Lore
When the wind of the Blade-Wind met the hush of Eressai’s silence, their remnants forged an accord: the art of motion unseen. A wandering rune-smith recovered both relics — twin blades that danced like air and the pendant that erased sound — and bound them beneath the moon using shadow-silk and the lost Rune of Still Motion. From that union came a weapon that moves through presence and absence alike. Wielders of the Whispered Blades are said to vanish mid-strike, their attacks cutting through both body and memory, leaving only the echo of intent.
Description
A matched pair of slim, curved short-blades linked at the hilts by a black shadow-silk cord from which hangs a hollow teardrop of smoky quartz. The blades shimmer faintly, runes gliding along their flats like quicksilver breath, while the cord drinks surrounding light. When drawn, air hushes; when sheathed, faint gray motes rise and fade like sighs.
Stats
• Tier: 2
• Type: Weapon (Dual Light Blades, merged worn/held item)
• Slot: Weapon slot (single merged object)
• Durability: 120 / 120
• Weight: 2.2 lb
• Value: ~950 gold (even trade of silence and speed)
• Damage: Base 1d6 per blade + Tier bonus (+2 precision damage); ignores 1 point of armor.
Tags
Stealth, Silence, Agility, Precision, Rune-Bound, Dual-Wield, Shadowcraft, Mind’s Eye Alignment, Elven Artistry, Presence Control, Assassin’s Tool, Motion and Absence, Legendary Craftsmanship, Shadow-Runed, Dual-Spirit, Silent-Strike, Lunar-Forged, Rune-Bound Fusion, Arcane-Silk, Void-Tempered, Whisper-Forged, Assassin’s Relic, Night-Dancer
Passive Magics
• Veiled Flow Rune — Movement and attack rolls while in motion gain +1 speed and advantage on Stealth checks; standing still restores stamina twice as fast from exertion.
• Echoless Dance — While dual-wielding, footfalls and breath fade within 20 ft; enemies take –2 to Perception to locate you by sound or memory.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge — Each strike calms the mind; +1 on rolls vs fear, panic, or mental interference for one minute after successful hit.
• Unbroken Momentum — When both blades hit in a turn, gain a brief +1 AC and resistance (10%) to ranged attacks for that round.
Active Magics
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day) — The user blurs for one minute; attacks gain advantage and foes have disadvantage to retaliate. Ends if the user shouts or is grappled.
• Hollow Step (2/day, recharges at dawn) — Instantly silences movement for ten seconds; +3 Stealth or Dexterity checks to approach, evade, or strike from cover.
• Erased Echo (1/day) — After combat or travel, spend ten seconds to cleanse tracks, scent, and magical residue in a 10-ft radius.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/long rest) — Channel the memory of the archivist and the Blade-Wind: for one round become intangible to non-magical attacks and deliver a single precision strike that deals double damage if it hits; leaves a gray after-image for one turn.
(Merged item occupies a single Weapon slot and counts as one attuned item for tier and slot limits.)
Item Hit Points (Magical Integrity)
The Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step possess 60 item hit points (IHP) representing their arcane lattice and rune integrity. If these 60 points are depleted through targeted strikes, shatter-magic, or disjunction effects, the enchantments collapse — the blades revert to mundane steel and the smoky quartz loses its motes, rendering all magical abilities inert until repaired. Physical structure remains but the merged enchantment dissolves.
Repair and Restoration
To restore the item’s magic, the wielder (or an adept craftsman) must perform a three-night silent repair ritual involving:
• Re-etching the Nimble Evasion and Still Motion runes with fresh shadow-ink under moonlight.
• Bathing the blades in distilled night dew and molten quartz dust to re-stabilize mana flow.
• Spending 500 gold in reagents and a full day of focused meditation (Arcana or Runecraft DC 18).
When complete, the item regains full integrity and reactivates its Tier 2 enchantments at 120/120 durability and 60/60 IHP.
Acquisition & Commerce of Item 2117: Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
(Merged Tier-2 relic forged from Bound Blades and the Hollow Veil)
1. Veilbinder-Smithies
Hidden in subterranean alleys or moonlit high towers, Veilbinder-Smithies are run by artisans who merge rune-craft and silence magic. Entry often requires sponsorship from an espionage guild or prior purchase of Veil artifacts. Each blade pair is custom-tuned to the wielder’s heartbeat and reflex.
Typical Price: 1,100 – 1,300 gold
Barter Options: rare metals, runestones, or the buyer’s own shadow bound for a night.
2. Duelist Academies of Nimble Art
Elite combat schools teaching acrobatic swordplay occasionally auction these blades to graduates who survive the final “Dance of Echoes.” The academy ensures that only those trained in grace and restraint handle such artifacts.
Typical Price: 950 – 1,000 gold
Conditions: proof of mastery in Acrobatics or a duel to first blood against an instructor.
3. Whispercloak Curio Halls
These silent, incense-filled markets operate in fog-drenched cities like Vara-Sul and Ecliptane. Merchants display nothing openly; transactions occur through whispered negotiation over covered trays. The weapon is considered a relic of balance between presence and absence.
Typical Price: 1,000 – 1,200 gold
Trade Practices: payment accepted in electrum, secrets, or documented favors owed to the guild.
4. Shadow-Path Guildhouses
Rogue fraternities and espionage networks trade such relics as initiation rewards for completing major infiltrations. Their merchants see the blades as a statement of rank among assassins or scouts.
