The arch-mage Nephros Caromb sought immortality. His plan was to channel his soul into an object -- a gold pendant that hung from a thick silver chain -- convinced that leaving the object back in safety as he went forward into battle would grant him immunity from harm.
However, as he worked to accomplish his goal his greed consumed him and he attempted to add power to his soul by amplifying it through a cracked seer stone. The experiment ended in his death and his soul was fractured into four imperfect pieces, imprisoned within a golden cell.
Description
Visually, the cross appears to have been constructed by wrapping gold wire around a wooden frame and then burning the wood out of the middle. The gold is not malleable, indicating the gold is mixed with other metals. At the center intersection of the four branches are four mysterious crystals. The crystals are never touching. While using this object, the crystals disappear as they are, in fact, the four parts of Caromb's soul. As each soul is killed, the crystals return to new positions on the pendant.
This object is appropriately heavy. It has no smell. When you press it to your ear, you can hear -- very, very faintly -- the continuous sound of a misguided wizard screaming out in excruciating agony. When activated, that same noise grows loud and lasts for about a second (1s). Once the illusions appear, that sound ceases.
Spell: Caromb's Cause
- Using silent meditation and thinking exclusively of a single visible target, the wearer can hold the pendant in both hands (one hand doesn't work) and become invisible.
- The caster is immune from ranged, melee, and single-target magical damage.
- The caster is NOT immune to the damage or effects of magical area of effect spells.
- The caster should not move.
- The caster is too deep in meditation to speak or interact in any way with those around him or her.
- The caster can smell and hear as if normal.
- Within ten meters (10m) of the caster, the four pieces of Caromb's soul appear as illusions of the holder.
- This effect can frighten, confuse, or enrage all units that have never seen it before. An effect like this is particularly potent against the targeted enemy.
- Illusions must appear MORE THAN two meters (2m) from all other illusions created by this spell.
- Illusions appear as moving versions of the caster, thus fooling units with vision into thinking there are now four new adversaries.
- Illusions can do no damage.
- Illusions cannot interact with objects.
- Illusions can be targeted and hit with any type of damage or spell just as if they were real.
- Illusions can make no attempt to dodge melee or spell damage. Illusions have a minor chance to dodge a ranged attack.
- Illusions are visible to all on the battlefield, but only ever acknowledge or look at the target.
- Illusions have no immunity.
- Illusions cannot move more than three meters from their casting spot.
- Intelligent enemies can check illusions to see if they are real. Because they are made from pieces of a soul, they have a minor chance to falsely appear real.
- Each illusion has no health and will vanish when attacked.
- Illusions can be used to solve puzzles in which a soul must be present. For instance, if a pressure plate is activated by the presence of a soul, the illusions can activate the trigger.
- If all four illusions are destroyed, the spell ends involuntarily.
- If the caster is jolted in a significant way, he or she must make a check to maintain concentration. If they fail, the spell ends involuntarily.
- If the caster moves voluntarily without first voluntarily ending the spell, the spell ends involuntary.
- When voluntarily ending the spell, the caster remains invisible (even after the illusions disappear) for two seconds and can move without breaking the effect, but cannot take any other action.
- If the caster, while invisible, was highlighted or revealed using magic and then voluntarily ends the spell, the magic that shows or highlights the caster is immediately dispelled and the caster gains two seconds of invisible movement.
- Spell can be used once per battle.
- Spell -- including invisibility and all remaining illusions -- ends without fail after one minute.
Curses and Restrictions
- If the pendant (not the chain) is melted to the point where any of the crystals touch each other, all four crystals leap from the object to form a spectral version of the arch-mage Nephros Caromb. If this happens within 100m of the party, he then attempts to take over the body of one of the adventurers. That adventurer is frozen. The spirit also attacks the rest of the party with single-target ranged spells. The spirit must be destroyed or it will enter the frozen player, who evolves to permanently gain some of Nephros's personality and skills. The frozen player should gain the ability to cast spells (if not already attained), two low-level spells, proficiency in crafting jewelry, and a dark personality flaw (such as bouts of uncontrolled rage). The frozen player will also lose some of their melee or ranged combat prowess.
- Can only be destroyed via melting.
- The soul crystals cannot be weakened in advance by poisoning or other means.
Origin
I'd highly recommend finding the pendant in the dusty hand of the deceased arch-mage's skeleton. The chain could be nearby. Alternatively, if someone else found the pendant before the adventurers, they could experience the effects of Caromb's Cause in battle and then obtain the necklace as a loot drop.
Alternatives
- This could easily be a computerized device that projects holograms and it's destruction could release an electrical AI of sorts.
- Being a pendant, there's no reason it can't be mounted to something or incorporated into some metalwork like the hilt of a sword.
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