Mantle of the Star Vined Grove 7391

Lore: This artifact was born from the “Eclipse of the Verdant Moon,” a rare celestial event where the shadow of the forest canopy seemed to swallow the night sky. Legends speak of a meeting between a Veltarii Beastmaster and a disciple of the Mirage-Maker Phantastes. Seeking to hide a sacred grove from an encroaching industrial empire, they wove the Belt of the Ancient Grove into the Cloak of Celestial Camouflage. The result was not just a garment, but a living ecosystem of shadow and vine. It is said that the wearer does not merely hide in the forest; they become the space between the leaves where the starlight falls.

Description: A heavy, hooded mantle made of a fabric that looks like midnight-blue velvet but feels like cool moss. It is not held closed by buttons, but by living, thick vines (the remnants of the original belt) that automatically writhe and knot themselves across the wearer’s chest to secure the garment. The fabric is dusted with iridescent spores that shift from the silver of distant stars to the bioluminescent green of deep-forest fungi depending on the environment. It smells of ozone and wet earth.

Stats

Tier: 2
Armor Class (AC): +1 (The vines harden on impact).
Resistance: Poison and Disease.
Skill Affinity: Stealth, Nature, Survival.
Value: ~2,500 Gold (Rare).

Tags: Tier-2, Merged-Relic, Worn-Item, Nature-Stealth, Druidic-Focus, Celestial-Plant, Living-Armor, Adaptive-Camouflage, Poison-Ward, Night-Bloom, Symbiotic-Garment, Star-Moss-Texture, Evasion-Enhancement, Nebula-Weave, Grappling-Vines, Bio-Luminescent, Forest-Ward, Twilight-Synthesizer

Multiple Passives Magic

Photosynthetic Obscurity: The mantle adapts to the environment. In natural settings (forests, jungles), the vines bloom to match local foliage. In urban or barren settings, the fabric turns to star-speckled grey stone. This grants Advantage on Stealth checks.
Verdant Conduit: The vines function as a potent magical focus. The wearer can cast Druidic cantrips (like Druidcraft, Guidance, or Thorn Whip) without somatic components, as the vines perform the gestures for them.
Rooted Immunity: The wearer has Resistance to Poison and Disease. Additionally, they cannot be paralyzed by natural venoms (e.g., spider bites, snake venom).

Multiple Active Magics

Walk of the Void-Wood (1/Long Rest): The wearer activates the “Invisibility” enchantment. However, unlike standard invisibility, the wearer leaves behind a sensory illusion of falling leaves and fading starlight in their wake, which can distract enemies (Wisdom save or be distracted/dazzled for 1 round). Duration: 10 minutes.
Constellation Grasp (1/Short Rest): The wearer commands the vines securing the mantle to lash out. Up to 15 feet away, the vines can grapple a target (Strength contest) or attach to a surface to pull the wearer to that location (functioning as a grappling hook). If used to grapple, the vines pulse with starlight, dealing 1d6 Radiant damage per turn to the restrained target.

Specific Slot: Worn Item (Shoulders). Note: This item occupies the Shoulders/Cloak slot. The original Belt has been subsumed into the mantle’s structure and no longer occupies the Waist slot.

Item Hit Points & Magic Disruption The Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove 7391 possesses 60 Magical Integrity Hit Points. These points represent the living bond between the celestial silk and the ancient vines.

Targeting: To target the item’s magic specifically, an attacker must aim for the “Heart-Knot” (the cluster of living vines at the throat that acts as a clasp). This requires a Called Shot with a -2 penalty.
Vulnerabilities: The mantle takes double damage from Necrotic (withering the vines) or Fire (burning the silk). It is resistant to Bludgeoning damage.
Thresholds of Destabilization:
- 30 HP or lower (Wilting Stars): The symbiotic magic falters. The Photosynthetic Obscurity flicker, removing the Advantage on Stealth checks. The Constellation Grasp range is reduced to 5 feet.
- 0 HP (Dormant Husk): The vines turn grey and brittle; the fabric loses its color, becoming dull burlap. All magic (passive and active) ceases. The item functions only as a heavy, non-magical cloak.

Repairing the Item Repairing this item requires a synthesis of botany and tailoring, known as the “Grafting of the Moon-Bough.”

Materials:
- Moon-Saturated Sap: Harvested from a tree in a sacred grove at midnight (Cost: ~10 Gold).
- Silver-Silk Thread: To re-stitch the celestial patterns (Cost: ~20 Gold).
Process: The repair must be performed in natural darkness (under the stars or in a dark cave).
- Skill Check: Requires a Nature check or Weaver’s Tools check (DC 15).
- Action: The crafter must feed the sap to the vines while stitching the silk into the new growth.
- Result: A successful check restores 1d10 HP per hour of work. A critical success restores full HP immediately as the vines surge back to life. A failure causes the vines to lash out, dealing 1d4 piercing damage to the repairer, and no repairs are made.

The Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove 7391 is a Tier 2 artifact that bridges the gap between the wild and the stage. It is sought after by Ranger-Spies, Druidic Assassins, and Thespian Battle-Mages. Finding it requires visiting venues that respect both the sanctity of nature and the artifice of illusion.

Shops and Venues:

The Arboretum of Veiled Whispers (Megacity High-Tier District)

Description: A boutique located inside a massive, steam-heated glass dome atop a skyscraper. The air inside is humid and smells of night-blooming jasmine and ozone. Mannequins made of living wood wear the latest in bio-magical fashion. The lighting mimics a perpetual twilight, allowing the iridescent spores of the wares to shimmer.
Buying/Selling: The proprietor, a High-Elf Weaver, does not accept dirty coins directly. Transactions are conducted in a private “Fitting Garden.” The buyer must stand perfectly still while the vines of the mantle are coaxed onto them. If the vines reject the buyer (by tightening too much), the sale is refused.
Cost:1,800 – 2,200 Gold (often paid via a Letter of Credit from a major Guild).
- Note: This venue charges a premium for the “Urban-Ready” aesthetic adaptation of the item.

The Circle of the Moon-Touched Root (Veltarii Wilderness Enclave)

Description: Not a shop, but a trading circle formed by ancient trees in the deep woods. Goods are displayed hanging from low branches, illuminated by glowing moss. The air is cold and smells of pine resin and wet fur. The traders are Beastmasters who speak in hushed tones.
Buying/Selling: Coin is of little use here. This is a barter economy. To acquire the Mantle, one must trade an item of “equal life force”—such as the pelt of a phase-beast or a seed from a burnt grove. The trade is sealed by the buyer allowing the mantle’s vines to prick their finger, tasting their blood to bond with their immune system.
Cost:1,400 – 1,600 Gold Value (Strictly Barter).
- Example Trade: A Pouch of Sun-Tree Seeds + A Tier 1 Magical Dagger.

The Backstage Emporium of Mirages (Thespian District)

Description: A cluttered, dusty shop hidden behind a popular opera house. It smells of greasepaint, old velvet, and dried sage. The shelves are packed with stage props that are actually dangerous magical weapons. The shopkeeper is a retired Illusionist who uses Minor Illusion to demonstrate how the cloak looks in different environments.
Buying/Selling: The sale is a performance. The buyer must haggle in character, perhaps delivering a monologue about why they need the item. A boring buyer is charged double. A buyer who entertains the shopkeeper gets a discount.
Cost:1,600 – 2,000 Gold (Cash up front).
- Risk: Items bought here sometimes have “dramatic quirks” (like billowing when there is no wind) unless tuned by the user.

The Smuggler’s Tide-Pool (Underwater Grotto Market)

Description: Located in a submerged air-pocket cave accessible only by diving. The walls are lined with bioluminescent fungi. The Mantle is kept in a dry-box made of coral. The sellers are aquatic rogues who value the item for its “Constellation Grasp” ability (useful for anchoring against currents).
Buying/Selling: Quick, tense, and suspicious. Buyers are scanned for tracking magic. Payment is usually in Pearls, Waterproof Spellbooks, or Compressed Air Canisters.
Cost: 1,500 – 1,800 Gold (Paid in 150 – 180 Platinum or Pearls).

Value Adjustment for Tier 2: As a Tier 2 item, the Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove represents a significant power jump from its components.

Base Value: 1,500 Gold.
Platinum Conversion: 150 Platinum.
Rhodium Conversion: 15 Rhodium.
Reasoning: It combines the defensive utility of a +1 AC item (worth ~500g) with the high-utility “Invisibility” spell (worth ~500g) and unique movement mechanics (Grappling/Climbing), justifying the ~1,500g price point.

Below are scene-first, bite-sized roleplay beats and tactical cues for using the Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove 7391 for defense and offense across common Saṃsāran environments.

Urban Megacity (Rooftops / Industrial District) Defense (The Gargoyle’s Cloak)

Perception & feel: The air is thick with smog, but the mantle filters it, smelling only of clean ozone. The fabric stiffens, turning the color of slate and soot. You feel the vines tighten across your chest, acting as a kinetic harness.
Observer: The wearer seems to dissolve into the masonry. When struck, the cloak doesn’t tear; it sounds like hitting a sandbag—a dull thud as the vines absorb the impact.
Roleplay lines: “The city is just a forest of stone.” / “You cannot hit what is part of the architecture.”
Tactics & beats:
- Photosynthetic Obscurity: Describe the mantle shifting texture to match a brick wall, granting advantage on a Stealth check to hide from a patrol zeppelin.
- Constellation Grasp (Mobility): Use the vines to anchor yourself to a chimney stack when shoved, preventing a fall from a rooftop.

