Staff of the Weald (Greatest Rune Staff):

The Staff of the Weald is considered by most scholars to be a greatest rune weapon and is an item of immense power. As with most rune weapons, it is believed to be extremely old, dating from long before the great war between the Elves and the Dwarves. Just how old is unknown but there are fragments of tales going back long into the ancient past.

While the staff appears to be a long twisted and gnarled wooden staff, most scholars assume that it is not the true form of the staff. What the true form of the staff is unknown however. Over time, the appearance of the staff has changed a little bit with different twists and gnarling. Still, since the abilities of the staff have remained the same, most assume that the staff is the same one.

There are several theories as to the personality inside the staff. The personality appears to be female but beyond that, some scholars speculate that the spirit was an Earth Elemental Master while others speculate that the spirit is some kind of forest beings such as a Nymph. The spirit does appear to be kind however and only allows those of good and unprincipled alignment to possess it. It will sometimes communicate with its possessor but tells little about its background.

As with all rune weapons, the Staff of the Weald is an impressive weapon and inflicts more damage than one might expect from a quarterstaff. In addition, even though the weapon does not look very well balanced, it is extremely well balanced.

When used against wood, when the staff strikes, it causes the wood to weaken as if effected by rot. This can be used against a target repeatedly to dramatically weaken it. In addition to dead wood, living trees, tree elementals, and tectonic entities are also vulnerable to the rotting effect of the staff.

The Staff of the Weald gives the wielder a couple of innate skills. It appears to do this in the form of feelings transmitted from the staff to the possessor. These include the ability to navigate through the wilderness and the ability to track. Can track both animals and humanoids.

The staff also has a number of more common Earth elemental spells although is not limited to offensive abilities. All of the enchantments are related to wood or plants. Lesser abilities include the ability to make plants grow faster and whither plants. Greater spells include the ability to create an armor of thorns, walls of thorns, animate plants, and pass through defense forests.

This staff does have a side effect / curse. Those who possess the staff for a long period of time tend to become more and more uncomfortable in cities and even large towns and find themselves more and more comfortable in the wilderness. It will become a mild fear after a while with one trigger being large crowds. Most whom have possessed the staff and become bonded with it usually eventually find themselves living in the wilderness.

Attributes:

I.Q.:	15.	Communicates with wielder through limited telepathy.
M.E.:	14.
M.A.:	12.

Characteristics:

Like all Rune Weapons it is completely indestructible.
Links to wielder within 6 months of constant contact. Can sense each other presences within 4 miles (5.4 km).
Can be used to parry energy blasts at -6.
Gives wielder +1 on all saving throws.
Can only be used by individuals of Unprincipled, Scrupulous, or Principled Alignments, anybody not of those alignments takes 2D4 points of damage each time they touch the weapon or 3D6 damage if creatures of magic.

Weapon Bonuses:

Due to superior craftsmanship, equal to Dwarven quality, has +1 to strike, +2 to parry, and +2 on initiative.

Weapon Damage:

4D6+6 per strike against normal targets. Rot wood effects inflicts 8D6+6 to living trees or 7D6+6 to tree / plant elementals and tectonic entities constructed of wood, paper, or plants. Rot wood effects also reduces strength of structure of wood by half per strike (A.R. Rating and S.D.C.). Effects 30 lbs (13.6 kg) of wood per strike and can be used against a target multiple times. 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.)

Special Abilities:

Innate Skills: Gives skills of Land Navigation at 50% and Tracking at 55%. Innate skills do not improve by level of experience.

Earth Elemental Magic: P.P.E.: 90, recovers at a rate of 10 P.P.E. for every three hours. Spell are cast equal to sixth level Earth Warlock.

Second Level:	Grow Plants	(8)
	Wither Plants	(10)
Third Level:	Armor of Thorns	(15)
	Animate Plants	(10)
Fourth level:	Part Forest	(15)
	Wall of Thorns	(15)

Shape-Change: This is an assumed ability although nobody has ever seen the rune staffs real appearance. Instead, the staff appears to be a long twisted wooden staff. Over the years, the appearance of the staff has changed but always remains a long and twisted wooden staff. Even so, the staff can use all of its ability. Unlike some rune weapons with this ability, any magical or psychic detection methods will reveal that ti is an extremely powerful rune weapon.

Curse / Side Effect:

This curse only seems to start taking effect after the wielder has bonded with the staff (six months). The wielder will begin to find themselves getting uneasy in cities and even large towns and finding themselves increasing comfortable in wilderness. This will after about a year pass to being a mild phobia and will include crowds as well.

One does not normally need to roll on the phobia effects table in the book unless forced to remain in a city or surrounded by large crowds. Instead, the possessor of the staff will have to fight with themselves to remain in such a situation for more than a few days.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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