Five Virtues

Whether brave or meek, you will wake to valor when girded with the five virtues, legendary implements of courage brandished by knights of a previous age. When the five virtues are worn in part or in whole, bold heroism blazes within your chest.

These five items were created to help knights uphold their values. The abilities granted by the set bolster various abilities of that class, but the items are also useful for warriors of other disciplines.

Lore

Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), or who have the bardic knowledge ability, can research the five virtues to learn more about these items. When a character succeeds on a check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

DC 15: In an age now past, an order of knights was chartered to defend against illithid incursions. For hundreds of years, the knights fought against all manner of infiltration, control, and even attempts at invading small border kingdoms. Through it all, the knights prevailed, relying on their code to give them strength and resolve. This code was a manifestation of five virtues upon which the order was founded.

Those virtues came to be embodied in a special set of magic items called, appropriately enough, the five virtues. The items exemplified honor, freedom, valor, vigilance, and sacrifice.

DC 20: The knightly order is long gone, and even its name is lost to history. However, archivists have studied relics found in the ancient ruins of their stronghold. Through knowledge gained thereby, they learned about the lost virtues of the knights. Archivists suspect, based on clues unearthed in their delvings, that some or all of the five virtues might yet be found in far-separated keeps, or perhaps in isolated treasures of long-lived subterranean monsters.

DC 25: Recently, a group of miners opened a new face on a coal seam they had found long ago. Almost immediately they broke into a cavity long sealed from the surface. The cavity contained a warm, salty lake in which eyeless, albino, many-legged creatures swam. Unable to plumb the lake’s depth, the miners did find an ancient ruin on the lake’s edge⁠—​some sort of fortress, calcified under years of dripstone. In it they found some barely preserved records of the knightly order. The incomplete records claimed a dead mind flayer community lay sealed beneath the lake, and within that carcass of ancient evil lay one or more pieces of the five virtues stolen from the knights.

DC 30: A check result of 30 or higher reveals the location of another piece of the set. Use this to drive further adventure and direct the PCs toward some location or story you would like them to explore.

Collection Benefits

The wearer of the five virtues gains benefits that aid his ability to fight honorably and help his allies.

When you wear two pieces of the set, your eyes shine and sparkle with bravery. When you wear all five virtues and activate the power of the shield of vigor, the virtues take on a silvery sheen as if lit from a plane where valor and virtue rule supreme.

2 Pieces: You gain a +1 morale bonus on Will saves.

5 Pieces: Adjacent allies gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Armband of Confrontation

This bright red band is worn around the bicep.

While wearing an armband of confrontation, your fighting challenge lasts an extra 3 rounds.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, divine favor, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 700 gp, 56 XP, 2 days.

Crystal of Alacrity

This small crystal bears a carved relief of an armored knight.

When attached to medium or heavy armor, this lesser augment crystal grants you a +5-foot morale bonus to your land speed.

Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, longstrider, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 1,750 gp, 140 XP, 4 days.

Medal of Steadfast Honor

This heavy gold medal is engraved with a griffon about to take flight.

If you are knocked prone, you can activate a medal of steadfast honor to instantly regain your feet in the space where you were standing.

A medal functions once per day, but if you have the knight’s challenge class feature, you can activate the medal again by expending a daily use of that ability.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, feather fall, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 750 gp, 60 XP, 2 days.

Shield of Vigor

This solid shield is lacquered in white with an image of a gold dragon at the center. A single red tear falls from the dragon’s left eye.

This +1 heavy steel shield rewards you for your unwavering loyalty and self-sacrifice. When you activate the shield, you gain fast healing 5 for 3 rounds.

A shield of vigor functions once per day, but if you have the knight’s challenge class feature, you can activate the shield again by expending a daily use of that ability.

Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, vigor, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 3,000 gp (plus 170 for masterwork heavy steel shield), 240 XP, 6 days.

Standard of Valor

This magnificent standard is emblazoned with the image of a red griffon.

This magic banner is part of a wide mantle you can wear attached to your shoulders. The standard can also be affixed to a pole, spear, or polearm, thus freeing up your shoulders slot but requiring you to wield the weapon to which it is attached in order to gain the item’s benefit.

The standard enhances your ability to inspire your allies on the battlefield. When you activate a standard of valor, you can grant one ally within 60 feet another save against a fear effect currently affecting him or about to affect him.

A standard of valor functions once per day, but if you have the knight’s challenge class feature or the marshal’s grant move action class feature, you can activate the standard of valor again by expending a daily use of one of those abilities.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, remove fear, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 700 gp, 56 XP, 2 days.

Source: Magic Item Compendium, page 195.