Spiderkiss is a long sword of obvious dark elven make.
The pommel of the sword is adorned with a marvellous depiction of a poisonous spider made from eight small rubies as the eyes of the spider, set in a splendidly carved black onyx as the head and body of the spider. Its legs, made of glossy black adamantite, are curled about the hilt, gradually becoming the wrapping of the hilt. The guard of the sword is made of gold, yet the pattern on the guard is such that one could imagine that if spiders could spin golden thread, they could make a guard like that.
The blade of the sword is silvery adamantite, yet does not reflect any light and seems almost dull compared to the splendour of the spider crouching at the pommel of the sword.
History:
Spiderkiss was made by an unknown wizard devoted to Lloth, the Demon Queen of Spiders.
It was crafted over 300 years ago in the magnificent drow city of Ched Nasad, and was held in the possession of the mage that made it until he used Spiderkiss to buy a grimoire filled with unusual spells from the merchant of Ark'neth bel Trannar.
Not long after that, house Trannar earned the disfavor of house Andross, and it was decided that house Trannar needed a warning. Katharrn was sent out to kill Ark'neth, and did so with little trouble. He claimed Spiderkiss as his own after that brief and uneventful battle in which Katharrn received some minor wounds, and Ark'neth was slain with his own sword, Spiderkiss.
Powers:
Spiderkiss is considered a +3 weapon in regard to weapon immunities. It grants its wielder a +2 to hit and +2 to damage. Spiderkiss will grant its wielder a +5 saving throw bonus on saving throws resulting from poisons delivered by any arachnoids. On a to-hit roll of four or better than what is needed, Spiderkiss will inflict a poison strike. If the target fails to successfully save against poison, Spiderkiss will inflict paralysis for 1d4+1 rounds. If the save is successful, Spiderkiss will still cause the opponent to automatically lose initiative the next round.Spiderkiss: Wt 2 lb., Sz M, Type S, SF 3, S-M: 1d8+2 (+special), L: 1d12+2 (+special).
Cruel Sun
Cruel Sun is a long sword of obvious elven make. Its magical nature is evident in the low-level glow that surrounds it at any time, granting the blade the reddish hue of a sunset on the surface world. Its hilt is wrapped in intertwined mithril and adamantite thread, and its pommel is adorned with a depiction of a rising sun.
History: However, it was soon proven that the elven sorceress' prowess in battle were nothing compared to her prowess at laying dweomers. Cruel Sun was lost together with
the entire patrol in their first foray against the dark elves, and all traces of the sword ended there.
For a long time, the sword was lost, and remained so for several centuries. Then,
a coincidence led to the discovery of a deep dragon lair in the close vicinity of house Andross,
and a group consisting of Katharrn and his team was dispatched to slay the dragon. It was a security risk, and as such could not be tolerated
within the perimeters of house Andross. The deep dragon was slain by a concerted attack from Katharrn and his patrol, and Katharrn was searching for the dragon's eggs when he found the cache of the dragon. Quickly checking the cache for treasure before he reported the finding,
Katharrn found Cruel Sun lying there, glowing the deep red of a sunset from a world he had never known. Katharrn claimed the blade for his own.
Cruel Sun was originally made by an elven wizard, seeking to imbue a weapon with power against the notoriously magic-resistant drow. She reckoned that nothing would terrify a dark elf quite as much as the dreaded sun, and therefore set out to enchant a blade
to be effective against dark elves, and inflicting the searing pain of true sunlight upon them. The result of her efforts was Cruel Sun.
Cruel Sun is considered a +4 weapon with regard of what it can hit, granting a +2 to hit and +3 to damage. On a successful hit, Cruel Sun will limn the target in a special form of faerie fire. If the creature hit is susceptible to sunlight, the faerie fire will also act as the itching variant of the 2nd level Wizard spell, irritation (worsening AC by 4 and attack rolls by 2 for four rounds).
In addition to this, Cruel Sun will inflict an extra damage die against any faerie creature, including elves. The most devastating power of Cruel Sun is not related to this, however. Against any elf, Cruel Sun will grant its wielder two extra attacks, made at the end of the round. Only elves are valid targets for these extra attacks.
Cruel Sun: Wt 2lb., Sz M, Type S, SF 2, S-M: 1d8+3+special(+1d8), L: 1d12+3+special(+1d12).
The Ravenskull is a pendant that looks much like the skull of a raven carved from a strange, bronzen metal, with emeralds as eyes and a cunningly cut ruby as the beak. Its chain is made of adamantite, threaded through the openings where the raven's ears would have been. History:
It is unknown from where the Ravenskull came. Almost older than time itself, it has been in the possession of house Andross for the last two thousand years, being one of their greatest treasures and most potent magical items. From where house Andross acquired this item, noone alive today knows - and if someone knows, he or she has not told anyone.
