Mace of Vampire Slaying (Patreon)

Weapon (mace), rare

This weapon is made from a vampire's skull and impaled with various wooden stakes. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. The bonus increases to +3 when you use the mace to attack a vampire.

When you roll a 20 on an attack roll made with the weapon, the target takes an extra 10 necrotic damage as the skull bites down on the target. You then gain 10 temporary hit points, which remain for 1 minute. Alternatively, if the target is a vampire, it instead takes an extra 10 piercing damage from the attack and is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You don't gain temporary hit points in this way if the target is a vampire.

"You? You're supposed to be the vampire slayer? The veteran with over two dozen slain?" The half-orc looked down at the sandy-haired human with doubt and disbelief.

"At your service," replied the young man, giving a half-sarcastic flourish. His face still had youth behind it—definitely no older than his early twenties. He rested his tankard down to pull a pouch from his side. He opened it slightly to reveal a collection of pointed teeth.

"A bit younger than you were expecting, I take it. Rest assured, I have the teeth to prove the record. I suppose, too, that you're going to ask to hire me to rout out the vampire lord, right?"

The orc opened his mouth to stammer out, "Well, uh, ye—"

"Sorry, answer's no. Not the death-sentence-hero type. I want to live to be an old, old, veteran, not just a young one. To do that, you only go for the lessers, never the greaters. Then you get left alone to collect your teeth, gold, and drinks."