Blackest Heart

After a few days off, we’re back with more magical goodness for #Swordtember. Well, okay, this one isn’t anywhere even approaching “good”, but it’s sure as hell magical.

Blackest Heart

Weapon (scimitar), rare

Once famously owned by the dread pirate Wyler “Brown Teeth” Digby, Blackest Heart is a dirty old cutlass that looks perfectly mundane, if a bit ill-maintained. The blade is permanently etched in random patterns thanks to being lodged in the entrails of Brown Teeth’s victims, where it could be attacked by stomach acids. 

Most don’t know Blackest Heart is magical at all. Though it’s known in certain circles that it’s much more deadly than other blades, people aren’t sure whether it’s down to magic or the terrifying reputation of its wielder.

Blackest Heart is unusually heavy in the hand, thanks to its thick, stiff blade and protective knuckle-bow constructed in an ad-hoc fashion from short pieces of iron pipe.

When you score a hit with this magic weapon, you deal extra psychic damage. Roll a number of d6s equal to your proficiency bonus to determine this extra damage.

When you make an attack with it and score a critical hit, the target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is incapacitated for 1 minute, as its mind is overcome with memories of its worst failures. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

The sword can only be wielded by a person who has murdered another sentient creature in cold blood. Otherwise, whenever it’s picked up it magically deals its wielder 2d6 psychic damage and clatters to the floor.

art by Colin Foss, used under license