MERTHUVIAL (“Kingmaker”)

Merthúvial is a dwarven-crafted, jet-black longsword, with a plain hilt

decorated by a single large pearl in the pommel. The blade appears to be in
perfect condition.

POWERS

Level Abilities
+1 adamantine longsword, reroll Diplomacy check 1/day before
5th learning results

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

16th

17th

18th

19th

20th

Notes: When unsheathed, the weapon glows with a light the strength of a torch. In
combat, this light changes to a deep red, with no change in strength of illumination. The
weapon will not function in the hands of an evil or chaotic neutral being.
MERTHUVIAL:
HISTORY I

It is said that dwarves forged Merthúvial in the heat of a volcano; its adamantine
blade proved devastating against marauding cave trolls and mountain orcs. The weapon
was one of many, but it earned distinction when its wielder saved the life of the dwarf
king by sundering a stone giant's weapon and spearing the creature on the point of the
sword. The king ennobled this dwarf warrior, and the warrior, in turn, presented
Merthúvial to his lord in tribute.

HISTORY II

The dwarf king seldom used Merthuvial in combat, preferring to hang the weapon
over his throne as a symbol of loyalty and devotion. As long as the black sword hung
over the throne, the dwarves of that kingdom experienced little internal strife. The
dwarven king and his heirs lived peacefully with the other good races in that part of the
world. But that peace did not extend to the evil, the jealous, and the hateful. Orcs and
their monstrous cohorts forged an alliance and eventually drove the dwarves from the
underground kingdom, taking the halls for their own. The orcs' chieftain kept Merthuvial,
but he gained little joy from the weapon. Before long, his lieutenant assassinated him and
took the throne, only to die in a civil war weeks later. Merthuvial passed from hand to
claw and back again, never staying with a single wielder for long. Eventually, it left the
dwarf mines and found its way to the surface, falling into the hands of an evil half-orc
warlord named Kroack. Kroack had united the nearby orc, goblin, and hobgoblin tribes in
an attempt to destroy the local human kingdom. Indeed, by the time the warlord
"inherited" Merthuvial he had nearly succeeded. Only one fortified village remained, and
the half-orc moved quickly to burn the citizens out. In desperation, a young warrior
named Saithnar and a few of his friends infiltrated Kroack's camp as the tribes waited for
the order to attack. Somehow, this small band found their way to Kroack's tent—just
before the guards discovered them. Saithnar and his friends fought for their lives, but
most of them died quickly, and Saithnar himself was disarmed and thrown to the feet of
Kroack. Kroack gloated at the young warrior's defeat and desperate efforts. But when the
half-orc lifted Saithnar by the throat, the man snatched Merthuvial from Kroack's hip, and
a red light shown from the blade for the first time. The guards stumbled back in fear;
Saithnar slew Kroack, freed his remaining friends, and escaped. Rumors of treachery
flew through the raiders' camp, and factions set upon each other. Saithnar rallied the
remaining villagers and attacked. Even though the humanoids still outnumbered the
villagers five to one, the young warrior broke the spirit of the besiegers and drove them
out of the valley. Not surprisingly, the villagers soon named Saithnar their lord, and his
surviving friends became his most loyal retainers.
HISTORY III

Saithnar realized, however, that the threat of conquest was not gone from the land.
Riding to distant settlements, Saithnar forged agreements with them, ensuring that when
the need arose, they would unite with each other against their common enemies. Saithnar
made similar alliances with elves, dwarves, halflings, and all other good peoples. Soon,
this young warrior from a small village found himself at the center of a great alliance.
Before long, other lords began to acknowledge Saithnar as a king. This actually surprised
the young man, who thought of himself as a servant of the people, not a ruler. And
though his victories on the battlefield and his diplomatic successes made him king, it was
this humble attitude that made him truly great. As King Saithnar's power and influence
grew, Merthuvial's abilities took shape. The sword became as renowned as the king, and
the chosen weapons of Saithnar's retainers also became well known. It was said that
while King Saithnar wielded Merthuvial, no enemy could defeat him. Unfortunately for
Saithnar, the tales said nothing about a friend. One of Saithnar's oldest compatriots, a
man whose name has been expunged from all histories of the time, betrayed him. This
"Betrayer" made a pact with the humanoids and evil races of the Underdark; such was his
skill at deceit that he corrupted Saithnar's kingdom from within. The humanoids struck
the kingdom by surprise and devastated the king's holdings. But the Betrayer's scheme
ultimately backfired. Though few in the kingdom fully trusted one another, they all
trusted King Saithnar. Out of the ashes of his court, Saithnar rallied his loyalists,
destroyed the invading army, and battled the Betrayer to the death. Though the king did
not survive this final duel, Saithnar's remaining supporters captured the Betrayer and
cursed him—the treacherous knight was forced to guard the king's tomb for as long as
fate required, atoning for his crimes through the lonely years.
GAME MECHANICS: Merthuvial is a mighty artifact, but its powers can only be
opened gradually, and at some personal sacrifice. This will bond the item to you.

- Least Legacy Ritual: King’s Gift. You must receive Merthuvial from its owner
or rightful heirs. If no heirs live, you must attune yourself to the weapon in the
ritual. Costs 2,500gp. Opens up powers level 5-10 and gives you the feat: Least
Legacy (Merthuvial).

- Lesser Legacy: Know the Pain. You must expose yourself to a real foe’s strike
in combat, which is automatically a critical hit. Costs 12,500gp. Opens up
powers level 11-16, gives Lesser Legacy feat.

- Greater Legacy: Unite the People. Unite two or more disparate groups of people
into an alliance against a common foe and protect them from that foe until the
danger is past. Ritual costs 40,500. Opens powers levels 17-20, gives Greater
Legacy feat for this item.