Typical Price: 1,250 – 1,500 gold
Exchange Conditions: proof of successful infiltration, recovered intelligence, or elimination of rival threats.
5. Emberforge Runecrafters
In Acheulean or Fauresmith territories, these semi-legal forge-temples specialize in re-binding lost relics into functional modern form. Their craft blends molten rune-steel with shadow-ink, forging weaponry that bridges artifice and absence.
Typical Price: 1,100 gold flat commission
Surcharge: +15% if the customer requests a personalized rune-pattern or upgraded alloy.
6. Silent Weaver Enclaves
Floating or subterranean collectives of shadow-silk weavers who craft weapon cords, scabbards, and rune-threads. They trade Whispered Blades only during lunar eclipses, viewing the sale as both ritual and blessing.
Typical Price: 900 – 1,050 gold
Payment Form: silk bolts, rare dyes, or offerings to their order’s quiet shrine.
7. Black-Market Brokerages
In high-population capitals such as Khet-Vara or Sar-Kwe, discrete brokers sell confiscated or reclaimed versions smuggled from military vaults. These deals are risky but bypass guild vetting.
Typical Price: 1,400 – 1,800 gold
Risks: unverified attunement — some copies retain “echo-fade” side effects, dulling user memories.
8. Pilgrim Cloisters of Vanishing Paths
Remote cliffside monasteries that view motion and silence as divine balance. Monks sometimes sell a consecrated pair to travelers who prove restraint through meditation. Each transaction includes a vow of discretion.
Typical Price: 850 – 950 gold
Requirement: silent fasting for one day and successful completion of a balance test (walking a suspended rope bridge in silence).
9. Night Bazaar Blade-Circles
Nomadic markets appearing once per decade in deserts and jungles. Blades are sold wrapped in shadow-cloth by masked traders under veiled lamps. No haggling; one price, one promise.
Typical Price: 1,000 gold exact
Custom: seller demands the buyer whisper the weapon’s intended purpose before coin exchange; deceit is believed to curse the blade’s edge.
10. Royal Collectors’ Auctions (Aetherian Courts)
Occasionally, noble collectors or dueling houses auction a verified Whispered Blade set recovered from historic battles. These events mix prestige and danger — assassination attempts are not uncommon.
Typical Price: 2,000 – 2,400 gold (depending on provenance)
Bonus: certificate of attunement signed by a Runewarden; considered a symbol of high social station.
Across Saṃsāra, prices vary by region and secrecy. Common trade spans 850 to 1,800 gold, with ritual or noble versions commanding double. Few shops display the blades openly — their silence speaks for their worth.
Roleplay in different environments:
Urban — defense
• Move through crowded bazaars and alleyways as if braided into the crowd: use Hollow Step to silence approach and Veiled Flow Rune to blur motion, slipping behind market stalls or into side-doors before pursuers notice.
• During a street ambush, draw the blades and trigger Slip Between Strikes to become hard to lock onto; use Unbroken Momentum after landing hits to shrug off ranged volleys while you back away into a shadowed doorway.
• In tense interrogations or crowded courts, Mind’s Quiet Edge steadies nerves; the wearer can feign calm, answer a single question, then vanish from the attention of eavesdroppers so guards misremember where they last saw them.
Urban — offense
• Close with a target using Hollow Step to cross noisy rooftops or clattering gutters undetected, then open with a precision double-strike that triggers Bladed Wind-style momentum for a decisive finish.
• Plant false evidence or swipe documents with Erased Echo afterward, leaving pursuers chasing red herrings while you slip through service tunnels.
• In dueling pits or alleys, bait heavy-armed foes into wild swings; weave with the blades’ agility to let attacks pass through air and counter with rapid precision strikes that exploit the foe’s missed tempo.
Wilderness & Forest — defense
• Move silently across underbrush and creekbeds using Hollow Step; Veiled Flow reduces detection by predators and trackers, letting the wearer sleep or hide while companions keep watch.
• When startled by a hunting pack or guardian beast, trigger Slip Between Strikes to avoid becoming the focal point of the hunt; the beast’s attention fractures and the wearer can disengage or lead pursuers into natural traps.
• If ambushed from above or around a bend, use Unbroken Momentum to create temporary resistance to ranged shots while retreating into cover.
Wilderness & Forest — offense
• Ambush game or patrols by closing unseen along game trails with Hollow Step, strike silently from concealment, and use Erased Echo to remove scent and prints so trackers follow a clean trail away from the kill site.
• Against monstrous sentries sensitive to sound or memory, coordinate with ranged allies: draw attention briefly, then vanish mid-strike and allow archers to hit exposed flanks while enemies search the wrong spot.
Dungeons & Ruins — defense
• Slip into shadowed niches as sentry constructs sweep by; the blades’ presence-control confuses patrol logs and magical recording runes, buying time to bypass or disable wards.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge protects the wearer from fear traps or interrogation glyphs; when a trap triggers, move with Veiled Flow to a safe alcove and recover while allies handle levers or rituals.
• If cornered in a narrow corridor, use Hollow Step to make each step silent and unpredictable; counterattacks after both blades connect grant brief protection to withdraw through collapsing passages.
Dungeons & Ruins — offense
• Approach relic vaults under the cover of Erased Echo, suppressing recent magical traces so the warding scripts need re-sighting; strike a lone cultist quickly and vanish before their comrades organize.
