CLEAVING CLEAVER, The Mated Axe, L'Hache du Ménage à Trois Joyeux

(paired orichalcum daiklave and moonsilver shield)

Medium; Accuracy: +3, Damage: +12, Overwhelming: 5, Defense: +1

Melee, Lethal, Bashing, Balanced, Shield, Paired

Paired: This weapon is part of a pair designed to be used together, and thus enjoys the same +2
to clash attacks normally only enjoyed by paired weapons of the same type.

The baroque written characters of the Old Realm language convey many subtleties and nuances
which could produce entirely different meanings in words which shared the exact same
pronunciation. The creator of this weapon named it thus in appreciation of the pun whereby a
word for "to come inseparably together, especially in marriage" and another word for "to be
cut apart" could only be distinguished by context. As such, this weapon's proper name is just
the same character written twice merely with different conjugations, and can be interpreted in
no less than four possible meanings. All of them are true and equally intended, even the sillier
combinations.

Cleaving Cleaver represents the relationship of love that its Twilight creator forged together
with a Dawn swordswoman and a Full Moon shieldmaiden. The two were already lovers and
practiced battle-partners when he met them; they first accepted him into their lives through
friendship and appreciation of the wonderful toys he gave them, and later mutually agreed to
accept him further. Without the strong reciprocal feelings and hard-earned bonds of trust
between the three, the Axe of the Joyful Threesome could not have been made.

The weapon also embodies the combination of their weapons and fighting strategies together
with the Twilight's own, as an axe-man.

In its basic form, this weapon actually exists as two separate components -- a sword with a
single edge, and a shield with a bladed rim. The first is largely made of orichalcum and the
second of moonsilver, but each is heavily accented with the primary material of the other.
When not attuned or readied for battle by an attuned user, the sword is sheathed within the
shield, the two components combining together in an artful shape which rests easily upon its
user's back until it is needed, but which could otherwise be used only as an awkward,
improvised sword or shield. This is known as its slumbering form, though it has also been
cheekily called its cuddling form, not the least because it clings to the user's back of its own
power, without need of any harness.
It takes patience, practice, and understanding to produce the fabled Mated Axe form, whereby
the sword is sheathed into the shield, and the shield affects a transformation, traveling up the
sword blade, rotating around, and splitting apart to become a massive twin-bladed axe head, as
the sword adjusts itself to become a proper two-handed grip for the weapon's revealed shape.

Since the creation of this weapon, others were inspired to create similar wonders. Whereas the
orichalcum of the original works to gather, amplify, and (with small amounts of starmetal)
transform high-impact energy, a green jade and moonsilver imitator produces, refines, and
stores deadly poison.

An unholy mirror of this wonder is rumored to exist, substituting orichalcum for soulsteel
forged from the souls of two lovers who were tricked by a third paramour into killing each
other. This tortured weapon seeks to ensnare as many souls as possible to join its own in their
torment, and its greatest feats are generated from bitter antagonism and aching hearts rather
than playful cooperation and soaring joy.

Evocations:

When a Solar or Lunar attunes to the Cleaving Cleaver, he automatically gains the ability to split
the wonder apart from its slumbering form into its separated sword and shield form. This
requires nothing more than the usual Draw Weapon action. However, reuniting the weapon
into its slumbering form requires its own Ready Weapon action separate from a Ready Weapon
action to draw and prepare any other weapon for use. Dropping one or the other or both to
instantly free one or both of the character's hands is an option if he wants to switch to another
weapon with just one Ready Weapon action, but this disrespect carries consequences.

Should the user lose the sword, he need only wait until the sun next rises, and the sword will
reappear within the shield in a flash of sunlight. The shield would return in a similar manner at
the next moonrise. But if one was lost because the user dropped one or both to more quickly
draw another weapon, then once the halves are reunited, the weapon will stubbornly refuse to
leave its slumbering form for the rest of the day.

An effect which can break attunements needs only strike one of the Mated Axe's separate
components to work, but so long as the user possesses one half and did not lose the other due
to deliberately dropping it in battle, the lost half will refuse attunement from anyone else and
still reappear on its own as per normal; in the meantime, the user can attune once again to the
whole weapon using just one component.
However, if the user did lose one half from deliberately dropping it, he cannot attune to the
Mated Axe again until the lost component returns. Further, it will accept attunement from
someone else, which would mean that previous user will find himself divorced rather than
reunited at the appointed time, as the remaining component leaves him.

Emboldening Caress -- The sword component recalls the swordswoman's personality as a

saucy tease given to public displays of affection, both to harden her own resolve and to
mock her enemies. She was ever the instigator, always encouraging her lovers to experience
new heights.
1m; Reflexive, Instant; Perilous; Essence 1 -- No Prerequisites

This Evocation supplements a Ready Weapon action in which the weapon's user draws the back
of the sword along the back of the shield. The character's player reflexive rolls the same dice-
pool he would for a Melee attack without weapon modifiers, which he may supplement with an
Excellency.

Every two successes on the roll adds a non-Charm die to the raw damage of the user's next
attack with the sword. This benefit is lost if the master is struck or suffers damage from any
source before his next turn.

 The charge-up move which boosts the sword alone. One of four or five different kinds of
"charge" involving the Charge Blade, which most everyone just calls "charge" without
distinction. Ugh!

