Moondark

**MOONDARK**

*Weapon (longsword), Artifact (Requires Attunement by a creature of Elvish blood of Neutral Good Alignment)*

An ancient weapon forged for Ynloeth "the Great" Othreier, Coronal of Shantel Othreier, after he took the throne in -11000 DR . The smiths and Selu’taar of Miyeritar & Shantel Othreier gathered together to forge armaments for the new Coronal, and in the 50 years they took to complete their works, they created the mightiest Elven Longsword - Moondark.

    During the Third Crown War, after decades of fighting a guerrilla war, the Coronal of Aryvandaar sued for peace to decide the issue diplomatically. Coronal Ynloeth Othreier and his counsellors were invited to attend peace talks at Trollclaw Ford. Ynloeth agreed, but suspecting a trap, he took what he considered appropriate precautions. Leaving the capital in a grand procession, the Coronal’s diplomatic party were led by Ynloeth’s children, Tylvayon and Kahndara. Meanwhile, Ynloeth and his bodyguard awaited the party's arrival before teleporting into the area of the meeting. The Coronal never arrived. Just before they were ready to leave, Ynloeth and his wife were ambushed in their private chambers by three Nycaloths. In the act of desperation, Ynloeth used his magic to send Moondark to his son before he and his wife were butchered. Their bodies were taken to the Nine Hells, leaving the mangled bodies of magically altered dark elves in their place.

   Ynloeth’s death shook the realm. Leaderless and unprepared for this sudden reversal, the counsellors of Shantel Othreier dithered while the armies of Aryvandaar poured over the Chionthar and into the central forests. Before the month was out, the Othreien forces were in full retreat, and the conquest of Shantel Othreier was assured.

Ynloeth’s surviving children were left stranded and fled to Miyeritar. During a conflict with Aryvandaar forces, Kahndara and Tylvayon were separated in the battle. Kahndara disappeared, and Tylvayon’s party stood their ground during the ambush. After the battle, a secret enclave was constructed by the survivors, Myth Hightheris, harnessing Arselu’Tel’ Quess to hide their presence from further threats. During the events of the Dark Disaster, the enclave survived while the lands around them were reduced to barren wasteland. For thousands of years, the survivors of Tylvayon’s party remained hidden in stasis inside Myth Hightheris, while they waited for their nation to rise again.

   When Tylvayon Othrier died in his slumber during the events of Karsus’ folly, Moondark did not crumble as it was meant to. The survivors awoke from their slumber to find their ruler slain, and the body was entombed far beneath the earth in a barrow. The blade was then sealed with the body, to be guarded by the sequestered inhabitants of Myth Hightheris as they waited for a descendant of Ynloeth to arrive. However, the inhabitants of the barrow were mysteriously slain in their slumber, never to see their nation rise again. Centuries later, the barren area nearby was given life by the intervention of faerie outsiders, before it was then settled on by humans. Moondark lay dormant in the barrow, sealed away and waiting for an heir of Shantel Othreier to arrive.

Moondark is a magical, sentient longsword that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. In addition, Moondark has the finesse property and ignores resistance to slashing damage. The blade is eigengrau with silver star runes, and while bonded, the runes glow with silver light causing the same runes appear on the wielder's body. Whilst Moondark is bonded, it can be summoned to the wielder's hands with a thought from any distance across the planes.

Vorpal Blade. When you attack a creature that has at least one head with this weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, you cut off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the DM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit.

Ancestral Tongue.  You can speak and understand Seldruin while Moondark is on your person. In addition, whenever Moondark is struck or is used to strike a foe, you hear a fragment of an ancient elven song.

Disruption. When you hit a fiend or an undead with Moondark, that creature takes an extra 2d6 radiant damage. If the target has 25 hit points or fewer after taking this damage, it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be destroyed. On a successful save, the creature becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Guiding Light. Moondark whispers warnings and advice to you, granting a +3 bonus to all saving throws and ability checks. In addition, you can use a bonus action to cause the item to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet, or to extinguish the light.

Spellblade. While holding Moondark, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: detect evil and good (at will), shield (3/day).

    When you are targeted by a Dispel Magic spell, you can use your reaction to have Moondark absorb it. On your next turn, you can either let the spell drain harmlessly away or direct it at a new target as a bonus action. The spell uses the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell.

Spell Store. Moondark stores spells cast into it, holding them until the attuned wearer uses them. The blade can store up to 5 levels worth of spells at a time.

     Any creature can cast a spell of 1st through 5th level into Moondark by touching the blade as the spell is cast. The spell has no effect, other than to be stored in the blade. If the blade can't hold the spell, the spell is expended without effect. The level of the slot used to cast the spell determines how much space it uses.

     While wielding Moondark, you can cast any spell stored in it. The spell uses the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell. The spell cast from the blade is no longer stored in it, freeing up space.