Ethereal Blade

The Ethereal Blade is a blade that has been created by the The Immortals for the sake of killing one of their own. As an Immortal cannot use any of the Obsidian Blades of Yahweh without being destroyed themselves--and any and all knowledge pertaining the creation of Immortal-killing weapons had been destroyed--the Immortals decided that they needed a way to be able to equalize the power when neccesary by killing each other.

After years of attempting to discover the secrets of the Obsidian Blades, the Immortals discovered an alternative to the blessed Obsidian. They learned that when a magician was killed, their body left behind a substance known as Ethereal; magic in it's purest form.

This substance was harnassed by slaughtering 15 000 arcanists during the Massacre at Béziers (1209). Aneandor and Caran, who controlled the Papacy and the Kingdom of France respectively, used their sway over their lands to start a war against "Catharism." This resulted in the slaughter of 15 000 arcanists, and the Ethereal harnassed from their bodies was imbued into forged metal and turned into the Ethereal Blade.

Creation
The Ethereal Blade was created by the the Immortals in the year 1294 C.E. Shortly after the early rise of the Mongol Empire in 1206, the Immortals realized the dangers of their powers. Fearing the problems that came from being unable to kill one another, and because no other weapons exist that can kill an Immortal, the Immortals agreed that they needed a way to be able to kill each other. Initially the Immortals attempted to copy the Obsidian Blades whichwould allow an Immortal to use the weapon without being destroyed. However, after a year, the Immortals could find nothing on the Obsidian Blades, as any information on them had been destroyed years ago, after the Library of Alexandria was burned to the ground.

Another year passed, when in 1208, the Immortals discovered that after an arcanist is killed, his body secrets a substance known as Ethereal. After killing one of the members of the Order of Solomon, and harnessing the Ethereal that leaked from his body, the Immortals studied it, and learned that Ethereal--magic in its most pure form--was the only thing that they could use to destroy each other.



The Immortals started a plan in order to harness more Ethereal. Using the Kingdom of France and the Papacy, Aneandor and Caran convinced their respective subordinates to go to war against "Catharists." However, this was a ploy, as the Catharists were really arcanists. The war against the "Catharists" would be ignited by the Massacre at Béziers (1209) and would lead to the Albigensian Crusade.

The Massacre at Béziers resulted in the slaughter of 15 000 arcanists, and the Ethereal harnassed from their bodies was imbued into forged metal. Once the blade was forged, it was sealed away in a cavern in Teutoberg Forest, where it took another 80 years to gather enough magic power from the world around it to be useful. In 1294, the Immortals unsealed the cavern, and took the completed blade, with the goal of using it to kill Traelai and Illara, and end the Mongol Empire.

After it's primary use it was stored within a Mountain Castle-Fortress, where it can be accessed by any Immortal at a time of great need. It was also unanimously agreed that no Immortal shall use the blade to kill another without the unanimous agreement of the other

Immortals. The only exception is when the Immortals are at a state of war with one another.

Usage
The Ethereal Blade has been used by the Immortals on several occassions where they believe that one of their own no longer plays "the game" by the rules. It has been used on the following occaisions:

1294 C.E. (First and Second Use)
The Ethereal Blade was used twice in this year, to kill Traelai and Illara. Both of the Immortals--who had feigned death for almost 2000 years, planned to use the Mongol Empire (1206-1294) to take over the world. After the other Immortals realized what they were planning, they came to a unanimous decision that Traelai, Illara and their Empire needed to be ended. They were finished by Aneandor and Caran in 1294; bringing an end to their lives and their Empire.

1649 C.E. (Third Use)
The Ethereal Blade was used again in 1649, shortly after the Second English Civil War (1648-1649) in England, Id'laron was overthrown by Oliver Cromwell--who was aided and supported by the The Order of Solomon. This overthrow of the English Monarchy caused Id'laron to loose control over the Kingdoms of Ireland, England and Scotland. Angered by this, Id'laron attempted to repeat the arcanic ritual that created the Immortals in order to increase his own powers. He was successful, but the arcanic powers almost destroyed his body, further disfiguring it. As the power slowly began to drive him mad, the other Immortals agreed that he would need to be killed. He was stabbed by the Ethereal Blade and died at the hands of Elidona and Inaeza.

1849 C.E. (Fourth Use)
The Ethereal Blade was used again, 200 years after Id'laron was killed, to kill Aeletai. Aneandor and Vilyos--having replaced Company Rule in India with the British Raj--who planned to give the control of the British Raj to Vilyos. When the two heard word that Aeletai--in control of the Sikh Empire--planned to use her power over the weakening Empire to create more Immortals, effectively making the Sikh Imperial Army an Army of Immortals, the other Immortals agreed that Aeletai needed to be killed. Aneandor and Vilyos preemptively struck at the Sikh Empire, fighting and winning the Anglo-Sikh Wars. After the end of both wars, and subsequent annexation of the Sikh Empire and its provinces into the British Raj, Aeletai attempted to escape and flee to Qing China in order to take control of it. However, she was stopped by Aneador, Vilyos, Lach, Aretë, Naelli and Inaeza before she could escape. After the ensuing battle ended, Vilyos finished Aeletai with the sword.

1917 C.E. (Fifth Use)
During the First World War, in an attempt to weaken the Entente Powers, Caran, Aretë, Lach, and Naelli sought to remove the Russian Empire from the war. Together, the Immortals helped Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks come to power in Russia, allowing for the overthrow of the Russian Empire and Russia's subsequent withdrawal from the war. While the Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace courtyard, Naelli, Lach, Aretë and Caran infiltrated the palace interior. While the Tsar and his family attempted to escape with Inaeza's help, the Immortals cut her off and killed her after an elongated battle. The Immortals fled with Inaeza's body before the Bolshivek rebels showed up and captured the Imperial Royal Family.