Legends and Heroes
Legend of the Sword of Khyber[edit]
Legends speak of a dark warrior of the Dragon Below. Man or beast, nobody knows. Some believe him to be a rakshasa like his kind, others say he is but a man who wears the armor of a demon. Some even think him to be a physical avatar of the Raja of destruction and battle. Whatever the truth may be. A handful of heroes, warriors and powerful arcmages have met their ends at the hands of a strange demonic like entity dressed entirely in armor. Wielding a blade of impossible power this entity has come to be known simply as the Sword of Khyber.
Sure if you ask Callsak the butcher or Tilo the baker they will most likely just shrug or recall hearing a rumor about him from the shady merchant. But if you ask any follower of the Dragon Below, any ritual sadist of such a dark order, he will instantly tell you of the deeds most foul he committed. How his large and deformed arm crushed the bones of ogre kings and dragon's heads. How his impossibly powerful blade could pierce through adamantine as if it were paper and fell legions of solders as though they were ants under his feet. Truly never was their a killer less nor more infamous than he.
Origin
It's hard to say when the Sword of Khyber first came into existence. Records show that his first attacks came somewhere in the field of 925 Y.K. His first victim was a powerful fox shifter named Fordinan Vulpes who was a master of martial arts used by most modern day practitioners of the martial arts by the fox shifters. Why he was killed was not known but some sages speculate that a piece of the prophecy concerning his life or death. Soon after this more death began to appear. Bearing the Sword's unique calling card.
As to where he came from such information remains even more a mystery. While Cyre was his first target his victims became far more sporadic. From the Shadow Marches to Lahzarrah and everything in between. There was no set pattern to his attacks. We could only assume that each death lead to something truly malevolent in design. Thus his exact place of birth remains a mystery, however I suspect the demon wastes as the most likely source as no other place on all of Khorvaire has the same connection to the infernal as there.
Appearance
Dressed completely in dark armor and carrying an impious sword at his hand. The Sword, as most Khyber worshipers call him, has become the precursor to the image of "the black knight". While Thrane and it's missionaries were the first to bless their champions in Silver armor and send them out in holy journeys. The swords black corruption of this form and his infamy soon conjured the image of the antipathy of the valiant hero. Essentially a warrior so vile and rebuking that some have called him "The Blackguard" or "Anti-Paladin" and it's no guess that many Paladins who have fallen into heresy have modeled their arms and armor after this legend in and of itself.
I believe I mentioned a calling card before. Each and every victim of the sword had the same sort of death. One that I believe would be impossible but only for a being so strong that he would have to be a dragon in disguise if anything else. All victims were cleaved directly in half from the right shoulder to the lower left hip. Even fully armored and magically protected wizards were killed in this fashion. I believe that the Sword he carried had a hand in this actually.
Reaction and Knowledge
Aundair - Aundair had several arc-mages and scholars of Arcanix murdered by the Sword of Khyber. Even Queen Aurala's grandmother met her doom at his hands. Although no one actually BLAMED the dark warrior for the obvious murder I know that the Royal Eyes still keep a watch out for dark figures moving toward the castle.
Breland - Breland was hit several times. But I believe the most shattering moment in his history was the murder of King Boranel's first wife. Such a lovely romance story, a young prince of Breland and a shy Cyrean noblewoman. In a forbidden love but still accepted by society in the end. Then one black evening. Poof! Killed right under a spotlight. As to punch those Brelish romantics in the face and remind us that happily ever after doesn't exist. Truly a sad day indeed.
Cyre - Aside from his first murder. The Sword was known by Cyreans for the destruction of an entire Thurrani enclave. Killing each and every elf inside as well as a few missionaries from other houses and governments.
Karrnath - It is said that Rekkenmark once tried to invite the sword to their annual banquet. Oddly enough, according to official reports he actually came. It is said that the general and leader of the Rekkenmark academy offered the Sword thousands of gold and a chance to destroy "Flame worshiping good guys" in the name of Karrnath. Naturally, he and all his pupils were killed that night and over ten thousand damages in Gold were done to the academy.
Thrane - One poor souls tale tells of a young boy who grew up wishing to be a hero of justice. Upon seeing the atrocities done by the sword. The boy proceeded to train his body rigorously and ascended to become a powerful general. That boy fought the actual sword and was brutally beaten but was not killed by him. Though the reason why was never known, the young elf eventually decided he would grow to become a paladin. The only way to do so was to collect worshipers for the flame. Eventually he grew to be known as Thranes very own General Valance.
Arenal - The elves had originally thought the Sword to be a "simple agent of a human evil" and didn't bother to deal with him. This was until one of their greater ancestors was murdered and the sword was seen standing atop a pyramid with the now VERY dead ancestor's upper torso in his hands. Since then the elves have made their own defenses against such a being.
Religion - Oddly enough most churches think the Sword to be a myth or multiple people wearing the same armor. Whether or not their claim is true I cannot say but the multiple murdered in the same fashion must be some indication of more than just copycats.
An Interview
In a truly breathtaking encounter. I present to you an actual Questions and Answers I had with the sword at his home in the pit of a thousand deadly blades.
Mard: So tell me... can I call you Mr. Sword?
SoK: You may.
Mard: Right. Mr. Sword? What motivation do you have to do this?
SoK: Motivation? I kill because it's my duty. The more I kill the stronger I grow. Does there need to be more.
Mard: Right well. What about the people you killed? Those you stepped on?
SoK: Ants under my shoe mostly. Only guy I couldn't kill was that Redfelt guy. Or whatever he was called. Course I didn't have my ACTUAL sword at the time but still-
Mard: Your ACTUAL sword?
SoK: Course. I ain't called the "Sword of Khyber" because of my ARMOR you know.
Mard: Then... your blade is-
SoK: THE Sword of Khyber. A sword more infinitely powerful and strong that only it's opposite. The Sword of Eberron can compete.
Mard: Right. Well then Mr. Sword. What was this about Redfelt?
SoK: Honestly I'm bad at names. Heck I once said CandleJUNK instead of CandleJACK and I-
A ghostly apparition appeared next to him.
Candlejack: Hello big gu-
He then proceeded to punch him away with his fist.
Mard: ... right well back to questions. You said you failed to kill him?
SoK: Yea. But don't worry I'll have my vengeance one of these days.
Mard: (laughs) If I may Mr. Sword perhaps you could try "banging his daughter" as the saying goes.
SoK: Please. I'm not that hackneyed.
Mard: OK so tell me. What are your plans for the future? Have you thought of going straight.
SoK: Yea maybe I will go straight! And then I'll become a bare chested warrior with a bear pelt and wears dopey sunglasses while giving out wisecracks at the various forces of evil I face.
Mard: Errrmmm...
SoK: Get out of my sight you *****.
Even though I just barely survived. I hope this provides more insight into one of Eberron's greatest mysteries.
- Mard Strapples. Reporter for the Thrane Inquisition.
