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The Light Novel series is the source material for the adaptation of the Anime and Manga series. The information and terminology on the article will be based on the source material rather than the adaptions. |
The statues of the gods hold divine instruments.
Divine Instruments are special kinds of magic tools dedicated to the gods and used primarily in religious ceremonies. Each Divine Instrument is made in the shape of the symbol of its respective god and contains many feystones of that god's colour.
General Information
When not in use for ceremonies, the Divine Instruments are held by statues of the respective god in the chapel. During ceremonies, they are put on top of an altar in accordance with the position of the gods. Since the God of Darkness and the Goddess of Light are the king and queen of the gods, their Divine Instruments are always up on the highest tier. Depending on the specific ritual in question, the second tier holds the Divine Instrument of the god associated with the ritual, with the other Divine Instruments of the Five being one tier lower still,[1] or all five remaining Divine Instruments are put on the second tier if it is a ceremony dedicated to all gods equally, like the Fealty Ceremony.[2]
The divine instruments displayed on an altar during Myne's fealty ceremony.
For the Dedication Ritual, a magic tool in the shape of a red carpet is put on top of the altar before the Divine Instruments and small chalices are placed, to conduct and spread the mana of the priests into all of them at once, rather than having to charge each item separately.[1]
Under normal circumstances, the Divine Instruments do not leave the temple. Use of the Divine Instruments outside the temple for purposes other than religious ceremonies requires the special permission of both the High Bishop and the archduke of the duchy. One such occasion was Rozemyne using Leidenschaft's Spear to participate in the Lord of Winter Hunt and eventually land the killing blow.
To some nobles, they are nothing more than particularly high-quality and powerful magic tools, while others consider them to be something similar, but different. There are even some among the nobility who are entirely ignorant of their power and believe them to be mere decorations for ceremonies at worst or overly decorated regular tools at best. Even the Commander of Ehrenfest's Knight's Order Karstedt expressed his surprise that the Spear of Leidenschaft could be used as an actual weapon, as well as how effective it turned out to be.[3]
If a single person filled a divine instrument from empty to a usable state, they can activate it without a single word spoken. If the mana contained within a divine instrument is from someone else, or multiple people, it is necessary to chant the associated prayer in full and without error. Schtappe transformed into a divine instrument can be activated with a shortened prayer.[4]
Schtappe Transformations
Nobles with a sufficient mana capacity and intricate familiarity with a Divine Instrument are able to morph their schtappe into a copy of the Divine Instrument that appears to be identical in function to the Divine Instruments held in the temples. These transformed schtappe can even be used to perform religious ceremonies as if they were the real thing, without any apparent differences.[5] To be able to morph a schtappe into a Divine Instrument, the user needs to be able to form an extreme detailed and precise image of it - including the engravings - in their mind and know the associated spell.
Morphing a schtappe into a Divine Instrument weapon or invoking Schutzaria's Shield uses the same incantations as morphing the schtappe into regular weapons and shields like Lanze or Streitkolben. Non-weapon Divine Instruments like Geduldh's Chalice, meanwhile, require more obscure incantations that are very much out of the public knowledge and have only recently been rediscovered in one of the Royal Academy Library's restricted archives accessibly only to royals and archduke candidates.[6]
Individual Breakdown
Cloak of the God of Darkness
This cloak signifies the night sky - the domain of the God of Darkness.[2]
It is made from black cloth with golden dots scattered across its surface like stars.[7]
It has the ability to absorb or seize control of any mana it comes into contact with.
