GearAscendancy.com

Sovereign Sun Drake Monolith 519

—

by

Dale
in

Lore: The Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519 was born from an impossible convergence of the four foundational pillars of Saṃsāra’s high-magic age: alchemy, celestial wisdom, draconic vigilance, and solar justice. It was forged in the “Solar-Cusp,” a brief temporal window where the sun god Solarius and the ancient Dragon-Kings are said to share the same breath. Legend claims it was commissioned by a Tier 4 Knight-Scholar who sought to become a living bastion against the dark-weaver curses. By merging the brewer’s grounding copper with the dragon’s gaze, the shield’s equations, and the sword’s flame, the crafters created an object that does not just defend the wielder, but actively “calculates” the most righteous path through the chaos of battle.

Description: This artifact is a single, massive Great-Pavise forged from a fusion of Xyronium and dragon-scaled copper. The shield’s face is shaped into a snarling dragon’s snout, with two massive, glowing sunstone gemstones for eyes that scan the environment with mechanical precision. The edges are lined with brass cogs and sapphire beads that spin and hum with celestial music. Fixed to the inner grip is a leather-bound codex that turns its own pages, inscribed in glowing verdant ink with ever-shifting alchemical and astrological formulas. The entire object radiates a warm, comforting golden light and a faint scent of fresh cedar and mineral springs, constantly leaking a shimmering amethyst mist from its base.

Stats

  • Tier: 4
  • Rarity: Legendary
  • Weight: 12 lbs
  • Material: Xyronium, Dragonforged Copper, Sunstone, Rhodium, Kraken Leather.
  • Durability: Indestructible (AC 28, 120 HP).
  • Slot: Off-Hand (Shield) — Occupies exactly one slot.

Tags

  • Artifact, Tier 4, Celestial, Dragonforged, Solar-Radiant, Analytical, Defensive, Mind-Shield, Potion-Mastery, Vigilance, Illusion-Piercing, Undead-Bane, Runic-Alchemy, Hopebearer, Justicebound, Thermal-Resistant, Tactical-Geas, Cosmic-Battery, Kinetic-Stabilizer, Chrono-Analytical, High-Aura

Passive Magic

  • Draconic Solar Gaze: The wielder gains a +4 bonus to Perception and the permanent ability to see through all magical illusions, invisibility, and magical darkness within 120 feet.
  • Aura of the Sovereign Sage: Undead and malevolent beings within 20 feet take a -4 penalty to attack rolls. Allies within this aura gain a +2 bonus to all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks.
  • Alchemical Equilibrium: The wielder gains Resistance to Fire, Radiant, and Necrotic damage. Additionally, any potion brewed or consumed while the shield is equipped has its duration doubled and its potency increased by one tier.
  • Celestial Fortitude: The wielder is immune to being Charmed, Frightened, or Blinded. Their Armor Class increases by +5 (replacing the base shield bonus).

Active Magic

  • Harmonious Solar Flare (Normal Casting, 3/Day): The dragon snout on the shield exhales a 60-foot cone of brilliant golden fire. This deals 60 Radiant damage and 20 Fire damage. Enemies must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom save or be Blinded for 1 minute.
  • The Dragon’s Calculation (Ritual Casting, 2/Day): The wielder spends 1 minute reciting the codex’s equations. For the next hour, the wielder and up to 4 allies gain a +3 bonus to AC and Advantage on all saving throws, as the shield predicts and telegraphs the enemy’s movements.
  • Draught of the Sun-God (Silent Casting, 2/Day): As an immediate action, the internal alchemical chamber releases a mist that heals the wielder for 50 HP and cleanses one negative status effect or curse of Tier 4 or lower.

Specific Slot

  • Worn Item: This item is a single physical Shield. Despite its components originally being Headwear (Helm), Weapon (Blade), and Neckwear (Amulet), the final product is a Shield that occupies only one Off-Hand slot.

Item Hit Points and Disabling Thresholds

The Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519 is an indestructible Tier 4 artifact with 120 Hit Points and an Armor Class of 28. Because it is a “merged singularity,” its physical form cannot be shattered by mundane means, but its magical functions can be suppressed:

  • Magical Flicker (40 HP): When the shield’s health is reduced to 40 HP or lower, the “Solar Radiance” dims. The passive +4 Perception bonus and the AC bonus from “Celestial Fortitude” are halved. The active “Harmonious Solar Flare” has a 50% chance to fail when used.
  • Magical Disablement (0 HP): If the item reaches 0 HP, it enters a “Dormant State.” The dragon eyes go dark, the cogs cease spinning, and the codex pages turn to blank parchment. It provides only the standard protection of a non-magical shield (+2 AC) and loses all Tier 4 properties until repaired.
  • Targeting Constraints: Only Tier 4 or higher magical attacks, or weapons specifically infused with “Void” or “Chaos” energy, can damage the Monolith. Mundane weapons and lower-tier spells reflect off the Xyronium surface without effect.

