Cursed Chest of the Pirate Queen - Magic Item (Premium Supplement) (Patreon)

🏴‍☠️ 🌊 🗝️ In a distant archipelago, shrouded in mist and mystery, the Pirate Queen once sailed into an enchanted lagoon. There, she encountered a leviathan of immense size, whose scales shone like diamonds in the moonlight. As a gesture of peace, the leviathan offered the Queen one of its scales. This scale, when placed in the chest, is said to protect its contents from thieves and prying eyes.

During her voyages, the Queen often heard whispers of an island that disappeared and reappeared with the tides. On one fateful night, under a blanket of stars, she stumbled upon this very island. At its heart was a tree made entirely of gold. From this tree, she took a single golden leaf and kept it within the chest, granting the holder of the leaf the ability to navigate through any storm unscathed.

Legends also speak of a time when the Pirate Queen was caught in a tempest, the likes of which no sailor had ever seen. From the depths emerged merfolk who serenaded her with a song that calmed the raging seas. In gratitude, the Queen was gifted a pearl by the merfolk, a pearl that glowed with the hues of the rainbow. It is said that whoever possesses this pearl and sings the merfolk's song can command the creatures of the deep. 🏴‍☠️ 🌊 🗝️

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Cursed Chest of the Pirate Queen

Wondrous item, artifact

Upon first glance, this ornate chest, adorned with gold and encrusted with jewels, seems like a bounty fitting for a monarch of the seas. The intricate carvings depict a fierce female pirate, standing tall amidst a raging storm, her cutlass raised high.

However, those well-versed in legends might recognize this as the cursed treasure of the infamous Pirate Queen. She was betrayed by her crew and, with her dying breath, she cursed her treasure, ensuring that anyone who sought to claim it would suffer her wrath.

Merely gazing upon the chest fills one with an insatiable greed. Any creature that sees the chest must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 17) or be charmed. While charmed in this way, the creature will do anything in its power to claim the chest, betraying allies and forsaking other treasures.

Weight of Betrayal. Anyone attempting to open the chest without first breaking the curse will find it impossibly heavy, as if the weight of all the Pirate Queen's regrets and rage are pressing down upon it.

Ghostly Retribution. If the chest is opened, the spirit of the Pirate Queen is summoned forth. She will challenge the one who opened the chest, seeking revenge for her betrayal. This spirit is a powerful wraith with enhanced abilities, seeking to drag the souls of the living to the depths.

Treacherous Gold. Within the chest is a vast treasure, but each coin bears the curse of the Pirate Queen. Spending this gold brings misfortune. Every transaction made using the cursed gold results in unfortunate events for the spender, from shipwrecks to being hunted by sea monsters.

Optional Scenarios for Breaking the Curse.

• Deep in a secluded cove lies a ghost ship, the final resting place of the mutineers who betrayed the Pirate Queen. Amongst them, the First Mate, now a cursed spirit filled with remorse. If adventurers can convince him to ask for forgiveness in front of the Cursed Chest, the curse might be lifted. However, they first have to overcome the challenges of the haunted ship and appease the restless souls onboard.
• The Pirate Queen's favorite shanty has been lost to time, but legends speak of a reclusive sea hag who knows every song of the sea. She resides in a treacherous part of the ocean. If adventurers can find her and convince her to teach them the shanty, they can sing it to the chest to break the curse. But the sea hag might have her own conditions or price.
• Instead of blood, the heart of a rare sea creature can cleanse the chest. This majestic creature is not hostile by nature and is said to be the guardian of the ocean's secrets. Capturing or convincing the sea creature to offer its heart is a challenge that requires wit more than strength.
• Scattered across various islands are personal items that once belonged to the Pirate Queen. Collecting these relics - a locket, a diary, and her captain's hat - and placing them around the chest might appease her spirit. Each relic is protected, either by natural challenges, hidden traps, or creatures loyal to the Pirate Queen's memory.

Pirate Queen

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 13

Hit Points: 150 (20d8 + 60)

Speed: 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR: 6(-2)

DEX: 16(+3)

CON: 16(+3)

INT: 14(+2)

WIS: 14(+2)

CHA: 18(+4)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +6, Cha +8

Damage Resistance acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered

Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages the languages it knew in life

Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Traits

Incorporeal Movement. The pirate queen can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object.

Magic Resistance. The pirate queen has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the pirate queen has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on wisdom (perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest.

Summon Spectral Crew (1/Day). The pirate queen summons 1d4 + 1 specters (spectral pirates). They appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of her and are under her command. They disappear when reduced to 0 hit points or when the pirate queen is destroyed.

Legendary Actions

The pirate queen can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The pirate queen regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

• Attack. The pirate queen makes a life drain attack.
• Pass Through (Costs 2 Actions). The pirate queen moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Command Spectral Crew (Costs 3 Actions). The pirate queen commands any summoned spectral pirates to immediately make a melee attack.