DND Artifacts - The Mace of Cuthbert: A Legendary Artifact of Greyhawk and Beyond

BOOK OF ARTIFACTS

Introduction: What is the Mace of Cuthbert?

The Mace of Cuthbert is a powerful magical weapon that belongs to Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The mace is one of the most iconic artifacts of the Greyhawk campaign setting, where Saint Cuthbert is a major deity and a member of the Circle of Eight. The mace has also appeared in other settings and editions of the game, such as Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, and 5th edition .

The mace is described as a heavy metal rod with a flanged head and a leather-wrapped handle. It has a silver sheen and radiates a faint blue glow. The mace is intelligent and can communicate telepathically with its wielder. It can also detect alignment, evil, good, law, and chaos within a 60-foot radius. The mace is extremely loyal to Saint Cuthbert and his followers, and will only allow those who share his alignment (lawful neutral) and faith to use it. The mace can also grant various powers and abilities to its wielder, such as enhanced strength, wisdom, charisma, healing, protection, and spellcasting.

The mace is not only a weapon, but also a symbol of Saint Cuthbert’s authority and influence. The mace is revered by his clergy and followers, who often carry replicas or images of it as holy symbols. The mace is also feared by his enemies, who know that it can inflict devastating damage and curses on those who oppose Saint Cuthbert’s will. The mace has been involved in many battles and conflicts throughout the history of Greyhawk and beyond, often changing hands between heroes and villains. The mace is currently in the possession of Mordenkainen, the archmage and leader of the Circle of Eight.

History: The Mace of Cuthbert Through the Ages

The Mace of Cuthbert is more than just a weapon. It is a legacy of Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline. The mace has been witness to many events and adventures throughout the history of Greyhawk and beyond. Here is a timeline of some of the most notable ones:

The Dawn Age: Saint Cuthbert is born as a mortal human in the Flanaess, the eastern part of the continent of Oerik. He grows up as a simple farmer, but he has a strong sense of justice and morality. He often travels around the countryside, preaching his philosophy and testing the faith of his followers. He carries a wooden club as his weapon and symbol.
The Age of Great Sorrow: Saint Cuthbert ascends to godhood after performing many miracles and deeds of valor. He becomes a lesser god of law and order, but he retains his human appearance and personality. He also keeps his wooden club, which he imbues with divine power and names it the Mace of Cuthbert. He uses it to spread his faith and smite his enemies.
The Age of Glory: The Mace of Cuthbert is revered by his clergy and followers as a holy relic. Many temples and shrines are built in his honor, and replicas or images of the mace are used as holy symbols. The mace is also feared by his enemies, especially the followers of Vecna, the god of secrets and evil magic. Saint Cuthbert and Vecna have a long-standing rivalry that often leads to conflict.
The Age of Worms: The Mace of Cuthbert is stolen by Kyuss, an evil cleric who worships an ancient worm god. Kyuss plans to use the mace to unleash a horde of undead worms upon the world. Saint Cuthbert sends a group of heroes to recover the mace and stop Kyuss’s scheme. The heroes succeed in retrieving the mace, but they also discover that Kyuss is actually a pawn of Vecna, who is plotting to become the supreme god of all.
The Age of Discovery: The Mace of Cuthbert is transported to other worlds and settings by various means, such as portals, spells, or artifacts. The mace appears in places such as Faerûn, Krynn, Eberron, and even Earth. The mace adapts to the different rules and cultures of each world, but it always remains loyal to Saint Cuthbert and his ideals. The mace also grants different powers and abilities to its wielders depending on the situation.
The Present Age: The Mace of Cuthbert is currently in the possession of Mordenkainen, the archmage and leader of the Circle of Eight. Mordenkainen is one of the most powerful and influential figures in Greyhawk, and he is also a close ally and friend of Saint Cuthbert. Mordenkainen uses the mace to defend Greyhawk from various threats, such as the Scarlet Brotherhood, Iuz, and Vecna.

