The party encircle a crimson chalice. If they survive the ritual, they’ll create an item that bonds them and protects them. First, they’ll have to spill their own blood and fend off a demon’s violent temptations.
Encounter
Outline
- The party take turns dragging a ritual dagger across their hand.
- Doing so incites a rageful spirit that they must resist.
- They make a wisdom saving throw; on a failure a demon manifests and attacks them.
- Each successful save adds a +1 bonus to the wisdom save for all who subsequently attempt the ritual.
- Each failure raises the DC by 1 for all subsequent attempts.
- If a player fails, in order to try again they must consume one of their unspent hit die.
- Each party member who succeeds (minimum 2) gets a magic gem at the end of the ritual.
Backstory & Flavor
The party seeks an item to prepare them for a dangerous venture. An old ritual has the power to craft stones that bind and protect those who brave the ritual together. Blood is drawn and collected in a chalice. Drawing the blood invokes a spirit who attempts to incite each person in turn. Resisting the spirit’s anger requires finding personal peace and mental fortitude.
If an individual fails, the drawn blood turns black and immediately grows into a demonic creature who attacks them.
If the demon is slain, the ritual can be attempted again, but the lingering aura of combat makes it more difficult, and one must sacrifice some of their own life force to try again.
If an individual succeeds, their blood turns blue on the blade, and their calming spirit is infectious, helping their partymembers with their attempts.
The blood of all those who succeeded is then heated gently for for several hours. Afterwards, the blood precipitates a blue-green gem, binding the spirits of those whose blood it contains.
Creatures
Choose an appropriate demon to match your party’s strength.
Each fight should be relatively easy, one the party could finish in one round. The main challenge is the series of wisdom saves. The combat is meant to add just a bit of tension and make the party think about how they use their resources.
If you’re unsure about choosing the demon, we recommend using this encounter simulator
Item: The Souljoined Stone
Forged with the mental strength of the comrades who braved the ritual together, this blue-green stone shapes the bond amongst them into a spiritual salve.
While the Souljoined Stone is on your person, you may use a bonus action to activate it and select one of the following benefits.
- Remove one exhaustion level.
- Regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus
- Remove either one disease, or one of the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.
If there are two or more active Souljoined Stones within 10 feet of you when you activate yours, you may make one additional selection from the benefits for each stone beyond the first.
Example: If three characters activate the stone on their turns, the first selects one benefit, the second selects two, and the third selects three. Selecting the same benefit more than once is allowed.
Once activated, the Souljoined Stone remains active for 1 minute. It can be activated once, and it regains all expended activations at dawn.
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