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Hunder’s Axe
Hunder was a legendary giant. In the days when human lands were young Hunder was spoken of as a great lord among his kind whose titan strength made him a target for any would-be hero determined to write his own legend in blood. It came to pass that Josiah Mensh, a young man with a decent sword arm and a clever head on his shoulders, was to challenge Hunder. Josiah knew that he was certainly no better than a dozen men who had come and died before him, so instead of a battle to the death he challenged the giant to tests of skill. Hunder was famous for his arrogance and accepted immediately. Josiah then outlined the three tests: threading a needle; walking a tightrope; and picking up a grain of rice. All these tests were designed to be impossible for the giant to win and though he was enraged by it he admitted defeat. Josiah required three things from his opponent, the first of which was to construct the great stone staircase known as the Hunderwalk. The Hunderwalk has since become the heart of the trading city of Mensh – named as such for Josiah – and it is through this task that Hunder is best known. The second two tasks were to hand over his axe and his belt and to never again trouble the realms of men and, keeping his word, the giant did so and was never heard of again. Or so the legend says.
Hunder’s Axe is eight feet in length, the shaft is some unidentifiable hardwood four inches in diameter while the blade is a two-foot-square slab of sharpened steel. All-told the axe weighs about three hundred pounds. It is said that Hunder wielded it with only one hand, but even the strongest of humans would find such a task impossible with both. Only through the magic of Hunder’s Girdle of Strength, or some similar enchantment which increases the wielder’s strength to at least 20, can the axe be used effectively in combat. The axe functions as a two-handed axe +2 with regard to hitting, but the axe is such an enormous weapon that even a glancing blow from it will send an opponent reeling. Those of medium size who are struck by the axe must save vs. paralysation or be knocked backwards 1d10 feet unable to fight in the next round of combat. Small-sized creatures are hurled back 2d10 feet automatically, while large creatures are unaffected. The axe performs critical hits on the roll of a 17+ on a d20 and if the axe does more than half of an opponents remaining hit points in damage in a single round of combat then it can be presumed that the axe wielder has simply cut the opponent in half, which will kill creatures vulnerable to such attacks.
(This item is from the world of Saas)
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