Repair and Restoration Process

To restore the Monolith’s health and reactivate its dormant magic, a specific “Triple-Path” repair process must be followed:

  • Sun-Charging: The shield must be placed in a Designated Safe Area during peak sunlight for four hours. This restores the Sunstone gems and reactivates the “Solar Radiance” (restores 40 HP).
  • Runic Alchemical Resealing: A character with Master Alchemy must apply a mixture of Ember-Infused Resin and Liquid Xyronium to the dragon scales. This reconnects the magical circuits between the Alchemist’s Draught and the Dragon Gaze components (restores 40 HP).
  • Celestial Recalibration: A Tier 4 Scholar or Cleric must perform the Ritual of Universal Balance while touching the shield’s leather-bound panel. This synchronizes the analytical equations of the Codex with the physical framework of the shield, clearing the “Dormant State” and returning the item to its maximum of 120 HP.

In the high-magic Renaissance setting of Saṃsāra, a Tier 4 legendary artifact such as the Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519 is an item of monumental rarity. While Tier 1 items like its components are priced in gold or silver, Tier 4 artifacts are valued in Platinum or even Rhodium, reflecting the wealth of entire island nations.

The Solar Citadels (Celestial High-Clergy)

  • Environment: These are the primary religious and military hubs of the 73 island nations, often located on the highest sun-drenched peaks. These areas are designated safe zones (tripled AC) guarded by Tier 4 Paladins.
  • Transaction Method: The item is not “on a shelf.” It is kept in a Radiant Reliquary. To purchase it, a wielder must be vetted by the High Clerics of Solarius. The transaction is a ritual event involving a vow of justice.
  • Cost: 2,000 to 2,500 Rhodium Plates (equivalent to 200,000–250,000 Gold). If the buyer is a proven champion of light, the price may be “subsidized” by the temple in exchange for a high-level geas (a holy quest).

Draconic Exchange Guilds (Urban Industrial Hubs)

  • Environment: Located in the megacity skyscraper districts of Kharis or Aetherport, specifically within the Dragonforged Quarter. These are somewhat safe areas (doubled AC) filled with the hum of steam engines and alchemical labs.
  • Transaction Method: Transactions are handled by Brokerage Sages. The buyer must provide a “Letter of Tier Verification” (proof they are Tier 4). The item is inspected using a Mind’s Eye Scanner to confirm all four component magics are synchronized.
  • Cost: 3,000 Rhodium Plates (300,000 Gold). These guilds often charge a premium for the “analytical advantage” the shield provides to guild wars and trade defense.

The Zenith Auctions (Elite High-Society)

  • Environment: Held once a year during the Summer Solstice in a neutral floating city. These auctions are exclusive, invitation-only events for Tier 4 and Tier 5 gestalts.
  • Transaction Method: A standard ascending-bid auction. The Monolith is the centerpiece, demonstrated by having a Tier 1 mercenary attempt to strike the wielder while the Shroud of the Void is active to prove its power.
  • Cost: Bidding starts at 4,000 Rhodium Plates. Historical records show that unique merged artifacts like the 519 series can reach 7,000 Rhodium if two rival island kings are present.

Specialized Rogue Alchemists (The Hidden Outposts)

  • Environment: Found in “Unsafe” jungle ruins or remote volcanic rifts. These are dangerous areas (half AC) where “Rule Breakers” and rogue brewers operate.
  • Transaction Method: Pure barter and “Dangerous Favor.” The seller is often a master alchemist who values rare reagents over coin.
  • Cost: 1,500 Rhodium Plates plus 5 Fiery Core Crystals. The lower currency cost is balanced by the extreme difficulty of obtaining the secondary materials required to satisfy the alchemist’s research needs.

Sell-Back and Trade-In Values

  • Emberforge Guild Buy-Back: If a wielder wishes to sell the item, the Emberforge Guild will offer roughly 1,200 Rhodium Plates (120,000 Gold), provided the item is at 120/120 HP.
  • Refurbishment Fee: If the item is in a “Flicker” state (below 40 HP), the buying price is halved, as the guild must perform the costly “Triple-Path” repair process to restore the draconic solar gaze.

The Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519 is an engine of “Calculated Justice.” Roleplaying this item requires a blend of the Dragon’s predatory focus, the Sun’s overwhelming presence, and the Scholar’s cold, analytical precision.

Defensive Roleplay and Usage

Defense with the Monolith is not about hiding behind metal; it is about the Aura of the Sovereign Sage and Celestial Fortitude actively manipulating the battlefield to ensure no strike can land truly.

  • In Urban Environments (Somewhat Safe Areas): When navigating the steam-filled alleys of a megacity, the wielder roleplays the Draconic Solar Gaze. You describe the sunstone eyes on the shield rotating independently, clicking like a camera shutter to “tag” hidden assassins. Defense is narrated as the shield’s cogs spinning to intercept a crossbow bolt before it is even fired, the wielder moving with the “predetermined” grace of the shield’s calculations.
  • In Deathly Areas (Dark Ruins/Zero AC): In places where the environment itself seeks to kill, the wielder relies on Celestial Fortitude. Roleplay involves slamming the shield’s base into the earth, causing the amethyst mist to form a 20-foot dome. You narrate the shield “absorbing” the lethal entropy of the ruins, the leather-bound codex flipping frantically as it translates the ruin’s necrotic energy into harmless golden sparks.
  • Against Mental Assaults: When a mind-controlling entity attempts to charm the wielder, the roleplay centers on the Dragon Gaze and Mindshield tags. You describe the wielder feeling a cold, draconic roar echoing in their mind, shattering the enemy’s psychic tether. The sunstone eyes flash a warning red, and the user remains an unmoved, analytical pillar of resolve.

Offensive Roleplay and Usage

Offense with the Monolith is a terrifying display of Harmonious Solar Flare and the doubled potency of alchemical warfare.

  • Open Battlefields (Normal Areas): The wielder uses The Dragon’s Calculation to turn a chaotic skirmish into a slaughter. Roleplay involves the wielder shouting verses from the “Harmonious Insight” ballad as the shield’s constellations glow blue. You narrate your allies moving in perfect synchronicity, their strikes landing on enemy weak points highlighted by the shield’s radiant beams. It feels less like a fight and more like a choreographed execution.
  • Against Undead Hordes: The Undead Bane tag is the focus here. The wielder marches forward, and the shield’s mere presence causes the skin of ghouls to smoke and peel. When Harmonious Solar Flare is triggered, you describe a roar—not from the wielder, but from the shield itself—as a cone of “Solar Fire” incinerates the front line. The “Lament” aspect ensures that those who survive are paralyzed by a profound, alchemical despair.
  • Surgical Strikes (Using Alchemical Equilibrium): Because the shield doubles potion potency, offensive roleplay often involves the wielder smashing a Tier 2 “Fire-Breathing Draught” against the shield’s hilt. The Alchemist’s Draught component upgrades it to Tier 3, allowing the wielder to exhale a blast of fire while simultaneously bashing with the Monolith’s Xyronium edge. You narrate the cogs glowing red-hot, adding 1d4 fire damage to every shield bash.

Environmental Interaction Nuances

  • In Sunlight: The wielder roleplays a sense of “overcharge.” The sunstone eyes glow so brightly that the wielder doesn’t need to look at enemies; they “sense” them through the heat signatures calculated by the shield.
  • In Complete Darkness: The shield becomes a beacon. Roleplay involves the user being the only visible thing for miles, the “Celestial Revelation” ability peeling back the darkness in a 20-foot radius. You describe the equations on the shield illuminating the floor, revealing hidden pressure plates or alchemical traps.
  • Underwater: The Mineral Essence and Celestial Essence allow the shield to function perfectly. The “Solar Flare” is narrated as a “Superheated Steam-Jet” that scalds enemies even in the freezing depths, while the weightlessness of the stars ensures the 12lb shield doesn’t sink the wielder.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

