The Staff of the Traveler
The Staff of the Traveler
The Staff of the Traveler is a powerful artifact associated with The Traveler, the mysterious entity who appeared during the Age of Wonders and has reportedly appeared sporadically throughout the ages since. The staff was eventually recovered by the Savorise Part 2 adventuring party at the end of their campaign.
Description
The Staff of the Traveler is a +5/+5 defending energy aura staff.
The staff possesses remarkable versatility. As a swift action, it can resize itself from as little as 1 foot long, allowing it to be easily stowed on a belt, to as much as 60 feet long, or any size in between. At its maximum length, it can support up to 800 pounds without bending.
Because of its ability to change form, the staff can be wielded as a club, greatclub, shortspear, or longspear, in addition to its normal form as a quarterstaff.
If the wielder braces one end of the staff, they can use a standard action to command it to increase in size and function as a battering ram against objects or to conduct a bull rush against creatures. The staff is treated as having a Strength of 20 on the check for this purpose. A successful bull rush pushes the creature back 5 feet and also deals weapon damage. This use does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Quarterstaff Abilities
When used in quarterstaff form, the wielder can attempt to disarm an opponent as though possessing the Improved Disarm feat.
The staff also possesses a defensive ability usable three times per day. When activated, it automatically deflects:
- All ranged attacks from Medium or smaller attackers.
- All ranged attacks created by spells of 2nd level or lower that target the wielder or an ally adjacent to the wielder.
Legends of the Traveler
Legends say that the Staff of the Traveler possessed additional abilities when wielded by The Traveler himself. The nature of these abilities is not presently recorded.
During an encounter with a patrol of the Knights of Demmazon, The Traveler flourished the staff and slammed its end into the ground. The impact was accompanied by a flash of lightning and crack of thunder, and The Traveler's previously nondescript presence suddenly took on an aura of menace. The exact nature and mechanical effect of this display are unknown.
The staff's true capabilities in the hands of its original wielder therefore remain uncertain.
History
The staff was known to have been carried by The Traveler during the Age of Wonders. Although The Traveler was a mysterious figure even during that era, accounts describe him as an entity who appeared intermittently throughout history, often providing aid, knowledge, or insight before disappearing again.
Following the Age of Wonders, legends continued to report occasional appearances of The Traveler and his staff.
The Staff of the Traveler eventually came into the possession of the adventuring party of Savorise Part 2, who recovered it at the conclusion of their campaign.
Known Properties
- +5/+5 weapon
- Defending
- Energy aura
- Resizes from 1 foot to 60 feet as a swift action
- Supports up to 800 pounds at maximum length
- Can function as a club, greatclub, shortspear, longspear, or quarterstaff
- Can function as a battering ram
- Can perform a special bull rush
- Quarterstaff form grants disarming capability equivalent to Improved Disarm
- Three-times-per-day ranged-attack deflection ability
- May possess additional abilities usable only by The Traveler
Current Status
The Staff of the Traveler was recovered by the Savorise Part 2 adventurers. Its subsequent history should be recorded separately if later campaign material establishes where the artifact went.
