Tuesday Magic Item – Cannibal’s Crown

“We must leave this place quickly, all of us,” whispered Gollaon, his hand dropping to his sword hilt.

“Agreed,” replied Voddick. “This place reeks of death. And no one more than the garish lord of this place.”

“We do not want to add to its reek. I will ready our mounts, you gather the others.”

“Meet at outside the stables?”

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

Cannibal’s Crown

From a distance, this crown seems opulent and valuable, all gold and red gems. On closer examination, it is composed of gilded bones, from humans and other sentient beings, bound together with red gold wire and set with blood red garnets.

Wearing the crown provides its wearer with a variety of protections: they gain a +2 natural armor bonus and a +4 resistance bonus to saves against death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, phantasms, and patterns), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Additionally they are not at risk of death from massive damage. However, their flesh becomes rubbery and unpleasant to touch.

The owner also finds that only flesh has any taste to it, all other foods taste like ashes, and they never feel satiated . . . unless they eat the flesh of other sentient beings, others of the same kind as the owner are the most satisfying. Eating a full meal of such flesh is invigorating to the owner, gaining them 1d10 + their level in temporary hit points that last for the next eight hours and grants a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls for the same duration.

The more sentient flesh they consume, the more they crave it. After a year of such a diet, the owner flesh becomes grey and the become immune to disease and ghoul paralysis, the natural armor bonus provided becomes +4, and the owner’s teeth become sharp and tearing causing 1d6 piercing damage and carrying ghoul fever (Bite—injury; save Fort; onset 1 day; frequency 1 day; effect 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based).

If the owner is killed, if they have consumed sentient flesh, they will rise again in seconds, as a ghoul of some nature; the more powerful the owner, the more powerful the unliving being it becomes.

If the crown is given away before the wearer consumes the flesh of a sentient, gradually their sense of taste will return. However, once they partake of sentient flesh, the desire for it will remain until the curse is broken (and their body will be more likely to rise as unliving upon their death).

Aura strong necrourgy; CL 15th; Weight 3 lbs.

For D&D 5E:

Wondrous item (crown), very rare (requires attunement)

First paragraph as above.

Wearing the crown provides its wearer with a variety of protections: their base AC becomes 11 + its Dexterity modifier and their gain advantage to saving throws against charm, death, disease, exhaustion, fear, paralysis, poison, sleep and stun. However, their flesh becomes rubbery and unpleasant to touch.

The owner also finds that only flesh has any taste to it, all other foods taste like ashes, and they never feel satiated . . . unless they eat the flesh of other sentient beings, others of the same kind as the owner are the most satisfying. Eating a full meal of such flesh is invigorating to the owner, gaining them 1d10 + their level in temporary hit points that lasts until their next long rest.

The more sentient flesh they consume, the more they crave it. After a year of such a diet, the owner flesh becomes grey and the become immune to disease and ghoul paralysis, their base AC becomes 13 + its Dexterity modifier, and the owner’s teeth become sharp and tearing causing 1d6 slashing damage and the target must make a Constitution save or suffer a level of exhaustion.

If the owner is killed, if they have consumed sentient flesh, they will rise again in seconds, as a ghoul of some nature; the more powerful the owner, the more powerful the unliving being it becomes.

If the crown is given away before the wearer consumes the flesh of a sentient, gradually their sense of taste will return. However, once they partake of sentient flesh, the desire for it will remain until the curse is broken (and their body will be more likely to rise as unliving upon their death).

Notes: And to end October’s magic items with one that turns you into a monster.

Photo edited from “File:Capela dos Ossos Chapel of Bones – Apr 2011.jpg” by Ken & Nyetta is licensed under CC BY 2.0.