Blight (Rune Sword):
Lord Edu had always know that he was destined to rule any lands he trod on and to devastate those who resisted his men. It was not until he had found the Rune Sword that he could realize his dreams. It was twisted but was balanced finer than any weapon he had ever possessed. Before then, he had been little more than a mercenary. While he had been well born, he was a third son never destined to inherit. The first victims when he had taken up the sword had been his brother's lands. His brother's fortress had been wood and the blade had made short work of a wall and the mercenaries he hired killed all inside the fortress and he had become lord of the lands which had once been his brother's lands. He then had taken off on wars of further conquest.
The fortress city of Iestar had refused him and their armies had fought his in two battles which he had made little headway against them. They had sent a plant elemental against his army. He had taken the creature up in single combat and had destroyed the creature. His men had made it to the gates of the city but had been unable to break through. The gates of the city appears to be of sort of glittering metal so he could not simply rot the doors with his sword even if he could get that close personally. Now his own army was running out of supplies and he could no longer keep up the siege.
He would see how they liked their crops destroyed and the soil made infertile. Fertile lands surrounded the city. His armies would be back and he would see how they stood off his troops. Already his troops had stripped the lands bare. Every couple of dozen or so paces, he planted the sword in the ground to the hilt. Immediately, the remaining plants began wilting and within a few moments, all of the plant life was dry and brown. It took several days but he did not trust anyone else to do it.
Still, he was finally finished and he took the lead as his army headed out from around the city.
This weapon is believed to be incredibly ancient, maybe hundreds of thousands of years old. No one knows who made the weapon although the best current opinion is that it was forged by an Old One long before Man, Dwarf, or Elf ever walked the Earth. There are just too many years of history for a psychic reading to decipher the ancient history of the weapon. Quite a few have tried over the age and have only ever been able to see more recent events.
In more modern times, the weapon was wielded by a number of kings and generals. The weapon seems to attract many evil warlords. Often, they will end up devastating vast areas of land. Several times, the weapon is believed to have been hidden by those who do not want to see it abused and especially by Earth Elemental Master who hate the absolute destruction the weapon can bring. Somehow though, the weapon seems to always reappear. Some scholars thing the weapon is responsible for vast destruction during the war between the Elves and Dwarves which spelled the ruin for both races.
Blight is a long sword but is unusual in that both the blade and handle appear to be twisted and gnarled. The appearance is of plants which are being tortured. The weapon is made from a matt black metal which almost appears to absorb light. Along the blade and handle are deeply carved runes. Even though the weapon is extremely twisted and looks ungainly, it is as well balanced as the best of Dwarven crafted weapon. As well, the blade in incredibly sharp and like all rune weapons, it is completely indestructible.
Blight is a well known run sword which is known for its ability to just simply be planted in the soil and it will kill all of the plants for a six hundred foot radius. Unlike the Elemental spell of wither plants, it kills all seeds and actually makes the soil itself poisonous. It can take months or even years for plants to grow once again. Planted in the middle of a field, it will make crops unable to grow there for years. Elemental "Plant" creatures also take damage while in the soil effected by the magic. As such, they will usually avoid the area and skirt around it. The only cases where they will enter the radius of effect is if they are directly commanded by a summoner or elemental master.
As well, whenever the sword strikes wood or anything made from plant materials, the material begins to rot. On wood objects, the enchantment effects almost two hundred pounds every few moments. It can be used to literally collapse a wood building or a wooden castle gate. This magic will also effect living trees, a plant elemental, and entities composed of plant life.
The weapon has a curse as any equipment carried by the possessor of the sword which is made from plant materials will quickly rot. Linen clothing will normally not last more than a week or so. Cloth armor will quickly disintegrate as well. Even cloth thread holding leather or metal together soon will rot away. A weapon with a wooden handle would be effected in the same manner. Bone, fur, wool, leather, metal, rock are immune. Basically anything is unaffected by the enchantment. As well, any food which is not animal meat, fish, or the like will spoil. Vegetables, fruit, potatoes, bread, and rice will spoil within a day and become inedible. It does not matter what container the material or food is stored in, it will quickly spoil and begin to rot. Unlike similar curses, the curse does not carry over if the weapon is passed to another.
The weapon does not appear to have a strong personality. Those who are not evil or selfish do take damage when the weapon is carried. As well, the weapon has distinctive dislikes such as a dislike for Earth Elemental Masters. The weapon does not seem to really "Speak" with its possessors. There are some scholars which suggest that once the weapon had a strong personality but the personality fading in the many millenniums of its existence. There is also the possibility that the weapon had spell casting abilities but they faded into the enchantments which the weapon has now. It does retain all of the standard abilities of rune weapons.
- Attributes:
- Like all Rune Sword it is completely indestructible
- Links to wielder within 6 months of constant contact. Can sense each other presences within 4 miles.
- Can be used to parry energy blasts at -6
- Gives wielder +1 on all saving throws.
- Miscreant Alignment and can be used by those of evil and anarchist alignments. Any being which attempted to wield the weapon with a different alignment takes 2D4 points of damage each time they touch the weapon or 3D6 damage if creatures of magic.
- IQ: 06 Can communicates with wielder through limited telepathy although
never does
ME: 08
MA: 08
Characteristics:
Weapon Bonuses:
- Due to superior craftsmanship, equal to Dwarven quality, +2 to Strike,
+3 to Parry, and +2 on Initiative.
Weapon Damage:
- 6D6+6 per strike against normal targets. Against plant type elemental
creatures, plant based tectonic entities, and other similar creatures take
4D6x10 per strike. Weapon inflicts S.D.C. in S.D.C. Worlds and inflicts
M.D.C. in M.D.C. Worlds. (Plus strength bonus if applicable.)
Weapon's Special Abilities:
- Wither / Kill Plants: When the weapon is planted in the ground,
all plants will be killed within a 600 foot (182.9 meters) radius. Within
1D4 melee rounds, the plants will be completely withered. Any plant elemental
or other supernatural plant creatures will take 1D6x10 points of damage
per melee round inside the radius of effect. No plants will grow before
six months elapse. For every minute the sword is planted in the ground,
this is extended by a minute.
Rot Wood / Plant Material: Must be imbedded in the material to cause affect. When used against anything made of wood or other plant material, the weapon starts a super fast rotting process. Effects 180 lbs (81.6 kg) per melee round of contact. Extremely effective at destroying wooden walls, doors, and other wooden construction.
Weapon's Curse:
- Rotting: An items worn or carried by the wielder of the sword
are potentially affected by the enchantment. The enchantment effects anything
made of plant based materials. This includes wood, linen, cotton, and other
similar materials. Does not effect rock, bone, metals, and animal based
clothing such as leather, fur, and wool. Clothing made from plant materials
will rot until it is useless within a week. Cloth armor rots and loses
10 S.D.C. per day. Enchanted cloth such as cloaks of armor take one S.D.C.
per week. Wooden weapons also lose 10 S.D.C. per day. Food which is vegetable,
fruit, potatoes, bread, and rice (or anything else plant based) will also
spoil within a day and become inedible. Containers will not protect the
food. Meat, fish, and any other animal based food in unaffected. If the
wielder passes the weapon to another or discards the weapon, the curse
does not continue affecting them.
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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2009, Kitsune. All rights reserved.