From the Valley of the Ancients

Since the beginning of time, the Valley of the Ancients was plagued by conflict. Two monolithic demigods, the Radiant and the Dire, lured all manner of heroes, villains, and beasts to their battleground to struggle for supremacy. Their war has long since ended, both ancients destroyed and scattered to the winds. Yet still the gifts bequeathed to their champions remain in the Forgotten Realms, awaiting new bearers -- new heroes, ready to take them up and forge their destinies with steel and fire.

Carapace of Nyx

Armor, Very Rare (Requires attunement, Studded Leather)

This armor's leather has the appearance of a great section of beetle shell -- a deep black that shimmers orange and yellow. As it shifts, you hear a rustling, clinking noise. Glints of metal peek through the joints, and the ensemble gives off an aura of supreme danger.

While wearing this armor, you gain a +2 bonus to AC.

The Carapace has 2 charges, and it regains any expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing this armor, as a reaction to a melee attack, you can expend a charge to cross your arms and shout the command word: "Nyx!"

This causes you to become Restrained as the Carapace hardens and sprouts hundreds of needle-sharp barbs. At the start of your next turn, the barbs retract and you can once again move freely.

While the barbs are extended, any melee attack that would damage you instead deals that much damage to your attacker.

Daggers of Akasha

Weapon, Very Rare (Dagger)

These three daggers exude a malevolent aura when exposed to the light.

You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with these weapons. Upon making a ranged or melee attack with a Dagger of Akasha, before rolling to hit, you can use a free action to call forth the dagger's power. If the attack hits, the target is inflicted with crippling agony, becoming Poisoned and halving their speed for 1d6+1 turns. A dagger can only be used this way once before its powers are exhausted.

The daggers are found with an enchanted sleeve to which they return every night at dusk, restoring their powers. This sleeve can be worn on the arm, chest, or thigh.

Bloodthorn

Weapon, Legendary (Requires attunement, Any Sword)

This sword's hilt is ornate ivory, carved to resemble the unfolding petals of a flower. Its blade is pink crystal, run through the center with a vein of blood red. In the presence of those with violent intent, the blade glows an angry red.

You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. In addition, once per day, you can use an action to aim the blade at a living target and focus your ire upon it. A bolt of blood-red lightning arcs from the point of the blade toward the target, who must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution save or be Paralyzed for 1d3 turns.

Wand of Dagon

Wand, Very Rare (Requires attunement, Sorceror, Warlock, or Wizard)

Resembling a cross between smoldering wood and charred bone, the tip of the Wand of Dagon glows with an infernal yellow light. The rod smells of brimstone, and is uncomfortably warm to touch.

This wand has 3 charges and gains 1 charge every day at dawn. While holding it, you can use an action to cause an unstable tongue of fire to leap at a nearby target and imprint on it as a magical brand. This brand lasts up to a minute. Damage from a spell will consume the brand and deal additional damage of a type that spell dealt.

When the damage from the Brand of Dagon, or the spell that would trigger it, kills a creature of sufficient power (as determined by the DM), it grows in power. The damage of the brand increases according to the following table:

The Brand of Dagon

Kills Damage 0 1d8+1 4 2d8+2 8 3d8+3 16 4d8+4 32 5d8+5

After killing 64 creatures, the wand gains the ability to expend two charges and brand a target twice in a single turn. After killing 96 creatures, the wand can expend all three charges and brand a target three times. A spell can only trigger one brand at a time.

Roshan's Vintage

Consumable, Legendary

At first glance, this appears to be nothing more than a simple wedge of yellow cheese, albeit finely aged and rather smelly. However, eating the cheese proves to have nigh-miraculous restorative powers.

Eating Roshan’s Vintage restores a portion of your health equal to the portion of the wedge you eat. One fourth of the wedge will restore one fourth of your maximum HP, etc. Eating at least half of the wedge will cure you of all diseases. Eating the entire wedge will cure you of all negative afflictions, including geases, curses, deafness, blindness, and missing limbs.