  • Sight: As the Monolith 519 is raised, the dragon-snout visor on the shield’s face snaps open. The sunstone eyes ignite with a piercing, searchlight-like brilliance, casting high-contrast golden beams that slice through fog and shadows. The green-blue equations on the surface begin to scroll at high speeds, and the inner codex pages flip so fast they create a blur of verdant light.
  • Sound: A deep, mechanical growl rumbles through the handle, followed by the high-pitched celestial chime of the sapphire beads. The wielder hears a series of rapid “clicks” as the internal brass cogs calculate enemy distances, sounding much like a ticking clock in a quiet hall.
  • Touch: The wielder feels a massive surge of heat in their off-hand, but it does not burn; instead, it feels like plunging a frozen limb into warm water. The shield becomes almost weightless, pulling the wielder’s arm into an optimal defensive stance through localized gravitational shifts.
  • Smell: A sharp, refreshing scent of ozone and burnt cedar fills the wielder’s nostrils, instantly clearing any sinus congestion and sharpening mental focus.
  • Extra-Sensory (Vigilance-Link): The wielder experiences “Combat Foreknowledge.” They perceive ghostly, translucent outlines of where an enemy will be in the next three seconds. This is accompanied by a calm, draconic voice in the back of the mind whispering alchemical variables.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Sight: Observers see the wielder become a radiant silhouette. The shield exhales a thick, amethyst mist from its base that pools around the wielder’s feet like heavy liquid. The dragon’s head appears to move, its neck extending slightly as it “sniffs” the air for magical signatures.
  • Sound: A rhythmic, thumping bass note—like a dragon’s heartbeat—vibrates through the ground, making the breastplates of nearby allies rattle in time.
  • Touch: Allies within 20 feet feel a sudden, comforting warmth on their skin, while enemies feel a prickly, static-electric “sting” that makes their hair stand on end.
  • Extra-Sensory (The Scholar’s Weight): Nearby allies feel a sudden, unexplainable clarity of mind, as if their own thoughts have been organized into neat, logical rows. Enemies, conversely, feel a heavy “mental fog” or a sense of being judged by an ancient, predatory intelligence.

Positives

  • Total Awareness: The activation makes it impossible to be surprised or flanked. The searchlight eyes illuminate hidden foes, making them easy targets for the rest of the party.
  • Bastion of Hope: The golden radiance provides a massive morale boost, effectively acting as a beacon that can guide a lost party through a Deathly Area.
  • Equilibrium Mastery: The wielder feels a sense of absolute physical and mental stability, rendering them immune to the chaotic fluctuations of high-magic zones.

Negatives

  • Target Beacon: The activation is extremely loud and bright; it effectively “calls” every hostile creature in a mile-long radius to the wielder’s location.
  • Analytical Fatigue: The sheer amount of data being fed into the user’s mind (equations, ghost-outlines, draconic whispers) can cause a “Synapse Lock” after the shield is deactivated, leaving the user stunned or mentally exhausted for several minutes.
  • Physical Heat: While the user is resistant to the heat, the extreme temperature of the activated Monolith can inadvertently scorch wooden floors, dry out leather gear, or damage delicate non-magical items nearby.

The Rite of the Solar-Drake Convergence

Items Merged

Additional Materials Needed

  • 3 Ingots of Pure Xyronium: For reinforced plating and cosmic conductivity.
  • 1 Vial of Sun-Dragon Blood: To bind the draconic helm to the solar sword.
  • 1 Pound of Finely Ground Amber Dust: To act as a magical sealant for the alchemical cogs.
  • Star-Forged Rivets (12): For structural integrity under extreme magical pressure.
  • Verdant Ink & Sapphire Infusion: To bridge the codex’s equations with the dragon’s sight.

Tools Required

  • The Solar Anvil: A rare anvil that must be bathed in direct, unobstructed sunlight during the forging.
  • Steam-Powered Gear-Press: To integrate the brass cogs of the Draught into the shield’s frame.
  • Celestial Lens: To focus starlight during the rune-binding phase.
  • Alchemist’s Crucible (High-Temp): For smelting Xyronium and Dragon-scale copper.
  • Diamond-Tipped Runic Stylus: For the final calibration of the analytical equations.

Skill Requirements

  • Master Blacksmithing (Tier 4 proficiency): To merge the physical structures of a sword, helm, and shield into a pavise.
  • Expert Alchemy: To stabilize the blazevine and ember-infusion circuits within the new frame.
  • Celestial Lore: To ensure the constellations from the Codex and Shield align with the Solstice Blade’s divinity.
  • Dragon-Forging Knowledge: To handle the draconic materials without triggering a “Primal Backlash.”

