Kataibatic Tablet

The Tablet, photographed by Dr. Patricia Barnett in 2039

The Kataibatic Tablet is a powerful tablet belonging to the Royal Artifacts of the Seleucid Dynasty, and comprised one of the Three Stone Gifts of the Gods. It was created by Seleucus XI Theos with the assistance of the priests Diodotus and Sar-ili in 134 CE. It is one of the most powerful artifacts and weapons in Eordis, its power rivaling that of Dath'Remar's Greathammer.

The Tablet's incarnation stems from a vision of Zeus and Persephone conversing with the Seleucid king in creating a powerful artifact that can display the true might of his Empire. Accepting it wholly, both the god and goddess would visit him each day until the Tablet's completion to relay instructions on its creation, including the incantations in both Mycenaean Greek and Akkadian. He followed them word for word, and instructed the two priests to arrange the Tablet as he saw it. Upon its completion, Seleucus tested the power on open ground near Ecbatana, and him and his observers were amazed at its destructive power. As he slept on that day, Zeus and Persephone visited him again to not only to congratulate him, but also warned him of the Tablet's long usage despite its captivating aura and power, which touches on his pride and grandiosity. He would use the Tablet on his wars against Tibetia, Han Lorica, and the North Europans, and records of its destructive power were inscribed prominently. It would also go through several famous duels throughout the later years of his reign, particularly against the North Europan King Aeltalor Lightflare, Tibetian King Norbu Tsamgyo, Han Lorican emperor Gengshang, and the Tryphonic Seleucid royals Cassander VII Tryphon, Eurycleia II Soteira and Tryphaena IV Soteira that formed the Seleucid Triarchy; during Seleucus's final duel with Talaris was that the Tablet's power almost destroyed the Greathammer, until Dath'Remar's soul within Talaris resisted with much power to counter the Tablet. During the Tryphonic War, the weapons of Cassander, Eurycleia and Tryphaena were made with the same instruction of Zeus and Persephone, and hence each proved a match against the Tablet's powers, and their users managed to defeat Seleucus several times. During the Siege of Ecbatana, the Tablet would fall unto their hands after Seleucus' fatal defeat, and order its seclusion from the outside world in an unknown location. However, one of the priests, Sar-ili, produced the Kataibatic Scrolls that contained difficult riddles that encapsulated the Tablet's real location and a prophecy of its destruction. The Tablet would be discovered within the northern Zagros Mountains by Neocon forces on 17 May 2029 during the Neocon War. The Neo-Seleucid Caliph Ziyaad became its final user, unleashing the catastrophic Kataibatic Event with two cataclysms and using it in the Showdown at Karakul Lake where it was destroyed.

The Tablet's main signature power was the capacity to unleash lethal and explosive yellow lightning against a large number of opponents more powerful than those of the Greathammer and over a vast area via incantations as seen in the Kataibatic Event. It also grants the user the ability to unleash storms of great magnitude, form a shield more powerful than that of the Greathammer, and yellow lightning powers as the Tablet floats above the user's head. Despite its powers, it can be countered by the weapons and powers of the Triarchy and the Greathammer, and its flaws include madness inflicted upon the user upon its continuous usage, and the loss of the individuals' will by becoming possessed by the soul of Seleucus XI, all of which were curses purpotedly inflicted by Zeus and Persephone.

Background

Coin of Seleucus XI Theos