Hiding an artifact from the enemy

[Deylinarr]

Looking for creative ideas......

My character just got an artifact weapon, very distinct and recognizable. The enemy cult we are fighting wants it so it's my job to keep it out of their hands. BUT its also one of the only weapons that will defeat them, so I need to carry it with me as we enter enemy territory. Im thinking that it will be recognized almost immediately and our cover blown.

So what kind of spells etc are out there that can alter the appearance of the weapon (its a heavy mace) to hide its true form? I need to still be able to wield it so a knitted 'mace cozy' or something isn't going to be of much help especially since the thing will glow like an xmas tree under Detect Magic.........

Thanks in advance!

[Timebomb]

General disclaimer, artifacts are as hard to hide as the DM makes them, any of the following can be defeated by the DM saying "it doesnt work"

A thin sheet of lead stops nearly all divination spells (such as detect magic) so have a blacksmith melt down some lead, then coat the entire thing in lead. It's an artifact so the heat shouldn't do anything bad, and if your mace gets a bit more dull from the coating... who cares?

Magic Aura makes an object detect as something else.

You could try storing it in an extradimensional space, a Pathfinder's Pouch is your best bet as the bag doesnt detect as magic and contents in the other dimension don't have line of effect; so they can't be detected. This might actually be the your best option.

An Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location will keep you and everything you are wearing from being scryed, detected, or "locate object"-ed, unless the caster can pass a DC 19. Better than nothing.

You could try to have a crafter enchant it with the Glamored property, but I have a feeling you risk a serious explosion if someone tries to mess with it.

You could try to just forge a weapon around it, a Heavy Mace is a one-handed weapon, so presumably you could just have a very talented blacksmith or a wizard with Fabricate create a Earth Breaker around the mace. Not sure if the artifact's properties could transfer though, so once you needed to use it you'd need to smash apart your Earth Breaker to reveal the artifact within. Actually that'd pretty awesome. Just make sure you include a thin sheet of lead or one inch of metal in between the mace and outside.

[HaraldKlak]

You might see if you can get a custom version of Sheath of Bladestealth. Raw it only works with bladed weapons, but making a Mace variant shouldn't be unreasonable.
Basically it turns the weapon invisible when sheated.
Simply putting it into a Handy Haversack hides it better, but if you intend to use it once in a while, you'd probably want it on hand.

Nondetection would help protect you and it against detect spells.

[StDrake]

A simple application of Silent Image coupled with some undetectable aura spell will suffice, just need to make them last long enough.

[Mistah J]

Magic Aura does not work on artifacts.

you could use a glove of storing maybe?