The Artifacts and Relics Cupboard

Sneaking around you find a locked cupboard.  Using your skills you soon have the cupboard open, discovering treasures wonderous and deadly.  Maybe even for you.

(if an artifact/relic does not have a link, I haven't finished it's creation, although it won't be too far away.  Keep checking "Whats New" to see when it has been added)

Contents

The Holy Grail of Tymora

Annihilator - Dwarven Battleaxe

See Also: Khalain's Staff of Destruction


The Holy Grail of Tymora

by Rick Underwood

This golden grail is a simple cup weighing 40 pounds, and is beautifully engraved. It was used by the avatar of Tymora in Arabel during the Time of Troubles. After the goddess ascended the celestial stairs to Her home plane, the Grail gained its miraculous powers, and was declared a holy relic by the High Priest of Tymora in Arabel.

It was gold plated and engraved in Arabel. Intending the Grail to have gems affixed, the clergy sent the Grail, and two other relics - the Sceptre and Robe of Tymora, to Mirabar, home of the greatest jewellers and goldsmiths. On the way to Mirabar, the caravan guarding the Holy Relics was attacked by a mass of humanoids, forces belonging to a militant wizard who desired the relics. The wizard's home is somewhere in the Spine of the World, and divination spells have revealed that the wizard is now deceased. A few adventurers have gone looking for the wizards home, most have come back empty handed, some have not come back at all.

The Holy Grail of Tymora is a relic (an artifact for priests), and is to be used sparingly in a campaign. It would be the focus of a series of adventures, and would probably leave the party's hands on completion of the quest.

The Grail has the following powers at 24th level of ability. Evil aligned characters cannot activate these powers:

  1. Bless by touch.
  2. Comprehend languages when held.
  3. Cure light wounds seven times per tenday.
  4. Create food and water once per day.
  5. Remove curse by touch, seven times per tenday.
  6. Heal once per tenday.
  7. Cure disease seven times per tenday.
  8. Alignment of anyone who uses a power changes to chaotic good.
  9. Resurrection once per tenday (see side effects).
  10. Last person to touch Grail gains +4 on all saving throws.

Side effects:

  1. Quest placed on person who uses Grail for resurrection. The quest will be for the benefit of the church of Tymora, or to further the cause of Tymora on the planet. The quest must be performed immediately, regardless of the user's plans. (ie If the user says "We'll do the quest right after we finish this dungeon" he/she begins to incur the penalties for not embarking on the quest - see quest spell).
  2. Possessor loses interest in sex.
  3. Evil aligned beings take 1d4 points of damage from touching the Grail.
  4. Any good aligned being who has seen the Grail has a 20% chance per veiwing of becoming enraptured with its beauty and holiness. This chances increases to 50% per touch, and automatic if a power is used. Yearning for the item forces possessor to never be away from the Grail for more than 24 hours if possible. This translates into a loss of 1 point of all abilities per day for ten days (never dropping less than 3), and then regaining them to former levels at the same rate.


Annihilator

by Col Cattel

Annihilator
Dwarven Battleaxe of Annihilation

Characteristics: +3 Dwarven Battleaxe, +5 vs chaotic evil

Intelligence: 20 Ego: 16 Personality: 31
Alignment: Lawful Good
Languages: Dwarvish, Common, Undercommon, Goblin, Drow, Giant common, Orcish.

Magical Properties:

  1. The battle axe will instantly annihilate chaotic evil creatures with an attack roll of a natural 20 (no saving throw). On any other roll that hits the axe causes double damage to chaotic evil creatures.
  2. Wielder may know alignment 120' radius three times per day when holding axe and concentrating (no other action).
  3. The axe can cure serious wounds once per day by touch.
  4. The wielder understands (but not speaks) all languages known by Annihilator when holding the axe.
  5. The weapon raises the constitution of wielder by 4 points with all appropriate bonus'. This is granted only while weapon is grasped, and only on one dwarf.
  6. The axe itself can detect lie at all times (and will announce so loudly).

Description:
This exquisitely crafted weapon has two walnut sized diamonds in a engraving on the two headed blade representing the eyes of the dwarven god. These gems (street value 10,000 gp each) will glow when chaotic evil creatures are detected by the axe (as if a loud shout of "Attack!" wasn't enough!). If the gems are ever removed the axe loses its ability to detect alignments, including chaotic evil. The gems lose their magic permanantly if removed, but could be re-enchanted. The handle is also metal, fashioned from a lightweight metal unheard of by other races. It is reported to be the legendary "lightsteel" which many dwarven heros of myth were said to possess and be able to make into special weapons and items. The metal handle has a textured two handed grip of durable leather.

History:
This two handed battleaxe was handed down to the Original Dwarves by the Gods, and its use against dwarves of any kind is strictly forbidden. Dwarven Lore states "Any dwarf using Annihilator against another dwarf is barred from entering the Halls of the Gods". Legend states that on the single occasion the weapon was wielded against a dwarf, the user was slain instantly, and the axe returned to the hands of the Gods. There it waited until a suitable dwarf was found to whom the Gods would bestow the axe. When it eventually came back into the world, Annihilator was handed down from generation to generation, most often used in the underground war against the drow.

Research indicates that the axe has been lost once more, and hasnt been seen for almost a millenium. Rumour has it that Annihilator is in the treasure hoard of a great wyrm, although the offical line from the dwarven priests is that the gods have claimed the axe once more, and are waiting to pass it on to the next champion of the dwarven cause.

This weapon can only reach its full potential in the hand of a dwarf - in the hands of any other race it functions as a +2 weapon with no special abilities apart from being able to speak (and it will continually demand to be given to a worthy dwarf, and may dominate the possessor to its will).

The personality of Annihilator is said to be boisterous and truthful. The axe cannot differentiate between types of untruths - a lie is a lie. If someone nearby utters a statement the axe knows to be false (dont forget its detect lie ability), it will loudly declare such, even if such an action would be tactically unwise.

It speaks dwarvish most of the time, relying on someone else to interpret if they desire. It speaks common only when necessary, and other languages to insult foes. Annihilator often laughs gleefully when in combat with chaotic evil creatures.

If wielded by an evily or neutrally aligned dwarf, the weapon attempts to force good behaviour upon the dwarf by personality domination, with all the penalties of alignment change incurred.