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Mantle of the Venomous Star Tide 924

—

by

Dale
in

Lore: This artifact is the result of a catastrophic experiment by the Star-Alchemist Altharion in his later, more desperate years. Seeking to cure a Dracoraptoris plague that was ravaging the coral cities, Altharion attempted to transmute the creature’s potent neurotoxin into a healing elixir using the Xyronium Astral Amulet as a catalyst and the Aqualchemist’s Gillscape as a filter.

The ritual failed when the celestial energy of the Xyronium reacted violently with the primal venom. Instead of purifying the poison, the magic fused the three artifacts into one: a garment that exists in a state of “Toxic Divinity.” It is said that Altharion disappeared into the folds of this mantle, leaving behind only a garment that weeps glowing, poisonous starlight. It is a tool for those who understand that the difference between medicine and poison is merely dosage and intent.

Description: A high-collared, floor-length mantle woven from Sea-Silk that shifts colors from the teal of a sunlit reef to the deep indigo of the void. The fabric appears fluid, constantly rippling as if submerged in water, even in dry air. The mantle is fastened at the throat not by a button, but by the curved, ivory Fang of Dracoraptoris, which is fused directly into the silk. Embedded in the center of the fang is the Xyronium Gem, pulsing with a sickly, radiant green light. The mantle smells of ozone, brine, and bitter almonds (cyanide).

Slot: Worn Item (Shoulders/Back)

Stats

  • Tier: 3
  • Rarity: Legendary
  • Armor Class Bonus: +2 (Fluid deflection).
  • Spellcasting Bonus: +2 to Spell Attack Rolls and Save DCs.
  • Alchemical Bonus: +4 to checks involving Poison or Transmutation.
  • Speed: Grants a Swimming Speed equal to walking speed.
  • Resistances: Immune to Poison damage and the Poisoned condition; Resistance to Radiant damage.

Tags: Tier 3, Worn, Symbiotic-Gear, Celestial-Venom, Alchemical-Catalyst, Amphibious, Spell-Focus, Neurotoxin, Transmutation, Dracoraptoris-Legacy, Star-Tide, Xyronium-Core, Void-Coral, Astral-Toxin, Liquid-Armor, Serpent-Silk, Luminescent-Decay, Shapeshifter-Weave, Cosmic-Chemist, Reef-Walker

Multiple Passive Magics

  • Aura of the Toxic Nebula: The Xyronium gem radiates a faint, imperceptible field of celestial radiation mixed with venom vapor. Any creature that grapples or strikes the wearer with a melee attack takes 1d6 Radiant damage and 1d6 Poison damage as their skin blisters from the contact.
  • Fluidity of the Void: The wearer is adapted to both the crushing depths of the ocean and the vacuum of space (or high altitudes). They can breathe water and air, and they suffer no movement or combat penalties in underwater or zero-gravity environments. The mantle flows around them, negating drag.
  • The Alchemist’s Blood: The wearer’s own bodily fluids are alchemically altered. They are immune to diseases, and potions consumed by the wearer have their duration doubled, as the mantle’s magic metabolizes the alchemy more efficiently.

Multiple Active Magics

  • Fang of the Astral Sea (Action): The wearer touches the Fang clasp. The mantle animates, lashing out like a serpentine limb. Make a Melee Spell Attack with a range of 10 feet. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 Piercing damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Paralyzed for 1 minute (as the Dracoraptoris venom floods their system). The venom glows with starlight, illuminating the target’s skeleton through their skin.
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (Action): The wearer channels the Xyronium Amulet to cast a specialized version of Polymorph or Gaseous Form. The wearer can turn themselves (or a willing creature) into a cloud of “Poisonous Starlight” (greenish glowing mist). In this form, they are immune to non-magical damage and any creature occupying their space takes 3d6 Poison damage at the start of its turn.
  • Celestial Distillation (Ritual/Rest): During a Short Rest, the wearer can use the mantle to recharge their magical reserves. By meditating on the currents of the universe, they can recover one expended Spell Slot (up to 5th Level). However, the slot recovered is “tainted”; any spell cast using this slot changes its damage type to Poison or Radiant (wearer’s choice) and gains the visual effect of dripping green sludge.

Item Hit Points (Disabling Magic) As a Tier 3 Legendary artifact composed of self-repairing Sea-Silk reinforced by a Xyronium lattice, the Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 possesses 45 Hit Points and a Hardness/Armor Class of 16 (due to its fluid, evasive nature).

  • Disabled State: If the item is targeted and reduced to 0 Hit Points, the Xyronium gem cracks and goes dark, and the fluid Sea-Silk stiffens into dry, brittle parchment. The passive Aura and Resistances vanish immediately. Furthermore, the containment field holding the Dracoraptoris venom fails; the wearer takes 2d6 Poison damage every hour the broken mantle is worn, as the toxin leaks uncontrollably onto their skin.

