Collecting evil artifacts for fun and profit

[Jolly Giant]

I'm trying to build up a collection of evil artifacts and epic items. (No, not for mounting on my living room walls; it's for my current epic campaign! )

The collection is meant to be ancient items once used in a major war between the forces of good and evil. The items were taken by the forces of good during that war. Since major artifacts are not easily destroyed, they have instead been locked up in the deepest, safest dungeons in the strongholds of good; in Moradin's caves in Mount Celestia, in the personal armoury of Kord etc.

Now it seems a new war is brewing, and the forces of evil are using it's stealthiest agents to try and steal these items back. So what are these items? I've gone through the BoVD, DMG, MotP, CW and Deities & Demi-Gods looking for suitable ideas, but I'm hoping the good people of EN-world can come up with some clever creations of their own as well. Ideas for good places to store these items would also be welcome.

Here's what I've decided 100% on including so far (though I might make some small alterations to some of them):

The Sword of Kas (DMG)
Regalia of Evil (BoVD)
Wand of Orcus (BoVD)
Angelwing Razor (BoVD)
Talisman of Ultimate Evil (DMG)
Staff of Shadows (DMG)
Death Rock (BoVD)
Despoiler of Flesh (BoVD)
Midnight Blade (BoVD)
Rapsodhy of Pain (BoVD)
Staff of Malice (BoVD)

...and of my own making:

Bow of Corruption
This item once belonged to a solar, but was transformed and corrupted by a demonic cleric of Erythnul. It still functions like a solars bow, but in addition it is a chaotic, unholy, bane (good outsiders) weapon.

Bow of Death
This +6 keen, unholy large composite longbow is decorated with the symbol of Hextor all up and down it's front. If the wielder is a divine caster dedicated to Hextor, the bow grants the wielder free use of the Many Shot-feat and automatically adjust itself to the wielders strength, allowing full STR-modifier to damage.
Any wielder can by concentration choose to transform any arrow fired from the bow into a bolt of dark energy. These bolts function like a brilliant energy weapon and instead of dealing damage, they bestow two negative levels on anyone it strikes (no save, no SR). Firing an arrow in this way is a standard action, and neither the Rapid Shot nor the Many Shot feat are applicable to this use of the bow.

 

[green slime]

Crown of Contempt
This vile crown lures all who see to lust for it: Will DC 50 (or what ever is appropriate to your campaign) to resist.
Once placed upon the owner's head, Every living thing within a 10 mile radius per character level of the owner starts to harbour deep distrust and contempt for all around (Will DC 30 to resist). This often leads to open conflict, as insults and insinuations fly.

Those who die within this radius of effect are animated within 24 hours as zombies.

Once wearing the crown, the owner is so full of contempt for himself, his actions, and his surroundings, he cannot motivate himself to take any action. Eventually, due to contempt for any form of food, the wearer wastes away, becoming a skeletal, deathless being sustained only by the crown.

Method of destruction: The wearer must fall in love with another being.

 

[Nifft]

Two from my current non-Epic campaign:

Ring of Pazuzu's Legion: This minor artifact grants a +5 Resistance bonus to saving throws, +5 Deflection bonus to AC, and continual Freedom of Movement. Additionally, the wearer may Plane Shift to or from Gehenna 3/day.
Very Strong Conjuration; CL 25

Glacial Blight Skull Torc: This "amulet" is the sentient skull of a long-dead Winterwight. It grants its wearer (who must be Large or larger) a +3 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls (as an Amulet of Mighty Fists), as well as imbuing his natural attacks with the Unholy and Ghost Touch special abilities. It also makes him immune to cold damage. It must be fully immersed in mortal blood once every 30 days, or it temporarily loses its potency.
Glacial Blight: Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16, 10 ranks in Bluff, can cast Bless 3/day (ironically enough), Ego 16, AL CE
Very Strong Necromancy; CL 20.

-- N

 

[Jolly Giant]

These sound great, thanx! But I still need more, everyone...

 

[Alzrius]

I don't know how useful this will be to you, since it's just a reference, but I put together this list of all the major and minor artifacts that I've found in various 3E/3.5E WotC products, including on their website and in Dragon and Dungeon. I'm sure there's probably a few I'm still missing, but it's mostly complete. Hope this helps!

 

[Jolly Giant]

Thanx Alzrius, that was great. I'd not yet gotten round to checking the ELH and I'd completely forgotten about the arms & equipment guide...

 

[Liolel]

Can't think of any names but I have a few nonconventianal suggestions (not directly related to combat)

a artifact that kills all non sentient plants in some large radius. It would wreak havoc on farmlands and forests, and cause massive starvation.

an artifact that could stop all the precipitation in an area, and cause a heat-wave. This would slowly kill everyone in the region, as they die from the heat if weak, and if strong from the lack of water when the drought gets really bad.

An artifact that corrupts all animals around it to harbor hatred of humanoids in their hearts. Would leave to many attacks on travelers, and towns, wreak havoc on industries that relay on woodlands and cause other such problems.

None of these will directly hinder a high level character, but they wreak havoc on the normal populance which keeps the heros busy and devastates a region.

 

[blargney the second]

Have you read Dr. Midnight's story hour, Knights of the Silver Quill? There's an evil artifact in there that turns anybody who touches it evil. Terribly insidious.

Is a Deck of Many Things evil?
-blarg

 

[blargney the second]

Are you familiar with the Nymph Orb from Piratecat's story hour?

 

[dok]

Marhaveen
Originally inspired by a certain KODT comic, Marhaveen is a Chaotic Evil, Intelligent +5 anarchic, Unholy Battle Axe. (Full stats to follow) Originally created by a misguided elven cleric of peace, it was designed to trap the souls of all killed by it, and force the wielder to hear the cries of the spirits denied the afterlife. Sadly, the axe fell into the hands of a vile sadistic Dwarven king, who found the cries of elven spirits amusing and launched a war against his neighboring elven lands.
Somewhere amidst the slaughter, something unforseen occurred. The tens of thousands of souls trapped in the axe slowly melded into a single hive mind: furious, angry, and bloodthirsty beyond all reason. The souls trapped within found a communal power, and the axe gained a will of its own. Now it exists only to kill over & over & over again. When picked up, it will attempt to force it's wielder to kill the nearest creature, dropping them & following with a CdG if necessary.

Marhaveen: Intelligence 19, Wisdom 10, Charisma 19, Ego 32. Grants user 10 ranks in Intimidate, Spot, Listen, plus continual deathwatch. Can caste haste on its wielder 3/day. Anyone killed by Marhaveen (requires CdG or dropping to -10, not just to below 0) cannot be Raised or Ressurrected unless Marhaveen is destroyed. 1/day, Marhaveen can use animate dead on it's wielder if they die; if this occurs, the undead is under the control of Marhaveen, essentially sharing it's intelligence, speech, & perceptions (120' darkvision, blindsense & hearing)

Marhaveen is not stupid; it wants to kill everyone & everything, but it recognizes that there is a time & place for everything; it will not force wielders to kill downed foes if they are presently threatened by other foes. It has no problem with allowing its wielder to be healed, and provided it & the user share a common agenda, it is perfectly content. Despite being utterly, utterly mad, Marhaveen can be reasoned with, to a certain extend, by arguing that actions ultimately benefit its goals.