Offense (The Vertical Ambush)

Perception & feel: The city lights below look like stars. You feel a predatory urge to descend. The vines twitch, eager to hunt.
Observer: A shadow drops from above. Glowing blue vines lash out like tentacles of starlight, snapping tight around a target.
Roleplay lines: “The stars judge you.” / “Going up?”
Tactics & beats:
- Constellation Grasp (Grapple): Stand on a ledge and fire the vines down to hoist an enemy into the air (1d6 Radiant damage), leaving them dangling helplessly.
- Walk of the Void-Wood: Activate invisibility to cross a brightly lit street. Describe the “sensory illusion” as ticker-tape and steam confusing the guards.

Deep Wilderness (Ancient Forest / Jungle) Defense (The Living Bush)

Perception & feel: The mantle feels heavy and wet, like a soaking moss. You feel the heartbeat of the trees around you. The vines loosen, allowing you to breathe in sync with the wind.
Observer: The wearer is gone. There is only a patch of shadows and fireflies. When they move, it looks like the wind shifting the leaves.
Roleplay lines: “I am the space between the leaves.” / “The roots know me.”
Tactics & beats:
- Rooted Immunity: Describe walking casually through a cloud of poisonous spores or a swarm of stinging insects, the mantle pulsating green as it metabolizes the toxin.
- Verdant Conduit: Cast Thorn Whip (or equivalent). Narrate the mantle’s vines extending underground and bursting up beneath the enemy, rather than coming from your hand.

Offense (The Star-Trap)

Perception & feel: The spore-dust on the cloak glows violently. You feel the vines seeking heat.
Observer: A sudden flash of starlight in the deep shade. The vines glow blindingly white as they constrict.
Roleplay lines: “Burn in the cold light.” / “The forest has teeth.”
Tactics & beats:
- Constellation Grasp: Pull a flying enemy (like a harpy or pixie) out of the air, grounding them into the mud.
- Walk of the Void-Wood (Distraction): Activate the ability to flank an enemy. Describe them swinging their sword at a swirling vortex of falling autumn leaves (the illusion) while you strike from behind.

Underground Ruins (Dungeon / Cave System) Defense (The Bioluminescent Ward)

Perception & feel: The cold of the cave is ignored by the mossy warmth of the fabric. The spores shift to a dim, ultraviolet hue, revealing hidden runes on the walls.
Observer: A ghost-light moving through the dark. The vines writhe like cave-eels protecting their master.
Roleplay lines: “I bring my own sky.” / “Darkness is just a canvas.”
Tactics & beats:
- Photosynthetic Obscurity: In the pitch black, the mantle mimics the texture of damp limestone. You flatten against a stalagmite to let a patrol pass.
- AC Bonus: Describe a goblin’s arrow hitting the “Heart-Knot” clasp and shattering against the hardened wood.

Offense (The Cave-Fisher)

Perception & feel: The vines sense vibration. You know exactly where the enemy is by the tremors in the floor.
Observer: A vine shoots out of the darkness, illuminating the cavern with a strobe-light effect of radiant energy.
Roleplay lines: “Get over here.” / “The deeps are mine.”
Tactics & beats:
- Constellation Grasp: Use the vines to interact with a lever or trap trigger from a safe distance (15 ft).
- Radiant Damage: Use the grapple damage to burn light-sensitive creatures (like Drow or Troglodytes), blinding them with the “Star-Bloom” effect of the vines.

Perception of Activation: User’s Perspective (The Avatar):

Sight: Your peripheral vision fills with a HUD of constellation lines connecting trees and buildings. The world looks sharper, higher contrast.
Sound: The rustling of fabric sounds like wind in high branches. The tightening vines creak like a ship’s hull.
Touch: The vines hugging your chest feel like a firm handshake or a tight embrace. The fabric feels cool and damp, regardless of ambient temperature.
Smell: A burst of ozone (like a lightning strike) mixed with crushed pine needles and wet soil.
Taste: The metallic tang of silver and the bitterness of raw sap.
Extra-Sensory: A sense of “Web-Connection.” You feel physically tethered to the environment, as if gravity pulls you slightly less than others.

Observer’s Perspective:

Sight: The wearer’s outline blurs. Dust motes around them seem to orbit like tiny planets. The vines on the chest writhe slowly, even when the wearer is still.
Sound: A low, organic thrumming, like a hive of bees or a distant waterfall.
Touch: Touching the mantle feels like touching a living creature; it is warm and slightly moist.
Smell: Night-blooming jasmine and rain.
Extra-Sensory: A feeling of being watched by the scenery itself.

Failures & Recoveries (How to Play Mistakes):

Failed Stealth: “The spores flared.” Narrate the mantle reacting to your sudden adrenaline spike by glowing too brightly, revealing your position.
Missed Grapple: “The vine sought purchase but found only dust.” Describe the vine snapping back like a rubber band, stinging your shoulder.
Overwhelmed: If surrounded, describe the vines tightening anxiously, making it hard to breathe, mirroring your own panic.

