Shears of the Weaver (Tiny; Exotic)
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These scissors have large triangular blades. The grips of each blade are bare grey metal bent in a loop toward the pivot pin. They are occasionally wrapped in dry rawhide. The outer face of the blades are etched with a grid pattern.
These types of scissors are also known as a wand of the geaswender. It is the tool used by this class of curse-mages to cast geas and curses. Curses of a geaswender may only be cast using this item. There are four kinds of curse:
Hex: The subject of a hex curse loses the ability to make saving throws versus spellcasting for the duration of the hex. A hex curse lasts one round. Spellcasting that normally allows a saving throw no longer requires one when cast against the subject of the hex. Hex does not affect Spell Resistance.
Jinx: The subject of a jinx curse loses the benefit of any Strength and Dexterity ability modifiers. For the duration of the jinx, all Strength and Dexterity checks are made as if the stats were both reduced to 11. All Feats that require a Strength or Dexterity higher than 11 are suspended for the duration of the curse.
Suspended Feats are: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword, dwarven waraxe), Great Cleave, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Grapple, Improved Overrun, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Sunder, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Manyshot, Mobility, Power Attack, Rapid Shot, Shot On The Run, Snatch Arrows, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, and Whirlwind Attack.
Affected Feats are: Deft Hands, Hide, Sleight Of Hand, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Ride, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Stealthy, and Trample.
Reflex saves are similarly affected. Subjects with normally lower than 11 are unaffected in that ability score. Magically-enhanced Strength or Dexterity scores, as by a belt of giant strength or the spell iron body, are unaffected by a jinx. The duration of a jinx curse is 1 round +1 per user's character level.
Pox: The subject of a pox curse suffers 1 point of damage, is affected as if under the spell doom (cast by a 5th level spellcaster), active enchantments on the subject are dispelled (as the spell dispel magic as a 10th level spell caster), and otherwise immortal subjects are rendered mortal for the duration of the pox. This particular curse is effective only on the Material Plane. A pox curse leaves a visible permanent scar on the subject. The spell effects of the pox curse are combined charged spell effects. Shears of the weaver come with 50 charges. The duration of the pox is 5 minutes (30 rounds).
Vex: The subject of a vex curse makes all skill checks without the benefit of a skill modifier or Feat-based bonuses. For the duration of the vex, all skill checks are made using only the ability modifier of the skill. Vex temporarily halts the ability to use skill modifiers and skill-enhancing Feats. The duration of a vex curse is 1 round +1 per user's character level.
The cursing ability of this weapon is only effective against intelligent creatures, humanoids, or beings manifest on the Material Plane as such.
To affect a subject with a curse from the shears of the weaver, you must make a ranged touch attack against the subject of the curse then call out which of the four types of curse you wish to inflict on the subject. Missing the ranged touch attack expends the called curse. Usually, only one curse per day may be cast on a single subject. There is no save allowed against the cursing power of this weapon.
Each curse may be cast only once per day. Attempting to cast twice on a single subject in the same day causes both the subject and the user to make a Fortitude save (DC 20 +1 per caster level). Subjects failing to save are affected by the second curse. Casters failing are slain instantly (even if the curse affected the subject). Only one curse may be cast each round.
The effect of a cursing through the shears of the geaswender absorbs Experience Points (XP) from the user. Each curse exhausts 25 XP per use. XP that would cause the user to loose a level cannot be used. Attempts to use the shears of the weaver with inadequate XP causes the attempt to fail. The expense of XP causes the user to feel hunger-pangs immediately following the cursing.
The magic of these shears works through the invisible tapestry of fate that binds all free-willed mortals together in physical existence. Geaswenders are not normal magic casters. Their power works exclusively through the shared fabric of fate. Shears of the weaver enable them to snip and knot the strands of a subject, unraveling the intended design of the individual. The geaswender uses curses and geas primarily to do this. These scissors are specially empowered to make the delicate cuts necessary to change the warp and weft that make up the pattern of a mortal life. It is only safe for the geaswender to snip one strand at a time, either warp or weft. The act of changing fate in two runs at one time causes a sudden increase in the tension on the mortal coil of the geaswender. If the line snaps, it kills the geaswender.
In the hands of an untrained user these scissors are a very dangerous thing, for both individual fates and the user. Geaswenders intuitively recognize the tentative tugs of rogue weavers. The designs these powerful curse makers work are protected. Untrained users will be hunted down. Untrained use of these shears more than twice per day will alert all geaswenders to the location of the user.
Shears of the weaver are crafted by a master geaswender and given to wender adepts when they have completed geaswender training. Each one is unique to its crafter and for whom it was made. All geaswenders are lawful in nature. This item will not function for a user of chaotic alignment.
The shears of the weaver can also be used as a +1 melee weapon. It is an exotic weapon that requires training to use correctly. Stabbing an opponent with the closed blade of the scissors, or slashing them with the length of the open blades, causes excruciating pain. Trained users who have two or more attacks per round may stab and then open these scissors in a single twisting action. Hitting with two successive attack rolls on a single opponent like this causes 1d8+1 points of damage and criticals as a punch dagger at x3.
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