Doctor Skull-Cracker's Hammer

Doctor Skull-Cracker's Hammer is notable because it serves the following role: chen Ge's recurring human-scale defense, investigation tool, and visual signature. Its importance comes from demonstrated use and custody rather than an assumed artifact rank.

History

The hammer begins as an ordinary heavy maintenance tool from the Haunted House rather than a black-phone artifact. Chen carries it into early investigations because it works on locks, obstacles, and human attackers. Repeated survival makes the oversized tool inseparable from his Doctor Skull Cracker image. (Chapters 1, 14–25, 45–63)

Abilities and properties

• Delivers heavy blunt force against physical targets and weaker supernatural bodies when contact is possible. (Chapters 45–63, 148–185)
• Serves as a breaching and maintenance tool during investigations.
• Its appearance creates psychological intimidation, but it has no stated enchantment, sentience, or formal rank and cannot by itself overcome a Red Specter.

Ownership and custody

Chen Ge owns and carries the hammer through the House of Horrors’ investigations, School of the Afterlife, Ghost Fetus search, and final hospital conflict. It remains his signature human-scale defense. (Chapters 188–400, 639, 835–906, 970–1141)