Repairing the Item Repairing this volatile artifact requires stabilizing the reaction between the celestial metal and the organic toxin:

  1. The Silk-Weave: Tears in the mantle must be stitched using Sea-Silk thread that has been soaked in Alchemical Brine (a mixture of salt, mercury, and kelp) to restore its fluid properties.
  2. The Venom Refuel: The cracked Fang clasp must be sealed with a paste made of Xyronium dust and fresh Dracoraptoris venom. This is dangerous work; the crafter must be immune to poison or risk paralysis during the application.
  3. The Starlight Bath: Once physically patched, the mantle must be submerged in a pool of natural seawater under the light of a Green Comet or a specific celestial alignment. This re-ignites the “Star-Tide” reaction, turning the gem from dead grey back to pulsing green.

In the economy of Saṃsāra, the Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 is a Tier 3 Legendary artifact. Due to its volatile nature—effectively being a wearable radioactive poison reactor—it is restricted to high-end specialist markets. You will not find this in a general store; you must seek out merchants who deal in “Forbidden Transmutations” or “Weaponized Divinity.”

The Gilded Retort (Alchemical Metropolis)

Located in the Alchemist’s Quarter of a major capital, this shop specializes in volatile reagents and experimental gear. The shopkeeper, a Warforged Alchemist named “Flask,” keeps the Mantle inside a lead-lined glass cylinder filled with heavy water to dampen the radiation.

  • The Transaction: Buying here is bureaucratic and clinical. You must produce a License of Transmutation Mastery (Tier 3 License) to prove you won’t accidentally dissolve the city block. Flask handles the item using magnetic wands, refusing to touch it directly.
  • Cost:
    • 28,000 Gold Sovereigns.
    • Barter: 5 Vials of Universal Solvent or a Philosopher’s Stone Fragment.
    • Surcharge: An additional 2,000 gold “Hazard Pay” for the shopkeeper to open the containment unit.

The Abyssal Broker (The Sunken Spire)

A trade hub located in a deep-ocean trench city, accessible only to water-breathers. The shop is carved into the side of a dead leviathan. The Broker is a four-armed Triton who views the Mantle as a sacred relic of the “Surface-Star Era.”

  • The Transaction: The Mantle floats freely in the center of the shop, drifting in the water currents like a jellyfish. The Broker communicates via bioluminescent flashing. He requires the buyer to touch the Mantle unprotected; if the venom paralyzes you, the sale is off (and you are likely eaten). If you survive the touch, you are deemed worthy.
  • Cost:
    • 40 Pristine Black Pearls (Approx. 20,000 GP value).
    • Trade: A Kraken’s Ink-Sac (preserved) or a Trident of Fish Command.
    • Tribute: You must agree to use the Mantle to slay a Deep-Sea Dragon that is encroaching on the Spire’s territory.

The Observatory of the Poisoned Sky (High Peaks)

A secluded monastery/observatory built inside a toxic meteorite crater. The monks here worship the “Bad Stars”—celestial bodies that bring plague and change. They revere Altharion not as a hero, but as the First Martyr of the Toxic Star.

  • The Transaction: There is no gold exchanged here. The Monks see commerce as a dirty, earthly tether. To acquire the Mantle, you must prove you are a creature of both the Void and the Venom. You must drink a diluted cup of Dracoraptoris Venom and meditate under the starlight for three days. If you survive the hallucination, they gift you the Mantle.
  • Cost:
    • Sacrifice: You must permanently sacrifice 1 point of Constitution (representing the toll of the ritual).
    • Quest: You must bring them a Shard of Xyronium from the Astral Plane so they can forge more relics.

The Viper’s Vault (The Shadow Market)

A roving black market that serves high-tier assassins and spies. The Viper’s Vault is a tent that smells of incense and rotting orchids. The merchant is a Yuan-Ti Pureblood who sells “Beautiful Deaths.”

  • The Transaction: The Mantle is marketed as the ultimate “Clean Cleaner.” They emphasize that the poison leaves no trace because it is celestial in nature. The transaction is whispered and hurried. The merchant warns you that the Celestial Courts are looking for this item to destroy it, so “no refunds if an Angel disintegrates you.”
  • Cost:
    • 35,000 Gold Pieces (High markup for the “No Questions Asked” policy).
    • Service: You must agree to transport a “Live Cargo” (usually a dangerous magical beast) through a city gate using the Mantle’s Polymorph ability to hide it.

Roleplaying with the Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 requires striking a balance between elegance and toxicity. You are a creature of beautiful danger—like a Lionfish or a Blue-Ringed Octopus. Your movements should be described as fluid and hypnotic, but your touch is lethal. You embody the concept of “Radioactive Divinity.”

The Sunken City or Deep Ocean (Aquatic Environment)

Here, the Mantle is in its element. You are the apex predator of the reef, moving with a grace that defies the pressure of the deep.

  • Defense (Fluidity of the Void): You are engaged by Merrow hunters with harpoons.
    • Roleplay: You do not swim; the Mantle propels you. Describe the Sea-Silk expanding around you like the bell of a giant jellyfish, pulsating to push you through the water without you moving your limbs. When a harpoon is fired, the mantle ripples, and the water pressure around you shifts (transmutation), causing the weapon to veer off-course as if hitting a solid current. ” The ocean does not fight itself,” you communicate telepathically.
  • Offense (Fang of the Astral Sea): You need to stop a fleeing Sahuagin priest.
    • Roleplay: You caress the Dracoraptoris Fang at your throat. The mantle unspools a tendril of silk that moves with the speed of a striking viper. It glows with a blinding, sickly green light in the dark water. The tendril pierces the priest, and you describe his paralysis not as freezing, but as his body locking up in a seizure of “Star-Venom.” He floats helplessly, his skeleton illuminated glowing green through his scales.

