Belltower Vigil
Cut from the heavy velvet drapes that once sealed the choir loft of the Cathedral of Sorevon, this cloak carries the memory of a siege that lasted eleven days. When the last defender fell in the bell tower above, the great bell rang on its own, and every soldier on the field reported hearing it differently, some as a funeral toll, others as a call to arms. The cloak remembers both.
Mechanics
When you fall to 0 hit points, a spectral cathedral bell tolls and you immediately stabilize and rise with temporary hit points, once per long rest.
Death Knell Resurgence
When you are reduced to 0 hit points, a resonant tolling sound erupts from the cloak, audible to all creatures within 60 feet. You immediately stabilize without making death saving throws, and you rise at the start of your next turn with 2d10 + 10 temporary hit points. You are not considered unconscious during the intervening time between falling and rising, but you cannot take actions or movement until your turn begins. Once this property triggers, it cannot trigger again until you finish a long rest.
DM Notes
Balance consideration: this is a powerful defensive effect, functionally preventing one death per long rest, comparable to a once-per-day death ward without requiring a spell slot. It is appropriate for rare tier because it does not heal the character to full, it provides temporary hit points instead, and the audible toll is a meaningful drawback that alerts all nearby creatures. DMs should lean into the bell sound as a tactical signal, enemies who hear it may prioritize that character or flee, depending on temperament. The effect triggering in stealth situations can cause dramatic complications worth playing up. Consider pairing this with encounters where the one-per-long-rest limitation creates genuine tension across a multi-encounter adventuring day.
Generated with: Level 5 · Haunted cathedral · Heroic · Rare