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  1. Objects

Mask of Death

Headwear (Focus)
Church of the Bone Lord
All Headwear

Masks of Death were enchanted carved masks of ivory, and shaped to resemble a human skull, worn by Myrkulytes and later, by Cyricists.

Magic imbued into Masks of Death allowed the wearer to access several spells once per day each. The wearer could shroud themselves in death armor and could sap life force with a mere touch as by the vampiric touch spell. The most dangerous property was when a Mask flew off the wearer's face and bit into a target at the wearer's bidding. If successful, the bite functioned as the finger of death spell. A Mask of Death flew back when the attack was completed.


It is rumored that Masks of Death's true power are unlocked when worn by a Grey One of Myrkul. Quirk: The item’s bearer dreams of the Outer Plane Hades, the Layer of Hades called Oinos, the City of the Dead, the Crystal Spire, or of Myrkul.

(State: Slumbering) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Undead with a challenge rating of 2 or lower will neither threaten nor attack you unless you harm them.
  • Grave Magic. When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can change the spell’s damage type to necrotic. When you do damage this way, you may spend a reaction and gain temporary hit points as if by casting False Life.
  • While you are wearing this mask, it can function as a spellcasting focus for all your spells and you can use an action to expend 1 or more of the mask's charges to cast one of the following spells, using your spell save DC. The Mask of Death has 10 charges and regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dusk.
  • Armor of Agathys (1 Charge)
  • (Grey One Only) Fear (3 Charges)
  • Vampiric Touch (3 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) Wither and Bloom (2 Charges)

(State: Stirring)(Level 16) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your proficiency bonus to Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (Religion) checks is doubled.
  • (Grey One Only) Shadow of Moil (Immune Radiant) (4 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) Negative Energy Flood (5 Charges)

(State: Waking)(Level 20) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Circle of Death (6 Charges)
  • Finger of Death (7 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) In addition, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher while wearing this focus, you can treat the spell as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dusk.
  • The Mask of Death has 20 charges and regains 2d8+4 expended charges daily at dusk.

(State: Ascendant)(Unknown)(Grey One Only)


Notes: Damage, Combat, Headwear, Focus

Curse

This headwear is cursed. A creature that attunes to it that is not a worshipper of Myrkul becomes a beacon to any Grey Ones of Myrkul that are on the same plane, and to Myrkul himself no matter the plane, and the mask immediately attempts to bite their face (DC 18, If the Finger of Death kills them, their zombie will tirelessly travel to deliver the headwear to the closest Grey One). The cursed creature has disadvantage on concealing themselves from undead and on death saves. Once the headwear is donned, it can't be removed unless the wearer is targeted by the remove curse spell or similar magic.


Note on Cursed Items: (DMG 138)

Cursed Items: Most methods of identifying items, including the Identify spell, fail to reveal such a curse, although lore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the items user when the curse's effects are revealed. 

If it requires attunement, you are not only cursed as long as that attunement exists, but you are prevented from ending the attunement on your own voluntarily. 

Remove Curse, or Greater Restoration will end attunement to a cursed item long enough for it to be removed, and the character freed from that curse, but will NOT end the curse on the item.

The only methods to remove a curse on an item typically is the use of a Wish, destroying the item entirely, or in the case of a deliberate curse being cast during creation, the caster must release it.

June 23rd, 2022 June 23rd, 2022

History

Originally, Masks of Death were created to be used by several sects that worshiped Myrkul. After the deity's death during the Time of Troubles, followers of Cyric started claiming the items as their own. In the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, one such Mask belonged to Mephasm, a pit fiend trapped and forced into service by the warlock Ammon Jerro. Only the most cunning and charismatic individuals could haggle the magic item from the creature.

June 23rd, 2022