When you first enter the House of Diplomats, you may be surprised that the dazzling pillars and grand architecture of this palace of peace all direct your gaze to a weapon.

As a sword, Necessity’s Blade is an impressive feat of metallurgy, made many times more so by the glass bottle which wholly encases it, hilt and all. The blade glimmers in the morning light, suspended above a living carpet of mosses and decorative succulents.

How exactly it was constructed within those confines - and the exorbitant cost of such a feat of technical craftsmanship - is the topic of many an after-dinner conversation, all of which miss the point.

The Diplomats know that peace sometimes necessitates a gleaming sword and a strong arm. But Necessity’s Blade is a reminder; once freed, it will not easily - or cheaply - be restored to its glass sanctuary.