• In rooms with memory-bound sentries or echo-ward constructs, Slip Between Strikes breaks the construct’s fixation; the wearer can move through its gaze and sever power conduits without drawing full retaliation.
Social & Diplomatic Arenas — defense
• Attend courts or salons and remain deliberately forgettable: Veiled Presence makes gossip and recall fuzzier, so whispered slights pass unnoticed and rival scent-watchers misplace the wearer in testimony.
• If debate turns hostile, Mind’s Quiet Edge prevents fluster and broken composure; afterward, use Hollow Step to exit a tense parley without attracting guards or scandal.
• When an assassination attempt or mob panic erupts, Slip Between Strikes lets the wearer become a ghost in the crowd to escort a VIP away unnoticed.
Social & Diplomatic Arenas — offense
• Plant rumors with calculated anonymity: speak once, let memory of the voice fade, and watch misinformation take root; Erased Echo erases telltale traces of the meeting.
• Steal incriminating documents from a council chamber and leave no trail; the slow unraveling of recall among witnesses serves as the greatest weapon in intrigue.
Naval & Aerial — defense
• Move across decks or rigging during night watches with Hollow Step to avoid alerting sentries; Veiled Flow muffles blade-scratch and line-clanks so boarding parties miscount crew.
• In boarding fights, Slip Between Strikes creates gaps in enemy coordination, allowing the wearer to duck below decks and close hatchways, protecting allies as they rearrange defenses.
Naval & Aerial — offense
• Sabotage rigging or magic-sails by approaching under Erased Echo, cut key lines, and vanish as alarms ring; pursuers search the wrong quarter.
• On floating platforms, use the blades’ intangibility burst (Whisper of Eressai) to pass through a defender’s crossfire and land a lethal precision strike on a helmsman or spell-vane.
Battlefield & Skirmish — defense
• In small skirmishes, the wearer becomes an elusive node: drawing attention briefly, then dissolving with Slip Between Strikes to break enemy focus so friendly units can maneuver.
• When targeted by archers or magic, Unbroken Momentum after a successful dual strike grants momentary resistance to ranged fire, buying time to wrap in a smoke or retreat with allies.
Battlefield & Skirmish — offense
• Act as a surgical strike team: slip behind flanks under Hollow Step, cut supply lines or banners, then erase tracks to make it look like enemy raiders did the deed.
• In assassinations of enemy officers, synchronize Hollow Step and Slip Between Strikes with diversionary attacks; leave no living witness who can place the culprit in memory.
Arenas & Performance — defense
• In staged duels or displays, the wearer masks true intent: feints are harder to read because Veiled Flow and Mind’s Quiet hide microtells, letting the performer survive brutal exhibitions.
• When a crowd turns violent, the wearer can fold into onlookers and let guardians mistime their responses.
Arenas & Performance — offense
• Use the blades to choreograph a breathtaking disappearance mid-routine, converting spectacle into opportunity to strike an exposed champion or to retrieve a hidden relic.
• In covert ops dressed as entertainers, Hollow Step and Erased Echo let the wearer remove a protective charm or replace a locked ledger without breaking character.
Operational notes (roleplay consequences)
• Allies: trusted companions must learn the wearer’s cues; long use creates emotional distance—roleplay tension as friends misremember or worry the wearer is “elsewhere.”
• Overuse: repeated activation is narratively draining—describe mild vertigo, gray after-images, or the slow fraying of personal memory threads to show cost.
• Mind’s Eye interplay: the blades do not erase facts from the Mind’s Eye but make the wearer slip from attention—skilled scholars or higher-tier seers may still detect runic traces; this creates dramatic cat-and-mouse scenes where stealth meets insight.
Use the blades for precision strikes, misdirection, and absence as both shield and blade — defense that dissolves focus, and offense that leaves enemies hunting echoes rather than flesh.
Perception of Activation:
User’s Perspective
When the Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step awaken, the air collapses into silence as if the world inhales. The black shadow-silk cord cools against the wrist, pulsing once with a heartbeat not the wearer’s own. The runes on each blade ignite with liquid silver light, flowing upward in a serpentine dance that mirrors breathing. Sound diminishes — even the rush of blood softens — and motion feels weightless, as though gravity itself loosens its hold. Each swing leaves a faint afterimage, a glimmering trail of quicksilver breath that fades into gray motes. Time seems to stretch between each heartbeat, granting the sensation of existing one step ahead of reality.
Observer’s Perspective
To onlookers, the wielder’s form distorts at the edges. Their shape becomes fluid and blurred, movements too smooth and rapid for the eye to anchor. Every sound — the whisper of fabric, the scrape of metal — is swallowed before reaching the ear. The smoky quartz teardrop brightens briefly, then dims, its inner motes swirling like captured fog. When the blades move, a faint mirage follows, rippling through the air as if space itself were disturbed. Observers report a strange compulsion to glance away or forget the exact placement of the wielder, as if the mind refuses to hold the image steady.
Positives
• Movement becomes effortless and graceful; fatigue fades beneath the steady rhythm of silence.
• Reflexes heighten — every motion feels premeditated, each breath perfectly timed with intent.
• The mind attains a still clarity, immune to panic, distraction, or fear.
• Allies nearby sense calm confidence radiating through the muted air.
Negatives
• Emotional distance grows; empathy and warmth recede into quiet detachment.
