Sanguine Fangs
wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
These ancient dentures appear to be made of polished ivory, but upon closer inspection, you notice faint crimson veins running through the material. The gums are stained a deep, blood-red, as if soaked in the essence of countless victims.
Vampiric Bite
You can use the Sanguine Fangs to bite as a natural weapon. This bite attack deals necrotic damage plus your Strength or Dexterity modifier. Additionally, you gain temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt by the bite attack, as long as the target is a living creature.Drain Essence
Once per day, when you hit a living creature with your bite attack you can choose to drain their essence. The attack deals an additional necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt, instead of gaining temporary hit points.Additionally, For the next 24 hours you can sense the general direction and distance to the target, as long as they are on the same plane of existence.
Curse
The Sanguine Fangs come with a price. You become increasingly drawn to blood. If you go more than 24 hours without drinking at least 1 pint of fresh blood from a living creature, you suffer one level of exhaustion. Additionally, the dentures cannot be removed unless a spell is cast.Lore
In the heart of the Bloodthorn Forest, where gnarled trees whispered forgotten spells, lay the ruins of Bloodthorn Keep. Its crumbling walls held memories of a long-lost civilization—a people steeped in forbidden magic and dark rituals.
Glimmerwick Timble, a curious gnome healer with a penchant for unraveling mysteries, arrived at the ruins. Armed with dusty tomes and a lantern, he ventured into the yawning maw of the keep. His goal: to uncover the truth behind the legends that spoke of a vampiric sorceress who once ruled here.The air grew colder as Glimmerwick descended into the crypts. Cobwebs clung to his cloak, and the scent of decay hung heavy. He traced ancient runes etched into the walls, their meaning eluding him. But one phrase stood out: “Beware the Fangs”
Deep within the crypt, Glimmerwick discovered a hidden chamber. Its stone floor bore a mosaic—a serpent coiled around a pair of ivory dentures, crimson veins snaking through them. The Sanguine Fangs. Curiosity overpowered caution. Glimmerwick donned the fangs, expecting nothing more than a macabre trinket. But as they settled against his gums, a surge of power coursed through his veins. His vision sharpened, and his senses heightened. He could smell the earth, taste the fear lingering in the air.
Glimmerwick returned to his gnome village, the fangs hidden beneath his cloak. Their hunger gnawed at his sanity. He tested their power on a wounded squirrel, its life force surging into him. It felt great, but the thirst remained unquenched.
Soon, gnomes fell ill—feverish, weak. Glimmerwick’s bite drained their vitality. He became their healer by day, their predator by night. His reflection showed eyes that hungered for more than herbs and poultices. Glimmerwick struggled. He was consumed by the power of blood, but his village suffered, and his own soul teetered on the precipice.
He made his choice. Desperation drove Glimmerwick back to the ruins. He sought answers from the mosaic, tracing the serpent’s scales. The mosaic revealed an ancient curse, one that possibly could be broken. Glimmerwick vowed to break free—to find a way to sever the fangs’ hold, to reclaim his humanity at any cost.
Changelog
12.03.2024: The wording on Drain Essence and the curse has been updated.
I overlooked a detail that would make the Drain Essence both heal and grant you temporary hit points.Old wording:
The attack deals an additional necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.New wording:
The attack deals an additional necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt, instead of gaining temporary hit points.The curse was too vaguely written and now clarifies that you must drink blood from a living creature.
Old wording:
(...) If you go more than 24 hours without tasting blood, you suffer one level of exhaustion. (...)New wording:
(...) If you go more than 24 hours without drinking at least 1 pint of fresh blood from a living creature, you suffer one level of exhaustion. (...)Thanks to mobsui for pointing this out to me on /r/DnD
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