Syntithenai

## Synopsis

Syntithenai is a magical artifact that the party recovered on Ymana. It functions both as a powerful magic item in its own right, and a means for the player characters to unlock their Team Skills.

## Physical Description

The hilt and pommel of the sword are a deep emerald green color, inlaid with small diamonds and emeralds.

The blade of the sword is banded and mottled like damascus steel. One face of the blade is engraved with eight circles, each about the size of a quarter. As the player characters awaken the sword, the circles begin to illuminate with magical inscriptions representing them. These inscriptions become permanent once a player awakens the sword.

* **Frog:** A five-pointed golden star.
* **Gragnok:** A glowing white shield.
* **Ice:** A candle matching his holy symbol.
* **Jack:** A swirling vortex of the four elements.
* **Louche:** A "ying-yang" of radiance and light, and fire and darkness, with a music staff between.
* **Malkoth:** A symbol matching his infernal amulet.
* **Odell:** The arcane sigil for binding / connecting, which is common to all rune magic (as well as conjuration and transmutation magic).
* **XVIII:** A skull with blood dripping from its jaws.

## Names

In its dormant state, the blade is known as Syn. Once awakened, it earns the name Syntith. Once fully exalted, it earns the name Syntithenai.

## Sentience

Syntithenai is not a fully sentient weapon - it does not have a true personality. It does, however, have something resembling a will of its own. Charged with magical energy, it yearns to be wielded by creatures with powerful magic. It is inherently tethered to Primordial Chaos, thanks to the Material Chaos Dust within its blade, and it seeks powerful heroes to fulfill its synchronous purpose.

## History

Syntithenai was forged in the late years of the Age of Arcana, by an ambitious and somewhat imprudent mage named Folenor Joris. Like some other powerful mages during his time, Folenor aimed to kill one of the gods and ascend to take their place. Specifically, Folenor sought to replace Asmodeus, the lord of the Nine Hells.

Folenor forged Syntithenai using Material Chaos Dust - a feat that had not been performed before or since. The sword was designed to gain power from those who wielded it, imbuing itself with the strengths of its bearers. To this end, Folenor traveled around Materi with the sword and visited some of the world's most powerful mages, in the hopes of imbuing Syntithenai with all of their strengths. He eventually convinced seven other mages to attune to the blade and awaken its powers: Tamrius Grimm, Passeri, Myriostoma, Avara Wasanthi, Alusfaen Orion, Daimao, and Basel Anselmo. He did not divulge his intention to use the blade to slay Asmodeus to these individuals, except for Avara Wasanthi, Alusfaen Orion, and Daimao. To the rest, he framed his quest as an experiment in the arcane.

With the blade fully awakened, Folenor traveled to Chwaka to do battle with the forces of Asmodeus. His attempt failed, however, as he was overpowered by the infernal forces, without ever even reaching Asmodeus. In a moment of desperation, seeing that his demise was imminent, Folenor drew a card from his Deck of Many Things as a last resort. He drew the Donjon card, and disappeared, leaving behind Syntithenai.

The infernal forces, having acquired Syntithenai, presented it to Asmodeus as a gift. However, due to the blade's synchronous nature and requirement for selflessness and cooperation, the devils found themselves unable to use its properties. Asmodeus kept the blade as a memento of his victory and a warning to other who would attempt to slay him, placing it on a mountaintop altar on the island of Ymana.

After the Severance and the banishment of the infernal forces from Materi, Syntithenai sat unused on the isle of Ymana for centuries. It eventually fell into the hands of the grung and kuo-toa that came to reside on the island, who found themselves similarly unable to activate its properties, but kept it nonetheless as a powerful magic item.

## General Properties

On its own, Syntithenai functions as a +1 magical longsword, with no additional properties, which requires attunement. Studying the blade, or casting *identify* on it, reveals these to be its only properties. A DC 18 arcana check in conjunction with an *identify* spell reveals that there are additional properties of the blade that can be unlocked, but not what these properties are, or how to unlock them.

When a creature attunes to the blade, one of the circles begins to faintly glow with their symbol, and an additional property is activated. The activated property is based on the creature that attunes to the blade, and it remains active only while that creature remains attuned to the blade. If the creature unattunes from the blade, their symbol fades from the blade.

