The Black Spear
Lacking in ornamentation, the Black Spear is a relic more than 8000 years old
It was a drear age, during the elder days, when man was left to survive under the iron talons of the dragons. Man was at best accorded the status of cattle, or menial slaves to the great beasts who even deigned to acknowledge their pathetic existence. The elves and dwarves endured that age, and from them, the humans learned the arts of metal working and that of magic.
It was such that the great wyrms were beyond death, immortal in the sense of even the gods, they were so mighty. There could be no hope against such terrible beasts, and it seemed that the world was destined to forever live in the shadow of their greedy wings. In those days, there came about a hero, a wanderer who was exiled from his home, and from his people.
Wandering, he discovered a holy place, a sacred shrine to a god as dark and terrible as the dragons themselves. The hero beseeched the dark one for respite from the terrible beasts, for there was nothing but despair for man should the great wyrms rule. The dark god stirred, and was moved by the plea of the man, and the hard edge of his desperation. He sent thus a message in the form of a blazing bolt from heaven.
Seeing his gift, the hero took the stone that fell from the heavens and for seven days and seven nights he worked the stone until the dross was removed, and there was naught but the black iron that fell from the heavens, pounded pure by the weight of his hammer. To this he affixed a shaft, and created a large, and powerful spear from the iron.
The hero by great stealth and guile sought out the lair of the Golden Dragon, the eldest and most cruel of the serpents, and took up the spear, and with a mighty strike, he smote the breast of the dragon, and did it a grievous wound.
The dragon, thus wounded, was wont to escape, but found itself bound by the terrible will of the meager human, and his pact with the god of the darkness. The dragons were laid low, one by one, and banished into the shade world of the Dark God for a span of eight millennia. Many hands bore the Black Spear, and its fame was great in the eyes of the Kasmir people.
The tale of the Empire of Kasmir is not unique. For that empire rose on the backs of the heroes who banished the dragons. They were lauded as kings among kings, and were decorated in gold and bearskins for their great deeds, for more than one hero bore the spear to its destiny. The Kingdom grew mighty, and they were greatly learned in the arts of magic and sorcery, necromancy and the other esoteric arts. They grew corrupt and wicked, and in the end, their kingdom fell.
Kasmir was looted of its great stores of gold and its talents of jade, and silver stolen. The great libraries were pilfered and burned, and the armories were broken open, and the relics were lost to thieves and tomb raiders. Save for one, the Black Spear. For in those days the age of the Dragon Kings was long since passed from memory, and the iron spear was accounted little worth compared to the wealth of jewels, adamant and mithril that was stored with it.
The time draws nigh to the end of the Dragon's imprisonment. Shall the black spear be taken up again, or shall it lay forgotten as the terrible wyrms once again consume the world in shadow and flame?
Magical Properties:
Formed of star iron, the black spear is an innately magical weapon. It doesn't radiate magic of any sort, as it was never the subject of enchantment. The weapon is a leaf-bladed spear, with a rough wrought-iron look to it, as it was hammered out, and not heated in its shaping.
Against dragons, and draconic creatures it ignores their natural armor, and inflicts grevious wounds upon them. Lesser draconic creatures (wyverns, drakes, etc) are often slain outright, while the more powerful, godlike wyrms are banished to the underworld for a long span of ages, lest they choose immediate death.
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? Responses (21)
Very good. 5/5
Fantastic mythic background!
Reasonable but interesting ability!
This is the kind of item I like to see.
5/5!
Once again,you amaze us,Scras.I really like the fact that you created a 5 flame item using material from 'Ogre raid'.This is truly testament to you inventiveness and creativity.
And once back, the dragons will surely seek the spear... or could they have made another deal with that god?
I like the mythos. The item is overpowered, but somehow I like it that way. Should be inserted into a game world very carefully, if at all. Pondering the possibilities... a fine 4/5.
This item shoul be used only in a campaign where the objective is to stave off the return of the dragons - in all other campaigns, it removes the respect and fear the dragons should evoke in all who face them, or just see them flying overhead.
I just wonder - what is the dark god doing with all the dragons in his realm? Perhaps his aid was not all that selfless.
A good one. 4/5
0/5! Terrible! Shocking! Ugh! ...
er, wait, wrong page.
5/5! Love it! Very nice!
Personally, I'd give it a 4.5 of 5, but since there is no such value, and the score is ALREADY 4.50/5 i'll round it up for you ;)
I like the background of this item. We all know I like the whole 'Dark gods' and 'hidden evil' type thing :)
If this hidden god was as twisted and evil as the dragons, as is said ('a sacred shrine to a god as dark and terrible as the dragons themselves'), I can't help but think that there is to be some sort of twist which will come into play somewhere along the lines.
Hmm, as a matter of fact, I'd like to talk with you sometime, Scras, about making that world. A world with a history of dark dragons, with a malevolant evil god, and an array of good gods who just arent as powerful... Anywho, t'will be thought on!
Man, what an idea...
...how comes the good gods are weaker? Isn't there 'usually' ;) a good creator god, that takes care that good always wins in the end?
