The Throne of the Ascendant

by Frazer 👁 147 views

Charges: 7 (regains at dawn)

The Throne of the Ascendant is an immense chair carved from black star-iron, its frame threaded with veins of living silver and opalescent crystal that shift like a quiet night sky. The cushion is deep velvet, a galaxy of tiny motes glimmering within its fabric. The arms curl into serpentine shapes, each head carved with ancient runes that pulse faintly when power flows through the seat. When unoccupied, it hovers slightly, as if suspended by a distant star’s gravity. When someone sits, the runes flare with pale light and the room grows hushed, as if the universe itself leans in to listen.

Divine Avatar While seated on the Throne, you project a divine avatar for as long as you remain seated and expend 1 charge per activation (maximum 7 minutes of active divine presence per long rest). While active: - +3 to AC. - Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 2d8 radiant damage on a hit. - You gain a flying speed of 60 feet. - You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. - The avatar lasts for up to 1 minute per charge spent, and ends early if you stand, fall unconscious, or the throne is forcibly interrupted.

Decree of Submission Spend 2 charges to utter a divine decree within 60 feet. Choose one creature you can see. That creature must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed by this effect, the target is friendly to you and obeys simple commands you issue (no harm to itself or its allies). The effect ends early if the target is attacked, if it leaves 60 feet of you, or if the duration expires. This can be used once per activation when seated; adds a powerful crowd-control option at the cost of 2 charges.

Cosmic Legend Spend 1 charge to cast Legend Lore (5th-level) as a spell-like ability. The effect requires a long rest cooldown and provides information about a person, place, or object of your choice. The spell uses the Throne’s spellcasting flavor and treats the DC and components as per Legend Lore. This is a once-per-long-rest use when seated.

Astral Rebound Spend 1 charge to unleash a radiant rebound when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet. The attacker takes 2d8 radiant damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your level (minimum 1) at the end of the triggering attack. The effect can be used multiple times per long rest, limited by available charges.

Lore

Forged in the long age before mortal empires, the Throne was crafted by a disgraced ascendant who bound a fragment of their divinity into a seat of authority. Legends claim that any mortal who sits may borrow a god’s perspective—if only for a breath—yet the throne exacts a personal toll: to become a god, one must surrender a portion of their mortal self and accept the burdens of divine stewardship. Many who sought to rule kingdoms through might instead found themselves tasked with guiding them from beyond mortal ken. The throne has appeared at moments of starlit convergence, seeking a worthy vessel who will balance cosmos and chaos alike.

History

The Throne changed hands in ages past: a warlord seated upon it to unite rival tribes, only to be eclipsed by the weight of true divinity and vanish from mortal memory. Another wielder sought to reform a dying empire from within, and the heavens themselves answered with a chorus of prophecies. The throne vanished into myth after a cataclysm that reshaped a continent, reappearing only when a soul ready to bear godhood approaches. Many covenants have formed around it—some to guard humanity, others to bend it to ruin—yet the Throne’s true purpose remains a question the cosmos itself contemplates.

Created by Frazer 👁 147 views