Valken’s Relic

Wondrous Item, artifact (may require attunement, Reborn Exclusive)

Deep within your chest pulses a fragment of something ancient and incomprehensible. Called Valken’s Relic, this crystalline organ is the reason you walk again. Its power does not rest in your hands but beats inside your rib-cage, tethered to your soul. As you study it and learn to master its rhythms, its magic begins to flow outward in strange, unstable ways.

The Relic does not exist outside of you, it cannot be stolen, sold, or discarded. Destroying it would destroy you.

Relic Spells

Valken’s Relic grants access to a pool of 8 spells chosen collaboratively by the player and DM. The DM has final say and may impose extra requirements.

Spell Restrictions:

• The spell must target self, have a range of touch, or if it has a range, the effect must originate from the player character.
• Spells cannot require material components, except those that come from the PC’s body (such as blood) or can be ingested (such as alcohol).
• The DM may allow or deny spells at their discretion.

Example Spell List:

1. Swallow Magic 
2. Vampiric Touch
3. Arms of Hadar
4. Expeditious Retreat
5. Hungering Blade
6.  Misty Step
7. False Life
8. Eyebite

Spellcasting

If the character already has a spellcasting ability, the Relic uses that ability. If not, the player and DM together choose one of the six ability scores to serve as the Relic’s spellcasting ability.

• Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + chosen modifier
• Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + chosen modifier

Casting Higher-Level Spells (Optional Rule)

When casting Relic spells of 4th level or higher, the player must succeed on a spellcasting ability check for the spell to activate.

• DC = 10 + the spell’s level
• This check is separate from any spell attack rolls the spell requires.
• If the player already has spell slots of that level from a class feature, they do not need to make this check for spells of that level or lower.

Example: If the PC can normally cast up to 5th-level spells from their class, they can freely cast Relic spells up to 5th level. If they try to cast a 6th-level Relic spell, they must succeed on a DC 16 spellcasting ability check.

On a failure, the spell does not activate, and the DM may rule that the use is expended.

Relic Stages

The Relic awakens in four stages, unlocked through patient study and experimentation. During long rests or downtime, you may attempt to study the Relic by rolling either Arcana or Tinker’s Tools, DC set by the DM. The DM tracks successes in secret. Once a threshold is reached, you advance to the next stage. 

Stage 1 – Dormant

You sense the Relic stirring. In times of stress, its power erupts uncontrollably.

• When the DM decides, the Relic triggers randomly, casting one spell from your Relic list. Roll a d8 to determine which spell activates.

Stage 2 – Awakened

You begin to coax power from the Relic, but only in fits and starts.

• As an action, you may attempt to activate the Relic by making an Arcana check (DC set by the DM).
• On a success, roll a d8 to determine which spell from the Relic list activates. On a failure, nothing happens.
• You may attempt this 2 times per long rest. The DM decides whether failed attempts consume a use.

Stage 3 – Stirring Will

You grow accustomed to its pulse, the magic sparking more reliably.

• You may now activate the Relic as a bonus action instead of an action.
• You still roll a d8 to determine which spell is cast.
• You may use this 3 times per long rest.
• After a short rest, you may attempt to regain 1d4 expended uses by succeeding on an Arcana or Tinker’s Tools check (DC set by the DM).

Stage 4 – Mastery

The Relic obeys your will, as if it were a second hand.

• You may now choose which spell from the Relic list to cast.
• Activation is the same as the chosen spell. DM may add additional activation costs
• You may use this 4 times per long rest.
• After a short rest, you may attempt to regain 1d4 expended uses by succeeding on an Arcana or Tinker’s Tools check (DC set by the DM).

Critical Mechanic (Optional)

The DM may also impose penalties on failed rolls to study the Relic.

• On a failed study roll: The player gains 1 level of exhaustion.
• On a critical failure: The player takes 1d12 damage (type chosen by the DM, such as psychic, force, or radiant). In addition, the Critical Fail threshold increases by +1.
  • If the threshold rises to 5, another die is added to the damage on critical failures, and the threshold resets to 1.
• On a critical success: The Critical Fail threshold is reduced by -1 (to a minimum of 1). The player also rolls the damage die and gains temporary HP equal to the result.

Optional DM Notes

• Sentience: The Relic may whisper urges, reveal visions, or attempt to steer the PC. It may have Valken’s voice, or something else entirely.
• Backlash: At DM’s option, failed activations may inflict psychic damage or exhaustion as the Relic strains the body.