What if this world was created by an evil god, to have fun and enjoy himself? Logically, any 'good' gods created as opposition would have to be weaker.
'usually' is BORING, Manfred! :O Why NOT make a dark, occult world ruled by an evil lord. A world where people are unexplainedly stricken with plaque or illness. Where madness and mutation is common, and even the great heros have to pay homage to the dark god, or else they may have things happen to them!?
So power tree would be as follows from best:
Dark God
Ancient (and rare, since most are dead) dragons, now living in fear of the dark god.
Greater gods of good.
Lesser (and still rare) dragons.
Greatest magi in the Lands.
Lesser gods of good.
Average magi.
Human population.
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Ok, Im getting inspired :) Tomorrow I might make a post in the setting forge and get this thing going :D Thanks for the inspiration, oh Scrasified one!
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And Im thinking more of the greater, dark god bieng ruler over the universe, but focusing on this world currently, and the good gods having travelled to this world to watch over it, and perhaps offer some respite from the fury of the greater god (though they cannot do enough to stop the dark god alone.) Im thinking the humans werent created by any god, but evolved or something, and the gods simply attach themselves to worlds. If a world is destroyed, the hop to another world to try and save (or destroy) it. Nomadic gods!
Man, Ideas bristling! Im gonna go sleep on this ^^
You forget lesser gods of evil. ;) They want to have some fun, too. Too bad the main baddie spoils it regularly. (May be another reason why the world was 'helped'.)
A truly evil god would not spare the bad guys of his sense of humour, right?
While plagues, madness and mutations can be expected, the evil supreme being would likely research more ways to Evil... creating places seemingly peaceful, with much suffering underneath, and many others...
*shudders* Enough! Too much Evil for tonight!
Wow. I did not expect this much feedback, let alone a five-flamer! I really like this dark world that seems to be growing from this one post, I generally like the darker games anyhow, Ravenloft, Call of Cthulhu, and the entire World of Darkness milieu. Now for my two cents.
This elder god of evil is perhaps not the malevolent evil we think he is, but is a more apathetic deity, more interested in the trials and sufferings of the common populace. The world that is exists as his experiment in cruelty and compassion, as the two are opposites and cannot exist without the other. Perhaps the dragons are his fallen angels, originally created to serve him, but failing in that they became interested in material things, and their own granduer rather than furthering the god's plans.
As for what he does with them, perhaps they are brought to heel, and forced to sit at their master's feet as they were originally created to do, but by whatever means they previously escaped and slipped their leashes, so to speak.
EVIL RULES!
THAT DOES IT!!!!!! ><
IM POSTING THIS DAMNED WORLD!
I am stuck, however, on the price of the spear. Perhaps to be more precise, the cost of using the spear. The first thing that came to mind was that the user most certainly had to have the will to use the weapon. Second, there would be a sacrifice. For this sacrifice, it would have to be of great value and importance, like offering a loved one as blood sacrifice to the Dark God, or perhaps even offerings ones own life upon completion of the task. There could even be a twist that the price for each user is different. I really like the suicide/sacrifice angle, but it leaves a gap in the creation of the dynasties when using the item ensures that its user is not around afterwards to breed. Any input?
It could be such that the wielder must become a servant of the Dark God,carrying out that which the god wills.And in death too,he must continue serving with no respite.Think of it as the work bond from hell.
Anyone thought of ... Spawn?
You use the spear, live a life, and afterwards, you come back, as ... something else.
The Blackguard, the undying servants of the Dark Gods, akin to the Nazgul, and to Spawn in that their existance is continued for the sole purpose of servitude. This could be a good into into a cult of ancestor worship, praying to the spirits of the dead for help and guidance, these fallen kings and heros could be the Saints and scourges of a culture who worship the dead.
I like this idea very much. And loved it that you were able to put in my Kasmir as one of it and you've actually done a better job then me at giving a little summary of them. Excellant beyond degree and I don't care if it's too powerful for we have to be realistic. There are weapons out there that are very powerful and sometimes you just have to live with a very powerful thing like this. But I'm not saying that every weapon should be powerful, only to a degree. Count this as a Divine Weapon then
5/5
Um, I just wanted to say that I didn't see your idea of a black spear until just now. Yours is admittedly a better idea than mine, but then you have a lot more experience at this sort of thing, from what I can tell. Perhaps I'll always be new at this site. Thanks.
A truely fearful weapon from a dragon's POV.
just as good if not better than your NPC (M.T.) that i just commented on the PC's in the campaign that i am running right now will come up against a terrifying black dragon pretty soon.
As the 'Snicker snack' vorpal sword is to the jabberwock, so is the Black Spear to the draconic. Since the spear appears to be hammered, non-magical, and not valuable, it will most likely be reforged into better equipment, tools, or furnishings in times of peace. The spear is most likely lost. However, when dragons rule once again, I imagine that the dark god will be called on once again. It could be a fun quest to find the pieces of star iron that once, as a spear, brought the dragons low.
Great stuff! Mythic in scope. I enjoyed the comment stream it provoked. Would love to see this type of discussion flaring up here again.