Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire

Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire Artifact Requires Attunement
Unique
Finesse, Light, Thrown (range 20/60) Dagger +3 Hit/Damage +3 AC 1d4 Piercing +2d12 Psychic Passive: You have resistance to psychic damage and can't be Charmed or Frightened. Passive: Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores increase by 2, but you have disadvantage on Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws. Use: The wielder can spend charges to cast several spells, and can summon aberrations to serve them.. "This vicious black dagger has glowing runes across it, with metal fixtures that look like an eye in the center. It... she wants to speak with you."

Xal'atath is truly ancient, dating back to the time of the Old Gods' Black Empire. Theories abound as to the nature of its creation, including such outlandish claims that the blade is the remains of a forgotten Old God or even the claw of Y'shaarj itself. Whatever the truth of its origin, the blade is infused with the Old Gods' power. Legends state that it can even grant its wielder visions of the Black Empire, though doing so inevitably drives the viewer mad.

History

Properties

In the hands of one who is attuned to it, the dagger can be wielded as a magic weapon that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. The dagger deals an extra 2d12 psychic damage on a hit.
Random Properties. Xal'atath has the following random properties while attuned to it:
  • You can't be Charmed or Frightened, and have resistance to psychic damage.
  • Your Intelligence and Wisdom scores increase by 2, to a maximum of 24.
  • You have Disadvantage on Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws.
  • You flaws are amplified in ways according to the GM.
  • You gain a form of long-term madness, usually regarding Xal'atath as a lucky charm.
Protection. You gain a +3 bonus to Armor Class while holding the dagger.
Spells. The dagger has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use an Action and expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: enemies abound (1 charge), shadow word: pain (1 charge), black tentacles (2 charges), mind sear (3 charges), maddening darkness (3 charges), or weird (4 charges). The dagger regains 1d4 + 3 expended charges daily at dawn.
Call Aberrations. While you are holding the dagger, you can use an Action to conjure flesh beasts or shadows (aberrations instead of undead), calling forth as many of them as you can divide 500 hit points among, each aberration having average hit points. The aberrations magically appear from the shadows within 300 feet of you and obey your commands until they are destroyed or until dawn of the next day, when they vanish. Once you use this property of the dagger, you can't use it again until the next dawn. While attuned to the dagger, chosen followers of the old gods can summon any kind of aberrations. The creatures don't perish or disappear at dawn the following day, remaining until dismissed.
Sentience. Xal'atath is a sentient, chaotic evil item with an Intelligence of 16, a Wisdom of 12, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The dagger communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand every language of the one attuned to it, plus Shath'yar.
Personality. The dagger's purpose is to bring about the return of the Void Lords and the Hour of Twilight. The dagger is cold, cruel, condescending, but also delightfully snarky and full of demeaning wit. In order to further its masters' goals, the dagger offers untold power to the wielder. It is difficult to tell if the dagger is being truthful - after all, the servants of the Void Lords and the Old Gods are beings of shadow and possibility.

Wielders

Category: Weapons