Susk (Magic Sword)

Susk is a slim sword of fine manufacture and flawless, oil-slaked steel. It is devoid of adornment and inscriptions. It does not glow or reflect light, so it does not appear to be metal from some far place. Its nickname comes from its magical silence-the sword never rings, clatters, scrapes, or emits any sound. A blade struck against it may ring, but Susk itself remains silent. The silence in no way affects creatures, spells, objects, or any area about the blade.
Susk is +3 on attack rolls, but does normal damage (1d8/1d12). It has no apparent Intelligence or sentience, and only one other magical property-it levitates involuntarily. That is, it can never rise, fall, or move in any way by itself, but always remains stationary when released, even if in midair. It can be moved while so floating by being struck with other objects, or by magical effects (such as telekinesis), but will stop quickly when such force is removed.
Susk cannot therefore be effectively hurled at an opponent or tossed away to prevent its capture-it will stop mere inches from the point of release and hang in midair. There is no known limit to this ability and no known way to nullify it. Any creature may hold and wield Susk without harm. It confers no magic resistance or spell immunities upon the bearer.
Susk is a blade mentioned repeatedly in tales and legends of the north. Its origin is unknown- and curiously, never mentioned in any folklore- but it seems to have always been around in the hands of someone or another. Its present whereabouts are a mystery: the sage Elminster can speak of its location with certainty only over a short span of time beginning some 20 winters ago, when he recognized it in the hands of Abadda, a northern prince of the Fallen Kingdom, who was then a proud wanderer and bandit leader. Abadda was challenged by Distyl of Nesme at the court of Alustriel. High Lady of Silverymoon, in Elminster's presence. During the fight that followed, Elminster and at least one other-the adventurer Urnen of Yartar-recognized the blade for what it was.
Abadda was slain in combat, and Distyl rightfully took the blade. Shortly thereafter he was found dead by his campfire on the Trollmoors, and Urnen was seen in Longsaddle not much afterward, brandishing a blade that was demonstrably Susk-to Urnen's eternal dismay-when he let go of it involuntarily in the middle of a tavern brawl, it hung in midair, beyond his grasp, as he was dragged to the floor and stabbed to death.
A local bully, Usk Harpell, claimed the blade, but was found dead in a nearby alley within the night, the blade gone. It disappeared from view at that time, but recent reports from Shadowdale (some six winters back) and Mulmaster (two winters ago) suggest that the strange blade is still “changing hands the hard way” among the adventurers and caravan merchants of the Realms.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Swords
Category:Magic Weapons