Crafting Steps

  1. The Vessel Forging: Smelt the Xyronium ingots and the copper from the Alchemist’s Draught. Hammer them upon the Solar Anvil into a massive pavise shape, incorporating the dragon-scale textures from the Dragon Gaze Helm into the outer shell.
  2. The Eye Transplantation: Carefully remove the sunstones from the Solstice Blade’s hilt and the gemstones from the Dragon Gaze Helm. Set them into the “snout” of the shield’s face, creating the dual-eye sensory array.
  3. The Mechanical Integration: Using the Gear-Press, embed the brass cogs and mechanical scale components between the Xyronium plates. Connect these to the sapphire beads of the Codex Shield to create the “Analytical Engine.”
  4. The Binding of the Word: Secure the leather-bound codex fragment to the inner grip. Use the Verdant Ink and Sun-Dragon Blood to draw ley-lines from the codex to the sunstone eyes, allowing the equations to govern the shield’s vision.
  5. The Solar Infusion: Lay the Solstice Blade’s steel edge along the perimeter of the pavise. Use the Celestial Lens to focus starlight into the blade’s essence until it melts into the shield’s trim, imbuing the entire object with “Solar Justice.”
  6. The Final Calibration: Through the Mind’s Eye, activate the “Draught of Clarity.” As the cogs begin to spin for the first time, use the Runic Stylus to lock the analytical formulas in place. Once the shield emits its first amethyst mist and the sunstones pulse in unison, the Monolith is complete.

Four-Fold Breath and Sun-Lizard’s Shielding

In the seasons before the islands were counted as seventy and three, when the air was thick with the copper-smell of the first sky-fire, there was a Great Hunger in the world. The shadow-weavers had stolen the “Morning-Weight,” and the people walked in a gray-void where no potion could cure the ache of the spirit.

Then came the Brew-Master of the Scorched Sand, a traveler whose name is scratched away but whose hands were stained with the Earth-Heat (The Alchemist’s Draught). He sat upon the volcanic-toe and wept, for his cauldron was cold. Beside him sat the Scholar of the Star-Eye, holding the Paper-of-Many-Answers (The Celestial Codex Shield). The Scholar looked at the stars and saw they were “not-right,” for the equations of the heavens had been bent by the bone-powers.

To them came a Warrior of the Gold-Edge, carrying the Sun-Stick (The Solstice Blade), but the blade was dim, for it had no “Seeing.” And lastly, there arrived the Guardian of the Scaled-Face, wearing the Snout-of-the-Lizard (The Dragon Gaze Helm). The Guardian had sight, but no “Arm.”

They met at the Solar-Cusp, where the big-fire stays longest in the sky. The translation says they “mixed their souls into a pot of Xyron.” This is a lie of the tongue; they did not die, but their tools did. They threw the Earth-Heat, the Paper-of-Answers, the Sun-Stick, and the Snout-of-the-Lizard into a Great-Bellows-Machine.

The story-words say: “The Lizard ate the Sun, the Paper wrapped the Flame, and the Copper-Cogs turned the Heart.”

A great Roar-of-Numbers came from the forge. It was a noise that calculated the weight of every tear ever shed. From the ash rose a Single Mountain-of-Defense (The Monolith 519). It was a shield that breathed. It was a lizard that thought. It was a sun that remembered.

The first wielder, a man of Tier-Four-High-Breath, raised the Monolith against the Dark-Weaver. The weaver threw a “Lament-of-Ending,” but the shield’s eyes—the Sunstones—did not just look; they Subtracted the darkness. The codex-inner-leaf turned and found the “Zero-Equation” of the curse. The amethyst-fog-breath of the shield filled the lungs of the dead-walkers, and they became “not-dead-again” (truly dead).

The wielder walked through the Deathly-Places where the AC is as a ghost (zero). The shield did not care for the laws of the ground. It made its own Law. It calculated the path of the arrow before the bow-string was pulled. It made the fire of the enemy into a warm-bath for the friends.

But the translation grows thin here, for it says the wielder became “too-balanced.” He saw the truth of all things—the alchemical, the celestial, the draconic, and the solar—and he realized that a man who sees the whole map has no reason to walk. He left the Monolith embedded in the Crystal-Crag, where it waits for a hand that is both “Heavy-with-Sword” and “Light-with-Book.”

Moral of the Story: When the eye sees the trap, the mind solves the lock, and the hand holds the fire, the wall becomes the path; but he who carries a mountain must never forget the smallness of the pebble in his shoe.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Name: The Solar-Draconic Phalanx

Description: A massive, terrifying shield of burnished copper and alien Xyronium metal. The snout of a dragon stares from the center, eyes burning with a light that feels like a physical weight upon the mind.

