Aequitas (The Blade of Balance) 2

Hidden from the world for untold ages, Aequitas is an exquisitely forged longsword of blackened steel divided by a brilliant silver line running down the center of its blade. When its radiant power awakens, the silver burns with brilliant golden-white light. When its necrotic power rises, the blackened steel seems to consume the light surrounding it. Aequitas embodies neither good nor evil, light nor darkness. It represents the balance between opposing forces: life and death, creation and destruction, mercy and judgment.

You gain a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

Light and Shadow. Whenever you hit a creature with Aequitas, you can choose for the weapon's damage to be an additional 1d6 of either Radiant or Necrotic damage (your choice). You make this choice separately for each attack.

Gathering Power. Aequitas feeds upon extraordinary displays of power. Whenever a single attack made with Aequitas deals 20 or more total damage to a creature, the weapon gains 1 charge. Aequitas can hold a maximum of 3 charges at a time. Once Aequitas reaches 3 charges, its blade visibly surges with accumulated power. Radiant energy appears as brilliant cracks of white-gold light across the blade, while Necrotic energy causes shadows and wisps of darkness to coil around it.

Burst of Balance. While Aequitas has 3 charges, you can take a Magic action to expend all 3 charges and unleash its stored power in a 60-foot Cone. Choose Radiant or Necrotic damage when you release the energy. Each creature in the Cone must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d8 damage of the chosen type on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. If a creature is killed by this burst Aequitas retains one of the three charges.

You can choose for friendly creatures in the Cone to be unaffected. Once Aequitas releases this energy, it loses all its accumulated charges.

Commanding Presence. While you are attuned to Aequitas, your Charisma score increases by 4. This increase can raise your Charisma score above 20, to a maximum of 25.

Unyielding Will. While you hold Aequitas, you have Immunity to the Charmed and Frightened conditions as well as True-sight for 30ft. In addition, you have Advantage on all Charisma based ability checks while holding the weapon. When you slay a creature with this weapon Aequitas grants you temporary hit points equal to half the creatures maximum total hit point value.

Sentience. Aequitas is a sentient Neutral weapon with an Intelligence of 17, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 19. It has hearing and Darkvision out to 120 feet.

The weapon speaks Common and can communicate with its wielder telepathically. Its voice is deep, calm, and resonant. While you are attuned to it, Aequitas also understands every language you know.

Aequitas does not consider itself the servant of its wielder. Instead, it considers the relationship a partnership.

Personality. Aequitas is deliberate, proud, patient, and extraordinarily difficult to provoke.

It believes that opposing forces are necessary parts of existence. Light creates shadows. Life inevitably leads to death. Destruction clears the way for creation. Mercy without judgment can permit evil to flourish, while judgment without mercy becomes tyranny.

For this reason, Aequitas does not inherently favor Radiant energy over Necrotic energy. To the weapon, neither is inherently good nor evil. Intent determines their purpose.

Aequitas particularly despises creatures that seek to unnaturally dominate the cycle of life and death, imprison souls, or achieve immortality through the suffering of others. It respects courage, determination, self-control, and strength of character. It strongly prefers a wielder who is willing to stand beside their allies in danger. Aequitas does not demand obedience. It demands balance.

If the wielder repeatedly acts in a manner Aequitas considers dangerously excessive, selfish, or destructive, a conflict between the weapon and its wielder can occur.

Destroying Aequitas. Aequitas can be destroyed only when the forces within the weapon are brought into perfect opposition.

The blade must be brought to a place where powerful manifestations of Positive and Negative energy intersect. While Aequitas holds exactly 3 charges, it must simultaneously be struck by extraordinarily powerful Radiant and Necrotic energy.

If the opposing energies are perfectly equal, the blade shatters. If they are not, Aequitas absorbs the imbalance and survives.

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, Immunity: Charmed, Immunity: Frightened, Set Base: Truesight, Advantage: Charisma Ability Checks, Bonus: Charisma Score, Versatile, Sap