Berserker Staff

"It shines a light into your dark places. Doesn't matter if you're human, Asgardian. The effect is the same-- unpleasant. It was forged from a rare metal and reacts to whoever is holding it. Or interacts."

- Elliot Randolph

The Berserker Staff is an ancient Asgardian weapon left behind on Earth centuries ago by an Asgardian soldier. The Soldier broke the staff into three pieces and hid them across Europe.

History
The Berserker Staff came to Earth in the 12th century when the Berserker Army from Asgard came to fight in an unspecified campaign.

When the soldiers returned to Asgard, the staff remained with the one Asgardian that remained behind. The Asgardian, who would eventually take the name Elliot Randolph, had become a pacifist and feared the dark magic of the staff falling into the wrong hands.

To prevent this, Randolph broke the staff into three pieces and hid them all throughout Europe: one in a tree in Norway, one in a crypt in Spain and one in a church in Ireland.

When members of a Norse Paganist hate group, established after the mythological Norse gods where revealed as actual being a race called the Asgardians, were able to found a manuscript with directions on finding the staff, they located the first piece in Norway. This started a race between the paganists, Randolph and S.H.I.E.L.D. to locate the various pieces.

The race came to a head in Ireland where S.H.I.E.L.D. confronted the paganists, defeated and arrested them, and took the staff to the Fridge.

The staff was later obtained by John Garrett and Ward during a HYDRA attack on the Fridge. Ward seemed uneasy when handling it.

Abilities
Any who touch the staff, whether Human or Asgardian, receive an adrenaline rush and a burst of super-strength fueled by the wielder's inner rage and hatred, often accompanied particularly hateful and unpleasant memories. Afterwards, the wielder will feel fatigued and require sleep. In Humans, however, the psychological after-effects of confronting one's inner rage and hatred could take decades to overcome.