Earthsong, Bulwark of the Lost Kingdom

Armor (shield), legendary, requires attunement

Earthsong is a shield fashioned from an immense flat stone pried from the ruins of the lost city of Akwale, known for its magical runes of protection. It requires 18 Strength to wield this heavy shield. The wielder must be able to meet this requirement without the aid of other magical items or effects.

While attuned to and wielding Earthsong, you gain a further +1 bonus to your AC on top of the bonus a shield already grants you.

The stone shield is carved with worn runes on both sides. The runes on the side facing the enemy are obviously magical in nature, while those on the side facing Earthsong’s wielder seem to be in various different scripts, and they do not have a clear purpose.

Earthsong has 4 charges and regains 1d4 charges daily at dawn. It has the following magical properties:

Warding Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast absorb elements as a reaction.

Guardian Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast shield as a reaction on a target you can see within 5 feet other than yourself.

Earthsong, Bulwark of the Lost Kingdom (True)

Armor (shield), legendary, requires attunement

Earthsong is a shield fashioned from an immense flat stone pried from the ruins of the lost city of Akwale. The Netherese enclave had outer walls that were said to have incredible defensive power thanks to their protective runes, which once warded the city. It requires 18 Strength to wield this heavy shield. The wielder must be able to meet this requirement without the aid of other magical items or effects.

While attuned to and wielding Earthsong, you gain a further +2 bonus to your AC on top of the bonus a shield already grants you.

The stone shield is carved with worn runes on both sides. The runes on the side facing the enemy are obviously magical in nature, while those on the side facing Earthsong’s wielder seem to be in various different scripts. These runes are a list of the names of the mighty heroes who defended the city in ages past. To fully attune to Earthsong, you must read the list of the names on the shield's back and chisel your own name onto the list. As you attune to the shield, you gain knowledge of these heroes, as if legend lore had been cast.

Earthsong has 4 charges and regains 1d4 charges daily at dawn. It has the following magical properties:

Sentience. Earthsong is a sentient lawful good shield with an Intelligence of 12, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 10. It has hearing and normal vision out to 60 feet. It communicates by transmitting emotion to the creature carrying it, and cannot read, though it understands any spoken language its wielder knows. If its wielder ever knowingly and willingly kills a creature Earthsong considers an innocent, a conflict will occur.

The personalities of prior wielders of Earthsong remain in the shield, and may sometimes come forward.

Warding Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast absorb elements as a reaction.

Guardian Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast shield as a reaction on a target you can see within 10 feet other than yourself.

Stone Wall of Akwale. Once per day, you can use an action to plant Earthsong on the ground, expending all remaining charges (minimum of 1) to cast wall of stone, originating from the shield. Maintaining the wall does not require concentration. Lifting Earthsong will end the spell; if the wall is maintained for 10 minutes, it becomes permanent and cannot be dispelled.

Hero's Curse. Chiseling your name into Earthsong to fully attune to it will forever mark your destiny. To carry this shield guarantees that you have chosen a life of throwing yourself into the fray, of shielding another from harm with your body. Your death will be violent and in defense of the innocent. You will not know a peaceful death.

This curse cannot be removed by any effect short of direct divine intervention. Do you even want it removed?

Heroes of Earthsong

The personalities of prior heroes of Earthsong remain in the shield. When a creature whose name is inscribed on Earthsong dies, that creature's memory lingers in the shield as well. It is a phantom, rather than their actual soul, which may go on to whatever afterlife awaits it.

DMs can use these heroes as described below, or invent new ones to fit their campaign and setting. This table includes both descriptions of the heroes that the wielder will see when attuning to the shield, as well as baseline personality traits

(Roll 1d6, rerolling on a 6)

• 1: Osydia. (Human female - no-nonsense, direct, wary) A knight, stocky and dark-skinned with short, dark hair and gleaming armor. The vision of her is of a place entirely different than the jungle where Akwale lies today, and shows her shielding a family behind her, warding off wolves.

• 2: Segard. (Human male - friendly, compassionate, good sense of humor) Another human, this a tall man with long blond hair pulled back in a tail. The vision of him is immediately after the fall of Akwale -- it is clearly the same place, but buildings are collapsed and the air is covered in dust. He is seen digging through rubble, covered in dirt and dust, with bloody hands, trying to rescue people.

• 3: Merith. (Elf nonbinary - inquisitive, curious, patient) An elf in light armor, skinny with shoulder-length brown hair. They are seen facing down a tremendously large T-Rex by themselves as civilians escape behind them.

• 4: Zavra. (Half-orc female - aggressive, brash, reckless) A half-orc woman, wearing tattered armor and whose hair is done up in braids. Her entire body is covered in scars. The vision of her is one of carnage, as she stands, leaning on Earthsong, panting, surrounded by dead Firenewts.

• 5: Khrim. (Orc male - quiet, thoughtful, reserved) An orc man, older, judging by his gray beard. The vision of him is in the hall where the party found Earthsong, surrounded by an endless onslaught of Yuan-ti. Presumably, his was the skeleton found beneath it.

• 6: Reroll.

Earthsong, Bulwark of the Lost Kingdom (Awakened)

Armor (shield), legendary, requires attunement

To fully awaken Earthsong's power, a creature wielding it must demonstrate a moment of true heroism and willingness to put the needs of others ahead of themselves.

All previous properties and features of Earthsong, as described in the (True) variant, still apply unless stated otherwise here.

While attuned to and wielding Earthsong, you gain a further +3 bonus to your AC on top of the bonus a shield already grants you.

Earthsong has 6 charges and regains 1d6+1 charges daily at dawn. It has the following magical properties:

Sentience. Earthsong is a sentient lawful good shield with an Intelligence of 12, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 10. It has hearing and normal vision out to 60 feet. It communicates by transmitting emotion to the creature carrying it, and cannot read, though it understands any spoken language its wielder knows. If its wielder ever knowingly and willingly kills a creature Earthsong considers an innocent, a conflict will occur.

The personalities of prior wielders of Earthsong remain in the shield, and may sometimes come forward. While holding and attuned to Earthsong, you can consult with these remnants for 10 minutes. Once you have done this, you cannot do this again for one week. Roll 1d6 to determine which personality is dominant at the time.

Warding Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast absorb elements as a reaction.

Guardian Runes. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast shield as a reaction on a target you can see within 10 feet other than yourself.

Earthen Grasp. While you are attuned to Earthsong, you know the mold earth cantrip. While holding Earthsong, you can expend 1 charge to cast Maximilian’s earthen grasp or 3 charges to cast bones of the earth.

Stone Wall of Akwale. Once per day, you can use an action to plant Earthsong on the ground, expending all remaining charges (minimum of 1) to cast wall of stone, originating from the shield. Maintaining the wall does not require concentration. Lifting Earthsong will end the spell; if the wall is maintained for 10 minutes, it becomes permanent and cannot be dispelled.