Rod of the Pact Keeper

A crimson, vine-entwined rod capped with a glowing ruby. The Ruby Rod is said to channel the will of Virdrak, god of renewal and decay. Beneath its façade of natural beauty lies the power to manipulate life, poison, and decay, often at a great cost.

Wonderous

Priceless; typically considered a relic of immense value by those who know its power.

The Ruby Rod of Virdrak is a sleek, crimson rod entwined with blackened vines that appear alive, shifting subtly when observed. The rod is capped with a glowing ruby that pulses faintly like a heartbeat, radiating an eerie crimson light. Around its base, faint bioluminescent markings resembling runes swirl, mimicking plant-like patterns.

The rod is forged from a blend of infernal steel and living plant matter, giving it a combination of organic and metallic textures. The ruby is believed to be a crystallized fragment of Virdrak’s essence.

5 pounds

• The Withering of Kelvryn’s Realm: A cautionary tale of unchecked ambition leading to ruin.
• The False Bloom: A parable about trusting in false beauty, widely believed to describe the rod’s power to deceive.
• The Infernal Seed: Whispers that Asmodeus planted a fragment of his own will into the rod, ensuring it could never truly serve only Virdrak.

1. Draw Sickness (Poison Manipulation):
   • The wielder can touch a poisoned or diseased creature, removing the affliction and storing the toxins within the rod for up to 1 minute.
   • Stored toxins can be transferred to another creature within range. The target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 poison damage and inherit the original conditions (e.g., poisoned, diseased).
   
   
   1. Draw Life (Decay Manipulation)
   
   
   2. Dormant Bloom (Summon Predatory Flora):
      • The wielder causes Dormant Blooms to sprout in a 20-foot radius within 30 feet. These plants evolve through four stages, becoming increasingly dangerous over time. Full details of the plants’ behavior are stored separately.
   
   
   
   

• Draw Sickness: 3d6 poison damage (plus inherited conditions).
• Draw Life: 3d10 necrotic damage (or 3d6 for plants).
• Dormant Bloom: Damage varies by phase, ranging from 2d6 (Detached Maw) to 4d10 (Apex Bloom).O

The Ruby Rod holds 6 charges, which are shared across all its abilities.

The rod regains 1d4+2 charges daily at dawn.

• The Ruby Rod of Virdrak is a tool of manipulation and corruption, designed to appear as a divine artifact of natural renewal while hiding its infernal influence.
• The rod’s abilities are versatile but require strategic use of its charges, encouraging players to balance offense, support, and control.
• Its environmental effects, such as plant decay or the summoning of blooms, can leave lingering traces that alert others to its presence or use.