Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Weapon (whip), artifact (requires attunement)
This snakeskin whip is touched by the power of Zehir and ends in five animated serpent heads.
Sentience. The Lash of Shadows is a sentient chaotic evil weapon with an Intelligence of 18, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 20. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet.
The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal, Common, and Draconic.
Personality. A mad marilith named Sizlifeth lives within the Lash of Shadows. The weapon has a short temper and experiences only extreme emotions. It is most happy when dealing harm.
Dormant. The whip grants the following benefits in its dormant state:
Awakened. When the whip reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties:
Exalted. When the whip reaches an exalted state, it gains the following additional properties:
¶ Vestiges of Divergence
When the great wars of the Calamity rolled across Exandria, heroes of divinity accepted legendary relics from their patrons and gods. At the same time, archmages wove dangerous arcane power into items of immense magical might. When the war ended, most of these magic items were buried with their wielders beneath ash and dust. Those items that survived were passed down as heirlooms and prized tokens of the past. Whether they survived destruction or have been claimed from the ruins of history, these remnants of a lost era have come to be known as the Vestiges of Divergence.
Each Vestige of Divergence is a magic item that evolves with its wielder. If not attuned to a worthy individual over a prolonged period, such items commonly revert to their dormant state. While in this state, a Vestige of Divergence grants an attuned bearer only some of its power. Over time, and in response to perseverance and personal growth, a Vestige of Divergence might unlock facets of its lost capabilities to enter an awakened state. Eventually, through extreme personal challenge, evolution, and achievement, these artifacts can reach their ultimate potential in their exalted state. The properties and features gained at each new state are cumulative with the properties and features granted at a previous state, unless otherwise noted.
¶ Advancement of a Vestige of Divergence
Typically, the advancement of a Vestige of Divergence echoes its wielder's own journey of self-discovery, whether that involves triumph or failure. However, a Vestige of Divergence might evolve on its own during moments of duress or desperation for its wielder, granting additional aid in times of need. These moments of advancement are up to the Dungeon Master to identify and enforce, and might manifest in unexpected ways.
DMs can use the following examples as guidelines for shaping the evolution of a Vestige of Divergence:
- A character overcomes one of their greatest fears, bravely facing an otherwise paralyzing phobia to save a fellow party member.
- A character is beaten within an inch of their life by a long-hated foe. In the face of defeat, they feel a deep, dormant strength grow from within.
- A character loses a close ally in battle, their anguish and fury stirring the power within a Vestige of Divergence.
- A character discovers a facet of their destiny that guides them toward a dangerous cause. Setting aside their fears, they accept their fate and responsibility.
- A character successfully takes vengeance against a rival who has long tormented them.
- A character known for restraint gives in to the amoral, violent urges that a Vestige of Divergence was forged to hone.
A Vestige of Divergence typically remains dormant until its wielder achieves 9th level. It becomes awakened between levels 9 and 15, and achieves an exalted state between levels 16 and 20. Ultimately, though, this progression is determined by the Dungeon Master.