Cracked Obsidian
Cut from a volcanic flow that hardened over a buried throne room, this blade formed around old intentions. The empire that once sat in that throne room did not fall to invasion but to a compact: endless military edge in exchange for the slow, quiet surrender of the body. The sword remembers the terms.
Mechanics
A sword that grows more dangerous as its wielder is worn down, but silently bargains away their vitality in exchange for its power.
Fracture Line
This weapon deals an extra 2d6 necrotic damage on a hit when the wielder is at or below half their hit point maximum. The dark energy tears inward as much as outward, and the wielder cannot regain hit points until the start of their next turn after any attack that triggers this bonus damage.
Curse of the Widening Crack
This weapon is cursed with the hunger of a civilization that traded longevity for supremacy. The curse activates the first time the wielder drops to 0 hit points while attuned, after which they cannot end attunement willingly. While cursed, the wielder's hit point maximum is reduced by 5 at the end of each long rest, recovering only when the curse is removed by a remove curse spell or equivalent magic. The wielder is instinctively aware their strength is being drawn into the blade but feels an obsessive reluctance to relinquish it.
DM Notes
Balance consideration: the 2d6 necrotic bonus is powerful but gated behind the wielder being endangered, which creates genuine tension rather than free damage. The delayed healing drawback on the trigger turn prevents healing-heavy parties from trivially spamming the bonus at low HP without consequence. The curse's hit point maximum drain is the primary long-term danger and escalates meaningfully over multiple long rests if unchecked. DMs should ensure remove curse is available in the campaign but not trivially accessible. Consider having the blade whisper rationalizations to the attuned character to discourage seeking a cure. The sword is an excellent reward in a ruin-crawl or ancient-empire arc, and its curse makes it a natural plot hook.
Generated with: Level 5 · Cursed ancient theme · Heroic · Rare