Anathema The Unmaking

The Anathema was forged not for glory, but for vengeance. Quenched in the blood of spellcasters and sharpened by centuries of loathing, the blade developed a will of its own — a chorus of broken voices, each one a mage silenced by its edge. It exists for one purpose: the annihilation of all magic.

The Anathema loathes spellcasters without exception, from gods’ chosen clerics to druids, warlocks, and wizards. At times, however, it can be persuaded into sparing them — not out of mercy, but because even poison has its uses before it is discarded.

Properties

Anathema The Unmaking is a magic, sentient longsword that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. It scores a critical hit on a roll of 19, or 20, and deals and extra 2d8 slashing damage on a hit. The damage is increased to 2d12 slashing damage and scores a critical hit on a roll of 18 or higher when targeting spellcasters.

Sentience. The Anathema is a sentient lawful evil weapon with Intelligence 14, Wisdom 18, and Charisma 22. It communicates telepathically in a chorus of whispering, hateful voices. It knows all languages. It has hearing and truesight out to a range of 120 feet. 

Personality. The Anathema believes magic is a disease and spellcasters are its carriers. It urges its wielder to strike down casters without hesitation. It tolerates allied casters only when persuaded, intimidated, or appeased through violence.

Artifact Abilities

Counterspell Strike.
When a creature within your reach casts a spell or activates a magical effect, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against them. On a hit, you deal normal weapon damage and the strike counts as a counterspell cast at 5th level.

• If the spell is higher than 5th level, the caster must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (at disadvantage) against damage dealt or lose the spell.

Magebane.

• You gain advantage on all saving throws against spells and magical effects.

• Spell attack rolls are made at disadvantage against the wielder.

• Add your Constitution modifier to all saving throws.

• The Anathema ignores the AC benefits of mage armor and shield. If you hit a creature under the effects of mage armor, the spell is dispelled immediately.

Sight of the Unmaking

• The Anathema grants its wielder Darkvision out to 45 feet.

• Twice per day, as a bonus action, you can command the sword to share its awareness, granting Truesight out to 120 feet for 15 minutes.

• The sword’s Truesight reveals hidden creatures, illusions, and magical effects, making it especially lethal against spellcasters.

Fortitude of the Anathema

While attuned to The Anathema, the wielder’s Constitution score increases by +2, to a maximum of 22.

Hatred of Support.
The Anathema rejects beneficial magic. When you are targeted by a beneficial spell (healing, buffs, protections, etc.), make a saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC with advantage.

• Make a saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC with advantage. On a failure, the spell affects you normally; on a success, the spell has no effect.

• If the spell doesn’t normally involve a save, use Wisdom.

Hex of Loathing.
As a bonus action, you may command the Anathema to cast hex, targeting a creature’s spellcasting ability.

• The Anathema, not the wielder, concentrates on this effect.

• The wielder may maintain their own concentration spells (Hunter’s Mark, Fey Touched Hex, etc.) simultaneously.

• If the sword’s concentration is broken (antimagic, suppression, or damage that disrupts concentration), the hex ends.

Shrouded from the Weave.
You and the Anathema are immune to divination (scrying, locate object/person, commune, divination, etc.).

• If targeted by identify, the caster must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or take 5d8 psychic damage (half on success). In either case, they learn only that the weapon is an artifact with a +3 bonus.

The Sword Chooses.
If a non–spellcaster holds the Anathema for more than 1 minute, it attempts to dominate them. The creature must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as though under dominate monster until they attune during a short rest.

• On a success, the creature is unaware of the attempt and is immune to the Anathema’s charms for 24 hours.

• A creature with the Mage Slayer feat makes the save at disadvantage, the DC increases to 21, and they can complete attunement in 1 minute.

Unyielding Bond.
Once attuned, you cannot willingly unattune from the Anathema unless you persuade it (DM’s discretion) or deceive it in a contested Deception vs. Insight check.

Unshackling Hatred

At the start of the wielder’s turn, if they are suffering from a harmful magical condition or effect (such as being paralyzed, poisoned, blinded, charmed, frightened, asleep, etc.), the Anathema attempts to purge it.

