Sanguine Flourish

Seeing a large orc pick up one of the most vicious axes you have ever seen should be the stuff of nightmares. And indeed, when he picks it up, the dark runes etched in the flint of the blade seem to dance on its surface and along with a slight fear for your safety, you feel a sense of dread. This ax is made for one thing and one thing only.

Yet, as the orc tests the ax's weight, a calm is also present and quickly growing in the moment. Time slows down - the fire almost goes silent. For a brief moment, there is no sound, and at that moment, all emotion vanishes. There is nothing but the serenity of reason devoid of emotion. Then the moment is gone. You are after all staring at a large orc wielding a wicked looking ax.

A sense of calm and penetrating reason temporarily douses the rage you normally hold just under the surface. This is truly different. Is this something you can call upon?

This 4' battle ax is simply ferocious to gaze upon. A massive 4' weapon, weighing almost 20 lbs. It is so heavy, that if the wielder doesn't have at least a 15 strength, they get a -4 to all attack rolls and a -2 on damage.
While it appears from a distance to be made of metal on a dark wooden haft, up close it can be seen to be an ax chiseled from a large piece of black flint. The scrollwork etchings in the blade appear to move and shift at the corners of one's vision. The ax is indestructible except for the most powerful of forces.
The base stats are as follows:
Two-Handed: 1d10 small, 1d12 medium.
Keen: Crit range is 18-20, Crit damage is x3
The primary ability of this ax is the acquisition of a blood rage which it transfers to its wielder.
In game terms, at the end of each round when the ax draws blood (or sap/fluid from a plant-based creature) a rage token is gained. Should that blow also be a killing blow, a 2nd rage token is gained for that round. Abilities like cleave which might allow for multiple kills in a round do not allow for more than 2 rage tokens per round.
The maximum number of rage tokens the ax can accumulate is the character's level plus 4. (meaning 5 max at 1st level).
The ax will gain no rage tokens from inferior opponents - this is a somewhat honorable weapon. For an opponent to be considered worthy that opponent must be within 3 HD of the character's level. (e.g. must be at least 1 HD at 4th level, 2 HD at 5th level, 3 HD at 6th level, and so on.) At 8th level, the new rule is that the HD must be at least 1/2 the HD of the character's level.
Any round the ax fails to score a blooded hit, it loses one rage counter. At the end of any combat, all rage tokens are lost.
Most abilities of the ax are tied to its rage tokens. The longer the combat, the more powerful the ax becomes.

