Dials

Dials (Daiaru) are strange, mysterious devices. They look like seashells, but have the ability to store energy on virtually a limitless basis and capacity. They originated from the Old Empire, where they grew from the ground and cave walls naturally. Dials effectively allowed the people of the Old Empire to have a society very close to modern day in terms of technology. Dials are now extinct after the land's destruction. Some Dials can still be found in the ruins of the Old Empire, now called the "Forgotten Lands", but these Dials do not work.

When the Swordless Swordsman was transported from the Old Empire to the modern Shinobi world, he had inadvertently brought with him a large bag of Dials. He commonly uses them in combat and for every-day uses, and also has taught his adoptive daughter Tenshia how to use them.

Dials in General
There are many types of dials, some native to specific parts of the Old Empire. Most seemed to be common, but some were exceptionally rare, and some had even gone naturally extinct long before the destruction of the Old Empire.

Dials store energy itself, but only a specific type of energy. The type of energy depends on the specific type of Dial. When the Dial is introduced to it's specified energy, it can begin absorbing it when the flat side of the Dial is pressed. The energy is then stored for later use. Dials do not seem to lose an amount of energy due to no use, like a battery might if attached to a device. When one would like to call upon the energy again, they may press the apex of the Dial, releasing the energy for various effects.

Dials do not appear to use all their energy in one blast. While some Dials release the energy in a burst when the button is pushed, some release it continuously for a period of time dependant on how long the apex was held down, and some only release energy while the apex is pressed down.

Dial Types
What follows is a list of the types of Dials, in alphabetical order.

Axe Dial
The Axe Dial is able to absorb any slicing-type damage that comes into contact with it, fully nullifying the attack, no matter how powerful the slash. When the apex is pressed, the Axe Dial releases a blade of condensed air that is capable of cutting right through a shield and dealing a very large gash to a person, possibly killing them in one cut if used efficiently. The slash of condensed air can be used as a projectile, but it only travels a few feet before dissipating, making it a close-range projectile. It is commonly attached to someone's hand via a glove or bandages. When a person slashes a sword or other blade at the user, the user can catch the attack with the Axe Dial attached to their palm. Then they can released the stored energy of the attack in a slash by pressing on their hand. The Dial can also be attached to a sword or other bladed weapon to allow the user to make a projectile cutting attack by slashing their Dial-powered sword. Not to be confused with the Spear Dial and Impact Dial, which store piercing and blunt damage, respectively.

Breath Dial
The Breath Dial is capable of storing air. When the Apex is pressed, the air is released in a manner similar to a constant stream of wind, though only with about as much power as a fan. Breath Dials were often used in the Old Empire to propel vehicles across the surface of the water. They could also be attached to the bottom of flying vehicles to help lift them off the ground, though many Breath Dials were required to lift something even a few inches off the ground. A more powerful version exists called the Jet Dial, which went extinct many years before the destruction of the Old Empire. Unlike Jet Dials, Breath Dials can also store scents and aromas, similar to a Flavor Dial. The Swordsless Swordsman often uses them to keep cool when traveling through hot environments.

Cold Dial
The Cold Dial is capable of storing cold. When the apex is pressed, it releases a burst of extremely cold air capable of easily brining anything to a freezing temperature. It was often used in restaurants to make drinks cold using this method. It can also be set up to constantly make the surrounding area cold, allowing the Old Empire to have Dial-powered refrigerators. The Swordless Swordsman uses them for refrigeration himself.

Flame Dial
The Flame Dial stores and releases pure fire. While it does have combat uses, it was often used in the Old Empire to light cigarettes and fireplaces. The Swordless Swordsman has one placed in his mouth that he can press with his tongue to make it appear that he can breathe fire without using a Jutsu, often startling simple-minded opponents. A true master of the Dial is able to press the button in manners where they can choose between releasing small flames like a lighter, spraying a stream of fire like a flamethrower, is shooting a large fireball. It is also capable of cauterizing wounds shut. Not to be confused with the Heat Dial, which stores heat.

Flash Dial
The Flash Dial is one of two types of Dials that store light. When the apex is pressed, Flash Dials release a brief flash of light capable of temporarily blinding someone looking directly into it for a very short time. It can be used in conjunction with a weapon so that the Dial flashes whenever someone attacks, making it hard for the opponent to follow your movements.

