The steel of this sword is like no other, having an almost ivory sheen, and its polished surface is as reflective as the finest mirror. Its pommel is wrapped in the hide of a nightmare beast, and the tang is engraved with ancient symbols of power.
History
The Scourge of Rkard (originally called the Scourge) is the third of the three great swords created by Rajaat—the other two being the Scorcher and the Silencer. Rajaat gave the Scourge to his 13th champion, Borys of Ebe, to be used in his crusade to eliminate the dwarves from the face of Athas. The Scourge drank the blood of many, and soon the Butcher of Dwarves was met by Rkard, the last and most powerful of the dwarven kings. In the terrible conflict that followed Borys buried the sword deep within Rkard’s chest, earning it the name the Scourge of Rkard thereafter.
As the champions of Rajaat planned to rebel against their master, Borys lost the Scourge of Rkard, and it somehow ended up in the hands of surviving dwarves of Kemalok, the lost city of dwarven kings. Over the centuries that followed, the Scourge was kept in the tomb of Rkard until the day that it was needed to defend the dwarves from the ravaging of Borys of Ebe.
Following the death of King Kalak, Rikus came to the dwarves of Kled, built over the ruins of Kemalok, to enlist their aid in defending Tyr from the approaching army of Urik. The Book of Kemalok Kings was stolen by Maetan of Lubar during a confrontation with the Urikite army. For defending the city and by agreeing to help retrieve it, Rikus was declared a Knight of Dwarven Kings and given both the Scourge of Rkard and the Belt of Rank to help him in the arduous battles that were ahead. Though the Book of Kemalok Kings was not recovered, the Urikian army was repelled (even though Hamanu who was misterously not affected by the Scourge’s powers), it might be up to the player characters to recover the sword and use it to slay the Dragon) and both Kled and Tyr were safe. Rikus returned the Belt of Rank to the dwarves, but was given the the Scourge of Rkard by the dwarven elder Lyanius as a reward for his struggles.
During the following decade, Rikus used the powers of the Scourge to help defend Tyr and the rest of the Tablelands from the ravages of the Dragon—otherwise known as Borys of Ebe. After Rajaat was released from his prison Rikus found himself in mortal combat with Borys, with his only weapon the Scourge of Rkard. In the battle that followed, Rikus drove the Scourge deep into the snout of the Dragon, and as a result of the creature’s subsequent thrashing Rikus snapped the blade in two. The blade that remained impaled in the Dragon began to ooze a black ichor which eventually consumed and killed Borys. The two pieces of the Scourge of Rkard were left at the Ring of Fire following Rajaat’s defeat, and are now guarded by powerful wards placed on the area by Sadira of Tyr.
Campaign Uses
The Scourge of Rkard is a powerful weapon that can be used by either the forces of good or evil, whichever happens to have possession of it at the time. The Scourge was in the possession of Rikus for nearly a decade, and it is possible characters may have come into contact with the blade if they were familiar with the ex-gladiator mul. It is unlikely that Rikus would have parted with the Scourge, since he felt it to be the supreme gift from dwarves.
Retrieving it from the Ring of Fire would almost certainly attract the unwanted attention of Sadira of Tyr and her allies.
Abilities
The Scourge of Rkard is a +4 keen ghost touch vorpal bastard sword of sundering. The weapon is +6 versus any creature with the Champion of Rajaat template. The Scourge of Rkard also enhances the hearing of the wielder. Upon command the sword can increase its wielder’s hearing, providing him with a +30 circumstance bonus on Listen checks.
The Scourge bestows constant know direction and location, and defensive precognition (+2 bonus) effects on its wielder. It also grants its wielder immunity from poisons. Once per day the wielder of the Scourge of Rkard can rally his allies by holding the sword high in the air prior to entering battle. Those viewing this spectacle are inspired for the forthcoming battle, receiving a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +2 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls until either the battle is over or the wielder of the Scourge falls in battle. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Additionally, if the Scourge is broken (which has occurred twice in recent history), the two pieces can mend themselves if held together for a period of one month. During this time none of the sword’s powers function. While two broken pieces of the sword are apart, each piece issues a black ichor. Anything that comes into contact with it suffers 20d6 points of acid damage per round of exposition. This ooze can only be removed if fire is applied to it within one minute of exposure.
The power of the Scourge of Rkard is not without price. Should the wielder of this artifact ever comes within 100 yards of one of the remaining Champions of Rajaat, he must make a Will save (DC 25) or attack the Champion outright. As far as the wielder of the Scourge is concerned, this is a confrontation to the death. This an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Additionally, should the Scourge ever again drink the blood of a dwarf, there is a chance that the sword’s original purpose—the destruction of the dwarven race—will be revived. For each dwarf that is slain by the Scourge of Rkard there is a 5% cumulative chance that the wielder will take up the one-time mantle of Borys of Ebe, and attempt to finish killing all the dwarves on Athas. Only the death of the wielder can stop him from this savage need.
Suggested Means of Destruction
• Bath it in the elemental waters that are now Rajaat.
• Place it at the bottom of the Silt Sea for a decade.
• Have it melted down by a dwarf with the purest of hearts.
So this is my first draft on it. I based my version pro PAoA and from PP. Feedback is very much appreciated.
Anyway- I would make the weapon a +6 due to the fact that this item is should be epic in power to begin with (I think all three of the blades forged by Rajaat should follow this requirement).
Anyway- I would make the weapon a +6 due to the fact that this item is should be epic in power to begin with (I think all three of the blades forged by Rajaat should follow this requirement).
It is epic against Champions, if it were +6 normally, it would have to be even higher against them, and that would be too much IMO...
No mention of the sword's protective teleport ability vs. Champions other than Hamanu?
Refresh my memory, Sysane, which teleport ability?
I do mention the sword is ineffective against Hamanu...
Refresh my memory, Sysane, which teleport ability?
I do mention the sword is ineffective against Hamanu...
I think it was towards the end of The Amber Enchantress. Anytime Borys tried to strike Rikus, the Scouge would teleport him away from harm. It only worked against the Champions made prior to Hamanu.
Anyway- I would make the weapon a +6 due to the fact that this item is should be epic in power to begin with (I think all three of the blades forged by Rajaat should follow this requirement).
I agree. I also don't think it should be any better versus Champions either, since that wasn't its original purpose and seems like enough of a "design thing" to not be applicable after its creation. The mind-affecting "must kill Champion!" part makes sense however, since Rajaat has an innate connection to the weapon still and that seems more like something that he could instill into the blade long after it was created.
It is epic against Champions, if it were +6 normally, it would have to be even higher against them, and that would be too much IMO...
But I do not think that makes it qualify as Epic- this normal bonus has to be above +5 for it to be considered epic- or else a +4 bane vs dwarves long sword would be Epic, becuae following your agrument it would be +6 vs dwarves- even though its enchantment is only effetively a +5.
EPIC WEAPON BASE PRICE
To find the base price of an epic magic weapon, roll on Table: Weapons. Note that the +6 to +10 rows apply only to weapons that provide an enhancement bonus of +6 to +10 or weapons with a single special ability whose market price modifier is +6 to +10. Magic weapons with a total effective bonus of +6 to +10 but that have an enhancement bonus of +5 or less and special abilities whose individual market price modifiers are +5 or less use the table for nonepic magic weapons to determine price.
Chalk up another win for the Flayer of Halflings!!!