The Alchemical Lab or Wizard’s Duel (Arcane Combat)

In a place of magic, you are a walking chemical reaction. You represent the volatile fusion of the heavens and biology.

  • Defense (Transmutation of the Star-Tide): An enemy sorcerer casts Disintegrate or a massive kinetic blast.
    • Roleplay: You don’t try to block it. You trigger the Xyronium core and dissolve. You describe your body exploding into a cloud of “Poisonous Starlight”—a nebula of green gas and diamond dust. The spell passes harmlessly through your mist form. While in this form, you drift over the enemy minions, and they begin to cough and blister as the “Star-Tide” gas burns their lungs with radiant poison.
  • Offense (Celestial Distillation – Tainted Magic): You have run out of spells, but you need one last Cone of Cold.
    • Roleplay: You take a deep breath, inhaling the ozone scent of the mantle. You force the Xyronium Gem to cannibalize the ambient mana. You recover the spell slot, but it is corrupted. You cast Cone of Cold, but instead of ice, you unleash a torrent of Liquid Nitrogen and Radioactive Sludge. You describe the damage as “Cold-Burn,” where the targets glow green as they freeze.

The Royal Court or High Society (Social Intrigue)

The Mantle is a garment of exquisite beauty, allowing you to hide in plain sight as a wealthy eccentric, while being the deadliest person in the room.

  • Defense (Aura of the Toxic Nebula): A drunken noble or a guard tries to manhandle you or grab your shoulder to stop you.
    • Roleplay: You don’t resist. You let them touch the fabric. The moment they make contact, the Xyronium flares. They recoil, clutching their hand as if burned by a hot iron, though there is no heat—only a patch of skin rapidly blistering from celestial radiation. You smile apologetically. “My apologies,” you say softly, “The silk is woven from starlight; it is too pure for unwashed hands.”
  • Offense (The Alchemist’s Blood): You are at a banquet where you suspect the wine is poisoned.
    • Roleplay: You not only drink the wine; you toast the poisoner. The Mantle’s magic metabolizes the toxin instantly, perhaps turning your eyes a bright, glowing violet for a second (a side effect of the transmutation). You lean in to whisper to the poisoner, “A fine vintage, though a bit heavy on the arsenic. Next time, use cyanide; it pairs better with the fish.” You leave them terrified of your constitution.

The Jungle or Wilderness (Survival)

In the wild, the Dracoraptoris legacy takes over. You are not a traveler; you are part of the food chain, specifically at the top.

  • Defense (Symbiotic Camouflage): You are being tracked by a predator or a ranger.
    • Roleplay: The Mantle shifts color to match the canopy, shifting from teal to leaf-green. But it does more than hide you; it alters your scent. You smell like ozone and bitter almonds—a scent that instinctively tells every animal in the jungle “DO NOT EAT.” Predators catch your scent and flee, recognizing the olfactory signal of an apex toxic creature.
  • Offense (Fang Lash): You are hunting food or an enemy scout from the trees.
    • Roleplay: You hang upside down from a branch, the Mantle flowing downward like a strange, glowing moss. When the target passes underneath, the silk lash strikes. It’s silent. There is no struggle. You describe the target going rigid instantly from the paralysis, and you hoist them up into the trees wrapped in the silk, like a spider claiming a fly.

Perception of Activation:

Sight

  • User’s Perspective: The moment you channel the mantle’s power, your vision shifts into “Predator-Sight.” The edges of your vision darken to a deep indigo vignette, while living creatures stand out in high-contrast thermal patterns of sickly green and bright violet. You can see the veins pulsing beneath their skin. The Sea-Silk fabric billowing around you doesn’t just look like water; it refracts light like water, causing the air around your hands to shimmer and distort, making your precise reach difficult for enemies to judge.
  • Observer’s Perspective: The wearer appears to be submerged in an invisible column of water. The Sea-Silk ripples violently upward, defying gravity, while the Xyronium Gem at the throat flares with a blinding, radioactive green light. For a split second, the wearer’s skeleton is visible through their flesh—a flashing X-ray silhouette caused by the celestial radiation.
  • Positives: The thermal/vein vision allows for surgical precision when striking vital points.
  • Negatives: The “X-ray flash” ruins stealth in dark environments immediately upon activation. The distortion effect can make judging distances slightly disorienting for the user initially.

Sound

  • User’s Perspective: The ambient noise of the world is muffled, as if your head is underwater. In this submerged silence, you hear the rhythmic thrum-hiss of the Xyronium core, sounding like a submerged Geiger counter. When the Fang Lash strikes, it doesn’t make a whoosh sound; it makes the sharp, wet snap of a whip cracking underwater.
  • Observer’s Perspective: A low-frequency vibration that rattles the teeth, followed by the sound of sizzling liquid (like water hitting a hot pan) whenever the mantle moves rapidly.
  • Positives: The underwater muffling effect helps screen out distractions and auditory-based attacks (like a Banshee’s wail).
  • Negatives: It creates a sense of isolation, making it harder to hear whispered warnings from allies.

