Aegis Scarab

Dormant
A squat, yellowed glass jar stoppered with cork contains a tiny, nacreous scarab that lies perfectly still in the center of the enclosure. The scarab is covered with overlapping iridescent plates, some of which are incised with tiny runic symbols. It has two tiny eyes made out of lapis lazuli and two jagged ruby mandibles. There are no visible mechanical elements, making it appear natural, but the runic symbols on the body and gemstone fixtures clearly indicate that it is of magical nature and likely construction at the hands of a gifted artificer. The runes are written in Gnim. On the scarab’s underside is the largest rune, which reads: fuse. On the two wing covers, mirrored runes facing opposite directions, which read: protection. Just visible on the top of the head where the mandibles begin: feed. And very faintly on the mandibles themselves: consume.

Awakened
The scarab appears fully fused with your skin, its nacreous body occasionally pulsing with a very pale, rainbow-hued light. While fully bonded to this magical scarab, you gain the following benefits:

• The scarab will come to your aid when you are under attack, expanding and magnifying its wing size to act as a fully functional +1 shield.
• The scarab will also instinctively provide additional cover against ranged attacks, providing a +2 bonus to AC against ranged attacks while the scarab is awakened. This bonus is in addition to the shield's normal bonus to AC.
• Whenever an attacker makes a ranged attack against a target within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to become the target of the attack instead.
• You may use your reaction to cast the Shield spell. Once you have done so, you may not use this ability again until the next dawn.

Exalted

Exalted

The scarab is fully fused with your skin, occasionally shifting its position slightly. Its body steadily emits a pale, rainbow-hued light, and the mandibles gleam a bright, sanguine red.

Once per long rest, the user can use a bonus action to channel energy into the scarab in order to attempt to disable another creature. The user rolls a d20 using the table below:

D20	BEHAVIOR
1-5	The scarab harries the target, dropping its initiative order by 10 for the remainder of combat.
6-12	The scarab bites with its mandibles at the target, causing it to have disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
13-18	The scarab flies at the target and emits a blast of blinding, rainbow-hued light. If the target is capable of seeing, it is blinded for the next hour.
19-20	If the scarab is able, it pierces the target's flesh and burrows under its skin. Roll a d6 to determine the outcome as listed on the table below.

 

• On a result of 1, the scarab emits a toxic poison inside the creature, causing it to be poisoned for the next hour and dealing 1d6 slashing damage.
• On a result of 2, the scarab gnaws at the creature’s hands, causing it to drop anything it is holding and dealing 2d6 slashing damage. If the creature does not have hands, re-roll the d6.
• On a result of 3, the scarab bursts forth from a major artery in the creature’s body, dealing 3d6 slashing damage.
• On a result of 4, the scarab tunnels into the creature’s head and emits a high-pitching whirring sound, causing the creature to be stunned and dealing 4d6 slashing damage.
• On a result of 5, the scarab burrows into the creatures eyes and consumes them, causing the creature to be blinded and dealing 5d6 slashing damage. If the creature has no eyes, re-roll the d6.
• On a result of 6, the scarab inflicts massive internal damage against the creature, dealing 6d6 points of slashing damage.

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, Combat, Warding