• Long exposure leads to spatial disorientation, as though one’s body and reflection move out of sync.
• When the effect fades, returning sound and color strike like thunder — startling and painful to the senses.
• Companions may momentarily lose memory of the wielder’s location or existence until directly addressed.
Extra-Sensory Perceptions
Through the Mind’s Eye, the wielder perceives shimmering threads connecting each observer’s attention — cords of perception that can be plucked or severed with a thought. The quartz pendant hums in resonance with unseen vibrations, revealing faint echoes of possible motion paths before they occur. Time’s flow feels layered: one present for the body, another a half-second ahead, guiding every strike. For those gifted with higher attunement, faint silhouettes of alternate selves move in parallel — spectral reflections of what might have been, fading with every breath as silence consumes them.
Crafting Recipe — “Ritual of the Whispered Fusion”
(The merging of the Bound Blades and Item 947: Hollow Veil into the Tier-2 artifact, Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step)
Items Merged
• Bound Blades (Pair) — Tier-1 rune-etched weapons bearing the Rune of Nimble Evasion.
• Item 947: Hollow Veil — Tier-1 neck amulet of silence and concealment.
Additional Materials Needed
• Runic Conduit Ingot (1 bar): alloyed from mithril, volcanic glass dust, and moon-silver; acts as an energetic bridge to unify the weapon and amulet matrices.
• Shadow-Silk Strand (1 length): woven from shade-moth silk and imbued with Still Motion essence, allowing sound and motion enchantments to coexist.
• Distilled Night Dew (2 vials): stabilizes the Veil’s absence magic during the fusion ritual.
• Smoky Quartz Core (1 large teardrop): anchors the amulet’s hollow resonance into the hilts of the blades.
• Essence of the Blade-Wind (small vial): a rare alchemical vapor drawn from high-altitude storms; necessary to reawaken the Nimble Evasion runes mid-binding.
• Binding Wax of Silence (pinch): seals the runic fusion, preventing feedback and magical dissonance.
Tools Required
• Runesmith’s Chisel and Awl — for carving Still Motion and resonance runes.
• Arcane Loom or Binding Frame — to suspend blades and amulet in perfect alignment during fusion.
• Moonlit Crucible — for heating the Runic Conduit Ingot to liquid form under lunar light.
• Silent-Sigil Stylus — used to draw containment circles without producing audible resonance.
• Gemcutter’s Clamp — to mount and fuse the smoky quartz core precisely between hilts.
• Mana-Infused Bellows — channels controlled heat and soundless pressure.
Skill Requirements
• Runecrafting (Expert): to align and merge the Nimble Evasion and Hollow Veil sigils into a new Still Motion pattern.
• Weapon-Smithing (Advanced): ensures physical fusion without warping the blades’ curvature.
• Alchemy (Intermediate): mixes the dew and vapor essences to stabilize the enchantment.
• Meditative Focus / Silent Casting (Proficient): required to maintain the Veil’s silence; any spoken word during merging risks rupturing both enchantments.
Crafting Steps
- Purify and Prepare:
Place the Bound Blades tip-down in the Arcane Loom under dim moonlight. Hang the Hollow Veil pendant between them using the Shadow-Silk Strand. Surround the workspace with a silent-sigil circle inscribed using the stylus. - Melt and Pour the Conduit:
Heat the Runic Conduit Ingot in the Moonlit Crucible until it becomes a shimmering black-silver liquid. Pour carefully along the inner edges of both hilts, allowing the alloy to form a shared runic spine between them. - Inscribe the Still Motion Rune:
With the Runesmith’s Chisel, etch the Rune of Still Motion along the new alloy seam. Whisper no words — each stroke must follow breath rhythm, not voice. - Infuse the Hollow Resonance:
Pour one vial of Distilled Night Dew over the smoky quartz teardrop, letting droplets flow along the blades. As it evaporates, channel mana slowly through the hilts; gray motes will rise if alignment is correct. - Bind the Veil’s Essence:
Mix the remaining vial of Distilled Night Dew with a drop of Essence of the Blade-Wind. Using the Alchemist’s brush or stylus, trace this mixture along the carved runes on both blades until the liquid disappears. The silver runes should ignite momentarily before fading to a soft inner glow. - Silent Sealing:
Apply Binding Wax of Silence to the runic seam, then extinguish all external sound sources. Hold complete silence for exactly one hundred breaths — the fusion completes when the smoky quartz teardrop dims and a cool pulse travels through the cord. - Awakening the Merge:
Strike both blades lightly together three times. Each strike produces a muffled ring and faint gray shimmer. On the third impact, the blades will hum in synchronization, acknowledging fusion. - Final Attunement:
Rest the weapon in total darkness for one full lunar cycle or, if urgent, immerse it in shadow-infused water for twenty-four hours. When withdrawn, the blades will hum faintly and the cord will absorb nearby light — signifying that the Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step have fully awakened.
Result:
A single, fully integrated Tier-2 weapon — a seamless union of motion and silence — forged through breath, stillness, and moonlight. The artifact now embodies both the swift grace of the Bound Blades and the spectral absence of the Hollow Veil.
