This item, usable by a member of any character class, is the bane
of all magical swords, particularly those with an innate intelligence.
It destroys magical swords through heat, which an intelligent sword
will perceive as pain. If used to destroy a sword when not in combat,
the user simply touches the rod to the sword and gives the command
words to activate it. If the sword fails a saving throw vs. disintegration
(as hard metal), the sword grows rapidly hotter until it melts
into white-hot slag within a single round. Anyone touching the hot
slag or holding the sword as it melts takes 4-16 hp damage (save vs.
wands for half damage).

In combat, the wielder of the rod must concentrate on striking the
opponent?s sword, which is considered to have a base AC 0 (with
bonuses for magical protective devices applicable, such as from a
ring of protection, but not from bracers of defense). Any misses
against the sword will not strike the sword?s wielder. 

If a sword is struck while in combat, it gains a +2 bonus to its
saving throw due to the circumstances of combat. If this save fails,
however, the sword quickly accumulates dangerous thermal energy,
and the wielder will take the damage noted above and drop the
weapon. The sword will often spray the 5? area around it with
sparks and light as it melts, though this display is not dangerous. A
sword with speech capability will emit a death shriek that will deafen
all within 30? of it for 1-6 turns, if the affected creatures fail to save
vs. wands.

There is a 5% chance per ego point a sword possesses that it will
explode when it fails to save against the rod of melting. Such a blast
will cause 1 hp damage per ego point the sword possessed to all
beings within 30? of it. If this occurs, the rod must save vs. disintegration
(as hard metal), or it, too, will be destroyed by backfiring
thermal energy, forcing its wielder to take damage and drop it as
well.

A rod of melting has at most 50 charges, and cannot be recharged.
Each time it forces a sword to save against its melting
power, whether the sword is destroyed or not, a charge is used for
every point of ego that the sword possesses (or for the total ?to hit? 
bonus the sword possesses at its greatest effect, if it is not intelligent).
The rod will not affect non-magical swords or any other magical
or non-magical weapons or items. If used against a living
creature, it may be treated as a jo stick for damage. It has no effect
at all against iron golems.

Experience Point Value: 3,000
Gold Piece Sale Value: 12,000