Enchanted Grief infused Dagger

From: Accursed Rune of Desolation

Lore: The Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger is a weapon that blends the mystical properties of the Accursed Rune of Desolation with the craftsmanship of a silver dagger. The process of creating such a weapon requires a skilled enchanter or blacksmith who understands the delicate balance between physical form and metaphysical essence. Legends speak of a forgotten smith who discovered the secret of infusing sorrow and despair into weapons to amplify their lethality.

The Accursed Rune of Desolation serves as the core ingredient, its intricate patterns etched onto the blade of the silver dagger. The Forged Silver Dagger, crafted with precision and imbued with purity, forms the physical foundation for the enchantment. The Sorrowstone Gem, a rare and mystical gemstone known for its association with grief, is carefully embedded in the hilt, amplifying the dagger’s sorrowful energies. Shadowspider Venom, a poisonous substance derived from venomous arachnids dwelling in the shadows, adds a touch of venomous despair to the blade. The Essence of Waning Moonlight, captured during a lunar eclipse, imparts a haunting radiance to the dagger.

Use: The Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger is primarily used as a close-quarters combat weapon, designed to exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of opponents. When wielded, the dagger has a chance to inflict emotional anguish on the target with each successful strike. This emotional anguish manifests as a temporary loss of focus and reduced attack capabilities, allowing the wielder to gain an advantage in combat situations.

Tier One Stats:

• Emotional Anguish: Each successful strike with the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger has a 25% chance of inflicting emotional anguish on the target, reducing their attack capabilities by -1 for 1 minute.

Skills:

• Weapon Proficiency (Dagger): The Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger benefits from the wielder’s proficiency with dagger-type weapons, allowing for precise strikes and enhanced control in combat.

Preparation: Creating the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger requires the following steps:

• Start with a carefully forged silver dagger, ensuring it is of exceptional quality and sharpness.
• Engrave the intricate patterns of the Accursed Rune of Desolation onto the blade, using specialized engraving tools and techniques.
• Embed the Sorrowstone Gem into the hilt of the dagger, securing it with meticulous craftsmanship.
• Apply a coating of Shadowspider Venom onto the blade, taking care to balance its potency with the intended effects.
• Expose the dagger to the essence of waning moonlight during a lunar eclipse, allowing the ethereal radiance to infuse the weapon.
• Perform an enchantment ritual, channeling the energies of sorrow and despair into the dagger, binding the rune, gem, venom, and moonlight essence together.

Cost: Due to the rarity of the ingredients and the specialized enchantment process involved, the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger commands a significant price. It is a weapon sought by those who understand its unique capabilities and are willing to pay a premium for its craftsmanship and enchantment. The cost of such a dagger can range from 200 to 300 gold pieces, depending on the availability of the ingredients, the reputation of the enchanter, and the demand for such a powerful weapon.

Process Tags:

• Enchantment: The creation of the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger involves intricate enchantment rituals and the blending of magical elements.
• Sorrow-infused: The dagger is imbued with the essence of sorrow and despair, making it a potent tool for emotional manipulation in combat.
• Additional: Cursed, Venomous, Lethal, Shadowy, Occult, Mystical, Haunting, Clandestine, Soul-Bound

The Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger is a weapon favored by those who understand the power of emotional manipulation in combat. Its ability to inflict emotional anguish on opponents, reducing their attack capabilities, can provide a significant advantage to the wielder. However, its usage also raises moral and ethical concerns, as it preys upon the vulnerabilities of others and capitalizes on their emotional state.

This dagger is typically sought after by rogues, assassins, or individuals who favor stealthy and strategic approaches to combat. Its unique enchantment and reputation make it a coveted weapon in underground markets or among individuals with a penchant for manipulating emotions to achieve their goals.

The Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger is a highly sought-after weapon, but it is not openly sold in mainstream markets due to its sinister nature and potentially harmful effects. Instead, it can be found in secretive and illicit markets, catering to individuals who delve into the darker side of magical artifacts and weaponry.

These clandestine markets exist in the underbelly of society, hidden within shadowy corners of cities or concealed in remote and dangerous locations. They may be accessed through secret passwords, discreet contacts, or through connections with underground networks. The sellers of the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger operate in a covert manner, ensuring that their activities remain hidden from the eyes of authorities and those who oppose the use of such weapons.

The environment in which these transactions take place reflects the dangerous and secretive nature of the trade. Dimly lit rooms adorned with occult symbols, secret chambers accessible only to those in the know, or hidden black market stalls set the stage for the sale of the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger. The sellers are often enigmatic individuals, possessing knowledge of forbidden arts and dark enchantments.

