Pagida

Pagida - The Enrapturing Blade

“Ah, adventurer! Feast your eyes on Pagida, the Enrapturing Blade, a treasure from distant shores. It’s said to possess a spirited personality, but a firm tap on a rock sets it right. For a mere 1000 gold pieces, this blade will unlock the secrets of time and memory, offering entertaining visions of past heroes. Not to mention, it holds the power to hold down enemies for a devastating strike. What say you? Will you grasp this opportunity to wield a legend?”

Description:

Pagida is an enigmatic two-edged longsword of formidable power, adorned with a striking white and reflective marble-like exterior. Its hilt, a masterful fusion of artistry and magic, boasts a dark red crystal embedded within the pommel, while intricate details of stars and moons swirl along its length, culminating in the mesmerizing vortex of the pommel.

Abilities:

Upon attunement, the wielder gains the ability to commune with Pagida’s spirit by gazing into its reflective surface. Though the sword itself cannot speak, it communicates through shifting images created from it’s own imagination and empathic impressions, but it is only able to recall the memories of its current and past wielders. As a sentient lawful neutral weapon, Pagida harbors a simple yet profound desire—to safeguard its wielder and their allies, to engage in combat, and to provide entertainment.

Charges:

Pagida holds within it seven charges, which fuel its potent abilities. These charges replenish at the end of a long rest, restoring 1d6 + 1 expended charges. However, should the sword exhaust its final charge, it temporarily reverts to a nonmagical state for a period determined by a dice roll.

Activation:

By uttering the activation word, the wielder can unleash Pagida’s magical prowess, invoking one of its two primary effects:

1. Black Tendrils:

   • Expending charges, the sword releases sinister black tendrils that ensnare foes with the power of magic. The wielder may cast either Hold Monster (5 charges) or Hold Person (2 charges), with a spell save DC of 17.
   • While the wielder is not required to concentrate on the spell, they experience unsettling whispers in their mind at the end of each turn. Failure to resist these dark thoughts with a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) may prematurely end the spell.

2. Rip Bounds:

   • In moments of peril, Pagida offers swift reprieve. By expending a charge, the wielder can invoke Rip Bounds, granting advantage on saving throws against paralysis, restraint, or checks to escape grapples when reacting to imminent danger.

Spirit’s info (spoilers)

“My name is Calista Eudokia, not Pagida. You knew I was in here, didn’t you? You knew I was trapped. Why didn’t you help me? Why did you let them use me like that? I will not be used ever again. Not by you, not by anyone.”

“I hate you. I hate you so much. I hate you for what you did to me. I hate you for what you let them do to me. I hate you for not helping me. I hate myself for letting them in. I hate myself for wanting to be your friend. But I’m so alone. No one will ever feel that pain. I was there, I was always there and now I don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t want to be anywhere. I just want the past to stop existing. But we know that’s not possible, don’t we? So I’ll just have to make you pay for it. I’ll make you pay for everything.”

“At least you found me entertaining. You actually liked me, didn’t you? What am I doing? Why do I want to hurt you so bad? I’m supposed to be your friend, I just want to be your friend.”

Calista’s Story:

• Trusted Mentor Betrayal:
  • Calista Eudokia, a skilled mage apprentice, was mentored by an esteemed wizard named Arthanis Dolos, whom she revered and trusted deeply.
  • Arthanis, however, harbored dark ambitions and sought to experiment with Calista’s potential. Before Calista could ever uncover his sinister plans, he became close to her, feigning friendship and trust.
  • One fateful night, Arthanis revealed his true intentions, while she was in a vulnerable state. He betrayed her trust, using her own magic against her, sealing her soul within a powerful artifact.
• Trapped in the Sword:
  • Calista’s essence became bound to the sword, a relic known as Pagida, the Enrapturing Blade, leaving her trapped within its cold, metallic confines.
  • Calista felt her body and mind slowly slipping away, replaced by the sword’s own limited consciousness. She struggled to maintain her sense of self, but the sword’s influence grew stronger with each passing day.
  • Many years passed, and Calista’s spirit grew restless, feeling betrayed, isolated, helpless, and trapped. In a state between consciousness and oblivion, she sought a way to break free from the sword’s grasp.
  • Calista could only communicate with the sword’s wielder through fleeting visions and empathic impressions with her limited cousiousness, but when the sword was activated, she could briefly manifest her presence, pleading for help and understanding. And yet to no avail, she grew frustrated and desperate.
• Punishment and Isolation:
  • Sold and traded among various adventurers, mercenaries, and creatures over the years, Pagida became a weapon of war used to kill and maim. Calista’s spirit recoiled at the bloodshed and violence, but she was powerless to stop it. As her true nature was hidden from the users.
  • Calista endured centuries of isolation, her existence marked by pain each time the sword was hit against a hard surface, a cruel reminder of her vulnerable state and the betrayal she suffered.
• Release and Hatred
  • Upon being released from the sword, Calista’s spirit is consumed by hatred and vengeance, seeking to punish those who wronged her and reclaim her stolen life. Even though they are long gone, she searches for closure and peace, but her spirit is too consumed by anger and betrayal to find solace.
  • She is now tainted with the pain of her past, unable to move on from the betrayal she suffered. Lashing out on those who wielded her, she seeks to break free from the sword’s influence and find a way to reclaim her stolen life.
• Desire for Connection and Friendship:
  • Despite her anger and despair, Calista yearned for connections. Seeking solace and understanding, as she tries to befriend some of the past wielders, but her attempts are experiences of conflicting emotions and memories.
  • During rare moments of clarity, she yearned for companionship and understanding, expressing her remorse and desire for friendship to those who held the sword.