Wrought with mortal hands and infused with divine grace, these items are among Minarra's most powerful clerical devices. These are the companions of the Heads of Order, the instruments of the pious on their epic quests, and the defenders of those who bear the most solemn burdens. Many a legend is centered around these devices and those hallowed few that wield them.
These devices are inextricably bound to the life forces of their rightful owners. Attempts to steal these instruments typically end with the death of the erstwhile thief or, failing that, the device's self-destruction or temporary withdrawal from the world.
Despite claims to the contrary, these devices are hardly invulnerable. If the enemies of a sanctifying Power truly wish to capture or even destroy these items, it can be done. The real reason it is rarely tried is that few Orders would dare risk the inevitable retribution.
There are, of course, other clerical devices of comparable might, but their names and powers are known only to the sage and his esoteric tomes. The editors of the Guide have selected these items because of their high public profiles (either in legend or in day-to-day experience).
Wherever applicable, these devices confer full weapon proficiency to the owner if not already possessed. Further, those devices that emulate standard charged items (e.g., a staff of withering) neither require nor use charges.
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[Author's Note: in terms of raw might, these devices are somewhere between standard magical items and artifacts and relics, the latter being quite rare on Minarra (especially in the First Edition sense of the terms). Most of these items have figured prominently in game play over the last two decades, and have been used by both NPCs and player characters.]
Consort of the Enlightened Sanctifying Power: Arzamark (LG)
Unlike most of the devices described in this section, the true form of the Consort of the Enlightened is not that of a weapon. Instead, the Consort is a plain, tapered walking stick of polished mahogany, its tip sheathed in silver and capped by a smooth silver ball. Its nondescript appearance belies its power, for the Consort is the worldly "shadow" of the cane carried by True God himself. There are but four of these devices, one for each of the Serenities of the Four Continents. The Consorts will size themselves to their owner's height.
The Consort is the ideal companion to those who instruct the uneducated and delve into the unknown. A Consort can employ each of the following once per week: identify, legend lore, and true seeing. Once per day, they can also use any arcane or clerical divination magic whose proper name begins with "detect". Lastly, the Consorts can teach any humanoid being to read and write through literacy, or bestow a more esoteric knowledge of language through scholarship. These powers are useable once per day/per month respectively.
If pressed into service as an actual weapon, the Consort is up to the task. The Consort can instantly transform into a staff of suitable length, and inflicts 2-12 (2d6) points of damage, plus weapon bonus.
If a bladed weapon is more to the Serenity's liking, the Consort can transform into any sword type except bastard and two-handed, and function as either a frost brand or flame blade, never both. The sword mode inflicts 3-12 (3d4) points of damage, plus weapon bonus. Serenities must decide on the sword type the Consort will emulate (e.g.: a frost brand in the shape of a broadsword) upon their first invocation of the power. This decision is irrevocable once made.
Whether sword or staff, the Consort is a +3 weapon, +4 vs. all evil-aligned creatures.
The Ebon Scepter Sanctifying Power: Lazev (LE)
+3 quarterstaff, +4 vs. all good-aligned
creatures
Intelligence 15; Ego variable (minimum
of 19)
Possession of the Ebon Scepters are the sole prerogative of the Cruelties of the Ebon Hooves, Highest of the Ruby Legion. Crafted from the darkest ebony wood and bound by adamantine rings, the Scepters are inlaid with cut rubies faceted into Istari glyphs. With a few notable exceptions, the glyphs are passages of unholy writ rather than clerical spells.
The Scepters can act as a staff of withering and a wand of enemy detection once per day. Once per week, a Scepter can also employ a word of recall; when used, the wielder is transported to a site selected when the Cruelty first uses the power. The Scepters inflict 5-15 points of damage on a hit (2d6+3), or 6-16 (2d6+4) if the opponent is good-aligned.
If they have the nerve, the Cruelties are free to imbue their Scepters with additional powers. These minor abilities usually take the form of first- to third-level clerical spells (or even wizard spells if the Cruelty has the personal talents and wherewithal). This is a dangerous game for the Cruelty to play, since adding to the Scepter's formidable powers will only feed their dangerously high egos. For every two spell levels of imbued power, a Scepter will gain one point of ego.
It is said that the Ebon Scepter is both a curse and a godsend in equal measure—one mistake, one miscalculation, and the weapon shall consume its owner in the name of the dark god they both serve. It is a testament to the cunning of Lazev's chosen that the Scepters haven't claimed more than a handful of victims over the millennia.
All Scepters speak Istari and the Common tongue, and can master up to five additional languages. They can also communicate telepathically, but only with their owners and those whom the Cruelty chooses.
Hooves of the Nightmare Sanctifying Power: Lazev (LE)
These enchanted hooves, taken from nightmares killed in the line of unholy duties, are among the greatest boons the Overlord of the Pits can bestow upon a mortal.
The ceremony in which the Hooves are granted is grisly in the extreme. The recipient is strapped to a special altar and the feet severed just above the ankle, and the Hooves are pressed against the bloody stumps. Only those who have given themselves over to Lazev, body and soul, survive this gruesome ordeal. But once accepted by the host body, the Hooves cannot be removed until the wearer is dead.