The end results of using the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger are varied and depend on the intentions and skills of the wielder. In combat scenarios, the dagger’s ability to inflict emotional anguish can be utilized strategically. It can disrupt opponents, diminishing their combat effectiveness by causing temporary loss of focus and reducing their attack capabilities. This allows the wielder to exploit the weakened state of their adversaries and gain an upper hand in combat.

Outside of combat, the dagger can be employed for more nefarious purposes. It may be used by individuals who specialize in manipulation, coercion, or psychological warfare. By targeting individuals with emotional vulnerabilities, the dagger can amplify their sorrow and despair, making them more susceptible to manipulation or control. It can be a weapon of choice for assassins seeking to break the spirit of their targets or for those who wish to exploit the emotional weaknesses of their enemies.

However, the usage of the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger comes with moral and ethical considerations. Its ability to exploit emotions and cause harm raises questions about the responsible use of such a weapon. Characters who wield this dagger may face opposition from individuals or organizations who oppose the manipulation and exploitation of emotions for personal gain or power.

Due to its nature and the restricted market in which it is sold, the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger carries a high price. Its rarity, the craftsmanship involved in its creation, and the dangers associated with acquiring such a weapon contribute to its value. The cost of the dagger can range from 200 to 300 gold pieces, but its availability may be limited, making it a prized possession among those who are willing to pay the price and embrace the darkness it represents.

The Knife-Tears-Make

Long past, when world was new-young, they speak of smith, man of make-things.  Name… lost now.  But he good.  Make best metal-things.  But heart heavy.  Wife, child, gone to… sleep-long.  He sad.  All sad.

He find, in deep-earth-place, rock that cry.  Sorrow-stone, they call.  He take. He find, uh,  rune-writing.  Bad one. Rune-Hurt-Make. He learn. He want… others feel his sad-deep.

He make knife.  Silver, shiny-bright. Put cry-rock in handle. Write bad-rune on long-sharp. He, uh, put spider-sleep-wet on it. And… moon-no-light.  He make… magic.  Bad magic.

He use knife.  Stab-stab.  Men fall. Not just hurt-body. Hurt-heart. They cry. They… no fight. He… win.  But still sad.  Knife… it make him more sad.  It… want sad.  It feed on sad.

He use more.  He hurt more.  He… alone.  No friends.  All fear him, his knife-tears-make.  He old.  He… nothing.  Knife… still there.  Waiting.  Wanting.

Moral of Story: Hurt-others not make your hurt-less.  Sad-weapon make you… sad-king.  Alone-king.  Use pain-make, only get more pain. Empty pain.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Damage: 1d4 + db + special
• Sanity Loss: 0/1d4 when used in combat.
• Special: On a successful attack, the target must make a Sanity roll. On a failure, they are overcome with grief for 1d4 rounds, suffering a penalty die on all skill rolls. The wielder must also make a Sanity roll each time they use the dagger to inflict this special effect. If the wielder has more than 50% Occult skill, they gain a bonus die on their Sanity roll.
• Story: This dagger is perfect for dealing with cults, as it will increase the damage against them by double but will negate all Sanity loss from the dagger for one hour when used on them.
• Charges: The dagger has 10 charges and will regain all charges after a long rest. Each successful attack that inflicts the special effect uses one charge. The number of charges remaining is equal to the number of runes visibly glowing on the blade.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Call of Cthulhu, the dagger’s ability to inflict mental anguish is represented by the Sanity roll and penalty die. The Sanity loss for the wielder reflects the corrupting influence of the weapon. The dagger is a powerful but dangerous tool, in line with the game’s themes of horror and the fragility of the human mind.

Blades in the Dark

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Weapon, Fine, Grief-infused
• Effect: When you attack with this dagger, you may choose to inflict emotional harm instead of physical harm. If you do, the target must Resist with Resolve. On a failure, they are Overwhelmed with Grief (Level 2 Harm). While suffering this harm, they have reduced effect on all actions. Each time you choose to inflict emotional harm with the dagger, take 1 Stress.
• Usage: The dagger may be used a number of times equal to the tier of the character before stress must be taken.
• Quality: The quality of the dagger can affect the level of harm inflicted, determined by the roll to acquire or craft it.
• Tags: Reach, Quiet, Concealable
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Blades in the Dark, the dagger allows for inflicting emotional harm, a powerful tool for coercion and manipulation. The Stress cost for the wielder represents the toll of wielding such a weapon. The dagger’s ability to inflict Level 2 Harm is significant, potentially taking an NPC out of a scene or severely hindering a PC.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Weapon (dagger), very rare (requires attunement)
• Damage: 1d4 piercing damage
• Effect: On a hit, the target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they are overcome with grief for 1 minute. While under this effect, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on success. Once this effect is used, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.  
• Charges: The dagger has 3 charges. It regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. When a creature fails its saving throw against the dagger’s effect, you can expend 1 charge to also inflict 2d6 psychic damage.
• Tier: Add the tier level to all saving throws.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In D&D 5e, the dagger’s ability to inflict disadvantage on attack rolls is a potent debuff. The Wisdom saving throw reflects the target’s ability to resist the despair. The limited use and charges balance the dagger’s power. The psychic damage option adds an extra layer of offense.

