed some challenges. However, she had formerly faced the weapons of fellow Sith Assassin, Iziz, who shifted between several lengths of blade during combat. This led her to apply a two-layered function to the activation button. By pressing down and releasing, the blade will activate. At this point, the activation button may also be pushed forward, which will trigger the dual-phase function. The blades must be activated before they can extend and will retract again if the button is released. Thus, she would be able to control the length of her blades quite swiftly.
The subtle taint the blades are imbued with comes from Darth Ophidia's spiritual connection and prolonged exposure to the hilts; a portion of her will has been fused into the weapons' very core. A new wielder will find herself prone to aggression, paranoia and violent outbursts. A lightsider will find the weapons very clumsy and heavy, unless they give in to their aggressive feelings.
Last but not least, she armed the lightsabres with the Eyes of the Satwas, a set of experimental lightsabre crystals created by dubious processes. These crystals imbue the lightsabres with their powers, leaving them with an enhaced dark aura and corrupted nature. With the red crystals at the weapons' core, the Fates were finally complete.
