*Wondrous Item, Rare* A nithing pole is crafted to exact retribution for an act of cowardice or dishonor. It is a sturdy wooden staff, 6 to 10 feet long, carved with runes that name the dishonored target of the staff’s curse. The carved shaft is draped in horsehide, topped with a horse’s skull, and placed where its target is expected to pass by; typically, the pole is driven into the ground or wedged into a rocky cleft in a remote spot, where the victim won’t see it until it’s too late. A pole is created to punish a certain person for a specific crime. The target must be named on the pole; a description such as “the person who blinded Lars Gustafson” isn’t precise enough. The moment the target approaches within 60 feet, the pole casts bestow curse (with a range of 60 feet instead of touch) on the target. The DC for the target’s Wisdom saving throw is 15. On a successful save, the pole recasts the spell every round until the target’s saving throw is a failure, the target retreats out of range, or the nithing pole is destroyed. Anyone other than the pole’s creator who tries to destroy or knock down a nithing pole is also targeted by a bestow curse spell, but only once. You determine the effect of the curse when the pole is created. The pole becomes nonmagical only after it has laid its curse on its intended target; an untriggered and forgotten nithing pole remains dangerous for centuries. The curse, once activated, lasts for 8 hours and doesn’t require concentration. ## Documents ![[deepmagicvolume1.pdf#page=97]]