Satchel of the Golden Lifedrinkers - DnD 5e Magic Item Homebrew
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Our first homebrew post. Add this item to you campaign for a little spice, especially if you want an item that can help your low level characters, or to give someone who isn't combat-focused something they can do in battle. Out of options? Chuck a leech!
Satchel of the Golden Lifedrinkers
Wondrous Item, uncommon
This weathered velvet pouch is embroidered with golden thread depicting a radiant sun surrounded by wriggling leeches. Inside live twelve tiny magical golden leeches, each shimmering like polished gold coins. Despite their metallic appearance, they are warm, soft, and very much alive.
Scholars believe they were created by a forgotten healer-mage who sought to transfer vitality from the strong to the weak. Most modern scholars believe this story right up until one of the leeches starts singing.
The satchel regains 1d4 expended leeches each dawn.
Using the Golden Leeches
As an action, you may throw a golden leech at a creature within 30 feet. Make a ranged attack roll using Dexterity. On a hit, the leech attaches to the target. The target immediately takes 1d4 necrotic damage.
At the start of each of the target's turns, the leech drains 2 additional hit points of necrotic damage, up to a maximum of 10.
A creature may use an action to automatically remove an attached leech.
Any number of Golden Leeches may be attached to a creature at a time.
Leeches that miss their target are lost. Leeches that hit a target and were removed by the creature, or leeches removed from a creature after death can be retreived and crushed by hand using an action. When crushed, the leech turns into golden power which can be absorbed by the holder or spread onto another creature or character, granting a random magical benefit. Roll on the table below. Any new effect beyond healing hit points is lost if the player already has an active effect from a previous leech. The blessing effects table should never be revealed to the players.
Golden Leech Blessings
| 2d6 | Effect
2 You feel absolutely amazing. You heal all damage. Gain an advantage in ALL applicable rolls until the next sunrise. Permanently gain 1 Constitution. The Satchel explodes and causes damage to the wearer/holder equal to the number of leeches currently in the bag, and the satchel is permanently destroyed.
3 You feel attuned to the world around you. You heal 1d6 damage. Player may cast 3 free Detect Life spells, equal to the spell being cast by a 1st level character, the ability lasts until the next sunrise and unused spells are lost.
4 You feel enveloped by a magical aura. You heal 1d6 damage. You gain +2 to all Saving Throws until the next sunrise.
5 The leech transfers extraordinary vigor. You regain 1d4+2 hit points and remove all exhaustion if you have any.
6 You heal 2d6 hit pounts.
7 You heal 1d6 hit points.
8 You heal 2d6 hit points.
9 You feel alert and spritely. You heal 1d6 damage. Gain advantage on initiative rolls until the next sunrise.
10 You feel like you could run through a wall. You heal 1d6 damage. Your movement speed is doubled until the next sunrise.
11 Your arms feel powerful. You heal 1d6 damage. Your weapon attacks deal +2 damage until the next sunrise.
12 You feel incredibly light on your feet. You heal 1d6 damage. You can jump 20ft in any direction at will until the next sunrise.
Lore
Legends claim that every Golden Lifedrinker contains a tiny fragment of a benevolent nature spirit. Whether true or not, the leeches seem oddly cheerful while feeding and occasionally emit tiny squeaks of encouragement when their owner succeeds at an important task.
No one has yet explained why.
Value
Approximately 250–500 gp, depending on local demand for magical healing items and local tolerance for enchanted blood-sucking parasites.