LORM’S AXE

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 100
Key Knowledge: This axe is known as Lorm’s Axe, and belonged to Lorm, a fledgling troll hero who died in Kaer Jalendale. The wielder must learn that the axe is Named Lorm’s Axe.
Effect: Add +7 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 2 Cost: 200
Deed: The axe is destined to blood Horrors and their constructs. A character should inscribe his own name on the haft of the axe. The character then hunts down a Horror construct, or a Horror itself, invokes Lorm’s name, and strikes the opponent in combat. If he damages the opponent, he earns Legend Points that he can use to raise the thread rank of Lorm’s Axe. For striking a construct, the character earns 300 Legend Points. For striking a Horror, the character earns 1,200 Legend Points. For striking the Wormskull that killed Lorm, the character earns 3,400 Legend Points.
Effect: Add +8 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 3 Cost: 300
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Name of the weaponsmith who created the axe.
Effect: Add +8 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. The axe also adds +1 to the wielder’s Physical Defense Rating.

Rank 4 Cost: 500
Effect: Add +9 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. The axe also adds +1 to the wielder’s Physical Defense and Spell Defense Ratings.

Rank 5 Cost: 800
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Name of the trollmoot to which Lorm belonged.
Effect: Add +9 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. The axe also adds +1 to the wielder’s Physical Defense Rating, and +2 to his Spell Defense Rating.

MASK OF OLTION

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 200
Key Knowledge: Oltion was a wizard known for his intricate devices and peculiar sense of humor. He created dozens of items, most of them utilitarian, most not meant for use in combat. The character must always think of the mask as the “Mask of Oltion,” but never refer to it as the “Mask of Oltion.” In game terms, the player must always use the exact phrase when telling the gamemaster that his characteris using the Mask of Oltion. If he fails to say “Mask of Oltion,” the item will not work. On the other hand, if the player character ever refers to the mask in conversation or explanation as the Mask of Oltion, the mask freezes its magic for a period of 1D4 hours. The wearer must know that the mask is Named the Mask of Oltion.
Effect: Boost all Recovery Tests by +2 steps.

Rank 2 Cost: 300
Effect: The mask will mimic the face of any character the wearer can remember. It adds +3 steps to the wearer’s Charisma step when attempting to deceive others into believing he is the person whose face he wears.

Rank 3 Cost: 500
Key Knowledge: The wearer must learn Oltion’s race.
Effect: The mask grants the wearer Astral Sight (per the windling ability, see Creating a Character) with a range of 20 yards. Add +2 steps to the Perception Test to use this ability. Using this ability costs the character 1 point of Strain.

Rank 4 Cost: 800
Effect: Add +1 to the wearer’s Spell Defense and Social DefenseRatings.

Rank 5 Cost: 1,300
Key Knowledge: The wearer must learn the Name of the adventuring group to which Oltion belonged.
Effect: The mask can create a giant column of flame that erupts essentially on top of a target. The wearer makes a Spellcasting (or Perception) Test against the target’s Spell Defense Rating. If successful, he hits the target with the flame. Add +30 steps to the character’s Willforce step for the Damage Test. The range is 60 yards. Using this ability costs the character 5 points of Strain.

Oltion built this last effect into the mask primarily because no one else had figured out how to build such a big effect into a device with so many other innocuous effects. He also apparently grew weary of all those fighter-types asking, “When are you going to build something useful?”

MONTURK’S CARPET

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 300
Key Knowledge: Monturk was a Theran wizard, a dwarf killed for throwing his lot in with the wrong Theran faction. Though he failed in his attempt to create a permanent flying carpet, he ended up creating a far more unusual object than just a flying rug. The character must know that the carpet is Named Monturk’s Carpet.
Effect: The carpet is alive, but remains dormant until a thread is attached to it. The mystical energy from the thread revives the carpet. Monturk’s Carpet can fly, but is not really strong enough to carry anyone. In addition, its temperament is ill-suited for flying-carpethood. Monturk’s Carpet generally refuses to carry other living beings. The carpet is sometimes willing to carry letters or small packages that weigh no more than five pounds.

Monturk’s Carpet will serve its master in other ways. It can scout ahead, fight alongside its master, and use other abilities as the thread rank increases.

See Creatures for an explanation of the following game statistics.

Monturk’s Carpet

DEX: 5	STR: 2	TOU: 13
PER: 5	WIL: 4	CHA: 4

Initiative: 8	Physical Defense: 6
Number of Attacks: 1	Spell Defense: 8
Attack: 5	Social Defense: 9
Damage: 4	Armor: 3
Number of Spells: 1	Mystic Armor: 3
Spellcasting: 7	Knockdown: 5
Effect: See below	Recovery Tests: 13
Death Rating: 55	Combat Movement: 50
Wound Threshold: 16	Full Movement: 100
Unconsciousness Rating: 45

Legend Points: NA
Equipment: None
Loot: None

Rank 2 Cost: 500
Effect: The carpet gains the ability to make tones and whistles. It cannot speak words, but will try to communicate through sound. The carpet’s Initiative increases to Step 10.

