New Magic Item: Heart of the Earth

“Look out!” Morak yelled as the red minotaur charged into the room.

Rothwin stood his ground, and launched a quarrel straight at the charging beast. It flew true, but lodged itself in the beast’s horn. Rothwin was knocked to the ground unconscious, his crossbow clattering across the floor. Morak dodged out of the way, but Kargar found himself slammed against the wall, his head cracking against the intricate stonework.

Vladimir screamed and leapt upon the beast’s back, jamming his dagger deep into it’s shoulder.

Morak scrambled to his feet, and swung his flail at the beast’s knee, connecting with a sickening crack. The beast grunted in pain, reached back to grab Vladimir, and flung him into Morak, sending them both to the ground in a tangle. He slammed Kargar against the wall again, before adding him to the pile of bodies.

---

“Ow...” Morak groaned. Blinking he found himself on the ground, stripped nude. His friends lay injured and unconscious around him, and bathed in a red light. Blinking he looked around and found the light emanating from a rock in the minotaur’s hands. As he looked, the stone of the floor, walls and ceiling oozed out in long thin fingers, forming a lattice trapping him and his friends within.

“Thanks to you and your friends, I can now continue my work.” The beast rumbled. He turned and limped down the corridor, the stone dimming, and darkness enveloping all.

Heart of the Earth

This giant uncut ruby allows it’s owner to mentally move, mold, and dig through solid stone as if it was clay. Attuning to the stone will permanently drain 4 hit points, and for every day of use, the stone must be bathed in the blood of a sentient. Activating the stone takes 1 turn, after which the owner may burrow at a rate of 10’/turn. Detail work will vary based on the level of complexity.