Soul Seeker

Appears as a somewhat worn, but functional, scimitar. (An unusual weapon in Barsaive.) The hilt is wrapped in fraying ogre hide (actually ogre twin) which can not be removed or repaired. Any material wrapped over it frays, splits and falls off within days. The blade itself is pristine, and can not be scratched, dented, or marred in any way. It is embedded with eight dormant light quartzes, four on each side. The guard is a simple curved bar, dented and somewhat notched from catching blows. The pommel is an oblong ball of steel carved with a meaningless patterns. The very bottom is flattened, as if it had been used as a hammer for a long period of time. Soul Seeker is a Step 5 weapon.

Rank 1
Cost 300
Key Knowledge: Must know the Name of the scimitar is Soul Seeker.
Effect: Glimmer: The light quartzes will activate and extinguish at will, and can be individually controlled, if necessary, to change the intensity of the light.

Rank 2
Cost 500
Effect: Grants Astral Sight at the thread rank, or +2 steps to the Astral Sight talent.

Rank 3
Cost 800
Key Knowledge: Soul Seeker was forged by the human Weaponsmith Ederrac who tired of being harassed by astral entities. The weaver must know the first creature slain by this sword was an ogre twin, whose hide was used to wrap the hilt.
Effect: Astral Strike: For 1 strain, the weaver may make an attack against a targets spell defense, instead of physical defense. Mystic armor reduces the damage from the attack.

Rank 4
Cost 1300
Effect: Searing Edge: For 1 strain, the blade heats, adding 3 steps to damage for one successful attack, or a number of rounds equal to the thread rank. The Glimmer effect is canceled when this ability is used, a problem which Ederrac could never fix. The blade becomes hot enough to light a torch or fire, but can not be used as a source of fire for spells requiring flame as a component. Lighting fires with this ability does not cancel the effect.

Rank 5
Cost 2100
Key Knowledge: Ederrac was badly wounded in combat when a group of spirits ambushed him shortly after he had slain a number of mischievous, but harmless, wandering ally spirits. A Wizard, detecting the astral activity while performing his karma ritual, came to Ederrac's aid. He later assisted Ederrac in adding an effect similar to Delay Blow to the weapon. The weaver must know the Wizard's name was Zireth.
Effect: Spirit Echo: For 2 strain, Soul Seeker damages the target a second time, inflicting step 15 damage, reduced by mystic armor. The effect lasts for one successful attack, or a number of rounds equal to the thread rank.

Rank 6
Cost 3400
Effect: Pattern Rift: On an excellent success while using Astral Strike, Soul Seeker disrupts the target's pattern, causing a wound, regardless of the damage inflicted.