Stat Block:

  • Skill: Fighting (Spear/Shield)
  • Damage: 1d6 + DB (Special: Ignores non-magical armor)
  • Armor: 8 points (Shield provides cover; attacks specifically targeting the shield must overcome its 120 HP/28 AC)
  • Sanity Loss: 1d6/1d10 to attune; 1/1d4 upon witnessing the Harmonious Solar Flare.

Mechanics:

  • Aura of the Sovereign (Passive): All Mythos entities within 10 yards suffer a –10% penalty to all rolls. Allies gain a +10% bonus to INT and POW checks.
  • Draconic Gaze (Passive): The wielder automatically succeeds on rolls to spot hidden objects or see through magical illusions (Automatic success for regular, Hard roll required for Extreme illusions).
  • Harmonious Solar Flare (Active): Spend 5 Magic Points. All in a 20-yard cone take 3d10 Radiant damage. Targets must pass a Hard POW check or be Blinded for 1d6 rounds.
  • Draught of the Sun-God (Active): Spend 10 Magic Points. Instantly heals 25 HP and cures any one non-permanent affliction.

Blades in the Dark

Name: The Aegis of the Calculating Maw

Description: A Tier IV heavy shield inscribed with Doskvol’s forbidden alchemical ciphers and starlight geometries. It pulses with a golden heat that repels the cold of the Ghost Field.

Stat Block:

  • Tier: IV
  • Quality: Fine (Potency against Spirits and Undead)
  • Load: 3 (Heavy Item)

Mechanics:

  • Passive — The Sovereign’s Shroud: You have Potency when resisting supernatural terror or ghostly possession. Nearby allies (within reach) gain +1 effect on mental or study-related actions.
  • Passive — All-Seeing Gaze: You can see into the Ghost Field with absolute clarity. Invisibility and magical shadows do not hinder your Survey or Hunt rolls.
  • Active — Solar Flare (3 Stress): Unleash a blast of radiant fire. This counts as a Great Effect against mobs or supernatural horrors. Targets are pushed back and stunned.
  • Active — Dragon’s Calculation (2 Stress): The shield’s cogs whir as it predicts threats. For the remainder of the score, the crew gains +1d to Resistance rolls involving physical defense.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Name: Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519

Description: Armor (shield), legendary (requires attunement by a Tier 4 character) A massive Pavise forged from Xyronium and dragon-scaled copper. Its sunstone eyes scan the battlefield with predatory intent.

Stat Block:

  • AC Bonus: +5 (This shield provides a +5 bonus to AC instead of the standard +2).
  • Weight: 12 lbs.

Mechanics:

  • Sovereign Presence (Passive): You are immune to being Charmed, Frightened, or Blinded. Undead and Fiends within 20 feet have disadvantage on attack rolls.
  • Draconic Sight (Passive): You have Truesight out to 120 feet.
  • Harmonious Solar Flare (Active): As an action, you exhale a 60-foot cone of radiant fire. Each creature in the area must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. (3 charges/day).
  • Draught of the Sun-God (Active): As a bonus action, the shield restores 50 hit points to you and ends one condition of your choice. (2 charges/day).

Knave (2nd Edition)

Name: The Monolith of Kaltho

Description: A heavy, star-metal wall-shield. It hums with the mechanical logic of a dragon’s mind.

Stat Block:

  • Slots: 2 (Shield)
  • Defense: +5
  • Quality: 120 (Indestructible)

Mechanics:

  • Aura of Wisdom (Passive): All allies within 20ft gain +2 to all mental Saves (INT, WIS, CHA). Enemies within this range take -2 to attack rolls.
  • Sovereign Sight (Passive): The wielder ignores all penalties from darkness, fog, or magical illusions.
  • Harmonious Solar Flare (Active): Once per day, unleash a 60ft cone of fire. Deals 5d6 damage; targets must Save (DEX) or be Blinded for 1d4 rounds.
  • Draught of the Sun-God (Active): Once per day, heal 50 HP. This can also remove one “Wound” from an item slot (essentially repairing an item instantly).
  • Tier 4 Requirement: A PC under level 7 who carries this shield must make a CON Save daily or take 1d6 damage from the “Pain Interval” of its immense energy.

Fate Core System

Name: The Monolith of the Solar-Drake 519

Description: A massive, sentient pavise of Xyronium and dragon-scaled copper. It is less a shield and more a portable fortress of celestial logic and draconic vigilance.