While attuned to the blade, a creature can work towards awakening it. The methods to awaken the blade vary by creature, but are related to utilizing the blade's magical properties. Once the blade is awakened by a creature, its properties related to that creature are improved, and that creature gains a Team Skill, which they retain even when no longer attuned to the blade. Their symbol on the blade continues to glow, even after they unattune from the item.

Once all eight players have attuned to the blade and awakened it, the blade becomes fully exalted for all players.

As the blade awakens, some of its features include charges. The blade retains the same percentage of its remaining charges, rounded down, for all such features. (for example, if the blade's exalted *Diplomatic Immunity* property is active and has 1 remaining charge, and its exalted *Sorcerous Intervention* property becomes active, the *Sorcerous Intervention* property has only 1 remaining charge).

## Power Balance

The blade is fueled by synchronicity, and draws its magical power by melding the strengths of those who wield it. As such, it must change hands often in order to retain its power. Consistent overuse by the same individual causes its power to become imbalanced, and eventually to break. This is represented by the following mechanics.

At the end of each short rest, if the creature that is currently attuned to the blade has awakened the blade, that creature gains an Imbalance Point (to a maximum of 3 points). In addition, at the end of each short rest, any creature that is not attuned to the blade loses an Imbalance Point (to a minimum of 0 points), provided that another creature is attuned to the blade. If no creature is attuned to the blade, no creatures gain or lose Imbalance Points.

When a creature accumulates 3 Imbalance Points, their symbol on the blade shatters. While a creature’s symbol on the blade is shattered, if they attune to the blade, it functions as a +1 magical longsword with no other magical properties. A shattered symbol on the blade returns to normal when the corresponding creature has 0 Imbalance Points.

If all of the symbols on the blade are ever shattered at the same time, it reverts to its dormant state and must be reawakened.

Imbalance Point Tracker
 Gragnok
 Jack
 Patches
 Louche
 Malkoth
 Odell
 XVIII

## Frog Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Diplomatic Immunity.*** While you are wielding the blade, when a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, other than yourself, is subjected to an effect that allows them to make a saving throw to take only half damage, and the creature succeeds on their saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend one use of your *bardic inspiration*, causing the creature to take no damage instead of half damage. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a short rest.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Diplomatic Immunity.*** The blade has 2 charges. While you are wielding the blade, when a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, other than yourself, is subjected to an effect that allows them to make a saving throw to take only half damage, and the creature succeeds on their saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend one charge from the blade, causing the creature to take no damage instead of half damage. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a short rest.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can spend uses of your *bardic inspiration* feature instead to activate the blade's properties.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Diplomatic Immunity.*** The blade has 3 charges. While you are wielding the blade, when a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, other than yourself, is subjected to an effect that allows them to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction and expend one charge from the blade after the creature makes their saving throw, whether they succeed or fail. If the creature failed their saving throw, they take only half damage. If they succeeded, they take no damage. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a short rest.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can spend uses of your *bardic inspiration* feature instead to activate the blade's properties.

### Team Skill

Once Frog awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Leap Frog.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When you give a *bardic inspiration* die to your attuned ally, you can choose to disappear in a twinkle of starlight and teleport to an unoccupied space of your choice adjacent to them; or, if they are willing, you can cause them to teleport to an unoccupied space of your choice adjacent to you.

## Gragnok Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Command of Enmity.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *vow of enmity* feature, you can choose to forego the normal effects of the feature. Instead of the normal effects of *vow of enmity*, you and allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain advantage on attack rolls against the target creature until the start of your next turn, or until it drops to 0 hit points or falls unconscious.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Command of Enmity.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *vow of enmity* feature, allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain advantage on attack rolls against the target creature until the start of your next turn, in addition to the normal effects of *vow of enmity*.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Command of Enmity.*** The blade has 2 charges. While you are wielding the blade, you can expend a charge from the blade to use your *vow of enmity* feature without expending a use of *channel divinity*. In addition, when you use your *vow of enmity* feature, allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain advantage on attack rolls against the target creature until the start of your next turn, in addition to the normal effects of *vow of enmity*. Your *vow of enmity* feature also gains this benefit even when you expend *channel divinity* to use it.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest.

