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Rod of Seven Parts

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The Rod of Law was a powerful artifact of lawful nature, which was created by the vaati during the Dawn War. It was split during the war, which gave it the nickname of Rod of Seven Parts.[2][6][7][8][9][10]

Description[]

The complete rod was 5 feet (1.5 meters) long rod whose width decreased from 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) across at the bottom, to a half-inch (1 centimeter) at the top. Due to their lawful nature, the fragments did not appear damaged but instead displayed intricate patterns of crystalline facets on each breaking point. The length of the fragments were 4 inches (10 centimeters), 5 inches (13 centimeters), 6 inches (15 centimeters), 8 inches (20 centimeters), 10 inches (25 centimeters), 12 inches (30 centimeters), and 15 inches (38 centimeters).[9]

The rod was unstable, and once it served its purpose it was known to scatter again.[11][12]

Powers[]

Each fragment of the rod shared a common set of powers, in addition to having individual powers. In order to activate a segment's power, the user had to focus on a fragment-specific command word.[11]

  • Any non-lawful creature in possession of a fragment of the rod would see its worldview shifting towards a lawful disposition.
  • Any lawful creature holding a fragment of the rod could use it to locate the next larger segment.

Restored to its complete form, the rod held the power to kill Miska the Wolf-Spider or to release it from its prison.[1]

The first fragment of the Rod.

The first fragment of the Rod.

Specific fragment powers[]

  • The 4 inches (10 centimeters) tip possessed the ability to cast cure light wounds up to five times each day. Activation required the command word "Ruat".[1]
  • The 5 inches (13 centimeters) fragment could, once a day, create an effect similar to the slow spell for 23 minutes. Its command word was "Caelum".[1]
  • The 6 inches (15 centimeters) segment was able to cast haste once a day with a duration of 23 minutes. Notably, the wielder did not age rapidly from casting haste in this way. Its command word was "Fiat".[1]
  • The 8 inches (20 centimeters) fragment could cast gust of wind five times daily. Its command word was "Justitia".[1]
  • The 10 inches (25 centimeters) segment granted its user access to the true seeing spell once a day, lasting for 20 minutes. Its command word was "Ecce".[1]
  • The 12 inches (30 centimeters) section, the second largest, could cast hold monster once a day, with the effect lasting for 20 minutes. Its command word was "Lex".[1]
  • The largest fragment, measuring 15 inches (38 centimeters), bestowed its owner with the ability to cast heal once per day. Its command word was "Rex".[1][11] Being the largest fragment, it could not be used to locate other parts of the rod.[11]

History[]

Sources differ on the exact origin of the Rod of Seven Parts. Most accounts attribute its forging to the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, agents of cosmic Law,[2][4][6][7][8][9][13] using the Soulforge of Moradin in Torzak-Belgirn[4][13] with the assistance of one of his exarchs.[4] Some described the Rod as a construct of Primus or as an artifact forged under his direct authority as part of the cosmic struggle against Chaos.[14]

It was used during the battle of the Fields of Pesh in order to banish Miska the Wolf-Spider to a prison in Pandemonium.[15][16][13][6][8][9][10] When Miska was stabbed with the rod, the chaos from its blood shattered the rod into seven pieces and scattered them across the multiverse.[4][7]

Fragments of the rod would sometime surface here and there, often in times of great need.[11] Among the aarakocra, questing for these fragments was commonly seen as an honorable calling worthy of esteem.[7]

Trivia[]

According to Khelben Arunsun, the rod of seven parts was one of the few magic items in the multiverse to have the abilities of series magic.[17]

Appendix[]

This article is incomplete. This article is missing information from Vecna: Eve of Ruin You can help the Forgotten Realms Wiki by providing more information.

Background[]

The activation words make up the latin phrase "Ruat Caelum, Fiat Justitia. Ecce Lex, Rex", which translates to "Though heaven falls, let justice be done. Behold, the law is king."

Appearances[]

Adventures

Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Board Games

D&D Attack Wing

Card Games

Spellfire: Master the Magic

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Referenced only
Cloud Giant's Bargain

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Skip Williams (1996-09-02). The Rod of Seven Parts. Edited by David Eckelberry. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 978-0786904181.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 David "Zeb" Cook (December 1993). Book of Artifacts. (TSR, Inc), pp. 91–92. ISBN 978-1560766728.
  3. ↑ Skip Williams (December 1995). “A history of the Rod of Seven Parts”. In Pierce Watters ed. Dragon #224 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 67–70.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 James Wyatt, Bill Slavicsek, Robin D. Laws (September 2009). Dungeon Master's Guide 2. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 157. ISBN 978-0786952441.
  5. ↑ Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. Introduction, p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Schwalb, Robert J. (December 2007). Elder Evils. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 112. ISBN 978-0-7869-4733-1.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Richard Baker, Robert J. Schwalb, Stephen Schubert (April 2015). Elemental Evil Player's Companion , link:[1]. In David Noonan, Stacy Janssen eds. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Richard Baker, Robert J. Schwalb (February, 2012). Heroes of the Elemental Chaos. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 98. ISBN 78-0-7869-5981-5.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, Jeff Quick, and James Wyatt (March 2003). Arms and Equipment Guide 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7869-2649-7.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. p160. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Wolfgang Baur (December 2005). “A Gathering of Winds”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #129 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (129)., p. 65.
  12. ↑ James Wyatt, Bill Slavicsek, Robin D. Laws (September 2009). Dungeon Master's Guide 2. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 978-0786952441.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Mike Mearls, Brian R. James, Steve Townshend (July 2010). Demonomicon. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 978-0786954926.
  14. ↑ Wolfgang Baur and Colin McComb (February 1995). Planes of Law. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc), p. Cannot cite page numbers from this product. ISBN 0786900938.
  15. ↑ Skip Williams (1996-09-02). “Book IV: Monsters”. In David Eckelberry ed. The Rod of Seven Parts (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1–15. ISBN 978-0786904181.
  16. ↑ Ed Stark, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (June 13, 2006). Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-3919-2.
  17. ↑ Steven E. Schend (January 1995). “Series Magic”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #213 (TSR, Inc.), p. 96.
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