Wondrous Item (staff), uncommon → rare → very rare (scales with the skull)
Requires attunement by a sentient skull
(A creature wielding the staff does not attune to it—the skull does.)

Appearance:
These staves are carved from pale, vein-marbled weirwood, its grain resembling frozen lightning or branching nerves. At its crown is a ritual cradle—runes etched deep—designed to seat a humanoid skull. When a skull is mounted, faint lines of crimson or silver light pulse through the wood in rhythm with the skull’s thoughts.

A staff magically resizes when claimed by a skull:

• Cane height (3–4 ft) when subtlety is desired
• Quarterstaff height (6–7 ft) when battle is imminent
  This transformation occurs as a bonus action by the skull.

Core Properties (Always On)

• Arcane Stabilizer
  While mounted, the skull gains a physical anchor to the Material Plane:
• The skull’s AC increases by +2
• The skull gains resistance to force and psychic damage
• The skull cannot be easily displaced by wind, telekinesis, or environmental effects unless the effect would move a Large creature

Focus Channel
The staff acts as an arcane focus for the skull. Any spell, spell-like ability, or magical effect originating from the skull may originate from any point along the staff instead of the skull itself.

Combat Function (Why Dai’Lekh Carved Them)

Weirwood Conduit
When wielded by a creature friendly to the skull, the staff functions as a +1 magical quarterstaff (damage type bludgeoning).
On a hit, the skull may choose to:

• Add 1d4 psychic or necrotic damage in addition to any damage the Skull already has at it's disposal (skull’s choice, determined at creation)
• Whisper unsettling truths into the target’s mind (no mechanical effect, but extremely rude)

This bonus damage increases as the skull advances in narrative importance or power:

• Uncommon: +1d4
• Rare: +1d6
• Very Rare: +1d8

Skull–Staff Interaction (The Fun Part)

Shared Agency
The skull is aware of how the staff is used.

If the wielder acts in a way the skull approves of, the skull may grant advantage on one attack roll or ability check per long rest.

If the wielder ignores the skull, argues with it, or uses the staff against the skull’s moral code, the skull may:

• Withhold its bonus damage
• Deliver distracting commentary (Disadvantage on one concentration save per day, skull’s choice)

Some skulls love the staff.
Some feel it’s a leash.

Optional Ability: Cane of Indignity

(Not all skulls choose to activate this)

As a reaction when the staff is used as a walking aid, the skull may cause the weirwood to subtly warp, tapping the ground in irritation. The wielder gains advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks for 1 minute—but disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.

DM Notes

The stave does not enslave the skull. Instead, it provides anchorage — a stable metaphysical perch that allows the skull to channel perception, speech, and magic through the wielder.

While mounted, the skull gains awareness of the wielder’s surroundings and may subtly influence the flow of magic through the staff. Prolonged use often leads to conversational bleed, where the skull’s thoughts echo faintly in the wielder’s mind — whether invited or not.

The staff boosts the skull, not the wielder directly

The skull becomes a combat participant without stealing spotlight

You can drop this staff into the world before revealing Dai’Lekh’s deeper lore

Different skulls can:

Love being able to “feel” again

Hate being used as a weapon

Treat the wielder as a chauffeur

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

Notes: Bonus: Magic, Weapon Property: Thrown, Bonus: Weapon Attack Range, The staff attunes to a Sentient Skull not the wielder, Versatile, Topple