### Team Skill

Once Gragnok awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***School of Hard Noks.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When your attuned ally is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to move up to 15 feet towards your attuned ally. If you end this movement adjacent to your attuned ally, they gain a 1d4 bonus to their armor class against the triggering attack, which lasts until the start of their next turn.

## Ice Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Whims of Chaos.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 1. In addition, you can expend one use of your *channel divinity* feature as an action to grant an ally that you can see within 60 feet of you a random magical boon, which lasts for 1 hour. Roll on the *whims of chaos* table to determine the boon.

***Whims of Chaos Table***
 11-20
 21-30
 31-40
 41-50
 51-60
 61-70
 71-80
 81-90
 91-100

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Whims of Chaos.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 2. In addition, you can expend one use of your *channel divinity* feature as an action to grant yourself and two allies that you can see within 60 feet of you each a random magical boon, which lasts for 1 hour. Roll on the *whims of chaos* table to determine the boons.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Whims of Chaos.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 2. In addition, you can expend one use of your *channel divinity* feature as an action to grant yourself and two allies that you can see within 60 feet of you each a random magical boon, which lasts for 1 hour. For each boon, roll 1d4 times on the *whims of chaos* table, and choose which boon to grant from the ones that you roll.

### Team Skill

Once Ice awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Don't Break The Ice.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When you cast a spell that restores hit points to your attuned ally, you gain temporary hit points equal to half of the hit points that you restored.

## Jack Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Sorcerous Intervention.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you see a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell, you can use your reaction to spend sorcery points and apply one of your *metamagic* options to their spell, if they are willing.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Sorcerous Intervention.*** The blade has 3 charges. While you are wielding the blade, when you see a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell, you can use your reaction to expend charges from the blade as if they were sorcery points, and apply one of your *metamagic* options to their spell, if they are willing.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can spend your own sorcery points instead to activate the blade's properties.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Sorcerous Intervention.*** The blade has 4 charges. While you are wielding the blade, when you see a creature within 60 feet of you cast a spell, you can use your reaction to expend charges from the blade as if they were sorcery points, and apply one of your *metamagic* options to their spell, if they are willing. In addition, the creature is enshrouded with elemental energy until the end of their next turn, gaining resistance to a damage type that you choose from the following options: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can spend your own sorcery points instead to activate the blade's properties.

### Team Skill

Once Jack awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Jack Be Nimble.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When your attuned ally deals damage to a creature within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to move up to 15 feet toward that creature without provoking opportunity attacks.

## Louche Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Inspi-rage-tion.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *bardic inspiration* feature, instead of granting a creature a *bardic inspiration* die, you can cause them to gain the benefits of your *rage* feature until the start of your next turn.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Inspi-rage-tion.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *bardic inspiration* feature, the creature that you choose gains the benefits of your *rage* feature until the start of your next turn, in addition to gaining a *bardic inspiration* die.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. In addition, you are considered proficient with this weapon, regardless of your normal weapon proficiencies.

***Inspi-rage-tion.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *bardic inspiration* feature, the creature that you choose gains the benefits of your *rage* feature until the start of your next turn, in addition to gaining a *bardic inspiration* die. In addition, at the start of the creature's next turn, they roll on your *infernal surge* table, using your DC for the effects of the surge if necessary.

### Team Skill

Once Louche awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Nothing To Louche.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When the attuned ally expends one of your *bardic inspiration* dice, you gain temporary hit points equal to the number that they roll.

## Malkoth Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Infernal Avenger.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 1. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you take damage from another creature that you can see within 60 feet of you, you can use your *infernal legacy* racial trait to cast *hellish rebuke* against the attacker as if you had taken the damage.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Infernal Avenger.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 2.

The blade has 2 charges. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you take damage from another creature that you can see within 60 feet of you, you can expend a charge from the blade to cast *hellish rebuke* as a 2nd-level spell against the attacker as if you had taken the damage.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can use your *infernal legacy* racial trait instead to activate the blade's properties.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Infernal Avenger.*** While attuned to the blade, the number of spells that you can prepare each day increases by 2.

