Tuesday Magic Item – Grandfather Tree’s Hammer

Gollaon gave a low whistle as the Earthkine warrior walked by with a large hammer resting on his shoulder.

Voddick’s eyes went wide.  “Is that?” he whispered.

“I think so,” said Golloan.  “I thought they had all been lost.”

“We should follow.”

“I agree.”

Grandfather Tree’s Hammer

Not so much made as grown, these mighty hammers are a mix of wood and petrified wood into a unified and nearly undifferentiated whole.  The haft is semi-green wood, flexible and strong, which melds into a striking head of petrified wood mixed with crystal.  Its balance is perfect for all of its considerable weight.

Grandfather Tree’s Hammer is a +2 Construct and Undead-Bane War Maul (treat as a Halberd except doing either bludgeoning or piercing damage).  The hammer also does its extra bane damage to inanimate objects.

On a killing blow, or a blow that reduces a construct or unliving (corporeal undead) to negative hit points, the target must make a Fortitude Save (DC 18) or the being is transformed into a sapling tree and cannot be returned to life (except by reincarnation), rebuilt or restored.  If a manmade physical object is destroyed by the hammer, the wielder may choose to cause a sapling to spring up among the rubble.

Aura strong transmutation; CL 12th
Slot None; Price 37,500; Weight 14 lb
Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, plant growth, reincarnate, shillelagh; Cost 18,750

For D&D 5E:

Weapon (war maul), legendary (requires attunement)

First paragraph as above.

Grandfather Tree’s Hammer is a Magical Maul that gives its wielder a +2 bonus to hit and damage and against constructs, undead and inanimate objects it does an extra 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a successful hit.

On a killing blow, or a blow that reduces a construct or unliving (corporeal undead) to zero hit points, the target must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15) or the being is transformed into a sapling tree and cannot be returned to life (except by reincarnation), rebuilt or restored.  If a manmade physical object is destroyed by the hammer, the wielder may choose to cause a sapling to spring up among the rubble.

Notes: I wanted to do something interesting for the Earthkine, a signature weapon from back before the Sundering when the gods of forest and nature gave gifts to their favored followers.  But also an interesting weapon for any elves in any world, also fun as it is very much a non-traditional weapon for Earthkine or elves.

Image photo by Morten Skogly found on flicker and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

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