Items · Melee Weapons · Magical
Wassunja
A magic weapon common among the Orcish tribes
Full Item Description
A Wassunja is an enchanted wooden club bound with two bands of either bronze of iron. It is a racial based weapon and remains heavy in the hands of a human, and doubles in weight if lifted by an elf. In the hands of a blooded orcish warrior, the club is fast and agile, a weapon good for cracking shields, breaking bones, and staving in skulls.
History
The origines of the Wassunja war clubs are a closely guarded secret of the orcish shamans, who are loath to speak with non-orcs, let alone share clan secrets. Unlike tradition methods of human and elven enchantment, a Wassunja is a fetish, a magical item that derives it's power not from complex spells and sorcery but from an elemental bound into the item. Specifically, in the case of the war club a caste of earth elemental spirits collectively known as the Wassunja.
Having a long tradition of strong shamans and good standing with the primitive yet potent elemental courts of fire and stone, it was not hard for the Shaman to convince the warrior caste of the stone courts to inhabit war clubs to fight along side of the orcish warriors. While the spirits agreed to this, a club would have to be properly respected, and if the club was broken, or used in a cowardly manner it would break and the elemental within would flee the weapon.
Magic/Cursed Properties
A Wassunja war club carries with it the force of the earth, with strieks doing considerably more damage than would be expected of a wooden club without spikes, flanges, or other adornments. A Wassunja automatically deals 50% of its base damage before damage is rolled for. Assuming a war club dealt 1D6+1 damage (Example only) a Wassunja war club would deal 1D6+4 damage. This damage is also upgraded to lethal damage if clubs only inflict bashing or subdual damage.
Once a day, a Wassunja can be invoked to make a Break check. A break check is a called shot against a pie of a foe's equipment, such as a held weapon, a shield, or the helmet of his armor. If the attack succedes, the object targeted must roll a check to resist the club's break attack. Destroyed gear must be discarded as it is no longer useful in battle. This power can be used on inanimate objects such as doors with a fairly high chance of success.
Roleplaying Notes
1. Orcs deserve to have basic magic weapons of their own, and magic swords+1 really dont match the orcish style.
2. Clubs are an underused weapon and deserve a bit more attention in light of the various magic swords.
3. Orcs like to hit stuff hard and break things.
Scrolls
Twists, chapters, and details meant to stream with the submission — not general discussion.
No scrolls yet — leave one if you have a twist worth keeping.
Sign in to plant an idea scroll.
Award XP
Enjoyed this? Sign in to thank Scrasamax with blade clashes — 5 XP each, up to 25.
5 10 15 20 25Sign in to award XP.
Discussion
Reader talk, questions, and feedback — not scrolls.
No comments yet — be the first voice in the hall.
Sign in to join the discussion.
Continue the path
Three more steps through the hall.
- Class of Items-Weapons by MoonHunter Bound
Other takes
No other takes yet — the best compliment on the Citadel is a Retelling.
Bonds
Curated bonds across the Citadel. Kindred Favors are another thread in the same weave.
Echoes 3
Pieces that link here
- Class of Items-Weapons MoonHunter linked by Scrasamax
- Generic Magical Items manfred linked by Scrasamax
- Scrasamax's Guide to Orcs Scrasamax linked by Scrasamax
Thank you for this submission-Orcs need their own stuff.
This is a good beginning to basic 'enchantments' for a primitive peoples, any primitive people, but it seems a little, I dunno, too diplomatic for a shaman to be making deals with an entire elemental court.
In most campaigns, I would also have to make these very, very rare, and put them in the hands of great orcish heros only, because this is WAY past a +1 magic sword or masterwork sword in level of power and requirements to create.
I didn't intend for it to come across that a single shaman had a pact with an elemental court, but rather the shaman (shamen? shamans? WTF is the plural of shaman?) tradition of the entire orcish tribe/culture would have such a relationship. The elves get along with the trees, and the dwarves get along with fire and metal quite well. Seems natural that orcs would get fire and rocks.
You know, I have so many times asked myself that question, and avoided it at least as many times, that I just had to look it up now! :)
Wikipedia says "shamans". Sounds okay.
If it seems too diplomatic, what if the shaman would instead have to defeat the given spirit in single combat, to prove that he (and by extension, his tribe and the warrior to carry the weapon) are worthy this boon?
That would also make the seemingly easy creation a little harder, and the local shaman won't be too eager to make a bunch of them. :)
Mighty club smash!
I like manfred's idea.
Hmm, just posted an item that would compliment this with some adjustments. Having to physically overpower some flavor of earth-elemental to produce these clubs sounds right. Maybe the wood needs to come from a live tree-folk or plant creature of some type.
'Yes, harvest a branch from the Stomp Oak, with your bare hands. Then go to the cave of Rumbling Stone and bring back one of the Rumblers. Then beat the bugger until he enters the club. Thats how you make one.'