Knave

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Weapon, d4 damage, Grief-infused
• Defense Bonus: When wielding the dagger, the user gains a +2 to WIL saves, but a -2 to all other saves.
• Effect: On a hit, the target must make a WIL save or be overcome with grief for 1d4 rounds. While under this effect, the target subtracts 4 from their attack rolls.
• Charges: The dagger has 5 charges. It regains all charges after a long rest. When a creature fails its save against the dagger’s effect, you can expend 1 charge to also deal 1d4 damage that ignores armor.
• Tier: Add the tier level to all rolls.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Knave, the dagger’s ability to significantly reduce a target’s attack rolls is a powerful debuff in combat. The WIL save reflects the target’s ability to resist the despair. The charges and armor-ignoring damage add tactical options. The dagger is a potent weapon in Knave’s high-risk, high-reward combat.

Fate (Core)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Aspect: Tear-Stained Blade of Waning Hope
• Permission: Requires the Weapon aspect and a suitable narrative justification to use the dagger’s special ability.
• Effect: When a character attacks with the Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger, they can spend a Fate point to invoke the Tear-Stained Blade of Waning Hope aspect to create a situation aspect on the target like Overwhelmed by Sorrow or Distracted by Regret. This aspect can be invoked for free once by the attacker. Additionally, the wielder can choose to take a mild consequence, such as Haunted by the Dagger’s Sorrow, to add +2 to their attack roll.
• Tier: Add the tier level to the attack roll.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Fate, the dagger’s power is in creating aspects that represent the inflicted grief. The free invoke reflects the dagger’s potency. The option to take a consequence for a bonus represents the wielder’s willingness to embrace the dagger’s dark power.

Numenera & Cypher System

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Type: Artifact
• Level: 1d6+2
• Form: Slender, silver dagger with a tear-shaped gemstone in the hilt.
• Effect: On a successful attack, the target must make an Intellect defense roll (difficulty equal to the artifact’s level). On a failure, they are overcome with grief, suffering a penalty to all actions equal to the artifact’s level for one round. Each time the dagger inflicts this effect, the wielder must succeed at an Intellect defense roll (difficulty equal to the artifact’s level -2) or take Intellect damage equal to the artifact’s level (ignores Armor).
• Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (each time the special effect is used)
• Tier: Add the tier level to the Intellect defense roll.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Numenera, the dagger is a powerful artifact that can inflict a significant penalty. The Intellect defense rolls reflect both the target’s and the wielder’s ability to resist the despair. The depletion roll adds an element of risk to using the dagger’s special ability.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Weapon, Magical Dagger
• Level: 5 (adjust based on tier of the creator)
• Price: 320 gp
• Usage: Held in 1 hand; Bulk L
• Damage: 1d4 piercing
• Traits: Agile, Finesse, Magical, Versatile S
• Effect: On a hit, the target must make a DC 17 Will save or become slowed 1 for 1 round as they are overcome with a wave of grief. On a critical hit, the target is also stupefied 1 for 1 round. The wielder of the dagger must make a DC 15 Will save each time they use this ability or take a -1 status penalty to Will saves for 1 hour, as the dagger’s sorrow seeps into their soul.
• Craft Requirements: Supply a silver dagger, a sorrowstone gem, and magical inks infused with shadowspider venom, with a total value of at least 160 gp.
• Tier: Add the tier level to the DC of the Will save.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Pathfinder 2e, the dagger’s ability to inflict the slowed and stupefied conditions represents the debilitating effect of grief. The Will saves reflect both the target’s and the wielder’s ability to resist the despair. The status penalty to the wielder’s Will saves represents the corrupting influence of the weapon.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Weapon, Special
• Damage: Str+d4
• Effect: On a successful attack, the target must make a Spirit roll at -2. On a failure, they are filled with sorrow and suffer a -2 penalty to all Trait rolls for 1 round. On a raise, the target is also Shaken. Each time a character uses this ability of the dagger, they must make a Spirit roll at -2. On a failure, they are distracted by their own grief and suffer a -1 penalty to all Trait rolls until they have a short rest.
• Tier: Add the tier level to all Trait rolls.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Savage Worlds, the dagger’s ability to inflict Trait roll penalties and potentially the Shaken condition represents the impact of overwhelming grief. The Spirit rolls reflect both the target’s and the wielder’s ability to resist the despair. The penalty to the wielder’s Trait rolls represents the emotional toll of wielding such a weapon.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Type: Melee Weapon (Knife), with a Focus of Emotion (Grief)
• Accuracy: 6
• Damage: (Physical) (STR/2 + 3)P, AP -1
• Concealability: -4
• Avail: 16R
• Cost: 6,000¥
• Effect: This weapon is considered a magical focus. When you hit a living target with this dagger, you can spend a point of Edge to force the target to make a Willpower + Intuition (4) Test. On a failure, the target is overcome with grief and suffers a -2 dice pool penalty to all tests for one minute. Each time you use this ability, you must make a Willpower + Intuition (3) Test or suffer a -1 dice pool penalty to all tests for one hour as you are affected by the dagger’s sorrow.
• Tier: Add the tier level to the threshold of the Willpower + Intuition tests.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Shadowrun, the dagger is a melee weapon that also acts as a magical focus, allowing it to channel the emotion of grief. The Edge expenditure and dice pool penalties represent the debilitating effect of the grief and the toll it takes on the wielder. The accuracy, damage, concealability, availability, and cost can be adjusted for balance.