Team Synergies:

With a Rogue: “I am the distraction.” Use Walk of the Void-Wood to create the illusionary leaf-swirl, granting the Rogue Advantage/Sneak Attack.
With a Tank: “I’ll pull them off you.” Use Constellation Grasp to peel an enemy off the tank, or pull the tank out of a fire surface.
With a Druid: “Amplify the Grove.” Standing near another nature-user increases the bioluminescence, creating a light source for the party.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective (The Avatar):

Sight: As the magic ignites, your peripheral vision is overlaid with a faint, glowing geometric web—constellation lines drawn in starlight connecting every tree, rock, and shadow nearby. The fabric of the mantle seems to grow transparent to your own eyes, allowing you to see through the hood while obscuring your face to others. The iridescent spores on your shoulders drift upward, creating a personal, miniature galaxy that lights your path without breaking your night vision.
Sound: The silence of the void mixes with the whispers of the grove. You hear the creaking of the vines tightening across your chest, sounding like the hull of a ship or an old tree swaying in the wind. When you move, the rustle of the fabric isn’t cloth-on-cloth; it sounds like wind passing through pine needles.
Touch: The “Heart-Knot” of vines at your throat pulses with a slow, steady rhythm that syncs with your own heartbeat. The mantle feels heavy but buoyant, like floating in water. The velvet texture vanishes, replaced by the cool, damp sensation of moss against your neck, keeping you grounded even when moving with supernatural speed.
Smell: A sharp, invigorating duality floods your senses: the clean, sterile scent of ozone and high-altitude air (the Celestial component) perfectly balanced with the rich, loamy smell of wet soil and crushed fern (the Grove component). It smells like a thunderstorm breaking over a deep forest.
Taste: The back of your tongue tingles with the metallic taste of silver, followed by the bitter, earthy aftertaste of raw pine sap.
Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- The Root-Sense: You feel a phantom extension of your nervous system reaching down through your boots and into the ground. You can “feel” the texture of the terrain before you step on it, granting the sure-footedness of a mountain goat.
- Photosynthetic Euphoria: When standing in starlight or moonlight, you feel a trickle of energy entering your skin, a low-level buzz of sustenance that makes you feel fed and awake.

Observer’s Perspective:

Sight: The wearer’s outline becomes indistinct, shimmering like heat haze or a mirage. Dust motes and pollen in the air seem to orbit the wearer, drawn into the gravitational pull of the mantle. The vines on the chest writhe slowly, reacting to the wearer’s breathing, their bioluminescence pulsing soft blue-green.
Sound: A low, organic thrumming emanates from the wearer, barely audible, like the sound of a beehive deep inside a hollow tree or a distant waterfall.
Touch: If an observer brushes against the mantle, it doesn’t feel like fabric; it feels warm and slightly moist, like touching the flank of a sleeping animal or a sun-warmed leaf.
Smell: A wave of night-blooming jasmine and damp earth follows the wearer, masking the scent of sweat or steel.
Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
- The Unseen Watcher: Observers feel a primal unease, the sensation of being watched not by a person, but by the scenery itself. The shadows around the wearer feel “heavy” and occupied.

Positives:

Environmental Harmony: The wearer feels perfectly acclimatized to any temperature, the mantle regulating body heat by absorbing or venting starlight.
Predatory Focus: The connection to the “Hunt” aspect of nature sharpens reflexes, making the wearer feel faster and lighter.
Calming Rhythm: The heartbeat of the vines acts as a metronome, helping the wearer regulate their breathing during high-stress stealth or combat situations.

Negatives:

Symbiotic Tightness: When the wearer is stressed or frightened, the vines constrict tighter, potentially making it difficult to take deep breaths or speak loudly.
Bioluminescent Betrayal: In absolute darkness, if the wearer loses focus, the spores can flare uncontrollably, turning them into a beacon of green and silver light.
Social Disconnect: The “Root-Sense” makes artificial floors (wood, stone, metal) feel “dead” and uncomfortable to walk on, causing a subtle restlessness when indoors.

Crafting Recipe: The Protocol of the Verdant Eclipse

Items Merged:

Cloak of Celestial Camouflage (Tier 1 Uncommon Item)
Belt of the Ancient Grove (Tier 1 Lineage Item)

Additional Materials Needed:

1 Vial of Nebula-Sap: Harvested from a Star-Oak during a lunar eclipse; this viscous blue liquid bridges the gap between biological life and celestial energy.
3 Ounces of Void-Soil: Earth taken from a floating island that drifts above the cloud layer, exposed to raw starlight for a century.
Gossamer of the Twilight Spider: Silk that is invisible during the day but glows silver at night, used to stitch the vines into the fabric.
Crushed Chitin of a Phase-Beetle: To grant the adaptive camouflage properties to the vines.

Tools Required:

Druidic Grafting Knife: A blade made of obsidian or flint, used to slit the vines without killing them.
Star-Metal Needle: To pierce the celestial fabric without disrupting its illusion magic.
Steam-Humidifier (Magical): To keep the environment at 100% humidity during the fusion process, preventing the cloak from drying out the vines.
A Living Mannequin: A wooden form carved from a dryad’s tree to hold the shape during the grafting.