The blade has 3 charges. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you take damage from another creature that you can see within 60 feet of you, you can expend a charge from the blade to cast *hellish rebuke* as a 3rd-level spell against the attacker as if you had taken the damage.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest. If the blade does not have any remaining charges, you can use your *infernal legacy* racial trait instead to activate the blade's properties. When you use your *infernal legacy* racial trait in this way, you still cast *hellish rebuke* as a 3rd-level spell.

### Team Skill

Once Malkoth awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Malkoth Cocktail.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When your attuned ally deals damage to a creature with a spell, the next time you deal damage to the same creature with a spell, you can roll the damage dice twice and use either total.

## Odell Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Runic Bond.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *giant’s might* feature, you can choose to forego the normal effects of the feature. Instead of the normal effects of *giant’s might*, you and any allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain the benefits of your *giant’s might* feature until the start of your next turn. If there is not enough room for all of the creatures you choose to become Large, you choose which creatures become Large.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Runic Bond.*** While you are wielding the blade, when you use your *giant’s might* feature, allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain the benefits of your *giant’s might* feature until the start of your next turn, in addition to the normal effects of *giant’s might*. If there is not enough room for all of the creatures you choose to become Large, you choose which creatures become Large.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

***Runic Bond.*** The blade has 2 charges. While you are wielding the blade, you can expend a charge from the blade to use your *giant’s might* feature without expending the feature. In addition, when you use your *giant’s might* feature, allies that you choose within 60 feet of you gain the benefits of your *giant’s might* feature until the start of your next turn, in addition to the normal effects of *giant’s might*. Your *giant’s might* feature also gains this benefit even when you expend the feature normally instead of using the blade's charges.

The blade regains all expended charges at the end of each long rest.

### Team Skill

Once Odell awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Odell Tango.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When your attuned ally deals damage to a creature within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to move up to 15 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

## XVIII Properties

### Syn

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While you are wielding the weapon with only one hand, it is considered a finesse weapon for you.

***Divert Empowerment.*** When you use your *vampiric bite* racial feature to empower yourself, instead of the normal effects of the empowerment, you can choose to empower the blade, causing your symbol on the blade to glow crimson. As a bonus action while the blade is empowered, you can grant a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you (other than yourself) one of the empowering effects of your *vampiric bite*. The blade's empowerment ends after 1 minute, or once you use it to empower a creature.

### Syntith

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While you are wielding the weapon with only one hand, it is considered a finesse weapon for you.

***Divert Empowerment.*** When you use your *vampiric bite* racial feature to empower yourself, the blade also becomes empowered, and your symbol on the blade glows crimson. As a bonus action while the blade is empowered, you can grant a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you (other than yourself) one of the empowering effects of your *vampiric bite*. The blade's empowerment ends after 1 minute, or once you have used its empowerment ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

### Syntithenai

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While you are wielding the weapon with only one hand, it is considered a finesse weapon for you.

***Divert Empowerment.*** When you use your *vampiric bite* racial feature to empower yourself, the blade also becomes empowered for 1 minute, during which time your symbol on the blade glows crimson. As a bonus action while the blade is empowered, you can grant a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you (other than yourself) one of the empowering effects of your *vampiric bite*.

### Team Skill

Once XVIII awakens Syntithenai, he permanently gains the following skill, which he retains even after he ends his attunement to the blade.

***Edge of XVIII.*** At the end of each long rest, you can choose an ally to be attuned to your Team Skill. The ally remains attuned to your Team Skill until you complete another long rest. You can only use your Team Skill on the attuned ally, and you can only ever have one ally attuned to your Team Skill at a time.

When your attuned ally deals damage to a creature within 10 feet of you, you experience a surge of vitality. Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain advantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws until the end of your next turn.

## Awakening Metrics

The specific methods for each player character to awaken the blade are listed below. In addition, at the sole discretion of the DM, moments of strong combat-related teamwork or interpersonal bonding may count towards the awakening of the blade for two or more party members.