The material below is Open Game Content from Legendary Blades
LION OF ISKANDER
The great general Iskander of the southern lands was only twenty-eight when he died, but already he had conquered more territory than any other leader in history. His short reign was characterized by the rule of law, generosity and the advancement of culture. Iskander possessed such a great reputation for fairness, the people he conquered soon embraced his leadership, so much better was he than the despots who formerly ruled them.
His death left a gaping wound in his kingdom. Iskander possessed no heir and his generals did not embrace his principles. They fell to squabbling amongst themselves and Iskander’s empire was soon torn apart in a civil war.
To preserve the memory of Iskander his court magician created a sword that would carry on his best qualities and aid rulers who tried to emulate him. The man named the sword the Lion of Iskander, referring to its regal heritage and Iskander’s prowess in combat. The lion of Iskander grants the wielder formidable combat abilities and inspires great loyalty in his followers.
REQUIREMENTS
To unlock the full potential of the lion of Iskander, a character must fulfill the following requirements.
Class Cavalier, fighter or paladin
Feats Persuasive or Skill Focus (Diplomacy)
Skill Diplomacy 4 ranks
| Weapon Level | Wielder Minimum Level | Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | — | +1 longsword |
| 2nd | 4th | Battle roar |
| 3rd | 6th | Leader of men +1 |
| 4th | 8th | +1 flaming longsword |
| 5th | 10th | Lion of battle |
| 6th | 12th | Leader of men +2 |
| 7th | 14th | +2 flaming longsword |
| 8th | 16th | Lion of battle |
| 9th | 18th | Leader of men +3 |
| 10th | 20th | +3 flaming longsword |
Battle Roar (Su) Three times per day as a standard action the wielder of the Lion of Iskander can emit a ferocious roar. The wielder makes an Intimidate skill check against all opponents within 30 feet. If the user successfully demoralizes an opponent, the foe is shaken for 1d4 rounds + 1 round for every 5 points by which the wielder’s check exceeds the DC. This ability does not stack with itself, but multiple uses increase duration.
Leader of Men (Su) The wielder of the Lion of Iskander gains a +1 bonus to his Leadership score. He may also choose to gain an advanced absolute or celestial dire lion as a cohort instead of a normal cohort. Each time the dire lion cohort would advance in level it instead gains +2 Hit Dice with all applicable benefits for advancing such as base attack bonus, feats, ability score increases, etc. In addition, the wielder of the sword grants an additional +1 bonus to attack rolls to allies who gain a flanking bonus because of a square he threatens. These bonuses increase to +2 at 6th level and +3 at 9th level.
Lion of Battle (Su) At 5th level the wielder of Lion of Iskander can transform into a celestial dire lion once per day for a number of rounds equal to the wielder’s level. Changing form either into a dire lion or to the sword wielder’s original shape is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. While in this form he may still use battle roar. In this form the wielder gains a +4 size bonus to Strength, and a +4 natural armor bonus and DR 5/evil. The lion’s natural attacks are considered magic for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. In all other ways this acts as beast shape III. At 8th level, the bonuses to Strength and natural armor increase to +6, and the wielder also gains a +2 size bonus to Constitution and DR 10/evil. The lion’s natural weapons at 8th level are considered magic and lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. In all other ways this acts as beast shape IV.
