Vinewaker

+Richard Lorenz asks: "It is a hammer, heavier than it looks. It has acid etchings of leaves and vines all over the metal head, while the shaft is made of still living wood that occasionally sprouts leaves. The head is about 6"x6"x10" and the haft is 18"."

What you have there, Richard, is a Vinewaker.

The head of the hammer is heavier since it constantly resonates with the ground so it can be able to provide it's combat benefit at all times. Simple soothing, by words or actions, like stroking the head, would lighten it. Similarly, requesting its reactivation is equally simple.

The hammer has two functions:

The first is its combat function - using a mental command while swinging the hammer would produce an exceptional knock back effect, able to take down creatures considerably large. After they are knocked down, vines will sprout to envelope them and keep them restrained. The vines will be very strong, but remain plants - susceptible to fire and degradable organic matter. Sufficient strength could break the restraints. This effect is daily, recharging at sunrise, and cannot accumulate charges between days.
A minor helpful effect, that the hammer will give the current owner a gentle mental hum whenever the sun rises, allowing a type of effective way to count days despite being in a place where the perception of days cannot be made.

The second function is considerably more potent and useful - leaves picked from the shaft are very special. The leaves can have a single clear command that vines could accomplish within 100 ft., and when then placed on the ground, shall grow faintly sentient vines that will accomplish the mission. Examples of use include bridging over a chasm, creating a climbing vine onto a wall, retrieving an object or restraining someone or something.
There is no limit on how many leaves can be kept or used, but they grow sporadically and without documented tendencies. Some documentations suggest that providing the hammer with usual contact with the ground, water and sunlight spurn the growth of leaves.

On its origins - it is assumed Elven, perhaps even made from the wood of an old Dryad's tree.