Iron of Rod Parn (Magic Rod)

The iron rod of Parn, made of a light alloy of iron, is 4-feet in length and has a dull black finish. Seven magical runes are engraved in crimson along its length, each rune representing a facet of the rod's power: cause fear (as an adult dragon) at will; speak with dead once a day; cloudburst twice a day; animate dead three times a day; control weather twice a week; earthquake once a month; control up to 10 hit dice of undead, with concentration (as a conjure elemental spell) once a week. All these powers are at the 12th level.
The cause fear power activates instantly at will, while the other powers take two segments to activate. Only priests and fighters can control the rod's powers. If it is used by a priest of evil alignment, the rod can control triple the number of hit dice of undead (30). The appropriate rune must be touched to activate each facet of the rod's power. A read magic spell identifies each of the seven runes on the rod, six per round. In order from top to bottom they are: “fea” for fear, “necros” for communication with the dead, "mimbros" for precipitation, "necron" for animation of the dead, “meteris” for weather control, “terron” for earth movement, and “necrinis” for control of undead. The rod has no charges, but its abilities are limited to the number of uses listed previously.
In its cursed state, the rod has a mind of its own (being possessed by its evil creator's will) and uses its powers to transform the wielder into a shade as described below. The rod can be used as a melee weapon, striking as a +2 magical weapon for 1d6+2 points of damage. Unless the curse is removed, the rod radiates strong evil under scrutiny of a detect evil spell. It radiates very strong magic if scanned with a detect magic spell.
If the curse is successfully removed, the essence of the captive evil priest is detached from the rod and sent into oblivion. The device can then be used without danger of its wielder being transformed into a shade. However, the rod must additionally make a saving throw vs. spell (as if it were a 12th-level priest). If it fails this save, one to four powers (numbers 2-7 only) are lost forever as a result of severing the strong bond between the evil priest's will and the magic of the iron rod of Parn.
If the current shade under the rod's influence is destroyed without first removing the curse, the device tries to entice another living victim to take hold of it. Treat this action as if the rod has cast a suggestion spell on everyone in a 20-foot radius. Those who fail to save vs. spell (wisdom bonuses applicable) feel an immediate and uncontrollable urge to grasp the rod. Should more than one creature be affected, an initiative roll modified by dexterity must be made for each victim to determine who gets to the device first. Once held by a living being, the rod begins the transformation of the holder into a shade by slowly stripping the wielder of his positive life force (which also serves to power the device). As long as a living being holds onto the rod or is within 100 feet after initial contact, they become a shade within 3 to 8 hours. If the intended victim moves farther than 100 feet from the rod, the transformation is negated.
A fully transformed shade retains all of the equipment it had before the transformation. It takes up the rod upon completion of the transformation (if it does not have hold of it already) and uses it along with its own equipment to destroy all living creatures in sight.
If a remove curse spell is successfully cast upon the rod before the shade under its influence is destroyed, the curse is removed and the shade is released from the device's control. However, the shade remains a shade unless a wish spell is cast to reverse the transformation.
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magical Rod
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items