Thanifex

Illus. by M. Phillippi

Thanifex (sometimes called the “Spear of the Erstwhile”) is a long, broad-bladed spear constructed from a sheer, black metal that defies detailed examination.

It has been surmised the greatspear is fashioned from pure “void.”

Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 greatspear; Cost 2,325 gp; Damage 2d6; Critical ×3; Range

Increment 10 ft.; Weight 9 lb.; Type Piercing.

The greatspear is a two-handed, reach weapon that can be proficiently wielded by any character with the

Exotic Weapon

Proficiency (greatspear) feat. Any time you confirm a critical hit with

Thanifex, you heal 1 point of damage, up to a maximum of your full, normal hit points. Omen: Whenever you successfully strike an opponent with Thanifex, the light around you and your foe seems to dim momentarily. HISTORY

Javen Blunt knew only cruelty during his whole life, and he was determined to give back to the world in kind. Taken from a conquered land as a child, Javen grew up as one of many thousands of disposable slaves used to construct a capital city. These slaves weren’t actually fed so much as forced to fight over the rancid food thrown to them. This made life among the slaves anarchic and murderous, and many became insane or were driven to suicide by the inhumane conditions. Javen never broke or complained, though, preferring to remain unseen as he prayed to his dark god for a way to take vengeance against his keepers.

His sole focus was to stay alive long enough to make his captors, and every free person who came to live in that city, know the daily hopelessness felt by a slave.

He swore an oath to do so if ever given the chance.

Thanifex became instrumental in making Javen’s dark pledge possible. (DC 15) As the years churned by, more slaves were always brought to the city. Javen rose through the ranks of slavery, finally becoming a master stonecutter. While he enjoyed the benefits of his skilled position, Javen took no pleasure in commanding others to work, but to his way of thinking, the slaves who suffered under his care need not do so pointlessly. On one occasion, Javen disguised himself as a guard and redirected a brigade of fresh conscripts to an underground cavern before they were counted in the monthly slave census. While Javen worked aboveground as a master stonecutter, the redirected slaves were put to work building a secret altar beneath the city. He kept these workers underground at all times, motivating them with clean The horrific greatspear Thanifex creates armies food and water diverted from the of undead slaves in service to a dark god other slaves. (DC 20; Ascend by Trade) When the altar was finished, Javen offered his secret builders a congratulatory meal. Once the poor wretches realized their food was poisoned, it was too late. They were left paralyzed long enough for Javen to sacrifice each one to his god of death, ensuring the secrecy of his altar. Javen reasoned the people he slew would have died as slaves anyway. At least this way, he rationalized, their pitiful lives could serve a greater purpose. The sacrifices didn’t end there, however. If Javen was going to stay focused, he needed to feed his gluttonous god far more souls before being given the might to overcome his enemies. Masquerading as one of the guards had proven successful in the past, and so Javen continued his deception at night, preying on unsuspecting slaves by using the appearance of authority to lead them underground to his altar. Javen sacrificed

Table 3–46: Thanifex

————— Personal Costs —————

Wielder Attack Hit Point Spell Slot

Level Penalty Loss Loss Abilities

5th — — — Aberrant sustenance 6th — 2 1st — 7th — 2 — Corpse minions 8th –1 — 2nd — 9th — 2 — +2 greatspear 10th — — 3rd False life 1/day 11th — — — Taint of death 1/day 12th — — 4th +3 greatspear 13th — 2 — Speak with dead 1/day 14th — — 5th — 15th — 2 — — 16th — — 6th Raise ghouls 1/day 17th — — — +4 vicious greatspear 18th — — 7th Antilife shell 1/day 19th — 2 — Afterlife denied 20th — — 8th +5 vicious greatspear hundreds of slaves during this time, becoming a priest of the highest order. (DC 25; Mask of Deceit) Thirty years passed. The most beautiful metropolis the world had ever seen was completed on the backs of miserable slaves. From among those who remained, the municipal rulers ordered the healthy slaves freed and the “damaged” ones put to death. Imperfection had no place in the pristine city. Now a free man, Javen quickly achieved a position of affluence—politicians and statesmen employed his services as an artisan to construct their opulent homes. The appearance that any of these comforts satisfied Javen only confirmed the man’s skill at deception. Shortly after the city was finished, Javen sacrificed one final victim, transforming the spear he had wielded in his guard’s disguise into a foul conduit of negative energy. The tainted weapon denied an afterlife to any creature it slew, turning humanoids into pitiless undead. Javen started by murdering the community leaders, raising their bodies as ghasts, which preyed on their personal guards. Once many of the elite warriors were transformed into ghasts, they attacked the city guards, and eventually turned on the militia and garrison soldiers. The unclean army then infected and fed on the inhabitants of the beautiful city, until all were dead or bound to their corrupted bodies, forever enslaved by undeath. Javen’s oath thusly bore its bitter fruit. (DC 30; What Comes Around) LEGACY RITUALS

Three rituals are required to unlock all the abilities of Thanifex.

