Scepter of the Sorcerer-King (Magic Scepter)

This seemingly innocuous scepter is made of a curious blue metal. One end of it is capped by a hollow circlet while two curved horns project from the other end. Overall, the scepter has the size and heft of a footman's mace. The artifact was originally found on Toril in the forgotten Realms.
It is said that in long-ago Netheril there lived sorcerer-kings of such power and might that they arrogantly considered themselves the equals of gods. To prove their claim, they crafted items of truly reckless power. Their wanton destruction worried the other inhabitants of Faerun, and some even called on their gods to humble the mighty sorcerer-kings. The world shook with these battles, or so it is said. In their arrogance, the sorcerer-kings decided to rid themselves of these “meddling deities,”
Instrumental in this evil plan was Glaeros Lhaerimm, a man many sages blame for causing the spread of Anauroch, the Great Desert. Glaeros crafted the scepter in a grim process that drained the lives of a dozen apprentices. Noting his ambition, the deities sent minions to stop him, but each one was destroyed by the other sorcerer-kings. Finally, as Glaeros began the Final stages, the divine minions broke through his defenses and destroyed him. The unfinished scepter was then snatched up by another of the Netherese sorcerer-kings, who used it to escape the fray.
In the centuries since, the scepter has turned up in the hands of many wizards and warlords, the most notable being the lich known as “the Harper King.” Stolen from the undead ruler before his destruction, the scepter disappeared from view for many years. A dozen years ago, a mysterious merchant-wizard may have used it in Sembia, to fight free of an attack by the Red Wizards of Thay (who presumably knew what he bore). The whereabouts of this wizard and the Scepter are presently unknown.
The scepter of the sorcerer-king is an immensely potent device that can easily wreak havoc on an otherwise well-balanced campaign-DMs are advised to think long and hard before introducing this item into the game. Only those DMs ready to mercilessly hound the PCs with the full consequences of its use, should introduce the scepter. Once a character wields its power, a celestial alarm is sounded and the powers will not rest until the scepter does.
Clearly, finding the scepter is an adventure in and of itself. One excellent way to involve the characters is to place the scepter in someone else's hands, who then uses it to separate a PC priest from his god. After 10 days of silence (and no magic), the priest receives a vision of the scepter, with instructions to seek it out, (The PC is likely to discover that he or she is not alone in this quest!)
Particularly vindictive DMs might create a situation that allows the PCs to have their cake and sicken on it, too: One person in the party could find the scepter (and use it), only to have the group's priest discover he must destroy it! (This case of double jeopardy is only recommended for those players able to role-play the content without lingering ill feeling.)
Anyone who finds the scepter is advised to keep it hidden, using the powerful item only for the most desperate situations and then immediately hiding the item again. Indeed, there is even the possibility that the mortal owner of the scepter might, on the 11th day of possession, receive a visit from a very irate avatar!
Constant Powers: The scepter automatically rebounds any magic or psionic power targeted specifically against its wielder (area effects are not included), and then magnifies the damage and duration tenfold (if possible). A magic missile curves back on its caster and inflicts 1d4+1x10 damage, for example.
Invoked Powers: Nine times a day, a touch of the scepter (which requires a successful attack roll against unwilling targets) can heal or harm, as the wielder wills. In either case, the gain or loss is 2d12 points of damage: furthermore, 1 point is always a permanent gain or loss. The scepter cannot alter a creature's permanent hit point total by more than 9 points, and when this number is reached, the creature is no longer affected by this property of the scepter, for good or ill. The creature's death does not change the scepter's count (a resurrected being doesn't start over with the opportunity for another nine weals or woes).
Once a day, the scepter can dispel magic automatically. The item to be dispelled must be touched by the scepter, and a successful attack roll must be made if the item is held by an opponent. Each time this power is used, there is a 2-in-6 chance to drain the item as a rod of cancellation and to create a permanent magically dead area with a 60' radius. Only artifacts are immune to the effects of this magically dead zone.
Curse: for 10 full days from the instant the scepter is used, the influence of a single, randomly chosen deity is banished from the world where the character resides. Note that this affects only a single world. If, for example, the deity is barred from Toril, it could still potentially be active on Selune, a moon of that world. While banished, the deity cannot observe, control, contact, or influence beings and events on that world. The god cannot enter that world as an avatar, by manifestation, vision, nor possession: nor can the deity send any of its Outer Planar minions or items, except with the aid of others.
Note that a gate opened from the barred world to the deity's plane is still possible. While the deity is barred, new spells cannot be gained by any priest, paladin, or ranger of that faith. One deity is affected per use of the scepter, although those whose area of control includes magic are immune.
Given the devastating effect of this item, the deities of those worlds where the scepter is known have carefully instructed their senior priests as to what the scepter looks like and what should be done if it appears. Most often, the powers demand the death of the wielder. Deities themselves are blind to the location or presence of the scepter, and must rely on the eyes of their followers.
Suggested Means of Destruction:
* Destined to rid the world of meddling gods, the incomplete scepter can only be destroyed by using it to slay a god.
* The scepter is destroyed when the last of the sorcerer-kings (now potent liches) are hunted down and killed. Of course, the scepter is powerless against its makers.
* The scepter is destroyed when all the gods for swear any further attempts to involve themselves in the affairs of mortals.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Scepters