Touch

  • User’s Perspective: The fabric against your skin ceases to feel like cloth. It feels like a living, cold membrane—slick and muscular, like the skin of an eel or a dolphin. You feel a “cold burn” radiating from the Fang clasp at your throat, a sensation of icy needles spreading down your chest as the celestial venom creates a protective ward over your heart.
  • Observer’s Perspective: The air around the wearer feels “heavy” and humid. Touching the wearer results in a sensation of stinging nettles or a mild electric shock (the Aura of the Toxic Nebula).
  • Positives: The slick sensation makes the user feel impossible to grapple or restrain.
  • Negatives: The “cold burn” is uncomfortable, a constant reminder that the artifact is slowly irradiating you.

Smell

  • User’s Perspective: The scent is overpowering and complex. It hits you in three waves: first, the sharp, electric tang of Ozone (Xyronium); second, the deep, funky smell of Low-Tide Brine (Sea-Silk); and finally, the cloying, sweet scent of Bitter Almonds (The Cyanide/Venom).
  • Observer’s Perspective: A sudden, alarming chemical smell, like a laboratory accident or a bleached coral reef.
  • Positives: The bitter almond scent is a primal warning to predators to stay away.
  • Negatives: The smell is distinct and lingers in a room long after the user has left, making tracking them by scent trivial for hounds.

Taste

  • User’s Perspective: Your mouth floods with the taste of Pennyroyal and Copper. It tastes like you are bleeding, mixed with the salty sting of swallowing seawater. This is the Alchemist’s Blood passive actively filtering your system.
  • Observer’s Perspective: A metallic, acidic taste in the back of the throat, as if tasting the air near a lightning strike.
  • Positives: The metallic taste keeps the user alert and aggressive.
  • Negatives: It ruins the taste of fine food and drink; everything tastes like battery acid while the mantle is active.

Extra-Sensory Perceptions

  • The Tidal Pull (Gravity/Orientation)
    • User’s Perspective: You no longer feel gravity as a downward force. You feel it as a “current.” You can lean into empty air as if it were water. You feel the location of the nearest large body of water and the position of the stars as a physical tug in your gut.
    • Observer’s Perspective: N/A.
    • Positives: Perfect orientation in 3D space (underwater or zero-G).
    • Negatives: “Land-Sickness.” Walking on flat, dry ground feels jarring and “wrong,” inducing a mild vertigo.
  • The Toxic Hum (Magical Sense)
    • User’s Perspective: You can “feel” the chemical composition of things around you. You intuitively know if a liquid is poisonous, acidic, or safe just by being near it. The Xyronium buzzes angrily in your mind when near other radioactive or celestial sources.
    • Observer’s Perspective: N/A.
    • Positives: Acts as a passive poison/trap detector.
    • Negatives: High-purity environments (like a holy temple) might cause the Xyronium to buzz so loudly it causes a migraine.

Recipe: The Transmutation of the Poisoned Star

Items Merged

  1. Aqualchemists Gillscape (Tier 1) – Provides the Sea-Silk base, the fluid dynamics, and the alchemical transmutation properties.
  2. Venomous Fang Dagger (Tier 1) – Provides the Dracoraptoris Fang (used as the clasp), the neurotoxin source, and the predatory instinct.
  3. Xyronium Astral Amulet (Tier 1) – Provides the Celestial Gem, the spellcasting focus, and the radiant energy source.

Additional Materials Needed

  • Vial of Irradiated Heavy Water: Water collected from the cooling pool of a magical reactor or a deep-sea vent, used to dampen the Xyronium’s radiation during the merger.
  • Solvent of the Black Lagoon: A potent alchemical acid capable of dissolving the mundane hilt of the dagger without damaging the organic Fang.
  • Thread of the Void-Eel: A translucent, biological suture used to stitch the Fang into the Sea-Silk. It tightens when exposed to poison.
  • Dust of a Green Comet: Used to attune the Xyronium to the specific “Toxic” frequency of the stars.

Tools Required

  • Lead-Lined Alchemist’s Retort: To contain the reaction between the celestial metal and the venom.
  • Obsidian Scalpel: To make the incision in the Dracoraptoris Fang for the gem setting.
  • Star-Chart of the Serpent: A map of the night sky focused on the “Draco” constellation to align the ritual.
  • Tongs of Cold Iron: To handle the Xyronium without suffering radiation burns.

Skill Requirements

  • Alchemy (Master): Tier 3 Proficiency. To manage the Transmutation of a solid weapon (Dagger) into a fluid accessory (Clasp) without neutralizing the venom.
  • Arcana (Expert): Tier 2 Proficiency. To stabilize the Xyronium as it is forced into a sympathetic resonance with a biological toxin.
  • Medicine/Anatomy: To locate the nerve center of the Fang so the gem can interface with the venom sac.
  • Tailoring: To rework the Gillscape’s weave to accept the heavy Fang clasp without tearing.

