The Shadowsword (Weapon)

The Shadowsword is a powerful weapon originally wielded by the Rakshasa Mordakhesh.

## History

Mordakhesh maintained their piety to the Storm of Rust for the vast majority of their life in Ahlus, serving as a commander of their armies, leader of their people and general speaker, steward and enactor of their wishes.

At some point in time however, they noted a growing corruption in their master and sought to take control for themselves in order to try and gain the power to dissuade the malfeasance from taking deeper root. In doing so, Mordakhesh denounced the weapon granted to him by the Storm of Rust, replacing it instead with a fearsome blade forged by Tohmos, Master of the Hammer. This weapon would grant Mordakhesh his new name - the Shadowsword.

## Description

Broken during conflict with Rak Tulkhesh, it has since been reforged, the fragmented blade now chased through with veins of infernal iron. The Shadowsword appears to consume the light and warmth that touches it, inadvertently giving it an impossibly dark appearance, akin to that of the deepest night. The blade itself is frightfully cold to the touch.

Mordakhesh utilised the Shadowsword in its Exalted State during the battle of 9 WD at the Tomb of the Shadowsword, but upon his defeat the blade reverted to its Awakened State.

#### Dormant

*The Shadowsword* (Dormant) grants the following benefits in its dormant state:

* You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
* The Shadowsword has 5 charges and regains 1d4+1 charges daily at dusk.
* As an attack on your turn, you can expend 1 charge and cause a threaded mass of chilling shadow rippling towards a target withing 120 feet. On a hit, it deals 3d8 cold damage, and the target is blinded by the gloom until it next takes damage, or the start of your next turn.
* While holding the Shadowsword, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it (save DC 13): faerie fire (1 charge) or invisibility (2 charges) or pass without trace (2 charges).

#### Awakened

When *The Shadowsword* reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties:

* The weapon’s bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. In addition, when you hit a target with the Shadowsword, the target takes an additional 1d6 cold damage.
* The Shadowsword has 8 charges and regains 1d6+2 charges daily at dusk.
* Add banishment (4 charges), darkvision (2 charges), greater invisibility (4 charges) to the list of spells that can be cast from the longsword.
* The saving throw DC for spells cast from the longsword increases to 15.
* While you hold this sword, any magical light, darkness, or atmospheric effect within a 30-foot radius of you is treated as nonmagical and breathable.

#### Exalted

When *The Shadowsword* reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties:

* The weapon’s bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. The additional cold damage increases to 2d6.
* The Shadowsword has 10 charges and regains 1d6+4 charges daily at dusk.
* As a reaction, you can expend 5 charges of the Shadowsword to cast counterspell at 5th level. If the triggering spell is cast at 6th level or higher, this counterspell automatically fails. If you successfully interrupt a spell in this way, you can choose to absorb the spell into the sword instead of dispersing it. The absorbed spell must have a casting time of one action or bonus action. The sword can only have one spell absorbed in this way at a time. You can release an absorbed spell as an action. When you do, the spell uses the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell. The spell remains absorbed for up to 8 hours or until released from the sword. Absorbing a new spell replaces the one stored within the sword.

In addition to the range of abilities provided by the blade, while wielded by Fonteyne, the Shadowsword also provides proficiency with Arcana and a passive regeneration of 1d6 hitpoints while he still has 1 hit point. It does, however, cause all nonmagical flame to be extinguished within 30 feet of him. More curious - and alarming - though is the latent connection that seems to exist between Fonteyne and Mordakhesh through the blade, allowing for the latter to attempt to seize temporary control of the half-elf should he zealously overuse the blade for his own means.

## Known Wielders

* Mordakhesh
* Fonteyne Howell