ARTIFACTS INDEX
BOOK OF ARTIFACTS
THE AXE OF THE EMPERORS: A LEGENDARY WEAPON
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hold the Axe of the Emperors in your hands? This is a wonderful weapon, with blades that resemble the wings of a phoenix made of adamantine. At first glance, it looks more like a scepter than an axe. Its origins date back to the world of Krynn, best known as the Dragonlance campaign setting. On Krynn, the ogres forged it, and thousands of years later, the minotaurs retrieved it and made use of the axe. I think the best solution is to change and adapt the origin of the Axe of the Emperors to suit your own goals for your campaign setting. Just go back in time and pick a couple of ancient empires that have fallen, and make proper adaptations…the outcome will be much better than having ogres and minotaurs building improbable empires.
THE STORY OF THE AXE OF THE EMPERORS: FROM KRYNN TO YOUR SETTING
Quote from the book:
“It was in the Age of Dreams, when the ogres first warred among themselves, that the seditious Irix called upon the dark gods to give him a weapon to subdue his fellow Irda. His vile supplications were heard and the dark gods granted unto him the means to make the Axe of the Emperors. Aided by the Axe, Irix plunged his people into civil war, splitting the good from the evil. The Axe led him to many bloodthirsty victories, but in the end the combined might of Irda brought him down. Fearful of the Axe, the greatest sorcerers and sages among the ogres saw to its destruction. At the end of their mystical workings the Axe vanished, apparently destroyed. In truth, the Axe still existed, magically cast away from the ogres to the lands of Ansalon. There it was found by Ymrald, a green dragon, who added the treasure to her hoard. Wise enough to know it was a magical device, Ymrald spent decades trying to puzzle out its powers before giving up in frustration. When she died, it passed with the rest of her hoard to her children. Thus the Axe languished for thousands of years, a beautiful curiosity of dragonkind. Such a situation could not last forever, and it ended when the treasure hoard was ransacked by a minotaur of spirit and skill, Ambeoutin, from whom the later emperors take their name. His raid was no accident, for a sorcerer among his people had guided the minotaur hero to the dragon’s lair. Yrmald’s offspring strove to stop the thief’s escape but was no match for the minotaur, now equipped with the Axe. It is said that upon returning to his camp, the minotaur and his sorcerous mentor spent the night performing sinister rituals over the magical blade. Some contend that these gave the Axe even greater powers than it held before; others believe it only allowed Ambeoutin to master the secrets that were already there. All agree that with the dawn the Axe glowed with a greater fire than before. In Ambeoutin’s hands it was an object of power and might. Minotaurs and ogres kneeled to his cause, while all others fell before the blade’s deadly thirst. Like Irix before him, Ambeoutin became unstoppable and through bloody war quickly carved a kingdom for his people. Unlike Irix, the minotaur ruled his people harshly but justly. As his time to die approached, Ambeoutin, once more advised by his mentor, took up his Axe and disappeared, setting sail for his ancestral homeland in the east”.
This is how The Book of Artifacts tells us about the story behind.
POWERS
VORPAL WEAPON: You read that right. The Axe of the Emperor is a Vorpal weapon. A Vorpal weapon +3 that becomes a Vorpal +5 against ogres and ogre-kin. The idea of a Vorpal trait for an item of such power is good, but forget about the bonus against ogres and ogre-kin because it does not make sense. So far, we have no doubt that the Axe is a powerful weapon. However, the Vorpal trait is not the most powerful power of this artifact.
Have you ever heard of Thulsa Doom?
He is the villain in the movie Conan the Barbarian, and of course he also appears in the saga of Conan written by Robert Howard. If you haven’t read the tales of Conan the Barbarian, you should. And if you haven’t watched the movie, just grab some snacks and go for it.
There is an epic scene in Conan the Barbarian, where Thulsa Doom says “What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?”. This is just to say that you cannot build an army or win battles just by wielding a vorpal weapon, it is not enough. In the next paragraph, we are going to explain where the true power of the Axe lies.
RULERSHIP AND MIGHT
This is the true power, as Thulsa Doom said. Indeed, the Axe of the Emperors has the same powers as a Ring of Human Influence. But, while the Ring of Human Influence has a limited use per day, the Axe of the Emperors can deploy these powers AT WILL.
About the Ring of Human Influence
This ring comes from the AD&D 2nd edition treasure list (maybe in AD&D 1st edition also) and is a very powerful ring. The Dungeon Master Guide states what follows: Quote “This ring has the effect of raising the wearer’s Charisma to 18 on encounter reactions with humans and humanoids. The wearer can make a suggestion to any human or humanoid (saving throw applies). The wearer can also charm up to 21 levels/Hit Dice of human/humanoids (saving throws apply) just as if he were using the wizard spell, charm person. The two latter uses of the ring are applicable but once per day. Suggestion or charm has an initiative penalty of +3”1.
- Charisma 18 for the purpose of encounter reactions.
- Suggestion on any humanoid
- Charm on up to 21 levels/Hit Dice The artifact imports these properties from the ring.
Simple and straight.
