Truegold Whip (3.5e Equipment)

Truegold Whip
The Truegold Whip uses the Functional Weapons of Legacy variant rule.

''This whip looks like its made out of liquid gold, far longer than a typical whip, more rope or lasso then anything. When snapped around creatures it seems to move and tighten on its own to embrace them and coax the truth out of them.''

The Truegold Whip is a legendary weapon crafted by celestial beings, and granted to those chosen by the gods to represent truth, justice, and love. It can make creatures tell the truth, lash out at long range, and smite chaos and evil. Because of its truth-provoking nature, the user must be pure of heart lest they end up becoming horrified at their own dark secrets brought to light. Classically it is said to have belonged to a tribe of amazon paladins blessed by their gods. It starts out as a 50 ft silk rope which can be used as a +1 whip that may choose to inflict lethal damage, and is not hampered by armor or natural armor in any way. As a weapon it has the usual 15 foot range, but the actual length is up to 50 feet, the majority wrapped around the arm or belt when weaponized. It seems to be made out of some manner of flexible metal, or liquid gold in rope form, and later forms can stiffen as hard as steel. As various rituals are made and power is gained, the weapon starts taking on stronger powers. There are five rituals that are performed when unlocking this weapon's power. They must be performed in order (the 2nd ritual must be completed before you start the 3rd, even if you achieve the 3rd level prerequisites). Rituals cost gold (in the form of feeding the weapon raw materials) and xp, with an additional prerequisite. Once the 1st level ritual is unlocked, the sword displays its omen effect. You can take time out and spend 8 hours bringing the weapon to the next level once you have the prerequisites.

The Truegold Whip is a unique magic item, on its way to becoming an artifact. While it has a price, it cannot be completely destroyed. If reduced to 0 hp, it instead falls inert in a broken condition, and unable to be used until repaired, but is not destroyed as items usually are. It is treated as an artifact against the effects of mage's disjunction.

Omen: When grasped the golden whip seems to glow dimly. It seems to possess a subtle animation of its own making it able to be easily handled as a whip in spite of its length.

1st Ritual (Bond of Truth)
Animated Rope : The whip is always under the effects of animate rope under your command, and you may command it as either a move or a swift action. Unlike the spell, the rope is able to move on its own at a speed of 10 feet. It has 10 hp, hardness 10, can be burst with a DC 24 Str check, and gives a +2 bonus on Use Rope checks (not including bonuses from animate rope, or bonuses from being an enchanted weapon). Every time it obtains a new ritual level, its hp goes up by 10, hardness up by 2, and the Str check by 3.

Close Combat Whip : You do not provoke attacks of opportunity for using this whip in melee.

Enhancement Bonus : The Truegold Whip gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus to its attacks. This stacks with any pre-existing bonus the weapon has, and does not count towards the price of +n weapon enhancements.

Lasso of Truth : When in contact with the lasso for any extended period of time (such as 1 round, or if grappled or tied with the rope but not on brief touches from an attack) the creature is subject to a zone of truth spell which only applies to them. The saving throw is 10 + 1/2 HD + your attack modifier or your highest mental ability score. A creature who successfully saves is immune for 1 minute before they need to make another saving throw if still in contact with the rope.

Ranged Grappler : You can make grapple checks at range using the weapon as a whip, and you do not provoke attacks of opportunity doing so. If you grapple a creature with your whip you can constrict them dealing the whip damage whenever you make a successful grapple check. If you wish you can choose not to count as grappled yourself, but you are unable to use your whip nor can you constrict them when making grapple checks.

Prerequisites: BAB +3 or Caster Level 3rd, must be free of lies. This means the user must confess any lies to those he has lied to until no more lies remain.

Cost: 2,000 gp, 80 xp.

2nd Ritual (Lash of Judgement)
Detecting Eye : The user can use detect chaos and detect evil at will. They also gain a +5 sacred bonus to Sense Motive checks.

Enhanced Grappler : The user adds their weapon enhancement bonus to their grapple checks, and they may grapple creatures as if they were two sizes larger than they actually are.

Reaching Strike : As a standard action the user can make a single attack roll out to 50 feet. The target is flatfooted against this attack due to its sudden nature.

Smite : The user may smite chaos and evil as a paladin of their level, 2/encounter. If they already have paladin levels, their paladin levels stack with their character level for determining smite damage. Each time they complete a ritual, they gain +1 uses per encounter (to a maximum to 5/encounter when the Grasp of Heaven ritual is completed).

