Staff of the Slain

Aura strong evocation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 6 lbs.

STATISTICS

Alignment NG (Kolwyddon), LE (Kazavon); Ego 10 Senses 30 ft.

Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10

Communication empathy

Powers

At will—detect magic, ventriloquism (DC 11)

3/day—create water, dimension door (during the day), lightning bolt (at night; DC 14), major image (DC 14), veil (DC 19)

1/day—hallucinatory terrain (DC 16), mirage arcana (DC 17)

DESCRIPTION

Crafted from the tailbones of Kazavon, the Staff of the Slain is an intelligent +5 spell storing shock quarterstaff that grants its wielder a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence. In addition, the staff allows the wielder to change the energy type of any spell he casts that deals energy damage to electricity (such as causing a fireball to deal electricity damage). The staff harbors two personalities: the neutral good wizard Kolwyddon (dominant during the day) and the dragon Kazavon (dominant at night). Some of the staff's powers change depending on the time of day and which personality is in control.

DESTRUCTION

Unknown to either personality, destroying the staff requires submerging it for 24 hours in a pool of silver dragon tears.

Lore

Knowledge (arcana or history) DC 25:

One of the survivors of the final battle with Kazavon was a shrewd wizard named Kolwyddon. Even as Mandraivus divided the dragon’s remains for disposal, Kolwyddon guessed that, though Kazavon’s body lay dead with his parts ready to be scattered across the face of the world, the dragon’s evil spirit might endure. He advised Mandraivus that someone should remain at Scarwall to ensure that the dragon’s bones not find their way back home, but although Kolwyddon volunteered for the task, Mandraivus took the responsibility as his own.

Sympathetic to Mandraivus’s sacrifice, Kolwyddon sought to test his theory. Taking the Tailbones of Kazavon with him back to his tower in Taldor, he conducted endless experiments upon the remains. For months he attempted to commune with whatever consciousness might lurk within the bones, with no success. Working late into the night of the winter solstice, Kolwyddon was caught off guard when the bones tried to seize control of his mind. The wizard fought back, but knew that he was too weak to best the ancient draconic spirit. In desperation, he blasted his own body to ashes, denying the fragment of Kazavon a physical vessel. In doing so, however, his own intellect became forever ensnared by the tailbones’ malicious spirit.