Retribution, Shard of Justice

This blade? This blade protects your plane, mortal. This blade holds back the chaos. This blade is the only thing standing between your precious world and oblivion.

— Zariel, ruler of the first layer of Hell

Appearance

Retribution is a sword appears to be some sort of twisted mirror of a Holy Avenger. The longsword has a blade of silver and a hilt of black ebony. Its crossguard is a pair of spreading raven's wings with a glowing ruby at the center. When drawn, the blade is wreathed in black flame that appear to drink in the light, rather than shed it.

Insights

Study from the Theonomicon, or the spell Legend Lore, reveals the following:

Retribution, Shard of Justice, reflects the nature of its wielder more true than any mirror. It is a blade which exists only to visit bloody Justice upon the demonic. Yet what one calls Justice, another may call Vengeance, and the difference between the two is often thinner than a razor's edge. Retribution's violent song is now heard in Avernus, sung by one who considers her actions Justice and Vengeance both.

Mechanics

Click to expand mechanics

Weapon (Longsword), Artifact, Requires Attunement

This weapon functions as a Holy Avenger. In addition, the sword has the following properties:

• Divine Justice: As a bonus action you can designate a creature to be the recipient of your divine justice, empowering your smites against that creature with your own life force. For 1 minute, any time you use the Divine Smite class feature on the designated creature, you take 1d8 damage per spell level to add 2d8 radiant damage per spell level. The damage inflicted to yourself cannot be mitigated, reduced, or resisted in any way. Once used, cannot be used again until after a long rest.
• Planar Attunement: Retribution is attuned to the Lower Planes and can function as a tuning fork for those planes (Abyss and all levels of Hell aside from Nessus) for the Plane Shift spell.
• Shard of Eternity: This item is one of the Shards of Eternity. When combined with the other Shards, they collectively create the Eternity Sphere.

History

This blade has belonged to Zariel since before her fall to Asmodeus. Legends say it reflects the condition of its bearer's soul, and it once was gleaming silver and shone the purest light.

Attributes

Type

Item Type

Requires Attunement

Yes

Rarity

Insert Rarity