Divinity Sphere

Researching the Divinity Sphere The history the Divinity Sphere is closely intertwined with that of the elves. It has existed for thousands of years, and thus it is well known and studied by their sages and loremasters. Elven sages or those who have studied elven lore could research the Sphere with a Knowledge (arcana) or a Knowledge (history) check. Bardic Knowledge may also reveal legends about the Divinity Sphere or the many conflicts it has inspired. DC Knowledge Available 10 The Divinity Sphere is an elven artifact said to hold the power of a god. 20 The Sphere grants its possessor the power of god for a limited time. Its holder is said to be all but invulnerable, but the Divinity Sphere only functions once for any one person. 25 The Divinity Sphere is closely linked to Dauzenth, a former Duke of Hell, and it is said to contain his essence and power. The wielder of the artifact can raise the dead, heal the sick, and perform other miracles. 30+ The power of the Divinity Sphere is incredibly addictive, and drawing upon the power of Dauzenth, any who see the Sphere come to desire it. While its power lasts only for a single week, the effect upon its wielder is permanent. Legends that surround the Divinity Sphere usually wax poetic on the power of the artifact, often indicating that it really does make one a god, or that its power is permanent. While the legends relay the unfortunately side effects of the artifact, they are often told in fashion that make the tale more interesting than truthful, indicating that the effect can be overcome with a strong force of will. Such is of course impossible, for no mortal’s force of will can match that of an arch-devil. The Tale of the Divinity Sphere One of the first recorded clerics, who lived in a time when even that ancient race was young, was a priest by the name of Raiash. Raiash served the gods as a loyal worshipper, marveling at their miraculous workings even as he studied their teachings. Yet in his heart, Raiash grew jealous of his patrons. Why should they have such power when he was forced to grovel before them for the merest fraction of their divinity? Raiash determined to achieve his own divinity. He studied the workings of the outer planes, researching and developing methods of channeling their otherworldly energies. After all, if the beings who ruled those planes could grant such miraculous abilities to their priests, how much potential power could there be for a mortal who learned to draw on them directly? For decades, Raiash experimented with these energies. He learned to call forth beings dwelling in the outer planes, developing conjuring magics previously unseen, or at least unrecorded. While his initial successes summoned forth only minor celestial creatures, Raiash eventually contacted an intelligence, dwelling in what he failed to recognize as Hell itself. Ignorant of his danger, Raiash believed the being as it promised him power and respect, his every wish fulfilled. Calling upon his knowledge of planar magics and the power of his gods for the last time, Raiash opened a great portal, and Dauzenth, Tempter of Mortals, entered the world. While Raiash’s ultimate fate is unknown, the great devil sowed deceit and treachery among the elves for generations, assembling a legion of infernal followers and corrupt wizards. It is said that, like the elven gods themselves, the Tempter of Mortals possessed the power to grant a portion of his divine magic to his followers. Dauzenth’s blandishments and the zealousness of his cult eventually drove the elven empire to civil war. The archmages and the faithful priests of the gods turned aside the powerful gifts granted by Dauzenth and the magic of his cultists, but they could not utterly destroy the fiend. The three greatest elven archmages attacked Dauzenth, distracting him with potent magics as they worked to bind his spirit. In the end, little remained besides battle-scorched plains and the large gem that would come to be known as the Divinity Sphere. No trace remained of the elven wizards or the devil Dauzenth. Throughout the ages, as the elven race has grown old and younger beings have risen to dominance of the world the foul legacy of Dauzenth has remained in the form of the Divinity Sphere. While the possessor of the sphere possesses incredible powers, the rush of power is addictive, and few mortals would willingly relinquish the might of a deity. Over the years, the Divinity Sphere has been the focus of countless wars, the object of desire of bloodthirsty warlords, and the doom of thousands of souls. Studying the Divinity Sphere The Divinity Sphere is a large crystal of a deep blue hue. Although it looks much like a star sapphire, the artifact is much harder, able to scratch even diamond. The inside of the crystal appears almost molten, and close observation reveals a faintly luminous substance swirling slowly throughout the gem. The artifact feels almost like a living thing, pulsing with power and warm with life. Anyone who sees the gem begins to desire it, with the level of desire increasing from a faint craving to an overpowering urge with continued exposure. The artifact possesses an aura of power and temptation that feels almost palpable to its observers. The artifact displays an incredibly powerful aura if viewed with detect magic, often enough to stun the viewer. Divination spells cast upon the Divinity Sphere relay only information about the caster herself. Powers of the Divinity Sphere The Divinity Sphere grants its possessor the ability to produce powerful divine magic as well as nearly invulnerability, but only for limited time. Using the Divinity Sphere Activation of the Divinity Sphere is an act of negotiated surrender. The