The Scepter of Absorption is the characteristic arcane implement of the Priscians, the secret order of mages operating from the old Sortian compound of the Mega-Dungeon. Each Priscian mage of a certain rank carries one as standard equipment.
| Type | Object (arcane implement) |
| Users | Priscians; presumably Nerub Null |
| Spanish entry | Cetro de Absorción |
Properties
It absorbs spells cast at its bearer and turns them into neutral matter for the bearer’s own arcane power. It is active and two-way: the bearer can use what it collects as fuel for his own spells or turn it back on the attacker.
Role
It is a key instrument of the Priscian monopoly over the valley’s magic. A mage who faces a Priscian without knowing of the scepter loses his spells to no effect, while the Priscian keeps his own power intact and can recharge from the attacker’s. The scepters are standard issue since the partial restoration of the Arcanum Forge.
The day of the stripping
When the Seekers of Ardis Vala refused the Priscians access to the library of the Palace of the Prism, they fought in the octagonal chamber. Fortune twice favored the Seekers, but every support or attack spell they cast was absorbed by the scepters; the fight was decided by depletion of resources, not by damage. Once the Seekers fell unconscious, the Priscians confiscated their personal magic items, leaving gold, gems, rations, clothing and nonmagical weapons untouched.