The blood of men has in it iron enough, for all who have seen it bled have seen it rust. But I, Ad Dakhla, scribe and chronicler to the court of the Sultan of the City of Bronze, do here set down what I have learned of the Bloodblade, which was forged from the iron in the blood of a thousand slain.

Stories and legends paint the culprit of a great despot, perhaps a ruler of the City of Aauin before the Dead River had turned to salt. The Bloodblade had no special properties; it was mere cold iron. But the forging of the blade, which involved the despot bleeding his enemies to death one by one before handing the blood over to be rendered into pig iron, was said to have taken years and had quite an effect on the populace.

When the blade was done, the despot wore it by his side for a year and a day before his rule was ended. It is said that an assassin came upon him in his chambers, and the Bloodblade refused to be drawn. In the aftermath of the despot’s murder, it was found to be rusted into its scabbard. Was that a last vengeance from those whose blood had boiled into the blade, or simply the result of impurities in the process and a lack of care? The answer, it seems, lies at the bottom of the Dead River.

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