Thalamus Thread (Patreon)

Wondrous item, rare

This pale gray thread is made from the remains of a powerful mystic's brain. The overdeveloped organ creates a congealed fiber that, once spun, can be used as a functional bowstring. It's always oily to the touch and leaves a faint residue on your fingers when pulled. Ranged attacks made with a weapon strung with this thread are considered magical.

When you hit a creature with a ranged attack using a bow or crossbow that was strung with this thread, you can speak the thread’s command word as part of the attack to charge the arrow or bolt with psychic power. When you do, the target of the attack takes an extra 1d8 psychic damage and must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature is not stunned. A construct or undead creature automatically succeeds on the saving throw. This property of the thread can’t be used again until the next dawn.

"So, you let another one get away?"

Virnym wanted to be anywhere but here right now. He stood before Rana, whose hands were entirely covered in blood as he emptied the insides of a skull on the worktable. Rana was frequently like this: covered in a variety of fluids, usually blood, that were a result of some magical experiment.

"Obviously not on purpose." He grumbled. "The bastard was tougher than he looked. Took two arrows but still kept running."

Rana stood and cleaned his hands in a nearby basin. "Still, he got away. We can't have that. Which is why I've spent the last few months making this."

Rana dried his hands before picking something up from the end of the worktable. It was a long, grey thread. It looked like a long nerve, and it seemed to pulse with a strange magic.

"What is it?" asked Virnym.

"A new bowstring. For you." said Rana. "Made with...'donated' materials from the Ensafrani guild scholars, including our guest here." He gestured to the cleaned corpse on the table. "It will help keep your targets from escaping you again."

Virnym stared at his friend for a long moment before feeling a smile creep across his lips. He took the thread.

"You're a scary man, Rana."

"No more than you, friend. Happy hunting."