The Velvet fist was a gift from the gods. A dark knight named Del Blackthorn ruled over a land he conquered. His laws were harsh and his subjects starved. Oppression was met at the end of a sword by his black guard. His malicious nature only festered further as he arrested commoners for imaginary crimes. These commoners were tortured for his amusement.

   The people of the town would not stand for it no longer. They gathered their gold and set a young boy to search for a knight to rid them of Del. The day came when the boy returned with the people's hero, a holy knight named Elaron. The knight brought an army and asked for no gold to liberate the town from Del's evil ways. Del fled instead of fighting, cursing Elaron's name as he escaped.

   While in exile he prayed to his god to give him the strength to destroy the one who stole his land. The evil god answered Del's prayers. Del's mace became the Velvet Fist. The weapon was said to be used for sending souls to the dark gods. Del finding his new power used it for looting and pillaging, not for regaining his castle. In his haste he assaulted and killed a priest of his own sect. His god punished Del by having the mace consume his soul. Now a curse is bestowed to any who hold the mace. A curse to keep souls flowing to Del's dark god.

Abilities: The Velvet Fist is a +3 footman's mace of neutral evil alignment. It is mounted with a spiked round head and a jet black handle. Light sources shine off of its dark surface in unusual flowing shapes. When presented in battle the mace will create a light hazy purple fog from its head. The fog flows off the mace gently when swung. The mace prefers warriors or any non-good alignment clerics. It will not function magically for owners that are good clerics or non-warriors.

   The mace has no intelligence, just a hunger for souls. While it yields great power it also bestows a curse upon its owner. The owner may never rid themselves of the mace unless defeated in battle or through death. When the owner is defeated in battle and the victor takes the mace the curse is transferred to its new wielder. The mace senses the greater warrior and will release itself from its previous owner for a more powerful one.

   On a natural hit roll of 19 or 20, the victim of the mace must save vs death magic (3E: willpower DC17) or have their soul absorbed by the mace. The mace will then store the soul for one week to slowly devour it. If there are no souls in the mace it will begin to consume its owner. After one week of hunger the mace will eat the soul of its owner, save allowed (willpower save DC 17) to resist. Each day after that the owner must make another save or be consumed. The mace must be destroyed to release the souls within.