It is my great regret that I can write on the history of the Amulet of the Planeswalker. I heard about it first as a legendary talisman borne by many Planeswalkers, even before the mending swept over Dominia and changed their very nature. Only on attaining the artifact did I understand its true purpose.

The Maker was dying. There are vectors of mortality that not even the Spark of the Maker and the Bearers can prevent. The Maker had existed for eons, in darkness and in silence. Afraid of what might come after, the Maker labored on the amulet, and when it was complete, she set her spark within it and crumbled to dust.

The First Bearer was the Worm, who took the amulet from the place of the Maker. Through the Worm, the Maker lived again, but it was still the Worm that bore the amulet. When he turned his back on a fearsome battle, common soldiers shot him full of arrows. One pierced his skull, and his spark passed into the amulet as his blood ran onto the field.

The Second Bearer was the Greatest of All Giants. He was tall and strong beyond compare. Though the Maker and the Worm lived through him, he was still the Greatest of All Giants, and his strength was matched only by his honor. In the end, he lifted a great stone that threatened the lives of many little folks. Though he arrested its fall and stopped the devastation, he could not hold it, and was crushed by its weight. His spark passed into the amulet

The Third Bearer was the Angel. She saw the great giant sacrifice himself for the small folk, and took up the amulet in tribute. The Angel also protected little folk, and nurtured and guided wherever she went. Through her, the Maker and the other bearers lived again, but it was not to last, for she fell into the clutches of a mighty demon and died in torment, her spark joining the rest in the amulet.

The Fourth Bearer was the Cursed One. After the Mending, the Cursed One dealt with the demon who took the Amulet from the angel, bartering for immortality. The Demon, who must have known of the Amulet’s nature, gave it to the Cursed One and then immediately attempted to kill her. While the Cursed One was mortally wounded, she escaped from the demon’s home plane, and with her death brought the Amulet out of the demon’s clutches. Her spark passed into the amulet like all the others.

The Fifth Bearer was the Arrogant Man. The Arrogant Man found the Amulet amidst the bones of the Cursed One, for the Arrogant Man had hunted her across many worlds and for many ages. He took the amulet, and through him all the bearers before lived. The Arrogant Man, though surely affected by the spirits, tuned their power to grow his own. He dreamed of creating an empire that would overshadow worlds, but his throat was slit in bed by a forced concubine he had claimed from the defeated royal houses of the very first world he tried to conquer. His life fled upon the tip of her knife, and his spark entered the Amulet.

The Sixth Bearer was the Wanderer. The Wanderer found the amulet among normal folk and purchased it as a curiosity. The Wanderer was a weak mind, and the Amulet drove him to deep insanity, until he found his death in a pool of water. His breath was quenched, and his spark fled within the Amulet.

The Seventh Bearer was the Forsaker. The Forsaker was called by the Amulet and the sparks within. How, is unknown – there must be a reason it has not lingered long amongst normal folk. The Forsaker was of stronger will than the Wanderer, but not strong enough. He saw the amulet as evil, but he could neither destroy it nor remove it from his person. Thus, he created a great labyrinth and filled it with traps, and at its heart took his own life, strangled by the chain of the amulet he hoped to bury forever. His spark entered it, and thus he will never be free.

I am the Eighth Bearer. The others call me the Treasure Hunter. I hear their voices constantly. I found the amulet at the heart of the Forsaker’s labyrinth and put it on, then I was one with all the rest. My body is not my own. It moves at their commands as well as mine, straining wills bringing constant madness. So many themes, so opposed to each other. We have great power – someone might be able to control it, but that is not me. I travel the planes, living eight lives in one but not really living any. I have found arts to still the voices, and thus have set down this testament, but the effectiveness of any spell or potion at stilling the hurricane of souls is fading. Soon such mechanisms will not work at all. When I die, my spark as well will pass into the Amulet. I hope there is no Ninth Bearer after me, but I am not so naïve as to believe it. Perhaps, with a strong enough will, one could finally end this sad story.

Very cool. I like this concept a lot, and I've felt for a while that we could use more artifacts in the archives. Very nice work.

It's an intriguing idea for sure, and I like the way the ending implies that the amulet is soon to move on to a more major character.

Can we get a description of the amulet?

As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one that's ever tried to do more legendary treasures. Like the "Blade that cuts Infinity".

