Winternight Lifestealer

Vengeance, and the wrath of the changeling.

Description

These vicious spears punch through leather and even mithril-steel as if it were paper. They inflict catastrophic wounds, and a well-placed strike to a vital area can completely incapacitate a target in seconds. According to a pamphlet circulated in Temeschwar called The Case for banning the Winternight Lifestealer as recently as 369YE the weapons were first created by Winter eternals, and a portion of the soul of their victims is syphoned off to feed the relentless hunger of the Wasteland. The document was largely dismissed, but they are still widely considered to be weapons of ill-omen.

A few Winterfolk settlements dominated by Kallavesi will not allow a warrior who is revealed to bear one of these weapons to spend the night in their hall. They say that the presence of these hateful weapons causes "bloody dreams" to disturb the minds of children and those already susceptible to violent urges or traumatised by war. There may be some truth to these beliefs; the Suaq general Vilav Solving who led his countryfolk under the banner of Empress Varkula is said to have thrown himself to his death from the Skarsind peak that bears his name to this day, driven mad by terrible guilt caused by his artefact spear Heartpiercer which filled his sleep with dreams of everyone he had killed in the name of the Empire.

More pragmatic warriors are less concerned. These spears are especially popular with some Varushkan schlacta, who combine the razor-sharp spear with a heavy shield and use them to dispatch wolves. They are also somewhat popular with Marcher beaters for use against vermin whether it goes on two legs or four. They especially appreciate the spear's ability to pierce the defences of armoured bandits and those Feni and orcs whose piecemeal armour is supplemented by mithril chain or stout hides. Some concern has been raised that over the years several of these weapons have fallen into the hands of the Feni, who have been reported using them in several skirmishes - perhaps the same lost weapons, perhaps new ones constructed by those Feni artisans who have riddled out the secret of their construction.

Rules

• Form: Weapon. Takes the form of a one-handed spear. You must be wielding this weapon to use its magical properties.
• Requirement: You must have the weapon master skill to bond to this item.
• Effect: You may spend a hero point to call IMPALE with this one-handed spear.
• Materials: Crafting a Winternight Lifestealer requires thirteen ingots of tempest jade, seven ingots of green iron, seven measures of beggar's lye and five ingots of orichalcum. It takes one month to make one of these items.

"Bringer of falcon-food, bastion of slaughter-walls,

Sing I of Solving, of Vilav the brave.

Of wise Kallavasi, and Suaq-scout, Steinr,

war-host commanded, great victories won.

With death-branch tall standing, stern-faced for the foeman,

Swimming in wound-rain, in battle-sweat bathed.

Heartpiercer, foe-death, his constant companion.

Driving through leather, or through mithril-steel.

But whispering softly, its evil seed planting,

Heartpiercer, false-friend, brought him to his death.

No hearts-ease in mind's-worth. No sleep-safe soul-resting.

Black dog walked with him, and darkened his heart.

He ran the white sky-road, and left us with heart's-rain,

Marsh-resting spear-man, in peace now at last."