Compiled by Surgeon-Laureate Mako “Redhand,” 4th Chair of the Pearlwright Collegium
When a human accepts a Giant Pearl into their torso, their skeleton does not scream—
it shatters.
Their nerves do not protest—
they ignite.
The Giant Pearl is a tyrant. It demands a host with the strength of a forge and the flexibility of wet rope. No natural anatomy can endure the strain. Within days, the organs soften, displace, or rupture beneath the Pearl’s steady pressure. Within weeks, the lungs fail to expand. Within months, the heart can no longer maintain rhythm.
For this reason, every Powder Keg who survives the initial implantation must undergo a second ritual:
the crafting and installing of the Anchor Organ.
It is not optional.
It is salvation.
The Anchor is not a replacement organ.
It is not a prosthetic.
It is not an augmentation.
The Anchor is a counterweight to the Giant Pearl’s will.
A stabilizing presence that holds the body in alignment and prevents collapse.
It acts the way a ship’s keel stabilizes against storm winds.
If the Pearl is a star,
the Anchor is the ship that sails it.
Two professions alone possess the skill to craft an Anchor:
Masters of anatomy, nerve stitching, blood-flow mapping, and the violent art of keeping the dying alive.
They handle:
body excavation
organ relocation
nerve binding
suturing around the Pearl housing
preventing immediate death
Doctors describe the procedure as
"building a cathedral inside a collapsing tent."
Smiths of resonance. Sculptors of inner light.
Only Pearlwrights understand how a Giant Pearl sings—
and how to weave an Anchor that does not disrupt its song.
They handle:
crafting the Anchor frame
aligning resonance chambers
tuning the harmonic vents
minimizing long-term decay
preventing Pearl rejection
Without both crafts present, a patient survives only through pure myth or miracle.
Though every Anchor is unique to its host, they fall into four great families:
A mechanical pumping core designed to absorb shockwaves from Pearl resonance.
Regulates circulation when the natural heart falters
Stores micro-pulses of Pearl energy
Can restart the host's heartbeat during collapse
"The Engine does not replace the heart—it kneels beside it and shares the burden."
Housed in reinforced rib frames, lined with pearl-dust filters.
Process toxic exhaust released by the Pearl
Convert excess heat into usable motion
Prevent overheating during overdrive bursts
"A Powder Keg burns from the inside. A Furnace ensures the fire feeds, but does not consume."
A rod of hardened resonance metal fused into the spine.
Prevents spinal collapse under increased body mass
Conducts Pearl impulses safely
Anchors the nervous system against misfires
"When the Pearl convulses, the Spine must remain loyal."
Crystalline organs grown in medic chambers.
Filter Pearl toxins from the blood
Extend the host’s lifespan
Reduce internal corrosion from overuse
"A Pearl leaks miracles and poison in equal measure."
No two surgeons describe the same procedure. But all agree on the stages:
Incisions must mirror the Pearl’s internal geometry.
If the angles are wrong, the Anchor vibrates out of alignment and the host dies violently.
Organs are repositioned, suspended, or partially replaced.
Every ligament holding the Pearl must be inspected—
each one grants four slots of natural load capacity.
The Anchor is lowered into the cavity and affixed using:
resonance clamps
nerve stitching
bone hooks
pressure weaves
This phase kills most candidates.
The Pearlwright hums the Pearl’s song—
and adjusts the Anchor until its resonance harmonizes.
A single wrong note:
the Pearl rejects the Anchor and detonates internally.
If the host breathes on their own within 30 seconds, they live.
If not, their body crystallizes.
There is no revival.
A Powder Keg with an Anchor:
must perform weekly maintenance (self or assisted)
suffers organ stress when pushing their power
experiences phantom heat waves
dreams in Pearl-sound
bleeds thicker, darker blood
must rely on Pearlwrights for any pearl changes or cleaning
During cleaning, the body is opened again.
This is their most vulnerable state, akin to removing one’s heart to wash it.
Because an Anchored Powder Keg becomes something no human was meant to be.
A walking weapon.
A living engine of Pearl energy.
A creature half-forged, half-born.
The world has no name for them besides:
Titan-Forged.
"A Giant Pearl is a sun.
To carry one is to carry dawn and devastation alike.
If you cannot respect the power in your chest,
then you will not survive its rising."
—Pearlwright Master “Glassjaw Lune”