Ax Benefits

• 1st Level: The ax has a +1 enhancement bonus to hit and damage
• 1st Level: The ax ignores all silver damage reductions.
• 1st Level: For each rage token, the ax does +1 damage per strike.
• 1st Level: At 3 rage counters the ax starts wailing. Any creature hit must save vs. DC (12) with a penalty equal to the number of rage tokens or be shaken.
• 1st Level: Improved Sunder feat gained when using the ax.
• 1st Level: All Sunder attacks do normal damage + 2x the number or rage tokens.
• 2nd Level: For every 3 rage counters, the wielder gains +1 deflection bonus to AC (at +1 at 3, +2 at 6, +3 at 9, +4 at 12, +5 at 15, +6 at 18)
• 2nd Level: +10 to speed when charging
• 3rd Level: Str +1 enhancement bonus
• 3rd Level: Once you are at 7 rage tokens, you are immune to all forms of fear.
• 4th Level: Vengeful Strike - once per encounter, any attack which will reduce you to or below 0 hit points allows for you to have an immediate counter-attack at +5 to hit. A critical is automatically confirmed.
• 5th Level: For every 5 rage counters, the wielder gains one free attack per round at full attack bonus (this is free. Full attack not required). 1 at 5 counters, 2 at 10 counters, etc.
• 5th Level: at 8 rage counters, the wailing becomes so disconcerting that all opponents who can hear it within 30' get a -2 on their will saves unless they are immune to fear effects.
• 6th Level: Axe now ignores all damage reductions except Mythical.
• 6th Level: Once rage counter is 5 or higher, cannot be staggered or stunned.
• 7th Level: +1 enhancement bonus to Dex while the ax is out and held.
• 7th Level: Wielder is never flat-footed and reacts with amazing speed, even from threats unknown.
• 7th Level: The effects of concealment versus attacks from the ax are reduced by half. A 20% concealment is now only 10%.
• 8th Level: The ax now has a +2 enhancement bonus.
• 8th Level: Any charge attack is made at advantage. This includes the roll to confirm criticals.
• 8th Level: Twice as many rage counters are gained from successful charging attacks. This means 4 tokens can be earned from a successful charge in a single round.
• 9th Level: Spell Resistance of 15
• 9th Level: The ax now has a +3 enhancement bonus. At 5 rage tokens, that bonus becomes +4.
• 9th Level: At 12 rage tokens, all opponent spellcasters within 30' get a -4 to concentration checks from the wailing of the blade.
• 9th Level: The ax can normally now gain 3 rage tokens per round.
• 9th Level: The wielder of the ax can loan intent and anger to the ax. This takes the effect of giving up hitpoints for rage tokens. This is not an energy drain or evil ability, it is loaning the vitality of life. For every five hit points surrendered in this way, 1 rage token is gained. This is a swift action. A maximum of 5 rage tokens can be gained this way. The surrendered hit points cannot be healed, it is as if the wielder's max hit points have decreased by that amount. After the ax loses its rage, these hitpoints are regained at a rate of 5 points per round. The rage tokens tied to hitpoints are always the last tokens given up if the ax is powering down.
• 10 Level: Strength bonus is now +2.
• 10th Level: Wielder can now Rage like a barbarian. If the wielder already has this ability, durations are doubled.
• 11th Level: Ignore all damage reductions.
• 11th Level: If rage tokens are 5 or higher, cannot be dazed, stunned, fatigued, exhausted, or nauseated.
• 12th Level: Immune to all magical mind-affecting effects if rage counter is 5 or higher.
• 13th Level: Base damage weapon damage is now 2d8 small, 2d12 medium.
• 13th Level: Crit damage is now x4
• 14th Level: +1 Constitution enhancement.
• 14th Level: Thunder Blast - If rage tokens are 15 or higher, the wielder can expend all rage tokens and slam the ax into the ground or another otherwise solid object. The object takes 4x the number of rage tokens expended in damage. Every opponent within 10' takes 20d10 damage (DC30 Fort for half). Every opponent from 10' to 20' takes 10d10 damage (DC25 Fort or half). Every opponent within 20' to 40' takes 5d10 damage (DC20 Fort for half). This is force damage and should not be considered magical or sonic once invoked. Anyone taking damage must make a 2nd Fort at the same DC or be stunned for 2d6 rounds. Finally, all within 10' who fail both saves will be hurled back 1' per point of damage taken.
• 15th Level: +1 attack per round at highest attack bonus.
• 15th Level: Can learn fighter only feats.
• 15th Level: Gain the Cleave feat if not already known. If cleave is already known, gain Great Cleave. If Great Cleave is already known is gain an additional combat feat.
• 16th Level: Gain the Great Cleave feat. If already known, gain an additional combat feat.
• 16th Level: Weapon enhancement is now +4, should it matter.
• 16th Level: Constitution bonus is now +2.
• 17th Level: Weapon is now Vorpal.
• 17th Level: +40 temporary hit points when in combat.
• 18th Level: For a 10 point AC penalty until the beginning of your next turn, you can hit each opponent up to twice with great cleave instead of the normal 1 attack allowed per opponent.
• 18th Level: Gain a combat feat.
• 18th Level: Can increase strength by 3 for 10 minutes per mythic surge used.
• 19th Level: Strength bonus is now +2. +4 when in combat.
• 19th Level: Spell resistance when ax has rage tokens increases to 30.
• 20th Level: Lunging Jump: At any time during your combat attack, once per round, you can jump up to 60' feet instead of a 5' move. You gain a +20 on the first attack made coming out of the jump. The speed of the jump negates any attacks of opportunity against you.
• 20th Level: When rage tokens are 10 or greater, you can activate a disruptive field (dismissible at will) that causes all spell casters within 50' to make a successful concentration check to cast a spell. All concentration checks receive -10 penalty to success. By expending a mythic surge, the field's penalty is -20 for ten minutes.
• 20th Level: Constitution bonus is now +3.
• 20th Level: Strength bonus is now +4. +8 when in combat.
• 21st Level: As long as the ax still has rage tokens and the battle rages, you can go on fighting to a negative amount of hit points equal to your positive hit points. As soon as the last visible opponent is defeated or surrenders, or you are somehow removed as a combatant, all normal implications of your hit points take full effect.
  
  

Alignment Benefits

When you picked up the ax, something changed in your being. This change is permanent for you beyond and separate from the ax. Even if you were to lose the ax, these changes are permanent.

