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: