The Tenth Blade (Campaign Seed)

The Tenth Blade

The burly man screams in anger as a sonic explosion erupts from his unadorned sword, killing the mercenaries instantly.

How is he still standing?!' cries the captain, his dark eyes filled with astonishment and rancor. 'My men are the strongest in the world!'

The barbarian plunges the bastard sword into the ground, and the ruby set into the blade glows with a fiery rage.

The air ripples as eighty men are launched from their feet, and before they can so much as cry out, the breath leaves their bodies.

The cloaked stranger sneers at the captain's idiocy, 'Fool. The True Avenger has risen....' He hesitates for a moment, smiling slightly to himself. 'I will deal with him myself.'

The stranger dismounts, and walks purposefully toward the raging man, drawing a sword of his own. The blade is an absolute void, a seeming hole in reality, black as pitch.

With a shrill cackle, he dives into the fray.

The Fall of Magic

It is a dark age for magic. Over two hundred years ago, a cataclysmic event befell the land of Nidnep-Eman. Though the cause of this catastrophe was unidentified, it's potency cannot be questioned. Those with the powers of the arcane and divine found their magic to become tainted. Even the most powerful of spells simply failed to operate, and deities found that their link to the material plane had been severed. During this era of occult decline, ruthless and abhorrent leaders rose to power, seeing the weakening of magic to be an opportunity to extinguish it. Throughout the next decade, spellcasters, both arcane and divine, were targets of frequent attacks. Schools of wizardry were wantonly razed to the ground. Sorcerers and dragons alike were killed to ensure that their gifts would not be inherited by their offspring; in fact, dragons were nearly driven from the material plane entirely. The high elven kingdoms, refusing to fight the humans who had once been their allies, fled to the deepest of woodlands, in order to shield themselves from the cruel oppressors. Though the halfling cultures remained relatively unaffected, gnomes were almost totally eliminated.

Luckily, magic did return to the world, but it is still wielded by only a small fraction of the populace; men still fear magic, and 'witch hunts' occur regularly. Magic items are now difficult to come by, and those that are obtainable are generally weak and overpriced. The major exception is the Nine Blades of Fate.

The Nine Blades of Fate

Almost 100 years before the fall, nine adventurers, now practically legends, each forged for themselves a sword, to be used in their final stand against the forces of evil. After their task was complete, the heroes, realizing that the power within the swords was far too great to be used regularly, swore that they, and their kin, would never again wield these swords in battle, unless it was in dire need, or a terrible curse would befall them. The enemies of these brave individuals, however, feared the swords, and a huge posse of drow together forged for themselves Irik Surma: The Blade of Death.

The Nine Blades are among the most powerful items in existence. All of the swords are intelligent, though some are more coherent than others. Each blade is usable by anyone, but only a wielder whom the sword's creator deems worthy can unlock the sword's full potential. In addition, the swords will attempt to dominate their wielder, if the wielder isn't true, should a creature eligible to use it to its full potential come within its sight, in order to deliver itself to the true wielder.

Descriptions of the Blades

Wielders of these blades are known as the final word in the blade's title, and one capable of unlocking its full potential is the same, but also begins with "True". For example, One who wields the Blade of the Avenger is known as the Avenger; one who is destined to wield it is the True Avenger. Each of the blades has a special power the is invoked by stabbing it into the ground, it is usually usable once per day.

Blade of the Drakelord Possibly the most powerful of all the blades, this +6 Keen Burst (chosen element) Longsword becomes a +8 Keen Vorpal Blast (chosen element) Longsword in the hands of a True Drakelord. The sword was made by the leader of the adventurers, the mighty half-dragon Galdur Drekkin. Like all the blades, it gives the wielder a variety of spell-like abilities, and this blade also allows the user to cast spells as a 6th-level sorcerer (12th for a true drakelord). A true drakelord can plunge his sword into the ground once per day, allowing him to transform into a dragon of up to three times his HD, gaining all the abilities of the dragon, up to and including its prowess in sorcery. As all the swords, it is unable to detect a wielder's alignment, thus, a true drakelord is just as likely to be evil as good. The sword chooses a true wielder to be someone who is wise, charismatic, and (hopefully) of draconic blood. Any user of the blade is treated as a half-dragon, and a True Drakelord gets all of the half-dragons ability score increases, multiplied by two (aside from strength which is +6 for a regular user, and +10 for a true user), as well as having a stronger breath weapon.

Blade of the Avenger Another extremely powerful blade, this +6 keen anarchic thundering bastard sword becomes a +8 keen anarchic power sonic blast bastard sword in the hands of a True Avenger. The sword was made by the fearsome Half-Orc barbarian Gruknor. It is a weapon that feeds on anger and vengeance, and will give the wielder excellent combat prowess. (Such as disarming or bull rushing and attacking in the same round, or making a full attack as a standard action). It gives many spell-like abilities, although they are all relatively subtle. A True Avenger is a terror to behold, and can stab the blade into the ground, instantly knocking every enemy within 40 feet to the end of the blast, dealing 10d6 points of damage, and stunning those who fail their saves. The True Avenger does have more powerful and dramatic spell like abilities, but these are only usable once in a great while (often 1 month). These abilities include earthquake 1/ 2 weeks, storm of vengeance 1/month, and control winds 2/week. This weapon, though unable to commune with its user in words, will often attempt to dominate him when it feels great rage (not an uncommon event).

