Oboru-Muramasa
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 11:28 pm
The legends of the Oboru-Muramasa tell of a soul-stealing sword that exists only to destroy lives, in some respects they aren't wrong. It has had the disturbing tendency to "derail" the lives of those who pick it up, and their souls are never reborn. According to the most common legend, Muramasa crafted his "Demonblade" by calling upon a demon and imprisoning it in pig iron and then crafting it into a beautiful katana. According to this legend each fold of the metal trapped the demon further and drove it a little more mad, by the end it the monster was completely mad with rage and took it's frustration out by tearing the soul out of Muramasa's body. It then exerted control over it's binder's body in order to give it to the Shogun. The Shogun's soul was taken as well, but he had enough magical power to lull the demon into a restless slumber, allowing him to maintain control over his mind and body while he was still alive. This legend couldn't be further from the truth.
The truth of the matter is that Muramasa was an aging Akashic Brother of the Uncrowned Kings, as well as being a master of Fate. He had a vision of a great evil that would consume his beloved Japan and drive the Fallen World into the Abyss. He knew that he was too old to combat the evil, nor was he fated to. His apprentince Tokugawa Ieyasu did have a destiny to combat the great evil and drive it away, but he wasn't near prepared to meet the creature. So Muramasa forged a great and powerful sword, the best that he had ever created, and literally poured his heart, soul, and mind into the blade. When he had completed the work, his soul was bound to the sword. He told Ieyasu of his plan, and presented him with the blade. For his part the future Shogun of Japan went perfectly. He accused Muramasa of creating cursed katanas, had him sentenced to death, and demonized all of his master's swords. All because the gift that had been given to him had knicked his finger. The execution of Muramasa by the sword that he was bound to completed the ritual and he was forever bound to it, able to continue guiding his pupil so that he could drive the great evil from the Fallen World. There was one small error with the design however, the fate of Muramasa is passed on to everyone who wields the sword, but Muramasa was able to alter the enchantment from inside the blade. It can only be picked up by someone who is fated to wield it, and while every owner has their own personality and goals, it has one overarching fate: Wherever a great evil from the Abyss enters the Fallen World, the Oboru-Muramasa will be there to drive it back or destroy it.
The truth of the matter is that Muramasa was an aging Akashic Brother of the Uncrowned Kings, as well as being a master of Fate. He had a vision of a great evil that would consume his beloved Japan and drive the Fallen World into the Abyss. He knew that he was too old to combat the evil, nor was he fated to. His apprentince Tokugawa Ieyasu did have a destiny to combat the great evil and drive it away, but he wasn't near prepared to meet the creature. So Muramasa forged a great and powerful sword, the best that he had ever created, and literally poured his heart, soul, and mind into the blade. When he had completed the work, his soul was bound to the sword. He told Ieyasu of his plan, and presented him with the blade. For his part the future Shogun of Japan went perfectly. He accused Muramasa of creating cursed katanas, had him sentenced to death, and demonized all of his master's swords. All because the gift that had been given to him had knicked his finger. The execution of Muramasa by the sword that he was bound to completed the ritual and he was forever bound to it, able to continue guiding his pupil so that he could drive the great evil from the Fallen World. There was one small error with the design however, the fate of Muramasa is passed on to everyone who wields the sword, but Muramasa was able to alter the enchantment from inside the blade. It can only be picked up by someone who is fated to wield it, and while every owner has their own personality and goals, it has one overarching fate: Wherever a great evil from the Abyss enters the Fallen World, the Oboru-Muramasa will be there to drive it back or destroy it.