| “ | You really didn't hear that? [...] It gave me a splitting headache. | ” |
The Staff of Arcadius was a long, ancient metal tool that resembles a modern tuning fork of supernatural origin. The staff was part of the Mystic Falls Founders Bell capable of creating a supernatural doorway to Arcadius' personal psychic Dimension. As such, it is an object that is capable of producing a frequency that disrupts psychic activity.
Early History[]
According to Alaric's intern, Georgie, the tuning fork was forged in 2200 B.C., where similar to pitchforks that were used in the Mediterran soil, consisted of two tines (prongs), not three. The fork bears what is thought to be the Devil's symbol, which points to Alaric believing it is the Devil's pitchfork. However, after finding out that when dropped or tapped against another object, the fork produces high pitched noises, heard by sirens, witches and siphoners; it is revealed that it can be used as a weapon.
According to Alaric's other intern, Dorian, through Harvey Maxwell's journals, the Staff of Arcadius was forged in the fires of Arcadius' death by his enemies.
According to the Armory's archives, the tuning fork is said to have arrived on June 21, 1790, as a shipment from Mystic Falls, along with Sybil herself.
Throughout The Vampire Diaries Series[]
In Today Will Be Different, Georgie finds the fork in the Vault and notices that it has the same symbol she had tattood.
In You Decided That I Was Worth Saving, Georgie tells Alaric her theory of the fork being devil's pitchfork, but he dismisses it. Some time later, the twins are playing with the fork. They accidentally drop it and the sound inflicts pain on them. Later, Alaric uses it on Sybil to incapacitate her so that they can trap her in The Armory.
In An Eternity of Misery, Stefan uses the fork to torture Sybil while she's imprisoned.
In The Next Time I Hurt Somebody, It Could Be You, After a discussion with Seline, she gives the Tuning Fork to Enzo and Bonnie to use against Sybil. Enzo then uses it on Sybil, but it hurts Bonnie as well. While in the car talking about the fork, Bonnie figures out that it affected her because witchcraft is rooted in Psychic energy. She also states that the fork gave her a splitting headache.
In We Have History Together, Dorian tells Matt that the Tuning Fork, also named the Staff of Arcadius, was created in the fire upon Arcadius' death. This was detailed in Harvey Maxwell's journal. Within his journals, it reveals that other artifacts, a mystically spelled bell from the witches of Mystic Falls and its Striker (Maxwell Family Heirloom), can be used together to form a bell to affect the sirens. Currently, Bonnie and Enzo are still in possession of the 'Tuning Fork' while traveling through Paris.
In The Simple Intimacy of the Near Touch, Matt gives the Staff to Dorian, telling him that all he needs to worry about is payback. With the fork in hand, he seeks out Seline at Mystic grill where he uses it against her for killing Georgie, and to gather information about the bell they are assembling. Dorian is confused as to why she is 'helping' because the bell has the power to kill her, as well as Sybil.
In Nostalgia's a Bitch, the Staff was welded into the Founders bell along with the Maxwell striker by Peter.
Effects[]
The Staff of Arcadius, when struck, emits a powerful vibration (or frequency) that adversely affects Sirens due to their psychic abilities. The sound prevents further mind control once rung, though it has to be re-struck to remain effective, and can be used to break psychic connections between sirens and servants. Not only does it affect their powers, it gives them the equivalent of pain infliction and can stun them mentally and physically. Furthermore, since witchcraft was rooted in psychic energy, it moderately affects witches and siphoners, by giving them painful, splitting headaches. When applied to the Founders Bell, it does not negate magic like it does psychic abilities.
Trivia[]
- It was coined "The Tuning Fork" before it's real name was revealed.
- It is currently unknown, though very likely, that this object is mystical in nature.
- In You Decided That I Was Worth Saving, the vibrations it emitted was shown to harm Lizzie and Josie when dropped on the floor. This suggests a connection between Psychics and Witches (including Siphoners).
- In The Next Time I Hurt Somebody, It Could Be You, when used against Sybil, the vibrations it emitted was shown to harm Bonnie Bennett. Bonnie later suggests that psychics and witches are connected, as her grams used to say that "witchcraft was rooted in psychic energy."
- Together, the Staff of Arcadius and Maxwell Heirloom are forged together to form the bell's striker.
Gallery[]
See also[]
| ||||||||||||||||||||