Whispered Blades and Silence That Moved
(as retold from fragmented tablets, translated through three forgotten tongues, the last by the monk-scribe Irenas of the Hollow Loom)
It is said—though the words have been broken by ages—that once, when the rivers still sang names of stars and the shadows had yet to learn silence, there lived a wanderer without name, whose footsteps never made sound. Some say this one was born of two echoes; others that they were the last breath of a forgotten storm. Their body was not quite flesh, not quite mist, and where they walked the world seemed to hesitate, as though unsure if it wished to remember them.
In those days, the Blades of Nimble Evasion were lost things, buried beneath the dunes of the Wind-takers. The Hollow Veil had also vanished, sealed inside the throat of a drowned library. The two relics were siblings once, or perhaps rivals, if the cracked inscriptions are to be trusted. Both were made by the same hand, Eressai the Listener—who cut silence into glass and wrote grace upon steel—but she was said to have died twice, once in shadow, once in echo.
The wanderer found the first blade inside a whispering ruin. It trembled not with fear but with waiting. Runes still glowed along its edge, tracing words that refused to be read: motion is the thought before thought. The second blade lay beside it, dull and sleeping, its runes worn smooth as old prayer stones. The wanderer carried them in silence, for every spoken word seemed to crack the air.
Years—or maybe centuries—passed before they found the Hollow Veil. The stories differ: some speak of a city that had forgotten itself and sank into mist; others of a river that dreamed of its own mouth. There, bound in the still current, hung a cord of black silk and a teardrop of gray crystal. When the wanderer touched it, the world blinked, and for one heartbeat everything—mountain, wind, soul—was utterly still. Then the sound returned, smaller somehow, as if echoing from a distance.
The wanderer tied the Veil between the hilts of the twin blades, seeking balance between speed and silence. At the moment of knotting, the three magics quarreled. The Blades wished for motion; the Veil demanded stillness. Light bent inward; air froze like glass; the runes screamed though no sound was heard. The wanderer held their breath until lungs turned to ash in the chest, and only then did the quarrel soften into a whisper that said: “We move unseen because we are remembered by nothing.”
From that instant the blades were one. When drawn, they sang no song, yet cut the space between notes; when sheathed, they exhaled faint gray sighs that lulled even storms to sleep. Villages near and far told of a phantom who fought wars that never happened, who ended quarrels by erasing the anger that began them. In one carving, the wanderer faces an army of brass; the enemy’s lines are blurred, as though half-forgotten before they were slain.
But silence, like any hunger, grows. The more the wanderer used the blades, the more the world failed to remember them. Companions forgot their face; lovers woke with an empty ache where their name should have been. Even the moon ceased to cast their shadow. Some chronicles end there, saying the wanderer stepped into the space between heartbeats and was lost. Others claim they carved their final runes upon the air itself, warning any who would follow their path.
A final fragment—etched upon the back of the smoky quartz now embedded in the surviving relic—reads in warped script:
“I am swift because I am unseen. I am unseen because I am silent. But silence devours song, and swiftness outruns home. Remember to leave a noise behind.”
Moral of the Story: That which moves without sound may outrun the world, but it also outruns its own remembrance. To wield perfect silence is to risk vanishing into it—so let even the quietest traveler leave a whisper to be found.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Type: Artifact (paired short blades linked by shadow-silk and smoky quartz); Attunement: Bind with 1 POW; Availability: Keeper’s discretion
Base Damage: 1D6+1 each (short blade), counts as magic for overcoming resistances
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow: When not making loud actions, you gain a bonus die on Stealth; observers at Short/Medium range suffer a penalty die on Spot Hidden to fixate on you if you are moving lightly or holding still and whispering only.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: In opposed Interrogation/Intimidation or sanity-shaking situations, you gain a bonus die on relevant POW or INT rolls to maintain composure.
• Unbroken Momentum: If both blades deal damage in the same round, you may make a Dodge roll with a bonus die against one incoming ranged attack that round.
Active Effects
• Slip Between Strikes (1/scene; cost 2 MP): For 1 minute you blur at the edge of perception. You gain a bonus die on Stealth and Dodge; enemies suffer a penalty die to track you. The effect ends if you make a loud shout or use a firearm. On failure of a POW×5 activation roll, lose 1 additional MP and the power fizzles.
• Hollow Step (2/day; cost 1 MP): For one combat round (~10 seconds), your movement is soundless; gain an automatic bonus die on a single Stealth test to pass sentries or reposition.
• Erased Echo (1/day; cost 2 MP and 1 Luck): In a 2-meter radius, blur footprints, scent, and minor residues; Tracking attempts suffer a penalty die for one hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day; cost 3 MP): For a single melee attack, you are difficult to target (treat as partial incorporeal vs. nonmagical attacks). If the attack hits, deal maximum weapon damage plus normal bonus; then make SAN 0/1D3 for dissociative after-glow.
Backlash
Ending a scene at 0 MP from this artifact requires a SAN test 0/1D4 for fading presence and brief identity detachment.
Blades in the Dark — The Hollow-Step Vanish-Blades
Item Type: Fine, Arcane (paired blades linked by cord); Load: 1 (counts as one item); Source: Strange/Occult
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow: When you Prowl to avoid notice, take +1 effect; when you Skirmish with agile footwork against a heavier foe, you gain potency.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: +1d to Resist consequences that would make you cry out, freeze, or break cover (Resolve/Insight as fiction dictates).
• Unbroken Momentum: If you land two quick strikes in a row in a risky or controlled position, you may immediately reposition one step (free, within the same area) as part of the action’s effect.
