This bronze hammer was crafted from the husk of the Warforged named Elaphi, who died protecting the city of Elaphi, and was originally wielded by Gora, the armorer of legend. The hammer’s name, Karu-ma, means “Crucible” in the ancient language of the vulpine.

Behavior. A piece of Elaphi’s personality is impressed into the hammer and can communicate with the wielder by telepathically transmitting emotion, such as sorrow or excitement. Elaphi was lawful good, and the hammer reacts well to being used to defend a cause, place, or people or to create something. The hammer also prefers to be wielded by those with an inventive streak, and will not relinquish its Awakened or Exalted features to one who does not have one, even if those features are already unlocked.

Dormant

The hammer grants the following benefits in its dormant state:

• The hammer can be used as a spellcasting focus.
• The hammer grants a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls and to the saving throw DCs of your spells while you’re holding it, and has that bonus to attack and damage rolls using it.
• When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack while you wield the hammer, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your level (to a minimum of 0 damage).
• You can cast absorb elements and shield each once, without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast each spell each dawn.

Awakened

When the hammer reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties:

• The bonus of the hammer to your spell attack rolls and saving throw DCs and the bonus to attack and damage rolls with the hammer increases to +2.
• While using the hammer as a spellcasting focus, your spells don’t require material components that cost equal to or less than 500 gp.
• When using this hammer to protect another as with its Dormant reaction, you can instead cause the attack to miss.

Exalted

When the hammer reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties:

• The bonus of the hammer to your spell attack rolls and saving throw DCs and the bonus to attack and damage rolls with the hammer increases to +3.
• You can spend your action to end one spell of 5th level or lower that is affecting a willing creature within 5 feet of you.
• While using the hammer as a spellcasting focus, your spells don’t require material components that cost equal to or less than 3,000 gp.
• Magical attacks against you and creatures friendly to you within 20 feet of you have disadvantage.

Proficiency with a Warhammer allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: Bonus: Magic, Bonus: Spell Save DC, Bonus: Magic, Bonus: Spell Attacks, Bonus: Spell Save DC, Bonus: Magic, Bonus: Spell Attacks, Bonus: Spell Save DC, Damage, Buff, Utility, Combat, Warding, Sentient, Artificer, Versatile, Push