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Lilt 01-31-06, 11:55 AM

Blackwood is darkwood that has been grown on the banks of the river Styx. It grows extremely slowly with an extremely fine grain making it harder than normal darkwood, and even harder than most metals. Essentially, Blackwood has the same stats at Mithril, but due to the nature of crafting wood it generally can't be used to make chain armors or chain weapons. Its growth in the river styx, however, has left the Blackwood with a connection to death that some find disturbing. Weapons crafted with it recieve a +1 profane bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits against living opponents and a +1 bonus on Coup-De-Grace save DCs. Armors crafted with Blackwood provide a +5 profane bonus on disguise checks made to appear undead as the wearers turn somewhat pale (with no real detrimental effects). Holy symbols crafted from blackwood allow a character who can rebuke and command undead to do so as if his/her cleric level were 1 higher. When weapons crafted from blackwood kill living creatures, they can regrow based on the power of the life they tear away. Upon dealing a deathblow (reducing the target to -10 or below) the wood repairs a number of HP equal to the HD of the victim. The wood retains an evil aura for 1 hour per HP regained after tearing life from a creature in this way. Treat the weapon as an evil magic item with caster level equal to the HD of the creature killed. Whilst the wood radiates a strong or overwhelming evil aura in this way it may bypass damage reduction as an evil weapon. Although using a Blackwood weapon is not normally an evil act in itself, performing a coup-de-grace with one is considered an evil act. Doing so makes Exalted characters and Paladins to lose access to exalted feats or class features. This loss is temporary if done unknowingly, and may be undone with an attonement spell, or permanent if done knowingly. Whilst wearing Blackwood armor, characters cannot cast [Good] spells, lose access to Exalted feats, and lose access to Paladin's class features. The GM may decide to allow limited use of these abilities at reduced effect, however, such-as at -5 caster level. Blackwood items cost twice as much +2000gp as mithril items of the same type do. Weapons and aror crafted from Blackwood are masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the price. Comments, Suggestions?