Flavor Dial
The Flavor Dial stores scents and aromas. It was often used in the Old Empire as an air refreshener. However, it can also be used in combat by using it to store and release bad smells, such as farts. It can also be used to store gases, such as explosive gases. The Swordless Swordsman uses one in conjunction with a Flame Dial in his mouth to set off explosions.

Heat Dial
The Heat Dial stores and releases heat. It was often used in the Old Empire to cook food. But it could also be used in combat by building it into a weapon to make the weapon heat up to burn the opponent whenever it struck them.

Image Dial
The Image Dial is used to store images. It was commonly used in the Old Empire like a photo camera, though it could only store one picture at a time. When the apex is pressed, the image is projected as a hologram. The Swordless Swordsman has one that stores a picture of him and his fellow Blades of the Royal Guard back in the Old Empire. He will occasionally look at the picture when he is feeling homesick or sad.

Impact Dial
The Impact Dial stores blunt damage. Whenever a blunt-based attack, such as a punch, strikes the Dial, the damage is absorbed and nullified. When the apex is pressed, the Dial released a burst of energy that deals trauma-like damage to the opponent's insides, usually leaving no trace of damage on the outside. The burst of Impact damage can go right through any external defense, even natural defenses like a thick hide or a hard shell, and since one cannot strengthen their insides, there is no defense against it. It is not deadly, but repeated use can render the target writhing on the ground from the pain. It is often attached to the palm via a glove or bandage, thus allowing the user to catch blunt attacks with their palm, then release the Impact burst by pressing their hand. However, the force of releasing the Impast burst can be painful for the user if one hasn't gotten use to using it.

Jet Dial
The Jet Dial was a much more powerful version of the Breath Dial. It stored air and was able to release it with great force, many times more than a Breath Dial. It was once used to make very fast water vehicles before it went extinct long before the destruction of the Old Empire.

Lamp Dial
The Lamp Dial is one of two types of Dials that store light. It releases light in a glow. It was often used in the Old Empire to illuminate homes and the streets at night. The Swordless Swordsman uses them to light the cave he lives in.

Message Dial
The Message Dial allows one to communicate with anyone else who has a Message Dial, very similar to a phone. When the apex is pressed, the user says the name of the person they want to speak to while imagining their face, and as long as that person has a Message Dial, the two Dials are connected and the two users may speak. When someone is contacting you through a Message Dial, the Dial vibrates. It was often used in the Old Empire like a cell phone. The Swordless Swordsman possesses several.

Reject Dial
The Reject Dial is a much more powerful version of the Impact Dial. It was extremely rare to find back in the days of the Old Empire, and also extremely dangerous to use. It can absorb damage, then release it with ten times more energy than what was absorbed. This poses a risk to the user. An untrained person can easily get blown to bits by using the Reject Dial once. A hardened person can use it up to twice a day before needing to recover. A third time will easily kill them, taking out them along with their enemy.

Shock Dial
The Shock Dial stores electricity. It was very hard to use them back in the Old Empire, as the only way to power them was with static electricty, which took a very long time, or with a bolt of lightning, which was dangerous. However, they could be easily charged by attaching them to a lightning rod during an electrical storm. When the apex is pressed, the Dial would release a jolt of electricity. This allowed it to be used like a defibralator, as well as a tazer or stun gun. It could also be attached to metal weapons to make the weapon conduct an electric current. The Swordless Swordsman will sometimes use one to charge electrical devices for people, though he also uses one to absorb Lightning Jutsu.

Spear Dial
The Spear Dial is able to aborb any piercing or stabbing-type damage that touches it. By pressing the apex of the shell, a jet of condensed air is released that can stab right though a shield and into a person. It is a projectile stab, but does not travel very far without dissipating, making it a close-range projectile. It can easily prove fatal when targeted at the right spot on a person's body. It could also be built into weapons to make a sword or spear that released a projectile when thrusted forward. Not to be confused with an Axe Dial or Impact Dial, which absorb cutting and blunt-based damage, respectively.

Tone Dial
The Tone Dial was used to record and play sounds. They were commonly used in public placed in the Old Empire to add music to the atmosphere. The Swordless Swordsman has one that plays his favorite song, and he often uses it to play music wherever he sets up home.

Vision Dial
The Vision Dial was used to record and play moving pictures. It was commonly used like a video camera in the Old Empire.

Water Dial
The Water Dail was used to store water. The Swordless Swordsman keeps a very large amount of water in one, and releases it to keep himself hydrated while traveling in dry areas.