The Hooves are remarkable instruments. They can function as either boots of speed or boots of elvenkind on demand, and can grant the wearer the ability to both air walk and/or water walk (per the spells) once per day for up to an hour's duration.
If raw terror is what is required, the Hooves can emit a hideous, echoing clatter with each step the wearer takes (if walking upon sand, snow, or earth, the sound is a deep, oppressive thumping). The sound generates a cause fear spell at the 12th level of use, and affects only the wearer's selected targets. All others within earshot are unnerved by the clatter, but not to the point where their courage fails them.
If the wearer needs to take on a disguise or the shape of some other humanoid form, the Hooves can be made to transform into ordinary, shod feet. If it serves the purpose, the wearer can allow members of the Legion to see the Hooves for what they truly are.
Only the Cruelties of the Ruby Legion are offered the Hooves as a matter of course; this includes beings such as liches that hold the rank but not the office. The honor can be bestowed upon lower-ranking clerics, Knights, and even monks, but only as a reward for truly exceptional service. They are a mark of the highest prestige among the Ruby Legion, and the deepest fear for all other beings—especially those who serve the Overlord's vassals in the House of Darkness.
Mace of Law Triumphant Sanctifying Power: Cydot (LN)
+3 horseman's mace, +4 vs. all mortal followers of Vetch
Only four of these maces are known to exist, and only one has been assigned to each of the Four Continents. They are the proud instruments not of the Harmonies of the Three Rings, but of the ranking Knight of the Order: the Grand Marshal.
The handle of the Mace is fashioned from Minarra's rare specie of "charcoal ash", and the head is crafted from the finest dwarven steel. The eight flanges are composed of mithril and adamantite, and are set into the head in an alternating pattern. The whole of the weapon is elaborately carved/engraved with Istari glyphs; the text contains admonitions and blessings uttered by the Lawgiver himself. The Mace is as much a masterwork of the weaponsmith's art as it is an unyielding instrument of Law.
The powers of the Mace are well in keeping with its divine mandate. If faced with any sort of chaotic conditions that threaten public order (DM's discretion), the Mace can employ a calm chaos spell (see Tome of Magic). It can also use a triple-strength hold person (in terms of number of individuals held) and an impeding permission spell (see Tome of Magic) once per day. All powers are at 12th level use.
The Mace inflicts 5-15 points of damage on a hit (2d6+3), or 6-16 points (2d6+4) if used against any servant of the Crimelord, whether clergy or layman.
The Mace will faultlessly track a criminal suspect so long as the pursued is within a quarter mile of the pursuer, physical or magical concealment notwithstanding. Once the arrest is made, the Mace's know alignment, detect magic, and detect lie abilities aid in the interrogation. Lastly, the Mace can tell whether any physical object was stolen from its most recent lawful owner, and when it was taken. It cannot, however, actually pin a stolen item to the thief who took it; after all, that's the wielder's problem.
Unlike most of the devices described in this section, the Mace can be used by others if the Grand Marshal or the Head of Order allow it. The wielder must be a Knight in service to one of the lawful Powers of the pantheon, and must abide by whatever restrictions are placed upon its use. These loans are always made on a single-mission basis, and the Mace may well lose some of its normal powers for the duration.
Staff of Damnation Sanctifying Power: Phyrrus (CG)
+3 quarterstaff, +4 vs. all evil-aligned
creatures
Intelligence 14; Ego variable (minimum
of 21)
Though they appear as the reviled Ebon Scepters at first glance, the Staffs of Damnation are anything but. These are the companions of the highest of the Order, and their purpose is to mete out the ultimate punishment to those beyond redemption.
The hardwood shaft of the Staff is usually of mahogany or teak. Its surface is cracked and charred as if by fire, but is coated by a varnish so clear and fine that it appears to be encased in a thin film of ice. The only adornment is silver rings set at the midpoint of the Staff: three rings denote the Serenity, two the Knights Commander, and (rarely) one for lesser-ranking clerics.
Each Staff confers a +4 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to all saving throws. They act as both wands of fire and wands of frost, with two powers from each useable per day. Once per day, a Staff can detect magic, detect evil, detect invisible, know alignment, and once per week can remove curse (all at the 12th level of ability). The Staffs can teleport without error up to ten indivuals at once at the wielder's will.
But the Staff's most notorious power is the black brand. At the merest touch, the Staff can sear a brand into any humanoid being that has concealed his evil deeds for far too long. There is no saving throw.
The brand spreads slowly over the body, consuming the flesh and tearing away at the victim's ability to hide their sins. The former is but an illusion, but the latter is very real: victims are compelled to conduct their vile affairs in public places, blurt out the dirtiest of secrets at the worst possible moments, and so on. The victim is allowed a Wisdom check vs. each of these "pangs of conscience", but with a +1 cumulative penalty per incident.
The only way to rid oneself of the brand is to publicly confess one's crimes and/or sins and submit to just punishment. If this remedy (of which the victim is painfully aware) is resisted for too long, the wielder can transform the phantom rot on the victim's body into something horribly real. If the victim remains unrepentant, death will occur in 1d3 days.
