Over three centuries ago, a fearsome evil appeared in the land of Syndaris. Bent on cruelty and destruction, this evil traveled from village to village subduing the Syndaran people and slaying any who dared to resist. The cambion Rahzzur was that fearsome evil, and in the span of a few weeks he and his fiendish entourage laid waste to nearly every corner of Syndaris. Homes and fields were razed, the sky was filled with ash and smoke, and rivers ran with the blood of those who had died in battle. Towns were nearly emptied of life, for the survivors had fled to the hills and mountains, hoping they might find respite from the inconceivable horror they had endured.
But not all Syndarans fled. A small but valiant remnant clung together and vowed to defeat Rahzzur. These four were the final hope for freeing Syndaris from the cambion’s reign that was fast approaching—Talisten, the devout cleric; Findric, the clever wizard; Azalor, the elusive druid; and Kubrithani, the mighty paladin. On Harvest Eve, these four heroes and those they led gathered solemnly at the edge of Feldpool and prepared for their final assault on Rahzzur, who lurked in the castle ruins that lay to the east.
Sharing a meager meal that final night, they silently gazed into the small fire around which they sat. Druid, cleric, paladin, and wizard alike sought their gods, beseeching them to intervene on behalf of good people who were meaninglessly suffering from Rahzzur’s corrupt whim. The four suspected that the dread in their hearts would make sleep an impossibility, yet sleep they did. The next morning they learned that, inexplicably, they had shared precisely the same dream. Each had dreamed that as they sat and gazed into the fire, a female face, regal and wise, appeared within the flames and uttered these words:
From the ashes of this fire, let Talisten take fair Aeris.
Though she alone will carry it, all four will share its power.
Certain of the outcome you will enter evil’s bower
And free your land and people from this dire hour.
To the ashes of this fire, you shall then return fair Aeris.
Eat and drink and raise your songs around the fire’s light.
Drink and dance and sing with joy, O victors of the fight!
And let fair Aeris in the flames smolder ever bright!
So it was that Talisten withdrew from the ashes an object about the size of a child’s fist. Clearly magical in nature, it was a translucent, roughly-hewn piece of stone that gleamed with muted blue light. With a strip of leather Talisten secured the stone to the handle of her mace; then the four heroes and their small band of loyal followers set out to meet Rahzzur.
As evening fell, Talisten, Findric, Azalor, and Kubrithani entered the ruins and waged their final war on the cambion. The Giver of Aeris had spoken truthfully in their dreams, for the four heroes and their allies stood weary but tall and victorious. Strewn about them were the vanquished and defeated. Syndaris, at last, was saved.
The band of warriors returned to their camp by Feldpool that night, and with grateful hearts they ate, drank, and conversed. As commanded in their previous night’s dream, Talisten placed Aeris in the fire. The stone glowed softly as the four heroes nodded off to sleep a few hours before dawn. And once again, the voice in the fire spoke to them in their dreams.
A portion of Aeris’ magic each of you may wield,
If with purity of heart you swear this land to shield.
Within the fire’s ashes lie five fragments of the stone,
Four shall be for heroes, the fifth shall be for none.
Revealing that Aeris was now broken into five separate pieces--four of which could be taken by Talisten, Findric, Azalor, and Kubrithani--the voice explained the three vows that would be upon them should they choose to wield a Fragment of Aeris. The first is to defend Syndaris, never using their power to gain gold, glory, or influence; the second is to be content with the power granted, never seeking to possess an additional fragment; and the third is to choose one who is worthy when the time comes to surrender the fragment to another.
A warning also was given to the four heroes: any who might take a Fragment of Aeris by force or deceit would surely die. Lastly, to ensure the original Stone of Aeris, with all of its potency, could not fall into the hand of any mortal, the fifth fragment would forever be hidden from the eyes of the living. And with that, the voice within their dreams and within the flames spoke her final words:
Now from the fire’s ashes, take up your fragment of stone.
Four shall be for Defenders; the fifth shall be for none.
In the morning, the heroes discovered, once again, their dreams to be the same as well as true. Five fragments of Aeris could be seen among the ashes. Understanding the vows and duties that would be upon them, each picked up a piece of the magical stone. The first wielders of the fragments of Aeris were established on that chilly autumn morning, and their names stand atop the history of Defenders that exist to this present day, over three hundred years later…
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Hello, all! I’m looking for three heroes to be the current Defenders of Syndaris, a homebrew world very similar to the Forgotten Realms. This will be a moderately high-level adventure; characters will be level 12 and wield a powerful magic item. Full character creation will take place after I’ve selected the players; so, please don’t go to the trouble of rolling abilities and generating a character at this time.
