[Morgeruat]

Blackrazor: first appearance – white plume mountain

GP value: 200,000 XP Value: 20,000

Blackrazor, a chaotic neutral sword +3, has an intelligence of 17 and an ego of 16. its special purpose is to steal life essences. It is a black sword that shines like a piece of the night sky filled with stars, and it is sheathed in a black scabbard decorated with pieces of cut obsidian. On a killing stroke Blackrazor temporarily adds the number of levels of the dead foe to its bearer’s levels (in terms of fighting ability). The bearer also temporarily gains the full hit points of the victim. All subsequent damage to the swords wielder is removed from the added hit points first. The extra levels and hit points last a number of turns equal to the number oif levels received. The essences of all entites killed by Blackrazor are sucked out and devoured; those killed by the black sword cannot be raised.
For every three days the sword remains unfed its ego increases by one point, until it can compel its bearer to kill a human or humanoid being. Upon feeding its ego returns to 16.
The DM will note that Blackrazor is a negative energy entity that exists by absorbing positive life energy levels from those it kills. However, if it even strikes a creature of negative energy such as an undead (except for ghouls and ghasts) it will work in reverse, transferring one level and corresponding hit points from the wielder to the creature attacked. It will do this each time it strikes. Under these conditions, the wielder can actually die and have his or her essence sucked out by the sword. If the wielder survives, he will need a restoration spell or twice the usual number of levels received from positive kills to replace the lost levels. Those killed for replacement must be of the same race as the sword wielder. Blackrazor very well keep this little drawback a secret until the first time the sword bites into a wight or vampire. The DM must remember that Blackrazor exists solely to feel power and life-forces coursing through itself, and sometimes it may not be too picky about where the energy comes from.

In addition to the powers above, the sword has the following powers:
Speech and telepathy (common and whatever tongues the wielder knows, which it learns through telepathy)
Detects living creatures, 60’ radius
Haste spell (bearer only 10 round duration), once per day
Up to 100% magic resistance to charm and fear (exact % depends on the level of the opponent casting the spell; -5% per level the caster is higher than the sword wielder)