Flesh Harrow

This crude spear was clearly fashioned by some primitive tribal culture. It's long and jagged blade fashioned from seven jagged pieces of razor sharp flint fastened to a shaft of greasy-looking black oak with lengths of dried sinew. Several bands of beaten copper adorn the shaft, and a matching cap protects the butt end. Despite its somewhat crude appearance, the six foot long weapon feels well-balanced, both as a melee weapon or for throwing.

Flesh Harrow is enchanted with Superb combat and alteration magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the item's enchantments:

• Flesh Harrow is enchanted with a Good accuracy and damage bonus when used in melee or when thrown. It can be thrown double the range of a normal spear without penalty.
• Jagged Wound - The deep, jagged wounds created by the spear are especially potent, bleeding for one rank of damage each round until bound. Furthermore these wounds cannot be healed by magical means, only time and medicinal preparations will provide any healing benefit.
• Burrowing Shard - Thrice per day the wielder can command Flesh Harrow to inject a spine of jagged flint into the wound produced by any successful melee attack. This shard will burrow into the flesh of the victim, inflicting an additional two ranks of damage each round as it digs its way to their heart. Only a Great test of dispelling magic will stop this usually fatal process.

Vinespear

This artifact appears to be a living plant, its shaft a narrow tree trunk wrapped in vines and tendrils, its butt end a snarl of thick, twisted roots, and its point a trio of stiff, razor-sharp leaves. The six foot long spear is not balanced for throwing, but makes an ideal melee weapon. It radiates Epic combat and alteration magic. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the item's magical characteristics:

• The spear bears a Great accuracy and damage enhancement.
• Any successful attack by the weapon deposits a seed in the resulting wound. This seed sprouts into a fast-growing vine, which spreads to entangle a human-sized opponent within three rounds. Entangled opponents are slowed to half normal speed and drained one rank of vitality each round. Entangling vines last 2d6 rounds, then wither and die. Drained vitality is recovered at the rate of one rank per hour.
• Upon command Vinespear will shoot forth a cluster of tentacle-like vines that will fasten themselves to an inanimate object within 60 feet of the bearer. These vines can be used as a rope for climbing or to break the wielder's fall. This power can be invoked up to three times per day, the vines created last ten turns per invocation.
• Once per day the wielder can command the tangled roots at the butt end of Vinespear to dig. The spear will immediately begin excavating whatever earth or stone  it is placed against, adhering to the substance until this power's duration expires or commanded to cease by the wielder. The roots can excavate a cubic foot of stone or a cubic yard of soft earth per round. This power lasts up to twenty turns or until the wielder commands the spear to cease digging.

Living Weapons

The aquatic races of the deep caverns and caves suffer grave handicaps when it comes to weaponry. The lack of wood and inability to work metal underwater has led to the use of bone as a primary construction material and toxic, venomous, or just plain nasty creatures as the damage dealing component. Because of water resistance thrusting weapons are preferred, so most Living Weapons are spear-like, consisting of four to six foot long shaft tipped with a cluster of curved spikes, which hold the weapon's living payload. Each weapon is "primed" with one of the following creatures:

• Razor Nautilus - Normally these fist-sized predators scour the deep cracks and crevices of the subterranean aquatic realm, grabbing their prey with strong sucker and claw equipped tentacles. When used as a Living Weapons the creatures grab the target and attach themselves with their strong tentacles, causing a Good wound on impact and continuing to inflict Fair damage each subsequent round. In addition they release a cloud of inky black dye, which obscures vision if underwater, or stains anything it comes in contact with black if on land. The Razor Nautilus can survive for one hour out of water. It has a tough shell providing Great defense.
• Venom Stars - These multi-armed creatures are covered with a thick coat of venomous spines and have excrete a strong digestive acid. When used as a Living Weapon the creature grabs the target and immediately belches forth a Fair strength acid that eats through wood, metal and flesh, inflicting Fair damage and searing pain each round. Attempts to remove the creature are met by sharp spines, which inject a paralyzing neurotoxin into any flesh that comes in contact with them (Great test of resistance to avoid the effects). Venom Stars can survive for hours out of water.
• Stoneshell Crabs - Thick-shelled crustaceans with strong, sharp claws, Stoneshells inflict Good slashing wounds with each attack. Unlike other Living Weapons Stoneshells are tied to the weapon shaft, so they can be used repeatedly. Stoneshells are shore-dwellers, so they can survive for extended periods out of the water. They have Superb toughness due to their thick shells.