Crafting Steps

  1. The Extraction of the Fang: Submerge the Venomous Fang Dagger in the Solvent of the Black Lagoon. Watch as the leather grip and steel guard dissolve into sludge, leaving only the pristine, ivory Dracoraptoris Fang. The fang will be soft and pliable for exactly one hour.
  2. The Celestial Implant: Using the Obsidian Scalpel, carve a circular cavity into the center of the soft Fang. Extract the Xyronium Gem from the Astral Amulet. Using Tongs of Cold Iron, press the pulsing gem into the Fang. The Fang will instinctively contract around the gem, healing the wound and locking the stone in place.
  3. The Venom-Star Reaction: Place the Fang-Gem assembly into the Lead-Lined Retort along with the Dust of a Green Comet. Heat the retort. The Xyronium will begin to irradiate the venom inside the fang, turning the toxin into a glowing, semi-sentient plasma.
  4. The Silk Surgery: Lay out the Aqualchemists Gillscape. Bathe it in the Irradiated Heavy Water until the fabric turns deep indigo. Cut the collar open and insert the Thread of the Void-Eel.
  5. The Fusion: Sew the Fang-Gem clasp onto the throat of the Gillscape. As you stitch, the Void-Eel thread will sense the venom in the fang and constrict, fusing the bone to the silk on a molecular level.
  6. The Awakening: Carry the finished mantle to the highest point of a tower (or the surface of the ocean) during a star-fall or meteor shower. Expose the gem to the sky. The Xyronium will catch the starlight, cycle it through the venom, and flood the silk with the “Star-Tide.” The fabric will begin to ripple like water, and the Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 is born.

Green-Sickness Star and Coat that Drinks
Tale of Altharion Who Sewed the Poison to the Light

Read, O Eye-Haver, the scratches on this shell. This is the truth of the Time of the Coughing Water.

In the long-ago, the Star-Man (Altharion) looked at the sea. The sea was sick. The Dragon-Fish (Dracoraptoris) had bitten the water. The water turned black. The fish floated belly-up, sleeping the forever-sleep. The coral turned to grey bone. The people of the Wet-City cried, “Save us, Star-Man! The poison is eating our breath!”

The Star-Man had a big heart but a scared mind. He said, “I will fix the poison. I will burn it with the Eye-of-the-Sky (Xyronium).” He took his Blue-Skin-Shawl (Gillscape), the cloth that tells the water how to move. He took the Tooth-of-the-Death-Bite (Fang Dagger). He took the Rock-That-Hates-Darkness (Astral Amulet).

He went to the Tower of the No-Air. He put the Tooth in the Shawl. He put the Rock in the Tooth. He sang the Song of Changing. He wanted the Rock to eat the poison in the Tooth and make it into Life-Water.

But the Sky-Gods were angry. They said, “The Poison is the Brother of the Cure. You cannot kill one without hurting the other.” The Rock did not eat the poison. The Rock married the poison. FLASH-HISS.

The Tower shook. The green light screamed. When the Star-Man opened his eyes, he was not holding a Shawl. He was holding a Ghost-Eel. The Shawl was the color of the deep bruise. The Tooth was biting the neck of the cloth. The Rock was beating like a sick heart, pum-pum, pum-pum. The Star-Man put it on. He thought, “I am strong. I can hold the sickness.”

He walked into the sick sea. The Shawl rippled. The Poison-Water touched him and turned into Green-Fire. The Dragon-Fish bit him, but their teeth broke on his skin of water. He was the King of the Sickness. He saved the Wet-City. He drank all the poison into his coat. The water became clear. But the Star-Man did not come back. The Coat liked the poison too much. It whispered to his skin, “More. Drink more.”

They say he is still down there, in the Deepest-Dark. He is not a man now. He is the Walking-Plague. He guards the clean water by keeping all the dirty water in his clothes. If you see a green light under the boat, do not fish there. That is Altharion, wearing the mistake that saved the world.

Moral of the Story He who filters the poison through his own skin becomes the bottle; be careful when you try to cure the world, for you might just become the place where the sickness lives.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Shroud of the Green-Star Leper (Artifact 924) Type: Mythos Artifact / Hyper-Geometrical Defense Era: Any (likely recovered from a sunken city or deep-sea trench)

Description: A mantle of iridescent, fluid fabric clasped with a fossilized fang containing a pulsing, radioactive gem. It smells of ozone and cyanide.

Powers:

  • Fluidity of the Void (Passive): The wearer is immune to the effects of extreme pressure (deep sea) and vacuum. They can breathe underwater. Grants a Bonus Die to Swim and Dodge rolls due to the mantle’s fluid movements.
  • The Alchemist’s Blood (Passive): The wearer is immune to all terrestrial poisons and diseases. However, their blood becomes toxic to others.
  • Fang of the Astral Sea (Active): Costs 1d4 Sanity and 5 Magic Points. The mantle lashes out like a tentacle (Range 10 yards). Make a Fighting (Brawl) or POW roll. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 damage and is injected with a Potency 20 Neurotoxin. Failure on the CON roll results in paralysis for 1d10 rounds.
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (Active): Costs 1d6 Sanity and 10 Magic Points. The wearer dissolves into a cloud of glowing green mist for 1d6 rounds. They are immune to physical damage but take 1 HP damage per round as the transmutation taxes their biology. Anyone inhaling the mist must roll CON vs Potency 15 or suffer 1d6 damage (Radiation burn).
  • Celestial Distillation (Active): Costs 1d4 HP. The wearer can siphon the gem’s energy to restore 2d6 Magic Points.