In Monster Hunter, this "Ready Weapon action" cannot also serve as the one necessary
to switch the axe back into the sword and shield form; the weapon must already be in
sword and shield form. Exalted can be more flexible, or else this or certain other Charge
Blades might allow it because of their particular natures.

MHX's Bushido Style provides Bushido Guard, which allows for a successful shield-block
to instantly boost the sword attack without the charge-up period. Another Evocation, or
something to build into this one?

Changing Positions -- The axe-man found mere enthusiasm inadequate to keep up with his
lovers on the battlefield or at home. He needed to learn both flexibility and creativity in
order to become part of their lives.
0m; Reflexive, Instant; Uniform; Essence 1 -- No Prerequisites
This Evocation supplements a Ready Weapon action, transforming the weapon into the
combined axe form, or transforming the axe form back into the separated sword and shield.
The Defense penalty of a normal Ready Weapon action is negated unless the user is readying
the weapon from its slumbering form.

This Evocation cannot be used to supplement the same action as Emboldening Caress, but for a
cost of two motes, the user may draw or ready a different weapon in the same action that he
returns the Mated Axe to its slumbering form upon his back. This Ready Weapon action
penalizes Defense as normal.

Alternatively, for a cost of two motes, this Evocation may supplement an attack, transforming
the sword and shield into an axe (or the axe back into a sword and shield), before the size of
the attack dice-pool is figured.

Heavy; Accuracy: +1, Damage: +14, Overwhelming: 5, Defense: +0

Melee, Lethal, Chopping, Two-Handed, Reach

Guard Point
2m; Reflexive, Instant; Perilous; Essence 2 -- Changing Positions

This Evocation represents the user mastering the technique of arranging the weapon's
transformations such that the shield is positioned to catch a blow even while it it is still
changing shape.

When the weapon is in its axe form, this Evocation may be used to supplement a Full Defense
or Defend Other action, quickly producing the sword and shield form. This does not count as a
Ready Weapon action, and thus does not penalize the master's Defense or prevent the master
from employing the Shield tag to flurry a Full Defense action with some other, non-attack
action.

This Evocation may also be used to supplement a parry after a turn in which the user used
Changing Positions to transform the weapon into its axe form, but did not attack. The weapon
transforms back into a pair of medium weapons (with their superior +1 Defense bonus) before
the user's Parry value is applied, and it remains that way until transformed again.

Sidebar: Charging up the Burst

The sword is patient with its user until he learns either the "Flush With Excitement" or "Burst
Attack" Evocation, at which point it will no longer set aside its needs or those of its mate. The
sword possesses its own mote-pool separate from the user's, and fills this pool with one mote
for each point of Initiative stolen and two motes for each level of health damaged when it or
the shield successfully strikes an enemy. Inflicting damage with the axe form does not produce
this energy.

Once the sword contains 11+ motes, it cannot be used to attack anymore; it refuses. The sword
quietly demands that its pent-up energies instead be transferred into its mated shield with a
Ready Weapon action (which cannot be supplemented by Emboldening Caress) or with an
attack supplemented by Changing Positions for the purpose of producing the axe form. Every
two motes contained within the sword becomes one "shield-stock", these motes can only be
used to create shield-stocks, and only five stocks may be created at any one time. Left-over
motes are simply lost.

Successfully parrying with the shield likewise fills up the sword's mote pool at a rate of (1 + [1
for each point by which the attack's successes failed to meet the user's Parry value]).

Flush With Excitement -- The shield component reflects the more careful and reserved
demeanor of the shieldmaiden, but she more than matched the swordswoman's passion
when fully aroused.
0m; Permanent; Perilous; Essence 3 -- Changing Positions

When using Changing Positions or Guard Points to transform the weapon from the axe form
into the sword and shield form, the user may likewise transform all available shield-stocks into
a shield-boost. Alternatively, the user may use a Ready Weapon action to create a boost from
existing stocks rather than creating more stocks.

The boost increases the shield's Defense by 2, and the raw damage of the shield and axe by 3.
These effects lasts one round (or two) for each converted stock, up to a limit of five (or ten)
rounds. There may only ever be one boost at a time, but a boost's duration may be recharged
before it runs out.

Counter Burst
3m; Reflexive, Instant; Withering-only, Counterattack, Perilous; Essence 3 -- Flush With
Excitement

When performing a Full Defense or Defend Other action while the shield is boosted with Flush
With Excitement, the user may activate this Evocation in response to any attack that fails to
overcome his Parry Defense.

[missing mechanics for the counter-attack]

Burst Attack
0m; Supplemental, Instant; Decisive-only; Essence 1 -- Changing Positions

Supplement an attack with the axe form by spending one stock to double 10s on the damage
roll.

Alternatively, spend one stock for a stronger "Super" damage boost, where you also add one
automatic success to the damage roll. This has the cost cost of reflexively returning the weapon
into the sword and shield form afterwards. With sufficient damage, even creatures with the
Legendary Size merit can be knocked prone, and they will likely suffer penalties from being
stunned, similar to Solar Brawl's Ox-Stunning Blow.

Finally, if the weapon has a shield boost, you can spend it and all stocks at once for the most
massive "Ultra" damage boost. This includes the raw damage bonus of the shield-boost, the
double 10s of a regular Burst attack, and one automatic success for each available shield-stock.
With sufficient damage, even creatures with the Legendary Size merit can be knocked prone,
and they might even be knocked unconscious, similar to Solar Brawl's Knockout Blow.