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The bell to the shop clanged and Alanna looked up and saw a half-elf enter. "I'm sorry, I'm closing right now. If you want to register for employment, we will reopen tomorrow morning."
"You've mistaken me for a client," smiled the half-elf. "I have come here for your other expertise."
"Oh, which one would that be?" Alanna asked.
"Simple. You are a bard. Bards have knowledge of specially crafted items. I want to employ you for identification purposes. My companions and I discovered an unusual weapon while trekking through the Anauroch. After arriving here, I started making polite inquiries for someone with your skills. My probing has led me to you . . . I can pay," said the half-elf as he jingled his purse.
"I see," Alanna lay down the quill she was holding. "What is your name?"
"I am called Thadius Elmshorn," answered the half-elf.
"All right Thadius, you have my attention," Alanna walked to the door and locked it. Then she walked to the windows and shuttered them tightly. "My office is back here. Please follow me." They walked to her office and she invited him to sit. "Now, may I please see the item?"
Thadius hesitatingly handed the scabbard to Alanna. "The sword can only be drawn once a day. I have yet to do so today."
Alanna raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, tell me, what else you have discovered about this weapon."
"Well, it is very curious in design. It resembles a long sword, though it is slightly curved. The blade is so thin that when turned aside, it is almost invisible. While the blade seems to be crafted of silvered steel, it reflects the moving clouds of a summer's day. It reflects this no matter where you are, or time of day. I had to fix a sheath to the sword because it had none when we found it. The blade is about five feet in length but the hilt prevents its usage with two-hands," replied Thadius.
"Anything else?" queried Alanna.
"Well, please don't think this odd, but sometimes I hear it sigh," said Thadius sheepishly.
"Sigh?" asked Alanna.
"Yes, sigh. It almost sounds like a distant breeze. Then there was this one time when we battled a blue dragon in the Anauroch . . . " Thadius started. He then hesitated when he saw the look on the bard's face.
"Well," prodded Alanna.
"Well, I thought I was a goner for sure. Especially after it hit me with the third lightning bolt. I swear I heard the sword scream like the north wind whipping along the tundra. I didn't fall. Finally, we were able to drive off the beastie. My companions asked what in the world that noise was. All I could tell them was: It came from the sword. So, if you don't mind, could you try and identify it?" He finished.
"All right, I definitely have something to go on," said Alanna. She stood up, lit two lanterns and held the sheathed sword close to the light. She turned it over and over in her hands and ran her fingers along the hilt and crosspiece. "This weapon is very old. I think it may come from the area near the Raurin desert. Mulhorand perhaps." Alanna lay the sword down and walked to a bookshelf. She walked its length and back again. Finally, she stooped over and pulled an old text from its resting place.
"What do you know about the Raurin desert and its history, Thadius?"
"Nothing," replied Thadius.
"Well, you're about to gain a quick lesson in Mulhorandi history. A history which is intimately tied to this sword." Alanna looked at the sword lying on her desk, and took a deep breath. She thought to herself: {Could this actually be the Reaver of the Wailing Winds?}
Alanna brought the text back to her desk. She gently opened the yellowed pages. "Thadius, I believe your sword to be an ancient weapon of some power. I am going to read you what little I have on a weapon which resembles the one you have brought me." Alanna took another deep breath and began:
"The weapon I believe this sword to be the Reaver of the Wailing Winds. The
Reaver was created in days long past by the Wind Dukes of the Imaskari. These
wind dukes were three very powerful archmagi air elementalists. These wizards
believed themselves superior to any god, and refused to believe in them.
Through the ages, they made war on the entire Mulhorandi pantheon. The
Imaskari managed to vanquish several of the Mulhorandi gods and were even able
to bar their access to the planes. One Imaskari apprentice even, indirectly,
caused the Orcgate Wars."
**For more information on the Imaskari and their battles with the Mulhorandi
pantheon, see Powers and Pantheons pages 94-96. **
Alanna continued, "Now, the Reaver was forged to battle the legions of Horus, which would presumably include Horus' avatar. The Wind Dukes gave the blade to Captain Sergulance Dru Karlwyr, a grand lord of the time. Unfortunately, Karlwyr was betrayed by his brother, who had shared the blade's secrets with a priestess of Isis, Isashabel, with whom he had been having a lingering secret love affair."
"Isashabel relayed this information to Hector, the champion of Horus (widely called the arm of god.). Hector used the information to his advantage and every time Karlwyr pressed the attack, Hector gave ground. Finally, the blade dissipated into the winds from which it gets its name, and Karlwyr was slain on the field of battle. The next day, the field was being cleared and Hector found the sword lying next to the body of his foe. Hector claimed the weapon as a battle token and immediately dropped the blade and grabbed his head. The priests quickly surmised that any Mulhorandi who laid a hand upon the blade would suffer great agony. These individuals were doomed to hear only a great wind howling within their heads for the remainder of their lives."
