An Imperial Sceptre of the Malazans was a device that could be used to both communicate instantly and send objects (or people) over vast distances without requiring a powerful magic user, which was kept incredibly secret within the Malazan Army. One such sceptre, initially sent to Genabackis with High Fist Dujek, was considered the most valuable object in the 5th Army. That sceptre was "about the length of a long-knife [where one] end was a blade, the other sculpted into a three-toed bird’s foot grasping a frosted orb of glass or crystal". It was activated by slamming the blade into a wooden table.