Darksteel greataxe

The darksteel greataxe was an axe that came to be wielded by the barbarian Holga Kilgore in the late 1490s DR.

Description
Of dwarven make, the axe comprised a single bit, with a thick hammer-like weight behind it and spikes on the top and bottom of the haft. The haft was telescoping, extending its length from that of a battleaxe to that of a greataxe or poleaxe. An inlay on the haft marked it as the work of Ghelryn Foehammer.

The axe was forged from darksteel, giving it a gleaming blade, but it had some spots of rust on the blade. However, following its brief immersion in molten metal, it had a half-melted appearance, with rivulets of metal running back from the edge.

Powers
Owing to the power of darksteel to absorb all magical and mundane electrical energy, including lightning, the darksteel greataxe granted the wielder resistance to harm from electricity.

A weapon forged from darksteel struck with a slight electric shock.

Usage
It was recommended to clean the darksteel greataxe with boiled linseed oil once every seven days or so to avoid rusting.

History
This weapon was forged by Ghelryn, a shield dwarf master smith working at Foehammer's Forge in the town of Triboar.

It came to be in the possession of Blackwood, a corrupt soldier in the service of Lord Forge Fitzwilliam of Neverwinter in the late 1490s DR. He was lax in its maintenance, cleaning it only once a month. After Sofina ordered Blackwood to kill Edgin Darvis and Holga Kilgore in secret, he led them into a shadowy back alley to execute them. However, Holga recognized his axe as the work of Ghelryn Foehammer and keenly asked about its make, use, and maintenance, and even criticized his laxness. All this bought time for Holga to pry loose a paving stone and use it as a weapon as she escaped and defeated the guards. Then she claimed the axe.

In her following adventures, Holga used the axe to dispatch one of Dralas's undead Thayan assassins and to attack the red dragon Themberchaud.

However, during a battle in a blacksmith's forge in Castle Never, it fell into molten metal, giving it a half-melted appearance. Nevertheless, being darksteel, it remained quite effective and retained its properties.

Notable Owners

 * Blackwood
 * Holga Kilgore