Dactylothecoe

Legendary Signet of the Guiding Hand that Smite

The Dactylothecoe is also known as the Ring of Victory or more commonly as “The Trophy.” It is made from the crystallized core of the freshly murdered Primordial “Ramethus;” who escaped the initial primordial wars into the Wyld and eventually returned after reinventing himself purely for combat. It was a terrible war, one that was long and bloody. Its horrors claimed the life of such Solar luminaries as Brigid, Unconquered Shield and Righteous Guide.

Like the War before, it was Guiding Hand that Smite who landed the final blow and it was Mecca who sealed the victory. Guiding Hand that Smite, already manipulated by Mecca and deeply under the influence of the Great Curse, refuse to allow the dying Primordial to yield and thus sealed into Malfeas. Instead he plunged Mecca into its very core and slew it. He then claimed the crystallization of its existence as his spoil of war - all the while as Creation shook and creaked trying to adopt to the loss of an entire idea; The creation of another Neverborn was minor compare to the devastating damage of loosing the concept of righteousness in war - as embodied by the War Primordial.

From hence all war is tainted with selfishness, anger, and greed. No matter how noble the ideal a war is started with, it will eventually wither with the taint of mortal flaws and tarnish the grand ideas that spawned it. For true righteousness war is forever gone; luckily only from War and not from all Existence.

Faced with this unprecedented disobedience, The Deliberative tried to force him to at least share his spoil and by passing a unanimous motion. Guiding Hand that Smite simply left the proceeding in mid-session and refused to return till the Deliberative swears an Eclipse Oath to legitimize his "rightful gain." His absence effectively disbanded the Solar Deliberative – for no session can be recognized without the Proctor present. This ushered the first serious break of the Solar fraternity and lasted for more than 200 years. While irked most Solars did not initially see this as anything more than minor inconvenience to their governance of Creation. In fact many enjoyed their new found autonomy. As the lawlessness sprung into decades then centuries, the Solars became increasingly incensed.

In secrecy that would shame, or awe, the Sidereals in it's Perfection, the 5 Solar Deliberators unanimously voted to remove Guiding Hand that Smite as Proctor and install the more agreeable and equally respected Aofe as his temporary replacement.

The same playbook for Merela’s “removal” was used; After the Guiding Hand that Smite's “peaceful and natural” death, his heartfelt message of apology was played to all of Creation. The Creation wide Festival of Reconciliation was celebrated and also served as the grand funeral for this Hero of the First Age.

Mecca then passed on to Aofe conditioned upon his temporary post as Proctor. At this time Aofe as already earned the epithet “The Golden Blade” with his many campaign into the Wyld and far swung expansion of Creation. He earned so much renown that the Council found it unfit to take Mecca away from Aofe and pass it to the Guiding Hand that Smite's new incarnation, which Exalted 76 years later. It was thus that the Proctor of Solar Deliberative became an award-able title that the Deliberative fought bitterly over.

The Ring, not being a symbol of an office, passed on to Guiding Hand that Smite's next incarnation.

That incarnation and every subsequent one never lived long enough to gain enough recognition to fight back against these development of events and never made any progress towards reclaim his rightful position. “Misfortune” seems to follow the ring bearer and all wore this ring to their untimely deaths.

Power

Forged from pure distilled essence of a Primordial’s as he straddled between his unkillable self and transformation into a Neverborn.

  • This ring grants the Wearer absolute certainty of existence that fills the spaces between the elemental poles and forms the glue that binds Creation from dissolution. It affirms and protects its wearer’s identity and nature from all corruption.
    • Only things of Creation proper can affect the character – the Dead, Fair Folk, Demons, Gods and the Wyld can not even target the character with their magic.
      • Keep in mind this applies to defense as well as offense. A Fair Folk's gossamer shield will unravel as it tries to defend its mistress from Guiding Hand that Smite's attacks (providing no DV, and possibly becoming Unsuspected Attack)
      • They may use physical and social attacks, but none of their exo-creation properties can touch the bearer of this miraculous band.
      • Thus effect of Charms/Special Effects will be nullified.
        • This is an Perfect Defense against all such effects, and being Defense it will always win against another Perfect Effect.
    • Elementals and Gods, however, are of Creation, and thus are unaffected by this protection.
      • Charms that belong to Creation, such as Solars, Lunars, Dragon-Blooded, Spirit Charms of Gods, and Sorceries, are all native to Creation and thus are not hindered by the ring's absolute existence.
        • This holds true even if these powers are used by beings not-of Creation - E.g. a Fair Folk using the power of an artifact made by denizens of Creation.
    • Similarly while Abyssal Charms are corruption of Solar Charms they are none the less still Solar Charms and thus are also outside the ring’s protection.
    • Inferal charms however are Charms of the Yozi, thus demons, and are outside of Creation and cannot affect the wearer of the ring.
  • The Ring being its small size has impossibly 3 Hearthstone settings.
    • The three creature heads swallow the Hearthstone and shows it as Eyes
  • The Ring adds an amount of essence equal to the motes gained by the Wearer, to a max of 2 - Except Stunts
    • If she regains 3 motes from Essence Lending Method, the ring will add 2 additional motes to it (Max 2)
    • If she gains 1 mote from Essence Lending Method, the ring will add 1 additional mote (equal to the mote gained)
    • This includes the natural respiration rate
    • Includes any charm/effects that grants Essence to the wearer
    • Expressly does not include Stunts
  • The Ring cost 15 motes to attune and is considered native material for all Magical Beings of Creation.
    • Though this is mostly moot since it can only be attuned by very specific people.
  • While the Ring looks like it is made of Common Gold it is not. It is made of the very essence of Will and encompasses the spiritual entirety of Existence. Thus those who attuned gains all the material bonus for Hearthstone Bracers.
    • -1 Speed to the wearer's hand-to-hand or ranged attacks
    • All of the character’s attacks have their damage increased by 2 dice
    • The character’s lethal soak increases by 2
    • Adds 2 to the Weapon's Accuracy, 1 to Defense, and 2 to Rate
      • Starmetal: Add 1 to their weapons’ Accuracy and Defense Rating
      • Adamant: Add one to their weapons’ Accuracy and two to Rate
    • lowers the target's soak and hardness by 2L/2B
      • This is applied post piercing calculation and cannot reduce the soak to below 0
  • It is commonly assumed that the Ring will only function for Guiding Hand that Smite’s incarnations, but this is not entirely true. The Ring will also function for Mecca and her attuned user, should she wish it. After all she was equal partner in this ring's creation.
    • Currently Mecca and Samea are the only ones who can attune to this legendary artifact
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