Tankard of the Last Stand

-

Tankard of the Last Stand


Aura Moderate Enchantment (Compulsion) and Illusion; CL 9th
Slot —; Price 18,500 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

This heavy, brightly painted tankard is chipped along its rim and perpetually smells faintly of strong spirits and spiced citrus, no matter how often it is cleaned. When filled with any alcoholic beverage and raised in defiance, the tankard awakens to its true purpose.

When the bearer drinks from the Tankard of the Last Stand as a swift action, they gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and Will saves for 5 rounds.

If the bearer is outnumbered by enemies within 30 feet (at least two enemies per ally), the tankard’s magic swells - the morale bonus increases to +4, and the bearer gains temporary hit points equal to 10 + their character level (maximum 25).

Once per day, when the bearer or an ally within 30 feet would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, the bearer may raise the tankard (even if it is empty) as an immediate action. For 1 round, all allies within 30 feet gain the benefits of delay death (Spell Compendium) and are immune to fear effects. During this round, faint illusory figures - revelers, soldiers, and common folk - appear around them, shouting, laughing, and toasting in defiance.

Additionally, once per day upon activation, the tankard may produce enough strong drink to fill itself continuously for up to 1 minute. Any ally who drinks from it during this time gains a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear for 10 minutes.

LORE

The Tankard of the Last Stand is said to have been raised during the Battle of Red Clay Rise, where a coalition of merchants, dockhands, hedge-magi, and tavern-keepers held a fortified hill against the advancing legions of a distant empire. Outnumbered, undersupplied, and thoroughly aware of their likely fate, they did what such folk have always done in the face of doom - they drank, they laughed, and they refused to bow.

Witnesses claimed that as the defenders lifted their cups in mockery of the encroaching army, something answered. Whether it was the land itself, ancestral spirits, or the sheer stubborn will of those present, none can say. What is known is that the invaders broke upon that hill as though striking stone, and the defenders, against all reason, endured.

Fragments of that day have been preserved in song and story, though the truth has grown ever more embellished with each retelling. Some say the tankard was once ordinary, made remarkable by the moment. Others insist it was always meant to find its way into the hands of those who would rather celebrate their end than surrender to it.

Today, it appears most often in the possession of the unlikely - innkeepers, caravan leaders, minor spellcasters, and those who find themselves responsible for others whether they wished it or not. It has an uncanny tendency to surface precisely when courage is running thin and numbers are not in one’s favor.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, heroism, good hope, mirror image, delay death; Cost 9,250 gp + 740 XP; Special: The creator must host a feast or gathering in which at least ten participants willingly toast in the face of a declared risk or hardship.

Kelwyn’s Notes

It is tempting - particularly for those inclined toward the tidy cataloging of arcane curiosities - to describe this object in terms of conditions and advantages, as though its nature could be reduced to a set of favorable circumstances. Such thinking, while comforting, misses the point entirely.

This is not an object that answers to numbers.

I have observed that the tankard stirs most vividly in moments when the air grows tight with inevitability - when the press of opposition becomes suffocating, when avenues of retreat quietly vanish, and when those present begin to understand, in that dreadful and clarifying way, that the outcome has already been decided by any reasonable measure.

And yet it is precisely there that the tankard seems to take offense.

It does not reward superiority, nor does it favor careful advantage. Rather, it answers something far less measurable - the collective decision, spoken or otherwise, that one will not yield simply because the world has deemed it sensible to do so. In such moments, its magic does not merely assist. It swells, as though emboldened by the very audacity of the stance.

I would caution any who seek to rely upon it as a tool of strategy. It is not reliable in the way a blade is reliable, nor obedient in the way a spell might be. It is, instead, a companion to a particular state of mind - one that most sensible individuals spend their lives avoiding.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Guk’s Second Chance

-
Image
Guk’s Second Chance Aura moderate divination and transmutation; CL 7th Slot ring; Price 12,000 gp; Weight — DESCRIPTION This thick, uneven ring appears crudely forged from mismatched metals - iron and bronze fused together in a manner that suggests more determination than craftsmanship. Its surface bears shallow dents and subtle warping, yet it settles onto any finger with uncanny comfort, resizing itself as though eager to be worn. Three times per day, when the wearer rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, they may immediately reroll the result as an immediate action. The wearer must accept the result of the reroll, even if it is another natural 1. The decision to reroll must be made after the natural 1 is rolled but before the effects of the failure are resolved. In addition, once per day, if the wearer would suffer the effects of a confirmed critical fumble (if such rules are in use), they may instead treat the result as a normal failure. This decisi...
Read more

The Nieliah Talisman

-
Image
This magical talisman is created by  Pépin Rey  and serves as a direct connection to the benevolent loa known as  Nieliah . Three times per day the user can call upon the loa, and when they do so a 40' area (focused on the talisman) is covered in a glowing pale blue fog that appears to look like rushing water without ever diminishing in volume. The effect lasts for three rounds maximum per use. The user brings special favor upon themselves and their allies while bringing disfavor to their enemies. The user and each of their allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while each of their foes takes a -1 penalty on such rolls. Faint enchantment; CL 3; Craft Wonderous Item, Prayer; Price 13,500 gp Lore Among the quieter currents of the bayou’s spiritual tapestry, the loa known as Nieliah is spoken of not in fear, nor in reverence alone, but in relief. Where other spirits demand, bargain, or test, Nieliah is said to balance - ...
Read more

Spoon of Chastisement

-
Image
Spoon of Chastisement Aura faint enchantment; CL 3rd Slot —; Price 1,200 gp; Weight 1 lb Description This unassuming wooden spoon appears worn and well-used, its surface smoothed by time and countless “lessons learned.” It is often found in the possession of stern caretakers, patient matriarchs, and those who believe that discipline is best taught with equal parts love and force of will. Despite its humble appearance, the Spoon of Chastisement functions as a +1 sap (see Dungeon Master’s Guide ). It deals 1d4 points of nonlethal bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. However, the true magic of the spoon reveals itself when it strikes true. On a successful hit, the target must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 14) or be affected as though by a command spell, issued by the wielder. The command must be a single word and must be something that the target can reasonably understand and perform in a single round. Creatures that successfully save are shaken for 1 round from the su...
Read more