Cauldron of Xariphial

By Alan Kantor (trisk@mars.superlink.net) (19 March 1996)

Introduction

Brekke swung her axe and connected with the clavicle of the largest of the grue. Her mighty battle axe, Speaker, continued along the path she had begun to cleave the chimeric beast in two. The Giantess stood for a moment surveying the chimeric slaughter she had wrought and basked in the glamour their opened bodies provided.

It was odd, the Troll thought, that such foul creatures could be made from the same stuff as unicorns and works of art. Then again, she had met some of her Unseelie cousins and the point was moot.

The prize was hers. She had won her way to the Cauldron Of Xariphial. It hung on its silver tripod, suspended over its balefire.The blood red liquid inside bubbled on the surface. It seemed to be made of iron though Brekke knew that this was impossible as iron is anathema to the fae. She reached out with both of her large hands and placed her palms against the sides of the cauldron.

Exquisite agony coursed through her body yet the effect was undeniable. Her wounds were healed. Every injury she had sustained to win this moment was healed in this instant. Recovering her breath she examined herself and found that old wounds were healed as well. To her horror she saw that her tattoos, ritual scarring of her early wilder days were gone as well.

The Eshu had told her that the cauldron might give her more than she wished but she certainly did not count on this! It was the Eshu who told Brekke the tale in the first place. Xariphial the sorceress in whose cauldron were brewed the most powerful of healing potions. On the day she gave her life to save her companions from an attacking Fomoran, her spirit found it's way into her cauldron. As an inanimae, Xariphial could give the blessings of strength and courage in the form of her own blood. She dug in her backpack and found the large ladle and the canteen she had brought along. Carefully scooping up some of the cauldron's bubbling red liquid she filled her canteen.

Brekke took the blood and walked out of the chamber. She believed the tales of woe the Eshu told would befall any who tried to move the cauldron from the place it chose to be. As she glanced over her shoulder she saw that the Cauldron of Xariphial had vanished. It had, she supposed, chosen to be somewhere new.

Description

The Cauldron of Xariphial hearkens back to the dreams of the Celtic people. A cup of wonder that could heal all hurts. A holy grail that could make broken things whole. While powerful treasures like the holy grail are far more elusive to mortal and fae alike, the Cauldron of Xariphial has been seen at least on occasion.

The Eshu tell the tale of the sidhe sorceress who in death, rather than return to the Dreaming, fled into the physical form of her source of inspiration; her cauldron. In her new form she became even more powerful in that she could devote her entire existence to the healing arts and not have to deal with any distractions.

Xariphial travels throughout the world embedding herself in the darkest of places, places that are not easy to attain. She then, through dreams, gives any and all tellers of tales hints as to her whereabouts. This will inspire a quest in someone...somewhere.

Once discovered and won, she will heal the wounds of the one who found her. She heals so thoroughly that old scars, physical and emotional may be erased. She might be able to cure third stage bedlam but such individuals rarely are in a position to undertake such a quest as finding and winning the Cauldron of Xariphial. She may allow some of her blood to be taken from her. The effects of bathing in the blood of the cauldron vary. At the least it bestows two additional Bruised Health levels for a limited time (A day, a month, a year). It has been known to bestow additional soak dice for such time periods as well.

After she has been discovered, she will vanish from her location and find a new challenging space to occupy. If any try to claim the cauldron as their own she will almost certainly take them along to her new location where they will have to face the dangers that await.