⚔️ The Zealot’s Bane

Weapon (longsword), very rare (requires attunement)
Cursed, Sentient

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Appearance:

An elegant but brutal longsword forged from flawless star-steel. Its blade gleams cold silver with no imperfections. The hilt is wrapped in white leather, long since stained with blood that will not wash out. The guard bears the shape of a broken sunburst— faded by time and regret. A cracked symbol of Aurevyn, The Unyielding Flame.

The blade whispers in silence and burns in judgment.

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Legacy of Orellia – The Betrayer of Blood

Once wielded by Orellia, a paladin of Aurevyn, the Dawnfather—god of radiant order and law without forgiveness.

Orellia was a fearsome commander and judge, a living sword of flame and justice. But as she sought to purify the land, she became convinced that her weapon—The Zealot’s Bane—could be made stronger by binding a soul of true innocence within it.

That soul was her sister, Aelira—a healer, pacifist, and follower of mercy.

Orellia knowingly executed Aelira, branding her a traitor and allowing the blade to drink her spirit.
It worked. The blade awakened.
But the price was too high—even for a zealot.

In the moment the blade absorbed Aelira’s soul, Orellia broke her oath to Aurevyn. His divine light seared her mind, shattering her identity.
She now wanders, stripped of memory, lost in the void between justice and guilt, drawn unknowingly toward Thariel, The Turning Wheel, god of Balance.

 

💀 Judgment of the Guilty

When you strike a creature, The Zealot’s Bane attempts to pass divine judgment:

• If the creature is guilty of serious, intentional injustice (murder, treachery, etc.), they take an additional 6d6 radiant damage.

• If the target is evil-aligned, this damage becomes necrotic, and you regain 1d6 HP as the sword feeds.

• On a critical hit against a guilty target, they must make a DC 17 Constitution save or be reduced to 0 HP, executed by divine force.

DM’s Note: Guilt is determined by absolute action, not context. Mercy has no place here.

👻 Spirit Within – Aelira, the Innocent

Aelira’s soul remains bound inside the blade—not in rage, but in quiet mourning. She does not hate Orellia, but she will not forgive her.

• Alignment: Lawful Good

• Intelligence 14, Wisdom 18, Charisma 15

• Communication: Telepathic with attuned wielder

• Personality: Gentle, sorrowful, unyielding in moral clarity. She cannot lie. She knows guilt. And she judges silently.

🧿 Curse – The Arbiter's Descent

Once attuned, the sword cannot be removed unless Remove Curse is cast by a good-aligned divine caster.

While attuned:

• You gain disadvantage on Persuasion checks. People sense the sword’s presence and begin to fear you.

• You must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw to spare someone the sword deems guilty.

• Each dawn, make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a fail:

  • You lose a piece of your identity. A memory, a bond, a belief.

  • You gain a flaw: “Mercy is a betrayal of justice.”

The sword whispers Aurevyn’s harsh creed:

“Light does not forgive. Light burns.”

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Proficiency with a Longsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: “Let the Blade Judge You” To attune to The Zealot’s Bane, you must spend a short rest alone with the sword in prayer, reflection, or total silence. You must place the blade across your knees or your chest—symbolically laying yourself bare before its judgment. As the attunement begins, you feel your surroundings fall away. The steel hums, and your breath echoes as if inside a vast cathedral or a courtroom beyond time. 🌑 The Trial of the Soul Your mind is pulled inward, and you stand before a colossal version of The Zealot’s Bane, suspended in darkness. From it emerges a faint figure cloaked in white light—Aelira, the innocent soul within the blade. She speaks only one question: “Have you ever chosen vengeance over mercy?” You do not answer with words. The sword reveals a memory from your past—something you did, or failed to do. (DM’s discretion: create or draw upon a meaningful moment from the character’s backstory.) Then: If you show remorse, the blade accepts you—but with reservation. If you show r, Versatile, Sap