Illus. by J. Nelson
ITEMS OF LEGACY
CHAPTER 3
STAFF OF THE TORRENT MOONS
154
Satoru later learned that a neighboring noble was responsible for the flood that killed his father—the Staff of the Torrent Moons is a lajatang, composed of a noble’s soldiers had sabotaged a nearby dam. With darkwood shaft with two crescent-shaped blades, forged patience, the youngster honed his martial skills and from a rare blue-tinted metal, attached to either end. bided his time. At twenty-two years of age, the young Nonlegacy Game Statistics: Masterwork/+1 warrior purchased a horned mask at a street fair and lajatang; Cost 2,720 gp; Dmg 1d8+1/1d8; Critical ×2; began hunting the retainers of his father’s murderer. Range Increment —; Weight 7 lb.; Type Slashing. The He wore the mask to protect his monastery from any lajatang is an exotic, two-handed, double weapon that connection with his actions, and its use earned Satoru can be proficiently wielded by any character with the the name mizubakemono (“river monster”) because he Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lajatang) feat. A character also ambushed his victims from waterways. In fact, the can fight with a lajatang as if fighting with two weapmizubakemono dragged more than a few unfortunates underwater, still kicking and screaming. When word ons, incurring all the normal attack penalties of using a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. A monk reached Kuemon, the lord of Satoru’s prefecture, that who is proficient with the a river monster was inflicting casualties to his rival clan, he didn’t believe the tales. He lajatang can wield it as a knew a man was responsible. special monk weapon. Kuemon offered a reward to Each end counts as a anyone who could prove that separate weapon for the a man was the mizubakemono, purpose of the flurry of blows ability, similar to how and Satoru felt the money could the quarterstaff works. benefit his monastery. (DC 20; Inherit the River) Omen: While carrying Staff of the Torrent Moons, you and Satoru presented himself to Kuemon. The aging your equipment are instantly dried whenever you emerge lord told Satoru that ever since from a body of water. he started his personal war, the neighboring aristocrat would counHISTORY ter by ordering more raids Inukai Satoru was born to against their territory, slaughunwedded parents who tering untold peasants in retaliation. Satoru was loved each other deeply. Shortly after the boy’s devastated. His selfish birth, however, his father desire for revenge was drowned in a flood while responsible for the loss of saving Satoru’s mother innocent lives, and he immeStaff of the Torrent Moons from the deluge. Withdiately offered to sacrifice his holds the power of a out much propriety, the own to end the hostilities. When river monster word spread that a monk of the eldest son of the local noble local monastery had turned himfamily then began to court Satoru’s self in, Satoru’s mother knew the man was her son. She beautiful mother, and she accepted the noble’s marriage proposal soon after, even with the condition went to Satoru and urged him to reconsider, but the young man’s bitterness toward the woman wouldn’t that she must give up her illegitimate son. Still a allow him to listen. As she made to leave, she revealed child, Satoru was less upset with losing his mother a secret she had long held—Kuemon was the one rethan he was at the disrespect the woman showed her sponsible for the perpetuation of hostilities between former love, acting as if the heroic man never existed. Satoru was sent to the nearest monastery and became the rival clans. It was he who secretly ordered villages a dedicated student, training almost exclusively with a burned to rouse the peasantry against the adjacent region. In fact, he had been ultimately responsible crescent-bladed weapon chosen for him by his teacher. That lajatang came to be known as Staff of the Torrent for the destruction of the dam that had resulted in Moons. (DC 15) the death of Satoru’s father. Satoru suddenly realized
