The Blade of a Thousand Edges

When first discovered this weapon appears to be some sort of club or baton. When in its passive state the Blade resembles a shaft made from a thousand or more layers of variegated metals, iron, steel, copper, and bronze. This shaft is firmly welded to a basket-shaped steel guard and thin, leather-padded hilt. A small bloodstone decorates of the pommel of the otherwise rather plain weapon. If checked for magical properties the Blade radiates Great animation and combat magic. A Superb test of divination is required to determine the process required to activate the weapon.

The Blade is useless until its powers are activated by a brief ritual, which involves the item's owner speaking a command word and holding the weapon's bloodstone pommel against their own flesh. The Blade will drain an Average wound's worth of blood from the wielder, then spring to life. The metallic layers that form the striking portion of the blade unbind and spring apart, forming a snake-like blade of spinning, shimmering, razor-sharp blades held together by flickering threads of deep red light. From command word to fully active Blade takes a full round.

Once active the Blade can be wielded as a normal weapon, but it strikes with a will of its own, twisting, spinning, extending and contracting like an enraged serpent. The Blade has the following characteristics in battle:

• Great bonuses to accuracy and damage.
• Any blow struck by the Blade causes Fair bleeding damage.
• The swirling lash-like blade automatically parries up to two blows per round. Parried blows suffer a three rank penalty on their accuracy.
• Any mundane weapon parried by the Blade has a Good chance of being sliced apart by the contact, it's fragments and pieces incorporated into the Blade's own matrix.

The Blade of the Heavens

Ancient legend says that once every thousand years the gods appoint a mortal guardian to defend the gates of heaven. The Blade is the chosen one's weapon. It is a heavy one-handed sword with a blade of pure silver and light. The weapon's basket-like guard is carved from purest green jade, inscribed with two guardian lions, each chasing the other's tail. The weapon's grip is wood wrapped with brilliant red wire, and a gleaming chunk of hematite forms its pommel. The Blade's scabbard is made from silver and trimmed in wolf's fur. Three red silk tassels hang from the scabbard's throat.

The Blade radiates Legendary combat and protective magic and Epic alteration magic. An Epic test of divination magic will reveal the item's enchantments:

• The Blade is a Legendary quality weapon, for all intents it is unbreakable, and grants Superb damage and accuracy bonuses when wielded.
• The wielder gains Legendary protection from all forms of mental attack, magical influence and control, including charm or fear effects, suggestions, esp, or domination.
• The wielder can run as swiftly and as tirelessly as a hunting wolf, gaining a Superb bonus to endurance and running speed.
• When the sword is held the wielder can fly at Superb speed (though only average maneuverability).
• Lion's Call - Thrice per day the wielder can summon forth a pair of Celestial Lions, supernatural creatures with Superb toughness and flight capabilities. These creatures fight for the wielder using Epic claw attacks and are utterly loyal. Slain Lions vanish and can be instantly resummoned, up to the three per day limit each.
• Earth's Renewal - Three times per day the wielder can plunge the Blade into the earth for one full round. At the end of the round they are healed an Epic amount of damage.
• Heaven's Cut - Six times per day the wielder can strike a blow imbued with the powers of heaven. This blow inflicts Epic damage, shatters the target's weapon (Epic test to resist), dispels any enchantments or spells affecting the target, and neutralizes any magical items in use for six rounds.

Demonsoul

This sword has a long, slender, straight blade of an unknown silver metal inscribed with an interlocking knot-like pattern of green and purple enamel along its entire length. This knot-like motif flows off the blade and onto the wide and slightly curved guard, which is made from the same silvery metal as the blade. The weapon's grip is covered in dark green leather and wrapped with coppery wire and the pommel is fitted with a polished slab of malachite. The weapon radiates Great combat magic and Epic abjuration magic along with Epic demonic energies. Demonsoul radiates both good and evil.

Ordinarily the sword functions as a normal weapon with Good bonuses to damage and accuracy. When drawn in the presence of another demonic being Demonsoul's true nature is revealed. The weapon contains the energies of a demonic being trapped within its matrix. When confronted by another demonic being the sword gives off a continuous piercing scream as the blade begins to glow with an eerie purple light. In this state the weapon has the following characteristics:

• Great bonus to damage and accuracy.
• It negates any special attacks (natural energy attacks, ability drains, mind control attempts, spells, etc.) used by the opposing demon, absorbing any energies directed at the wielder.