Active Abilities
• Slip Between Strikes (2 stress): For this scene, while you act with speed and subtlety, you count as having potency on stealthy movement through observed spaces; if you make an obvious violent action in clear view, the effect ends.
• Hollow Step (1 use/score): Mark a use to treat one noisy or exposed traverse as silent: either improve position by one step or gain +1 effect on that movement.
• Erased Echo (clock): Start a 4-tick “No Trail” clock when you leave a space; while it has ticks, pursuers suffer reduced effect on Hunt/Survey to follow. Spend 1 stress at any time to fill 2 ticks by smoothing prints and scattering scents.
• Whisper of Eressai (special armor): You may expend special armor to ignore a consequence from ranged focus or to become a blur for one decisive strike (increase effect by one tier on a single Skirmish).
Quirk
Compulsive hush: prolonged use makes you default to whispers; the GM may offer a consequence/Devil’s Bargain related to being overlooked or forgotten at a key social moment.
Dungeons & Dragons (5e) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Wondrous Weapon (paired shortswords or scimitars), rare (requires attunement by a creature proficient with finesse martial melee weapons)
While attuned you wield both blades as a single attunement item; drawing or sheathing either draws/sheathes the pair. Each blade is a +1 magic weapon.
Passive Properties
• Veiled Flow: While moving no more than half your speed and speaking no louder than a whisper, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to avoid being noticed by sight or sound.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened while you are hidden or lightly obscured.
• Unbroken Momentum: If you hit a creature with both blades on your turn, you gain a +1 bonus to AC against ranged attacks until the start of your next turn and you can move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Active Properties
• Slip Between Strikes (1/long rest): As a bonus action, for 1 minute you are difficult to fixate on. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to track or notice you unless you attack, cast a spell, or shout loudly; the effect then ends.
• Hollow Step (2/short rest): When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check or attempt to move through a creature’s space unnoticed, you can activate this feature (no action) to gain advantage on the check and silence your movement until the check resolves.
• Erased Echo (1/long rest): As an action, you suppress tracks, scent, and minor traces in a 10-foot radius centered on you; for 1 hour, tracking you by nonmagical means is made with disadvantage, and existing mundane tracks in the area are obscured.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/long rest): Immediately before you make a melee weapon attack with one of the blades, you can become semi-ethereal until the attack resolves. During this moment, you ignore nonmagical difficult terrain and ranged opportunity attacks, and if the attack hits, it deals an extra 2D6 psychic damage.
Attunement Note
If you wear medium or heavy armor that imposes disadvantage on Stealth, the passive Veiled Flow benefit is suppressed. Prolonged overuse may leave you emotionally distant at the DM’s discretion (roleplay effect only).
Knave — Hollow-Step Twin Blades
Type: Weapon set (counts as one item to carry/attune); Slot: 1; Damage: D6 each (finesse, light); Rarity: Uncommon-Rare (judge by campaign power)
Passive
• Veiled Flow: When you move at a careful pace or remain still and whisper, you gain +1 on tests to avoid notice; distant detectors suffer −1 to detect you by sound or sight unless you shout or dash.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: Advantage on tests to keep calm (morale/fear checks) while hidden or slipping past danger.
• Unbroken Momentum: If both attacks hit in a round, you may immediately step one space without triggering reactions.
Active
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day): For 10 minutes you are dim and forgettable; advantage on tests to hide, slip past guards, or shake pursuit. Ends if you loudly attack or shout.
• Hollow Step (2/day): Before a single stealthy movement or sleight, gain advantage and ignore noisy footing for that move.
• Erased Echo (1/day): Spend a Turn to blur prints, scent, and small magical traces in Close range; tracking suffers disadvantage for an hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day): For one attack, become a blur; on a hit deal an extra D6 damage and you can pass through one hostile’s zone without cost.
Notes for Referees
Treat advantage/disadvantage using your table’s Knave rules. The item’s stealth features are strongest when players embrace quiet, decisive movement; heavy armor or loud actions negate benefits at your discretion.
Fate Core — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Aspect: Twin Shadows That Dance Between Breaths
Permission: Must attune (character devotes one Refresh or narratively forges bond through silence and motion).
Cost: 1 Refresh or major milestone acquisition.
Item Type: Weapon (Paired Light Blades; counts as one held item).
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow — +2 to Overcome actions using Stealth when you move slowly, whisper, or blend with dim light.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge — +2 to Defend against emotional or mental attacks (Fear, Confusion, Coercion) when you are concealed or in silence.
• Unbroken Momentum — After succeeding with style on a Fight action using these blades, you may move one zone for free as part of the action.
Active Effects
• Slip Between Strikes (1/session): Invoke this item’s Aspect for free to create the situational Aspect Blurred and Unseen with one free invoke; lasts one scene or until you make an overtly loud action.
• Hollow Step (2/session): Spend a Fate Point to automatically gain +2 and success with style on a movement-based Stealth or Athletics Overcome (e.g., crossing a watched hall).
• Erased Echo (1/session): Spend a Fate Point to place the Aspect No Trail Left on a zone; lasts until the end of the scene or until active magical detection succeeds.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/session): Spend a Fate Point to gain +2 and weapon:2 rating for a single Fight attack made from hiding.
Drawback
Overuse compels the Aspect “Forgotten Even by the Wind”—others may fail to notice or recall your presence until reminded.