Stat Block:

  • Aspects: Predatory Draconic Vigilance, Analytical Engine of Solarius, Unyielding Bastion of the Sun.
  • Stunts:
    • Calculated Defense: Because you wield the Monolith, you may use your Lore or Notice skill to Defend against physical attacks, as the shield’s codex predicts enemy movements.
    • Aura of the Sovereign Sage: You gain a +2 bonus to Create an Advantage using Will or Provoke to impose mental pressure or inspire allies within your zone.

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Draconic Gaze: You automatically overcome any situation aspects related to Magical Darkness, Illusions, or Invisibility without rolling.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare: Once per scene, spend a Fate Point to attack everyone in your zone and one adjacent zone with a Weapon:4 Radiant blast.
  • Active — Draught of the Sun-God: Once per session, you may instantly clear your highest-level checked Consequence, provided it is physical or mental, as the shield’s alchemical mists knit your form back together.

Numenera & Cypher System

Name: The Chrono-Analytical Aegis 519

Description: An artifact of the prior worlds, this Level 8 shield features a dragon-motif interface that “calculates” the immediate future.

Stat Block:

  • Level: 8
  • Form: Heavy Shield (Asset to Speed Defense)
  • Depletion: 1 in 1d100 (Check only when using the Ritual of the Sun-God)

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Sovereign Shielding: While wielding the Monolith, the difficulty of all Defense tasks is reduced by two steps. You are immune to any effect that would negatively alter your mind or sense of sight.
  • Passive — Analytical Insight: You gain an Asset to all Intellect tasks involving perception, investigation, or understanding occult machinery.
  • Active — Solar Flare (4 Intellect points): You unleash a blast of radiant energy. All creatures in a short cone take 8 points of damage and are blinded for one minute.
  • Active — Ritual of the Sun-God: Spend an action to restore 15 points to any combination of your Pools. This ability requires a depletion roll.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Name: Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith

Description: Artifact, Abjuration, Divination, Fire, Magical, Radiant This +3 greater resilient greater hardening Xyronium tower shield is a masterpiece of merged Tier 4 technologies.

Stat Block:

  • Level: 18; Price: —
  • Hardness: 20; HP: 120; BT: 60
  • AC Bonus: +4 (Tower Shield); Speed Penalty: -5 ft.

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Dragon’s Gaze: You have constant True Seeing (6th-level divine spell). You gain a +4 status bonus to Perception.
  • Passive — Sovereign Aura: All undead and fiends within a 20-foot emanation take a -2 status penalty to attack rolls and AC. Allies in the area gain a +1 status bonus to all saving throws.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare [Two-Actions]: You exhale a 60-foot cone of golden fire. Creatures take 12d6 radiant damage and 6d6 fire damage (DC 40 basic Reflex save). On a failure, they are Blinded for 1 round.
  • Active — Draught of the Sun-God [Reaction]: Trigger: You or an ally within 10 feet takes damage. Effect: You release a mist that heals the target for 50 HP and attempts to Counteract one curse or disease (Counteract level 9, +30 modifier).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Name: The Sun-Drake Pavise 519

Description: A legendary heavy shield that whirs with cogs and glows with solar fury.

Stat Block:

  • Type: Relic (Heavy Shield)
  • Parry: +4; Cover: -4
  • Weight: 12 lbs.; Hardness: 20

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Draconic Vigilance: The wielder gains +4 to all Notice rolls and ignores all Illumination penalties. They are immune to the Puppet power and any fear-based checks.
  • Passive — Sovereign Presence: Undead and demons subtract 2 from all Fighting rolls made against the wielder or any ally adjacent to the wielder.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare: As an action, the wielder may spend 3 Power Points to use the Burst power (dealing 3d6 damage). This fire/radiant damage ignores all Armor.
  • Active — Draught of the Sun-God: Once per day, the wielder may use the Healing power on themselves as a free action, automatically removing one Wound and all Fatigue levels.
  • Special: If used as a weapon, the shield deals Str+d8 damage and has the Pummel Edge.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Name: The Helios-Draconic Firewall (Tier 4 Astral Barrier)

Description: An oversized, alchemically forged Xyronium pavise. It integrates a biological dragon-retina scanner and a high-speed analytical processor to predict combat trajectories and stabilize the local mana field.