Rank 3 Cost: 800
Key Knowledge: The character must learn how and in what year Monturk was killed.
Effect: The carpet may transfer 1 Recovery Test to its master. The carpet makes a Spellcasting Test against the master-character’s Spell Defense Rating. A successful result transfers one of the carpet’s Recovery Tests to the character. The character makes that Recovery Test using the carpet’s Step 13, rather than the character’s Recovery Test step. The carpet may transfer a number of Recovery Tests per day up to its thread rank.

Rank 4 Cost: 1,300
Deed: The carpet was worked with threads of gold and elemental air, worth 2,500 silver pieces (500 for the gold, 2,000 for the elemental air). Neglect and a harrowing escape from Monturk’s enemies have damaged these threads. Having the rug rewoven strengthens the magic in the carpet. The Deed is worth 6,800 Legend Points.
Effect: The carpet’s Initiative increases to Step 12 and its Spellcasting to Step 8. The Combat Movement is increased to 75 yards, and its Full Movement is increased to 150 yards.

Rank 5 Cost: 2,100
Key Knowledge: The character must learn the Name of the carpet’s last owner.
Effect: The carpet forms a telepathic link with its master through which both can transmit speech-like thoughts. The link has a range of 250 yards, and does not require an action to use. Increase the carpet’s Combat Movement to 100 yards, and its Full Movement to 200 yards.

Rank 6 Cost: 3,400
Effect: The carpet gains an ability similar to the Circle 3 wizard spell of Levitate covering a 10-by-20-foot area behind the carpet. The levitation ability lifts up to 2,000 pounds, but can only lift objects up to 10 yards above the levitation area. Unlike the Levitate spell, the levitation area moves along with the carpet, permitting characters to levitate behind the carpet as it flies. The carpet enjoys performing acrobatics, and will zoom, climb, twist, and roll when dragging passengers along.

NIOKU’S BOW

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 500
Key Knowledge: Nioku was a troll archer, a female hero of an earlier time. She is one of the very few heroes who could truthfully claim to have killed a dragon in one-on-one combat. The wielder must know that the bow is Named Nioku’s Bow.
Effect: Add +5 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 2 Cost: 800
Effect: The range of the bow, in yards, increases to short 2–60; medium 61–250; large 251–400. The bow adds +1 step to the wielder’s Missile Weapons talent step.

Rank 3 Cost: 1,300
Key Knowledge: Nioku made arrowheads from the bones of slain enemies. The wielder must know the Name of one of Nioku’s enemies.
Deed: The character must carve twelve arrowheads from the bones of one of his enemies. He or she receives 1,300 Legend Points for this Deed.
Effect: Add +7 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 4 Cost: 2,100
Effect: Add +8 to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. The bow adds +1 to the wielder’s Spell Defense Rating.

Rank 5 Cost: 3,400
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Name of the last person killed by the bow.
Effect: The range of the bow, in yards, increases to short 2–100; medium 101–300; large 300–500. The bow adds +2 to the wielder’s Spell Defense Rating.

Rank 6 Cost: 5,500
Effect: Add +10 to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 7 Cost: 8,900
Key Knowledge: Legends tell of a long-running competition between Nioku and an elven archer named Talondel. Talondel had been corrupted by a Horror, though he did not fall under its control. He and Nioku crossed paths and competed in feats of archery, which always ended in a tie, for more than seven years. Nioku finally defeated Talondel, who was shortly thereafter captured and held in rune chains in a dwarven prison. Several months after she defeated Talondel, Nioku uncovered the lair of a Horror that had been terrorizing Sky Raiders, including members of her trollmoot. Nioku could not defeat the Horror’s magic because the creature knew too much about her. Soon after her failed attack, the Horror ravaged another Sky Raider camp, killing Nioku’s uncle and younger brother.

Nioku traveled to the dwarven prison where Talondel lay chained and asked the elf to slay the Horror that was killing her kinsmen. In exchange, she would convince the dwarfs to pardon the elf. Talondel laughed at her proposal, asking how he could kill a Horror that Nioku and her mighty bow had not been able to touch.

Nioku swore a blood oath and offered Talondel her bow to use against the Horror, and to keep if he killed it. Impressed by her willing sacrifice, Talondel accepted the offer. The power of the oath somehow allowed Talondel to use the bow while it still drew power from Nioku’s thread.

Talondel slew the Horror, then disappeared. Nearly fourteen months later he returned and gave the bow back to Nioku, saying that from this day forward he must use his own magic. As Nioku touched her bow, it began to glow, then became translucent with a silvery sheen. The bow had taken its most powerful form.
Deed: The character must give the bow to a previously defeated enemy. The enemy will perform a Deed with the bow, and is then entitled to keep the bow. Whether or not the enemy character ever returns the bow is up to him or her. The archer may not accompany the other character, nor send anyone else along with him, either to help or keep an eye on the enemy. The former enemy is on his own. The bow continues to draw power from the archer’s thread. If the enemy character returns the bow, the character receives 61,000 Legend Points.
Effect: Add +1 to the wielder’s Physical Defense Rating and +3 to his Spell Defense Rating.