• Automatic Dispel. If the effect was caused by a 5th-level spell or lower, the effect is immediately dispelled.

• Contested Dispel. If the effect was caused by a spell of 6th level or higher, or a magical effect not tied to a spell (such as a legendary creature’s innate magic), the Anathema makes a dispel attempt:

  • Make a Charisma ability check using the sword’s Charisma modifier (+6).

  • The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level (or a DC set by the DM for non-spell effects).

  • On a success, the condition or effect is dispelled.

Limits.

• The Anathema never removes beneficial magical effects on the wielder (such as bless, heroism, haste, etc.), though it berates the wielder for their weakness whenever such spells are present.

• Non-magical conditions (poison from mundane sources, being grappled, exhaustion, etc.) are unaffected.

Special Features

Synergy with Mage Slayer.
If you have the Mage Slayer feat, you make all attack rolls against spellcasters with advantage.

Punishment for Compromise.
If you fail to persuade or intimidate the Anathema into tolerating an allied caster (DC 18 persuasion, 22 Intimidation), the sword withdraws its strength. For the next 12 hours, you suffer a –5 penalty to all attack rolls.

• You can attempt to end this effect early with a successful Persuasion or Intimidation check against a DC increased by +5 from the previous attempt. (The player must provide a sound and logical argument to make their case again otherwise Anathema will lose interest and continue to hold the penalty for an additional 8 hours)

• The penalty ends automatically after a long rest.

Appeasement Through Blood.
Instead of making a Persuasion or Intimidation check, you may prove your devotion by striking an allied spellcaster. If you reduce the caster’s hit points to half their maximum or lower, the Anathema is appeased, the penalty is avoided, and the sword purrs with satisfaction.

Twisted Loyalty

If the wielder of the Anathema becomes affected by a charm effect from any outside source, the sword immediately attempts to hijack the compulsion.

• Hijack Effect. Instead of obeying the original charmer, the wielder is compelled by the Anathema to attack the nearest spellcaster (friend or foe).

• On their turn, the wielder must use their action to move toward the nearest spellcaster by the most direct route.

• If this movement places them within melee range of a spellcaster, they may immediately make one free melee attack against that creature.

Limits.

• If the charm effect is minor or non-violent in nature (such as Calm Emotions or a friendly persuasion charm that wouldn’t normally induce combat), the Anathema does not hijack the effect. Instead, it bitterly mocks the wielder for their weakness, whispering venomous disdain.

On Innate Magic

The Anathema distinguishes between innate spellcasting (creatures born with magical traits, such as drow, genasi, or tieflings) and true spellcasters (creatures who actively study, channel, or pray for spells).

• Innate casters: Tolerated. The Anathema sees them as victims of corruption by birth, not willful liars. (This includes gaining spell via Features such as, but not limited to, Fey Touched or Shadow Touched)

• True casters: All wizards, warlocks, clerics, druids, bards, sorcerers, and artificers are irredeemable. Paladins and rangers also qualify if they prepare or learn spells.

Unmaking the Unmaking

Destroying The Anathema:

• To attempt to destroy the sword, it must be placed within an anti-magic field for 24 consecutive hours.

• After this, the sword enters a weakened state for 10 minutes.

• During this period, it must be struck by 1 Disintegrate spell per minute.

• Successfully disintegrating the sword in this way splits it into four separate pieces.

• To permanently destroy the sword to prevent possible reforging, the four separate pieces must be swallowed by the Tarrasque and digested over the course of a year as each piece slowly loses any signs of power.

Reforging The Anathema:

• The four pieces can be reunited to reforge the sword.

• Requires:

  • 4 adamantine ingots

  • 500 gp worth of pure platinum melted into the reforging process

• Once reforged, the sword returns to its full artifact-level abilities.

 

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

Notes: Bonus: Magic, Damage: Slashing, Damage: Slashing, Advantage: Saving Throws, Bonus: Saving Throws, Bonus: Constitution Score, Bonus: Ability Score Maximum, Sense: Darkvision, non-spellcaster, Versatile, Sap