Numenera & Cypher System — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Level: 6 (artifact); Form: Linked paired short blades joined by cord and quartz pendant; Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (daily use).
Item Type: Artifact (Weapon; Medium, Light for trained acrobats).
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow — Reduces difficulty of Speed-based stealth tasks by two steps when you move half your speed or whisper.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge — +1 Intellect Edge when resisting fear, panic, or interrogation.
• Unbroken Momentum — If you hit a creature with both blades in one action, gain an asset on your next Speed defense roll this round.
Active Effects
• Slip Between Strikes (1 Intellect point, action): For 1 minute you become difficult to fixate on. Enemies must succeed on an Intellect defense roll (Level 5) to target or remember you clearly. Attack ends the effect.
• Hollow Step (Free, 2/day): Lower the difficulty of a single Speed-based movement or stealth task by two steps; ignore penalties from noisy terrain.
• Erased Echo (2 Intellect points, 1/day): Suppress all traces—sound, scent, prints—within Immediate range for one hour; tracking or scrying attempts are two steps harder.
• Whisper of Eressai (3 Speed points, 1/day): For one melee attack, you blur partially into shadow; attack gains +2 damage and counts as both physical and mental (half of each type).
Depletion: Roll 1d20 each day any ability is used; on 1, magic unravels until reforged through a silence ritual under moonlight.
Pathfinder (2nd Edition) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Item Type: Wondrous Weapon (Paired Shortswords); Level 8; Price 500 gp; Rarity: Rare; Usage held in 1 hand each (paired); Bulk L.
Traits
Agile, Finesse, Magical, Silent, Twin.
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow — +2 item bonus to Stealth checks while moving at half speed or whispering.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge — +1 item bonus to Will saves against emotion or fear while hidden or unnoticed.
• Unbroken Momentum — When you hit a target with both blades in the same turn, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to AC against ranged attacks until your next turn and Step 5 feet without triggering reactions.
Active Effects
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day) [Concentrate] [Exploration or Encounter] — For 1 minute you become concealed; ends if you attack, cast an offensive spell, or shout.
• Hollow Step (2/day) [Free Action] Trigger: You attempt a Stealth check to Sneak or move quietly. Effect: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to that check.
• Erased Echo (1/day) [Two Actions] [Manipulate] — You erase scent and footprints in a 10-foot burst. The DC to Track you increases by +4 for 1 hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day) [Two Actions] [Concentrate] [Attack] — You fade partially from sight, Step 10 feet, then make one Strike. This Strike ignores concealment and deals an additional 1d6 mental damage.
Craft Requirements
Two Tier-1 magical items (Bound Blades and Hollow Veil); rare alloy, shadow-silk cord, smoky quartz worth 50 gp; Craft (Arcana or Occultism) DC 23; 3 days of work in total silence.
Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Gear Type: Magical Weapon (Twin Light Blades, linked); Rank: Seasoned; Cost: ~1,200 credits equivalent (240 gp); Weight: 2 lbs total.
Passive Effects
• Veiled Flow — +1 to Stealth rolls when moving carefully or whispering; targets at Short/Medium range suffer –2 Notice to detect.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge — +1 Spirit when resisting Fear or Intimidation if hidden or unseen.
• Unbroken Momentum — If both attacks hit in one turn, gain +1 Parry until next action.
Active Powers
• Slip Between Strikes (1 Power Point or Bennie, 1/day): For 3 rounds, gain +2 to Stealth and treat yourself as having partial cover vs. ranged attacks. Attacking ends effect.
• Hollow Step (2/day): Free Action before a Stealth or Athletics roll; ignore up to –2 penalties from noisy or unstable ground.
• Erased Echo (1/day, 1 PP): Clear tracks, scent, and sound in a Small Burst Template; Tracking rolls suffer –2 for one hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day, 2 PP): One melee attack gains +2 to hit and +1d6 damage; you may immediately move 2” without provoking free attacks.
Notes
Overuse may cause short-term Hindrance (“Detached” or “Soft-Spoken”). Repair requires a silence ritual under a moonlit night and a successful Occult or Repair roll at –2 using rare minerals worth 200 credits.
Shadowrun (6th Edition) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Type: Melee Weapon (Qi Focus, Dual-Blades); Category: Melee (Blades); Rating: 3; Availability: 8R; Cost: 20,000¥; Essence: —
Damage: (STR + 2)P, AP –2, Reach 1
Acc: 7, Concealability: 5, Weight: 1.5 kg
Passive Effects:
• Veiled Flow: When moving silently or at half speed, gain +2 dice to Sneaking Tests. Enemies attempting Perception Tests to notice you take –2 dice.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: +2 dice to Composure (Willpower + Charisma) and +1 to Initiative when acting from concealment.
• Unbroken Momentum: If both blades strike successfully in a Combat Turn, you gain +2 Defense dice against ranged attacks until the next Initiative Pass.
Active Powers:
• Slip Between Strikes (1/Combat Turn; 1 Minor Action; 2 Magic Points): You become indistinct for (MAG x 2) Combat Rounds. All ranged attacks against you suffer –2 dice, and visual tracking devices cannot lock on. Ends if you make a loud attack or fire a firearm.
• Hollow Step (2/day; Free Action): Add +3 dice to a Sneaking or Athletics Test to move across unstable, loud, or illuminated terrain. Negates up to –3 dice of environmental penalties.
