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Octobow Day 5 - Needle Thread
🕑 Added 2025-10-07 02:36:38 +0000 UTCKhrauja, The Stringed Scourge
Weapon (longbow), legendary (requires attunement)
Crafted under old warding rites from a living blood spider bound into sinew and thread, Khrauja was wrought by Ara’sonia—the Widow of Argos, a half‑spider fey hag and patron of avengers and retribution. During the Second Chaos Insurgency it passed to one of her Chaos‑Touched disciples; when that wielder fell, the bow vanished from the record.
Khrauja carries Ara’sonia’s bloodcraft. As the string is drawn, chitinous appendages weave a needle of clotted blood for its own ammunition. The bow drags blood into corded threads that bite into the living—wielder and foe alike—and, with a single stitch through veins and joints, jerks a corpse upright to serve as a puppet. However, it is said that a shard of Ara’sonia’s will clings to the weapon. Those who bear it find their patience short and their mercy shorter. A lie, a slight, or a betrayal gnaws at the mind until it is paid back in pain and extreme cruelty.
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You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon, and its attacks are magical. You don’t need ammunition to make attacks with this bow; as you draw the string, small appendages at its center weave a needle‑like blood arrow. While attuned to the bow, you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed and can move on vertical surfaces and ceilings while leaving your hands free.
Bloodstring. When you hit a creature with this bow, you can expend 1 Hit Die to weave a crimson thread that binds you to it. Your attacks against the linked target deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage. Once per turn, when you take damage from a hostile source, the target takes necrotic damage equal to half the damage you took (rounded down). The link remains while you and the target are on the same plane, ends early if either of you drops to 0 hit points, or you become incapacitated. When you take damage, make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher); on a failure, the link ends.
Puppet Strings. While a creature is linked by Bloodstring, you can use a bonus action to yank the thread. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or you move it up to 10 feet, and it immediately makes one melee attack against a creature you choose within its reach. On a success, the target isn’t moved and takes 1d8 necrotic damage.
Web of Agony. As an action, expend 2 Hit Dice to fire a cursed, blood‑bound arrow. On a hit, the target takes 4d8 necrotic damage and is restrained. Then its blood bursts into web‑like strands that lash out at creatures of your choice within 15 feet of it. Each chosen creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take half the damage and also become restrained by the blood‑web. At the end of each of its turns, a restrained creature can make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a failed save, it takes 2d8 necrotic damage, and all other creatures restrained by the same web take half as much damage. The webs last for 1 minute or until you use this feature again.
Stitched Marionette. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with this weapon, you can use your reaction and expend 1 Hit Die (plus 1 per size category above Medium, up to Huge) to cast animate objects targeting only that corpse (concentration, up to 1 minute). It animates as a single object of that size, per the spell. Its Slam uses your attack modifier and deals an extra 1d6 necrotic damage per Hit Die spent to animate it. You can have only one marionette at a time; creating another ends the previous one.
Curse. While attuned, you can’t willingly part with the bow; ending attunement requires remove curse or similar magic. When a creature lies to, betrays, or deliberately slights you (or you believe it has), make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, for about 1 minute you fixate on punishing that creature with excessive cruelty: you pursue the most direct means of retribution and won’t spare it, accept its surrender, or let it pass. The DM can call for a new Wisdom saving throw when circumstances meaningfully change (for example, the target leaves your reach or sight, or an ally interposes).
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Comments
Sinlaire
I'm planning to make a dedicated series about them sometime in the future. since it'll require not only the chronology but also the actors and factions that contribute in them.
Sole Observer
Nice work as always. Will there ever be a post explaining the Chaos Insurgencies or is it only going to be addressed through item and character descriptions?
