Crystal goblet of maddening storms (shards of the storm)

History
King Ammoggon, ruler of the city-state Guerin, whom worshipped the Mad Lord of Avarice and held the title of High Priest, absorbed a portion of the Mad Lord’s power and greed, after his sword’s destruction. His spell ability (casting level, saving roll, spells known) had instantly grown to new heights. This dark power also ignited a desire for a shard of the storm blade. He raised and led an army into the inner reaches of the Mad Lands to search for what he desired.

Two long arduous months passed as the army trekked through the Madlands searching a piece any piece. On their journey they encountered Great sand storms, lightening storms, and constant dust devils. Food and drink could not be consumed without a grain of sand. Morale was tumbling fast and unruly troops began fighting amongst themselves. On a few occasions the king had men punished for crimes committed against fellow soldiers.

On the sixty-fifth day the army came upon a village made of clay buildings and tents. In the middle stood an oasis imbued with an unusual calmness; it was as if it generated a globe of protection from the outside elements. Immediately, the army ran for the fresh water; knocking down and stampeding the inhabitants that stood in the way.

If they had stopped to look at the people, then they would have noticed something amiss; If they had took the time to look, then they would have noticed the bodies near the pond; If only they asked why everyone ran from them, then it may not have happened. Yet, they did none of this, and upon jumping in, they paid the price.

In an instant the bodies that touched the water ignited with flame as a burst of light exploded from the water. Beams of this power surge blasted from the first casualties to the next closest person. A chain reaction ignited everyone within the oasis; as dominos, all that did not escape the safe haven’s radius fell to the power blast. All of them, except for King Ammoggon, that is.

He stood unnerved staring, not at the charred fallen bodies, nor the destruction, but at the water which now over flowed its’ banks. The water rushed over his feet cleansing his dusty boots, and then tugged at his soul as it receded back. As if tempting him to follow, he nodded in agreement, smiled and entered into the original embankment. After wading to the center, he dove down below. In mere minutes he reemerged with the pommel in hand, with the hand guard partly intact.

As Ammoggon walked from the once pristine oasis, the globe of protection wore off and the consuming weather pattern covered it with a blanket in it’s entirety. It is said that he addressed those that survived saying, ”Come with me all, and we shall revel in the halls of Guerin as brothers.”
(Large thunderclouds began forming above them; seemingly following their every move)

Upon returning, the king ordered the servants to prepare the halls for a feast. The following night they did. On the eve of the first night, Ammoggon stood and ordered the Royal Glassmaker come take the pommel and from it create a goblet from which to drink from. Throughout the rest of the week they partook in drunkenness and lurid festivities.
(a great moonbeam shone upon the castle during the nights’ festivities, and an unusually cool sun blared during the day)

The royal glassmaker worked feverishly, and lovingly, to create the perfect chalice. After she finished it, she presented it to the King. Which he then blessed with power and drank from. Marguerite was overcome with the urge to drink red wine from it also. So, in a fit of desperation, she explained to Ammoggon that the Goblet had lost a gem and it needed to be replaced. Then she quickly took it away; quickly grabbing a partially filled bottle of wine on the way out.

Back in her workshop, she then took the drink she desired and birthed a strong desire to keep it. Thus, in the dark of night, Marguerite tried to sneak out the front gate of the castle proper but was denied access by the guards.
(a slight gust of wind gently blows in)

“None are permitted to leave during his Royal Majesties feast”, was their explanation. In anger she tried to force her way through, but was firmly stopped by the taunting men. In a flash, she pulled out the dagger from one of the guardsmen and stabbed the one holding her; slicing him on his exposed forearm (rain is now falling outside). She then fled back the way she came; the guards were close in toe. (Strong gusts of wind and rain began flowing through windows and down the halls of the castle.)

While fleeing to uncertain safety within the confines of a loathsome prison, Marguerite beat those in her path and threw miscellaneous objects at the guards. The accosted servants and ensuing guards commotion stirred the many residents within earshot. Passing her workshop, the maiden took a connecting hall seeking an alternate route. This fateful turn brought her into the arms of the surprised King Ammoggon. He had come to see the progress of the goblet’s repair.

