06/03/05

Baxa's Staff

Baxa was a very powerful Theran Elementalist in the time before the Scourge. He was most renowned for his explorations of the Elemental Planes, and his works formed the basis of most current knowledge of those planes. He disappeared during the Scourge, along with every other resident of the Forgotten City of Parlainth.

His staff is a six-foot tall piece of ash wood, intricately carved along it's entire length with swirls and geometric patterns, each changing and blending into the other. Precious stones and Orichalcum are laid into the pattern, and the staff is topped with a large carved crystal. Without a thread woven, the crystal is cloudy and opaque, but once a thread is woven, colored clouds begin to swirl and change within it.

Maximum Threads: 2

Spell Defense: 19

Rank 1 - 500 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must learn the true Name of the Staff.

Key Knowledge: Oliveras Hadonis

Effect: The user may cast Counterspell, using their Perception or Spellcasting Step, with an effect step of Willforce (or Willpower) +5.

Rank 2 - 800 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must know what Discipline Baxa followed.

Key Knowledge: Elementalist

Effect: The user gets +1 to their Spell Defense.

Rank 3 - 1300 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must learn where Baxa acquired the Staff.

Key Knowledge: The staff was a gift from his teacher, Yureyas Monstilius.

Effect: The effect step of Counterspell increases to Willforce +6. The user gains the Elemental Tongues Talent at +1, or increases their rank by +1.

Rank 4 - 2100 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must learn the Name of the Air Elemental Baxa kept as a slave.

Key Knowledge: Gallisard

Effect: The user gains the Elemental Hold Talent and Elemental Tongues Talent at +2, or increases their existing rank by +2.

Rank 5 - 3400 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must learn what became of the Elemental.

Deed: The user must free the Elemental.

Key Knowledge: Gallisard is currently imprisoned in a magic bottle in Baxa's laboratory, deep in an unexplored section of the Western Catacombs of Parlainth.

Effect: The effect step of the Counterspell is now Willforce +7. The user gains Elemental Tongues and Elemental Hold at +3, or increases their rank by +3.

Rank 6 - 5500 LP

Test Knowledge: The user must discover what became of Baxa.

Key Knowledge: When Parlainth fell to the Horrors, he opened a portal to the Earth Plane in an attempt to escape. Before he could retreat, an Earth Elemental stepped through it and slew him, dragging his body away.

Effect: The user gains Elemental Tongues and Elemental Hold at +5, or increases their rank by +5.

Rank 7 - 8900 LP

Deed: The user must swear a 4-point Blood Oath to continue Baxa's work exploring the Elemental Planes.

Effect: The staff will open a portal to any of the Elemental Planes, simply by using it to smash an Elemental Coin of the appropriate Element and taking 5 Strain.  This portal will remain open for a number of rounds equal to the user's Spellcasting or Perception step. The user can close the portal at any time.

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