Marduk's Sword
An expertly crafted bone sword, well balanced, sharp, and clearly magical. The pommel, hilt, and crossguard are carved from a single piece of dark brown hardwood. The pommel depicts a wolf's head blending into a half-shucked cob of corn connected to a pair of dragons' heads forming the crossguard. Some runes have been etched into the fuller and guard.
The exquisite sword's hilt is fashioned into a partially husked ear of corn with a wolf's head pommel and a pair of dragon's heads forming the crossguard. The pommel, hilt, and crossguard are expertly carved from a single dark wood that appears to be mahogany. The closer you look the more details you make out, down to the individual wolf's hairs. The sheath is carved and stained ivory adorned with intricate patterns and a horned warrior face. Although the sheath is ancient and the colors faded it is no less a wondrous work of art. Drawing the blade you hear a soft sigh and feel whispers of power from the exposed bone blade. Ancient runes are carved into the crossguard and fuller which tugs at your mind causing you to feel ashamed you cannot read them. A slight shimmering passes down the length of the blade as you inspect it. The hilt feels right in your hand and the carvings provide the perfect grip. The blade is not as long as other swords and feels impossibly light and delicate, yet somehow you know it will not break. The weapon handles like a dream as you make a series of practice cuts and lunges. This is a blade you, your companions, and your wards can depend on.
Marduk's Sword by Leeland Artra
Inscriptions
The inscriptions are mysterious and ancient. Only a handful of people in the entire world aside from the immortals would be able to translate them.Guard Inscription
ur mu by Leeland Artra
Extended Content
Fuller Inscription
armu da ' āmu ṭiābu by Leeland Artra
Extended Content
Description
A bone shortsword with a wooden hilt in an ivory sheath without any hint of metal. A twenty-two-inch shortsword weighing only one pound without a sheath. The edge is razor-sharp and does not dull or chip. Any who handle this weapon or face it in combat know full well that it is magical and ancient. An exquisite shortsword worthy of being used as the very definition of "shortsword." This is the sword of Marduk Bel, Lord of The City, and a second-generation immortal. If the sword has a name it has been lost in the ages. With magical examination, it will manifest that it is attunable in an extraordinary way. What powers will manifest with attunement are unknowable.There are things we do not know, should not know, and should never do. Some prices are too much. No matter how trivial an easy price may seem at the time, keep your mind sharp and your guard up. Too good to be true is more than a pithy idiom, it is a universal truth.The incredible powers of this shortsword have a great price. This was the personal weapon of an immortal, made for his own purposes and used by him for hundreds of thousands of years. Attunement to such an artifact is to tap into the power of the immortals, and that is beyond any mortal-made magic. This weapon will only attune for life. It can never be unattuned except by the death of its wielder. This magical weapon will merge with druids without attunement when they use a beast form.
Unattuned Properties
This shortsword is lightning fast, light, and perfectly balanced. Its power is clear. With a few hours of practice and testing, it feels more and more a part of you. As light as it is, when it hits targets they shatter before it as if struck by a much larger weapon. Your ability to strike and deal damage is definitely enhanced when using it.
Extended Content
Attunement
Anyone who holds the sword and seeks the secrets of unlocking its true powers will eventually learn of the attunement process. Only attunement to this legendary weapon will unleash its true abilities. What those abilities are, depends entirely upon the individual attuning themselves to the sword. Spoiler: Attunement ProcessMaterial Components
Attunement is achieved with the following required items:- a druidic circle or an inscribed Celtic Rune Blessing Circle of at least 10ft diameter
- a copper brazier with 2 ounces of Olibanum incense placed just inside the circle on the north
- a stone brazier with 3 ounces of Myrrh incense placed just inside the circle on the south
- a gold brazier of Pine and Cedar chips arranged to burn slowly producing smoke placed just inside the circle on the east
- a silver brazier of 2 ounces of Dragon's Blood incense placed just inside the circle on the west
- a small candle or lighting stick
Directions
Before dawn, draw or go to the circle and prepare the braziers. Just before dawn, light the candle or lighting stick, undress, and enter the circle with only the sheathed sword and the burning candle/lighting stick. Holding the sword in the dominant hand light the incense in the east, then west, then north, and finally south. Take position at the center of the circle sitting or kneeling facing the north, place the still-lit candle/lighting stick upright directly in front of you, and lay the shortsword on the ground before you between yourself and the candle/lighting stick. When the sun's first rays touch the circle, begin meditating while reciting a prepared litany of desires, goals, and oaths. Continue to meditate and recite until the sun reaches the pinnacle of the day. Then take the shortsword and defend yourself with it alone. Do not leave the circle or allow any of the ghostly opponents who will appear to stop you from attuning to the weapon from pushing you out. Leaving the circle before sunset will break the attunement causing 3d8 damage with no saving throw and you cannot try attuning to the weapon until after the next solstice. The incense will last until the attunement is complete and the sun sets beyond the horizon. If you succeed you will know the weapon is yours for life. The creatures that appear will vary in form and cunning. Only those who have some training in fighting have a chance of attuning to the blade. You must have proficiency with melee weapons and make either a Strength or Dexterity saving throw vs a DC15. If you are fully prepared and blessed by a druid of or an actual druid of one of Marduk's allies you may make the saving throw with advantage.Attuned Properties
