Mazes and Hamsters: Weapons

A Feature by Fenrir-Lunaris



This month in "Mazes and Hamsters"; we describe a number of the most well known and potent weapons used by the various heroes of the OHRRPGCE universe!

Flanatian Shillelagh - Wandering Hamster

Aura: Faint Conjuration

Gopherwood Club (1d6)

The Flanatian Shillelagh is a wondrous magical item esteemed by the numerous hamster-folk of Flanatian lore. Though its origins have long since been lost to history, stories of its unusual nature have long persisted into the present day. The Shillelagh itself is a walking stick a little under 3 feet high with a glazed finish of amber, and a thick, knobbly end. The end of the staff has a large, warped knot of sorts, hollowed out on the inside and coated with a gold interior, the likes of which radiate a faint magical aura.

The staff itself only deals as much damage as an ordinary medium-sized club (1d6 damage), and weighs about 3 pounds. When a foe is struck by the Shillelagh however, there is a one in three chance that a number (10d10) of small gold coins will magically dislodge from the open end of the magical item and scatter all around the stricken foe. Only 1d6 of these coins will prove to be legitimate coins of the realm, the rest being less-than clever forgeries of painted tin and steel each bearing the likeness of a certain "Borb the Hamstur".



Crisis Sword - Walthros

Aura: Moderate Transmutation

+2 Greatsword (2d6+2) or +2 Glaive (1d10+2)

The Crisis Sword is a specialized magical item used long ago by the patron of the Walthrosians, Bobblin. A two-handed sword, its primary blade is a long Greatsword curved like a wave with six smaller blade-like hooks curving out from the main blade itself like the tops of waves crashing along a beach. The inner surface of the blade is decorated with a bluish coral lattice that extends to the hilt and topped off with a reflective ocean pearl as large as a normal human's fist.

When the command word is spoken, the hilt of the sword extends dramatically, turning the weapon into a rather long Glaive. In either form, the weapon counts as a +2 enchanted Glaive (1d10+2, Reach) or Greatsword (2d6+2). The various hooks on it provide a +2 circumstance bonus to any attempt to trip or disarm an opponent. A utilitarian enchantment upon the weapon ensures that anyone who picks it up will find that they can use it without any penalties, regardless of whether they are proficient in Martial weapons or not. The weapon itself possesses a rudimentary intelligence, though it is only capable of witty puns, spoken in an old Walthrosian dialect.

Seasaw GunSwallow - Arfenhouse 4

Aura: It smells strongly of crayons for some reason

Two Bladed Sword +2 (1d8+2/1d8+2)

A weapon forged in the "Shuffling Green" and held in high regard by the Loafmen that hail from that wretched demiplane, the Seasaw GunSwallow is an unusual and bizarre combination of exotic weapons that when combined shouldn't actually work. The whole contraption revolves around a pivoting hinge much like a piece of playground equipment, with a pair of swords being swung around it. Worked into each sword is the workings of a revolver-type gun barrel, which seems to discharge a vibration of some sort into the blades itself once fired. There doesn't seem to be any sort of way to actually fire the weapon like a gun; it just goes off on its own.

The weapon seems to function like a cross between a Two Bladed Sword and a pair of Nunchaku, and requires either years of training (exotic weapon specialization) or just plain dumb luck to be able to wield effectively. On a critical hit (19-20), the weapon deals x4 damage instead of x2, due to the embedded revolvers within the blades. This effect is considered a sonic attack, and deals extra damage to constructs accordingly. The weapon also functions as a +2 sword as well. It is also possible to separate each half of the Seasaw Gunswallow by removing the hinge (Disable Device, DC 25) however failure will result in the weapon exploding, dealing 6d6 damage to everyone and everything within 10 feet of the weapon, destroying the weapon and its components utterly. Once separated, each "sword" functions as a normal longsword +2, save for the x4 sonic critical strikes.

Sword of Jade - Sword of Jade: Parallel Dreams

Aura: Strong Necromancy

Cursed +3 Longsword (1d8+3)

The Sword of Jade is a pale green katana that emanates a sickly yellowish-green light. Forged in the Time of Suffering, it was wielded by the Valorian Nix and her companions against the Daemon Grinlow. Though it slew the insectile outsider, the sword also drained the lifeforce of its owner with the felling stroke, transforming her into an unliving shadow. The sword next found its way into the hands of Dart the Explorer, who together with Dogero and his companions tried to assassinate the self-appointed demigod Gahn. During the battle, Dart managed to wound, but not outright slay Gahn, who in turn broke the weapon into pieces. It was reforged once more for Dogero, who used it to deliver the final stroke against the demigod.

