Hegulcien

Hegulcien is a sword granted to the Redsteele clan centuries ago. It was recently rediscovered and recovered by Red. The extent of its power remains to be seen, but it's at least known to be a decently powerful weapon.

Creation/Discovery
The creation of Hegulcien is rather vaguely known due to how long ago it happened. According to the story passed down in the Redsteele family, it was initially forged by a master blacksmith with a mythical metal, never before seen in the land they lived in after their move. In addition, the blacksmith was said to have placed a precious red jewel directly in the center of the crossguard.

At the king's request, it was then sent to a council of royal sages. The sages first enchanted the blade, making it especially powerful. Then they performed a special magic infusion on the gem, granting some form of magical power to the blade.

History of Item
Hegulcien was bestowed by the king of an ancient Alathran kingdom to Gerald Redsteele, the first Redsteele noted for exceptional combat skill. The sword was a gift for years of faithful service and heroic acts during a war some months prior.

According to Redsteele legend, Hegulcien was wielded for many years in service to this kingdom. Many a bandit was said to fear the day they had to cross blades with Gerald and Hegulcien, for a flash of red was the last thing they would see before they died. It was even said to have been wielded during a large war that took place across several continents, although which continents were not previously known.

During this war, Gerald suffered a serious injury to his sword arm, marking the end of his fighting days. Months after the war's end, with most of the rebuilding done, Gerald decided to leave Alathra completely, seeking a land where he could live out the rest of his days in peace. This included leaving Hegulcien behind. He buried it somewhere in the old kingdom he called home. At the same time, he wrote an entry in his journal, detailing its location and power. After travelling to his new home, the journal was found to be missing, and Gerald assumed both the journal and the blade were lost forever.

Hundreds of years later, One of Gerald's descendants, Bertram "Red" Redsteele, was banished from the land Gerald had moved to, and found himself back in Alathra. He had heard the legends that were passed down in the family, but with no details on the location, he didn't know where to search.

One particular visit to the Library changed this. While browsing through the many volumes adorning the shelves on the main floor, the Library's curator, Devox Runeheart, presented him with a particular book they had noticed that seemed to be related to him. The book in question turned out to be Gerald's old journal. Upon taking it home and reading it, although the writing was muddled in some places from age and weather conditions, Nin was able to locate where Hegulcien was buried; an abandoned jungle structure in eastern Gaushan. He dug up the chest it was in and recovered it, finding it to be in perfect condition. When he grabbed it for the first time, he swore he saw the crossguard's gem light up for a moment, and a wave of power coursed through his body, as though it was made specifically for him.

Special Traits
Hegulcien, as a sword, is about on par with most other netherite swords in Alathra. The enchantments bestowed upon it all those years ago remain intact, and appear to have preserved the blade in perfect condition, as well as granting the sword a considerable increase in power over what it could normally do. The blade is said to be naught but a common sword in the hands of anyone not from the Redsteele family line, the enchants only effective when they use it.

The magic powers granted by the gem are currently unknown. Similar to the enchants, the magic is said to only take effect when a Redsteele wields it, and then only when certain conditions are met. The conditions are currently not known. The nature of the magic is also not known, as they're not described within the journal, and were never described by Gerald himself, though the Redsteeles have speculated on this for many years. Some claimed it was intense fire magic, others suggest it was blood magic, and yet others say it was crimson might. Regardless of the claims, all in the family agree the power was red in color, intentionally created to match the family name.

Current Usage/Location
Hegulcien is currently in Red's possession. He carries and wields it to protect Alathrans from the threat of monsters, as well as to continue his sword training. He has been unable to unlock its magic powers, but is making active efforts to try and discover them and live up to Gerald's legacy.