The presence of the ax is causing you to at times be both more aware of your surroundings yet detached from the emotional hijacking that interactions can sometimes cause. It is a calming effect to the fierceness which burns in your chest. It's not dulling your ferocity - it's like it's being better focused.

• 1st Level: Insight (SU): As a free action, you can immediately gain a bonus to your initiative counter equal to 1/2 your total level (minimum 1). You can use this ability a number of times equal to 3+ your wisdom modifier.
• 2nd Level: Time slows down in critical situations, you can no longer be surprised (flat-footed) if you are able at all to perceive the threat in advance. (I know this largely mutes the benefit gained from the obedience. This is what I had down for the 2nd level change from the ax. The obedience would then kick in whereas you are unable to perceive the threat in advance but have a weapon drawn.)
• 3rd Level: Once per encounter can cast Sanctuary as a spell-like ability.
• 3rd Level: Once per day can character can find their calm center and immediately achieve a zen-like calm. This will automatically end any condition of the following: antagonized, confused, cowering, fascinated, frightened, panicked, and shaken. When used, the character also gains a new immediate save to any mind-affecting magics currently afflicting the character. (This can be done to end a rage feature early also. Doing so protects the character from fatigue effects.)
• 4th Level: The first living or dead opponent you damage in an encounter is afflicted as if hit with a slow spell. DC is 13+ your current strength modifier.
• 5th Level: Moment of Pause (Sp): As a melee touch attack, you can stop time for one creature briefly, freezing them in place. For one round, the creature can take no action and experiences time as if that round never took place. Because the target of this ability does not experience the flow of time it cannot be affected by any event, attack, spell or effect as per the time stop spell. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
• 6th Level: Gain a 5' move every round of combat. This works identically to the original 5' move a character would get and can be used before or after other actions as needed. Even with a full move action taken, this additional 5' can be added at the end of the move.
• 7th Level: Gain a +1 to Wisdom.
• 7th Level: Gain 2 clerical orison - even if you are not a caster. These 2 orison's function in all other ways as normal clerical orisons for a cleric of 1st level (unless you are a divine caster in which case they operate at your level.) These orisons are powered by Kristor.
• 8th Level: Wisdom bonus increases to +2.
• 8th Level: Can cast Augury as a spell-like ability 1/day.
• 8th Level: Any time you are below 20% hit points, all attacks against you are at disadvantage.
• 9th Level: Time Shift (Sp): Three times per week and no more than once per day, you can briefly shift time backward as a full round action. You can shift back no further than 1 combat round or 1 minute of noncombat time. Any actions that took place during the time you shift back before are considered to have not taken place yet, and all actions pick up at the point you shift back. In combat, you can shift back to any point of the previous round.
• 10 Level: Cast Slow (Wisdom modifier+3) times per day as a spell-like ability. This casting is done as a swift action.
• 11th Level: +3 enhancement bonus to wisdom.
• 11th Level: Cast Divination as a spell-like ability 1/day.
• 12th Level: Time Step (Sp): As a standard action, can immediately jump 1d4+2 rounds into the future. For all intents and purposes, the character is out of the game until returning on their initiative roll of the given round. This effect can be used as often as desired. Each time the character time steps, there is a small chance (1%) they disappear for 1d3 hours instead.
• 13th Level: Perfect time - always know what time of day it is even if knocked unconscious. Has all the benefits of knowing how long an event has been, and of an alarm clock as needed.
• 14th Level: Time Step Other (Sp): As a standard action, can immediately jump a target of a touch attack 1d4+2 rounds into the future. For all intents and purposes, the target is out of the game until returning on their initiative roll of the given round. Only one target (self or other) can be Time Stepped at a time. Each time the target is time stepped, there is a small chance (1%) they disappear for 1d3 hours instead. The DC to resist this effect is DC 25 will. Once a target makes a save, it can not be time stepped again for 24 hours. As an attack, this ability can only be used twice a day.
• 15th Level: DR of 10 verse fire.
• 15th Level: Your natural aging slows down to 1/3. Your remaining years will be tripled.
• 16th Level: Can cast Haste on self at will as an immediate action. Can cast haste on others as per the spell at the 20th level of ability as a swift action for 1 mythic surge.
• 17th Level: Immune to all detrimental time effects like slow.
• 17th Level: With a swift action, you can alter your physical age to anywhere along your natural progression from appearing as you did when you were a kid to appearing as you will in your last years of life. This change is real and physical, not illusionary. It does not affect your real age or total lifespan.
• 18th Level: Cast Time Stop with a mythic surge. A second mythic surge allows it to be cast at a mythic level of ability.
• 18th Level: All fire damage is reduced by 50%. Cold damage is increased by 25%.
• 19th Level: Time Ravage: 1/day with touch can age a non-living object 10-100 years no save. You can age a living target 2-20 years, DC30 save. You can use this ability an additional time per day with the use of a mythic surge. You can reverse a use of this ability within 24 hours with the expenditure of a mythic surge. However, if the aging killed the target, reversing the aging will not bring the target back to life.
• 20th Level: Subtype Fire is gained. Immunity to all fire and heat damage, magical or non-magical. Vulnerability to cold.
• 20th Level: You have the continual effects of Foresight up. While you can't be surprised, you have limited time, maybe a second or two, or react in a way to help those around you. In effect, you have Foresight up for those within 10' around you also.
• 21st Level: Fire Aura (SU): You can expend mythic surges to create a heat aura which surrounds you out to 10'. All within this aura take 2d6 points of damage per surge spent at the beginning of your turn. The aura lasts for 5 combat rounds. Combustibles will catch flame. You are not immune to smoke inhalation damage. If 10 mythic surges are used (20d6 damage) the range increases to 30' and the aura is hot enough to melt stone and metals. Floors will become lava 1' foot deep. If walls or ceilings are in this area of effect, treat this as an avalanche that deals fire damage. This aura also negates incoming cold damage by an equal amount. And AOE cold damage negates a similar amount of the fire aura for 1 round for each round the cold damage is in effect.
• 21st Level: Time Step (SU): As a standard action, you can remove yourself from the flow of time. The effect is to disappear 2 tics after their initiative order. You will reappear 1d2 rounds later on a new initiative number in which they can take their full action. You appear 2 tics before their new initiative. With this power gained, the circlet becomes less useful.
• 22nd Level: Manipulate Flames (Su) You can control any fire spell within 100 feet as a standard action. This ability allows you to move any fire effect in the area as if you were the caster. This ability also allows you to reposition a stationary fire effect, although the new placement must be one allowed by the spell. Finally, for 1 round following the use of this ability, you can control any new fire spell cast within your area of control, as if you were the caster. You can make all decisions allowed to the caster, including canceling the spell if it so desires. Against non-magical flames, you can cause any flame which only does 1d6 a round to extinguish, a flame to cool down by 1d6 damage per round, or cause any other flame to burn hotter, adding 1d6 damage per round and causing it to burn through its fuel at double speed.
• 22nd Level: Time Push: With two full rounds of concentration and a mythic surge, you can send a target ahead in time 1d10 days. The target simply vanishes for all intents and purposes and doesn’t exist again until they return exactly as they were in the same spot. If the target a living creature, it gets a will save of 25 to avoid the effect. If the target is inanimate, the save varies based on size and material. Through experimentation, that which was once alive tends to be highly resistant. Stone seems somewhat resistant, while metal is the most susceptible.

