A Week Full of Daggers: Alicorn Shiv

Alicorn Shiv

Description:  This odd weapon consists of a 6" long piece of pearlescent alicorn in a crude socket hilt made out of what appears to be a length of crimped pipe, making an improvised but dangerous stiletto of sorts.  There is no guard, and the rounded "blade" won't fit most conventional sheaths.  Perhaps a trip to a wizards' supply shop for a wand scabbard is in order?  Magical senses will easily detect a strong aura of purity from the blade itself, which is quite obviously the tip of a unicorn's horn.

Powers:  Badly-made or not, the alicorn's magic still makes this quite a dangerous weapon for its size, with a middling-high enhancement bonus to accuracy and damage (say +3 in D&D terms).  It also has an unusual side effect related to its inherent makeup.  Any creature struck by a Alicorn Shiv is immediately purged of any poisons active in its system.  Outside of combat, you can jab yourself or an ally if you act swiftly enough after the poison effect triggers.  In combat, you can stab an ally within reach if you can reach them before their next turn after being poisoned, but this requires an attack roll if they're still actively fighting (as opposed to laying on the floor dying of poison, for example).  If you have the weapon ready you can also stab yourself as a reaction to being poisoned (after the save is failed, if your system uses poison saves), no attack roll required.  In all cases, you have to dig deeply enough to cause basic dagger damage (d4 in most D&D games) to trigger the purgative magic.

Note that alcohol and recreational drugs count as poisons, which allows for a painful but instantaneous way to sober up.

Possible Origins:  Some heartless dastard mutilated and possibly killed a unicorn and used the tip of its horn to make a crude magical weapon.  Not exactly a mystery here.

Complications:  You are carrying what is obviously a chunk of a unicorn as a weapon, animals legendary for their purity and beneficence.  If this becomes common knowledge, good-hearted folk are likely to express their disapproval as vigorously as possible.  This ranges from veiled insults to overcharging you for goods to hanging you for poaching in the Fey Wood.  More pragmatic authorities may demand you turn over the alicorn for the public good.  Sinister types who use poisons professionally will certainly want the shiv out of circulation, possibly along with its bearer.

And if you think that's bad, go wave that thing around out in the wilderness and see what happens.  Do not be surprised if it involves treants, wood elves, and/or angry druids     

Design Commentary:  Having an almost infallible defense against poison is great, and the damage tradeoff is usually bearable.  Just be wary about using it in public, and don't be dumb enough to try to use poison and the shiv against the same target in a fight.