Races that use Living Weapons often keep several at hand, sticking the butt of the spear-shaft into the lake bottom if underwater, or using keeping the creature in a small barrel of water if on land. The Razor Nautilus and Venom Star are used as first strike weapons. Once they've attached themselves to a target the combatant switches to a Stoneshell, or a simple shell tipped spear.

Spirit Chaser

Spirit Chaser is a long hunting spear, eight feet in length. The spear's shaft is made of ashwood, bleached to a pale white color. A fine checkerboard pattern has been etched into the wood's surface, providing a sure grip. Some dark material (blood perhaps) has leached into the grooves of this pattern, creating an irregular hatchmark pattern along the shaft. The spear's head is a narrow, leaf-shaped point made from a silvery metal. Several bands of the same metal affix this point to the shaft. Three large white feathers hang from the point end of the shaft, connected by wire-thin black cord to the base of the blade. The weapon is well balanced for throwing, and stout enough to be used in melee. If examined for magical properties Great enhancement, alteration and divination magic can be detected. A Great test of divination magic will reveal the item's properties:

• Spirit Chaser has a Great bonus to melee and thrown accuracy, and a Good bonus to damage.
• Winged Strike - When this power is invoked Spirit Chaser can be thrown at any target within a quarter-mile, striking with unerring accuracy for double normal damage, then returning to the wielder's hand. The target must be visible when the spear is thrown. This power can be invoked thrice per day.
• Spirit Seeking - The weapon can be attuned to a specific target by exposing it to a personal item owned by the target (clothing, a favorite object) for one day. Once attuned Spirit Chaser's owner can determine the direction and approximate distance to the attuned target by closing their eyes and concentrating for one round with the spear in hand. This power can be invoked at will. Only one target can be attuned at a time.
• An attuned target takes double damage from any attacks carried out using Spirit Chaser.
• Once per day Spirit Chaser can strip an attuned target of any covering illusion or concealing magic, revealing their true nature. The target must be within 100 yards of the wielder when this power is invoked.

A Deadly Trio

Today's article features short takes on three dangerous weapons. My usual writing time this week has been a bit constrained by time devoted to my play-by-mail WWII-era pulp action game. I've also been in a bit of an old-school mood and sometimes shorter is better.

Acidic Blade - This delicate scimitar features a polished steel blade fitted with gold hilts, a black-dragon hide grip, and a polished moonstone pommel. The weapon radiates Fair combat enhancement and Good alteration and protection magic. It has the following attributes:

• Fair damage and accuracy bonus.
• Good immunity to acid-based attacks.
• Thrice per day the blade can be commanded to exude magical acid for six rounds. Blows struck while the acid is present inflict Good acidic damage in addition to normal damage. The acids burn through organic materials quickly, but metals are unaffected.

Shatter Foe - A heavy two-handed hammer with a crudely shaped head of black iron and a haft of red-dyed steel, this weapon requires Great strength to wield effectively. The weapon radiates Good combat enhancement and Great evocation magic. It has the following characteristics:

• Requires Great strength to wield.
• Poor accuracy.
• Superb damage bonus.
• Upon command the weapon's hammer-head doubles in size for one round. A blow struck with Shatter Foe in this state inflicts Epic damage and stuns a living target. Non-living targets are broken or shattered. This power can be invoked six times per day.

Chaos Spear - This rather plain looking weapon features a bronze head inscribed with an interlocking pattern of feathers and eyes. The shaft is polished ironwood, dyed dark red. The weapon radiates Good combat enhancement magic and Great alteration magic. It has the following attributes:

• Good accuracy enhancement.
• Can be thrown up to triple normal range with no penalty.
• Returns to the hand of the thrower the round after being thrown.
• Upon command dozens of bird-like figures stream forth from the weapon's blade, striking all foes within a 30' radius (Great dodge test to avoid being struck). Anyone struck is confused for three rounds. This power can be invoked three times per day.