Skill Requirements:

Expert Tailoring: To rework the cloak’s structure into a mantle without unraveling the “Invisibility” enchantment.
Expert Nature/Herbalism: To keep the Belt of the Ancient Grove alive while it is surgically altered.
Intermediate Arcana: To fuse the two distinct magical auras (Illusion and Abjuration) into a single symbiotic field.

Crafting Steps:

The Pruning (Preparation): Place the Belt of the Ancient Grove onto the Living Mannequin. Using the Druidic Grafting Knife, carefully slit the outer bark of the main vines to expose the pulsating green cambium layer. Do not sever the flow of magic. Coat the open wounds in Nebula-Sap.
The Sowing (Integration): Drape the Cloak of Celestial Camouflage over the vines. Using the Star-Metal Needle threaded with Gossamer of the Twilight Spider, stitch the hem of the cloak directly into the exposed cambium of the vines. You are not just sewing; you are grafting the fabric into the plant. The vines should begin to twitch and curl into the fabric, drinking the celestial magic.
The Adaptation (Transmutation): Dust the entire garment with the mixture of Void-Soil and Crushed Phase-Beetle Chitin. Activate the Steam-Humidifier. As the magical steam permeates the materials, the “Midnight Blue” of the cloak will bleed into the “Verdant Green” of the vines, creating the mossy, iridescent texture of the final mantle.
The Heart-Knot (Binding): Force the ends of the belt vines to meet at the throat of the mannequin. You must cast a Druidcraft or similar nature-spell to coax them to knot together permanently. This forms the “Heart-Knot” clasp. This is the most dangerous step; if the vines reject the cloak, they will wither instantly.
The Awakening: Expose the finished mantle to direct starlight for one hour. The spores will bloom, shifting from dormant grey to bioluminescent silver. The Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove 7391 is now a living organism and must be fed a drop of water once a week to maintain its durability.

Root That Drank Night
Transcribed from the Bark-Scrolls of the Lost Equinox)

Hear the speaking of the Time-Before-Iron, when the Moon was green and the Sky was hungry.

There was the Green-Walker [Veltarii Druid]. He carried the Snake-of-Wood [Belt] around his middle. He spoke to the trees, and the trees bowed down. He said, “I am the Root.” There was the Star-Weaver [Illusionist]. He wore the Skin-of-the-Void [Cloak] upon his back. He spoke to the eyes of men, and the eyes were fooled. He said, “I am the Mist.”

Came then the Stone-Eaters [The Industrial Empire]. They brought the Fire-That-Does-Not-Stop. They wanted to eat the Grove. They wanted to turn the tall trees into flat boards. The Green-Walker struck them with branches, but the fire was too hot. The Star-Weaver tricked them with lights, but the fire had no eyes to fool.

The Green-Walker and the Star-Weaver met at the High-Stump. It was the time of the Sun-Eaten-By-Leaves [Verdant Eclipse]. The sky was dark, but the ground was bright with fear.

The Green-Walker said, “My wood is strong, but it burns.” The Star-Weaver said, “My sky is hidden, but it has no teeth.”

They looked at the Moon. The Moon was covered by the shadow of the Earth-Tree. They said, “Let us make a Marriage.”

The Green-Walker took the Snake-of-Wood. It hissed with the green blood of the forest. The Star-Weaver took the Skin-of-the-Void. It shimmered with the cold milk of the stars. They put the Snake on the Skin. They fed the Snake with the milk of the Skin. They fed the Skin with the blood of the Snake.

The Sky screamed. The Ground shook. The Snake did not die. It grew. It ate the cloth. It became the Leaf-That-Is-Not-There. It became the Mantle-of-the-Walking-Between.

The Green-Walker put it on. Suddenly, he was not a man. He was a patch of night in the middle of the day. He was a bush that had the face of a star. The vines held him tight, like a mother holding a child. The cloth floated around him, like smoke that knows where it is going.

The Stone-Eaters came. They raised their torches. They looked for the Green-Walker. They saw only a shadow. They struck the shadow. Thump. The shadow was hard as oak. They tried to burn the shadow. Hiss. The shadow drank the light and spat out spores of sleep.

The Green-Walker did not strike with a weapon. He commanded the Rope-of-Life [The Vines]. The vines shot out from his chest. They grabbed the Stone-Eaters. They pulled them into the sky. The Stone-Eaters hung there, glowing with the light of the stars that judge.

The forest was saved. Not by fighting. Not by hiding. But by becoming the thing that cannot be touched. The Green-Walker walked into the deep woods. He is there still. He is the rustle you hear when there is no wind. He is the branch that catches you when you fall.

Moral of the Story: The stone can break the tree, and the wind can blow out the fire; but he who wears the forest as a coat and the night as a shield is neither stone nor tree, and thus can never be broken.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Type: Mythos Artifact (Living Garment) Cost: 1D6 Sanity to attune; variable MP to activate. Equip: Shoulders/Body (Counts as light armor).

