ITEMS OF LEGACY
CHAPTER 3
EXORDIUS
Exordius is a vicious longsword with a blade of dull, pitted black metal and a hilt of magically hardened obsidian, set with a large ruby in the pommel. Inscribed into the blade are runes and sigils of evil power, though these seem unusually faded and worn. Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 longsword; Cost 2,315 gp. Omen: When Exordius is wielded in battle, tendrils of pure, white light stream from the blade and the jewel in the pommel. Their radiance is surprisingly soothing to good-aligned creatures. These tendrils grow larger and brighter as the sword’s powers increase.
Illus. by F. Vohwinkel
HISTORY
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spirit struggled against the evil inherent in the blade. In the quiet darkness of the tomb, Eyria’s spirit was overwhelmed. Unable to purge the unholy magic from Exordius, her soul fell dormant and passed into a deep torpor. (DC 25; Alone in the Gloom) Many centuries after Exordius was interred in Darnag’s tomb, an adventurer named Aedwar (also known as He of the Steely Heart) discovered the tomb and began exploring it. His excavations triggered the tomb’s magical defenses, and Aedwar was cornered by over a dozen guardian demons at the death knight’s sarcophagus. With no other weapon at hand, He of the Steely Heart snatched up Exordius and wielded the evil blade against his fiendish attackers. The strength of Aedwar’s determination, along with the destruction of so many demons, caused Eyria’s spirit to stir into wakefulness once again. With Aedwar’s help, the paladin was able to banish the evil of Exordius’s sinister magic once and for all. (DC 31; Banish the Abyssal Brood)
The ancient lich-king Raumos forged Exordius for his chief lieutenant, the death knight Darnag. The blade was a weapon of soul-searing evil. Darnag ultimately used the sword to overthrow Raumos and set up his own kingdom, tales of which are still LEGACY used to frighten children into good behavior. Darnag RITUALS himself disappeared a few Three rituals are required to unlock all the abilities centuries after overthrowing Raumos. He was never of Exordius. Sanctification of Darkseen again. (DC 15) ness: You must perform a Darnag was actually vanquished in battle by a young ritual of purification upon human woman named Eyan evil magic item (any item ria, a paladin of Pelor. Eyria that has a spell with the evil is renowned in the hisdescriptor in its creation tory of Pelor’s church for prerequisites) worth at least 1,500 gp. This ceremony her piety and courage, involves bathing the item and though she was slain in holy water and chanting in battle with the death Exordius stole the soul of a human paladin— prayers to a good-aligned knight, even in her own destruction she was victori- but that soul might yet survive, trapped in the blade deity for 10 minutes. The process ous. Exordius stole her soul and destroys the sanctified item. Cost: 3,000 gp. Feat Granted: Least Legacy (Exordius). absorbed it, but the sword was unable to destroy her wholesome essence. Eyria’s faith infused the weapon. Alone in the Gloom: You are required to seal yourself in complete and total darkness for 24 hours. Darnag was then burned to ash by the touch of his own blade—Eyria’s purity destroyed him. (DC 18; Usually, this ritual is performed deep underground. The rite is ruined by even the tiniest bit of light shinSanctification of Darkness) ing through a chink in a window or under a door. Cost: After Darnag’s destruction, he and his sword were 12,500 gp. Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy (Exordius). entombed in a grand mausoleum constructed by his Banish the Abyssal Brood: In a single encounter, loyal servants, who were unaware of the presence of Eyria’s soul inside Exordius. For centuries, the paladin’s you alone must slay one or more evil outsiders with
