Scythe of the Shadowed Soul

Epic Weapons

Simultaneous with the discovery of Kunark, several adventurers began to speak of fabled weapons of unfathomable power.  They told tales of marathon quests that yeilded these weapons to members of each class from Bards to Warriors.  These quests would each span the world and often into the planes of the gods.  Some tasks could be completed alone, but many would require a small army of commrades to complete.  Each class' weapon is easy to spot, not just for their unique design, but because of the particle effects eminating from the weapon.  Through the hard work of many pioneers, each class' epic weapon was discovered, some easier than others. 
  
 

The Scythe of the Shadowed Soul

The Scythe of the Shadowed Soul is one of the most difficult epic weapons to obtain because it requires trips to all three planes, sometimes more than once.  It boosts a necromancer's strength, stamina, charisma, intelligence, health, and mana.  The scythe is infused with a magical spell called Torment of Shadows, which will quickly damage any enemy over time as well as ensare their movement.  The scythe itself is not so much a blade as it is a dragon-type skull with glowing red eyes atop a staff and constantly emits an eerie white mist.  
 

The Epic Quest 

The necromancer epic begins with Venezi Oberzendi, a Dark Elf necromancer gathering reagents for her master in Nektulos Forest.  She recommends visiting her master in Lake Rathetear for training in the ways of Miragul.  Venezi's master's name is Kazen Fecae, a red robed Human man.  Kazen requires any wishing to study under him to prove their worth before hand.  He asks that Sir Edwin Motte, a wandering Human paladin most often seen in the Seafarer's Roost in East Freeport, be punished for recently slaying one of Kazen's servants.  Kazen plans to use Motte's disembodied head as a toy for his dark arts.  After completing this task, Kazen will offer a symbol to carry as his apprentice and is more willing to share his secrets.  He requests that Venenzi be visited again because she is taking far too long to obtain the reagents he requested. 
 

Venenzi does not like the idea of not getting credit for her hard work collecting the reagents and will not relinquish them without performing a task for her.  Venenzi has been embarassed by a lowly Dark Elf magician that has started to wear a robe exactly like hers at meetings in Neriak.  She requests that this woman be eliminated and the robe be brought to her.  The woman she speaks of is arguably one of the most powerful magicians in Norrath, Najena.  Najena resides in her very own dungeon in the Lavastorm Mountains where she practices many summoning experiments.  Those able to find Najena and defeat her in battle can claim her Flowing Black Robe and return to Venenzi.  She then decides to return to life in Neriak and abandon her service to Kazen, but suggests giving the reagents to Kazen's apprentice, Emkel Kabae.  He is not far from Kazen by the lake and giving him the reagents will earn a new symbol, that of the serpent.  He recommends seeking out Ssessthrass, a powerful Iksar herbalist who is helping Emkel in a project.

Ssessthrass is an Iksar found in the Swamp of No Hope near the valley to the Field of Bone.  He speaks of an herb called manisi, which he says is guarded and considered sacred by the Sarnak.  Ssessthrass does not have the means to procure this herb from the royal family of Di'Zok, but says an army of adventurers should be able to accomplish this task.  The herb is actually maintained by Grand Herbalist Mak'ha near the bank in Chardok, not with the royal family themselves.  After speaking to the Iksar again, then giving the herb to Emkel, he rewards the effot with the symbol of testing.  When taking this symbol back to Kazen, he is attacked by a bone golem and tortured soul commanded by a failed apprentice.  Defending Kazen successfully requires significant help but will earn the next symbol, which is insanity.

The symbol of insanity should be shown to Drendico Metalbones, a Gnome who hangs out in the Timorous Deep on the spiroc island.  Drendico requests the retrieval of three items: the eye of Innoruuk, blood of Cazic-Thule, and a cloak of sprioc feathers.  This task will require travelling to all three known astral planes of the gods.  The first two items are quite literal.  Defeating Cazic-Thule, the god of fear, or one of his three golems is the only means of obtaining the slime blood.  Luckily, Innoruuk's eye can be obtained from leaders of each faction in the Plane of Hate, or from Innoruuk himself if one wishes to pass the ultimate test.  The cloak is earned from a quest with Jzil Gsix in the Plane of Sky which requires a silver disc from the azeracks on the second isle, spiroc feathers from the watchful guards or sprited harpies of the third isle, and a black silk cape from the Keeper of Souls on the fourth isle.  Obviously, each of Drendico's requests will require significant assistance.  Drendico trades a prepared box of reagents in return for these godly items. 
 

Kazen has one final task after delivering the box.  He demands that the Tome of Instruction be taken to a man named Gkzzallk back in the Plane of Sky, and teases a mystical scythe as reward for the work of a good apprentice.  The tome tells of Miragul, the original Heretic that left Erudin to settle Paineel, and his quest to obtain immortality.  Miragul was successful in separating his soul from his body through necromancy, and Kazen plans to improve upon this practice.  Kazen believes he can live forever by inhabiting others with his own soul, but changing hosts depletes the life force of his soul gradually.  He believes that devouring souls of similar to the essence of his own will eliminate this issue.  Kazen knows that the only man that matches this description is his own father.  Handing this innocent man the tome agonizingly shrinks him to the size of an insect captured in a box.  Kazen no longer needs a servant after this and hands over the scythe of Miragul's creation that he promised.