This polished purple shield is crafted from some lightweight but surprisingly sturdy metal.

The visage of a Mind Flayer's face is carved into its outer side, giving all who gaze upon it an uneasy feeling...

 

While holding this shield, you have a +1 bonus to AC. This bonus is in addition to the shield's normal bonus to AC. While attuned, it grants the following additional properties;

Sentience: Aberrant's Embrace is a Lawful Evil shield. It has hearing & darkvision out to 60ft. It can understand Undercommon & Deep Speech, and can communicate telepathically with anyone wielding it. While you are attuned to it, Aberrant's Embrace also understands every language you know.

Hunger of the Mind: Aberrant's Embrace suffers from an unquenchable hunger for fresh brain matter. As an action you can feed it the brain of a medium or smaller humanoid creature that has died within the last minute. Doing so grants you a Psionic charge. You begin each day with 4 charges. You can have no more than 10 charges at a time and this total resets after a long rest. These charges can be used in various ways on the following abilities;

Detect Thoughts: As an action, you can spend 1 charge to cast detect thoughts on yourself (Save DC 14). You can spend any number of Psionic charges to increase the save DC by the same amount. While maintaining this effect, Aberrant's Embrace cannot use any other ability it has.

Constricting Tendrils: As an action, you can cause the tentacles on the front of Aberrant's Embrace to animate, reach out and attempt to immobilize a creature. The target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within 5ft. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or it suffers the restrained condition. You can spend any number of Psionic charges to increase the save DC by the same amount. This choice must be made before the result is revealed and becomes the new save DC if the target fails this attempt. The target can escape this grip by succeeding a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check on their turn against the same save DC. While maintaining this effect, you lose the AC bonus granted by this shield against attacks from creatures other than the one you have restrained, and you cannot use any other ability it has. This ability can be ended as a free action on your turn or if you are forced to let go of Aberrant's Embrace at any time.

Lashing Grasp: When a creature misses you with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to animate the tentacles on Aberrant's Embrace to attempt to catch the weapon. The attacker must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, or the weapon is caught by you. You can spend any number of Psionic charges to increase the save DC by the same amount. This choice must be made before the result is revealed and becomes the new save DC if the target fails this attempt. If the attacker can't or won't let go of the weapon, the wielder suffers the grappled condition while the weapon is caught. While caught the weapon can't be used. A creature can pull the weapon free by using an action to succeed a Strength check against the same save DC. While maintaining this effect you cannot use any other ability it has. This ability can be ended as a free action on your turn or if you are forced to let go of Aberrant's Embrace at any time.

 

"Beware the hungry mind, for it is curious, ravenous, and it cares not who feeds it..."

 

Shields require the Utilize action to Don or Doff. You gain the Armor Class benefit of a Shield only if you have training with it.

Notes: Bonus: Armor Class, Restrained, Grappled, creature of non good alignment who is proficient with shields, Combat, Warding