| Ignatius of Loyola's Dagger | |
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Origin |
Saint Ignatius of Loyola |
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Type |
Dagger |
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Effects |
Pierces through any illusory experience. |
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Downsides |
Projects mental imagery and delusions into the world. |
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Activation |
Touch; belief in a greater purpose; developmental guidance with another |
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Collected by |
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Section |
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Aisle |
392042-6192 |
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Shelf |
351947-2229-642 |
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Date of Collection |
May 16, 1947 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Ignatius of Loyola (23 October 1491 – 31 July 1556) was member to the core trio who founded the Jesuits and acted as first Superior General in 1541. Ignatius was beatified in 1609, canonized in 1622 and is patron saint of spiritual retreats, soldiers and the Jesuit community.
A cannonball broke his right leg and military ambitions as a boy. Sitting through a year of surgeries, he voraciously read texts on the lives of Christ and the various saints. Devotion to meditation, prayer, belief and visualization of Christ’s past life became a daily routine. He regained enough strength to walk again and promised to follow his new path of worship.
At Santa Maria de Montserrat Monastery he confessed to his sins, traded his fine clothing for a pauper’s garment and slung his sword and dagger over the altarpiece. For a year he maintained intense daily sessions of meditation, often praying nonstop for seven hours at a time. These practices were collected into his volume “Spiritual Exercises” to help guide one’s religious awakening.
Alongside six companions, the Society of Jesus was approved in 1540 by Pope Paul III. Vows of chastity, obedience and poverty were sworn by members. Many became missionaries who travelled to Japan, Brazil, Canada, India and more to spread the gospel. Acting in service of the organization and God, many served in hostile conditions in foreign lands. Others taught at schools and institutions, leaving a laundry list of Jesuit-founded universities and scientist-scholars.
Activation[]
Will only effect those that have directly touched the dagger and meet two prerequisite conditions. First, they must have an overriding belief in a greater purpose, to achieve something impactful beyond their own livelihood. Second, they must be involved in some sort of mentorship or personal growth for another. Could be training a protégé, fostering a child, nursing a patient or rehabilitating a friend.
The first condition requires no inherent moral inclination, working equally well with the righteous and selfish. But the second condition must be a degree positive. Because if they’re entirely indifferent or egotistic, they are unable to view past their own philosophical being and failed the first condition. A relationship must focus on improving another person with their efforts. Tireless dedication or flagrant abuse to create a tougher, hardy person will both work, but not any purely self-centered act.
Effects[]
Clears and regulates the surroundings of external illusions. Sensory masks such as smoke cover, overwhelming brightness, droning noise, putrid smell and narcotic additives are all useless at distraction. But its true strength lies in dispelling tricks brought by people and society. Any belief they don’t have absolute faith in will falter. No amount of persuasion or threat will affect them. All they do now is live without the influence by others who do not have their best interest at heart.
To balance, it conjures new obstructions from the user’s own mind. The strong awareness in one’s own belief, resolve to provide for another and willpower to make change reality fuel these constructs. Whatever they can visualize, hear or imagine is projected to their immediate area. Each creation depends upon the user for an overriding command, or they remain inert. Every attempt makes their judgement falter more. As they can shape reality and illusion, they become unable to discern what they changed. Maintaining a detachment from one’s self-importance can prevent the arrival of uncontrollable elements.