The more energy Demonsoul absorbs, the more unstable the bindings holding the demon it contains become. The wielder must make a test of Will each time the weapon absorbs energy, suffering a one rank cumulative penalty each time the weapon responds to an attack. Should they fail a test, the demon within the blade possesses their physical form, which begins glowing with the same eerie light previously surrounding the sword:

• The sword's damage and accuracy bonuses rise to Superb.
• The wielder gains Superb physical toughness, reducing all physical damage received by two ranks.
• The possessed becomes immune to fire, electrical damage.
• The possessed gains immunity to mental attack forms (except, of course, being possessed).
• Demonsoul continues to absorb demonic attacks directed at the wielder.

The sword continues its possession for 2d8 rounds. At the end of this period the wielder may attempt to regain control of their body with a test of Will. The previously accumulated penalties to this Will check still apply, and any absorption since possession add to the penalty. After the initial possession period the penalty is reduced by one rank per round.

Should the demonic foe be defeated before the wielder recovers from possession the demon will launch an attack against the nearest target available. The demon powering Demonsoul is a low intelligence creature, bent only on destruction.

Touch Flesh

This bizarre weapon is a short-bladed, stabbing sword, about 24 inches in length from tip to pommel. The weapon is formed from a gout of blood, magically frozen and shaped into a razor-sharp, slightly flattened blade. The grisly point is attached to a guard and hilt carved from the joint bone of a sizable creature, the ball of the joint forming a slightly off-center pommel. The hilt is wrapped with pebbled, yellow leather. The blade is fitted with a scabbard of the same pebbled yellow leather decorated and stiffened with polished bone. If examined for magical properties, Touch Flesh radiates Superb alteration and enhancement magic.

Touch Flesh has Great accuracy and damage bonuses when used in combat. But more importantly, when wielded, the blade passes through non-organic material as if it were air, making metal armor useless against it. The blade does no damage to non-organic material it passes through, it is simply unaffected by their presence. Note that this makes the weapon useless against some foes (elementals and constructs for example).

To maintain the blade's potency it must taste the dying flesh of a sentient being once per week. If this condition is not met the blade loses its potency until it feeds.

A Deadly Trio

Today's article features short takes on three dangerous weapons. My usual writing time this week has been a bit constrained by time devoted to my play-by-mail WWII-era pulp action game. I've also been in a bit of an old-school mood and sometimes shorter is better.

Acidic Blade - This delicate scimitar features a polished steel blade fitted with gold hilts, a black-dragon hide grip, and a polished moonstone pommel. The weapon radiates Fair combat enhancement and Good alteration and protection magic. It has the following attributes:

• Fair damage and accuracy bonus.
• Good immunity to acid-based attacks.
• Thrice per day the blade can be commanded to exude magical acid for six rounds. Blows struck while the acid is present inflict Good acidic damage in addition to normal damage. The acids burn through organic materials quickly, but metals are unaffected.

Shatter Foe - A heavy two-handed hammer with a crudely shaped head of black iron and a haft of red-dyed steel, this weapon requires Great strength to wield effectively. The weapon radiates Good combat enhancement and Great evocation magic. It has the following characteristics:

• Requires Great strength to wield.
• Poor accuracy.
• Superb damage bonus.
• Upon command the weapon's hammer-head doubles in size for one round. A blow struck with Shatter Foe in this state inflicts Epic damage and stuns a living target. Non-living targets are broken or shattered. This power can be invoked six times per day.

Chaos Spear - This rather plain looking weapon features a bronze head inscribed with an interlocking pattern of feathers and eyes. The shaft is polished ironwood, dyed dark red. The weapon radiates Good combat enhancement magic and Great alteration magic. It has the following attributes:

• Good accuracy enhancement.
• Can be thrown up to triple normal range with no penalty.
• Returns to the hand of the thrower the round after being thrown.
• Upon command dozens of bird-like figures stream forth from the weapon's blade, striking all foes within a 30' radius (Great dodge test to avoid being struck). Anyone struck is confused for three rounds. This power can be invoked three times per day.

Seraphim Sword

This two-handed weapon bears only a passing resemblance to a sword. The blade and hilt are fashioned from single feather from a Seraphim's wing. The shaft of the five foot long feather is pure silver, while the vanes are purest white. Near the hilt, downy afterfeathers float in a swirling mass, forming a soft, but impenetrable guard. The entire weapon gleams with a pearly light, warming the surrounding area. The Seraphim Sword is deceptively light, when wielded it seems to float in the bearer's hand.