"All attempts to destroy the weapon met with failure and it was finally incarcerated within the burial chamber of Captain Sergulance Dru Karlwyr. That is all the history I have on the Reaver. Now, I have legend as well. If you would like to hear that," enticed Alanna.
"Of course, I want to hear it," exclaimed Thadius.
Alanna paused and looked at Thadius. "Here is where it gets more interesting, at least where you are concerned. Supposedly, the weapon lay undisturbed in Karlwyr's tomb for many years. It was lost to legend, or so it was thought. Finally, the tomb was unearthed and the blade was claimed by Karsus, or so the tale goes. He was thought to have used the Reaver in enchanting one of his myriad components in his final spell. This is all hearsay because it was never recorded, but since you now have the weapon and you found it in the Anauroch . . . it seems to lend credence to the rumor."
"Legend also gives us a description of how the blade was enchanted. The archmagi forced a greater air elemental to bind itself to the weapon for the effects they required. The elemental pleaded with Akadi, the goddess of elemental air. Akadi heard and responded to the elemental's prayer. While she could not undo the magic binding the elemental, she did adjust it. Whenever the elemental suffers too much, it is allowed to dissipate until healed. The elemental can only work its powers once a day and is refreshed by the first night breeze."
"So, how sure are you that this is the Reaver," asked Thadius.
"I'm very sure," said Alanna. "There is another test. If you would draw the blade please."
Thadius picked up the scabbard and drew forth the blade. As it came free from the sheath, a low sighing began and a slight breeze whipped through the office. Papers flew and Alanna tried to bring order to the chaos the weapon created. Finally the breeze died, and she saw the weapon unsheathed. It was as Thadius described. The blade was exquisite and the reflection of the clouds was unmistakable.
Alanna sat. "Well Thadius, I am certain the blade you now hold in your hand is the Reaver." Thadius lay the sack of coins on the desk. Alanna handed them back. "I can't accept these."
"Why not?" His eyes narrowed, "What is it you want?"
"Now Thadius . . . is that anyway to speak to a fellow in arms?" Alanna lifted her collar and Thadius saw the harp and moon symbol of the Harpers.
"You're an agent? I didn't know that," he paused. "So, what do you want?"
"I want your pledge to keep this blade safe. I trust you to always use it well and wisely. Do I have your pledge, Thadius?"
"Yes, Lady," said Thadius.
"Good, now there are a few more things you need to know about the weapon you
bear . . ."
Game Information:
Appearance:
The sword is a long sword of curious design. The blade, is so thin that when
turned aside, it is almost invisible. The blade is curved but not so much as
a scimitar. The blade sighs when drawn, but sheds a chill scream when swung.
It is five feet long, with the handle adding an additional foot. The hilt
precludes the use of the sword two-handed. The blade is crafted of silvered
steel and reflects the moving clouds of a summer's day, whether or not that is
the type of day, or if the user is even exposed to the sky. The blade has no
sheath.
Modifications:
The blade is an ordinary sword +2, excepting the scream effect, which has no
modifiers. As was stated above, the weapon sighs when drawn (all within 10
feet hear the sighing), but it also creates a breeze, even indoors. The sword
has a special ability, while the blade is in hand the bearer cannot die. No
blow will bring the bearer below 1 hit point, and the bearer automatically
makes all saves against death magic. When any blow lands that would otherwise
kill the bearer, the sword will howl like the north wind. (All within 60 yards
hear this scream.) Basically, the elemental absorbs the damage and dissipates
when it is hurt too greatly (which is of course when the GM rolls that
accumulating chance).
When swung, there is a cumulative 1% chance, per swing, that the blade will dissipate into the winds that constitute it, reforming 24 hours later, in the same spot. The blade can only be drawn once a day (the blade is refreshed by the first night breeze) and any attempt to draw it again results in the sword's dissipation as per above. The sword grants no protection against being disarmed (that being one of its weaknesses).
The sword cannot be wielded by Mulhorandi, and any Mulhorandi attempting to wield it is permanently deafened, hearing only a roaring wind, the effect is only removable via a Wish or similar magic. The intervention of any Mulhorandi power will not be sufficient to remove the effect, although it is possible that powers native to other pantheons might be able to do so.
*Note* The sword doesn't grant a save to spells that offer none, so death
spell and power word kill will still kill you, as well as symbols and holy
words, arrows of slaying, vorpal swords etc. . . .
Submitted by by Justin Chupp
(Dialogue by Kimberly Moser)
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