 Necropyre Crystal
Source Blood of Dragonscar pg. 29
Aura strong necromancy and abjuration (evil) CL 20th
Slot none; Price —; Weight 10 lbs.DescriptionThis shining violet crystal is as large as a grapefruit. In its depths swirl spectral shapes and glimpses of a strange landscape. When activated it grows as bright as a daylight spell, but this light is not harmful to any creature, even undead or those sensitive to light. Corrupted by proximity to a thousand murders and tempered in the fires of a dragon’s belly, the necropyre crystal is no longer the benign item it was before the destruction of talamir. The earth itself has rejected the corrupted crystal, and the crystal’s powers do not function while you or it are in contact with the ground.
Any creature you kill while bearing the crystal has its soul absorbed into the crystal (preventing anyone from raising them from the dead), granting you powers while you carry it. After 10 kills, you gain fast healing 10. After 30, you gain spell resistance 30. After 60, you gain damage reduction 15/—. After 100, you gain a +5 profane bonus to all saving throws and a unique negative energy power related to your other abilities (a fighter’s melee attacks may gain the unholy property, a dragon’s breath weapon may become infused with negative energy, and so on). These kills are attuned to you; another person carrying the crystal gains no benefit unless they have slain the appropriate number of people while bearing it. It is possible for different people to have different levels of power from the crystal depending on how many they have killed while holding it.
The crystal tends to spontaneously create necropyre creatures from the tortured souls within it and sometimes reabsorbs these creatures into itself if they are nearby. The necropyres never harm you, nor are they under your command.
The crystal bestows one negative level on any non-evil creature touching or carrying it. The negative level remains as long as the crystal is touched, held, or carried, and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while you possess the crystal. The crystal is semi-sentient and hungry for souls. Over time it corrupts you, turning you chaotic evil and eventually forcing you to murder others to sate the crystal’s craving for life energy (friends, family, and innocents are the crystal’s favorite targets).
Destroying the crystal requires physical or magical force (hardness 8, hp 100). when the crystal is destroyed, all the spirits trapped within it (as well as any necropyre creatures created by it) are freed and escape to their reward in the afterlife (after the crystal’s destruction, these victims can be raised from the dead normally).
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