Ascend By Trade: You are required to acquire a slave and to direct that person to a gainful activity. Freeing the slave is acceptable. Cost: 1,000 gp (this does not include the cost of the slave, if any). Feat Granted:

Least Legacy (Thanifex). Mask of Deceit: You must successfully harm another creature using ingested poison. For the ritual to succeed, the creature poisoned need not die, but it must fail one or both saves against the toxin. Cost: 11,500 gp. Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy (Thanifex). What Comes Around: You must create two ghasts, then set them loose upon the world to wreak havoc as they see fit. Cost: 39,000 gp. Feat Granted: Greater

Legacy (Thanifex). WIELDER REQUIREMENTS

The wielders of Thanifex are almost exclusively clerics or multiclass clerics.

Thanifex Wielder Requirements

Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatspear) Any nongood alignment

LEGACY ITEM ABILITIES

All the following are legacy item abilities of Thanifex.

Aberrant Sustenance (Su): Beginning at 5th level, whenever Thanifex delivers the killing blow against a living creature, you can draw off some of that creature’s essence, eliminating your need for food and water for 24 hours. A creature killed thusly can be returned from the dead only by a resurrection spell or more powerful magic. Alternatively, you can use a standard action to voluntarily take 1d6 points of damage from Thanifex to gain the same benefit.

Corpse Minions (Sp): At 7th level and higher, you can use animate dead, as the spell, on creatures you slay with Thanifex. You can animate up to 10 Hit Dice of undead per day. Caster level 10th.

False Life (Sp): Starting at 10th level, once per day with the command word “Thanifex,” you can use false life as the spell. Caster level 5th.

Taint of Death (Sp): At 11th level and higher, you can use desecrate as the spell once per day. The area is centered on Thanifex, and the greatspear acts as an altar dedicated to your evil deity for the purposes of the spell. Caster level 10th.

Speak with Dead (Sp): Beginning at 13th level, once per day by touching Thanifex to a corpse’s skull, you can use speak with dead, as the spell, on the touched body. The save DC is 14, or 13 + your Charisma modifi er, whichever is higher. Caster level 10th. Raise Ghouls (Sp): At 16th level and higher, once per day on command, you can use create undead as the spell on the corpse of a creature slain with Thanifex. You can create only ghouls or ghasts. Any creature subjected to this effect cannot be returned to life by anything short of a miracle or wish spell. Caster level 13th.

Antilife Shell (Sp): Starting at 18th level, once per day on command, you can use antilife shell as the spell. Caster level 15th.

Afterlife Denied (Su): At 19th level and higher, once per week as a free action, you can use soul bind as the spell on a creature slain by Thanifex that same round. Thanifex is the spell’s focus and serves to trap the soul. The save DC is 23, or 19 + your Charisma modifi er, whichever is higher. If the target successfully saves against the effect, you must then succeed on the same saving throw or be subject to the same effect. Your death frees all souls trapped within Thanifex. Caster level 17th. Sacrificial Altar

The sealed temple is a beautifully crafted, architecturally solid stone chamber. In the center is a prominent altar, raised up on stepped platforms. The corners of this room are each supported with archways that are built into a high hemispherical ceiling. Skeleton Statues Statues of skeletons line the walls, each one more grotesque than the last.

ADVENTURE SEED (EL 8)

Once Javen had used Thanifex to exact his terrible vengeance upon the entire city, his sole reason for living was gone. He sealed himself in his underground temple and fell upon Thanifex atop his blasphemous altar. In truth, the vengeful ex-slave felt he deserved no afterlife, even as a powerful minion of immeasurable evil, and so denied his soul any privileged existence that might have awaited him. Javen’s body and spirit were bound together, spawning an awful creature with an insatiable lust for death. Thanifex still lies upon the shrine’s black altar. Javen Blunt, Mohrg: hp 91 (see page 189 of the Monster Manual). Mohrg The undead horror that was once Javen Blunt now lurks within the sealed temple. It stands unmoving against a wall, looking like one of the statues that line the chamber. A Spot check opposed by the mohrg’s Hide check reveals its true nature. The creature attacks with surprise at the most opportune moment. Statues The ends of this altar are adorned with statues in the likenesses of imps. These statues are a little larger than life size, about the size of Small creatures. Altar The legacy greatspear Thanifex rests on this altar.