Sanity Cost:

  • To Equip: 1d6 Sanity points.
  • Side Effect: The wearer develops Photophobia (sensitivity to light) and a craving for raw, salted meat.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Star-Tide Mantle Item Type: Alchemical/Arcane Armor (Tier III) Load: 1 (Light but counts as Armor)

Description: A garment woven from Iruvian sea-silk and ancient star-metal. It moves on its own, like a living thing.

Effect:

  • Fluid Defense (Armor): You may mark armor to negate harm from crushing pressure, falling, or grappling. The mantle turns you liquid for a split second.
  • Toxic Divinity (Potency): You have Potency when consorting with alchemists or threatening someone with poison. The scent of the mantle alone is a terrifying threat.
  • Alchemical Battery: You may take 2 Stress to recharge a depleted Alchemical Bandolier or Spark-Craft gadget immediately using the Xyronium core.

Active Ability (The Fang Lash): You may mark 2 Stress to unleash the mantle as a weapon. It functions as a Fine Melee Weapon with the Potent tag (Paralytic Venom). On a Critical success, the target is silently paralyzed without raising an alarm.

Drawback:

  • Radioactive: The mantle ticks loudly on ghost-detectors and spark-craft sensors. You cannot hide from technological detection. Long-term use causes “Star-Sickness” (Level 1 Harm: Nausea).

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition / 2024 Revised Rules)

Unique Name: Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement)

Description: A flowing cloak of teal silk clasped with a dragon fang and a green gemstone. It ripples as if underwater.

Properties:

  • AC Bonus: You gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class.
  • Amphibious: You have a Swimming Speed equal to your walking speed and can breathe water.
  • Immunities: You are immune to Poison damage and the Poisoned condition. You have Resistance to Radiant damage.
  • Spellcasting Focus: You gain a +2 bonus to Spell Attack rolls and Spell Save DCs.

Active Abilities (Charges: 6, Regains 1d6 at Sunset):

  • Fang of the Astral Sea (1 Charge): As an action, make a Melee Spell Attack (Range 10 ft). On a hit, the target takes 4d6 Piercing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be Paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns.
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (2 Charges): As an action, you cast Gaseous Form on yourself. While in this form, you retain your swimming speed, and the cloud glows green. Any creature that starts its turn in your space takes 3d6 Poison damage.
  • Celestial Distillation (3 Charges): As a bonus action, you regain one expended spell slot of 5th level or lower. The next spell you cast with this slot deals Poison damage instead of its normal type and glows with green light.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Altharion’s Toxic Robe Slot: 2 (Outerwear, counts as Armor) Durability: 6 Quality: Legendary

Description: A silk robe that smells of poison and glows with starlight.

Traits:

  • Armor: 4 points.
  • Liquid: The wearer can breathe water and cannot be grappled.
  • Immunity: Poison does not harm the wearer.

Actions (Costs 1 Durability Point per use):

  1. Lash: Strike an enemy up to 10ft away. They take damage equal to your INT bonus and are Paralyzed for 1 round (cannot move or act).
  2. Mist: Turn into a cloud of toxic gas for 1 turn. You are invulnerable to weapons, and anyone you pass through takes damage.
  3. Recharge: Restore 1 expended spell slot or 1 item’s daily power. The item/spell becomes tainted and looks sickly green when used.
  4. Ward: Create a burst of light. Blind all enemies nearby for 1 round.

Breakage: If Durability reaches 0, the Xyronium gem shatters. The wearer takes 3d6 Direct Damage (Radiation/Poison) as the suit melts into sludge.

Fate (Fate Condensed / Core)

Unique Name: The Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide 924 Type: Arcane Artifact (Extra) Permissions: Requires an Aspect related to High Alchemy, The Deep Ocean, or Forbidden Knowledge (e.g., “Heir to the Altharion Legacy”). Cost: 4 Refresh (Legendary Artifact)

Description: A symbiotic cloak of sea-silk and celestial radiation that fuses the wearer with the toxic divinity of the stars.

Aspect: “The Weaver of Poisoned Starlight” (Invoke for fluid movement, intimidating displays of radioactivity, resisting poison, or casting transmutation magic. Compel for the Mantle to act parasitically, for the glow to ruin stealth, or for the “Alchemist’s Blood” to reject helpful medicines.)

Stunts & Mechanics:

  • Fluidity of the Void (Passive): The wearer ignores all penalties for movement or action in underwater or zero-gravity environments. They gain +2 to Athletics when defending or overcoming obstacles involving mobility, as the mantle moves them like a current.
  • Aura of the Toxic Nebula (Defense): When an enemy succeeds on a Fight attack against you within the same zone, they take 2 shifts of Physical Stress automatically due to the contact radiation.
  • Fang of the Astral Sea (Attack): You can use Lore or Shoot to make a magical attack up to 1 zone away. On a Success with Style, in addition to the damage, you place the aspect “Paralyzed by Star-Venom” on the target with a free invoke.
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (Create Advantage): You can spend a Fate Point to dissolve into a cloud of glowing gas. You gain the aspect “Form of Poisoned Light.” While in this form, you are immune to Physical attacks but cannot make Physical attacks (other than the gas cloud’s passive hazard).
  • Celestial Distillation (Special): Once per session, you may clear a Mild Consequence (magical exhaustion) or recover all Stress by absorbing ambient mana. However, the GM gains 1 Fate Point to use against you, representing the “Taint” of the radioactive magic.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: The Star-Tide Mantle (Artifact 924) Type: Artifact Level: 8 Form: A cloak of shifting teal fabric clasped with an ivory fang and a green pulsing crystal.

