Sickle of Lycanthropy (Magic Sickle)

These horrible weapons give the attacker a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. The weapons are identical to the tools used during harvest time in the grain fields of Lankhmar. The steel used in their construction is a soft, gray color. The tempered steel is very resistant to rust and repels stains well. It is said that even after being pulled from a newly created wound, the blood drips completely off the sickle's blade.
When this weapon is used by a chaotic evil character, such as a worshiper of the Rat God, an attack roll of a natural 20 causes the target to fall prey to lycanthropy. A saving throw vs. polymorph is allowed to avoid the effect. The form of lycanthropy that is incurred is wereratism.
The sickle of lycanthropy causes a base 1d4+1 points of damage to small and medium-sized creatures while causing 1d4 points of damage to larger targets. The rat god priests, the ones who are the exclusive users of these weapons, boast that they do not function in the hands of other humans. This statement, however, is a half-truth. The weapon does work normally, but if the alignment of the user does not mesh with the chaotic evil nature of the rat god a critical miss of any kind (an attack roll of an unmodified 1) causes the weapon to strike its user for double damage. The wielder also is cursed with wererat lycanthropy. No saving throw is allowed when this occurs.
This curse is permanent, but it can be dispelled by a wish. Another way to dispel the disease is to cast a remove curse upon the character. The spell allows the character to roll a saving throw vs. polymorph. If the save is successful, the lycanthropy is broken and does not affect the character again. Unless, of course the PC is infected by the disease again.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Prince of Lankhmar Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Sickles
Category:Magic Weapons