Nobles with a schtappe can create a temporary copy of the cloak with the spell Finsumhang.[5]
Crown of the Goddess of Light
This golden crown signifies the sun and its rays.[2] The crown has long golden tips radiating outwards, resembling rays shining from the sun.[7] It is worn by the High Bishop during the royal succession ceremony,[6] and is also used in contracts.[8]
Staff of Flutrane
The Staff of Flutrane symbolizes the melting of snow and ice into life-bringing water.[2]
The staff appears to be made out of pure gold, with a large, clear green Feystone about the size of an adult's palm in the top and many smaller stones embedded throughout the entire shaft. The smaller stones are clear when empty and turn green and shine with a gently pulsing light when filled with mana.[9]
It is an essential tool for performing the Healing Ritual, which is necessary after exterminating an overgrown Trombe, to revitalize the earth with new mana and allow plants to grow in the area once again.
While during most healing rituals, it is only used to grow a small layer of grass, it can also be used to grow plants to their full size and ready to bear fruit.
Nobles with a schtappe and sufficient mana capacity can create a temporary copy of the staff with the spell Streitkolben.[5]
Flutrane's Staff can also be used to grant Heilschmerz's Healing. Using the Divine Instrument reduces the amount of mana used, increases the potential range for healing, and allows healing more people at the same time than healing with the help of a magic ring or schtappe.[10]
Leidenschaft's Spear
The spear symbolizes growth to ever greater heights.[2] It can also be used as a weapon by charging it with a large amount of mana. Once fully charged, it shines and crackles with blue light, becomes nearly weightless and is powerful enough to kill an injured Lord of Winter in one hit.[11]
Nobles with a schtappe and sufficient mana capacity can create a temporary copy of the spear with the spell Lanze.[12]
Schutzaria's Shield
The shield symbolizes Schutzaria pushing back the cold winter winds.[2] It is a golden round shield with diameter of about 50 to 60 centimeters, with elaborate reliefs carved into its surface. The center holds a bright yellow feystone about as big as a palm, while marble-sized feystones are embedded into the shield along the circumference. They appear clear like mountain crystal when empty, but turn yellow when filled with mana.[13]
By invoking the relevant prayers towards Schutzaria, one can summon the shield in the form of energy barrier that blocks attacks and negative effects, as well as prevents people with ill intent from passing through. This barrier can take any shape the caster desires, from simple screens to entire domes. The shield can even be inverted to be used as a temporary prison to keep people or creatures locked in place, preventing them from causing harm and destruction.
Nobles with a schtappe and sufficient mana capacity can also create a temporary copy of the shield with the spell Getilgt.[12]
Geduldh's Chalice
The chalice is the symbol of the Goddess of Earth accepting everyone and everything.[2]
Its appearance is often described as a golden grail roughly 80 centimeters tall[14], set with feystones that turn red upon being filled with mana.[7]
Nobles with a schtappe and sufficient mana capacity can create a temporary copy of the chalice with the spell Erdegral.[10]
Small Chalices
Small Chalices filled with mana
These smaller versions of Geduldh's Chalice are used to bring the mana gathered during the Dedication Ritual to farming villages and towns for Spring Prayer, to fill the fields with mana and Geduldh's blessing, so that crops can one again grow plentiful. It is not clear whether the small chalices also count as lesser divine instruments or as regular magic tools.
During Spring Prayer the number of chalices handed over to Giebes depends on the classification of their duchy. Counts receive three chalices, Viscounts two and Barons a single one.[15]
Ewigeliebe's Sword
Ewigeliebe's sword on the altar.
The sword is the symbol of the God of Life digging into the hard ground.[2]
The sword only has power in the season of winter. When wielded during this time, it will produce a blizzard around the person using it.[8] Due to the relationship of the respective deities, any Schutzaria's Shield invoked near Ewigeliebe's Sword during winter will be weakened.
