The Devil's Hand

The Devil’s Hand

Part of the broken Traitor’s Lot, it seeks to reunite with its other part, to become the dangerous artifact once more. It seeks to kill and destroy those responsible for its misfortune. It’s very specific though, it’ll only align itself with warlocks of the infernal pact, finding all other classes and varieties beneath him.

The Devil’s Hand Heroic Level
This rod resembles a face of a devil, horns elongated and sharp, eyes inset with a subtle glow, and a mouth opened wide, with only pointed teeth and abyss within. The rod is made of a red ore, and a small indentation is found at its top.

The Devil’s Hand is a +2 rod.

Enhancement: Attack and damage rolls.
Critical: +2d6 damage
Property: When your pact boon is triggered, all creatures under your Warlock’s Curse take 1 fire damage.
Power (at-will): Free action. The Devil’s Hand automatically puts the Warlock’s Curse on those he deems responsible for the breaking. The owner has +2 to attack roll against those marked such.
Power (encounter): Fiery Grasp - Close burst 1, minor action. All cursed enemies within burst receive vulnerability 2 fire until the end of your next turn.
Power (daily): Soul Burn - Minor action. Lose all temporary hit points. For each temporary hit point lost, target enemy under your Warlock’s Curse takes 1 fire damage.

Goals of the Devil’s Hand
- To reunite with the blade.
- To destroy all those responsible for the Traitor’s Lot’s fissure
- To destroy agents of the usurper

Concordance

Starting score	5
Owner gains a level	+1d10
Owner is a tiefling	+2
Owner defeats someone responsible	+2
Owner defeats an immortal (1/day)	+1
Owner allows one responsible to get away	-2
Owner breaks an allegiance	-1
A creature cursed by warlock fails to die (1/enc)	-1

Roleplaying the Devil’s Hand
The Devil’s Hand is filled with rage at being divided from the blade. It writhes in anger, but also understands that there’s little he can do, and therefore keeps his anger in check with his owner, only allowing itself to be overcome during battle.


Pleased (16-20)
“The moment of reunion is at hand.”
The Devil’s Hand is confident that the wielder will eventually reunite him with the blade. He lets his anger consume him and his owner.

Property: When your pact boon is triggered, all creatures under your Warlock’s Curse take 5 fire damage.
Property: Whenever you gain temporary hit points, the amount you gain is 3 higher.
Power (encounter): Fiery Grasp - Close burst 3, minor action. All cursed enemies with burst gain vulnerability fire 5 until the end of your next turn. This replaces previous versions of Fiery Grasp.

Satisfied (12-15)
“We’re getting closer to our goal.”
The Devil’s Hand finds his wielder worthy, but is still cautious, and only shows its fury in tense moments.

Property: When your pact boon is triggered, all creatures under your Warlock’s Curse take 3 fire damage.
Power (encounter): Fiery Grasp - Close burst 2, minor action. All cursed enemies with burst gain vulnerability fire 3 until the end of your next turn. This replaces previous versions of Fiery Grasp.
Power (daily): Soul Burn - Minor action. Lose all temporary hit points. For each temporary hit point lost, target enemy under your Warlock’s Curse takes 2 fire damage. This replaces previous versions of Soul Burn.

Normal (5-11)
“We have to find this blade.”
The Devil’s Hand is angry, but knows it cannot act on its own. It remains reserved, fuming below the surface.

Unsatisfied (1-4)
“I thinks it’s upset.”
The Devil’s Hand is mad, but his anger is finding purchase in the fool who controls him.

Special: If someone the Hand deems responsible is in this encounter, the wielder takes -2 to attack rolls and damage rolls against any other enemy.
Special: When the wielder gains temporary hit points, he takes 3 damage.

Angered (0 or below)
“It wants that blade. Now.”
The Devil’s Hand no longer trusts in the competence of its wielder, and plans to leave soon, but his ferocity will find its mark in his owner first.

Special: The wielder takes -2 to attach rolls and damage rolls against any enemy the Hand does not deem responsible.
Special: The wielder cannot gain temporary hit points.
Property: Whenever the owner uses a spell with the Fire keyword, he takes 2 fire damage.

Moving On
“The Blade will be one.”

The Devil’s Hand is one step closer to becoming the Traitor’s Lot. The Hand reunites with the blade to become the Traitor’s Lot or transfers to someone who can continue to the quest in earnest.

If the Hand reunites with the blade, the Devil’s Hand transforms into the Traitor’s Lot, a paragon-level artifact. The Lot decides to stay with the original wielder if it would be appropriate, or finds its way into the hands of someone better equipped for the job.

If the Hand leaves the owner but does not give him access to the Traitor’s Lot, whether because the blade is out of reach or it or the Lot would be too powerful, it instead grants the former wielder additional power. He gains the Toughness feat (even if he already has the feat), and will become a preferred wielder for the Traitor’s Lot when the object becomes available.

If the Hand leave the owner because he’s dissatisfied, he permanently loses 5 hit points, and the Hand will now deem the previous owner responsible if it ever encounters him again.