The number of Staffs in the world may vary. Though one is permanently assigned to the four Serenities and Knights Commanders of the Order, the Black Unicorn has been known to occasionally issue a Staff to others in his service. These boons are sometimes temporary, sometimes not, and can be withdrawn at a whim.
It is clear that the spirits bound within the Staffs are periodically "relieved of duty"; a Staff may pass hands and then suddenly remember nothing of its exploits with its previous owner. The personalities of the Staffs are as varied as those of their mortal companions, and on occasion there has been a mild friction between wielder and weapon. As to the true nature of these spirits, no one can say.
All Staffs speak Istari and the Common tongue, and can learn up to five additional languages. They can also communicate telepathically, but only with their owners and those whom the wielder chooses.
Staff of the Keeper Sanctifying Powers: Arzamark (LG), Cydot (LN), Lazev (LE)
+4 quarterstaff, +5 vs. all mortal servants of Daskaandolon
These are the companions and guardians of Keepers of the Books of Mysteries, and are therefore confined to the Shattered Continent of Miren. Three in number, the Staffs are ancient in the extreme, dating back to the Age of Mists. Even though the Staffs have been seen by the people of Miren for millennia, only a tiny handful of living souls are ever aware of their true nature and purpose.
The three Staffs share the same basic design. The circular headpieces are four inches in diameter and but a quarter-inch thick, and appear as the figure below:
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The front of the headpiece is exquisitely inscribed with Istari glyphs along the rim, and the symbols of the three Guardian Powers are depicted with jeweled inlays at the corners of the triangle. Note that the Power of the Keeper is set in the corner of the triangle that is closest to the socket of the headpiece.
The smooth, polished shaft is some 1 1/4 inches thick at the headpiece and flares out to two inches at the butt of the Staff. Each Staff is bound by three rings, set at the quarter- and midpoints of the shaft, and the butt is sheathed by a smooth, circular cap.
Though their profiles are virtually identical, the materials used vary greatly. The headpiece, binding rings, and end cap of the White Keeper's Staff are of mithril, while the shaft is of the palest of white pine. The shaft of the Gray Keeper's Staff comes from Minarra's rare specie of "charcoal ash", and the glassteel fittings are of crystal clarity. The Staff of the Black Keeper is almost totally black; its fittings are of adamanitite, and the shaft is of ebony.
The Staffs exist to defend the Books and protect the lives of the Keepers. The rim of the headpieces are honed to razor sharpness, and act as either a sword of sharpness or a vorpal sword as the Keeper desires, save that any natural roll of 17 or greater will activate the power. (These properties can be used only against creatures of size M or smaller.) Against larger opponents, or when a blow fails to activate the headpiece, the Staff still inflicts 7-16 points of damage on a hit (3d4+4), or 8-17 points (3d4+5) if used against a servant of the Mad One. When not in combat, the headpieces radiate a "dulling field" that prevents accidental injuries.
The Staffs have other powers as well. Each can generate a 10 HD lightning bolt, a 10 HD fireball (delayed blast if desired), and an ice storm once per day. At will, they can also detect chaos, know alignment, detect invisible and/or provide a minor globe of invulnerability for up to an hour per day. Lastly, the Staffs can "reveal the Path that Cannot be Walked"—a specialized word of recall that transports the Keeper to any site directly related to the Books or to the side of their fellow custodians.
When the Keeper is also the Head of Order, it is quite common for the priest to seemingly "abandon" the traditional instruments of their office in favor of the Staff. In point of fact, an "echo" of these devices constantly hovers about the Keeper, beyond the notice of others. In an emergency, these devices will instantly materialize at the Keeper's bidding.
The Suns of Midnight Sanctifying Power: Illovia (NG)
+3 rapier, + 4 vs. all undead and mortal servants of Gyula
The Suns of Midnight are the hated bane of even the most powerful of undead. The blade of a Sun is composed of a brilliant golden glassteel, and the hilts and quillions are fashioned from an exotic gold/mithril alloy. Despite the seeming delicacy of these rapiers, none have ever failed in combat. There are only three such blades to be found on each of the Four Continents, and are kept under lock and key until they are truly needed.
In the hands of any ordained servant of Illovia, cleric or Knight, a Sun can employ any two of the following abilities once per day (at the 11th level of use): detect evil, detect invisible, invisibility to undead, continuous light, or protection from evil, 10' radius. Starting at the fourth level of experience and at every foul levels thereafter, the Suns can radiate a single sunray (at the 15th level of use) each month. The Suns inflict 5-15 points of damage on a hit (2d6+3), or 6-16 (2d6+5) against any form of undead or servant of Gyula.
In the hands of an Adept of the Order, a Sun can restore two life levels to any victim of an undead attack or other form of life draining once per week. It will also be able to employ any three of the following once per day: neutralize poison, cure disease, cure blindness, cure serious wounds, or cure critical wounds. If wielded by a Grace or Serenity of the Order, the Sun can also heal once per week.