Cabal's Ruin

Fan art of Cabal's Ruin, by David Rodrigues.

* Use reaction to reduce damage from spell (recharges after a short or long rest)
* Spend charges to deal 1d6 additional lightning damage per charge when attack hits

## Historical Information

### Owners

* Mistress Asharru (formerly)
* Anna Ripley (formerly)
* Percival de Rolo

**Cabal's Ruin** is a magic-absorbing cloak and one of the Vestiges of Divergence.

## **History**

Kamaljiori told Vox Machina that Cabal's Ruin was used by an assassin to eliminate the unscrupulous Den of Druja, which is presumably how it got its name; he also told the party that, at that time, the cloak was worn by a merchant-warrior with a missing eye in Ank'Harel.

    Before the party reached Cabal's Ruin, Dr. Anna Ripley acquired it, with all signs pointing to her having murdered its previous owner, Mistress Asharru. After Vox Machina killed Ripley, the cloak was given to Percival de Rolo. The cloak was seemingly found in its awakened state while in Ripley's possession, and it became exalted after Percy used it to absorb some of the spell *Meteor Swarm* cast by Raishan.

## **Description**

This cloak of dark leather and gold trim seems to occasionally shimmer with small sparks of blue energy across the shadowed lining.

### **Features**

#### **Dormant State**

* Cabal's Ruin has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.
* When the wearer is targeted by an enemy's spell, they can use their reaction to have the cloak swallow part of the spell, gaining a number of charges equal to the spell level of the triggering spell. The wearer is still subject to whatever effects the spell would normally inflict on them. The ability cannot be used again until they finish a short or long rest.
* When the wearer hits with an attack, they can expend a chosen number of charges from the cloak which deal an additional 1d6 lightning damage per charge expended on one of the targets of that attack.

#### **Awakened State**

* Cabal's Ruin grants the wearer advantage on all saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
* The cloak's maximum charges increase to 6, and it regains 1d4 + 2 charges daily at dawn.
* When using the cloak's ability to swallow a spell, the wearer gains resistance to one of the types of damage of that spell until the end of their next turn.

#### **Exalted State**

* The cloak's maximum charges increase to 10, regaining 1d6 + 4 charges daily at dawn.

## **References**

1. ↑ See "A Name Is Earned" (1x49) at 4:45:46.
2. ↑ See Matthew Mercer's list of Vestiges shared on Dropbox.
3. ↑ Ripley is seen through a scry with a cloak with the same description as Cabal's Ruin.  See "The Chase to Glintshore" (1x67) at 25:43.
4. ↑ See "A Traveler's Gamble" (1x66) at 4:05:38.  The bullets around and in Mistress Asharru's body point to Ripley's involvement in her death.
5. ↑ See "Cloak and Dagger" (1x68) at 1:47:01.
6. ↑ See "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) at 1:36:00.
7. ↑ See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting*, p. 112.
8. ↑ Anna Ripley uses her reaction to swallow Scanlan Shorthalt's *Fireball* spell.  See "Cloak and Dagger" (1x68) at 3:24:50.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 See *Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn*, p. 203.
10. ↑ Matt rolled twice for a Wisdom saving throw for Anna Ripley to resist the effect of Keyleth's *Scrying* spell.  See "The Chase to Glintshore" (1x67) at 23:54.
11. ↑ Reading the item card over Taliesin's shoulder, Marisha exclaims that the Exalted Cabal's Ruin has 10 charges now.  See "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) at 1:36:46.

**Art:**

1. ↑ Fan art of **Cabal's Ruin**, by David Rodrigues (source). Used with permission.
2. ↑ Fan art of Anna Ripley arriving on Glintshore wearing Cabal's Ruin, by DJ Crumrine (source). Used with permission.
3. ↑ Fan art of Cabal's Ruin reaching its exalted state, by Manny Padilla (source). Used with permission.