possessor of the artifact feels the overpowering will and presence of the slumbering entity inside. He must awaken that essence and allow it to infuse his body, while at the same time, retaining enough of himself to control his actions and not become a slave to the artifact. The actual activation of the Divinity Sphere requires a full hour of intense meditation with the artifact. When the artifact becomes active, the wielder instantly becomes aware of the full capabilities of the Divinity Sphere, and can choose to make use of any of its activated abilities. Any given character may only activate the Sphere once. Constant Powers While the Divinity Sphere is active and on the person of the wielder, he gains the benefits of minor divine status. This grants the wielder a +20 bonus to his base movement rate, a deflection bonus to AC equal to his Charisma bonus, and immunity to polymorphing, petrification, energy drain, ability damage and mind-affecting effects. He gains damage reduction 20/epic, spell resistance 32, and fire resistance of 20. During this time, the possessor of the Sphere does not age, nor does he need to eat, sleep, or breathe. Removing the Sphere from the character’s possession for more than 1d4 minutes causes it to become inactive. Activated Powers The wielder of the Divinity Sphere can use the following abilities as a standard action at will: antimagic field, break enchantment, daylight, fire storm (save DC 29) , greater command (save DC 26), greater dispel magic, greater restoration, heal, regenerate, remove disease, remove paralysis, resurrection, righteous might, slay living (save DC 26), symbol of pain (save DC 26), symbol of weakness (save DC 28), and true seeing. All spells are cast as if by a 20th-level caster. None of these abilities require the wielder to spend XP. Consequences Any who view the Divinity Sphere must make a DC 10 Will save the first time they see it. On each subsequent day they view the artifact, they must save again, with a cumulative +1 increase to difficulty. (That is, DC 11 on the second day, DC 12 on the third, and so forth.) Upon a failed save, the viewer comes to greatly desire the artifact, though he is not forced to act outside his normal morality and alignment restrictions to acquire it. A good individual might, for example, try to convince the holder of the artifact that he should have it for some noble purpose or that it will be safe if left with him, but he probably won’t attack its holder and steal it. This compulsion is permanent, though it may be removed with a successful remove curse spell. The feeling of power produced by wielding the active Divinity Sphere is overwhelming and euphoric. However, the very nature of the Divinity Sphere absorbs some vital spark from the former wielder of the artifact. After one week of use, the Divinity Sphere causes immediate loss of two levels. For each additional week of use, the wielder loses an additional level, and he is irrevocably destroyed once his last level is lost. Any single individual can only activate the Sphere once. Should he willingly deactivate it (requiring a Will save equal in DC to 15 + the number of weeks he’s used it), or should the bond between them break due to separation, the wielder loses all benefits and bonuses, and may never again activate the Sphere. A former wielder is left with a hollow despair. Desperate for some remnant of his divine nature, the wielder comes to obsess over the artifact. The victim becomes relentless in his search for the Divinity Sphere, seeing any who would take it as dire enemies. His obsession with the Divinity Sphere may become so powerful that it undermines the character’s morality and motivations. He may come to lie, steal, or even murder to regain the artifact. Some former wielders of the artifact become so deranged by their loss that they come to worship the Divinity Sphere, performing all manner of blasphemous acts in its name as they struggle to reawaken its power. The exact reaction is unique to each individual affected by the Divinity Sphere, but it should be clear that the artifact (or perhaps the concept of achieving divinity in general) becomes the focus of that character’s life and defines his goals. There is no known way to remove this obsession, though the destruction of the artifact might allow the character to recover. In mechanical terms, the character must attempt a Will save 1d6 days after losing the artifact’s power (DC 15 + the number of weeks the character used the artifact). If he fails, he can do nothing the following day but seek out and attempt to regain the Sphere if he does not possess it; or obsess over the artifact and attempt to regain its power if he does. The character stops at nothing, including alignment violations, to accomplish his goals. The character may make a new Will save every day, to shake off the obsession. Even if he succeeds, however, he is only free of the obsession for 1d6 days, at which point he must save again. This continues — every day on failed saves, every 1d6 days on successful ones — until the artifact is destroyed. Reactive Traits The Divinity Sphere is immune to the effects of most magic and impossible to harm through physical means. Divination spells cast upon the artifact reveal information about the caster of the spell only. Spells which transmute or harm the artifact fade away without effect. However, the Divinity Sphere may be teleported, carried through gates or plane shifted as normal. Using the Divinity Sphere in a Campaign The Divinity Sphere is an extremely powerful artifact that should not be introduced lightly into a campaign. It may well become the focus of a campaign, either due to a PC’s growing obsession with wielding its power, or as