The semi-sentient mold in the monastery’s basement has taken on an imprint of Vardishal’s personality, and the infection in one PC’s wounds has spread that imprint to the PC. This character immediately gets the impression that he or she should dig in a certain spot under the thicket in the cloister courtyard at area 8. This turns up an old weapon that coincidentally matches the PC’s favorite weapon type, and it scales in power throughout the Adventure Path to become more effective against Jhavhul and his favored minions.

As soon as the PC touches the weapon buried in the ground, it melts into the PC's body and a soft glowing tattoo or marking of the weapon takes shape on their hand. They can summon the weapon at will to appear in their hand. It seems to be made of solid ice but does not freeze the windspeaker though PC sometimes has flashes of Vardishal’s memories. This effectively grants the character a +1 bonus on all Intelligence-based skill checks. The power of the weapon and the physical effect of the manifestation increase in potency as the PCs goes up in level, and future events might trigger hints of memories from Vardishal’s life. The character does not become Vardishal, but some element of the genie’s conscience exists within him, particularly when the weapon is wielded. The overwhelming desire of the character, the windspeaker, is to wield this weapon in battle against the hated efreet Jhavhul. Not all of this backstory will be evident at first, but rather develops as play goes through the six Legacy of Fire adventures.

The windspeaker’s influence is a chaotic and good effect. It has no impact on the PC’s alignment and shouldn’t harm him in any other way—the windspeaker is meant to be a story element that will be carried throughout the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. If the PC absolutely doesn’t want this role, the effect can be removed with a dispel chaos or dispel evil spell, but doing so robs the PCs of what could be an important resource.

Blizzard

In the hands of a Tier 1 character, Blizzard operates as a +1 weapon of the appropriate type. From Tier 2 level, it becomes a +1 frost weapon. The weapon becomes a +2 frost weapon when wielded by a character of Tier 3, a +2 fire outsider bane frost weapon at Tier 4, and a +2 fire outsider bane icy burst weapon at Tier 5 and higher. Blizzard has additional qualities when used directly against Jhavhul and his favored minions, as detailed in the last adventure in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path, and is a minor artifact. Genies and similar creatures immediately recognize Blizzard as having been forged in the Elemental Planes of the raw stuff of creation. Characters who wield the weapon may garner unique responses from Templars of the Five Winds to be encountered later in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. These characters recognize the weapon as having once belonged to a lost comrade, and may treat the wielder differently than just any mortal.

Blizzard Awakened

If Vardishal’s spirit infuses the weapon Blizzard (found by the PCs back in “Howl of the Carrion King”), the weapon becomes intelligent. By the time its wielder begins this adventure, he should be 13th level, and all of Tempest’s additional qualities should have activated, making it into a +2 fire outsider bane icy burst weapon. Once Tempest is fully awakened, it has the following additional abilities:

• Intelligent Weapon: Tempest has an Intelligence of 13, a Wisdom of 10, a Charisma of 13, and an Ego score of 15.

• Senses and Communication: Tempest communicates via empathy, and can see and hear the world around it at a distance of 60 feet.

• Lesser Powers: Tempest can bless its allies three times a day, and can use cure moderate wounds on its wielder three times a day.

• Greater Power: Tempest’s wielder gains fire resistance 30.

• Special Purpose: Tempest’s special purpose is to defeat Jhavhul and his minions. Whenever Tempest critically strikes a foe, it generates a powerful blast of hurricaneforce wind. A Large or smaller foe struck must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or be knocked down. A Medium or smaller foe who fails this save is also blown backward 1d4 × 10 feet at the wielder’s option. A flying creature is treated as one size category smaller than its actual size for the purposes of resolving this effect. Jhavhul himself is always treated as a Medium creature against this effect. In addition, Tempest can cast control winds three times a day, and control weather once a day if doing so will hamper or hinder its enemies.

• Caster Level: Tempest’s caster level for all of its abilities is CL 15th.