Stat Block:

  • Type: Magical/Physical Shield
  • Armor Rating: +6
  • Attack Rating (Close): 10
  • DV: 4P
  • Slots: 1 (Off-Hand)

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Predictive Combat Logic: The wielder adds +2 to their Defense Rating and +2 to all Perception tests. It treats all Invisibility and Illusion spells as having a Force 4 lower than actual for purposes of resisting/piercing.
  • Passive — Sovereign Field: Spirits, Ghouls, and Shadow-aligned entities within 5 meters suffer a –2 dice pool penalty to all actions.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare (Minor Action, 2 Edge): The shield’s central sunstone flares. All enemies in a 10-meter cone must resist 8P (Radiant) damage and suffer a –4 penalty to all tests for 2 rounds due to blindness.
  • Active — Alchemical Reset (Major Action, 1/Day): The shield releases an aerosolized draught. The wielder heals 4 boxes of Stun or Physical damage and clears one negative status effect.

Starfinder (2nd Edition Playtest)

Name: Sun-Drake Monolith 519 (Tier 4 Hybrid Artifact)

Description: A massive tower shield utilizing a Xyronium-alloy frame and a liquid-crystal dragon-eye sensor array. It serves as a mobile command-and-defense center for elite planetary guardians.

Stat Block:

  • Level: 16; Price: —
  • Bulk: 3; Usage: 2 (Solar Battery)
  • AC Bonus: +4; Check Penalty: –2
  • Damage: 4d6 F (Fire) plus 4d6 R (Radiant)

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Draconic Sensor Array: The wielder has True Sight out to 60 feet and gains a +4 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to detect hidden tech or cloaked vessels.
  • Passive — Sovereign Buffer: The wielder and adjacent allies gain Resistance 10 to Fire, Radiant, and Void damage.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare (Two Actions): Spend 2 charges to exhale a 60-foot cone of plasma. Each creature takes 15d6 Fire and Radiant damage (Basic Reflex Save, DC 36). Targets who fail are Dazzled for 1 minute.
  • Active — Draught of the Sun-God (Standard Action): 2/Day. The shield injects a nanite-alchemical cocktail into the wielder, restoring 60 HP and removing the Bleeding, Burning, or Confused conditions.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Name: Ancient Relic: The Monolith Pavise

Description: A TL 18 artifact of the Ancients, this shield combines a high-density Xyronium weave with a predictive bio-computer housed in a draconic-shaped housing.

Stat Block:

  • TL: 18; Weight: 6 kg
  • Protection: +8 (Shielding)

Mechanics:

  • Passive — Sovereign Awareness: The wielder is considered to have the Tactics (Military) and Recon skills at level 3 while the shield is active. It provides a DM+4 to avoid ambushes or surprise rounds.
  • Passive — Thermal Dampening: The wielder is immune to the effects of extreme heat and ignores the first 10 points of damage from any energy-based weapon (Laser, Plasma, Fusion).
  • Active — Solar Discharge (Significant Action): The shield fires a 20-meter cone of radiant energy. Treat this as a Fusion Gun attack (Damage 6D) that affects all targets in the cone. (3/Day).
  • Active — Bio-Repair Mist (Minor Action): Once per day, the shield dispenses a medical mist. This immediately heals 2D characteristic damage and stabilizes any life-threatening injuries.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Name: The Sovereign Sun-Drake Monolith 519

Description: A legendary pavise of Chamon and Hysh. It is a massive wall of brass and silver scales, humming with the mechanical perfection of a Dragon-Apothecary’s logic.

Stat Block:

  • Group: Basic (Shield)
  • Reach: Short; Damage: SB+4
  • Qualities: Shield (4), Defensive, Impale, Magical, Unbreakable

Mechanics:

  • Passive — The Dragon’s Gaze: The wielder gains +20 to all Perception and Intuition tests. They automatically succeed on tests to disbelieve illusions or identify magically disguised foes.
  • Passive — Sovereign Aura: All Undead, Daemons, and Chaos-aligned creatures within 4 yards take a –10 penalty to all Characteristic tests.
  • Active — Harmonious Solar Flare: Spend 3 Advantage to unleash the Sun’s wrath. All enemies in a 10-yard cone take a Hit with a Damage of 12 (ignoring non-magical Armor) and gain 2 Ablaze Conditions.
  • Active — Draught of the Sun-God: 1/Day. The wielder may spend their Action to immediately heal a number of Wounds equal to their Willpower Bonus x 5. This also removes one Fatigued or Broken Condition.