Blade of the Destroyer Similar to the blade of the avenger, this is a +6 Keen Vorpal Greatsword (+8 Keen Vorpal in hands of a True Destroyer) This sword, which, like its creator, the great Half-Orc fighter/spirit shaman, specializes in killing. Once week, (once per day for a True Destroyer), it can be thrown up to 100 feet, instantly hitting the target and dealing a critical hit. The target must also succeed on a DC 20 (25 for TD) fortitude save of die instantly. The spell like abilities for this blade are only used rarely, but when they are, they are devastating. A True Destroyer can stab the sword into the ground, causing a crevasse 20 feet wide, 100 feet long, and infinitely deep to appear in the earth. Anyone caught in the rift must make a DC 25 reflex save of be swallowed up into the pit. If the victim fails their first save, they may attempt to make another DC 25 reflex save to squeeze out of the pit, but they still take 15d6 damage from being crushed in it. Unlike most of the swords' special abilities, this is only usable once per week. Though this sword is devoted to killing, it is not itself evil. It will rarely dominate its wielder, and only kills those it feels are worthy of death. The sword can bypass any damage reduction.

Blade of the Mage This is a +6 Mithral Keen Brilliant Energy Longsword, or a +8 Mithral Keen Throwing Brilliant Enemy Returning Longsword in the hands of a true mage. The sword was created by the great half-celestial wizard/favored soul Vandwand. Like its creator, the weapon utilizes arcane and divine magic to equal effect. Unlike the other swords, this sword has only one major power, along with a few minor advantages. Every week, the wielder of the sword can cast up to 75 levels of spells, belonging to any spellcasting class, to a maximum of 5th level. For a True Mage, the sword allows 150 spells per week, to a maximum of 8th level (a true mage who already had at least 7 levels in a class can cast 9th level spells belonging to that class). In addition, a True Mage may use the sword similarly to a Staff of the Magi, absorbing spells in order to recharge the sword. Like the staff, the sword will release an explosion of energy if it absorbs spells over its maximum, though it does not destroy the sword, and it deals only an amount of charges equal to the spell levels within the staff. It explodes in a 40-foot radius burst, and any creature within the blast may make a DC 25 reflex save for half damage. The True Mage gains two negative levels should this happen, and must make a DC 20 fortitude save to avoid permanent level loss. In addition, the mage is stunned for five rounds, reduced to one round on a successful DC 25 will save. Once per day, a True Mage can plunge the sword into the ground, making the next 10 spells she casts with the sword maximized, though it does not change the spell level. This affect wears off in 10 minutes.

Blade of the Wanderer A simply made blade, well-crafted nonetheless, this weapon is a +6 keen mithral frost longsword in the hands of anyone, and a +8 keen mithral icy burst defending speed longsword in the hands of a True Wanderer. Its creator was a werewolf ranger-druid named Vidolf Gangleri. It can transform into a quarterstaff, shortspear, or spear as a free action. It allows the wielder to utilize at will the effects of the spells water walk, and wind walk. The wielder may also use tree stride and meld into stone once per day (the true wielder may use them at will.) The wielder is constantly under the effects of the spells endure elements, tongues, and true seeing. Every 1d4 rounds, it may be swung through the air, sending a force attack which deals double the normal damage of the sword, and has a range increment of 80 feet. The normal wielder's move speed is multiplied by 1.5, and the True Wanderer's is multiplied by 2. A True Wanderer may , as a full-round action, use the sword once per week while on the material plane to open a temporary gate to any other plane, which remains for 1 minute, or until the Wanderer dispels it. A True Wanderer may also, at any time, use the blade similarly while on any plane but the material to open a similar gate to the material plane. The special ability, utilized be plunging the blade into the ground, allows the True Wanderer to take the form of any animal or magical beast within two size categories, and within two times or less the Wanderer's hit dice. This effect functions like a druid's wild-shape ability, and lasts until the wielder chooses for it to end.

Classes

Magic is limited in this campaign. Any adventuring party must consist of at least 2 non-spellcasters for each spellcaster. Druids, Bards, Clerics, and Sorcerers live on the verges of society, usually in hiding or on the run. Wizards and Paladins are completely disallowed. Please note that a party containing spellcasters will be frequently attacked by those that fear magic, and most likely will be on the run. Clerics may not belong to a church, and it is recommended that players instead choose the favored soul class. Though monks are within the rules, a player should be advised to keep their identity as a monk hidden.

Races

Most player characters should be humans, as they are definitely the dominant race in the world. Half-orcs are allowed, though they will be the target of much emotional and physical abuse by humans, as orcs are the one race that are frequently at war with mankind. The gnome race is not allowed, as gnomes are effectively no longer present in the world. Elves and half-elves are both within the rules, although an elf's favored class changes from wizard to ranger, as elves have been reduced to hiding in the forest, and many are adept at navigating it. Dwarves and Halflings, though not at war with or in hiding from humans, are generally scorned and mocked. Many humans in this world have built a natural resistance to magic. When randomly generating a human NPC, roll a d%. A 1-50% means the character is normal, 51-90% means that the character has spell resistance 15 and 91-96% means that the character takes 10 less damage from magical effects, similar to damage reduction. 97-100% gives a character a permanent true seeing effect.

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