Horizon (3.5e Equipment)
This heavy, metal, heater shield seems to have been crafted by ancient human metalworkers, and is engraved with Celestial writing around a pearlescent, golden disc in the center. The silvery ring around the disc is tinged a slight blue hue. The designs on this ring are very ornate and intricate, but serve more to decorate the weapon than improve its defensive values.
This shield is intelligent. It has a Intelligence score of 16, a Wisdom score of 14, and a Charisma score of 10. It is lawful good, and empathic, but incapable of speech or telepathy. While lawful neutral and neutral good characters may wield it, characters 1 step away from these alignments gain 1 negative level if they so much as pick up the item. Characters 2 steps away from these alignments gain 3 negative levels, and chaotic evil characters gain 5 negative levels. Although these negative levels never result in actual level loss, they remain as long as the item is in hand and cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells). It understands the languages Common, Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal, but can only communicate back empathically, or by moving itself as an animated shield.
To most wearers, it has the powers of a +3 mithral ghost touch bashing heavy shield. In addition, it absorbs the first 10 points of damage from any energy attack (fire, cold, acid, electricity, or sonic).
When carried by a worthy wearer - namely a cleric, fighter, knight, paladin, marshal, warblade, or vanguard of lawful good alignment - this shield becomes a +5 mithral ghost touch animated bashing heavy shield, with the following additions. It can cast the spell searing light 3/day as a 20th level cleric. This power functions at the direction of the item, though it will generally acquiesce to the will of its wielder on whether to expend or save a charge. It retains the ability to absorb 10 points of damage from an energy attack as before.
History[edit]
It is said that, in ancient times, a great hero appeared in a land ravaged by dark powers and their vile servants. With the help of his friends, he earned the admiration of his fellow humans, the friendship of the dwarves, and the grudging respect of the haughty elves. They each gave him a portion of their finest metals - adamantine, and mithral. He took these metals to the best smiths he knew, who alloyed them, creating a material with the hard strength of adamantine and the lightness of mithral. From this they forged three special items - a suit of fullplate, a heavy shield, and a falchion. After the items were made, the hero took them to a temple of his deity, and with the aid of the priests, they were imbued with power from the heavens themselves. With the aid of these holy items, and his closest and bravest friends, he succeeded in driving the taint from his homeland, establishing a new and lasting society in the place of the fallen one. After serving his homeland faithfully for many more years, he and his old friends met back together, and set off into new lands, vanishing forever into myth. Only the relics of their adventures together remain, hidden in the wilderness, or stored safely in royal vaults and temple sanctuaries.
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