Description
Pieces of the Ousiac collection are different depending on their purpose. In many cases the visual distinction appears to be related to the function of the blade, but in others they are merely aesthetic, likely to be able to properly identify the effect of the piece at a glance or by feel. Blades with the same effect are nearly identical, but vary slightly due to their handcrafted nature.
Soulrazor
The soulrazor variety has a blade made of smooth obsidian which appears to have a natural near-crescent shape rather than having been chipped and carved from a larger piece. Its handle is made of bone of an unknown origin, and between the handle and blade is a piece of cloudy but mostly transparent quartz, as unnaturally smooth as the obsidian itself. It is believed that this stone is related to ghostglass due both to its appearance and the related function of the knife itself.
As a mundane blade, a soulrazor differs very little from any obsidian blade in terms of its sharpness and potentially limited utility. While it appears to be stronger than other obsidian blades - it does not appear to easily chip or shatter - it has no effect whatsoever on metals, rock, or wood. Its magical nature is centered around the capability to sever a soul's ties to the living realm, whether that be to its host body or to some other kind of anchor tethering it to the mortal plane.
The quartz appears to be the focal point of this power as it is nearly identical to ghostglass lenses in composition and shaping. It also seems to interact with the spirit plane in some fashion itself, revealing via a swirling image within it whether or not it is currently cutting a tether between a soul and whatever is binding it.
When used as a regular knife or sickle, it appears to have no ability to cut deeply into flesh, rendering it safer for general use but likewise less effective. It does, however, seem to be able to penetrate fairly far with its point if struck at the correct angle. This is believed to be a flaw in its design as it serves no purpose with regard to its seemingly-intended use case.
Desister
Known to academics and mystics as a
desister, its original name lost to time, one piece of the Ousiac collection is a dagger with a straight, narrow blade, larger than the average stiletto but still relatively small and concealable. It is sometimes colloquially known as a "stasis dagger" in reference to its effect. The dagger seems to be able to pierce any flesh that it has been tested on, however, it leaves no trace of damage to the body either upon penetration or after removal of the blade. There is no pain directly associated with being subjected to this blade. What it does do, however, is lock the victim's entire mortal being in a state of total paralysis and bodily harmony - that is, a person or animal stabbed with the dagger seems to no longer exist as a person on the mortal plane for the duration of its insertion into the body. They become like stone, impervious to aging, unaware of their surroundings, and in no need of fulfilling their natural requirements such as sleeping or eating.
Upon removal of the dagger, however, the body rapidly ages to its right state had it never been subjected to the blade to begin with. The longer a period of time under its spell, the more injurious and possibly even brutal the effects of the removal are felt. It is expected that as little as days under its influence could kill a normal human or any species with a similar metabolism.
The intended purpose of this device is not fully known, however it seems to work very well as a surgical tool at least under emergency conditions as it stops bloodflow and every other process, including pain, while in use.
