Black Razor

Black Razor. The Black Sword. Soul-Stealer. Ender. It has many names, any of which will scare the pants of any sane creature. There are those who say this weapon is a myth, but unfortunately for the multiverse it is not. Its exact powers are debated, but sages agree on one thing: that it is the most powerful artifact of evil ever seen in Ardrana.

The legend

Legends say that Black Razor was created along with its good counterpart, the Sword of the Ancients or White Sword, in the early days of the world. The two were forged by the master Dwarven smith Torth from a mysterious substance found by his clan in their mines. He brought the substance to the forge at the Heart of the Earth, where he and his son, Zedek, created the two swords.

Black Razor is a device of devious intelligence which seeks to dominate the mind of anyone who holds it. Due to its power, only the greatest of heroes might resist its temptations to perform dark acts to fulfill its bloodlust, and that such dark acts channel energy into both sword and wielder.

Centuries ago, a device was created that might control both swords. It is known simply as The Box. Like the swords, it has appeared and disappeared periodically through history.

Dwarven legends hold that the Black Sword and the White Sword cannot be destroyed except by the unmaking of the Heart of the Earth itself -- in other words, say sages, by the destruction of the entire world. They also say that if both were to reappear simultaneously, it would be a sign that the world is about to end. Obviously, the truth of these legends is difficult to test.

Recent history

Black Razor's current whereabouts are unknown. For years, it laid dormant in the collection of a rich nobleman named Sunder, but it was stolen from him by Keraptis during the latter days of the Wars of Arin. It was, in turn, taken from him by an adventuring party led by Zorg, who was nearly undone in his attempts to use it. He returned it to a man he thought was Sunder, but who was in fact an agent of the House of Eilservs, a mighty drow faction from Zarach-Oras.

The caravan carrying Black Razor back to the drow city was attacked by the forces of Sargon, who had the sword placed in his vaults, meant to be examined another day, but it was soon found by an outlaw dark Elven illrigger named Inzilagor. It was stolen from him by a mysterious figure named The Master, but quickly recovered by a ranger named Donovan. A band was assigned to bring it to Morelenas, but it was ambushed by the powerful illusionist Rarth Ilinix. It was in turn stolen from him by a band of githyanki, who used a wizard named Bargle to attempt to unlock its secrets. Bargle was killed in a failed attempt to do so, but nothing is known of what has happened since.