When the Outsiders came to Ehlaar, they brought with them seedlings of Kuza’an-ne-Qarzenn, the “tree-that-is-the-sinews-of-the-Infinite.” These seedlings grew into trees, heavily guarded in the courtyards that form the holy places of the church of the Infinite. From branches of the trees are carved the Shallek-za-Kuza’an, which the Natives style “wands.” Without a wand, a follower of the Infinite can use the Infinite’s power only in its raw form, as an immediate burst of power. In game terms, a sorcerer cannot use the Manipulation skill without a wand in his or her hand. This practically restricts the magician to the use of one-handed weapons if they wish to use magic in combat.
Wands range in size from the standard size of about a foot to great staffs wielded by the Zilaths and Pa-Zilaths of the cult/empire. The Qarmezinn-Pa-Zilath, the “Grand Theosophist” of the Outsider Empire, bore one carved from the wood of the Kuza’an-ne-Qarzenn itself. In game terms, larger wands give bonuses to the Manipulation skill.
A follower of the Infinite is traditionally given a wand at initiation. However, the number of wands is decreasing since the fall of the Outsider Empire. Sometimes a new initiate may be required to find a wand as a condition of initiation. The Queendom of Gla and various other jurisdictions despise Outsiders so much that they ritually burn wands when they find them. On the other hand, the Caravan Lords may have started stockpiling them, knowing that they can extract Outsider gold for them.
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