Wand of Darkness

Human and Morwen wizards acting at the behest of the powerful forces of evil that inhabit the Lower Planes are believed to have made these fell magical devices. They enable the weakest servants of evil to hold their own, and can be found throughout the Realms. They are made of ebony or carved and polished bone, and a few have small, ornamental claws at one or both ends. Sages warn that they are dangerous to those of good alignment. Demons, devils, illithids, and other creatures of evil seem attracted to the use of such wands. From sources sages do not reveal, they report six known command words for such wands: "Orgul," "Meth," "Kulmur," "Druu," "Ulgukh," and "Ssleer." After the command word is spoken, choice of the wand function is by mental concentration of the bearer.

A wand of darkness has four separate functions. It can be wielded by any intelligent, speaking creature of neutral or evil alignment. Creatures of good alignment cannot make the wand function, and suffer d2 points of damage per contact with the wand - or, if they grasp it continuously, d2 points of damage per round. It can be recharged. The powers of the wand are these:

• It can cause Darkness 15' Radius, lasting four rounds and centered on the tip of the wand, at a cost of one charge. The bearer of the wand (and anyone else, while touching the wand) can see perfectly in any darkness produced by the wand.
• The wand can be commanded to summon a Nightmare at a cost of three charges. The summoning has a 4-in-6 chance of success; the charges are lost even if it fails. The Nightmare is brought from an evil Outer Plane and appears in an explosion of black smoke and a brimstone stench within three rounds, whereupon it immediately knows and serves its summoner. It can be commanded to fight on the summoner's behalf, or take the summoner into the Astral or Ethereal Plane. It so serves for nine turns at a time, and then vanishes. If the summoner is then astride it, he or she is taken along for the ride or flung off, usually to be hurt when landing.
• By touch, and at a cost of two charges, a wand of darkness can break a protection from evil circle or deal any creatures of good alignment d4+1 points of fiery damage. Creatures immune to fire, or creatures of neutral or evil alignments, are unharmed, but the charges are lost.
• By touch, and at a cost of four charges, a wand of darkness can animate a single corpse of a size S or M creature. A Zombie, Skeleton, or animal zombie is thus produced and can be commanded by the wand wielder as though an Animate Dead spell had been cast. The undead creature serves until destroyed or until six turns have elapsed, then it collapses. If it is still intact, a corpse or skeleton can then be animated anew by the expenditure of four additional charges. Attempts to animate incomplete skeletons fail but still drain four charges. The wand cannot be used to control existing undead but only undead creatures created by the wand.

In addition, 10% of these wands are greater wands of darkness, capable of summoning a Shadow when so ordered. This function has a 1 in 3 chance of success (2 in 3 if in deep caverns or ancient ruins) and expends 4 charges if successful or not. The Shadow arrives in three rounds and does not attack any creature holding or touching the wand.

allows user to cast darkness 15' radius as a 9th-level priest; 23 charges remaining

Speed Factor

3

XP Value

Greater: 5,000

Lesser: 4,000

Item type

Miscellaneous

Weight

.1

Base Price

Greater: 30,000/Lesser: 25,000