Giran Howel is dwarven for 'Soul Rapist'; the sword was specifically designed to destroy gods, and their minions. The sword was faceted from a single crystal of star-forged tanisan, and glowed with a bright, blue light. It was rather massive, being some six feet (6') in length, with a cross-guard fully eighteen inches (18") wide.
The weapon had an Intelligence of 18, and could communicate via telepathy. Its alignment was believed to have been True Neutral, but no one is certain. The sword was thought to have spoken all known languages, including the dragon-tongues. The sword had an ego of 54. The wielder would thus have to be 18th level, have an 18 Intelligence, and an 18 Charisma, just to be able to fight the will of the sword.
The sword could sever extermities, and was also true-vorpal in nature. Depending on the severity of the strike, the sword could slay any opponent that failed a Saving Throw versus death magic. If they saved, then the sword could possibly sever an extermity, including a head. The sword's vorpal qualities were primed against deitific entities, as well, and could slay priests, archons, solars, planetars, avatars, and even gods -- they received no save, even on their home grounds.
| Base Roll Is | Opponents | Opponents Slayed with No Save | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slayed if Save* Fails | Subject to Severing | ||
| 13 | Size M/Armored | (Anti)Paladins | |
| 14 | Size L | General Clerics | |
| 15 | Solid metal or stone | Specialty Priests | |
| 16 | Size H | - | Archons |
| 17 | Size G | - | Solars/Planetars |
| 18 | Pure Adamantine | Quasi Deities | |
| 19 | " | Minor Deities | |
| 20 | " | Major Deities | |
In addition, the sword had a number of defensive abilities. Within 5' of the sword, no deitific magics functioned. How this was accomplished, no one knows, but the magic is believed to have been related to the Shield on the plane of Gaeleth. The sword also granted an area of magic resistance at 97%, within five feet (5') of the wielder, and dispelled magic at the level of the wielder, as well, within the same area. Surprisingly (and perhaps indicating the sword's origin), the sword could cut adamantine as though it were soft butter.
At some point, the sword was duplicated by an unknown power. Both Giran Howels were identical to one another.
By some as yet uknown process, a dissenting archon of Nathel's, Lul, was able to use one of the Giran Howel's to become a full-fledged Major Deity. Lul is, appropriately enough, a god of mysteries and information gathering.
After the Storm Wars, Lul gave up his Giran Howel to the same entities that took the other away from Carl Liss, son of Vyrboth. The two swords were then split into eight component parts: the blade, cross-guard, handle, and pommel, and the magics that infused each portion. Again, how this was done is unknown. The sixteen pieces, and the knowledge of how to force them to interlock, were scattered about the multiverse, though a complete set is believed to have been left on Gaeleth.
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