Daoud's Wondrous Lantern

Source: Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement)

This artifact destroys wealth to provide light and protection. Wrought from the finest yellow gold, the lantern has four faces, and an unwavering amber flame burns within it. The faces of the lantern are fitted with faceted gemstone lenses.

The lantern is a symbol of the teachings of Daoud, who was once a priest of Istus, a god of fate. When Daoud was stripped of his possessions, he developed a radical new philosophy in his quest to understand fate. He urged followers of his ideology to eschew wealth and seek out all fortunes, good and ill, to unravel the cloth of destiny.

Random Properties. The lantern has the following random properties:

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

Precious Fuel. The lantern burns only one source of fuel: powdered gemstones placed in the lantern's base. The lantern can hold a maximum of 10,000 gp worth of powdered gems, and it contains 9,000 gp of fuel when found. Thereafter it attempts to burn 100 gp of fuel after each year passes, keeping the lantern burning for another year. If no fuel is available, the lantern's flame goes out. You can add more fuel to the lantern as part of a short or long rest. Once added, fuel can't be removed from the lantern's base.
The lantern's flame can't be extinguished by any means other than running out of fuel. If the lantern's flame goes out, the creature attuned to it immediately dies. One exception to this rule exists (see the "Destroying the Lantern" section).

Revealing Light. The lantern sheds bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light for an additional 60 feet. Invisible creatures and objects are visible while in the lantern's bright light.
While attuned to the lantern, you can use a bonus action to dim the lantern, reducing the light to dim light in a 5-foot radius, or brighten the lantern back to its normal bright light radius.

Lenses. When found, the lantern's faces display the following gem lenses: diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. As part of a short or long rest, you can magically change any of these gem lenses to a different type of gem shown in the Lenses table. The gem lenses can't be removed from the lantern.
As an action while holding the lantern, you can burn some of the lantern's fuel to cast a spell (save DC 20) through one or more of its current gem lenses, as noted in the Lenses table. The spell's target or point of origin must be in the lantern's area of bright light. If there isn't enough fuel left to cast the spell, the last of the remaining fuel is expended, and the flame goes out.

Lenses

Lens Color | Spell | Fuel Cost
--- | --- | ---
Amethyst | Reverse Gravity | 3000gp
Diamond | Disintegrate | 2000gp
Emerald | Haste | 500gp
Jacinth | Flame Strike | 1000gp
Ruby | Hold Monster | 1000gp
Sapphire | Fear | 500gp
Topaz | Slow | 500gp
Any four colors | Prismatic Wall | 5000gp

Destroying the Lantern. To destroy the lantern, the creature attuned to it must forsake all material possessions except for the lantern and common clothes. Then the creature must willingly snuff the lantern's flame with the intention to destroy the artifact. When its flame is snuffed in this way, the lantern's gold corrodes, the lenses and remaining gemstone fuel turn to worthless sand, and the creature attuned to it is spared.

artifact attuned qis wondrous-item
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