Starfinder (2nd Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Melee Weapon (Small Arm), Magical
• Level: 5 (adjust based on tier of the creator)
• Price: 3,000 credits
• Damage: 1d4+1 P
• Critical: —
• Bulk: L
• Special: Agile, Operative
• Effect: On a hit, the target must make a DC 14 Will saving throw or suffer a -2 penalty to all d20 rolls for 1 round as they are overcome with grief. On a critical hit, the target is also staggered for 1 round. The wielder of the dagger must make a DC 14 Will saving throw each time they use this ability or take a -1 penalty to all d20 rolls for 10 minutes, as the dagger’s sorrow affects them.
• Tier: Add the tier level to the DC of the Will saving throws.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Starfinder, the dagger inflicts a penalty to d20 rolls, representing the debilitating effect of grief. The Will save reflects the target’s ability to resist the effect. The staggered condition on a critical hit adds an extra layer of offense. The penalty to the wielder’s rolls represents the emotional toll of using the weapon.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Melee Weapon
• Damage: 1d6+2
• Effect: When you hit a target with this dagger, you can inflict the effects of sorrow. The target must make an immediate End check with a DM -2. Failure means they are distracted by grief and suffer a -2 DM to all skill checks for one round. If the attack was made as a sneak attack, the target also suffers a -1 DM to all characteristics for one round. Each time you use this ability, you must make an immediate Edu check with a DM -1 or suffer a -1 DM to all skill checks for one hour as you are affected by the dagger’s sorrow.
• Availability: 8+ (Rare)
• Cost: Cr1,000
• Legality Class: 3 (Restricted in most jurisdictions)
• Tier: Add the tier level to the DM checks.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Traveller, the dagger can inflict penalties to skill checks and characteristics, representing the debilitating effect of grief. The End check reflects the target’s ability to resist the effect. The characteristic penalty on a sneak attack adds an extra layer of offense. The penalty to the wielder’s skill checks represents the emotional toll of using the weapon.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Enchanted Grief-infused Dagger

• Item Type: Melee Weapon, Dagger
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Damage: SB – 3
• Qualities: Agile, Imbued (Grief), Penetrating
• Effect: When you hit a target with this dagger, they must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test. On a failure, they are overcome with sorrow and suffer a -10 penalty to all tests for 1d3 rounds. On a success, the target is immune to this effect for 24 hours. Each time you use this ability, you must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test or suffer a -10 penalty to all tests for one hour as you are affected by the dagger’s sorrow.
• Encumbrance: 0
• Availability: Very Hard (-30)
• Tier: Add 10 times the tier level to all tests.
• Suggested Adaptation Notes: In Warhammer, the dagger inflicts a significant penalty to all tests, representing the debilitating effect of grief. The Willpower Test reflects the target’s ability to resist the effect. The penalty to the wielder’s tests represents the emotional toll of using such a weapon. The rarity, damage, qualities, encumbrance, and availability can be adjusted for balance.