Effect:

  • Passive: The wearer can breathe water and air and functions without penalty in vacuum. They have an Asset on all Speed defense tasks due to fluid displacement.
  • Passive (Immunity): The wearer is immune to Poison and Disease.
  • Action (Fang Lash): The wearer activates the clasp. A tendril lashes out at a target within Short Range. The attack is Level 8. On a hit, the target takes 6 points of damage (ignores Armor) and moves one step down the Damage Track (to Impaired, or Debilitated) due to paralysis.
  • Action (Mist Form): The wearer becomes a cloud of green gas for 10 minutes. They can fly a Short distance each round. Living creatures that pass through the cloud take 4 points of Ambient damage.
  • Action (Recharge): The wearer meditates to restore 1d6+2 points to their Intellect Pool.

Depletion: 1 in 1d20. Upon depletion, the Xyronium gem turns black, and the wearer takes 5 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) as the suit constricts.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition Remaster)

Unique Name: Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide Item Level: 18 Price: 24,000 gp Usage: Worn (Cape/Cloak); Bulk: L Traits: Artifact, Magical, Transmutation, Poison, Water, Light.

Description: A legendary garment that turns the wearer into a living conduit of radioactive alchemy.

Stats:

  • Passive: You gain a Swim Speed equal to your Speed. You can breathe water. You grant a +3 item bonus to Spell Attack rolls and Spell DCs.
  • Resistances: You have Immunity to Poison damage and the Poisoned condition. You have Resistance 15 to Radiant damage.

Activation:

  • Activate — Fang of the Astral Sea [two-actions] (Attack, Poison, Evocation): You lash out with a tendril of silk. Make a melee spell attack with a reach of 15 feet. On a hit, you deal 4d6 piercing damage plus 4d6 poison damage. The target must succeed at a DC 40 Fortitude save or be Paralyzed for 1 round.
  • Activate — Transmutation of the Star-Tide [two-actions] (Polymorph, Transmutation): You transform into a cloud of glowing green mist (as Gaseous Form, Rank 8). While in this form, you emit a toxic aura. Any creature that starts its turn in your space or adjacent to you takes 6d6 poison damage (Basic Fortitude DC 40). You can dismiss this form as a single action.
  • Activate — Celestial Distillation [three-actions] (Manipulate): You channel the gem to replenish your reserves. You regain one expended spell slot of 6th rank or lower. The next spell you cast with this slot gains the Poison trait and deals Poison damage instead of its normal type. Frequency: Once per day.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: The Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide Rank: Legendary Type: Relic (Tier 3) Weight: 4 lbs

Description: A cloak of living liquid silk that glows with a sickly green light.

Notes:

  • Armor: +2 (Fluid deflection).
  • Environmental Resistance: The wearer ignores penalties for High Pressure (Deep Sea) and Vacuum. They can breathe water.
  • Immunity: The wearer is immune to Poison and Disease.
  • Powers (20 PP, Recharges 1/hour):
    • Bolt (2 PP): “Fang Lash.” Trapping: Silk Tendril. Damage 3d6. Target must make a Vigor roll at -2 or be Stunned.
    • Intangibility (5 PP): “Star-Tide Mist.” Trapping: Green Gas. While active, the wearer has a Damage Field (2d6 damage to adjacent enemies).
    • Boost Trait (2 PP): “Alchemical Focus.” Trapping: Increases Spellcasting or Science skill.
  • Celestial Distillation (Special): The wearer may make a Spirit roll (-2) to force the relic to recharge 10 Power Points instantly. On a failure, the wearer suffers a level of Fatigue from radiation sickness.
  • Taint (The Toxic Touch): The wearer gains the Quirk (Radioactive) Hindrance. Small plants die when they touch them, and they cannot touch others without causing mild burns (Str+d4 damage on touch attacks).

Shadowrun (6th Edition / Sixth World)

Unique Name: The Mantle of the Venomous Star (Artifact 924) Type: Unique Enchanted Armor / Alchemical Focus Availability: 28F (Unique/Forbidden) Cost: N/A (Estimated Value: 800,000¥+) Armor Rating: +4 (Stacks with worn armor)

Description: A flowing cloak of bioluminescent sea-silk that acts as a symbiotic bioware shell. It is a terrifying fusion of Toxic Magic and High Artifice.

