Axe of Disappearing Flight/Returner +2
This magic item resembles a regular throwing axe except for the thin trim of gold around the edge of the blade and its continual sharpness. The flat sides of the blade show a dull finish along with some pitting so as to disguise its true nature.The handle is made of oak and looks well battle-worn with twisted leather strands around its base. Upon very close inspection, the small pitting in the metal actually spells out a magical word which will activate the magic within it, although it will not fully work unless the user knows what to do. No means other then specific spells or spell-like abilities to detect magic will alert anyone to the fact that it radiates any magic at all.
When wielded in combat, it acts like any normal axe of its kind, causing whatever damage as described except for its +2 bonus to attack and damage. The real magic begins once the axe is used as a missile weapon. At the beginning of initiative of any combat round, the wielder must declare if they are going to use the axe as a missile weapon or not. If using it as a missile weapon is the choice, the alternate magic will take place. On a successful roll to hit, the individual says the magical word on the side of the axe and it starts to glow. They then throw it at the opponent. Immediately upon leaving his or her hand, the axe disappears, becoming invisible in flight toward the intended target.
However, this invisibility is not that of normal means. The weapon actually dissolves into an unseen ball of non-physical matter until it hits the target. At that time, the weapon reconstructs itself into solid form and becomes visible, doing whatever damage was rolled plus bonuses. Therefore, no creature with an ability to catch or deflect incoming weapons may use their ability to do so since they can not see it coming nor is there anything to hit until it is too late.
Even targets with magical protection or a globe against magical weapons can not stop this weapon's progress since its non-physical matter can pass right through any object with ease. In all reality, if an individual could see their intended target through a wall or any other object, they could wield the weapon at the target and actually hit them on the other side. This could make hiding at times difficult at best. The axe then will return to the hand of its wielder in the same manner as it left.
Also, any area containing anti-magic or dead-magic will have no effect on this weapon as long as it is hurled into the affected area from outside of the area first, and the weapon ends up on the other side of the area before reaching its maximum distance.
Therefore, if a seen target runs through an anti-magic area and out the other side, the weapon could pass through and still hit the target. But if the weapon does not make it through the affected area on a throw which is longer than its range, it will be forever lost until such time as the anti-magic or dead-magic area can be dispelled. At that time, the axe will return to its wielder.
Creatures with innate abilities, such as Beholders, also have no effect on the axe with their main anti-magic eye. This is because the creature's aura of anti-magic radiates out away from the eye itself and is not directly in the eye. As an example, the axe could be hurled at a beholder, on its way dissolving into non-physical matter which is no longer magical in nature, hit the target's flesh, become physical once again well past the point of the aura of anti-magic and do the calculated damage. This more powerful version of the original Axe of Disappearing Flight has a range of up to 150 ft. and can be used over and over again. This weapon is an extremely rare find.
(c) John (Jake) Brunette 2004