Splendid Buckler of Good
| Type | Shield |
|---|---|
| Discovered By | Sven Rasthaven |
| Discovery Date | (unknown) |
| Discovery Location | Itorunt, East Continent |
| Abilities | Prestige +6 |
| Current Owner | Cayden Navaar |
Description
16 inches in diameter, this magnificent wood and bronze buckler is as ancient as it is beautiful. It's dome-shape makes it excellent for deflecting blows away from the wielder. The reinforcing band around the rim is a ring of steel riveted in place by evenly spaced brass tacks. Its weight is relatively light; not as heavy as those made with iron or denser modern woods, but slightly heavier than bucklers made out of a single piece of steel.
The boss in the center is made of seemingly tarnish-protected bronze, which represents the shining sun as the centerpiece of the buckler's decorative face design. Outward from the boss, bronze "tendrils" representing fire extend in each cardinal and ordinal direction. Each of these tendrils is etched with fine details that give an impression of depth to the flames, and where the tip of each meets the rim band the buckler is inlaid with a small yellow gemstone. Amazingly, none have been knocked loose by time. On the contrary, the buckler seems to have suffered little wear over the years, which is believed to be part of why it has either retained or been given the adjective of Splendid in its name; its splendor has not seemingly diminished since the time of its initial crafting.
The grip is a single round wooden handle that sits vertically across the "bowl" opening on the back. It is believed to be made from the wood of the now-extinct Fortis Uireb tree, a dark cherry-colored hardwood which was named for its long life and sturdiness (Fortis Uireb itself is a mix of Latin and Elvish meaning "steadfast eternal" or "strong eternal"). These trees were once cultivated by native Elvish in the region of the Great Celestial Forest now known as Rollbar. When the Elvish ceased this cultivation, the tree species eventually died out.
The exact reasons for why the cultivation ceased are unknown, but the prevailing theories are that either: 1) The Elvish tribe responsible for the cultivation went extinct, taking their sacred techniques with them, or 2) The knowledge was lost over time as the tribe bred out and expanded bloodlines. If the information wasn't properly recorded, instead being passed down orally to protect the sanctity of the techniques, then it's possible bits and pieces of information were simply forgotten over time. This would eventually lead to the knowledge being lost all together. In either case, the sacred knowledge for how to cultivate these ancient trees was eventually lost, and the tree species, valued for its durability as well as its split and rot resistance, was eventually felled by craftsman into extinction.
While dates of when the last Fortis Uireb tree actually fell or perished are "guesstimates" at best, the Splendid Buckler of Good having a handle of this type of wood still makes it undeniably old, with an incredible historical significance. It has few known surviving brethren artifacts. With this in mind, the buckler has either been exceptionally well maintained by someone or it is enchanted with some kind of durability magic.