I do find a bit of amusement in that both of those artifacts were meant to facilitate travel beyond walkers themselves.

I was just reading about the Blade. I'm tempted to try to use it in a story, but I haven't thought of a good one yet.

You totally have my permission.
Also, I am faintly surprised you found the Blade. Didn't know it had made it over here...

I don't think it has. After the archivist told me about Gruff, I looked back at the official site to see what else was over there. Like I said, though, I have no idea what to do with it. I just think it's pretty cool.

Which does seem to be part of the problem with it. It has a lot of potential, but what do you do with it?

Anyways, if you can think of anything, be my guest.

Physical description? Out of character 'dossier'? I'll do the former now. Hadn't thought of it when I wrote it up.

A disc of silver* on a silver chain, enchanted for extreme durability -- the Amulet can survive events that would destroy normal silver jewelry. The disc is set with six precious gemstones: a pearl, sapphire, a jet, a ruby, an emerald, and in the center a clear diamond**. Its face is etched with ornate, fractal patterns.




*Alternativley, made of wedges of metal: Pearl on gold, Sapphire on silver, Jet on Lead, Ruby on Iron, and Emerald on copper. But I think the solid silver amulet would look better.

**Seeing as they've been a poorly-explained storyline thing before, it's possible that the Amulet is crafted from Moxen. Or it could just be a motif. Just something I thought of now.

This would probably be better, though I will admit I feel a bit of trepidation.

The reason why I feel trepidation is very unfair of me since it's a plot point from the dropped Vasilias arc, but the Moxen were going to be used.
Though not the Alpha moxen, instead moxen collected from across multiple worlds, like the tour prizes by Volkan Baga.

Actually, what would you feel about modeling it from the medallions? They use the same stones and all.

Now, normally I avoid shameless self-promotion...oh, who am I kidding.

All this talk of Moxen keeps reminding me of my most recent poem, Moxen. Check it out if you haven't already. I'm quite fond of it, personally.

I really like this. I will join the chorus that the M:EM needs more artifacts and the like; anything that doesn't fall under the category of planeswalker or plane would make me happier. I think a full story centering around this artifact (or perhaps just several short vignette, if that's the proper term) would be hella fun, though I'm not going to jump on it myself.

I'm not aware of the significance in the Magic timeline of the Moxes, so I can't comment toward them. I will say, however, that the five-colored-gem motif is both fitting for Magic and... perhaps a little cliché. I'm just not sure I'd be immediately willing to accept it with that kind of design.



I am quite sorry you had to endure that. I occasionally make fact-checking forays to the mothership, and it's not nearly as bad when you don't log in, but it's still a bleeding mess over there. I'll put The Blade That Cuts Eternity on the shortlist of things to upload.

The Moxen were used by Ravidel to assemble the Planeswalkers, using several of them to form a beacon so that he could assemble the walkers trapped in the shard, and ultimately realize his revenge.
Among the bearers of the moxen was Jared Carthelion... and I get kind of sad that Jared is put into a woodchipper of canon for being both pre-revision and utterly overshadowed by other figures.

Also, I am somewhat sad that the Mox Lotus is so totally un.

Yeah, Jared was a good character.

I always assumed he used Moxen but not like... The Moxen. I mean, they're not legendary artifacts after all.

Also, someday I really want to hear the full plans for the Vasilias arc. I almost think it'd be a good idea if only because then I'll stop freaking wondering about it. It's a distraction!

I'm willing to share. Just hit up my message box yo.

I won't lie either that I still consider Cara's part it in to be canon to her story arc, if unrevealed.

Huh. That could be... tricky if someone writes something that contradicts it later though, no?

Honestly, I find it unlikely anyone will contradict the series of events set up unless someone decides to spring Renn or kill Molcru. Just about the only way I see that going....

Back to the form of the amulet, I think the reason I gravitated to the five gems is because if the amulet is anything other than "unassuming", its form follows function: containing the soul/spark of planeswalkers, indicating it should probably have a connection to the five colors of mana, either through their common gemstone associations or the Great Metals (The myr metals), potentially both.

I'm honestly drawn a little more to the metals since I feel like it has more promise to be diversive and unique. Braids of metal or different parts using different metals, all on a general base. Like Palladium or something.