Description: A heavy, moss-like cloak held shut by writhing vines that knot themselves into the wearer’s chest. It pulses with bioluminescent spores that shift from nebula-silver to deep-forest green.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Armor: Provides 1 point of Armor. The vines harden instinctively against impacts.
Photosynthetic Obscurity (Passive): The wearer gains a Bonus Die on Stealth checks in natural environments or darkness. The cloak shifts texture to match bark, stone, or shadow.
Rooted Immunity (Passive): The wearer gains immunity to natural poisons and diseases. For Mythos-based toxins, the wearer gains a Bonus Die to CON rolls to resist.
Active Ability: Walk of the Void-Wood: By spending 5 Magic Points and 1 Sanity point, the wearer becomes Invisible for 10 minutes. Moving leaves a sensory trail of falling leaves and ozone (distracting to pursuers, imposes a Penalty Die on Spot Hidden checks to track the wearer).
Active Ability: Constellation Grasp: The wearer can spend 3 Magic Points to command the vines to lash out (Range: 5 yards). This counts as a Fighting (Brawl) attack. On a success, the target is Grappled (STR 65 equivalent). The vines pulse with starlight, dealing 1D4 damage per round to the grappled target.

Sanity Effect: Wearing a living ecosystem that feeds on starlight and your own body heat costs 0/1 Sanity points per day of continuous wear.

Blades in the Dark

Name: The Void-Bough Mantle Tier: II (Fine Rare Item) Load: 1 (Light Armor / Arcane Implement) Type: Mystical Gear

Lore: A merger of Iruvian star-silk and Skovlan deep-grove vines. It smells of ozone and wet earth.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Armor: Counts as Armor (1 use). When you mark the armor box to reduce harm, describe the vines hardening into iron-wood to absorb the blow.
Photosynthetic Obscurity (Passive): When you roll Prowl to hide or move silently in darkness or wilderness, you gain +1d. The cloak adapts its camouflage to the environment automatically.
Rooted Immunity: You gain +1d to Resistance Rolls against poisons, diseases, or drugged vapors.
Active: Walk of the Void-Wood: You may mark 2 Stress to fade from sight (Invisibility) for a few moments or to traverse a short distance unseen.
Active: Constellation Grasp: You may use the vines as a grappling hook or climbing gear without carrying extra equipment. In a Skirmish, you can use the vines to seize an enemy or object at range (Range: Short). This grants Potency or improved Position when controlling a target physically.

Dungeons & Dragons (2024 / 5th Edition)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Type: Wondrous Item Rarity: Rare (Requires Attunement) Slot: Shoulders (Cloak)

Description: A hooded mantle of midnight-blue velvet that feels like cool moss. Living vines secure it across the chest. It smells of ozone and wet earth.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Living Armor: While wearing this mantle, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
Rooted Immunity: You have Resistance to Poison damage and Advantage on saving throws against the Poisoned condition and diseases.
Photosynthetic Obscurity: You have Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide. In natural terrain or darkness, you are considered Lightly Obscured even when in the open.
Verdant Conduit: You can use the mantle as a Spellcasting Focus for your Druid or Ranger spells. When you cast a cantrip that deals damage, you may change the damage type to Radiant.
Walk of the Void-Wood (1/Long Rest): As an Action, you cast Invisibility on yourself. For the duration (up to 1 hour, Concentration), you leave a trail of illusory falling leaves and starlight. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Distracted (Disadvantage on Perception checks) until the start of its next turn.
Constellation Grasp (Bonus Action): You command the vines to lash out at a creature or object within 15 feet of you.
- Target Creature: Make a melee spell attack or a Grapple check using your Spellcasting Ability modifier. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 Radiant damage and is Grappled (escape DC 15).
- Target Object: You can pull an object weighing up to 10 pounds to your hand, or pull yourself to a sturdy surface (climbing speed 30 feet for that turn).

Knave (1e / 2e Compatible)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vine Slots: 1 (Worn) Quality: 3 (Magical Durability)

Description: A cloak of mossy velvet and living vines. Pulses with green-silver spores.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Defense: +1 Armor Defense (Cumulative with other armor).
Camouflage: While motionless or moving slowly in shadow/nature, you are Invisible to casual observation. Active stealth checks are made with Advantage.
Immunity: You are immune to all non-magical poisons and diseases.
Active: Constellation Grasp: As an action, the vines can shoot out up to 20 feet. They can grapple a man-sized target (Target must save vs. STR or be pulled to you) or allow you to swing across gaps. Each use consumes a durability point if used violently.
Active: Void-Walk: Once per day, become truly Invisible for 1 Turn (10 minutes). Attacking breaks this effect. While invisible, you leave a trail of glittering spores that can be tracked by magic-users but confuses mundane animals.
Curse/Quirk: The vines tighten painfully when the wearer lies. You take 1 damage whenever you speak a deliberate falsehood.

