Dirge Instrument

This item can be any instrument of your choosing. Once per a day the instrument can be activated to generate one of the following effects:

Draining Song

Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 30 feet of you. They must be able to hear your instrument. Inflict 1d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage, and you regain 1 hit point.

Animate

As an action, you activate your instrument by playing it. A Medium or smaller-sized corpse in any state of decay (even bones) within 30 feet of you becomes any undead creature with a CR of 2 or less. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell that you can see (you can command any or all of them at the same time). If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying until you cast this spell on it again.

Line of Death

As an action, you activate your instrument by playing it. You create an invisible wall of necrotic energy up to 60 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick with its furthest point no further than 120 ft. You can bend this wall in any configuration, even enclosed shapes like cubes, cylinders, or domes. Each creature within its area upon creation or within 5 feet while it is in effect must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 7d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. Any creature passing into the wall after it is cast fails automatically. The wall requires concentration to maintain and can last up to one minute.

Resurrection

You activate your instrument by playing it continuously for 1 hour within 30 feet of the dead. If you are interrupted during this hour (the dead is moved out of range or you are stopped from playing), the ability fails to activate but the use of the item is not spent. Your music calls to a creature that has been dead for no more than 24 hours that didn’t die of old age, that isn’t undead and has a body that is generally intact (must have its vital organs and head still attached). The creature must be within 30 feet of you. If its soul is free and willing, the target returns to life with all its hit points. This spell neutralizes any poisons and cures all diseases afflicting the creature when it died. This spell closes all mortal wounds, but does not restore any missing body parts. Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target is at level 4 exhaustion.

Rarity

These instruments are the uncommon tools of those who have established a strong connection with the Void. While many within the Dark Path faction carry these instruments, no one outside their ranks has access to them.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

These instruments are a magic item that have been steeped in Dark. At least half of the instrument is fashioned from the materials harvested from a single corpse of a fallen member of the Dark Path. This could be using the bones to create the body of the instrument or the leather made from their skin.
While these instruments are not sentient, they are often treated as though they are. Their owners usually speak to the instrument using the name of the person that it was fashioned from.

Significance

These instruments are frequently used to play the Dirge during the Requiem. They are considered a sacred item that manifests the power of the Dark within those who carry it. Because of this, it has come to represent the music of the dead and the power of those who carry them.

Current Location

Necropolis

Manufacturer

The Dark Path

Owning Organization

The Dark Path

Weight

Varies, based on instrument type