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Hephaestus the Honourable: A Greater Rune Weapon

By: Dustin M. Ramsey (DustinM@rifts-rpg.com)


A great katana sword, Hephaestus was forged from a single piece of dark red metal. The weapon is very ornate and covered from hilt to sword tip in scarlet runes.

Hephaestus has a very somber personality, and feels quite strongly that its owner should follow the same code of honour that Hephaestus followed in life. If an owner breaks Hephaestus's code, then the sword will go incommunicado until the owner atones for their wrong and regains their honour.

Standard Abilities:

  1. Independent personality with an IQ 11.
  2. Communicate through limited telepathy.
  3. Totally indestructible, the blade never dulls or dents.
  4. Made of a dark red metal and covered with scarlet runes, and the blade glows a faint blue.
  5. Does 4D6+6 M.D. from physical blows. Can actually be used to parry energy blasts (-6 to parry, very difficult).
  6. Link itself with owner/wielder within six months of constant contact. Thus man and sword can sense each other's presence within a four mile (6.4km) radius if separated.
  7. Adds +1 to all saving throws.
  8. Aberrant alignment, and can only be used by those of evil alignments. Persons not of a compatible alignment take 1D8 S.D.C. (3D6 M.D. if a mega-damage creature) each time they touch the weapon.

Greater Abilities:

  • Heal Wounds: 2D6 H.P. and 2D6 S.D.C. or 2D6 M.D.C., six times per 24 hours (just three times daily if Hephaestus has gone incommunicado).
  • Remove Curse: 56% chance of success, four times daily (only twice per 24 hours if Hephaestus has gone incommunicado because of its owner's dishonourable actions).
  • Turn 4D6 Dead: 55% chance of success, four times daily (just two times per day if Hephaestus has gone incommunicado).

 

Curse:

Glow
The flesh of the victim of this curse will glow softly with a whitish light. This light is not enough to illuminate an area or book in darkness, but is more than enough to attract attention. The odd effect reduces the physical beauty by 2 points and the unusual glow tends to attract night insects and first attacks in combat (because of suspicion and fear).

To break the curse, two things must happen. First, the weapon's owner must intentionally throw it away, sell it, give it away, or otherwise dispose of the rune sword. This can also be accomplished if the weapon is lost or stolen. The second step is to have a Remove Curse spell cast on the former owner (even then the curse is +8 to save). If the curse fails its saving throw, the curse has been removed from the person. Note: Even after the curse has been removed from the rune weapon's former owner, any insanities that may have resulted from the curse will remain until cured (if a cure is even possible) by years of therapy from a medical professional. The cursed rune weapon will, of course, continue to inflict its enchantments on every "new" owner who claims it.

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