The Abyssal Blade

The Abyssal Blade is an Artifact steeped in evil history. It is the current residence of Emrick of the Dawnbringers. The blade was last seen wielded by Dorn Il-Khan.

## History

The Abyssal Blade was created by a Balor in the Abyss to hold the essence of two warring demons for eternity. The power of these demons meant that the blade was drawn to evil owners, who would invoke the blade's ability in combat and in turn subtly impress the power of their own dark magics upon the blade.

Many demons conquered many layers with the blade, some even venturing into the fray of the Blood War and gaining significant ground. Ultimately Dispater cast the blade into the Material, where it eventually found its way into the hands of the evil mercenary assassin Dorn Il-Khan, a Blackguard. Dorn used it for many years, until he had the hubris to confront an avatar of Bhaal with the intent on slaying it and absorbing a part of the essence of the god. Bhaal struck Dorn down and shattered the sword into three parts, scattering it throughout the Lower Planes.

After many more years, Emrick of the Dawnbringers found the hilt of the blade in the Shadowsea. Dorn, still imprisoned within the sword, compelled Emrick with magic to pursue the other parts of the sword: the blade and the handle. Through the adventures of the Dawnbringers, Emrick eventually retrieved all of the pieces of the Blade of the Abyss, repairing it through a bloody ritual. He smeared the blood of a good creature on the blade, chanting, "Bloody blade, bloody blade, oh yeah baby," and the sword mended to a like-new state.

Dorn spoke to Emrick from within the blade, telling him that he was his grandfather and attempting to persuade Emrick to the evil alignment in order to more easily possess him and steal his body. Emrick made increasingly darker choices, though his gradual corruption was suddenly and shockingly halted by the immediate soul-exchange brought on by his final roll of the The Die of Many Things.

## Abilities

The Abyssal Blade has the following traits and abilities:

1. +3 to Attack and Damage.
2. +1d8 fire damage vs good-aligned creatures.
3. +2d4 necrotic damage vs devils and demons.
4. Critical hit on a 19 or 20.
5. +1 Dexterity, -1 Intelligence.
6. Contains the spirit of Dorn Il-Khan, a sentient neutral evil entity.
7. Functions as a Vorpal Sword.
8. Functions as a Sword of Wounding.
9. Functions as a Sword of Life Stealing.
10. Grants an additional d12 to initiative rolls.
11. Grants a retaliatory attack as a reaction to a creature that deals damage to its wielder.
12. Summons two skeletons to fight by its wielder's side.
13. Attracts ravens to fight with its wielder.
14. Can be used to cast Feeblemind.
15. Emits an Aura of Despair.
16. Wielder cannot be blinded, deafened, petrified, or stunned.
17. Wielder has truesight.
18. Wielder's strength increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
19. Wielder slowly starts to take on a haunting look, abated only by feeding the blade their own blood.
20. Wielder believes their last name to be Il-Khan.
21. Wielder's morality shifts to Neutral Evil.
22. Tiny creatures are hostile to wielder.
23. Creatures of CR 0 and plants die in immediate vicinity of wielder.
24. Other creatures cannot take short or long rests within 300 feet of the blade.
25. Dilutes magic potions and erases magic scrolls within 10 feet of it, rendering them nonmagical.
26. Wielder has an uncontrollable hand tremor, which imposes disadvantage on Dexterity checks.