Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 13:55:00 BST
From: "John R. Troy (JRT--Mad Demiurge of Vargaard)" <[j troy] at [genie.geis.com]>
Subject: JRT-ART: EE Sub (3)
To: Multiple recipients of list MYTHUS-L <[MYTHUS L] at [BROWNVM.brown.edu]>
Enchanted Equipment Submission
Title: Sundawn...the Hammer of Bjorn Battlefyre
History:
The man (now Quasi-Deity) known as Bjorn Battlefyre was a renowned hero
of Norge. Born to one of the most powerful noble familes, he soon rejected
them when he found out they were dishonest to the common man. Renouncing
his title, power, and inheritance, he became a knight errant, wondering the
North, seeking meager accomidations, determined that the all men in the
country had fair justice.
Forces at the time of Bjorn's fame (c. 484 AAF) were working against
Norge. Through various schemes, plots, and sub-rosa campaigns, the Dark
Deities had gained a lot of power and influence. Loki formed an alliance
with the Supernatural Witches of the other norther realms, Louhi and Baba
Yaya. Three mortal servants of these beings were contacted, and together,
with the knowledge of their masters, they utilized powerful castings and
granted energies to form an artifact called the Y-crystal. This artifact
enhanced the natural and artificial creation of gates, portals, nexii,
wormholes, and other planar openings which allowed Preturnatural and
Supernatural forces of Death and Darkness to bear reign, and also enabled
mortals of evil to summon creatures of Evil more easily.
The Skandian Pantheon was aware of this union, yet could not directly
act to stop them...the dark forces and various influences and laws
governing the metaphysics of AErth prevented direct intervention. They
could only act through mortal servants. One organization decide to take a
more active hand than the others. A sect devoted to Tyr, "The Scarlet Sect
of Justice", had searched far and wide for a fit champion to hold Sundawn.
Thus, Bjorn was summoned to a secret and sacred shrine, whereopen he
found himself face to face with a powerful Deva. The Deva was a direct
servant of Tyr, who had presented him with Sundawn. She instructed him to
use it to smite the foes of Death and Devilshine which were now beginning
to threaten the Northern lands. Bjorn gladly accepted the gift.
In serving the Scarlet Sect of Justice, Bjorn went on numerous missions
and quests to check and destroy the forces of evil. Whether it was smiting
a Atlantian supernatural vampire's soul object, holding back a skeletal
company conjured by an ancient AEgyptian liche, going toe-to-toe with a
powerful Fire Serpent from Muspelheim summoned to slay a noble, or facing
off against Lemurian demondands conjured by an insane Dark enchanter, Bjorn
would triumphantly defeat the netherlife and strike a blow for Weal with
Sundawn.
These situations went on for almost half a decade, then came to a final
conflict. The secret triax was discovered, and a major battle occured.
Bjorn lead in the combat against the powerful practioners. With aid from
the Scarlet Sect's best Warrior-Priests, and even a little Supernatural
Assistance, the three mortals were slain, the Y-crystal shattered, and the
influx of evil was negated as the Pantheon re-established it's territorial
boundaries. Unfortunately, Bjorn was mortally wounded via a powerful
Supernatural casting from Loki himself. He died in the act of destroying the
Y-crystal, but Odin's Valkyries took him into Valhalla, and Odin, Tyr, and
Thor granted him Immortal status as a Quasi-Deity, a captain of the
Einherhar.
The Scarlet Sect of Justice kept Sundawn safely hidden in an isolated
monastery, via the command of Tyr, to await another champion worthy of the
weapon. For almost 500 years, the weapon was kept safe. Unfortunately, in
894 AAF, the fortress-temple was ransacked! The Kraken's Killer Kultists
were hired by the foul Sorceress Claudia "Fire-Klaw" Suscreani to destroy
the small outpost, and sequester the objects of Weal from the forces of
good. One of those items captured was Bjorn's Sunlight Hammer.
Being one of the most powerful and wicked sorceresses ever to walk the
surface of AErth , Claudia's Pact was long and allowed for over two-
centuries of life. She had moved to Vargaard in the more recent years, as
an isolated Wild-Witch who became the sworn enemy of most of the north
eastern neo-states, as well as the native nations.
Claudia's downfall occured 5 years ago when the witch made the mistake
of assualting the small village of Brightwinter, a community of the
Skandianized Tribesmen of Vargaard. Fire-Klaw's demonic servants slew many
that day. A warrior named Skystrider who was one of the few people away
from the village on a hunting treck. When he found his parents and bosom
companions slaughtered, he vowed that Justice be served. Alone, he sought
out Claudia, raided her underground domicile and sent "Fire Klaw" to the
Devil awaiting her soul. Discovering the cache of sequestered magickal
aids, he came across Sundawn, and received a vision by Tyr that the hammer
was now to be used by him.
