Dusk and Dawn (3.5e Equipment)
Dusk and Dawn: These evil weapons draw their potency from the Shadow Weave, a corrupting font of magic. Their pommels are wrapped in a cured black leather, bearing the emblem of the Unseated, an elite fraction that associates in deepest secret with the shadow syndicates of Amn. The Unseated are agents and assassins of great skill and renown, who move betwixt cities and towns like shadows - unseen - and wear secrecy and anonymity like a cloak against law and order. Each member of the Unseated carries two weapons, nicknamed “Dusk” and “Dawn”. These two weapons are twinned in the darkness of night, Dawn in the left hand and Dusk in the right, and exemplify their evil nature. Between dusk and dawn are these weapons at their strongest, and lend their sinister power to many iniquitous causes; theft, fraudulence, conspiracy and murder.
Outside and during daytime, Dusk and Dawn are regular masterwork dirk and dagger respectively, but at night or in places where the light of the sun does not reach, its wicked nature is fully realized and the blade awakens. In these places, they function as a +1 weapon. At any time of day however, the wielder can feel the wrongness of either weapon when it rests in their hands, bestowing a -1 cumulative penalty to Will saving throws.
They are sleek, spiny blades wreathed in gloom, drinking in ambient light while reflecting but little. A latticework of vile-natured runes cover its obsidian lemmet, smoldering with almost tangible shadow
When you have both Dusk and Dawn equipped and awakened, you gain the further benefits noted below:
- +3 profane bonus to Armor Class. This bonus stacks with all other types of bonus to Armor Class, except for other profane bonuses.
- Baleful Rend: When you land consecutive hits with both Dusk and Dawn, you deal an additional 1d6 negative energy damage. This effect only applies to any two attacks made with the same modifiers. The Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat increases the number of possible baleful rends per round to 2, and the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat further increases this to 3. Baleful rend is considered a +2 enhancement and requires two weapons to be enchanted with it.
- Critical Drain: On a critical hit with Dusk or Dawn, the opponent must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or suffer 1 negative level for 24 hours.
- Resistance to negative energy 5.
A darkness or similar spell can call forth the qualities of dusk and dawn when used within its area of effect, whereas a daylight spell can suppress them.
Usable only by: assassin, duskblade, shadowdancer, shadow thief of Amn. For these four classes, dawn is treated as a dagger for the sake of weapon proficiency.
Moderate necromancy; (DC 19);CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor; death ward, enervation, greater magic weapon; Cost 20,405 gp + 1,632 XP; Market Price: 40,802 gp
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