The sword itself feeds off the very lifeforce of its wielder, growing stronger and more powerful at the expense of the person who holds it in their hands. Normally, the weapon functions as a +3 Medium Longsword (1d8+3) that emits a continual weak greenish light, illuminating even the darkest of areas. Against Evil aligned foes or Outsiders, the blade of the weapon suddenly bursts into a brilliant lustre as though it were formed solely of light. This light is actually the wielder's very lifeforce itself, bursting out to slay the foes of life itself. Every attack made against Evil aligned foes or Outsiders automatically scores a critical hit (19-20/x2), deals the maximum possible damage, and negates any damage reduction its target may have. In turn, every strike performed with the weapon forces its wielder to make a fortitude save (DC 25) or lose 1d2 Constitution points permanently. Once the user falls to 0 Constitution, they immediately die and rise again as an insubstatial wraith within 3-6 weeks, doomed forever to walk the mortal plane drained of all emotions save for despair for their own fate and hate for those who still live.

Ow Dagger - Query

Aura: Medium Conjuration

Diminuative Dagger (1 Dmg*)

A diminuitive dagger from a far-away land, the Ow dagger possesses a rather unusual set of characteristics. Firstly, its blade is oddly shaped like a duck's bill, save for a small but sharp point on the very end for puncturing. Being a diminuitive sized dagger, it only deals 1 damage with each successful attack (19-20 / x2 for crit), but possesses an enchantment that bypassess all damage reduction. Its true nature as a magical weapon quickly becomes apparent once it has landed an attack successfully.

For every time the wielder of the Ow Dagger lands a hit with the weapon, a phantasmal image of the dagger manifests and strikes that same target each round thereafter, until its victim lies dead, or a remove curse or dispel magic spell is cast. The total number of phantom strikes grows each round with every successful attack performed by the weapon's owner, thus if they had made 4 successful attacks with it, then every combat round four phantom daggers would appear and strike at that foe. Attacks by the wielder only increment this total; successful phantasmal attacks do not add to the total. Phantasmal attacks are performed using the original wielder's Attack Bonus and any strength modifiers, as if they themselves had successfully performed the deed.

Shepherd's Staff - Sheep Rancher, OHR House Heroes

Aura: Strong Conjuration

+1 Quarterstaff of Conjuration (1d6+1/1d6+1)

The Shepherd's staff is a warped and knotted length of polished sandalwood with a hook on one end for holding and guiding animals. Originally owned by an apprentice wizard named Samuel, the Shepherd's staff is completely covered with runes and inscriptions for spells much like a scroll. Samuel spent much of his early days tending to a flock of sheep, during this time discovering that it was often needed to create a large, repositionable obstacle to aid in his duties.

The spells engraved on the staff, 4 first level, 2 second level, and 1 third level spell are chosen ahead of time by the DM, and may be of any school, though spells of the conjuration school are the most recommended. The staff also possesses the power at will to create a cube of solid matter five feet to a side and five feet tall, made apparently out of smooth polished stone. This ability may be used freely, but only once in each round. Ingenious uses range from creating a makeshift wall for cover, or diverting the path of running sheep (notwithstanding those sheep that run straight into it and knock themselves out). The blocks created this way only last a mere 10 minutes or so before vanishing back into the Elemental Plane of Earth. Only one block may be present at any time, older blocks vanishing as newer ones come into being.

Triangle Sword - OHR House Heroes, Halloween Quest, Vikings of Midgard

Aura: None

Shortsword of Golem Destruction +1 (1d6+1 / +1d6 vs Constructs)

Manufactured in the obscure plane of Mechanalus, the Triangle Sword was created to fight maverick constructs, and to exorcise the malfunctioning "ghosts in the machine". Originally owned by a construct by the name name of "Triangle", this unassuming weapon has started to find its own shape in the world of magical artifacts.

The Triangle Sword is a +1 shortsword roughly 1 1/2 feet long with a sharply pointed tip that grows down to the hilt to 6 inches wide, shaped much like a triangle. Made of an unusual bright red metal, the sword is impervious to rust, and will never bend nor break. Once a day, the sword may be swung to shoot a beam of glowing red light that deals 4d6 sonic damage to any living things caught in its path. Nonliving entities such as undead or constructs suffer twice as much damage from the "Shape Wave", taking 8d6 sonic damage instead. Golems and other Constructs struck by the sword normally take an additional 1d6 damage.

Excelsior - Timestream Saga, Vikings of Midgard

Aura: Strong Holy Enchantment

Holy Rapier of Outsider Slaying +4 (1d6+4)

The Excelsior (meaning "Ever Higher") was a family heirloom formerly in the possession of a certain Kitsue Styrge of Zyra, a Magus in her own right who gained a reputation as one of the slayers of the tyrant sorcerer Malhavok during her world's First Sorcerer War. The sword was blessed at the time specifically to combat the evil alien outsiders known as "Kothyl" conjured by the sorcerer, and though its enchantments over the centuries have diminished, it is still a potent weapon in the hands of anyone facing such foes.

The rapier itself functions as a +4 light rapier, with the special property that evil aligned foes and outsiders take an extra 1d6 damage when struck by the sword's blade. Evil Outsiders take 2d6 damage instead, as the boon on the weapon's blade itself specifically targets such beings. The blade itself was originally capable of slaying monsters of the Aberrant type in much the same manner, however that property was somehow ripped from the weapon during its journey across the planes, and no longer functions as intended (it would have dealt 3d6 extra damage to Evil Outsider Aberrants at the time it was forged)