Ring of Ayep

The Ring of Ayep is a metal ring previously owned by the eponymous Ayep the Zealous but claimed by an expedition party following his destruction in 5 WD.

## Description

The Ring of Ayep is a modest decorative construction of polished non-precious metal shaped into the appearance of a pouncing cat, its eyes made from two shards of a ruby-like gemstone.

## Research

### Completed by Morennel Uthreloth

*Much as was the case with the Coronet of Khitros, the Ring of Ayep appears to be made of mundane metal superficially, but closer inspection reveals its composition is anything but ordinary. The alloy, once again untouchable by conventional tools or weapons has been wrought into the shape of a pouncing cat. Corrosion lingers in the corners of the detailings, but these patches seem no weaker than the rest of the composition. The eyes are a deep red, compromised of two shards of a red ruby-like crystal that draws in and saps away at any light sources in its vicinity.*

*Further time passes in your investigations, finally managing to crack through the potent abjuration aura haze that permeates through its entire construction. As you do so, you feel your strength start to bolster and the taste of iron upon the edges of your tongue. Your nose curls at the blood that spills before you, dripping from a dozen wounds that spring forth upon your face, scouring deep through flesh and fascia to grate against bone. The gore before you takes form, rising in agony before falling as your hands - heavy with a curved blade - strike them down once more. Only one foe remains before you, the words echoing through your mind "false, traitor, duplicitous". Your legs begin to ache as they are beckoned into a frightful dance of death, the clash of blade against blade flashing into a cloud of sparks and unabating flame. The taste in your mouth thickens with ecstasy at the chance to prove your worth, to strike down the one that had been chosen by the Storm, and yet turned away. And yet the false servant is tired. He has fled from the fate that should have been wrought upon long prior, his soul weakening from the slander it spreads. Naught can bend the Storm to heel, for naught have the strength to match it, you see this now. Your arm moves again, guided by the memory of the motion. The traitor screams loud as it severs through his wrist. He is broken now, yet he is naught worthy of a clean demise. You find yourself stepping aside, to allow the Sacrosanct to finish his curse. Drawing the life from the false in matters of both body and soul, the Sacrosanct binds the betrayer to turmoil, sealing him in place with just enough consciousness that he might know of his failure. This pleases the Storm of Rust, and so the offerings come, descending from above.*

*Your whole body aches as you come round from the vision, though a sudden bout of coughing forces you into a state of true consciousness. Viscid globules of purple-black cruor cling to the inside of your cheeks, hiding beneath your tongue, between your teeth. The richness intensifies. Attuned to the Ring of Ayep, you gain the following properties:*

1. *Increase your Strength and Dexterity by 1 point each, to a maximum of 25.*
2. *You can speak, read and write Infernal.*
3. *Your base movement speed increases by 10ft.*
4. *When you hit a target with a melee attack of any kind and are capable of attacking again, you may use a bonus action to teleport to another hostile creature within 20ft of your current position and take your second attack.*
5. *[REDACTED]*