Temple Benefit

Unlike some of the other temple benefits, the powers gained by this are too powerful to be contained in a single individual. As such, a companion piece to the ax exists in the form of a heavy obsidian circlet. The circlet is currently crafted into a magical helmet.
The powers of the circlet are as follows: If the ax and circlet are in use by the same individual and the wearer is devoted to Kristor (or the good gods in general), the wearer gains limited control over the flow of time and can perform one of the following effects.

The first ability is retained despite the temples being destroyed.
1. As a standard action, the wearer can remove themselves from the flow of time. The effect is to disappear 2 tics after their initiative order. They will reappear 1d2 rounds later on a new initiative number in which they can take their full action. The wearer appears 2 tics before their new initiative.
The next ability is lost as the temples have been destroyed.
2. With two full rounds of concentration, the wearer can send a target ahead in time 1d10 days. The target simply vanishes for all intents and purposes and doesn’t exist again until they return exactly as they were in the same spot. If the target a living creature, it gets a will save of 22 to avoid the effect. If the target is inanimate, the save varies based on size and material. Through experimentation, that which was once alive tends to be immune. Stone seems somewhat resistant, while metal is the most susceptible.

Knowing the history of the items as not being of this world, the group theorizes that the association with Kristor is a requirement from the wearer to be worthy in the eyes of the gods to use these powers. As such, the powers of the circlet are allowed to operate, as opposed to the powers being granted by the divine powers of Kristor.