The Kali Sceptre (CAHlee)

Written upon this scepter are ultrafine etchings that encircle and encompass the single piece tang and pommel, even under the shark-skin leather wrappings of the hilt. Many of the lines are too small to read, and they are often unintelligible even to one who is looking directly at the curious weapon. They seem to shift, or move, every so often, but if anybody has ever been able to make any real sense of why, they have kept their mouths shut. The inscriptions, as far as anyone has ever been able to make out, are the greatest hope, and the greatest fear, of anyone who has ever held it, including Kali.
Upon attunement, the user can cause the scepter to take on the shape of any weapon the user is proficient with, using the chosen weapon's base stats with the following additional benefits;
Twice, that being two times per day, until you finish a long or a short rest you may use an action with this weapon to cast one of the following, without requiring a spell slot:¹

• Conjure Elemental or Elemental Bane
• Fabricate or Disintegrate
• Create Food and Water or Vampiric Touch

Additionally, the quirky weapon will allow you to cast one the following through it twice per long or short rest:

• Mass Cure Wounds or Negative Energy Flood
• Passwall or Wall of Stone

Each day, meaning each period of time wherein the sun is or would be hitting Tellus either under or above the surface within ten feet of the scepter, please note the following abilities:

• Tasha's Otherworldly Guise or Tenser's Transformation

The artifact conveys a +3 bonus to both attack and damage while fighting with it. With the command word, "Truth", it will emit soft light in a 25' radius, and dim light for a further 15'. With the command word "Deception", it will cast Darkness in a 25' radius sphere, only allowing dim light for a further 15'.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The 'curse' surrounding this item is quite interesting, in that it is not so much a curse as it is an agreement. It is also often missed entirely when being searched for, and ignores racial charm resistances and immunities. The last person to hold this piece d'art, the current wielder, can pass it on to another who agrees to the terms of the implied contract, or until they die and another takes hold of the beautiful weapon. Trickery is not outside the realm of possibility while convincing another to receive the weapon from you. Mind your karma.
Resisting the machinations of the Scepter can be accomplished with a Charisma saving throw of 25 or more. Any sentient creature within 10' of the scepter, if it is not bound to someone, must re-roll the Cha saving throw every day they come near. If it has to force itself upon someone, it will assign itself an attunement slot randomly. It will give a creature, that ultimately accepts, the choice of which slot to swap out if necessary.

Manufacturing process

They were created by the Goddess Kali to protect some few of her most important clergy.

History

These were supposedly made by Kali to keep her priests and supporters safe. The gift of one of these rods comes with a price; one is thenceforth bound...for one year and one day...to protect a particular priest or priestess of Kali, as necessary. They are known to have been held by Kali herself, Vekhetstevyparalax-Stevie, Nyssa the Damsel, Oghma, Vekheteshaynaralax-Shayna, and Mab, among others.

Significance

One becomes bound to the service of, and can be summoned at will by, Kali herself. A mortal is allowed to retain the item, as a reward, until the day they die. They are tracked quite closely.

¹ In the forever and always have-beens, the maybes so very prevalent of the The Great Weave, Kali herself is the personification of push and pull; give and take. The ancient concept of yin-and-yang is a good example. She is the Goddess of Creation and destruction. This resolves mechanically into an 'this, or' situation. On or off. One or the other. Not both. The user must choose one side of that 'this, or' scenario, of course.

Item type

Unique Artifact

Creation Date

Kali begat these objects sometime circa 30,000TK

Destruction Date

Not yet, at least.

Rarity

There are three. At least, three that are known about at that world famous institution of renown and esteem, The Bardic College Campus.

Weight

2lbs., in any form

Dimensions

Variable

Base Price

This is one of a priceless set of three.

Raw materials & Components

It is constructed entirely out of mithral, even the heart of the artifact is mithral.

Tools

These three holy weapons were begat by Kali for reasons known only to her.

* Archivist's note: This ancient form of citation is virtually unreadable. If one is mad enough to try to use this artifact in its intended role, one will seize what one wants from this mystical drivel.