Mau-Jehe

Illus. by W. England

Mau-Jehe is a short sword of extraordinary quality, resembling a punching dagger in its design. The blade has a rusty color, but it otherwise appears newly forged.

Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 short sword; Cost 2,310 gp. Once per day, you can study another creature within 30 feet, forcing that creature to make a Will saving throw (DC 11 + your Wisdom bonus). If the save fails, you can determine whether the target creature has ranks in the

Hide or Move Silently skills. Omen: When you swing Mau-Jehe in combat, tendrils of ectoplasmic energy trail behind the blade. HISTORY

Despite the appearance of this weapon, Mau-Jehe is ancient. Few swords have seen more wielders. Many stories have surfaced about the origin of MauJehe, but the most common tale is that it was forged by a thri-kreen and given to the ruler of a now bygone sultanate. Thri-kreen were less numerous in the time of this realm, and they had been conquered by the sultan’s armies. They intended the sword as a subtly rude gesture—the gift of a weapon is an ill omen in thri-kreen society. The sultan, oblivious to their ways, wore the sword proudly and spoke of how he subjugated the mantis folk with his willpower alone. In his pompous overconfidence, he paraded through his kingdom almost unguarded, only to be assassinated shortly thereafter by a brash bandit. The murderer took Mau-Jehe from the sultan’s corpse. (DC 15) The man who killed the sultan was a robberknight named Abrax-atep, the commander of a group of bandits made up of fallen aristocrats. These brigands shared a fierce hatred of the sultan, a man who had forcibly taken their wealth to feed his insatiable greed. After years of riding through the desert together, the thieves, led by Stafa’ibn Hashil, rebelled against Abrax-atep and murdered him. Stafa’ibn then fell wretchedly ill and was put to death by his son Ma’ibn Stafa’ibn Hashil. When Huber, a talented ruffian the bandits had picked up along the way, challenged Ma’ibn to a duel and killed him, Mau-Jehe finally passed to a soulknife. Huber’s psychic talents awakened the synergistic abilities of Mau-Jehe, and he became exceedingly proficient with the short sword. His talents didn’t save him from being ambushed and butchered by the vengeful relatives of Ma’ibn, though. After that, the blade continued to pass from one bloodthirsty cutthroat to another, only occasionally falling into the hands of a soulknife. (DC 20; Accidental Inheritance) During all the times Mau-Jehe changed owners, it successfully kept one secret: The weapon harbors a secret affinity for virtuous warriors. When the thri-kreen originally constructed the weapon, they intended to assassinate the sultan, reclaim Mau-Jehe, and declare righteous victory over their oppressor. In circumstances omitted from a history written by the victors, the sultan viciously attacked the thri-kreen without provocation—the mantis folk were then known for being both autonomous and peaceful. After the sultan ordered his armies against the thri-kreen, hoping to find hidden wealth, he came up empty handed. Countless thrikreen had been slaughtered for nothing. Thri-kreen grew to hate the tyrannical sultan and the injustice they faced. This righteous anger was woven into Mau-Jehe. (DC 25; Soulflower) LEGACY RITUALS Two rituals are required to unlock all the abilities of Mau-Jehe. Accidental Inheritance: You have to remove Mau-Jehe from the corpse or crypt of its previous wielder. Cost: 2,200 gp. Feat Granted: Least Legacy (Mau-Jehe). Soulflower: You must spend a full day in the proper veneration of a nonevil deity. Cost: 12,500 gp. Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy (Mau-Jehe). WIELDER

In the hands of a soulknife, REQUIREMENTS Mau-Jehe reveals uncanny abilities Mau-Jehe is most useful in the hands of a psychic warrior or soulknife.

Mau-Jehe Wielder Requirements

1 or more power points Base attack bonus +2 Hide 1 rank