Whirlwind Attack : The user gains the benefits of the Whirlwind Attack feat when using the whip. If they already have the feat, they gain an additional attack when using it at -5.

Prerequisites: BAB +6 or Caster Level 6th, must capture a criminal and obtain a true confession from them in a legal court or governing body.

Cost: 8,000 gp, 320 xp.

3rd Ritual (Path to Wisdom)
Divine Command : Creatures who are in extended contact or grappled by the whip are subject to a suggestion spell the wielder can use every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. The saving throw is based on the attack ability modifier or the highest mental ability modifier.

Hard Grip : As a swift action the whip can be commanded to become hard as steel. This makes escape artist attempts and grapple attempts to escape increase by +10, and the whip can be released and retain its shape. No more grapple checks need to be made to retain the grapple, it uses the result of its last grapple before it was hardened each round. Naturally, it cannot be used as a weapon in this state, but it can be softened as another swift action. Other uses of hardening the rope may include making makeshift 50 foot poles or other simple tools and devices one could make out of a line of metal.

Improved Enhancement Bonus : The Truegold Whip gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus to its attacks (total +2), as listed in Enhancement Bonus.

Improved Lasso of Truth : The abilities of the lasso of truth improve. The truth functions occur even if the user is only in brief contact with the whip, lasting for 1 round. In addition if in extended contact, there is no save against the truth telling effect.

No Escape : Grappling with the whip now ignores freedom of movement, though those under the effect still get a +8 to resist grapples from the whip.

Prerequisites: BAB +9 or Caster Level 9th, must convince a chaotic or evil creature to turn over a new leaf and change their alignment at least one step closer to law and/or good. They cannot be done via magical compulsion, though compulsion may be used to reach a point where they realized they should change on their own.

Cost: 18,000 gp, 720 xp.

4th Ritual (Scourge of Punishment)
Detect Thoughts : The user may use detect thoughts at will, and gain 3 rounds of concentration in a single round when using detect chaos or detect evil. In addition, their sacred bonus to Sense Motive increases to +10.

Improved Reaching Strike : As a full attack action the user may now make a full attack using the 50 foot range of the entire rope, as Reaching Strike. Only the first attack made in the full attack treats the creature as being flatfooted.

Nigh-Infinite Rope : The rope may extend and contract as a standard action. It can grow or shrink up to 500 ft a round to a maximum length between the earth and the moon (238,900 miles). No matter how long it is, however, it can only be used up to 15 ft in battle (or 50 ft with reaching strike/improved reaching strike).

Reaching Whirlwind Attack : You may now make a whirlwind attack to all creatures in 50 feet as a full attack action.

Prerequisites: BAB +12 or Caster Level 12th, must defeat a chaotic or evil outsider associated with lies and deceit, and at least CR 12. The fiendish glabrezu is a typical target for their works of temptation and deceit.

Cost: 32,000 gp, 1,280 xp.

5th Ritual (Grasp of Heaven)
Divine Quest : Creatures who are in extended contact or grappled by the whip are subject to a geas/quest spell the wielder can use at will (with the usual 10 minute casting time). A creature may only have one geas/quest active on them at one time.

Divine Test : Once per month, the wielder may use measure of character as a spell-like ability. It may only be used to further the cause of law or good, any other use will result in the spell failing (but not being expended).

Guidance of the Gods : Once per week, the wielder may use commune as a spell-like ability.

Greater Enhancement Bonus : The Truegold Whip gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus to its attacks (total +3), as listed in Enhancement Bonus.

Greater Lasso of Truth : The truth telling function of the whip becomes so potent, it now ignores immunity to mind effects and compulsions. Chaotic and evil creatures who are forced to tell the truth for more than 10 minutes must make a Will save (10 + 1/2 HD + attack ability modifier or highest mental ability modifier) or be rendered shaken by the revelations of their lies. They remain shaken permenantly until cured with break enchantment, or they willingly choose to change their alignment at least one step closer to law or good. This shaken status bypasses immunities normally held by the creature.

True Strength : When grappled or bound by the whip, creatures are effectively weightless and may be picked up and carried or dragged easily, even by the rope's own animation abilities.

Prerequisites: BAB +15 or Caster Level 15th, must face an servent of the gods (typically a planetar) singlehandedly in combat to see if you are worthy to hold the fully awakened whip. When you are ready, a prayer overnight to face your challenger will be answered and the servent sent.

Cost: 50,000 gp, 2,000 xp.

Prerequisites: N/A.

Cost to Create: Unique item, cannot be created.