The morning has turned into a broiling day and the sun beats down upon your shoulders and head like a smith's hammer. The sun moves directly above and your shadow vanishes beneath you. At that moment a ghostly figure leaps towards you swinging a long shaft of mist that looks like a mace or Warhammer. You spring forward grabbing the shortsword and blocking the attack. The blade cuts through the haft of the ghost's weapon and the ghost vanishes as an expanding cloud of mist. You don't have time to contemplate this as an otherworldly battle cry warns you of another attack from behind. An odd feeling of having been in this fight before overcomes you as you spin and duck, parrying with the sword. The new figure's ghostly two-handed great sword slams into your shortsword sending stinging thrum up your arm. With a vicious counterattack, you cut the opponent's head off. You curse as you realize you don't have the room to dodge the next attack and still remain within the circle. So you stand your ground. And so it goes on for hours and hours, being forced to hold against impossible odds, moving when you can. Always trying to stay ahead of the foes that come.
Result: Make a DC15 Strength or Dexterity saving throw.
Successful Saving Throw
Muscles aching and sweat pouring off your body you overcome foe after foe until a massive bell rings from far to the west. Panting you wait warily guarding all sides, but no more attacks come, a breeze tumbles past clearing the hazy incense smoke leaving cool fresh air in its place. Muscles strain as you lower yourself to sit on the ground exhausted, the sword in your hand sending pulse after pulse of power through your body in time with your heart. The silence is filled with a cacophony of voices and then slowly fade into odd yet wonderful music. Looking up you realize you are hearing the music of the universe, the roaring of mana through the rivers of power, the drums of the uncounted hearts of those living within it, and the songs of all the living souls. The sword is yours, and you belong to it, heart, mind, and soul.
Failed Saving Throw
Straining you spin, cutting down foes left and right. No matter how many you stop more spring from the smoke to attack. You dance back and forth fighting. With an explosion of pain, a missed parry allowed a misty form to land a hard blow to your side. The force pushes you off balance. Sore and tired muscles cannot compensate and you stumble sideways two steps before falling. You hear a ringing sound and feel the blade hitting something. Burning ashes are flung into your face causing more pain. You roll getting your feet under and bring the sword up on guard, but nothing comes. Brushing the ashes away from your eyes with the back of your off-hand clears your sight. The day is almost over and the incense smoke is clearing. The silver brazier rests upside down to the left. Looking down your spirits drop, one foot is outside of the circle and the Dragon's Blood incense is scattered around your feet. Sheathing the sword your mind is aflame with a powerful determination. You somehow know you cannot try again till after the next solstice. You know what needs to be done and you will train harder than ever. Next time you will not fail.
Extended Content
Backstage Pass Content
DM Notes
Mechanics & Inner Workings
The sword was made by a second-generation immortal with arcane knowledge and power beyond what is known by the remaining immortals save for a few. Anyone you ask would be sure that only Lord Argos and Lady Lothia are the only remaining immortals who could actually craft such an artifact.
Manufacturing process
unknowable
Significance
Marduk's worshipers have long since dwindled to a handful of clique cultist groups of various race youths, mostly populated by bored rich. Word of the sword's existence and return to the world will spread with stories and myths.
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Item type
Weapon, Melee
Rarity
Only one in the entire universe. A legendary weapon thought lost when Marduk died in the Circumveni fires.
Weight
1 lb
Dimensions
22 inches long
Base Price
Seriously? The sword of a dead greater god held by a champion? How can you put a price on that? Hang on a sec, don't give up so easily. Hmm, if the right people can be found you might be able to get it for say 15,000 Crowns (60,000 GP) plus expenses.
Raw materials & Components
The pommel, handle, and crossguard are carved from a tree grown from a Yggdrasil seed. There is brass intricately inlaid throughout the pommel, handle, and crossguard. The blade is a hidden tang single-edged sword made from the femur bone of Ninhursag.
Tools
unknown
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