Item: Horn of Rust

This rusted, coiled iron horn is sizable, appearing similar in shape to a ram's horn but measuring nearly 2 feet in diameter. Flakes of rust constantly fall from this item, and it leaves hands with a rusty red stain that lingers.

Some of the Horn of Rust's activated powers consume charges, similar to how a magic staff functions. When its charges are reduced to zero, its activations that require charges can still be used normally. It can be prepared with charges in the same method as a staff, and it counts as a staff for the limit of how many staves you can prepare in a day.

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Activate Cast a Spell

Effect You expend a number of charges from the Horn of Rust to cast a spell from the following list.

• Cantrip Divine Lance
• 1st Noxious Vapors
• 2nd Shatter
• 3rd Stinking Cloud

The following activations do not consume charges from the Horn of Rust, and they can be utilized even when the artifact has no charges available.

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Activate 2 envision, Interact

Frequency once per hour

Effect You blow on the horn to unleash a swirling aura of jagged, rusty metal shards that orbit you in a 5-foot emanation for 1 minute. The shards grant you a +1 item bonus to AC. Creatures and objects that begin their turn in this area take 6d6 slashing damage from the shards (DC 19 Basic Reflex save). A creature damaged by this aura is exposed to a potent form of tetanus that has a level equal to the Horn of Rust's level and has a DC 19 Fortitude save. Worshippers of Xar-Azmak are immune to this effect.

Tetanus An infection introduced through open wounds, tetanus can produce stiffness, muscle spasms strong enough to break bones, and ultimately death.

Saving Throw DC 19 Fortitude

Onset 10 days

Stage 1 Clumsy 1 (1 week)

Stage 2 Clumsy 2 and can't speak (1 day)

Stage 3 Paralyzed with spasms (1 day)

Stage 4 death

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Activate 2 envision, Interact

Frequency once per day

Effect You place the horn's bell against a diseased creature and then inhale into the mouthpiece rather than blow into it. The horn attempts to draw out the disease, casting a remove disease spell to your specification with a counteract modifier of +11. If the Horn of Rust succeeds at countering a disease, it gains a number of charges equal to half the disease's level (rounded down, minimum 1). If it critically fails, not only is the disease not countered, but you are exposed to the disease and must attempt a saving throw against it to resist contracting the affliction.