The Rotter
This mouldy green blade has saved many of it's owners, only to turn on some of them who dared to overwork it. It should be treated with great respect by it's owner, to avoid what happens when it goes bad.And allways remember, keep it out of the kitchen at all costs!
Full Item Description
The Rotter is an army shortsword with the Legion Crest of the GM's choice upon it and a moudly green blade.It has an aura of decay eminating from it, and it smells as if it had been washed in a filthy sewer.
History
The people of the small village of Amber Valley were sick and tired of being harassed by the local outlaws. These were not jolly robbers of the rob the rich and give to the poor type. Nor were they extortionists who demanded a certain amount, but left the people in peace provided they paid up each month. The villagers could cope with that, annoying but acceptable.
These outlaws were seven killers who murdered people for the fun of it, riding them down with their swords, or ambushing them as they walked to market and stringing them up from trees. Not even the priests were spared their attentions. They would drink and eat without paying at the village inn, knowing that people did not dare to challenge them.
One day a soldier who had served ten years in the legions as a volunteer was given an honourable discharge and came back to see his parents, only to find that his father had been murdered and his mother raped by this robber band. He knew that to take them all on was foolhardy, so he prayed to his god, Mammon, for help. His prayer was answered and the blade of his shortsword turned a mouldy green. A voice in his head warned him that he had been granted the Rotter, and should he use it, there would be a price-Mammon did not help even His worshippers for free.
He did not care, and he found them drinking in the local pub and let them have it all-all the rage that had built up inside him. The first he stabbed in the back, and the other six drew their blades and grabbed their bucklers to slice him down. But whenever his sword hit metal it rusted it open, and the wounds it caused got infected at once and prostrated their targets with vomiting and fever until he put them out of their misery.
Five more soon lay dead upon the ground, and the last threw down his weapons and begged on his knees for his life, promising to be the soldier's slave, but the soldier had no mercy and stabbed him down like the others. He had received only one cut in the whole battle from a bandit's blade, but now the Rotter took it's price. He had made full use of it's magics, and now his body rotted from the inside like the Rotter's victims, his eyes filmed over, and he died choking as his lungs shrivelled up inside him.
He was honoured in death by the entire village, and the Rotter was hung in the inn as a decoration, but removed when the food and beer started going bad, and kept in the church on an iron tray in it's scabbard, waiting for when it was needed again.
Magic/Cursed Properties
The powers of the Rotter are formidable. First, when activated, they can cause sword blades, leather armour, chainmail, plate armour and even Dragon scales to rust or rot on contact. On humans and most animals, any wound that breaks the skin will rapidly get infected, killing or seriously harming the victim. Undead would find themselves crumbling away, even the deadly Ironbones. It has a slower effect on mages and magical creatures, but even Dragons can be laid low by this sword.Not at once in their case, but within days or weeks as their whole bodies rot from within,long after they have eaten the one who dared to wound them.
There is a heavy price attached to the use of this weapon. Activateing it's powers drains the strength of the user. If it is overused, then at the end of the fight any wounds the user has will rot, and he or she will die a quick but agoniozingly painful death.Even if unwounded, if used too much the user will die, whole on the surface, decayed from within.
If used moderatly, the user will still be weakened and feel tired and sickly for hours or days. Wounds inflicted on him will not heal whilst the sword is being carried and have a one in five chance of infection. Teeth and gums may well go bad.Any illness the user is allready suffering from will become much worse, as the blade drains the lifeforce and vitality of the user.No healing potion or healing spell will work whilst the user is within six feet of the Rotter. Should he/she put it down and walk out of range, then it will work.
Even if not used at all, the weapon will rot the provisions of the wearer within hours, and of all those within six feet of him. Fruit will go pulpy, bread will go moudly, liquid will go sour or rancid. Not good if on an expedition and far from sources of food and water. It should be stored as far from food as possible.Should the user hurt himself with this weapon by mistake, infection and possible death or at least great pain and scarring will follow.
It is a weapon to be used at the PC's own risk.
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? Responses (17)
I like it. Decent history and definately well balanced. Not neccessarily a weapon to be used by a PC, but certainly a good plot device.
A unique and solid idea. A weapon like this should only be used as a last resort when all other options have been exausted.
Definitely a candidate for the wish I'd thought of it award... don't know who awards them normally but you get it from me anyway.
A wonderful case of a powerful magical item - it's so useful, but very few would use it willingly. Great idea!
to use the expression 'a double edged sword' is certainly apt in this case. I really like the weapon and the aura of uncleanliness that lingers around it, and can see all sorts of things from it. Nice work Cheka.
what everyone has already said. Nice work.
Good Solid Submission. Balanced and useful.
Absolutely brillant.
That weapon is simply, wicked.
You are quite the evil one.
I *almost* pity your players :)
You have come a long way from your earliest posts, my friend!
(Hey, don't forget to link Mammon to this post!)
Decent history, cool weapon. Good work Cheka!
A good treatment of an archetype I've seen in fiction a bit. -0.5 for misspellings and grammar errors, alas.
I like it; the powers are focused and balanced while the history gives it depth and fully explains its existence.
Very original. An item of great power and utility but will certainly fill everyone with tension knowing the calamities that await if used too much. Would PCs use this? Could get very interesting... or a lot like Paranoia.
As an additional point in favor of the Rotter is the background history. Seems quite appropriate for a questionable deity to issue an item like this.
Can you imagine a company of warriors, dedicated to Mammon, who train their lives for the opportunity to wield The Rotter in combat with their mortal enemies the ________, knowing they will die a horrible yet very honorable death? Once one warrior finally goes down the next man steps up and keeps on hacking!
Excellent weapon and I do think it is balanced well. I really love the area effects! Those make the weapon to me!