Attempts to identify the magical properties of the item will reveal:

• Legendary accuracy and damage enhancement.
• Epic evocation and alteration magic.
• Epic divine magic.
• Epic protection magic.
• The Seraphim Sword radiates good.

The sword has the following powers and abilities:

• Epic damage and accuracy bonus.
• Legendary damage and accuracy bonus versus undead and infernal beings.
• The pearly glow given off by the sword repels undead, infernal beings, and summoned creatures, hedging them away from the bearer (10 foot radius).
• Heavenly Flare - Thrice per day the bearer may call down a bolt of pure divine energy that strikes everything within a 60 foot radius. Undead and infernal beings within the area suffer Epic damage and are blinded for 3-6 rounds. The bearer and their allies are healed for a Good amount.
• Seraphim's Wing - Twice per day the bearer can sprout ghostly magical wings, allowing them to fly with Superb speed and skill. The wings last 1 hour.
• Pure Cutting - When invoked the next blow struck by the blade will release a searing bolt of pure white energy, cutting through any object up to 10 feet in diameter. Mundane objects cannot withstand this blow, though magical items may resist (Legendary toughness test). This power can be invoked once per day.

The Serpahim Sword is semi-sentient, and will only serve a being with whose goals are honorable and good. Inherently evil creatures that attempt to touch the sword will suffer Legendary damage. Those the sword feels are unworthy cannot lift it. Should the blade's bearer be proven unfit, the sword will simply stop working for them.

edit: minor typo fix.

The Blade of One Thousand Fangs

At first glance this sword could be mistaken for some sort of practice weapon, as its straight 30 inch long blade is encased in a heavily padded, green silk sheath. The blade's carved ivory hilt, jet pommel, and ornate but functional gilded steel guard reveal it to be something more. The weapon's sheath cannot be removed by mundane means, attempts to cut or damage the smooth silk simply slide off.

Identifying the magical properties of the blade will reveal Great damage and accuracy enhancement and Superb protection and necromancy at work. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the blade's secrets.

The magical sheath protecting the blade vanishes with a mental command from the owner, revealing a rod-like, steel blade completely covered with jagged red and black fangs, each one to four inches long, sticking out at every conceivable angle. The blade's sheath reappears with a mental command, or if the hilts are released.

The sword has the following powers and abilities:

• Great accuracy bonus when used in battle
• Any blow struck by the blade inflicts horrific bleeding wounds, resulting in Great damage and causing continued bleeding until treated.
• Each time a successful attack is made one of the blade's fangs breaks off in the wound. This fang will continue to burrow and twist its way into the unfortunate victim, inflicting Poor damage each round until it is removed. Removing a fang is a Good test of medical skill. A fang left in a victim for 12 rounds will work its way to vital organs, inflicting Great damage on the 13th round, then dissolving away.
  
• Lost fangs are regrown at the rate of 1d4 per day. The blade will hold a maximum of one thousand fangs. If all fangs are used up, the blade's magic is destroyed.
  

Ahtep's Blade

Ahtep was a well known explorer and adventurer with a broad streak of paranoia. He commissioned this blade to give him an edge against secretive or hidden foes.

Ahtep's Blade is a long, narrow-bladed sword with a practical straight guard and one-handed hilt. The blade and guard are a dull silver color, while the hilt is black leather wrapped with silver wire. The pommel is a plain, round knob of the same silvery metal. The blade's scabbard is a plain thing of black leather, the only ornamentation being a circular cutout edged with silver trim near the hilt end of the scabbard allowing the blade to show through. Clearly Ahtep was not out to impress anyone with appearances.

Both the blade and scabbard are magical. Identifying the magical properties of the blade will reveal Good damage and accuracy enhancement, Great divination magic, and Good illusion magic. Identifying the magical properties of the scabbard will reveal Good preservation magic.

The sword has the following powers and abilities:

• Good damage and accuracy bonus.
• The wielder can cause the blade to act as a Good light source at will.
• Once per day the wielder can cause the blade to pulse and flare with multicolor lights. Any foe must make a Good resistance check vs. this effect or be confused and dazed for 2-8 rounds.
• Great enemy detection ability (60 foot radius). Any foe with hostile intent within the area of effect will cause the blade to glow with a pure white light. The glow grows more intense if more powerful or greater numbers of foes are detected.

The scabbard's magic protects the contained blade against wear, damage and theft, sounding a piercing howl if anyone but the scabbard's owner attempts to draw the blade.