Critical Role’s Campaign 4 shows Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan using a powerful magical axe to create political complications for the players. The weapon, passed between characters, was recognised by a noble who may expose a web of lies and damage the Schemers’ carefully built alliance.

The axe was originally given by Lady Ingrid Einfasen to Sir Julien Davinos, then passed to Teor Pridesire and ultimately Azune Nayar after Teor’s death. Its strong statistics encouraged multiple characters to replace their old weapons, but Mulligan used its personal history and mechanical appeal as “player bait”, creating consequences without making the item explicitly cursed.