Instruments of the Blood Gift

The three instruments of the blood gift fuel magic through personal sacrifice. When precious blood is spilled, magical energy is unleashed. With the proper instruments, that energy can be harnessed, directed, and used toward ends both foul and fair.

The instruments of the blood gift are most useful for sorcerers who want to further enhance their sorcery⁠—​if they aren’t too squeamish to sacrifice their own blood. Characters of draconic origin can also make use of the instruments’ power, regardless of class.

Lore

Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (arcana), or who have the bardic knowledge ability, can research the instruments of the blood gift 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: The instruments of the blood gift were created by a sorcerer named Palamandius, who used the principle behind their manufacture to free himself and other sorcerers from the tyranny of a mysterious group called the Wizards of the Pure.

DC 20: A cabal known as the Wizards of the Pure sought to eliminate all inborn magical talent in the world. The cabal despised all those who came by their magic from birth without study or sacrifice⁠—​they equated such gifts with devilish pacts and demonic corruption. The Pure spoke of the dangers of uncontrolled magical ability and “untrained talent.”

In truth, the Wizards of the Pure did more than seek⁠—​they sent out agents to secretly round up a sampling of sorcerers and other spontaneous spellcasters. Across many lands, sorcerers of power large and small went missing.

The captives found themselves bound within the confines of a dead zone where magic, both inborn and learned, was suppressed. There they were housed, without explanation and without hope of release. The Wizards of the Pure hoped that they could kill a creature’s talent for sorcery if the flame was doused long enough. All the kidnapped sorcerers served the Pure as subjects in this hateful experiment.

Fortunately for the captives, one among them, a spellscale (see Races of the Dragon) named Palamandius, possessed particular talent. In his dreams, he could almost taste again the magic that once ran in his blood. In those dreams, he found salvation. Using the power of his own blood to wake and catalyze his suppressed sorcery—even within the dead magic zone—he blasted himself and his companions free. Unprepared for the escape, the Pure saw its power base destroyed.

With the insight gained while in captivity, Palamandius crafted his item set, which is powered through a sacrifice of blood. As a result, he named them the instruments of the blood gift.

DC 25: A scattering of surviving members of the Wizards of the Pure still lurk in large cities and villages. Now and then, one or more of them, working alone or in temporary alliance, decides to murder a passing sorcerer out of fear and rage over the splintering of their once-powerful cabal.

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

When you wear two instruments of the blood gift, your eyes take on a reddish tint and your skin becomes faintly ruddy. When wearing all three parts, your eyes smolder with liquid fire and your skin flushes with empowered blood.

2 Pieces: You automatically stabilize when reduced to –⁠1 to –⁠9 hit points.

3 Pieces: You can expend a sorcerer spell slot as a swift (command) action to heal yourself of a number of points of damage equal to twice the spell slot’s level. This ability functions three times per day.

Bands of Blood Rage

These armbands are made from red gold studded with tiny rubies. Dozens of needle-sharp spikes extend slightly from the inside of the bands.

Each time you don bands of blood rage, they deal 1 point of damage to you. This damage can’t be healed as long as you wear these armbands.

When you activate bands of blood rage, you and any willing ally within 30 feet can enter a blood rage that lasts for 5 rounds. This blood rage can’t be ended prematurely except by unconsciousness or any effect that would end a rage (such as a calm emotions spell). Unlike a barbarian’s rage, the blood rage doesn’t limit your actions in any way.

While in a blood rage, a character gains a +5 morale bonus on melee weapon damage rolls. However, each affected creature also takes 5 points of damage each round at the end of its turn as its own body suffers under the strain. If you are a sorcerer or you have the dragonblood subtype, you also gain a +5 morale bonus on damage with your arcane spells while in a blood rage created by bands you wear.

Bands of the blood rage function three times per day.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, rage, sorcerer or dragonblood subtype, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 1,300 gp, 104 XP, 3 days.

Barbs of Retribution

These barbed chains are forged of reddish metal.

Each time you don barbs of retribution, they deal 1 point of damage to you. This damage can’t be healed as long as you wear these barbed hand wrappings.

When you activate barbs of retribution and sacrifice a sorcerer spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can force an enemy within 30 feet to reroll a saving throw that just succeeded, with a penalty equal to half the level of the spell sacrificed. This effect manifests as a stream of arcane energy flowing from your hands toward the target.

If you have the dragonblood subtype, you can instead sacrifice your own hit points when activating the barbs. You must sacrifice at least 5 hit points, and the rerolled save is made with a penalty equal to –⁠1 per 5 hit points expended (maximum –⁠5 for 25 hit points spent). This effect manifests as a stream of fiery blood flowing from your hands toward the target.

Barbs of retribution function once per day.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, sorcerer or dragonblood subtype, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 2,250 gp, 180 XP, 5 days.

Blood Claw Choker

This unusual device appears to be some sort of amulet worn as a choker necklace. However, sharp barbs point inward, and look capable of shredding muscle and flesh.

Each time you don a blood claw choker, it deals 1 point of damage to you. This damage can’t be healed as long as you wear the item.

A blood claw choker grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Constitution score. This effect functions continuously.

In addition, when you activate a blood claw choker, you regain any one sorcerer spell slot that you have already used today (up to a maximum of 5th level). The slot becomes available as if you had never cast a spell of that level. At the time you activate it, the choker deals damage to you equal to twice the level of the spell slot regained. This ability functions twice per day.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, bear’s endurance, vampiric touch, possession of a piece of the set.

Cost to Create: 6,000 gp, 480 XP, 12 days.

Source: Magic Item Compendium, page 202.