It’s that time of year again! Last year I gave Swordtember a go but I fizzled out. This year, I’m trying it again but I’m going to extend it to any weapon and I have dubbed it Weaptember! I’ve posted my first batch of weapons to Patreon (they’ll go public on Friday).
Anyone else giving the challenge a go? If anyone feels like teaming up here or elsewhere to group-tackle it, I’m happy to join in the fun. Here’s the list of prompts:
As will be seen when my first six weapons go public, I am using the magic sword procedures from Monsters & Treasure to add some extra spice and zing to the weapons.
Also, almost forgot, as it is WIPWednesday, here’s the first weapon I created:
Chaotic great club +2 / +4 vs Law, INT 9 EGO 8, COM empathy, POW illusion generation / detect law
This was the war club of the demon, Blebazabu, lost somewhere on the prime material plane. Legend places it at the bottom of a steep crater hidden under a sea of ice.
Though the great demon cannot leave his abyssal abode, it is said his servants are ever seeking for the club. Woe betide the world should they find it!
Here are the rest of my first six weapons:
Chaotic dagger +1,INT 7 EGO 5, COM empathy, POW control undead
Control Undead: the wielder makes a Turn Undead check as a cleric of equal level; a result of turn indicates the undead are halted and awed; a result of destroy indicates the wielder has exerted control over the undead and may command them at will.
There was a schism in the church of Saint Fiacra that ended with a rogue priest, Tichanto, and his inner circle buried alive under the stones of the church itself.
Entombed and overcome with thoughts of vengeance, Tichanto consumed his fellows while they lived. When he died, he became a Ghast and his entombed followers Ghouls.
Ever Tichanto yearns to escape his imprisonment and avenge himself but the consecrated grounds of the church have so far held him fast. That power, he has perceived lately, has started to weaken. Now, he prepares.
Chaotic longsword +1 / -1 vs dragons, INT 10 EGO 7, COM draconic, POW detect gold & gems / fire breath
Fire Breath: as breath, 30’ cone of fire, deals 1d6 damage per level of the wielder; one use, recharge by submerging the sword in great heat and flame for one hour.
This was once a gift from the great red wyrm, Xathrivrem the Belittler, to the leader of his cult, the anti-paladin, Kilperic. On Kilperic’s death, it was said the sword was buried at his side but rumor says the sword was secreted away by one of his lieutenants who have persisted in their dragon worship and continue to plot on behalf of Xathrivrem.
Lawful quarterstaff +1, INT 7 EGO 4, COM empathy, POW weal or woe
Weal or Woe: once per day, while the staff is held in the light of a sunrise, the wielder may ask one question that will be answered truthfully with a response of either weal (it is good) or woe (it is ill).
This staff, fashioned entirely in brass, was once housed in the temple to a Sun God. When the temple was razed, the staff was lost.
Lawful morningstar +1 / +2 vs undead, INT 7 EGO 7, COM empathy, POW detect undead / continual light
This weapon was forged for the war against the dread necromancer, Bailtang, and wielded by the patriarch, Gonalen.
After the cleric’s death, the weapon was housed in the church of Saint Fiacra, consecrating its grounds, until it recently, mysteriously disappeared.
Lawful arrow +2 / +4 vs undead, INT 3 EGO 3, COM none, POW none
Only a single quiver of these arrows were ever made during the wars against Bailtang the Necromancer. During the final assault on his grim fortress, the arrows were spent and presumed lost. One, however, has since been recovered from a war memorial so there is yet hope the rest may be found.
The collecttion can be downloaded as a PDF from Patreon.
Insight
Lawful one-handed flail +1/+2 vs lycanthropes, INT 1 EGO none, COM none, POW Clairvoyance
The chain appears to be made up of stars with an ever moving nebula at the end. Bestowed upon the Tosmarians by the Queen of the Stars for their achievements in astronomy, it has not been seen since the island sunk beneath the ocean.
That’s a really awesome visual look for the weapon! Who wouldn’t want to thwack someone with a nebula?
Happy WIP Wednesday! Here’s my item… err… weapon for today: the Candelabrum of Bishop Shilleng!
Lawful magic candelabrum with three arms, INT 10 EGO 8, COM empathy, POW detect secrets / dispel invisibility / turn undead
Detect secrets: lighting a candle in the left arm detects secret doors, passages, and traps as long as the candle burns.
Dispel invisibility: lighting a candle in the right arm dispels invisibility on creatures or objects within its light; active as long as the candle burns.
Turn Undead: lighting a candle in the middle arm, turns undead as a cleric of 5th level
If candles in all three arms are lit at once, every creature that can see the light from the candelabrum must save vs spells or be permanently blinded; the candelabrum is destroyed.
Bishop Shilleng, a follower of Patriarch Gonalen, was the first to discover the treachery of Bailtang that triggered the Necromancer War. During the war, Shilleng was ever hunting the craftily hidden devices and lurking unliving spawn of the enemy. He was killed by the reaver, Kraung, who took the candelabrum as his prize. It has not been seen since.
The Celestial Aegis
Lawful shield +1, INT 7 EGO 10, COM empathy, POW healing
Crafted by an alliance of celestial and arcane forces to repel the attacks of the Blight.
The wielder may spend a spell slot to power the Aegis. It will absorb 1d6 points of incoming damage and heals the wielder for an equal amount. The shield will become inert after this has happened a number of times equal to the spell slot used.
The Arborus Staff
Neutral Quarterstaff +1, INT 8 EGO 6, COM empathy,
POW telepathy, plant manipulation
The Arborus Staff is carved from the wood of a wise and ancient apple tree that stands at the heart of the Starfallen Thicket. It allows communication with forest animals telepathically, and the wielder can command plant life within 100 feet 3 times a day.
Mycelium Lash
Chaotic whip +1/+2 vs spell users, INT 7 EGO 12, COM empathy, POW detect magic / spore burst
These are whips of twisted tendrils of Blight-infested vines and fungal growths that Blightborn footsoldiers utilize. On a critical hit, roll a d6 and the whip releases spores that will for one round (1-2) Blind, (3-4) Disorient, or (5-6) Weaken enemies within 10 feet. The whip seeks to destroy any magic
wielders and will compel the user to do so.
Anyone who possesses the whip and is not already tainted by the Blight will need to save vs. Death ray everyday or become a new Blightborn.
A whip is a great choice for an underrepresented weapon and I love the theming with the blight!
Worked on “shadow,” “fire,” and “mask.”
