Avarus

Avarus (جشع), known to some as The Bloodshard, is crafted from a shard of Baatorian steel, (a foul metallic ore mined in the Nine Hells, that can be forged into weapons/armor and is often used in dark rituals). This unusual dagger is single edged and has a curved design. The weapons grip is fashioned from Abishai skin, a dark perpetually warm hide and sports a trigger at the top of the hilt. The shard exudes palpable necrotic energies and attuning to the artifact forms a parasitic bond with it. Through this bond, the blade slowly leaches the wielder's life force, granting the weapon considerable enhancements, at a cost (decreasing your Hit Point maximum by a number equal to your level, while attuned).

• You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. 
• On a successful attack, you can activate the trigger and release the artifact's leached energies, dealing 2d6 points of lightning damage. 
• This ability can be used twice per day. This increases to 3 times after 5th level, 4 times at 9th level, 5 times at 13th level and 6 times at 17th level. 

Devouring Blood Sacrifice - You channel this life devouring ability, for a price. 

Avarus must first drink from your life force to power this attack, draining 4d6 hit points from you. A succesfull powered attack deals an additional 4d6 points of necrotic damage. As Avarus feasts on your foe, you regenerate a number of hit points equal to half of the total damage dealt (weapon and necrotic). This feature cannot be used again until after midnight.

Power of the Shard - The shard's dark energies increase the potency of necrotic attacks you make while attuned to it. 

Whenever you make an attack or cast a spell that deals necrotic damage and roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die, you can re-roll the die and must use the new result. 

Avarus' Symbiotic Bond: Prolonged attunement (i.e. a number of levels/milestones determined by DM & Player), causes the parasitic bond between wielder and weapon to intensify, forging a peculiar symbiosis and granting the wielder greater access to its repertoire of hellish abilities. Avarus grants you access to the following abilities.

Cania's Frigid Touch - Avarus can channel energy from the lethal cold wastelands of Cania, the 8th Layer of the Hells. You summon a shard of noxious, unstable ice from the wastelands of Cania. 

Avarus channels a variation of Ice Knife at the cost of 1 charge. The blade can store up to 3 charges (which recharge at midnight). You can expend additional charges to cast the spell at 2nd or 3rd level. 

Nessus' Endless Depths - You channel the umbral pits and bottomless ravines in the depths of Nessus, the 9th Layer of Hell. Streams of inky, wraith-like shadows begin to bleed from Avarus and slither over your body at your whim, granting you increased protection and movement. 

Darkness acquiesces to your will and you gain a +2 bonus to stealth. Ebony tendrils embrace your body, and protect you from damage, granting you a +1 to your AC (nothing heavier than light armor may be worn to benefit from this bonus). Additionally, you can cast Darkness once per day.

Parasitic Attachment - Avarus craves to be within 5 feet from its wielder at all times. If separated for a prolonged period of time, the artifact causes you to experience a sense of dread as both user and blade yearn to be reunited.

When using Avarus to make a ranged weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to summon the blade back to your hand. Avarus levitates and takes the most direct path back to its wielder. In the event Avarus is prevented from returning it causes the wielder to experience a strong sense of dread. If separated for longer than 10 minutes, you incur one point of exhaustion.  If the artifact remains separated for longer than 1 hour, it begins to activate the Avarus Death Curse.

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Avarus Death Curse: Gifts from Avarus come with a heavy price.

If you attempt to un-attune from Avarus, you suffer a psychic assault, suffering 1d10 points (per character level), of necrotic damage. If you die while attempting to break the weapon's bond, your soul is absorbed into Avarus, killing you with no chance for a resurrection, as your soul becomes a part of the shard. Only powerful magic, such as a wish spell can bring the soul back to your body.

**This is a re-worked version of Bloodshard Dagger by @Glorac for one of my players. Thanks for the great concept!

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

Notes: Bonus: Magic, Damage: Lightning, Bonus: Stealth, Bonus: Armor Class, Bonus: Hit Points per Level, Damage: Necrotic, requires attunement by a being attuned to shadows or shadow magic, Damage, Combat, Finesse, Light, Thrown, Nick