Keres’ Charm – New Magic Item / A to Z Blogging Challenge [K]

Keres

Varagessa the She-Leopard bounded off the roof of the wagon and into the mass of bandits below, her twin swords cutting a bloody swath through the ill-equipped bandits.  She laughed as her sword stabbed and cut, blood blossoming from the wounds inflicted.  Her mania for the fight was as frightening -if not more so- and the bandits so broke and fled.

She chased them for a good half mile before returning to the wagon.

“Why to you fight so?  Taking such risks?” asked the merchant whose wagon it was.

“I please the Keres and give them blood and spirits,” she replied, cleaning her swords.  “In return, they protect me so I can send more men to them.”

Keres’ Charm

These charms are made from metal fragments taken from shattered weapons, splintered shield or broken armor, washed in the blood of dying men and made sacred to the Keres.  Usually worn on leather cording either at the throat or around the wrist.

Each time the wearer kills an opponent in combat, he gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the slain being’s level/hit dice.  The amount of these temporary hit points is increased by half if they were slain with a critical hit and doubled if the slain being was a hero or other being of high renown (these two combine for three times if a hero is slain by a critical hit).  These temporary hit points last for the duration of the battle.

The downside of the aligning oneself to such creatures is that if the wearer ever show mercy on the battle field, all of the temporary hit points remained are immediately lost and the owner must make a Will save (DC 21) or being to suffer 1d4 points of bleed damage each round until stopped.  Further, if the wearer ever dropped to negative hit point more than their Charisma modifier (minimum 1), they must make a Will save each round (DC 21) or take 1d8 points of force damage as the Keres attempt to claim them.

Aura faint necrourgy [evil]; CL 5th
Slot neck or wrist; Price 2,500; Weight –
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Items, bleed, death kneel; Cost 1,250 (+100 xp for D&D)

Notes: The Keres were spirits that torn the spirits from the dying and cast them down into Hades.  Not very cheerful.

Image from Theoi Greek Mythology.