Mageplate Ring (Patreon)

Ring, rare (requires attunement)

This thin iron ring has a helm-like visor at its top. The ring has 3 charges and regains all expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing this ring, you can use a bonus action to expend 1 or more charges from it to become magically protected by an illusory set of spectral armor. For 1 charge, your base AC becomes 16 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You can increase this base AC by 1 for each additional charge you expend. The illusory armor lasts for 1 minute and sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for another 20 feet for the duration.

Holly and Oscar had found it in their first year of shared study: The Bazaar, a place occupying a nearby patch of unreality brought about by spellcasting ingenuity. They soon became regulars, picking up new equipment and friendly advice from the merchants who traded in arcane uniquities. As they walked into Odds and Mends, the dwarf behind the counter lit up, saying, "Here again, the two of you? Been storin' up some things for ye to look over."

Holly responded, "Morning, Mender! If you think we're gonna need anything, we're probably gonna need it!"

Oscar gave a nod as Mender pulled out a chest the duo had given him and laid his wares on the table, Holly looking over it all with enthusiasm only sharpened by time; Oscar tried to focus, but his mind…drifted. He started when Holly tugged his shoulder, pointing to a ring Mender was holding up.

"…and here, we have one that'll grant you the armoring common to, say, a fighter. No weight, no strain!"

Grinning, Holly took it up and said brightly, "Perfect, I'll take it! Alright Oscar, here you go!"

As she slipped the ring onto his finger, his look of confusion prompted a faint blush and the response, "Well, on that last mission you drew me that dress, and that got me in the door and left me mobile enough to knock that noble out cold, so…I thought you could use this."

Nodding dazedly, Oscar only barely heard her say as she brightened again, "That's all I wanted, so I'll be by Familiars' Alley! Meet me there!"

Oscar stood, his heart outpacing his thoughts. Mender waited a few moments before he said, casually "Well, ye've lost me twenty gold, lad."

"Pardon?"

"I'd had that bet on you givin' her a ring. Obvious enough one of you'd ask the other someday, after all."

It was for the best that Holly had made her exit, as it took some time for Oscar's detonated train of thought to recover; a name was finally given to emotions he'd only just realized he'd had for years.