[4E] Ereshkigal's Hatchet - Statblock

I recently wrote about a cursed weapon, Ereshkigal's Hatchet, that might serve as a seed for a new line of adventures for your players. Here's I present the stats for Ereshkigal's Hatchet as I would envision them for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons.

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Ereshkigal's Hatchet Paragon Level

The High Priestess Ereshkigal forged this axe from Far Realm ruinite, imbued it with the madness of the Dreamscape, and finally sacrificed her own soul for the axe so that she could carry out the will of Tharizdun for all eternity.

Ereshkigal's Hatchet is a +4 Jagged Handaxe with the following properties and powers. Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls. Critical: Ongoing damage 10. Property: This weapon scores a critical hit on an 18, 19, or 20. Property: Any wielding Ereshkigal's Hatchet temporarily gains the Weapon Proficiency (Handaxe) feat as long the axe remains in their hands. Property: Due to the alien madness of Tharizdun that is channeled through Ereshkigal's Hatchet, anyone wielding the axe gains +4 to their Will defense. Property: Anytime an enemy is reduced to 0 hit points after being hit by Ereshkigal's Axe, you gain your healing surge value as temporary hit points. Power (Daily • Arcane, Charm): Standard action. You can use delusions of loyalty (warlock 19). Power (Encounter • Arcane, Charm): Standard action. You can use bewitching whispers (warlock 13).

Goals of Ereshkigal's Hatchet
• Spill the blood of innocents by senseless acts of murder.
• Turn friend against friend and bring about the death of one at the hands of the other.
• Free Tharizdun from his eternal prison in the Ethereal Plane.

Roleplaying Ereshkigal's Hatchet
Ereshkigal's Hatchet communicates with its own through their nightmares and dreams. The axe brings on horrifying visions when angered, and rewards those with whom it is pleased with dreams of power and success. Using an otherworldly, whispering voice that only the wielder can hear in battle, it strongly urges the attack of anyone it perceives is a weak, vulnerable opponent - especially innocents such as children, unarmed working age citizens, and the elderly. These urges are persistent and grow unbearably strong in dense markets or crowded city streets.

CONCORDANCE

Starting Score 5

Owner gains a level +1d10 Owner is a follower of Tharizdun +1 Owner is a priest of Tharizdun +1 Owner kills any non-evil humanoid (maximum 1/day) +1 Owner is defeated in battle -2 Owner spares the life of an enemy -5 Owner possesses Erishkigal's Hatchet for longer than 1 year or one level of experience -15

Pleased (16 - 20)
Eirshkigal's Hatchet is very pleased with the amount of blood that the owner has spilled in the name of Tharizdun. It continues to push its will upon the wielder, but is mindful that all good things must come to an end soon.

Property: The axe grants a +5 enhancement bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks.

Property: The owner suffers a -5 enhancement penalty on Diplomacy.

Property: Ereshkigal's Hatchet brings dreams of power and success to the owner, granting them an additional +2 enhancement bonus to Fortitude and Reflex defenses for one day following an uninterrupted period of extended rest.

Power (Encounter • Martial, Weapon): You gain the ability to use vorpal tornado (fighter 17).

Satisfied (12 - 15)
Ereshkigal's Hatchet is pleased with the progress the owner has made in spreading madness of Tharizdun across the land. However, the axe urges the owner to continue their episode of bloodshed even further.

Property: The axe grants a +2 enhancement bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks.

Property: The owner suffers a -2 enhancement penalty on Diplomacy.

Property: If the owner fails a Diplomacy, Bluff or Intimidate check the axe forces them to resolve the situation through violence.

Power (Encounter • Martial, Weapon): You gain the ability to use cloud of steel (rogue 7.

Normal (5 - 11)
The owner feels the need to spill blood as often as possible, and especially is drawn to striking down those who cannot defend themselves. When doing so, Ereshkigal's Hatchet makes them feel invincible and gives them a deep level of satisfaction with every kill.

Unsatisfied (1 - 4)
The axe begins to realise that the owner is not an appropriate subject for meeting its goals. Thus, it seeks nothing short of beginning about the death of the owner at the hands of overwhelming odds. The owner suffers from paranoid delusions of grandeur and believes that everyone is plotting to kill them. The only reasonable solution to the problem is to kill everyone in sight.

Property: The owner suffers a -10 penalty on all Diplomacy and Bluff checks.

Property: The owner benefits from a +5 bonus to Intimidate checks.

Property: The owner must kill at least one humanoid creature per hour or suffer a 5 ongoing psychic damage from the axe (save ends).

Angry (0 or lower)
Ereshkigal's Hatchet now knows that it owner is completely unsuitable for it. It will stop at nothing until the owner is dead and it is in the hands of another.

Property: The axe uses lust for insanity (see below) as often as possible until the owner is dead. Once the owner is dead, it will continue to use this power with each new owner until only one humanoid is alive and standing in the area of effect. At this time, the concordance will reset to 5 (Normal) for its new owner.

Lust for Insanity (at-will; recharge 4, 5, 6) * Arcane, Psychic: Close burst 5. Targets allies and enemies. +17 vs. Will. 1d10 +5 psychic damage and the target believes Ereshkigal's Hatchet is the most treasured artifact in existence. They will attack the owner of Ereshkigal's Hatchet without provocation and will not stop until the owner or they themselves are dead (save ends).

Moving On
Ereshkigal's Hatchet has the ability to teleport up to 100 miles once per month. It will use this power whenever it feels its existence is threatened or if it finds itself in situation where no one is nearby to take ownership of it. In addition, the axe will not stay with the same owner forever. Should one individual keep the hatchet for longer than two years, then the nearest follower of Tharizdun will be made aware of it through their dreams, seek out the owner, try to kill them, and take the axe for themselves if they succeed.

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