To apply for this adventure, you will focus on the creation of an artifact (the item your character will wield as a Defender of Syndaris). The way in which you fashion this artifact will, to some degree, give me an idea of what character class you’re hoping to play as well. The magic items wielded by the Defenders have some qualities by default and others that you must select. The default qualities are as follows:
Sentience: possesses intelligence, wisdom, and charisma
Language: speaks, reads, and understands Common
Telepathy: communicates telepathically with any creature that wields or carries it
Senses: hearing and darkvision out to 60 feet
Alignment: neutral good
Personality: a unique way of speaking and interacting with its wielder and the world around it
Purpose: bane to a particular creature type, which the item can detect within 60'
Beneficial properties: three in total
Detrimental property #1: the item has bestowed upon its wielder a tendency to shun some perfectly normal, wholesome aspect of daily life and, in its place, avidly pursue some solitary interest or hobby that was altogether foreign to the wielder before becoming attuned to the item.
Detrimental property #2: the item reacts violently if it senses its bane creature within 60’ and its wielder fails or refuses to take what the item deems to be appropriate action against the creature. The wielder suffers 8d6 psychic damage (halved on a successful DC 17 CHA save) and beneficial property #2 becomes inactive for the next 24 hours (a time period during which the item will frequently express its dissatisfaction with the wielder’s decision-making)
The qualities you must choose or describe:
ITEM TYPE - Select a weapon (any simple or martial found in PHB) or a spellcasting focus (rod, staff, wand, or amulet)
ABILITY SCORES - Distribute forty-two points among INT, WIS, and CHA, but no single score can be less than 12.
PERSONALITY - Describe (see above).
PURPOSE - Your artifact serves as a bane to a particular creature type. Choose one (aberration, fiend, monstrosity, undead, or any evil-aligned creature), and be aware that your choice will impact some item properties below.
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #1 - Select one of the following:
Immunity to one condition of your choice (blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, or poisoned)
Resistance to one type of damage of your choice (anything but bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing)
Advantage on initiative
Advantage on one saving throw of your choice
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #2 - Select one of the following:
Bonus of +2 to attack rolls and damage rolls (weapons only)
Bonus of +2 to spell attack rolls and to the saving throw DC's of your spells (spellcasting foci only)
Bonus of +1 to AC and all saving throws
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #3 - Select one of the following:
On a successful melee, ranged, or spell attack, the item deals an additional 3d6 damage type of your choice to any creature to which the item is a bane
As an action, the item can cast a spell of your choosing that is 4th-level or below. The spell is cast at 4th-level, and, if applicable, the item will maintain concentration on the spell on the wielder's behalf. This spell can be cast twice in a 24-hour period.
DETRIMENTAL PROPERTY #1 - Describe (see above).
Please submit the above information via PM and include which character class/classes you'd like to use in this adventure. Thank you and ask questions as needed.
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #3 - Select one of the following:
On a successful melee, ranged, or spell attack, the item deals an additional 3d6 damage type of your choice to any creature to which the item is a bane
As an action, the item can cast a spell of your choosing that is 4th-level or below. The spell is cast at 4th-level, and, if applicable, the item will maintain concentration on the spell on the wielder's behalf. This spell can be cast twice in a 24-hour period.
Is the spell baked in to the item or is it possible to be a different spell on every casting?
Hello, all! I’m looking for three heroes to be the current Defenders of Syndaris, a homebrew world very similar to the Forgotten Realms. This will be a moderately high-level adventure; characters will be level 12 and wield a powerful magic item. Full character creation will take place after I’ve selected the players; so, please don’t go to the trouble of rolling abilities and generating a character at this time.
To apply for this adventure, you will focus on the creation of an artifact (the item your character will wield as a Defender of Syndaris). The way in which you fashion this artifact will, to some degree, give me an idea of what character class you’re hoping to play as well. The magic items wielded by the Defenders have some qualities by default and others that you must select. The default qualities are as follows:
The qualities you must choose or describe:
ITEM TYPE - Select a weapon (any simple or martial found in PHB) or a spellcasting focus (rod, staff, wand, or amulet)
ABILITY SCORES - Distribute forty-two points among INT, WIS, and CHA, but no single score can be less than 12.
PERSONALITY - Describe (see above).
PURPOSE - Your artifact serves as a bane to a particular creature type. Choose one (aberration, fiend, monstrosity, undead, or any evil-aligned creature), and be aware that your choice will impact some item properties below.
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #1 - Select one of the following:
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #2 - Select one of the following:
BENEFICIAL PROPERTY #3 - Select one of the following:
DETRIMENTAL PROPERTY #1 - Describe (see above).
Please submit the above information via PM and include which character class/classes you'd like to use in this adventure. Thank you and ask questions as needed.
~Dust
Is the spell baked in to the item or is it possible to be a different spell on every casting?
Good question. The spell would be baked in.
How long will you be accepting applications?
For at least another day or so.