The abbey was quiet that morning. Peaceful. Father Jacob gingerly passed the balloon over and told me of the power it held. It was a weapon against the unholy. I nodded, understanding the weight of my task, though my hands trembled.
My journey began at dawn. The path through the forest was treacherous, shadows shifting in the half-light. They spoke of undead, demons, and worse that lurked in these woods. I kept the balloon close, knowing its fragile surface lie just beyond its leather container. It seemed absurd, a balloon in such a place, but Father’s eyes had been serious. I thought of the stories, how a desperate cleric had created these during a zombie infestation at a circus. It sounded like a child’s tale, yet here it was.
Eyes gleamed in the darkness, shapes moving silently between the trees. I felt the chill of their presence. With a prayer, I hurled the balloon into their midst. It burst, and for a moment, the forest was bathed in golden light. The wraiths screamed, a sound that would haunt my dreams. The radiance burned them away, leaving only silence. I breathed deeply, grateful for the balloon’s magic.
Holy Water Balloon
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
As an action, you can toss this balloon at a point within 30 feet causing it to explode in a 15-foot-radius sphere of radiant energy. Any fiend or undead within the area must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 radiant damage. For the next minute, a fiend or undead must also make the saving throw when it enters the area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
Check out last week’s item: the orb of drilling.
