three things: zombies as inspiration

Zombies are a recurring theme. I figured a bit of hot 3.X edition action was called for to try and address the apparent imbalance between editions here.  Like you lot care. :o)

Axe of Inevitable Death
A burnished steel double-bladed battleaxe with a bone handle carved with skulls wrapped in a supple brown leather. It is enchanted to lend a wielder the strength and fortitude of the dead; yet the slowness it incurs make it unpopular with adventurers but not with executioners.

This +1 battleaxe grants a character the following only when wielded:

• +4 to Strength
• +2 to AC
• +2 to Fortitude saves
  
• It forces the wielder to be last in the round, regardless of initiative.

Making an axe of inevitable death costs 9,000gp and 720xp and requires Craft Magic Arms and Armour as well as a 5th-level caster casting bull's strength, magic weapon, resistance and shield of faith. An axe of inevitable death costs 18,000gp to buy.  How many actual buyers would appear may be another matter.

Hanged Man's Hand
This preserved human left hand is attached to a three-inch diameter ring of black iron at the wrist. It radiates faint necromantic magic. It is intended to be fastened to a rope but need not be.  The command word to activate the hand is tattooed in the leathery palm of the hand, when spoken, the hand will mimic the gesture of the left hand of the wielder and lock in that position when the word is spoken again. if used as a weapon, the hand strikes for 1d8 damage (x2 critical) and counts as a +1 weapon for purposes of damage resistance. It can be thrown (range increment 10') at an opponent.
Making a hanged man's hand costs 12,500gp and 500xp and requires Craft Wondrous Item and a 5th-level caster casting animate dead and spectral hand.  A hanged man's hand costs 25,000gp to buy.

Scourge of the Servant
This braided scourge is made of pale leather studded with bone shards wrapped around a thighbone handle.  When used on an intact dead humanoid body of Medium or smaller size and 5HD or less, the body animates as a zombie under the control of the holder of the scourge.  The scourge can on a successful to hit roll rebuke any zombie it has created as though it were a 5th-level evil cleric.  The scourge counts as a +1 weapon for purposes of damage resistance only.  Using a scourge of the servant to create zombies is not a good act.
Making a scourge of the servant costs 9,000gp and 360xp and requires Craft Magic Arms & Armour as well a 5th-level caster casting animate dead and a prayer spell cast by an evil cleric of 5th-level or higher.