Guard of Cerberus
Armour (any), Legendary (requires attunement)
This set of armour has one of the three heads of cerberus embedded into it's right shoulder, and is made of a pitch black metal that reflects no light. A blessed item worn by a champion of Hades, it has faded over time and aquired some interesting faults. When it awakens, a second head grows out of the left shoulder, and a third from the chest when it's Exalted.
Dormant
The Guard of Cerberus has the following traits:
- Blessing of Hades: You gain resistance to Necrotic damage, and you can cast speak with dead as a ritual. Once you use this effect, you cannot use it again until the next dusk.
- Keen Senses: You have advantage on Perception checks that require smell or hearing.
- Cronch: 1/long rest you can, as a reaction, attempt to catch a melee or ranged weapon attack in one of Cerberus's mouths. You gain a +4 to AC against the attack.
Awakened
The Guard of Cerberus gains the following traits:
- Masterwork Item: You gain a +1 to AC.
- Blessing of Hades: You are immune to Necrotic damage. You can cast Blessing of the Styx. Once you use this effect, you cannot use it again until the next dusk.
- Fetch: You have advantage on Investigation checks to find spherical or rod-like objects.
- Double Cronch: Cronch can now be used twice per long rest, and grants a +6 to AC.
Exhalted
The Guard of Cerberus gains the following traits:
- Masterwork Item: You gain a +2 to AC.
- Blessing of Hades: When you take Necrotic damage, you instead gain THP equal to the damage you would have taken.
- Athena's Favourite Good Boys: You can cast Athenshield DC 18. Once you use this effect, you cannot use it again until the next dusk.
- Fearsome Visage: You have advantage on Intimidation checks.
- Triple Cronch: Cronch can now be used thrice per long rest, and as part of the same reaction, Cerberus holds the caught weapon long enough for you to make a melee attack against the creature.
- This is v1.0 of the Guard of Cerberus
- Created by u/LucianAstaroth, and the spells Blessing of the Styx and Athenshield can be found here.
- Art: Wolf Knight by kveldulver
- 'Awakened' and 'Exalted' by Matt Mercer, et. al.
Cerberus Quirks
| d6 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 1 | You cannot resist the fetch when an item is thrown. |
| 2 | Your eyes go pitch back and you growl when angry. |
| 3 | You greet people by sniffing them. Usually their rears. |
| 4 | Spikes grow from your armour like raised hackles when you're on edge. |
| 5 | Your tongue lolls and you pant when tired, and jump at the chance to go for walks. |
| 6 | All living creatures who have been revived must be "fetched" for Hades. Except your friends, for now. |
Awakening and Exalting
The Guard of Cerberus is a legendary item created by Hades as a gift for his champion. When they fell, the armour was lost to time, and awaits for a new hero to rouse it from its dormant state.
The armour can be attuned while dormant, and is awakened and exalted when appropriate for the user e.g. when they slay an ancient foe or complete a personal quest, as determined by the DM.