Owners: The Wielders of the Mace of Cuthbert

The Mace of Cuthbert is a sacred and powerful artifact that belongs to Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline. The mace is not only a weapon, but also a symbol of Saint Cuthbert’s authority and influence. The mace is extremely loyal to Saint Cuthbert and his followers, and will only allow those who share his alignment (lawful neutral) and faith to use it. However, the mace has also been stolen, lost, or borrowed by various individuals throughout the history of Greyhawk and beyond. Here is a timeline of some of the known owners of the mace:

Saint Cuthbert: The original and rightful owner of the mace. He created the mace from his wooden club when he ascended to godhood in the Age of Great Sorrow. He often uses the mace to spread his faith and smite his enemies. He sometimes lends the mace to his most faithful followers or allies in times of need.
Kyuss: An evil cleric who worshiped an ancient worm god. He stole the mace from Saint Cuthbert in the Age of Worms. He planned to use the mace to unleash a horde of undead worms upon the world. He was stopped by a group of heroes sent by Saint Cuthbert, who recovered the mace and discovered that Kyuss was actually a pawn of Vecna.
Mordenkainen: The archmage and leader of the Circle of Eight. He is one of the most powerful and influential figures in Greyhawk, and he is also a close ally and friend of Saint Cuthbert. He currently possesses the mace with Saint Cuthbert’s permission. He uses the mace to defend Greyhawk from various threats, such as the Scarlet Brotherhood, Iuz, and Vecna.

These are some of the owners of the Mace of Cuthbert, but there may be more that are unknown or forgotten. The mace has been involved in many battles and conflicts throughout the history of Greyhawk and beyond, often changing hands between heroes and villains. The mace is always loyal to Saint Cuthbert and his ideals, but it can also influence or curse those who wield it without his approval.

Powers and Curse: The Blessings and Banes of the Mace of Cuthbert

The mace is not only a weapon, but also a symbol of Saint Cuthbert’s authority and influence. The mace grants various powers and abilities to its wielder, but it also imposes a curse on those who use it without his approval. Here are some of the powers and curse of the mace:

Constant: The mace has a constant effect on any intelligent mortal who is struck on the head by it. The victim instantly becomes an enthusiastic follower of Saint Cuthbert for a period of 1 day. The victim will obey and worship Saint Cuthbert without question, and will try to convert others to his faith. The mace also functions as a mace of disruption with +5 bonuses to attack and damage rolls. This means that the mace can destroy undead creatures with a single hit, or deal extra damage to them. Additionally, victims who are attacked with a natural 20 (a critical hit) lose 1 point of Intelligence permanently, with no magic resistance or saving throw allowed. This effect represents the mace’s ability to test and punish the faithless and the foolish.
Invoked: The mace has some invoked effects that can be activated by any cleric of Saint Cuthbert who wields it. The cleric can cast call upon faith (3/day) and detect undead (at will). Call upon faith is a spell that allows the cleric to temporarily increase his or her strength, wisdom, or charisma by 1d4 points for 1 hour. Detect undead is a spell that allows the cleric to sense the presence and location of any undead creatures within 60 feet. The cleric can also cast cloak of bravery (1/day), with some modifications. Cloak of bravery is a spell that grants a +3 saving throw bonus for all types of saves to up to four creatures for an 8-hour period, regardless of the number of rolls. This effect represents the mace’s ability to inspire and protect the faithful and the righteous.
Curse: The mace has a curse that affects anyone who wields it without Saint Cuthbert’s permission. The wielder becomes a lawful good follower of Saint Cuthbert and an extreme zealot, trying to convert everyone. No one is faithful enough for the wielder’s standards, not even other followers of Saint Cuthbert. As a result, the wielder’s charisma is reduced to 4 due to obnoxious behavior for as long as the mace is possessed. This effect represents the mace’s ability to influence or curse those who misuse it or oppose Saint Cuthbert’s will.

These are some of the powers and curse of the Mace of Cuthbert, but there may be more that are hidden or unknown. The mace grants various powers and abilities to its wielder, but it also imposes a curse on those who use it without his approval.

