Shazzellim (Magic Sword)

Shazzellim is a scimitar of rather poor-quality steel but with a keen edge. It has a crosspiece of iron that curves into a set of rearing serpents. Its grip is of leather, dyed red, but this may now have been replaced. Shazzellim is neutral evil, has an Intelligence of 16 and an Ego of 14, and communicates by speech (Common. Thieves' Cant, and Orc), It is +1 on attack rolls, can detect magic in a 10' radius if the bearer wills it while wielding the sword unsheathed, and, in like manner, can locale object in a 30' radius. It can also detect secret doors in a 10' radius at the bearer's will, and read any nonmagical language or map. It can heal its bearer once a day, at the bearer's will, and has a special purpose-to slay bards. Any bard struck by Shazzellim is disintegrated unless the victim makes a successful save vs. spell.
Shazzellim was created by (or at least created under the orders and with the assistance of) Lauzoril of the Red Wizards of Thay, in order to destroy his primary enemies, the Harpers. Little is known of the Harpers: they consist of bards and a few rangers, their device is a silver moon and a silver harp, they operate in the northern regions on both sides of the Great Desert, and they are a secret organization, rather than a band, tribe, or race of people. Of the bards of great power, only Mintiper is thought not to be a member, and of the high-level rangers, only Thulraven and Estulphore are believed to be independent of the Harpers.
It is not clear if the Harpers are anything more than a private club or fellowship at present, although in the past they have acted in concert to keep kingdoms in the northern lands and in the Dalelands reduced in power, and on at least two occasions have forcibly prevented the expansion of farms and settlements into the elven woods. The cause of Lauzoril's enmity toward the Harpers is unknown.
Elminster saw Shazzellim when Ahlzul, a captain of the armies of Thay, brought it to Archendale to slay the ranger Dove. Mistakenly, Ahlzul attacked the wrong woman, a knight named Jasilmer, and was himself slain. Ahlzul's men recovered Shazzellim and their captain's body, but were later killed by men of Archendale over a code-of-conduct dispute.
Shazzellim disappeared from view briefly, was later identified by the sage Helavaster of Hillsfar when it was brought to that city by the caravan master Lhemako Tarsakh, and subsequently passed into the hands of Lhemako's superior, Meer. The scimitar does not appear to have been passed on to Meer's superiors in Zhentil Keep (unless one of the lords of that city is hiding it from his fellows for some reason), and it may have been stolen, hidden, or passed to another by Meer before his disappearance, the blade's present whereabouts are unknown.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Swords
Category:Magic Weapons