Shield of the Frozen Lich - Magic Item (Patreon)

🛡️❄️💀 Amidst the desolate, snow-covered forest stands a frozen treant, ancient and wise, its limbs heavy with icicles. Its bark, deeply grooved and layered with frost, creaks as it prepares to share a tale that has been whispered through its gnarled branches for countless winters.

"Ah... young traveler," the treant starts, each word formed slowly and deliberately. "You... seek knowledge... of the lich queen... and the legendary... shield?"

A long pause ensues, the treant's words echoing softly through the silent woods.

"In a time... long before... our woods were cloaked... in eternal snow... there was... a queen. A sorceress... of untold power. Radiant... and fierce... she ruled her realm... with grace."

The treant's branches creak and sway gently, its voice deep and drawn out.

"But... in her heart... a shadow grew. Ambition... thirst... for eternal reign. Turning... to forbidden magics... she became... what mortals fear... a lich. Her beauty... replaced by a... chilling aura... of death."

A gust of cold wind ruffles the treant's snowy leaves, emphasizing the chilling climax of its tale.

"In her newfound might... she sought... a legendary item... a shield... of unique power. Forged from... the heart... of winter itself... and touched... by the souls... of ancient frost giants."

Taking its time, the treant continues, its words dripping with gravitas.

"Believing... it would... make her invincible... she claimed it. But... the shield... had other plans. Instead of granting... power... it trapped... a part... of her essence."

The treant's eyes, deep-set and glowing faintly blue, fixate on the listener.

"Her dominion... weakened. Enemies... arose. A battle... long and harsh... and in its aftermath... she was vanquished. But not... destroyed. A part... of her... remains... within that shield."

The treant pauses one final time, its words heavy with meaning.

"In the heart... of winter... where shadows... and ice... interlace... if you dare... to follow the sign... of the frozen star's... faintest shine... seek the tomb... where no birds have flown... the shield rests... by the lich queen's... throne."

The treant then falls silent, leaving the riddle hanging in the frosty air, a puzzle for the listener to decipher. 🛡️❄️💀
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Shield of the Frozen Lich

Armor (shield), legendary (requires attunement)

This shield, forged from a blend of enchanted ice that never melts and the finest mithril steel, proudly displays a visage of a lich on its front. This lich appears forever trapped in an eternal frost. Legend whispers that this shield once belonged to a formidable lich queen.

The protective frozen magic woven into the shield grants the wearer a +2 bonus to AC.

The shield has 5 charges. It regains 1d4 + 1 expended charges daily at midnight.

Frost's Grasp. When a creature hits you with a melee attack, as a reaction, you can expend 1 charge to force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 18). On a failed save, ice forms around the creature, binding its life force and rendering it paralyzed until the end of its next turn.

Ephemeral Phylactery. When you would be reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can choose to expend 3 charges. Instead of falling unconscious, the shield shatters into ethereal shards. You become ethereal, similar to the effect of the Etherealness spell, for 1 minute. During this time, you regain 2d6 hit points at the start of each of your turns. At the end of the duration, the shield rematerializes in your hand, and you reappear at the location you were in when the shield shattered.

Whisper of the Lich Queen’s Curse. While attuned to this shield, the wearer occasionally hears the faint whispers of the original lich owner. These murmurs guide the wearer to always seek out the coldest environments or conditions. Whenever the wearer enters a notably warm or hot environment, they feel a compulsion to leave or find a way to cool it down. This is not a strong compulsion but more of a nagging thought at the back of the wearer's mind. Additionally, the wearer's breath becomes visible, as if they were in a cold environment, regardless of the actual ambient temperature.