An Abyssal Soul Shard is a jagged crystal roughly the length of a dagger, usually 12–18 inches long and 6–8 inches thick. Within the crystal faint black veins pulse like slow lightning, branching through the interior. If held in silence long enough, a creature may hear distant whispers, growls, or threatening voices echoing faintly from inside the crystal. Each shard is a soul vessel forged through Abyssal ritual magic.
The shard can hold one soul or demonic essence. The strength of the entity determines the rarity. While a soul is trapped inside the shard it radiates strong necromancy and conjuration magic, but when it is empty it radiates only conjuration magic.
Ritual Release:
Demons perform a 10-minute ritual over a restrained or willing creature. At the ritual’s completion the crystal fractures, the soul pours into the target creature, the target must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. Failure results in immediate possession. Success causes the shard to shatter and the demon to manifest nearby instead.
Weaponized Shard:
Demons sometimes sharpen the shard and mount it into weapons, or use the shard as a melee attack. If the shard is driven into a creature the shard shatters, the demon enters the body instantly, and the creature must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or become possessed. This possession is far more violent and difficult to resist.
Possession Progression
If the possession succeeds, the transformation occurs gradually.
Stage 1 (1–3 days) Advantage on Strength checks.
Stage 2 (1–2 weeks) Physical changes begin: eyes darken or glow, horns or claws begin forming, resistance to fire or poison.
Stage 3 (1–3 months) The host becomes a hybrid demon creature. Possible changes: wings, claws, fangs, demonic resilience; rsistance to fire, popoison, and/or necrotic, darkvision 120 ft, natural weapons, aging stops. At this point the host is no longer fully mortal.
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