Fate Core System

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Permissions: Requires an Aspect related to Nature, the Cosmos, or Secrets (e.g., Guardian of the Hidden Grove). Cost: 2 Refresh (or 1 Refresh + 1 Fate Point per session for powerful effects).

Aspects:

Item Aspect: Symbiotic Weave of Root and Nebula
Trouble: The Vines Tighten with Fear (The wearer can be Compelled to struggle with breathing or speaking when panicked).

Stunts:

Photosynthetic Obscurity: You gain a +2 bonus to Stealth checks when in natural environments or darkness. You can attempt to Hide even without cover if you are in starlight.
Rooted Immunity: You gain a +2 bonus to Physique when defending against poisons, diseases, or toxins.
Constellation Grasp: You may use Nature (or Shoot) to make physical attacks or Create an Advantage up to 2 zones away by commanding the vines to lash out. If you succeed with style on an attack, you inflict the situation aspect Entangled in Starlight on the target.
Walk of the Void-Wood (Once per Session): You may spend a Fate Point to vanish completely. You are considered Invisible until you make an attack or the scene ends. While invisible, you leave a trail of sensory illusions (scent of ozone, sound of rustling leaves) that can be used to Create an Advantage against those searching for you.

Numenera & Cypher System

Name: The Verdant-Void Shroud Level: 6 Form: A hooded cloak of synth-fabric that feels like moss, secured by writhing biological cables. Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (Check each time an Active ability is used).

Effect:

Passive (Armor): The living vines harden on impact, providing +1 Armor.
Passive (Stealth): The wearer has an Asset on all Stealth tasks. This becomes a Double Asset in wilderness or low-light environments.
Passive (Resistance): The wearer has an Asset on Might defense rolls against poison and disease.
Active (Constellation Grasp): The wearer can extend the vines to grab objects or creatures within Short range. This can be used to attack (4 points of damage), pull an object to the wearer, or pull the wearer to a ledge (easing climbing tasks by two steps).
Active (Void-Walk): For 10 minutes, the wearer becomes invisible. They cannot be detected by visual sensors. Moving creates a sensory “chaff” of harmless holographic leaves that hinders search attempts (Search tasks against the wearer are hindered by two steps).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition Remaster)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Price: 700 gp Usage: Worn (Cloak); Bulk: 1 Level: 9 Traits: Rare, Magical, Wood, Illusion, Invested, Primal

Description: This cloak of midnight-blue velvet is overgrown with symbiotic vines that function as a clasp. It smells of ozone and wet earth.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Nature’s Ward (Passive): You gain resistance 5 to Poison damage and a +1 item bonus to saving throws against diseases and poisons.
Adaptive Camouflage (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to Stealth checks. In forests or areas of dim light/darkness, this bonus increases to +2.
Verdant Focus (Passive): You can use the mantle as a primal spellcasting focus.

Activate — Walk of the Void-Wood [two-actions] (concentrate, manipulate); Frequency: Once per day. Effect: You cast Invisibility (2nd rank) on yourself. For the duration, you shed a faint trail of illusory leaves. If a creature attempts to Seek you, they must succeed at a DC 26 Will save or be Dazzled for 1 round by the shifting illusions.

Activate — Constellation Grasp [one-action] (attack, manipulate); Frequency: Once per hour. Effect: The vines lash out at a creature or object within 15 feet.

Creature: Make a spell attack roll or an Athletics check against the target’s Fortitude DC. On a success, the target is Grabbed. The vines deal 1d6 Radiant damage at the end of each of your turns that the target remains Grabbed.
Object/Terrain: You pull an unattended object of 1 Bulk or less to your hand, or pull yourself to a solid surface, effectively flying 15 feet to that location (you must land or fall at the end of the movement).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Type: Relic (Seasoned) Weight: 4 lbs Cost: 2,500 gp (Rare/Trade Only)

Description: A living garment of celestial moss and grasping vines.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Living Armor: The vines provide +1 Armor. This stacks with worn armor but not other magical deflection.
Rooted Immunity: The wearer gains a +2 bonus to Vigor rolls to resist poison and disease.
Photosynthetic Obscurity: The wearer gains a +2 bonus to Stealth rolls in natural environments or darkness.
Power Points: The Mantle has 10 Power Points that recharge at a rate of 1 per hour.
Powers (Use Smarts or Spirit to activate):
- Invisibility (4 PP): “Walk of the Void-Wood.” Self only. Duration 5 rounds.
- Entangle (2 PP): “Constellation Grasp.” Range: Smarts. The vines shoot out to restrain a target. The vines glow, dealing 2d4 Radiant damage to the entangled target each round.
- Wall Walker (1 PP): “Vine Climb.” The vines attach to surfaces, allowing full movement speed on vertical surfaces.

