| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LordofBones |
Posted - 03 Sep 2014 : 14:17:22
CROWN OF HORNS
Aura strong necromancy; Caster Level 20th; Weight -
Description
The Crown of Horns, in its original form, was an electrum helm fully covered with small horns and a row of black gems around the edge; since its reformation, the Crown is an electrum circlet with four bone horns mounted around its edge and one large black diamond centered over the wearer’s brow while black as obsidian, the stone is clear, and weird energy dances within the faceted gem. While powerful in its first incarnation, the Crown of Horns' might has only increased in the past decade, derived from Myrkul's essence.
First, the Crown of Horns shrouds its wearer in an aura of fear identical to that of a lich. It also grants the wearer the benefits of the Command Undead feat, regardless of its prerequisites, as a 20th level necromancer. If the wearer is already capable of commanding undead, he gains a +6 bonus to DC of the ability.
The Crown's wearer becomes immune to all forms of necromantic effect unless he wishes to be affected by it. Effects enhanced by the Thanatopic Spell or Threnodic Spell feats function as normal, but the wearer has a +5 profane bonus to his saving throw.
Once every ten days, the wearer can cast greater teleport, only affecting himself and his equipment.
The Crown's true powers, however, are revealed when the wearer chooses to go into battle. Once every ten minutes, the Crown-Bearer can invoke a misty, billowing cone of shadows from the black diamond at its brow otherwise identical in appearance and range to a cone of cold. Every living being within the blast immediately suffers 1d4 points of Constitution damage in the first round, and 1d8 points of Constitution damage in the second round, and must make a Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + Charisma modifier, or primary spellcasting modifier) or die during the third round. Slain creatures rise within 1d4 rounds as wraiths under the wearer's control. A limited wish or greater restoration cast before the third round on the afflicted individuals stops the effect.
Once per day, the wearer of the Crown of Horns can invoke the Hand of Myrkul, much like the power granted to his greatest priests. This causes the wearer's hand to erupt in brilliant black flames that give off no heat, but any creature struck by the Hand must make a Fortitude saving throw (10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + Charisma modifier, or primary spellcasting modifier) or immediately drop to -10 hit points, or 0 minus 1 hit point per two caster levels, whichever is lower. If the creature dies, it becomes a dread wraith under the wearer's control within 1d4 rounds.
The Crown slowly turns the wearer into a lich as well; the process takes two years of constant contact with the artifact, but the wearer speeds the process by using the major powers (use of the Crown's greater powers reduces the time by 1d4 months). Once the wearer of the Crown becomes a lich, the process is irreversible, and the Crown itself acts as the lich’s phylactery.
The Crown of Horns changes its wearer's alignment to Neutral Evil until it is removed, and the Crown cannot be removed save by the will of Myrkul himself. Once donned, the Crown makes its possessor paranoid and jealous about the artifact; the bearer does anything to keep others away from the Crown. To a lesser extent, the Crown also affects those in a 100-foot radius, instilling in them a desire to possess the artifact. This often forces a conflict with the current bearer of the Crown, but it also ensures that the most capable and powerful people wear it.
The Crown is the host for the last vestiges of the Realms' fallen god of the dead, Myrkul. The Crown allows Myrkul to control the wearer with suggestion spells, and it can possess the wearer for up to 20 minutes each day as though with a magic jar. Note that Myrkul, though no longer a deity, is a phenomenally powerful necromancer whose spells are far deadlier than mortal versions, with a host of terrifying powers in addition to the abilities of the Crown, which he can use at will.
Once donned, the Crown cannot be removed unless Myrkul wishes to have a new host; then, the Crown teleports elsewhere without the wearer. If the wearer has become a lich while wearing the artifact, he or she crumbles to dust instantly upon the Crown’s departure with a 1% chance per level of surviving as a demilich with the character’s original alignment. If the bearer has been a particularly useful servant, the Lord of Bones may choose to leave him intact and forever loyal to the will of the dead god.
Destruction
While sages have theorized that the Crown of Horns could be destroyed if worn by Kelemvor or buried in the sanctified dust of a hundred dead liches, the Crown has already survived destruction once. Myrkul has no intention of dying twice.
Ramifications
The Crown of Horns is the last remaining remnant of the Lord of the Dead. To meddle with it is to draw the attention of higher powers.
Fingerbones of the Dead God: Those who wear the Crown of Horns inevitably find themselves the center of divine attention. In addition to the few remaining followers of Myrkul who seek the revival of their master, the priesthood of Bane are eager to pave the way for the return of their god's staunchest ally. In addition, servants of Velsharoon may seek out the Crown as well, eager to deliver the mighty artifact to the Archmage of Necromancy for his own nefarious purposes.
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MYRKUL
Lord of the Dead, Lord of Bones, the Reaper, Old Lord Skull
Greater Power of Hades
Symbol A white human skull face-on against a black field or a reaching white skeletal hand in white on a black field, (in recent years, either symbol usually shown on an inverted black shield with a continuous border of white, stylized human fingerbones)
Domain Oinos/Bone Castle
Alignment Neutral Evil
Aliases N'asr (Anauroch, among the Bedine)
Superior Ao
Allies Bane, Bhaal, Kiaransalee, Shar, Talona
Foes Chauntea, Labolas Enoreth, Lathander, Mielikki, Segojan Earthcaller, Sehanine Moonbow, Urogalan
Servants Jergal
Servitor Creatures autumn deaths, bats, black leopards, black panthers, bodaks, bone storms, crawling hands, crows, crypt things, dream spectres, ghosts, ghouls, grim reapers, hellhounds, liches, minor reapers, mummies, murder crows, nightmares, nightshades, plague steeds, ravens, shadows (all types), skeletons (all types), soul reapers, spectres, wraiths (all types), undead warlords, zombies (all types)
Manifestations a swooping human skull with blazing lights for eyes, a disembodied skeletal hand that pointed, gestured or wielded a scimitar
Signs of Favor deepest red roses (that look black and crumbles when touched), jet, obsidian
Worshipers necromancers, morticians, gravediggers, the bereaved, the dying, intelligent undead, those who feared the afterlife
Cleric Alignments NE, LE, CE
Priests Gray One
Holy Days Day the Dead are Most With Us
Portfolio autumn, the dead, wasting, decay, old age, parasites, wasting, corruption, dusk
Domains* Darkness, Death, Evil (Fear), Healing (Resurrection only), Luck (Fate only), Plant (Decay only), Repose (Souls)
Oracle Mysteries Bones, Juju, Occult, Time
Favored Weapon Reaper's Smile (Scythe)
*Where noted, clerics of Myrkul can only use a particular subdomain instead of the original domain. |
| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 04 Sep 2014 : 02:58:02
Ah! One of my favourite Realms artifacts.
Good stuff on the translation. |
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