But what does this mean in practice? It means that whoever wields the Axe of the Emperors can influence, persuade, or manipulate any human or humanoid creature at will. It means that they can create loyal followers, allies, or enemies with a word or a gesture. It means that they can command respect, fear, or admiration from anyone they meet. It means that they can shape their own destiny and forge their own empire.
That’s why this artifact is called the Axe of the Emperors. Because it gives its wielder the power to become an emperor, or to overthrow one. Because it makes its wielder a leader, a ruler, a conqueror.
But beware: this power comes with a price. The Axe of the Emperors is not a benevolent artifact. It has a will and a goal of its own: to spread war and chaos across the lands. It seeks a master worthy of its power, someone who can unleash its full potential and cause destruction and bloodshed wherever they go. It will not tolerate weakness, cowardice, or mercy from its wielder. It will tempt, corrupt, or betray anyone who does not share its vision.
So be careful if you ever find this artifact in your hands. You may think you are using it for your own purposes, but in reality it may be using you for its own. You may think you are in control, but in reality you may be its slave.
Are you ready to pay this price? Are you ready to wield this power? Are you ready to become an emperor?
Or are you ready to face one?
WHAT CAN/SHOULD WE IMPROVE?
We can improve the Axe of the Emperors by enhancing its ability to charm, and thus control, the action of any humanoids. This is the most powerful aspect of the Axe, and it is coherent with its purpose. However, we do not want to dismiss its powers by linking them to other magical items. Here are some ideas, without going too technical, because the purpose is to provide tips, not rules. Imagine that the Axe has four levels of influencing the behavior of a humanoid:
- Influence: The wielder’s charisma raises to 18, plus 1 for every four level/hit dice.
- Charm: The Axe can cast Charm at will. The duration is 1 hour per level/hit dice of the wielder. The spell affects 1 hit die per level/hit dice of the wielder.
- Suggestion: The Axe can cast Suggestion at will. The duration is 8 hours plus 1 hour per hit dice/level of the wielder. The spell affects 1 hit die per level/hit dice of the wielder.
- Dominate: The Axe can cast Dominate Person at will. The duration is 1 minute per level/hit dice of the wielder. The spell affects one target per level.
- Geas-like effects: The Axe can cast Geas once per day.
- Treat the wielder’s hit dice/level as the spellcaster level and the spell works at maximum power. For instance, a 16 hit dice/level wielder can cast Geas as an 8th level spell, thus increasing the duration to 1 year. We just impose one limitation on the mind-control powers: before the Axe can attempt to charm a target, the attempt to influence it must be positive; before it can attempt to suggest a target, the attempt to charm it must be successful; before it can attempt to dominate a target, the attempt to suggest it must be successful; and so on, in a cascade.
In this way, we preserve the Axe’s ability to mind-control targets, but we provide a range of spell effects to accomplish the task: Influence, Charm, Suggestion, Dominate and Geas. It will not take too much time before the wielder surrounds himself with an army of fanatics ready to fight for him. The vorpal trait is overshadowed when compared to the power of controlling minds.
Why do we want the Axe of the Emperors to favor and empower the mightiest, and not the weaker?
Because the Axe wants to wage wars and thrive by conquests. It is an intelligent weapon that, sooner or later, will seize control of its wielder. And when this happens, it will require a powerful warlord that can stand against any enemy as long as possible.
ADVENTURE IDEAS
- You are a rebel leader who has been secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrannical emperor who wields the Axe of the Emperors. You have learned that the emperor is planning to launch a massive invasion on a neighboring kingdom, and you see this as an opportunity to strike. You have gathered a small but loyal band of followers, and you have devised a daring plan to infiltrate the imperial palace, steal the Axe, and use it against the emperor. Can you succeed in your mission and free the land from his oppression?
- You are a scholar who has been studying the history and lore of the Axe of the Emperors. You have discovered that the Axe has a hidden power that can be unlocked by performing a ritual at a certain location and time. You have also learned that the Axe is currently in the possession of a notorious warlord who is terrorizing the countryside with his army of ogres and minotaurs. You decide to embark on a quest to find the warlord, retrieve the Axe, and perform the ritual. What kind of power will you unleash? And what will you do with it?
- You are a treasure hunter who has been hired by a mysterious patron to find and acquire the Axe of the Emperors. You have tracked down its location to a hidden temple in the jungle, guarded by ancient traps and deadly creatures. You have also learned that you are not the only one looking for the Axe, as there are other rival treasure hunters and mercenaries on your trail. You must race against time and enemies to reach the temple, solve its mysteries, and claim the Axe. But be careful, for the Axe may have other plans for you.
- You are a gladiator who has been captured and forced to fight in an arena for the amusement of a cruel king who owns the Axe of the Emperors. You have endured many battles and hardships, but you have also gained fame and respect among your fellow gladiators and spectators. You have also caught the eye of a mysterious stranger who offers you a chance to escape and join a secret resistance movement against the king. The stranger reveals that he knows a way to steal the Axe from the king’s vault, and that he needs your help to do it. Will you accept his offer and risk everything for freedom? Or will you stay loyal to your king and hope for his mercy?
Book of Artifacts on DrivethruRpg