Rank 8 Cost: 14,400
Effect: Add +12 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 9 Cost: 23,300
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Name of the Horror that Talondel killed using Nioku’s Bow.
Effect: Add +14 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. The bow also adds +2 steps to the wielder’s Willpower (or Willforce) step when he or she is resisting the effects of spells or other magical effects.

Rank 10 Cost: 37,700
Effect: The bow becomes translucent and silvery like a silver-speckled moonbeam. Add +15 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. Also add +3 steps to his or her Missile Weapons talent step.

PURIFIER

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 500
Key Knowledge: Purifier was created at the direction of King Valurus I of Throal when the Horrors first began to enter the world, and was used by many of the heroes of the pre-Scourge world. According to legend, a powerful wizard cast a spell on the sword to make it look old and rusted.

Before a character can weave any threads to Purifier, he must first remove the spell that changes its appearance. The spell resists any Dispel Magic attempts using the same steps as a Circle 11 spell. Having removed the spell, the character can weave threads to Purifier.

The wielder must know that the sword’s name is Purifier.
Effect: The sword can be wielded by anyone, regardless of size or strength. Add +6 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 2 Cost: 800
Effect: When used against Horrors and Horror constructs, the blade glows red hot. Add +7 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 3 Cost: 1,300
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Names of the weaponsmiths who created the sword.
Effect: Add +7 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests. Against Horrors and Horror constructs, add +8 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 4 Cost: 2,100
Effect: When used against Horrors and Horror constructs, add +9 steps to the character’s Strength step for Damage Tests.

Rank 5 Cost: 3,400
Key Knowledge: The character must learn the Name of the last wielder of the sword.
Effect: The sword can detect those who have been corrupted by a Horror. The wielder makes a Spellcasting (or Perception) Test against the Spell Defense Rating of the Horror. A successful result alerts the wielder to the Horror’s presence.

Rank 6 Cost: 5,500
Key Knowledge: The wielder must learn the Name of the wizard who cast the illusion spell on the sword.
Effect: For a cost of 4 points of permanent damage, the wielder can use blood magic to use Purifier to slay a Horror with one blow. When the wielder invokes this power, he takes the 4 points of Damage and the blade becomes searing hot. The Damage against Horrors and Horror constructs when using this effect is the character’s Strength step + 35 steps. A successful attack against a Horror automatically inflicts 10 Wounds to the Horror.

VENNA’S ARMOR

Thread Ranks

Rank 1 Cost: 300
Key Knowledge: The armor was worn by a female hero named Venna nearly five millennia ago. Lost records makes it uncertain whether she was human or elven. The character must know that the armor is Venna’s Armor.
Effect: This finely crafted plate mail provides an Armor Rating of 9 and a Mystic Armor Rating of 3. The Initiative Penalty is –3.

Rank 2 Cost: 500
Effect: Reduce the Initiative Penalty to –2.

Rank 3 Cost: 800
Key Knowledge: The character must learn the Name of the Horror who slew Venna.
Effect: Reduce the Initiative Penalty to –1.

Rank 4 Cost: 1,300
Effect: Increase the Mystic Armor Rating to 5. Blood magic may be used to increase the quality of the armor at a cost of 2 permanent Damage Points. Only Extraordinary successes can defeat the improved armor.

Rank 5 Cost: 2,100
Deed: The character must learn the fate, or the location, of the Horror who killed Venna. Having discovered the Horror’s fate or its whereabouts, the character earns 14,400 Legend Points.
Effect: A character may use blood magic to store Karma Points within the armor. This costs him 2 permanent Damage Points. The character may store Karma Points up to a number equal to the armor’s thread rank. These Karma Points do not count as part of a character’s maximum Karma. The character stores Karma in the armor by using his or her Karma Ritual. Karma Points stored in the armor can be spent in the same manner as normal Karma Points.

Rank 6 Cost: 3,400
Key Knowledge: The character must find out whether Venna was a human or an elf.
Effect: Increase the character’s Armor Rating to 10 and his Mystic Armor Rating to 6.

Rank 7 Cost: 5,500
Effect: The Initiative penalty is eliminated. Increase the character’s Armor Rating to 11.

Rank 8 Cost: 8,900
Key Knowledge: Before her defeat, Venna won many battles. The character must learn the legend of her greatest battle. Who did she defeat and how did she do it?
Deed: Travel to the spot of Venna’s greatest victory and build a memorial to her. The character must personally help build the memorial. The memorial need not be flashy or large, but it must be durable. The character must write an inscription declaring the memorial’s purpose. The Deed is worth 23,300 Legend Points.
Effect: The character may spend 1 Karma Point from the armor, in addition to any Karma Points he is normally entitled to spend.

Rank 9 Cost: 14,400
Effect: Increase the character’s Armor Rating to 12. Increase the Mystic Armor to 9. The armor also adds +1 to the character’s Physical Defense and Spell Defense Ratings.

Rank 10 Cost: 23,300
Key Knowledge: The character must learn the Name of the armor’s previous owner.
Effect: The character may unleash all the Karma stored in the armor to perform a single action. Each Karma Point used costs him 1 point of Strain. A character may fall unconscious or even die from using so much Karma. The character may complete the action before the effects of Strain take their toll.