Value: 75,000 GS
 

Looks: A short sword whose blade appears to be made from a single piece of black crystal and the hilt of the darkest ebony. The blade is not really crystal, but rather made of some unknown metallic composition.

Effects: This sword is +4 to hit and +4 to damage. However its real deadliness occurs when it successfully strikes. The target must make a saving throw or he/she will suffer 2d10 pts of damage from negative energy, save to half damage on the first hit only. Further, The target must make a further saving throw or he/she shall fall into a black sleep from which they can not be roused for 1d6 days. There is a 10% chance that this sleep will be permanent until death. The blade also grants wielders +35% chance to hide in shadows and will create darkness thrice a day. It is only usable by Assassins, Thieves, and Priests of Dark cults.

History: This blade was created by a priest of Cthulu some 45,000 years ago. It is said that during its creation, the priest quenched it not in water, but in the blood of 13 men and thus bound forever the power of darkness to this blade. It was his not only his main weapon for protection, but also his murderous ceremonies. The priest died shortly after the creation of Dark Death, during a "change in the administration of the church's government" (politics is so much fun, don't you think?) And the blade passed from High Priest to High priest down the eons. During the suppression of the Cthuluian religion, some 38,000 years ago, the blade was lost. It has shown up now and again through out the years, dealing death about it, and then falling silent for another eon or two.