• Erased Echo (1/day; Complex Action; 2 Magic Points): Removes astral and physical traces (tracks, aura remnants, or sensor echoes) in a 3-meter radius. Tracking and Assensing suffer –3 dice for 1 hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day; 1 Major Action; 3 Magic Points): For one melee attack, you move in total silence. If the attack hits, deal +2P and force the target to resist a –2 dice penalty to Perception for the next Combat Turn.
Bonding: Costs 4 Karma.
Overuse Drawback: If the user spends all Magic Points in a combat, roll 1D6. On 1–2, they suffer –1 to Social rolls for 1 hour due to fading presence aura.
Starfinder — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Item Level: 8; Price: 6,500 credits; Bulk: 1; Slot: None (Weapon Pair); Type: Advanced Melee Weapons; Damage: 2d8 slashing/piercing; Critical: Bleed 1d8; Special: Operative, Agile, Twin, Concealment; Hands: 1 each
Passive Effects:
• Veiled Flow: +2 circumstance bonus to Stealth while whispering or moving no more than half speed; enemies farther than 20 ft take –2 Perception to detect you.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: +1 insight bonus to Will saves vs. emotion or fear while hidden or lightly obscured.
• Unbroken Momentum: When you hit with both blades in one full attack, gain +1 AC until start of your next turn.
Active Functions:
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day): As a move action, become semi-transparent for 1 minute. You gain concealment (20% miss chance) and a +4 bonus to Stealth. Effect ends early if you attack loudly or shout.
• Hollow Step (2/day): As a reaction, before rolling Stealth or Acrobatics to move quietly or traverse difficult ground, roll twice and take the better result.
• Erased Echo (1/day): As a standard action, suppress scent, tracks, and electronic residue within a 10-ft radius; increases DC to Track you by +5 for 1 hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day): As part of a melee attack, move 10 ft without provoking opportunity attacks and deal an additional 2d6 damage; target must succeed a Will save (DC = 10 + ½ level + Dex mod) or lose awareness of your position for 1 round.
Usage Requirements: Cannot be used with heavy armor that imposes Stealth penalties.
Fizzle: If daily limit exceeded, user is shaken for 1 round from disorientation.
Traveller (Mongoose 2e) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Tech Level: 11; Mass: 1.5 kg; Cost: Cr 25,000; Slot: Clothing/Weapon; Skill: Melee (blade); Rarity: Advanced/Alien Manufacture
Stats:
Damage: 2D6+2; Traits: Lightweight, Balanced, Concealable, Smart-Link compatible; Reach: 1.
Passive Effects:
• Veiled Flow: DM+2 to Stealth checks when moving at slow speed or whispering.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: DM+1 to resist fear or interrogation.
• Unbroken Momentum: When hitting with both blades in the same round, gain DM+1 to Defense rolls against ranged attacks for the next round.
Active Features:
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day): Minor action. For 1 minute, attackers suffer DM–2 to ranged attacks against you and you gain DM+2 to Stealth rolls. Ends if you shout or use a ranged weapon.
• Hollow Step (2/day): Free action before a Stealth or Athletics test; ignore penalties from terrain noise or lighting, gain DM+2 to that roll.
• Erased Echo (1/day): Takes 1D combat rounds. Wipes environmental and biometric traces within 5 meters; increases Track/Investigate difficulty by +2 DM for 1 hour.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day): Single melee attack; gains DM+2 to hit and deals 3D6 damage. If hit succeeds by 4+, you may move one range band for free.
Drawback: Overuse causes a brief “fading” disassociation—–1 DM to all Social rolls for 10–60 minutes.
Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4e) — Whispered Blades of the Hollow Step
Encumbrance: 1; Availability: Rare (Common Magic); Craft: Arcane/Shadow; Price: ~35 gc; Weapon Group: Fencing/Parrying
Weapon Stats:
Damage: +6 (each), Qualities: Fast, Precise, Magical, Defensive(1), Quiet, Twin.
Passive Abilities:
• Veiled Flow: +10 to Stealth (Hide/Move Silently) while moving slowly or whispering.
• Mind’s Quiet Edge: +10 Cool Tests vs. Fear, Terror, or Intimidation when not directly engaged in melee.
• Unbroken Momentum: When both blades hit the same target in a Round, you gain +10 Dodge until the next Round.
Active Abilities:
• Slip Between Strikes (1/day; Half Action): For WPB rounds, you gain the Blurred Condition (–10 to enemy attacks and ranged attempts to target you). Ends if you shout or fire a gun.
• Hollow Step (2/day; Free Action): Before a Stealth or Agility Test, gain +20 to that Test to move silently or cross difficult surfaces.
• Erased Echo (1/day; Full Action): Dulls all traces within 3 yards (footprints, sounds, scent). Opponents attempting to Track suffer –30 for WPB minutes.
• Whisper of Eressai (1/day; Half Action): Make one melee attack as a ghostlike blur; ignore 1 AP of armor and cause an additional 1 Wound on a Critical Hit.
Miscast/Backlash: Each day after final charge expends, roll Willpower +10; on failure, take 1 Corruption and suffer –10 Fellowship for the next hour from “dimmed presence.”
Repair: Requires 3 hours of silent meditation, Shadowcrafting Tools, and a successful Arcane (Shadow) Test at –10. Failure risks losing one active use until next lunar phase.