Steven's pact blade

Stub-class article · First seen: s17 · Last seen: s19
Steven's pact blade
Steven's dagger · Steven's pact dagger · the tobacco-smoke dagger · Steven's Pact of the Blade weapon
Steven's pact blade, Pact of the Blade weapon (dagger) portrait
Item
StatusUnknown
First seens17
Last seens19
TypePact of the Blade weapon (dagger)
HolderNone recorded (Steven was retconned out in s20)
OriginSummoned through Steven's warlock pact; the patron is not named

Steven’s pact blade is the dagger that Steven, the halfling Fiend warlock Ash played in sessions 17 to 19, could summon as a bonus action through his Pact of the Blade. It appears in his right hand with “a distinct smell of like expensive tobacco smoke”, and its first strike, on a water wolf, was a natural 20 [1][8]. In session 18 Steven felt “the blade hunger” before his crit finished the Brinemaw Wyrm, and in session 19 it ran warm and whispered on his watch [15][27][17]. After the session 20 retcon put Barney in Steven’s place, nobody is recorded holding it [25].

Overview

Steven’s pact blade is the Pact of the Blade dagger that Steven summoned in combat. Its first strike, on a water wolf in session 17, was a natural 20 [8]. It came with a flavour that Steven’s player gave it, the smell of expensive tobacco smoke [1], and in session 18 its kill was narrated as draining the creature’s life [9].

Description

A dagger: Terry lamented it as “a fucking dagger” and Steven confirmed that was how he had made it [10][11]. Smoke gathers at its point when he channels magic: “plumes of smoke all just coming together from thin air” as he cast Eldritch Blast, and a spectral chain in session 18 [3][12].

Mechanics (as played)

  • Summoning. A bonus action, with the blade appearing in his right hand [1].
  • Crits. On the debut natural 20 the DM asked whether the table still did maximum-damage crits, answered “No, no, we’re not”, and Hugo said the table doubles the dice [13]. Steven put the damage at 7, and nine with the crit [11][14].
  • Hunger. In session 18 the DM told Steven he felt “the blade hunger” in his hand, and his crit on the Wyrm was narrated as sapping the creature’s life essence [15][9].
  • Smoke. Eldritch Blast and the “Chain of Conviction” Steven slung at the catfish were both channelled through the dagger. The catfish passed its Strength save and shattered the chain, taking half the force damage [3][5].

Open questions

  • Who the patron is. Steven said that “last time I signed a contract, I got nightmares” [16], but named no one.
  • Whether the warmth and whisper of session 19 were the dagger waking or the patron reaching through it [17][18]. Terry’s reaction was “Oh god we’ve got another sentient contract.” The watch moved on to Gristleback and the matter was not resolved.
  • Where the dagger is. The retcon of session 20 did not address it.

History in the campaign

Session 17: New Hands, the Black Mask’s Renegotiation, and the Rimeclaw

Main article: Session 17

In the reef-line fight, with a water wolf running across the skiff, Steven summoned his blade as a bonus action, “a distinct smell of like expensive tobacco smoke” as it appeared in his hand [1]. His first strike was a natural 20, for 9 damage, and the water wolf’s purplish blood dripped onto the blade. Terry joked “Oh Hugo it’s one of your friends”, and Steven said that some people say purple is a darker shade of blue [8][19]. Later he cast Eldritch Blast through the dagger and missed [3].

Session 18: The Wyrm Falls, the Catfish Escapes, and Mike Dies on the Road

Main article: Session 18

The DM told Steven he felt “the blade hunger” in his hand, and he charged the Brinemaw Wyrm [15][20]. A natural 20 finished it, the sword’s tip showing “sulfuric flame” as its life drained away in Steven’s telling [21][9]. Steven looked down at the blade and called the Wyrm another one “for the mister” [22]. Later he drew smoke from the dagger into a spectral chain and slung it at the winged catfish, which shattered it on a Strength save [5].

Session 19: A Penitent Priest, an Unmade Leash, and the Pixie in the Dark

Main article: Session 19

On his watch at the first camp outside Aurelia, Steven went through his waterlogged gear, and his eyes kept drifting to the dagger [23]. The DM described it as “more warm than the small fire”, with “a small whisper coming from it” [17]. Terry said “Oh god we’ve got another sentient contract.” [18]. Nothing came of it that night: the DM turned to a perception check, and Steven spotted a small figure in the brush, the goblin Gristleback [24].

Session 20: The Man Who Was Always Here

Main article: Session 20

The DM rewrote the party’s memories so that Barney had always stood in Steven’s place: “one set of memories where it’s Steven in Barney’s place, and you have a set of memories where it’s Barney in Steven’s place” [25]. Steven “has never died” [26]. The DM did not say what became of the pact blade.

Status

As of session 23. Unaccounted for. Steven was retconned out in session 20 rather than killed, and no holder is recorded. It should not be treated as carried by anyone until the DM says so.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 17, line 1826: First summoning, with the smell of expensive tobacco smoke.
  2. ^ Session 17, line 1840-1850: A natural 20 on its first strike; the crit damage and the water wolf's purplish blood.
  3. ^ Session 17, line 1978: Eldritch Blast cast through the dagger, with plumes of smoke.
  4. ^ Session 18, line 160-172: The blade hungers, and a natural 20 finishes the Brinemaw Wyrm.
  5. ^ Session 18, line 625-631: Smoke from the dagger forms a spectral chain that the catfish breaks.
  6. ^ Session 19, line 477-478: The dagger runs warmer than the fire and whispers on Steven's watch.
  7. ^ Session 20, line 94-101: The retcon puts Barney in Steven's place.
  8. ^ Session 17, line 1840: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 18, line 172: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 17, line 1845: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 17, line 1846: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 18, line 625: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 17, line 1847-1850: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 17, line 1850: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 18, line 160: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 17, line 567: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 19, line 477: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 19, line 478: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 17, line 1850-1853: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 18, line 162: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 18, line 166: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 18, line 174: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 19, line 476: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 19, line 479-493: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 20, line 101: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 20, line 155: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 18, line 167: Inline citation.
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