Katharrn was loaned this item for his current mission - to find and destroy the renegade noble princess of house Andross, Killnath'nil bel Andross. He has grown quite attached to it, however, because of the freedom it grants him in moving around in the surface world.
The power of the Ravenskull is both simple and sublime. Like the Windwalker artifact, it grants a being the power to walk the surface world without losing much of its innate abilities, such as the ones drow possesses. In principle, this item would work for any creature that is dependant upon something for its powers (such as the drow dependance on the weird Underdark radiations for their magical resistance and innate spell abilities).
Its powers has limitations, however. It cannot prevent more than half of the deterioration of magical resistance, for creatures possessing this, as magical resistance is even more tightly interwoven with the strange radiations of Underdark than any other innate ability of the dark elves. Furthermore, it cannot prevent the ill effects of actually being in sunlight, though it will protect the wearer from injury or death resulting from such exposure.
For instance, a vampire wearing the Ravenskull would not suffer any hit point loss from being in sunlight, but would quite possibly suffer combat penalties because the vampire was in sunlight. In Katharrn's case, it does not prevent the Dexterity loss that he suffers in direct sunlight, though targets of his spells will not receive any bonuses to their saving throws.
The Ravenskull: A small raven's skull on a fine chain of adamantite, Wt negligible.
Outdoors, natural surroundings: heavy growth 100%, light growth 99%, open fields 95%, rocky terrain 98%.
Urban surroundings: buildings 90%, brightly lit room 50%.
Underground: torch/lantern light 95%, infravision 90%, light/continual light 50%.
The tattoo of the katharrn takes the shape of a claw-like, dark scar on the neck and lower left chin of Lilandril. This dark scar looks like the claw mark of a katharrn, and is quite distinctive though not directly affecting his looks. It is hardly visible when Lilandril is clothed in his customary ruffled shirt and has the collar on the cloak up.History:
Lilandril hadn't quite gotten his nickname - Katharrn - when he was out on patrol in the wilder Underdark. It was purely by chance that he came across a katharrn and four driders battling. The katharrn was of a very unusual coloring - it was dark grey, obviously, but its stripes weren't black, but almost a molten golden in color. Lilandril had never liked driders - considering them abominations even more than the priestesses of Lloth - and joined the battle on the side of the katharrn. A few minutes later, Lilandril and the katharrn had vanquished their foes.
The katharrn made a strange mewling noise, and suddenly three small cubs appeared as if from nowhere. It was quite apparent that the katharrn had fought the driders - fierce creatures that offered no food - solely because of its cubs. Lilandril bent down, and picked up one of the little cubs, stroking it. It purred happily, blissfully unaware of what would have happened if the katharrn and Lilandril had lost against the driders. Lilandril put the cub down, and it joined the two others.
The katharrn reared up on her hind legs, and almost caressed Lilandril with one of her claws. The claw drew blood, yet the wound tingled rather than hurt. Then, quick as lightning and silent as shadows, the katharrn and her cubs bounded away into the deeps of the Underdark.
The tattoo of the katharrn grants various powers associated with the katharrn. The tattoo gives Lilandril a continuous spider climb effect, and allows Lilandril to automatically enjoy the effects of an animal friendship spells when it comes to katharrn. Once per day, Lilandril may shape change into the form of a sleek katharrn, gaining access to all the normal and special powers of the creature, though retaining his own hit points and thac0.
In essence, this is: spider climb, 99% chance of move silently and hide in shadows while in natural, underground surroundings, increased chance of surprising opponents, 3 attacks per round inflicting 1d10 / 1d10 (claws) or 3d4 (bite) points of damage, rake for a further 1d8+2 / 1d8+2 if both claw attacks hit, MV 18" with a rush of 48" for up to three rounds, pouncing allowing two claw attacks at +4 to hit and double damage if the opponent is surprised. The use of this shape change will heal Lilandril for 10-60% of his received damage when he reverts to human form, similar to the druidic shape shift ability.
Tattoo of the katharrn: Grants wearer spider climb and shape change into katharrn form once / day.
The Ring of Might is a well-made, but unremarkable ring made of a reddish alloy of gold and meteoric silver. On its inside, there are engraved stilistic representations of various animals reknowned for their great strength, many of them found only in the Sun Above: a bear, a bull, a dragon, and a giant boa constrictor. Its make and choice of symbols marks this as an item of possibly dwarven manufacture, considering its excellent craftsmanship, yet plain and utilitarian appearance. History:
Katharrn 'aquired' this ring from someone who didn't need it any more. From whence that person had gotten it, nobody knows. Or at least, Katharrn doesn't know.
Simple but powerful, just like its make, the ring of power either grants its wearer a Strength of 17 or a +1 to Strength (to a maximum of 20), whichever is higher. Ring of Might: Grants wearer either 17 in Strength or +1 to Strength (to a max of 20), whichever is higher.