In more recent times, Skystrider became the compainion and lover of
Ursula Wyneffal, a short Alfarwoman who rejected her culture and has chosen
to walk among mortals, who has gained fame for her actions, as well as
ownership of Syluna the Spellsinging Sword. Their most famous quest
involved a plot by evil to corrupt the entire Vargaardian colonies! The
AEgyptain Alchemical Adversary Aldinach and the Forbidden Atlantian Chaos-
Creature Qalhk-Ru had formed an alliance--Aldinach being the primary
instigator, with Qalhk-Ru adding power and servants--and were executing a
plan to gain power in Vargaard by increasing the power of evil in their
Pantheon states of the south, as well as undermining the power northern
states in hopes of taking the whole of East Vargaard! Of course, when the
effects of this plot were felt in Jarlsheim, Skystrider and Ursula were on
the case!
Eventually they journeyed to the Cerebral Citadel of the "Mad
Demiurge", who had be imprisoned by Aldinach himself, backed with powerful
manifestations and servants of Qalhk-Ru. Fighting the wigglehead,
demodand, and dumuldun servants of both foul deities, Skystrider came face
to face with Aldinach himself, and with the power of Sundawn was able to
engage him in melee while Ursla used Syluna and her own abilities to free
the "Mad Demiurge"--who then countered Qalhk-Ru's influence. Aldinach was
sent howling back to the netherealms, and the threat of the great evil was
checked.
Unfourtunately, after this adventure, Skystrider lost the hammer in an
accidental sojurn to a strange extra-dimensional place called the "Bizzare
Byway", or some similar name. (Apparently, it was a very embarassing event
for him, so he and Ursula don't speak of it). Thus, it is unknown where
this powerful weapon can be found.
Appearance: The hammer is an ornate one-handed warhammer of Asgardian make
and apparently crafter by the finest weaponsmiths of their realm,
supposedly dwarves. It appears to be made of a substance similar Silver or
Platinum, but apparently is harder than Adamantine--it is believe to be
made of one of the legendary metal used by these entites.
Examination of the Aura of the weapon shows a powerful Aura of
Supernatural Dweomer and Empyreal Power.
Powers and Attributes:
1) The hammer is a _Feathersteel_ weapon, as such is it lighter than
most such weapons. While it looks like a typical warhammer, it
actually weighs two ounces. As such, the weapon has a speed
factor of -3, rather than 5, and has no minimum PMPow to use.
2) Upon command, the hammer will surround a ten-rod radius will full
sunlight. This is treated as normal sunlight, and is equal to the
Daylight cantrip. This affect will last until the command word is
spoken again, and has no limit to its effect. One thing must be
noted, however. This Power is of a Supernatural origin and thus the
light can't be disjoined, negated, countered with any darkness
charm, or the like of Preternatural (human) power.
3) The Weapon has a damage bonus of +12 points vs. any Undead or
Undead Spirit (Skeleton, Zombie, Ghoul, Ghost), Unliving (Mummy,
Supernatural Vampire), or Netherealms creature (Devil, Daemon,
Fiend, Dreggal, Dumaldun, Demondand, etc.). Each time a weapon
strikes any evil being of this type, a flash of power can be seen.
Not that the hammer is also treated as a magickal weapon for
purposes of attacking any creature/being immune to non-magickal
weapons.
4) When grasped and used in ongoing battle involving Undead or
Netherlife, the user of this weapon is constantly surrounded by an
golden aura of protection. This provides the following effects:
* Immunity to Mental and Spiritual Assualt by Undead and
Nethercreatures--said creatures can't use any Psychic power
such as Mental or Spiritual Wounding, Mind Control, Spiritual
Submission, and the like. Furthermore, this also provides
immunity to such castings and powers that cause Fear, Horror,
Terror, Beguiling, Glamourizing, and the like cast by said
creatures.
* Immunity to Vampiric Attacks by Undead/Netherlife.
* Immunity to appearance effects by Netherlife/Undead.
* 5 points of Heka-Engendered Renewing Protection--although
this will not work if the persona already has other Heka-
Engendered armor in place.
5) Once/Day, the wielder of this mighter hammer, by pointing the
hammer at a enemy and shouting the command word, can invoke a
sunbolt at one particular enemy. This sunbolt does 8D6+12 points
of damage upon a victim. It is similar to a Sunstroke effect for
the purposes of determining who is immune to its effects.
6) Once/Week, the wielder of this sword may invoke a rainbow bridge
and portal...this is similar to the "Bifrost's Twin" form of the
Grade VI Sunlight Ethos casting Rainbow Spectrum. Note that the
casters *cannot* choose to just create a bridge...the portal
*must* be created. Via this manner, the wielder can enter any
mundane, Preternatural, or Supernatural plane/sphere.
7) _In Extremus_, the wielder of the hammer may call upon the very
powers of the Good Deities of the Nordic Pantheon--especially Tyr
and Thor. This is similar to the Grade IX General Dweomercraeft
casting intervention. As such, it can only be used sparing and
with good reason--such as fighting a Supernatural or Entital force
of great power who's actively opposing Tyr and/or Thor.
Otherwise, the wielder faces pentalites, most assuradely the loss
of the Hammer. It takes 1 BT to invoke such a power...calling
upon the great powers of the Nordic pantheon is not a simple task.
Cost: <Your Job>