Memnus
First Post
The Betrayer's Blade: artifact weapon, Chaotic Neutral
The Betrayer's Blade is believed to have been created just under a thousand years ago, though the craftsman is unknown. Perhaps it was not even created on purpose, merely appearing as the side effect of powerful chaotic forces, or an experiment gone horribly wrong. Every few decades, though, it has turned up somewhere in the world to wreak havoc, only to be disposed of and disappear again.
The Betrayer's Blade is mercurial in form, appearing to be whatever sort of weapon suits it, usually one that its next intended victim is skilled with. It always has some small impression of its last victim, whether it is the seal on the pommel, the name inscribed in an unknown language on the blade, or a ghostly face in a gem. It changes in powers, as well, appearing with or without special abilities. In game terms, the total value of its special abilities and enhancement bonus always total +4. The blade also has the power that its wielder gains the sneak attack ability, doing an extra 2d6 damage. If the wielder already has the ability, these dice stack.
The Betrayer's Blade seems to take delight in mischief and chaos, apparently not working toward any particular goal. If the blade has no current host, anyone seeing it must make a Will save (DC 5, natural 1 always fails) or become covetous of it, stopping at nothing to acquire it. If that person is the only one seeing the blade at that time, and it is not protected, the DC of this save is 10. After the blade entrances a host, it focuses instead on that person. The corruption of the blade is slow and subtle, but inevitable. Whenever a strong emotion or desire is roused in the host, he feels the desire to use the weapon as a solution to the situation, and must make a Will save to act rationally. The DC of this is initially zero (natural one always fails) but each successful save increases the DC by one for the next save. As the blade tightens its grip on the host, it begins to amplify the host's emotions and desires, accelerating the cycle, until the host is entirely out of control of his own actions, a violent slave to feelings and whims. Should the blade be stolen from the host (for it will never allow itself to be given away or sold), the host's reaction will be entirely unpredictable, but extreme, ranging from psychotic violence to suicidal depression.
The Betrayer's Blade was retrieved from Lake Valdorane in Winter 64 A.K., and soon found a host. It is currently in the posession of Reginald Cooper (Wizard level 5), once a respected sage of Marzen, whose whereabouts are now unknown but believed to be somewhere in Mittendien. Its current form is a +2 wounding dagger, with the seal on the pommel of a warrior who perished near the end of the Age of Gods.
The Betrayer's Blade is believed to have been created just under a thousand years ago, though the craftsman is unknown. Perhaps it was not even created on purpose, merely appearing as the side effect of powerful chaotic forces, or an experiment gone horribly wrong. Every few decades, though, it has turned up somewhere in the world to wreak havoc, only to be disposed of and disappear again.
The Betrayer's Blade is mercurial in form, appearing to be whatever sort of weapon suits it, usually one that its next intended victim is skilled with. It always has some small impression of its last victim, whether it is the seal on the pommel, the name inscribed in an unknown language on the blade, or a ghostly face in a gem. It changes in powers, as well, appearing with or without special abilities. In game terms, the total value of its special abilities and enhancement bonus always total +4. The blade also has the power that its wielder gains the sneak attack ability, doing an extra 2d6 damage. If the wielder already has the ability, these dice stack.
The Betrayer's Blade seems to take delight in mischief and chaos, apparently not working toward any particular goal. If the blade has no current host, anyone seeing it must make a Will save (DC 5, natural 1 always fails) or become covetous of it, stopping at nothing to acquire it. If that person is the only one seeing the blade at that time, and it is not protected, the DC of this save is 10. After the blade entrances a host, it focuses instead on that person. The corruption of the blade is slow and subtle, but inevitable. Whenever a strong emotion or desire is roused in the host, he feels the desire to use the weapon as a solution to the situation, and must make a Will save to act rationally. The DC of this is initially zero (natural one always fails) but each successful save increases the DC by one for the next save. As the blade tightens its grip on the host, it begins to amplify the host's emotions and desires, accelerating the cycle, until the host is entirely out of control of his own actions, a violent slave to feelings and whims. Should the blade be stolen from the host (for it will never allow itself to be given away or sold), the host's reaction will be entirely unpredictable, but extreme, ranging from psychotic violence to suicidal depression.
The Betrayer's Blade was retrieved from Lake Valdorane in Winter 64 A.K., and soon found a host. It is currently in the posession of Reginald Cooper (Wizard level 5), once a respected sage of Marzen, whose whereabouts are now unknown but believed to be somewhere in Mittendien. Its current form is a +2 wounding dagger, with the seal on the pommel of a warrior who perished near the end of the Age of Gods.
Last edited by a moderator:
