Tuesday Magic Item – Banner of Command

The battle swirled around the command post of Duke Effran and his Knights of the Red Banner.  By use of the Red Banner, Duke Effran coordinated his outnumbered men to hold the line and defend the ford and bridge at Noram.   As dusk fell, the defenses finally fell to the overwhelming numbers of the Army of the King of Silver.  Duke Effran and his household rallied around the Red Banner and fought to the last man, his twelve-year old squire was the last to fall, using the pikeshaft of the Red Banner as a weapon.

Banner of Command

These banners are use to signal and rally troops, they range from the simple and functional to the ornate and richly decorated.  But in all cases the banner pole is solidly built and capable of being used as a weapon in extremis.

"Follow Me!"

The banner held aloft (a standard action) can be used to convey a message to anyone in line of sight, this message can be limited to those who are part of the banner’s unit and it can be used up to five times a day.  This effect can only convey an order of ten words or less but it arrives irrespective of distance or noise as long as the banner can be seen.  Equally, as long as the banner can be seen, all of those soldiers of its unit gain a +1 morale bonus to saves against fear.
With a shout, once a day as a standard action, the banner can rally and invigorate those soldiers that follow it.  All of the banner unit’s soldiers within 50′ gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks and 2d4 temporary hit points for ten minutes.

When used as a weapon, treat the banner as a +1 polearm (usually a long spear but occasional something else).  If the current bannerman falls and it is picked up by another member of the unit, they gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks and 2d4 temporary hit points for a minute.

Aura moderate enchantment; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 25,000; Weight 20 lbs
Construction
Requirements Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, eagle’s splendor, heroism, lesser geas, message; Cost 12,500 (+1,000 xp for D&D)

Notes:  Partly inspired by the Black Flag Army and other military standards.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.