Magical Abilities:

  • Fluidity of the Void (Passive): The wearer acts as if they possess the Amphibious and Climate Adaptation qualities. They suffer no penalties for movement or combat in underwater or zero-gravity environments.
  • Aura of the Toxic Nebula (Passive): The mantle has a Contact Vector Toxin coating. Any character touching the wearer with bare skin (including Unarmed Attacks) is subject to the toxin immediately.
    • Toxin (Star-Tide Venom): Vector: Contact/Injection; Speed: Immediate; Power: 12; Effect: Physical Damage, Paralysis.
  • Fang of the Astral Sea (Major Action): The wearer can lash out with a tendril of silk. This counts as an Exotic Melee Weapon (Reach 2).
    • Damage: (Magic + 2)P. On a successful hit, the target must resist the Star-Tide Venom (Injection Vector).
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (Complex Action): The wearer transforms into a cloud of glowing gas (as per the Mist Form critter power). While in this form, the wearer is immune to physical damage but cannot cast spells. The cloud is toxic; living beings within the cloud take 4P (Physical) damage per Combat Round (unresisted) from radiation.
  • Celestial Distillation (Ritual): The wearer may reduce the Drain Value of a single spell to 0. However, the spell gains the Toxic descriptor, and the Background Count of the area increases by 1 for every hit scored on the spellcasting test.

Drawback:

  • Radioactive Signature: The wearer is permanently “Dual Natured” while wearing the mantle. They also emit low-level radiation, identifiable by Geiger counters and Awakened sensors alike.

Starfinder (2nd Edition Playtest)

Unique Name: Mantle of the Venomous Star-Tide Item Level: 19 Price: 450,000 Credits Usage: Worn (Garment/Armor); Bulk: 1 Traits: Artifact, Magical, Hybrid, Poison, Water, Polymorph

Description: A legendary garment that adapts the wearer to the deepest voids and turns them into a living weapon of toxicity.

Activation:

  • Passive (Void-Fluidity): You gain a Swim Speed and Fly Speed (Zero-G only) equal to your Land Speed. You can breathe water and are immune to the vacuum of space.
  • Passive (Toxic Divinity): You are Immune to Poison. You have Resistance 20 to Radiation.
  • Activate — Fang Lash [one-action] (Attack): You lash out with a solid tendril of silk. Make a melee spell attack with Reach (15 feet). On a hit, you deal 6d8 Piercing damage plus 4d6 Poison damage. Critical Hit: The target is Paralyzed for 1d4 rounds (Fortitude DC 43 negates).
  • Activate — Transmutation of the Star-Tide [two-actions] (Polymorph): You transform into a cloud of glowing green nebula gas. You become Invisible and Incorporeal, gaining resistance to all damage except Force and Radiant. You can fly at your full speed. Any creature that ends its turn in your space takes 10d6 Poison damage (Basic Fortitude DC 43). You can dismiss this form as a [one-action] action.
  • Activate — Celestial Recharge [10-minutes] (Manipulate): You meditate to regain a spell slot of 6th level or lower. If you do, you take Radiation Sickness (Drained 1) until you rest for 8 hours.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: The Star-Tide Exoskin (Artifact 924) TL: 18 (Ancients / Bio-Tech) Weight: 3.0 kg Cost: MCr 150 (Priceless)

Description: A symbiotic suit of intelligent “smart-matter” silk that bonds to the user’s nervous system. It synthesizes a potent neurotoxin and manipulates local fluid dynamics.

Game Mechanics:

  • Environmental Suite (Passive): Functions as a TL 15 Vacc Suit and Hostile Environment Suit. Allows full mobility in liquids and zero-G (Athletics (Dexterity) DM+4).
  • Medical Filter (Passive): The suit filters all toxins and diseases from the user’s blood, rendering them immune to biological and chemical attacks.
  • Function: Neural Lash (Active): The suit extrudes a monofilament tendril. Range: 3 meters. Damage: 4D AP 10. Effect: On a hit, the target must make a Difficult (10+) END check. Failure results in immediate Paralysis for 1D minutes.
  • Function: Phase-Cloud (Active): The suit disperses the user’s molecular bonds, turning them into a cohesive gas cloud for up to 10 minutes. While in this state, the user is immune to kinetic weapons (Slug/Melee) but takes double damage from Energy weapons.
  • Radiation Field (Defense): Anyone grappling or striking the user with unarmed attacks takes 2D Radiation damage.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Raiment of the Serpent Star Type: Magical Armor (Body) Encumbrance: 1 Availability: Unique (Hidden in a Black Ark or a Slann Vault) Qualities: Flexible, Impenetrable, Magical

Description: A cloak of iridescent scales and silk that smells of almonds and death. It pulses with the rhythm of a poisoned ocean.

Rules:

  • Armor Points: 3 (Body/Arms).
  • The Alchemist’s Blood: The wearer is immune to all Poisons and Diseases. However, their blood counts as a Deadly Poison if harvested.
  • Fluidity of the Void: The wearer automatically passes all Swim Tests and can breathe underwater.
  • Fang of the Astral Sea (Active): The wearer can make a Melee (Brawl) attack with a Range of 4 yards. Damage: SB + 5. Special: On a successful hit, the target must pass a Hard (-20) Endurance Test or gain the Paralyzed Condition.
  • Transmutation of the Star-Tide (Active): The wearer can spend a Fate Point to transform into a cloud of glowing green mist for 1d10 rounds. They gain the Ethereal and Flight Traits. Living creatures within the cloud suffer 1d10 Wounds (ignoring Armor/TB) at the end of the Round.
  • Curse: The wearer gains 1 Corruption Point every time they kill a creature using the Fang Lash or Mist form, as they feed the artifact’s hunger for toxic death.