Cobra Blade

By Hans Messersmith (hans@iquest.net)

Level 3, Quintessence 10

Description

This talisman is a band of metal that is worn on the hand around the palm, the outside silver, the inside steel. This band has the ability to alter form on activation to any of three forms beside the one described above: a set of metal knuckles plated with silver, a silver katar (punch dagger), and a tulwar (a broad Indian scimitar). Each activation of the power allows a virtually instantaneous shift to one of the other forms. Also, the user may activate the weapon to generate an effect equivalent to the Prime 2 effect "Rubbing the Bones" (page 211 of the 1st Ed. Mage rules). Finally, the blade always remains razor sharp, with no expenditure of quintessence. There are several of these talismans, all used by Followers of the Black Flame, an obscure Euthanatos sect with it's roots in southern India. The sect's leader, Ishvarakrishna, founded a Chantry in London around the turn of the century, but this Chantry was destroyed in the General Strike of 1926.