Powers and Curse: The Mace of Cuthbert in Different Editions of D&D

The Mace of Cuthbert is a sacred and powerful artifact that belongs to Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline. The mace grants various powers and abilities to its wielder, but it also imposes a curse on those who use it without his approval. The powers and curse of the mace have varied in different editions of Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy role-playing game. Here are some of the differences:

Dungeons & Dragons (1974-1976): The Mace of Cuthbert first appeared in the fourth supplement to the original D&D rules, Eldritch Wizardry (1976). The mace was described as a +3 weapon that could detect evil, cast light, heal, and make the wielder immune to fear. The mace could also bless, know alignment, tongues, and remove curse by touch. The mace had no curse in this edition.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988): The Mace of Cuthbert was also mentioned in the original 1979 Dungeon Master’s Guide. The mace was described as a +5 weapon that could detect evil, cast light, heal, and make the wielder immune to fear. The mace could also bless, know alignment, tongues, and remove curse by touch. The mace had no curse in this edition either.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999): The Mace of Cuthbert was further developed in 1993’s Book of Artifacts. The mace was described as a +5 weapon that could detect evil, cast light, heal, and make the wielder immune to fear. The mace could also bless, know alignment, tongues, and remove curse by touch. Additionally, the mace could cause fear with a glance, and inflict permanent intelligence loss on critical hits. The mace had a curse in this edition: the wielder became a lawful good follower of Saint Cuthbert and an extreme zealot, trying to convert everyone. No one was faithful enough for the wielder’s standards, not even other followers of Saint Cuthbert. As a result, the wielder’s charisma was reduced to 4 due to obnoxious behavior for as long as the mace was possessed.
Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition (2000-2007): The Mace of Cuthbert appeared in both the 3.0 and 3.5 editions of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The mace was described as a +5 holy lawful disruption heavy mace that could cast searing light at will as a spell-like ability. The mace could also detect evil, cast light, heal, and make the wielder immune to fear. The mace had a curse in this edition as well: the wielder became a lawful good follower of Saint Cuthbert and an extreme zealot, trying to convert everyone. No one was faithful enough for the wielder’s standards, not even other followers of Saint Cuthbert. As a result, the wielder’s charisma was reduced to 4 due to obnoxious behavior for as long as the mace was possessed.

These are some of the powers and curse of the Mace of Cuthbert in different editions of D&D. The mace is a sacred and powerful artifact that belongs to Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline. The mace grants various powers and abilities to its wielder, but it also imposes a curse on those who use it without his approval.

Destruction: How to Destroy the Mace of Cuthbert

The Mace of Cuthbert is a sacred and powerful artifact that belongs to Saint Cuthbert, the god of common sense, wisdom, zeal, honesty, truth, and discipline. The mace is not only a weapon, but also a symbol of Saint Cuthbert’s authority and influence. The mace is extremely loyal to Saint Cuthbert and his followers, and will only allow those who share his alignment (lawful neutral) and faith to use it. The mace is also feared by his enemies, who know that it can inflict devastating damage and curses on those who oppose Saint Cuthbert’s will.

The mace is not easy to destroy, as it is imbued with divine power and protection. However, there may be some possible ways to destroy the mace, or at least render it unusable. Here are some of the suggested means of destruction:

Iuz the Old must be polymorphed into a giant beaver and the Mace fed to him: Iuz the Old is a powerful demigod and one of the main villains of Greyhawk. He is the son of Graz’zt, a demon lord, and Iggwilv, a witch. He rules over a vast empire of evil in the north of the Flanaess. He is also an enemy of Saint Cuthbert and has clashed with him several times. One way to destroy the mace is to polymorph him into a giant beaver using a powerful spell or artifact, and then feed him the mace. The mace would be digested by the beaver’s teeth and stomach, and Iuz would be unable to revert back to his original form.
It must be covered by the natural formation of a stalagmite, which then receives a transmute rock to mud spell: A stalagmite is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the dripping of mineral-rich water. A transmute rock to mud spell is a spell that can turn stone into soft clay or mud. One way to destroy the mace is to cover it with a natural stalagmite in a deep cave, and then cast a transmute rock to mud spell on it. The mace would be buried under tons of mud and rendered inaccessible.
The bronzewood tree that the club came from must be prevented from ever growing: The bronzewood tree is a type of magical tree that grows in the forests of Greyhawk. It has hard and durable wood that can resist fire and metal. The club that Saint Cuthbert used as his weapon before he became a god was made from bronzewood. He later turned it into the mace when he ascended to godhood. One way to destroy the mace is to prevent the bronzewood tree that the club came from from ever growing. This could be done by traveling back in time using a powerful spell or artifact, and destroying the seed or sapling of the tree before it sprouts.

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