Red Death was a unique marble bastard sword that housed the soul of Sir Ian Glae James Graham, a paladin of Tyr, created in the 14th century DR.[1]
Description[]
Red Death was an intimidating weapon that was formed from crimson marble by using a stone shape spell. Its sharp edge was polished and strengthened with silver, and its hilt was swathed in black dragon hide.[1]
Powers[]
The sword bore a powerful +4 enchantment that left devastating damage in its wake and guided the wielder's arms to hit the targets more easily. With a paladin's soul woven into the weapon, it allowed the wielder to cast telepathy, read languages, detect magic, strength, heal, and detect evil once per day. When Red Death was wielded against clerics of evil deities, Sir Graham granted the wielder a special ability to cast disintegrate trice per day.[1]
History[]
In the early-to-mid 14th century DR, Sir Ian Glae James Graham wed Lady Holly. To celebrate the event, the happy couple exchanged wedding gifts. The bride used stone shape to shape red marble into a sword and had it decorated with silver and dragon leather, as well as imbued with powerful enchantments. Eventually, Sir Graham met his doom fighting a group of clerics of Talos. As he lay dying in a ravine, Tyr decided to reward the paladin by merging his soul with Red Death. However, Sir Graham saw Tyr's reward as a dire punishment.[1]
Ten years later, a drunken Talassan priest was heard bragging of a paladin's death, and the rumor reached Holly Graham, who ran a cidery outside of Ravens Bluff's walls. She located a band of trustworthy adventurers and asked them to investigate the rumors and find out her long-lost husband's fate.[1]
The adventurers followed the rumors of Talassan activity as it led them to the same ravine where Sir Graham died. Subsequently, he heroes defeated the evil priests with Red Death's help and returned the sentient weapon to Holly. Once the bastard sword met Holly's hand, her lost husband appeared in flesh and blood, looking like he had not aged in a decade.[2]