an object that must be destroyed to restore balance to the world. The artifact is suitable for introduction into mid- to high level campaigns. While the DM may allow the artifact to come into the possession of the party, it should be noted that the Divinity Sphere will cause dissension among the characters as each will grow to desire it. Furthermore, if any character should activate the artifact, it drastically alters the purpose and playability of that character after the artifact’s effects lapse. However, the Divinity Sphere serves as an excellent focus for an evil cult or a power-hungry enemy of the PCs, and for characters who enjoy a roleplaying challenge, the post-artifact obsession might prove enjoyable for a short while, until the other PCs can find some way to retrieve and possibly destroy the Sphere. Adventure Seeds The Rise and Fall of a God A just and noble king appears before his people, revealing that the gods have newly favored his reign and their kingdom. Holding aloft the Divinity Sphere, he proclaims that by their faith in him and the blessing of the gods, he is now able to perform holy miracles. He raises the dead, rains fire upon the enemies of the kingdom, and heals the sick. All the while, all who view the artifact grow to desire it, and the less scrupulous of the king’s followers begin to plot against him. Soon, of course, the king’s power fades and he lapses into a deep despair as his kingdom falls apart around him, torn by division and lust for power. When the stone disappears one day, the PCs are hired to find the artifact and return it as quickly as possible. The PCs must first track down the artifact, a feat that may be made easier if the thief chooses to activate the Divinity Sphere. An enemy with such immense power is unlikely to be inactive for long, and they may even take action against the kingdom directly or pursue some other agenda. The question remains, how do the PCs go about taking the artifact from such a deadly foe? Who knows how much damage the thief could wreck if they choose to wait until the effect fades. Even after they retrieve the artifact, will the PCs be able to resist the temptation of using it? Would they willingly give the Divinity Sphere to the king? While the PCs may initially be under the impression that restoring the artifact will allow the kingdom to recover, it merely causes further problems. Enemies remain who have seen the Divinity Sphere and merely await an opportunity to take it. How do the PCs address the issue of the king’s melancholy? Can they prevent the kingdom from falling apart when it becomes obvious the king can no longer use the Sphere? The Road to Hell... A terrible plague has killed countless innocents and exceeded even the healing capabilities of the clergy. As the sickness rages out of control, a singular priestess of the goddess of healing approaches the PCs. She describes a wondrous artifact called the Divinity Sphere, capable of raising the dead and healing the sick, and she calls upon the PCs to retrieve the artifact. She reveals old manuscripts that say the Sphere is held by a powerful dragon in a cave in the not too distant foothills. If the PCs should track down the dragon, they find its cave dominated by the Divinity Sphere set atop an enormous alter, guarded by a corrupted and desperate-seeming copper dragon. The dragon sees their presence as an attempt to steal its treasure, and attacks to kill. After the PCs dispatch it, they are faced with the dilemma of returning the artifact or keeping the tempting Divinity Sphere for themselves. Will they be able to give the artifact over to the priestess? If they choose to use the artifact themselves, how do they deal with its inevitable consequences? What of the thousands of people exposed to the Divinity Sphere as they go about healing the sick populace? The PCs may be forced to destroy the artifact, if they can bear to do so, to prevent it from falling into the hands of those who would use it less scrupulously. The Cult of Divinity A powerful enemy of the PCs has discovered the Divinity Sphere and found a way to use it without endangering himself. The foe is a cult leader, or someone else with a significant number of followers. He gives the Divinity Sphere to a follower, allowing his minion to activate and use it to achieve his aims for a few weeks, until the artifact proves fatal. His followers appear in public, demonstrating the miraculous power of the Divinity Sphere and encouraging those interested to join the cult. Those attracted by the power of the artifact are eventually given a chance to wield it, but only after the cult leader uses powerful magic and indoctrination techniques to bend them to his will. The PCs may become involved when hired by a rival faith concerned about the growth of this cult. Alternately, they may witness the cultists’ display in the street and grow to desire the Divinity Sphere. To get close to the artifact and the cult leader, the PCs may have to infiltrate the cult, for he never appears in public. They soon learn that the Sphere is always active and in the hands of one of the cultists, who exposes it to the entire cult once each day. Can the PCs stick to their aims after being continually exposed to the corruptive power of the Sphere? How will the PCs go about taking the artifact? Will they discover the true nature of the cult? Even after they acquire the Divinity Sphere, what will they do with it? Destroying the Divinity Sphere The Divinity Sphere is a corruptive artifact that has destroyed the lives and doomed the souls of countless mortals. Yet as artifacts go, it is relatively easy to destroy. There may be other methods to destroy the artifact than those listed, but any who would destroy