Immediately, the guards caught up to and seized the woman. Confused by this disturbance, the king yelled for silence and an explanation from Marguerite. A moment of awkward silence betook all in attendance (The weather seemed to calm for a moment, until. . .), but before a word could be spoken the King felt drawn to the bag tied to her waist. Reaching for the bag, Marguerite slapped it back and screamed. A deafeningly bright light erupted from her, causing blindness and leaving a loud ringing in the ears of the King and guards. Taking advantage of the moment, she stole away down the hall trying to flee again, but eventually she found herself trapped within a castle library. (a strong wind, with rain and lightening fiercely lashed at the castle)

It was there that she jumped out the window and fell to her death down a Cliffside, to the moat below. As with what happened at the oasis, when a guard, who saw the woman fall, entered the waters to retrieve her. The explosion struck those who stood close by.

After retrieving the goblet, the King immediately ended all the festivities and began to look upon everyone with suspicion. The longer he possessed it and drank from the goblet, the more jealous he became of it. It started out with yelling and bickering with those he presumed wanted it, but then he began flogging and even executing those who he thought planned to take it. Ammoggon also began desiring more wealth. To try to satisfy this he raised and levied taxes on everything he could think of. Turning his once thriving monarchy into a kleptocracy. (for the remainder of his reign it rained, with lightening, snow, sleet mixed in)

There were rumors that the King was raising an army to expand his control of the main trade routes throughout the Madlands, but the weight of over taxation and public executions led to a revolt. Most of the civilization had been lost to these events, with the inhabitants population storming the castle and slaughtering all who lived inside. The final battle took place in the throne room where the King awaited with his personal guard.

As the peasants stormed the room, Ammoggon’s power failed him. The assault ended quickly; ending with the guards being hacked down as they fled. The King was dismembered and burned.

With the city in ruin, the inhabitants left to start life anew; among the light of a new day. To get away from the embers, the blood, and the terror; to flee that which they could not destroy. For the goblet, during the melee, was never found. At least not by any that would willingly destroy it.

Full Item Description
The pommel of the goblet is laced with a silver wire that wraps around it several times, then flares out to form a stand for which the goblet to sit on at a 55 degree angle. The lead glass infused to the top of the hilt was set on an angle so as not to spill it’s contents when set upon it’s stand. A large red ruby was embedded into the glass. On this ruby is King Ammoggon’s family crest.

*Magical effects(from Ammoggon’s blessing)
1. Stamina boost- Touching the goblet sends a burst of energy through the wielders body; giving him a +2 for stamina.
2. Lightening scream- Drinking from this gives a character the ability to release a bright lightening spark that temporarily causes blindness and deafness to any within 20 meters of the wielder. This does not strike, or otherwise, cause harm to the wielder.

Magic/Cursed Properties
1. Temperament adjustment- This object causes anyone seeing it to become enamored with it; they want to see and touch it. If they do touch it, then they feel, not only the urge to keep it, but the need to drink from it. Once having drank from it, the wielder becomes jealous of most who look upon it. Admonishing anybody who look at or even come near it. The wielder eventually becomes increasingly mean and then violent against those that seem to want the goblet.

2. Weather adjustment- The clouds above the wielder of the goblet slowly grow into large thunderheads. They grow in size and darkness with every drink, and, after a while, they begin to rain, sleet and snow; depending on the mood of the wielder. Whenever the goblet is not being held, the sun and moon shines brightly upon the area that it is.

Examples: sad = rain, angry = lightening, jealous = sleet, fear- gusts of wind, elation = sun/moon breaks through the clouds and shines upon the wielder, E.T.C.

3. Lightening blast- When submerged in water, only one of royal descent may reach within to get it. Any others that touch the water set off a chain reaction of lightening exploding from the water and hitting anyone within a 5 meter radius. Those that are struck must save verses death; anyone inside that 5 meter radius also get zapped. This continues until there are none to get zapped. Once hit by the lightening, it takes one full round for it to dissipate.

4. Heightened desires- What ever it is that a character likes- food, money, gambling- this desire becomes an obsession. It is all they want to talk about and do. This desire must be accomplished at any cost. All else becomes forgotten when the wielder is obsessing.

5. power siphon- For whatever reason, this artifact will attack the wielder. It only happens when he is in a decisive battle with life or death implications. The goblet actually casts two spells: A) degeneration: The wielder loses 1d10 Hit Points and manna points a round (for 2d10 rds) B) Defuse: The character becomes unable to cast magic until the battle is over.