The Hearty Soft Wood Scepter rests in the palm of a traveling trader, its grain warm as a sun-warmed hearth. The shaft is a ribbon of soft, honeyed wood, smooth to the touch, the fibers whispering under your fingers like a field of tall grass on a summer morning. The head—slightly bulbous but balanced—carved from heartwood, holds a pale, almost ivory kernel at its center, circled by delicate vinework that curls into a circle of protective leaves. A faint ember glow seems to linger in the grain, as if the wood remembers the heat of a forge or the last campfire where it was held by someone who believed in second chances. The scepter is not merely a pretty stick. The soft wood is said to come from a grove tended by the old forest kami, the kind of myth whispered around village wells. It is believed that when the scepter is used for healing or blessing, the grove's memory lends strength to the user, as if the wood itself has kept watch over the healer’s hands. In the rarest tales, the scepter is described as a bridge between patient and peace, a conduit that carries a pulse of vitality from the wielder to those who need it most. In practice, it is a guardian’s ally as much as a healer’s wand. When twined with the right skills, its presence can widen the aura of protection around allies, nudge a wounded comrade back toward dawn, and coax a stubborn moment of calm from panic. It is prized by support builds that balance offense with healing, by those who want to be sure that every touch from their staff carries a promise of restoration rather than a chill of despair. The texture, the weight, the way it shifts light as you move—these tactile cues help a wielder keep promise and purpose in the heat of the moment. Market and memory: Traders in bustling market lanes speak of it in hushed, reverent tones, and in the evenings the Saddlebag Exchange threads light up with sightings and prices. A dealer might brag that a fresh-stock scepter can fetch more coin than a week’s meals if it carries a pure, unblemished heartbeat, but seasoned buyers haggle over patina and emblem. On a weathered board above a fabric stall, someone has penciled a range: a few gold if pristine, a touch less if worn by long travel. The price is not merely about wealth; it’s a pledge—the value of a talisman that families and caravans carry between fires. The Hearty Soft Wood Scepter is more than wood and memory. It’s a story you can hold, a ramble of memory and utility that travels with you, turning quiet competence into a quiet legend. In crowded ports and quiet camps alike, it becomes a companion, a reminder that care can be as strong as steel.