Armor of Absence

Armor (plate), artifact (requires attunement)

This dark armor is covered in glinting, abjurative runes. Touching its metal without being attuned to it bestows a feeling of detached and cold emptiness. You gain a +2 bonus to AC while wearing this armor. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and you have resistance to damage from them. When a creature hits you with a magic weapon that isn't an artifact for the first time on a turn, that weapon's properties and powers are suppressed until the start of that creature's next turn.

Whenever you're targeted by a spell of 1st level or higher, the armor gains a number of charges equal to the spell's level, to a maximum of 5 charges per spell. The armor can have up to 10 charges at a time for use with the properties below; it loses these charges whenever you finish a long rest or when your attunement to it ends. Removing the armor ends any effect created by it.

Antimagic Aura. You can use a bonus action to expend 10 of the armor's charges to cast the antimagic field spell from it. This version of the spell has a duration of 10 minutes and has no effect on the armor's various properties. In addition, you gain 10 temporary hit points whenever a different spell or magical effect is suppressed by this casting of antimagic field for the first time.

Dispel. You can use an action to expend 1 of the armor's charges to cast the dispel magic spell from it, using a spellcasting ability modifier of +0. This version of the spell has a range of touch. For 1 charge, you cast the 3rd-level version of the spell. You can increase the spell slot level by one for each additional charge you expend.

Transmute Magic. You can use a bonus action to expend 1 or more of the armor's charges to immediately gain 1d6 temporary hit points for each expended charge.

Random Properties. The Armor of Absence has the following random properties:

• 2 minor beneficial properties

• 1 major beneficial property

• 1 minor detrimental property

• 2 major detrimental properties

Destroying the Armor. The only way to destroy the armor is to use its Antimagic Aura property while within an extradimensional space. Doing so causes the space to collapse on itself and destroy the armor (and the person wearing it).

Dhorainir, Mask of the Justicars, cried quietly as he looked into the mirrored surface of the black helm. He held it in his hands, feeling the weight of its duty and burdens. In it, he saw his reflection broken by its cruel runes, like shattered glass. He knew that today was the day he'd end the resistance. He knew that he would step into the mage's camp, without knowing their sins, and perform the horrible, unflinching job he was tasked with. He hated knowing. But surely, it would be too great a blasphemy to doubt his way of life now. To break his oaths.

Surely admitting doubt, admitting wrongdoing, would be weakness. Surely it would fly in the face of his life's purpose. He'd come this far, so clearly he couldn't be wrong.

So why did it hurt him so?

Fat, rolling tears fell down the face of the man who had been chosen to bear the honor, the great burden of the Justicars. Surely he could see through this final act. Surely he could steel himself and do what must be done. The mages didn't know about this armor, a suit more empty and black than the darkest night. He could see them now, falling in terror as their last defenses were walked through with such finality, by an...an ultimatum that they couldn't...could not hope to defeat. He knew he could choke the hope from this doomed struggle with his own gauntleted hands.

Dhorainir cried, because he knew he had already won, and his mourning was too great to bear.