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| Just 3 drops... |
Thankfully we've moved beyond the days where everyday magic requires a living power source. But some older items still require a blood sacrifice to function. One of the most well-documented is the Bloodward Vial.
Bloodward Vial
Wondrous item, uncommon to very rare (requires attunement)
This old cylindrical pendant consists of woven strands of gold around a small glass or crystal vial. Its red metal cap has a loop for a leather cord or metal chain, and it unscrews to expose the inside of the vial. It may contain blackened dust when found.
Many varieties of the Bloodward Vial exist, each offering a different defensive spell that activates automatically just as an appropriate effect lands. Anyone who attunes to the item will know which spell the vial contains, and that the vial requires 3 drops of the wearer's blood and a short ritual to activate.
Once full of blood and worn around the neck, the Bloodward Vial waits until its trigger occurs, then the spell fires and lasts for its full duration without needing concentration. Once triggered, the spell consumes the blood within, and the vial requires more blood and a short ritual to reactivate, which may be done as part of a long rest. The wearer may choose to remove the Bloodward Vial and still remain attuned to it to prevent it from triggering, as it only triggers if worn around the neck.
Common Spells (rarity): Trigger.- Absorb Elements (uncommon): Wearer takes a specific elemental damage.
- Death Ward (very rare): Wearer takes lethal damage or instant death effect.
- Freedom Of Movement (very rare): Wearer becomes paralyzed or restrained.
- Lesser Restoration (rare): Wearer acquires disease, blindness, deafness, paralysis, or poison condition.
- Protection From Energy (very rare): Wearer takes a specific elemental damage.
- Protection From Poison (rare): Wearer acquires poison damage or condition.
- Remove Curse (very rare): Wearer becomes cursed.
- Shield (uncommon): Wearer is hit with a magic missile.
NOTE: Yes, these are instant-cast one-shot devices that can undo some special attacks, but they're specific and require attunement to make the characters pay for the privilege. Absorb elements and shield seem like excellent low-level items, but a well-placed death ward could turn the tide of an epic battle. Feel free to twiddle the rarity to fit your game; this is a first draft based on instinct.
- Absorb Elements (uncommon): Wearer takes a specific elemental damage.
- Death Ward (very rare): Wearer takes lethal damage or instant death effect.
- Freedom Of Movement (very rare): Wearer becomes paralyzed or restrained.
- Lesser Restoration (rare): Wearer acquires disease, blindness, deafness, paralysis, or poison condition.
- Protection From Energy (very rare): Wearer takes a specific elemental damage.
- Protection From Poison (rare): Wearer acquires poison damage or condition.
- Remove Curse (very rare): Wearer becomes cursed.
- Shield (uncommon): Wearer is hit with a magic missile.
NOTE: Yes, these are instant-cast one-shot devices that can undo some special attacks, but they're specific and require attunement to make the characters pay for the privilege. Absorb elements and shield seem like excellent low-level items, but a well-placed death ward could turn the tide of an epic battle. Feel free to twiddle the rarity to fit your game; this is a first draft based on instinct.
Part of the Promtober project for 2025.
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