it must deal with the consequences of the released diabolic energy the Sphere contains. • The Divinity Sphere may be crushed under the heel of a true deity. • A miracle or wish spell cast on the artifact by one who has currently activated it will destroy the Divinity Sphere. • If the Divinity Sphere is taken to Dauzenth’s home in the Hells, the Sphere will shatter. If the Divinity Sphere is destroyed, the devil Dauzenth immediately manifests, freed from his long imprisonment within the artifact. New Monster Imprisoned within the Divinity Sphere for millennia, the devil Dauzenth has bided his time in a quiescent slumber, unable to free himself from the terrible bindings placed upon him by a trio of elven archmages. Yet even as he slumbers, his essence reaches out to ensnare the souls of those unable to resist the allure of the Divinity Sphere. If the artifact is ever broken, he emerges again, renewed and determined to seek vengeance upon the elven race, to spread his corruption throughout the realms of mortals, and to regain what he sees as his rightful place among the Dukes of Hell. Dauzenth, Tempter of Mortals Huge Outsider (Devil, Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful) Hit Dice: 33d8+297 (445 hp) Initiative: +12 Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) Armor Class: 40 (–2 size, +8 Dex, +18 natural, +6 insight), touch 22, flat-footed 32 Base Attack/Grapple: +33/+53 Attack: Artifice (huge +5 axiomatic unholy rapier) +46 melee (3d6+8/15–20 plus 2d6 vs. chaotic or good foes) or claw +40 melee (2d8+9) Full Attack: Artifice (huge +5 axiomatic unholy rapier) +46/+41/+36/+31 melee (3d6+8/15–20 plus 2d6 vs. chaotic or good foes) and claw +35 melee (2d8+4) and bite +35 melee (1d8+4) Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. Special Attacks: Improved grab, spell-like abilities, summon devil Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/epic and good, darkvision 60 ft. immunity to fire and poison, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, regeneration 6, see in darkness, spell resistance 43, telepathy 100 ft., true seeing Saves: Fort +27, Ref +26, Will +25 Abilities: Str 28, Dex 26, Con 28, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 32 Skills: Bluff +49, Concentration +48, Diplomacy +53, Disguise +47(+49 acting), Intimidate +51, Knowledge (arcana) +43, Knowledge (history) +43, Knowledge (religion) +43, Knowledge (the planes) +43, Listen +51, Move Silently +44, Search +43, Sense Motive +43, Spellcraft +47, Spot +51, Survival +7 (+9 on other planes or following tracks) Feats: Cleave, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (rapier), Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (unholy blight), Weapon Focus (rapier) Environment: Hell Organization: Unique Challenge Rating: 24 Treasure: Quadruple standard in Hell; none after freed from Sphere Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: — Level Adjustment: — The giant towers over you, looking down from above. The black skin of his heavily muscled form seems almost to absorb the ambient light. His head is that of a sleek canine, some unholy crossbreed of a jackal and a wolf. In his left hand he carries a rapier, its blade etched with faces distended in both pleasure and pain. His right hand ends in a twisted claw, its taloned fingers fused together. Its gleaming gaze seems to penetrate your very soul, stripping away all self-deception. Dauzenth, a former duke of Hell who lost his throne to rivals in eons past, exists to ruin mortals, to steal their lives and souls through temptation. The archfiend offers his victims immense power, whether it be political, magical, or simple brute force, but always leaves his victims broken and soulless, corrupted by the temptation of infinite power. Dauzenth takes pleasure in twisting the wishes he grants mortals, and in degrading and debauching mortal civilizations by gradually undermining their leaders. He especially hates elves, taking every opportunity to tempt and corrupt them. Dauzenth speaks Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Infernal, and Undercommon. Combat Dauzenth prefers to rely on his ability to charm and outthink his foes, but he does not hesitate to enter melee with Artifice and claw. He attempts to soften his opponents first, via magics such as power word stun and confusion. Dauzenth’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons he wields, are treated as evil, lawful and magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, Dauzenth must hit a Medium or smaller opponent with his claw. He can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Regeneration (Ex): Dauzenth takes normal damage from holy and blessed magic weapons. Spell-Like Abilities: At will — charm monster (DC 25), daylight, detect chaos, detect good, detect magic, dispel magic, greater command (DC 26), mirror image, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), order’s wrath (DC 25), power word stun, slay living (DC 26), symbol of pain (DC 26), symbol of weakness (DC 28), unholy blight (DC 25); 1/day — fire storm (DC 29), wish. Caster level 20th; save DCs are Charisma-based. Dauzenth cannot use his wish ability to grant his own desires, but instead uses it to grant the requests of mortals. Unless the wish is used to create pain or corrupt others, Dauzenth demands either terrible evil acts or great sacrifice as compensation. Summon Devil (Sp): Three times per day, Dauzenth can automatically summon 5 barbazu or hamatulas. Alternatively, he can attempt to summon 1 pit fiend with a 75% chance of success. True Seeing (Su): Dauzenth continually uses true seeing as the spell (caster level 24th). Skills: Dauzenth has a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.