Shadowrun (6th Edition / Sixth World)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Category: Magic Focus / Armor (Unique) Availability: 16F (Unique/Forbidden) Cost: N/A (Priceless Artifact) Armor: +2 Defense Rating

Lore: A dual-natured artifact appearing as a mossy cloak in the physical world and a nebula of tangled mana-lines in the astral. It bonds parasitically to the user’s aura.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Living Armor: The vines act as reactive plating. The wearer gains +2 Defense Rating.
Photosynthetic Obscurity (Passive): The wearer gains a +3 Dice Pool bonus to Sneaking tests. In wilderness environments, this increases to +4.
Rooted Immunity: The wearer gains +4 dice to Body resistance tests against Toxins, Diseases, and Pathogens.
Active Ability: Walk of the Void-Wood: The wearer can cast Invisibility (Force 6) on themselves without checking for Drain. This ability has a cooldown of 1 hour. While invisible, the wearer leaves an astral signature of “falling leaves” that requires 3 hits on an Assensing test to track.
Active Ability: Constellation Grasp: As a Minor Action, the wearer can extend the vines. This counts as an Exotic Melee Weapon (Reach 2).
- Damage: (STR + 2)P.
- Grapple: On a successful hit, the wearer can immediately initiate a Clinch/Grapple action using Magic + Agility instead of Strength. The vines glow, inflicting 2P damage (Light/Magic) per turn to the grappled target.

Starfinder (2nd Edition Playtest)

Name: Mantle of the Star-Vined Grove Item Level: 8 Price: 9,500 Credits Usage: Worn (Cloak); Bulk: 1 Traits: Magical, Hybrid, Primal, Illusion

Description: A cloak of bio-synthetic velvet entwined with void-hardened flora.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Verdant Plating (Passive): You gain a +1 item bonus to AC. This is cumulative with light armor but not heavy armor.
Adaptive Camouflage: You gain a +2 item bonus to Stealth checks.
Metabolic Filter: You gain Resistance 10 to Poison and a +2 item bonus to saving throws against diseases.

Activate — Void-Walk [two-actions] (concentrate, manipulate); Frequency: Once per day. Effect: You gain the effects of Invisibility (4th rank) for 10 minutes. Moving creates a sensory chaff of holographic spores; creatures attempting to detect you with Blindsense or Blindsight must succeed at a DC 24 Will save or treat you as Concealed.

Activate — Vine Lash [one-action] (attack); Frequency: At will. Effect: You command the vines to strike a target within 15 feet. Make a melee attack roll using your highest attack proficiency.

Damage: 2d6 Bludgeoning + 1d6 Fire (Radiant/Starlight).
Grapple: On a hit, you can attempt to Grapple the target as a free action using the same attack roll result against their Fortitude DC.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Name: The Bio-Luminescent Chameleon Shroud TL: 15 (Biological/Psionic) Mass: 2 kg Cost: MCr 0.5 (Prototype/Artifact)

Lore: A genetically engineered symbiote worn as clothing, enhanced with psionic-reactive crystals.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Protection: Acts as Cloth Armor (Protection +4).
Environmental Adaptation: The symbiote filters air, granting the wearer complete immunity to airborne toxins and diseases (Treat as having a Filter Mask permanently equipped).
Active Camouflage: The shroud grants DM+2 to Stealth checks.
Psionic Ability: Void-Walk: The wearer can activate a light-bending field (requires PSI 8+ or Electronics (Sensors) 2+).
- Effect: The wearer becomes visually undetectable to the naked eye and thermal sensors for 1D x 10 minutes.
- Cost: 2 PSI points or 1 charge from an internal battery.
Mechanical Ability: Grasping Vines: The wearer can extend tendrils up to 6 meters.
- Grapple: Make a Melee (Unarmed) check opposed by the target’s Reaction. Success binds the target (immobilized).
- Climbing: Grants DM+2 to Athletics (Dexterity) checks for climbing.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Name: The Mantle of the Twilight Weald Encumbrance: 2 Availability: Exotic (Elven or Druidic Origin) Qualities: Durable, Magical

Lore: Woven by Wood Elf Spellsingers from the Athel Loren, incorporating starlight captured in spider silk.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Living Armor: Provides 1 Armor Point to the Body and Arms. This AP cannot be damaged or reduced by the Undamaging quality.
Rooted Immunity: The wearer gains the Hardy Talent regarding Poisons and Diseases. If they already have it, they gain +20 to Toughness Tests to resist them.
Passive: Gain +20 to Stealth (Rural) and Stealth (Urban) tests due to the shifting colors.
Active: Walk of the Void-Wood: By spending 1 Action and passing a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test, the wearer gains the Invisible trait for 1d10 rounds.
Active: Constellation Grasp: The wearer may make a Ranged (Entangling) attack with a range of 6 yards (Rank equivalent to Entangle spell).
- Effect: On a hit, the target suffers 1d10 Damage (ignores Armor) and gains the Entangled Condition. The vines glow, preventing the target from gaining the Hidden condition.

Mantle of the Star Vined Grove 7391

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