5th Edition Artifact, Crown of Horns :Homebrew:

The Crown of Horns
Legendary artifact (requires attunement)

The Crown of Horns is a legendary artifact that hosts the old God of Death, Myrkul. This powerful magical item is sought for by many necromancers, and would-be liches. It is a silver circlet adorned with black diamonds and four horns made from bone sprout forward from it. The dark and malicient energies are visibly materialized around the crown.
Any non-evil creature touching the Crown must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save the creature's alignment changes to neutral evil.




Random Properties: The Crown of Horns has the following random properties:

2 minor beneficial properties
1 major beneficial property
2 minor detrimental properties
1 major detrimental property

Necrotic Resistance: The Crown grants immunity to necrotic and poison damage.

Hand of Myrkul: The wearer of the Crown is able to cover one of his hands in black flames. If the wearer touches a living creature, the creature must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a successful save, the creature takes 4d8 necrotic damage, or a failed save it dies and rises as a Wraith (MM pg. 302) in 1d4 rounds under the wearer's control. The wearer regains the use of this ability after finishing a long rest.

Cone of Undeath: The wearer of the Crown is able to project a cone of necrotic energy. Creatures within a 40 feet cone must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save the creatures are slain and rise as Specters (MM. pg. 279) under the wearers control in 1d4 rounds. On a successful save they take 2d8 necrotic damage. The wearer regains the use of this ability after finishing a short rest

Control Undead: The wearer of the Crown also gains the ability to control undead. As an action, the wearer can choose and undead within 60 feet. The creature must make a DC 19 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save the creature becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours. On a failed save the undead falls under the wearer's control.
Intelligent undead are harder to control this way. If the target has an Intelligence of 8 or higher it has advantage on the saving throw.
If the target has an Intelligence of 12 or higher it can repeat the failed saving throw every hour until it breaks free.

Obssession: All creatures within 30 feet of the Crown feel a desire to possess the Crown at all costs, while the wearer becomes paranoid and fears loosing the artifact.

Unremovable: Once attuned to the Crown, it cannot be removed unless it wishes to be removed.


The Gift of Undeath: The Crown slowly turns the wearer into a Lich over the course of two years. Using the abilities granted by the Crown speeds up the process. If the Crown teleports away, the wearer dies, crumbling to dust. There is a 5% chance the wearer survives as a demi lich if the transformation was complete.

Teleport: The Crown can freely teleport away, anywhere in the world without the wearer, instantly killing him in the process.

Sentience: The Crown of Horns hosts Myrkul, the former God of Death, and his essence. Myrkul is a Neutral Evil Vestige, with divine levels of Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. In the game treat these abilities as if they were 30.
Myrkul can communicate with the wearer telepathically, and it can speak, read and understand most languages.

Personality: Myrkul wishes to toy with mortals, and further the followers of necromancy. He enjoys being in his current form. He seeks out powerful necromancers to wear the crown, and if the current wearer is not deemed worthy enough, he will teleport the crown away, killing the former wearer.