The Crowned Skull of Xandrik is a dark and dangerous relic. This skull once belonged to the great sorcerer Xandrik, who lived among the elite within the city of Vindrik. After his death during the annihilation of Vindrik, the ruins and surrounding lands transformed into the deathly marsh now known as Highmarsh. The skull was recovered by a necromancer and transformed into an unholy relic. A magical crown adorns the skull, and within it, a black cobalt crystal amplifies necrotic effects.
Due to its legendary status and the immense power it offers, the Crowned Skull of Xandrik is valued at approximately 50,000 gold pieces, though its true worth can vary greatly depending on the buyer. Necromancers, dark sorcerers, and collectors of unholy artifacts would pay even more for such a relic.
Xandrik was a formidable sorcerer whose mastery over necromancy made him both revered and feared in Vindrik. During the city’s destruction, Xandrik’s death marked the beginning of Highmarsh, a place now teeming with dark magic and restless spirits. For the past 300 years, necromancers and witches have fought over the Crowned Skull of Xandrik, each seeking to harness its potent necromantic powers.
Attunement:
To attune to the Crowned Skull of Xandrik, a spellcaster must spend a short rest holding and meditating on the skull’s dark magic. The skull’s power bonds with the spellcaster, granting access to its necromantic abilities.
Curse:
The Crowned Skull of Xandrik has a sinister intelligence (Intelligence 16, Wisdom 14, Charisma 18) and can communicate telepathically with its wielder. It constantly whispers dark thoughts and temptations, urging the user toward acts of necromancy and malevolence. It has its own agenda and can attempt to exert its influence on the user.
Special Features:
- Unholy Relic: While attuned to the Crowned Skull of Xandrik, the wielder has resistance to necrotic damage.
- Necrotic Amplification: While attuned to the Crowned Skull of Xandrik, the wielder’s necromancy spells deal an additional 1d8 necrotic damage.
- Necromantic Spells: The Crowned Skull of Xandrik has 5 charges. While holding the skull, the wielder can expend one or more charges to cast the following spells (save DC 18):
- 1 charge: Inflict Wounds (3rd level)
- 2 charges: Animate Dead
- 3 charges: Blight
- 4 charges: Create Undead
- 5 charges: Finger of Death
- Recharge: The skull regains 1d4+1 charges daily at dawn.
- Command Undead: The wielder can use the skull to cast the Command Undead spell once per day without expending a spell slot or requiring components.
- Life Drain: As an action, the wielder can target a creature within 60 feet to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 18). On a failed save, the target takes 4d6 necrotic damage, and the user regains hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt. This feature can be used once per long rest.