The full power of the sword can be activated with a prayer to Ewigeliebe. While the prayer is spoken, the air around the user will gradually grow colder, and the air will start moving ever faster, until the user is encased in a small blizzard by the time they finish the prayer. When the sword is swung with the intent to attack, it will summon subordinates of the Lord of Winter that will attack the supplicant's enemies. The exact number and strength of the individual feybeasts depends on the amount of mana stored in the blade and the mana capacity of the user.[16]
Ewigeliebe's Sword is also used in the funeral rites of Yurgenschmidt's nobility. If a noble dies in a way that leaves a body behind, the local blue priests use the divine instrument to remove the feystone from the deceased.[17]
Subordinate Gods' Divine Instruments
Grutrissheit
Grutrissheit (グルトリスハイト, Gurutorisuhaito) is the name of the book held by Mestionora. According to legend, it is the original bible that the first king of Yurgenschmidt was permitted to transcribe upon being chosen by the Gods.
See Grutrissheit
| Spoiler from Hannelore's_Royal_Academy_Fifth_Year |
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Liebeskhilfe's Hair Ornaments Liebeskhilfe uses two of her hair ornaments, to pluck threads of mortals from the tapestry of history woven by Wendtuchte, to either manipulate herself, or to pass to Sterrat for a true starbinding.[18] Sterrat's Brooch This brooch, shining like a star plicked from the nightsky, is used to bind the two threads of a pair of mortals together in the Starbind Ceremony.[18] |
Verfuhremeer's Staff
Lady Hannelore wielding Verfuhremeer's Staff in a ritual
This staff, according to legend, belongs to Verfuhremeer, the Goddess of the Oceans. During a ritual that Dunkelfelger nobles hold after a victory in Ditter, the prayer-leader - usually an archduke candidate - transforms their schtappe into this staff to perform a ritualistic prayer song and dance. Usually there is no visible effect of the ritual, though should ditter players have received blessings from a pre-battle ritual dance to Leidenschaft and his subordinate gods, the post-battle ritual will dissipate these blessings and have a strong calming affect on the affected nobles.
The tip of this staff splits off into two prongs that are styled like a pair of wings or extended fish gills. Affixed between the two prongs is a large feystone[19]
Nobles with a schtappe and sufficient mana capacity can create a temporary copy of the staff with the spell Streitkolben.[20]
| Spoiler from Hannelore's_Royal_Academy_Fifth_Year |
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Wendtuchte's Loom   Wendtuchte's Loom behind Wendtuchte and Liebeskhilfe With this loom, Wendtuchte weaves the threads woven by Dregarnuhr into the fabric of history. Should the gods desire it, the loom can also be used to send mortals, back into the past. Should only the mortal's consciousness have been summoned to the gods, they require a vessel of some kind, to interact with the past. For this their own past body can be used, with their current mind temporarily replacing their younger self's consciousnes. Wendtuchte and other gods are always vigilant to keep Liebeskhilfe away from the loom, to prevent her from causing mischief by toying with the threads on the loom.[18] |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 2 Volume 3. Chapter 8: The Dedication Ritual
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 2 Volume 1. Chapter 1: Attendants and the Fealty Ceremony
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 3 Volume 3. Epilogue
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 11. Chapter 14: Large-Scale Magic
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 4 Volume 6. Chapter 16: Hunting a Ternisbefallen
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 1: The Royal Family and the Library
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 1 Volume 3. Chapter 18: A Quiet Commotion
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 11: Preparing for Ditter
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 2 Volume 2. Chapter 21: Summons from the Knight's Order
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 7: The Royal Academy’s Dedication Ritual
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 3 Volume 3. Chapter 9: Fighting the Schnesturm
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 4 Volume 6. Chapter 4: Schtappe Transformation
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 2 Volume 1. Chapter 2: A Shrine Maiden's Job
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 11. Chapter 12: Expending Mana through Spring Prayer
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 4. Chapter 14: Melchior and Spring Prayer
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 12: Bride-Taking Ditter
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Fanbook 4. Q&A with Miya Kazuki
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Hannelore's Fifth Year at the Royal Academy. Chapter 13: Dregarnuhr Weaving Threads
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 2: Dunkelfelger’s Ritual.
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm Light Novel. Part 5 Volume 2. Chapter 3: Talking and Tallying