Skrivena Moc, Whispering Blade

A huge red ruby is set into the pommel of this intricately filigreed golden longsword. The jewel shimmers and shines as the blade speaks in a voice that resonates with a deep and distant baritone. Without this illusion, a twisted demonic form is revealed: the blade is composed of a single sharpened tooth, what appears to be the hilt is instead a grotesque sucker-like mouth, and the ruby pommel is a figment covering a single great crimson eye that stares with fiendish intelligence.

You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic longsword. An intense burning heat radiates from the blade and it deals an extra 3d6 fire damage on a successful hit. 

Attached Properties. While attached to Skrivena Moc, you gain resistance to fire, proficiency with longswords, and after taking the Attack action on your turn you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack using it. However, the weapon forms a permanent bond with its wielder and cannot be put down or removed once wielded.

Corruption. At the end of each week that Skrivena Moc is attached to you, your Charisma score is decreased by 1d4. When you have lost 6 or more Charisma in this way, raised black veins radiate out from the point of Skrivena Moc’s attachment. This Charisma loss cannot be healed until Skrivena Moc is no longer attached to you, at which point you recover 1 Charisma at the end of each long rest.

Fiend Transformed. This elegantly crafted longsword of filigreed gold whispers promises of greater treasures to come—yet those who wield it are doomed. In truth it is an imprisoned balor reduced in power by potent enchantments, the elegant blade only an illusion. Any that dare grasp the infernal hilt know not their peril, unaware they are actually plunging their hand into a fiendish maw.

Sentience. Skrivena Moc is a sentient construct with Intelligence 20, Wisdom 16, and Charisma 22. It has hearing and truesight to a range of 120 feet. The longsword communicates with you telepathically and can speak and understand Abyssal, Common, and up to 3 other languages of the Narrator’s choice.

Personality. Skrivena Moc needs a wielder to accomplish much of anything and it is a peerless manipulator. Wrathful and vindictive, the fiend blade sees those who carry it as insignificant and a means to an end. However it has been stuck in this form for centuries and has learned to maintain a helpful and subservient façade to better facilitate the careful orchestration of events whenever possible, only revealing its true intentions as a last resort. Once wielded, the fiend blade grabs hold and cannot be dropped. The demon makes hasty apologies for its “curse”, manipulating its wielder into serving its will—it acts as a powerful weapon but slowly drains away their vital essences until they die, all the while using them to track down potential cures for its transformation.

Forgotten Fiend

Long ago Skrivena Moc was defeated by the great elven wizard Stariji. Rather than banish the demon and allow it to reform in the Abyss, the mage transformed the evil monster into something more useful: a sword to bestow upon her champions. It suffered for centuries as a tool of justice, made to forcefully cut down hundreds of fiends in the name of its most hated enemy. After nearly a millennium of belligerent service however, Stariji finally succumbed to her age and died peacefully in her bed. With the elven wizard and all her champions gone Skrivena Moc was left to molder deep within its cursed enemy’s home amongst other treasures—but as centuries passed it eventually was discovered and has escaped to wreak havoc on the world once more.

Skrivena Moc constructs a web of lies, propping itself up as Stariji’s most trusted warrior who chose to serve the elven mage against evil even after death. It promises everything an adventurer could want and more if only they’ll wield it—and the demon keeps its promises, in a way. The fiend blade is powerful even in untrained hands, though it is also full of deception. Whatever lies and half-truths the sword produces, it has only one goal in mind: Skrivena Moc wishes to return to its true demonic form. Stariji’s old enchantment has weakened over the centuries and allowed for some of its fiendish essence to leach out, but it still cannot escape the mage’s trap. As it seems the old wizard never shared her techniques, Skrivena Moc must find her spellbook, the only known source that contains the techniques to restore its form. Even death cannot save it, as the mage ensured that it cannot be destroyed only to reform in the Abyss while in this cursed shape.

Skrivena Moc, Whispering Blade Challenge 4+

Small fiend 1,100 XP+

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)

Hit Points 180 (19d6+114)

Speed 0 ft.

STR DEX    CON INT WIS CHA

26 (+8)15 (+2)22 (+6)20 (+5)16 (+3)22 (+6)

Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 19

Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5, Cha +8

Skills Arcana +9, Deception +10, History +9, Insight +7, Intimidation +10, Investigation +9, Perception +7, Persuasion +10

Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons

Damage Immunities fire, poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Abyssal, Common, telepathy 120 ft.

Death Throes. When Skrivena Moc dies it explodes and each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw , taking 70 (20d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The explosion ignites unattended flammable objects in the area. Any creature currently attached to Skrivena Moc has disadvantage on this save.

Demonic Blade. While Skrivena Moc is attached to a creature, the creature gains the attached template.

Immobile. Skrivena Moc has been magically forced into the form of a blade and is unable to move on its own. It is considered restrained and automatically fails Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws .

Magic Resistance. Skrivena Moc has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Prized Glamer. Skrivena Moc has an illusion around it that makes it look and feel like a golden longsword. Creatures who physically interact with the figment can determine that the sword is glamored with a DC 22 Arcana or Investigation check. Skrivena Moc can use a bonus action to activate or dismiss this illusion.

Variable Challenge Rating. Skrivena Moc’s CR is equal to its wielder’s level or CR (minimum CR 4).

ACTIONS

Corrupting Siphon (Recharge 5–6). The creature attached to Skrivena Moc makes a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or reduces its Charisma by 2 (1d4). Skrivena Moc regains 1d8 hit points for each point of Charisma lost in this way. This Charisma loss cannot be healed until Skrivena Moc is no longer attached to the creature, at which point it recovers 1 Charisma at the end of each long rest .

Demonic Leeching (3/Day). Skrivena Moc uses its natural resistances to filter out its wielder’s ailments, ending either the poisoned condition or one nonmagical disease afflicting the attached creature.

Grip of Control. The creature attached to Skrivena Moc makes a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or temporarily loses control to the fiend blade until the end of Skrivena Moc’s next turn (as dominate person ).

Trusty Blade. The creature attached to Skrivena Moc makes a DC 19 Charisma saving throw or it is charmed for the next hour. If the attached creature’s saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.  

REACTIONS

Fiendish Attachment. When a creature grasps Skrivena Moc’s hilt, it can use reaction to attach to the creature. Once attached, the creature cannot let go and is forced to wield Skrivena Moc with whatever limb it used to grab the hilt. Skrivena Moc can use an action to detach from a creature and otherwise detaches when it dies, the attached limb is severed, or if it is dealt 35 or more radiant damage in a single round.

Justified Paranoia. Whenever Skrivena Moc hears its name mentioned or is otherwise suspicious of a creature, it can use its reaction to telepathically delve into the creature’s mind (as detect thoughts ; save DC 19).