From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

The Sceptre of Kings is a mystically empowered and ornately styled medieval mace. It has been the primary tool of The Imperial's arsenal since the beginning of his crime fighting career and has become synonymous with his values. Primarily, the weapon radiates an aura of authority that allows the wielder to calm or rally large crowds. In addition, in times of dire need, the Sceptre infuses its wielder with great power, but leaves him severely exhausted after such displays of strength.

Powers

• It seems to radiate an aura of authority, which allows the subject to calm and order crowds. Those within eyesight of the weapon seem much less susceptible to fear, panic, and depression.
• The Sceptre appears to spontaneously grant their wielder limited precognition.
• The weapon seems to increase in damage potential as the wielder either, (a) becomes more and more wounded, or (b) consciously wills it to greater power. The later seems to place a tremendous amount of mental and physical strain on the user.
• A limited form of intelligence seems to be present in the weapon as telepaths and empaths have repeatedly picked up a faint presence in the mace. Its origin is unknown, but is clearly tied to the ritual that enchanted the mace. However, the intelligence does not seem to be sentient and all methods of communication have failed.

Weapon History

The following is transliterated from “Le Manuscrit de Gabriel,” a fifteenth century French work detailing various legends that arose in the Early to High Middle Ages. Some of these stories seem to have a basis in fact, as the following appears to detail the creation of Subject 43’s well known weapon, the Sceptre of Kings:

“In 1065AD, England was finally united under William the Conqueror, and thirty years later there would be an unprecedented peace between England and France negotiated by Pope Urban II. At the same time, the Turks were rapidly encroaching on the Holy Lands, attacking Christian pilgrims and promising what was to become the greatest series of misguided conflicts in western history: The Crusades.

”Several years later, in 1070, the Ordo Fenestra Pullus (The Order of the Darkened Window – apparently so named for the habit of meeting in secrecy) arose in Constantinople. Comprised of powerful sorcerers from the old world, Christian spiritualists, and Muslim occultists, these men of vision realized that while conflict was healthy for growing civilization, if left unchecked, the potent religious and political fervor of the time would lead to the utter destruction of humanity’s achievements and knowledge - a vision that nearly came true as the dark ages settled across the world.

“Unwilling to leave the fate of their people to chance, they combined their talents and enchanted two powerful weapons: a European mace and an Arabian scimitar. Respectively, these weapons would come to be known as the First of God and the Teeth of God (or “Sen-Al-Allah” to the Turks and Arabs). These potent weapons were empowered to fight against chaos and tap into the souls and wills of these diverse peoples. Each weapon drew strength from the need and the will of its wielder; thus, they became more and more powerful as their wielder’s weakened in battle. This effect gave rise to the legend that the weapons made their wielders invincible on the field of battle. Certainly, this is not too far from the truth. The mace, or as it was ceremoniously known – the Fist of God, was given to European royalty, while the scimitar, also known as the Teeth of God, was given to the Turks with hopes that no matter how the battles turned out, both sides would be guided by the inexpressible intelligence and terrible effectiveness of the weapons to pursue peace.

”Both weapons were mighty in battle, the mace able to shatter stone and metal with ease while the scimitar was said to be able to cut diamonds. In addition, they generated an aura of authority that rallied the people to the wielder. Finally, both weapons were said to contain the essence of the ground where the Angel Gabriel’s feet touched during his talk with Jacob, a myth common to both religions which joined their wielders. It is said that the weapons seemed to possess an intelligence of their own which would force upon the wielders at random, but largely beneficial times visions shortly into the future. This intelligence also seemed to choose some men to take up the weapons and disallow others. There are documented accounts of a king or other leader who would be unable to physically move either weapon. Like prideful brothers, the wielders fought together for the future of humanity and against each other for whose future would prevail.

”The enchanted scimitar disappears from Christian records in the thirteenth century; documented sightings of it in use are nonexistent after the invasions of the Huns. The mace has now picked up a new name, the Sceptre of Kings, and has been seen in use as recently as Anno Domini 1430: during the great war between the French and the English, the champion of King Charles VII – Reynier d'Angoulesme – was seen wielding the Fist of God against a line of English infantry.”

Records do not document the use nor sighting of the enchanted mace again until the late 1930s, when it appears at the side of The Imperial. All available rearch and data corroborates the Subject’s story that this is the Fist of God, the magically crafted mace of legend.