Stormbringer
Weapon (Greatsword) artifact (requires attunement)
Stormbringer, also called the Black Blade, the Black Sword, and the Stealer of Souls, is a legendary soul-devouring runesword. Stormbringer is fully sentient and has a malicious will of its own. It is one of two legendary Black Swords, the other being Mournblade.
Description
Stormbringer is a huge, finely-wrought zweihänder runesword, with a blade about five feet long from the hilt. The hilt itself is embedded with a large spherical ruby of that — when the light catches it just right — resembles a bloody eye. The blade is made entirely from an unearthly, vaguely flesh-like black metal, and is etched with mysterious runes so ancient that none today possess knowledge to decipher them. The runes can sometimes be seen to glow and change color, cycling from red and purple to blue. The blade is often wreathed in black light and dark fire, and it screams in battle.
Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of Stormbringer is the fact that it is alive and self-aware. The sword can be quite vocal, screaming, grumbling, howling, murmuring, moaning, and even singing at times. It is capable of slaying even gods, though it has an uncanny taste for the souls of its possessor's loved ones.
Powers
Stormbringer is a +3 weapon with the following abilities:
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Stormbringer devours the souls of those it strikes down. Any being slain by Stormbringer cannot be raised or resurrected by any power known to mortals or Gods. Note that the sword will only feed on sapient life (Intelligence of 5 or better).
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Stormbringer can float and act independently, as per a Dancing Sword. However, the sword will choose its own targets.
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The bearer of Stormbringer receives +2 to STR and CON, and their maximum STR and CON are both increased by 2. This benefit is lost if the Black Blade has not fed for 24 hours or longer. If the bearer's STR or CON are still below 19 after that, they are raised to 19.
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For each soul consumed, the Soul Stealer grants its wielder a small fraction of that energy, in the form of +2 to damage and 10 temporary hit points, which can stack with itself. These benefits remain until the bearer takes a long rest.