Dawnreaver, Edge of the Morninglords

Blessed by the clerics of Lathander, Dawnreaver, Edge of the Morninglords appears throughout the Age of Humanity, linked with Sammaster, the Chosen of Mystra and First-Speaker of the Cult of the Dragon. The greataxe was first noted in the Year of the Sinhala (916DR).

Battle in Cormanthyr (916DR)

While the archmage Sammaster battled an avatar of Lathander, a paladin wielded Dawnreaver in defense of Lathander’s clergy. The magic of the clerics increased in intensity throughout the battle, becoming so strong that the axe itself was permanently imbued with their many blessings.

The axe retired with its paladin owner following the battle, its duty fulfilled. Numerous adventurers and scholars alike searched for the axe in the ensuing years, to no avail, and it was presumed lost to history.

More than three-hundred years passed before Dawnreaver resurfaced in Faerûn history, appearing again in the Year of the Blacksnake (1285DR). It was again wielded by a paladin against Sammaster’s forces; the archmage had risen again as a lich following his defeat by Lathander’s avatar.

The Company of Twelve (1285DR)

More than three-hundred years passed before Dawnreaver resurfaced in Faerûn history, appearing again in the Year of the Blacksnake (1285DR). It was again wielded by a paladin against Sammaster’s forces; the archmage had risen again as a lich following his defeat by Lathander’s avatar.

The Company of Twelve, all paladins, attacked Sammaster in his stronghold, destroying the lich. The paladins suffered heavy losses in the fight, losing nine of their order in the battle. The Company disbanded after Sammaster’s defeat, shaken to their cores having lost nine of their family. Dawnreaver again disappeared shortly after.

Adventurers and scholars again seeking Dawnreaver uncovered rumors about the Company’s final battle with Sammaster. The fallen lich’s followers insisted that eight of the fallen paladins had been murdered by one of the Company. This betrayal came about after a paladin succumbed to Sammaster’s evil enchantments, uttered in the lich’s final words before his destruction.

In a blind rage, the paladin assaulted his unsuspecting brothers and sisters, overwhelming the eight who were lost. Knight after knight fell to Dawnreaver in the fury, until the berserk knight was finally put down by the three surviving Company members.

Again Lost to History

The Company of Twelve went to great lengths to hide this betrayal from history, working to stricken all mention of the axe from their histories. Over the next two-hundred years, Dawnreaver faded almost entirely from memory in Faerûn.

Recently, the Lords’ Alliance learned that members of the Cult of the Dragon were investigating rumors that the axe traveled with the final member of the Company, who left the Dalelands to start a new life in Neverwinter.

Dawnreaver Stats Greataxe, Requires Attunement Base Attributes Attack Modifier: +1

Damage Modifier: +1

Maximum HP: +1 / level

While wielding this axe, using the Help action to aid an ally’s melee attack will knock the target’s shield aside momentarily. In addition to the ally gaining advantage on the attack roll, the ally gains a +2 bonus to the roll if the target is using the shield.

Cursed This axe is cursed, and attunement extends the curse to you. You are unwilling to part with the axe, keeping it within reach at all times. You have disadvantage on attack rolls with weapons other than this one. Whenever a hostile creature damages you while the axe is in your possession, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or go berserk. While berserk, you must use your action each round to attack the creature nearest to you with the axe.

If you can make extra attacks as part of the Attack action, you must use those extra attacks, moving to attack the next nearest creature after you fell your current target. If you have multiple possible targets, you attack one at random. You are berserk until you start your turn with no creatures within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear.

At Level 5 Attack Modifier is now +2

Damage Modifer is now +2

Whenever you have advantage on an attack with this weapon and hit, you can knock the target prone if the lower of the two d20 rolls would also hit the target.