Deathwalker's Ward

The Deathwalker's Ward is a set of studded leather armor, and one of the Vestiges of the Divergence created for the Champion of the Raven Queen. Once it was worn by Purvan Suul, but after the Calamity he rested forever in the tomb to the west of Vasselheim, beneath a lake known as the Marrowglade Loch. On Duscar 30, 810 PD, Vax'ildan, together with Vox Machina retrieved the vestige, and became the new servant of the Raven Queen.

Appearance
Deathwalker's Ward is a set of beautiful jet-black studded leather armor covered in intricate scrollwork, runic engravings, and carvings over almost every square inch of the leather. The edge of its mantle is trimmed with the black feathers of the Matron of Ravens.

The runes are in a forgotten language, dead since before the Divergence. They tell the tale of the creation of the Raven Queen and her ascendance from mortal to immortal. They relate the history of her penance for ascending and taking the throne of another entity that was supplanted, woven in with a very strong enchantment. Within each of the runic sections, there are mentions of elements such as fire, ice, and lightning.

Dormant state

 * The wearer gains a +1 bonus to AC while wearing this armor.
 * They have advantage on death saving throws made while wearing this armor.

Awakened state

 * The armor's bonus to AC increases to +2.
 * While wearing this attuned armor, the wearer chooses and imbues this armor with resistance to a damage type of their choice: fire, cold, acid, lightning, or necrotic. This choice can be changed during a short rest.

Exalted state

 * The armor's bonus to AC increases to +3.
 * As a bonus action, the wearer can grow large, black raven wings. These last for 1 hour and grant a fly speed of 60 feet. They cannot use this ability again until they finish a long rest.

History
Vox Machina obtained the Deathwalker's Ward from the corpse of a former Champion once known as Purvan Suul before ritualistically giving his name to the Raven Queen. When Percy attempted to remove the vestige from the Champion's sarcophagus, he triggered a powerful necrotic trap, which killed already wounded Vex'ahlia. Kashaw, with the aid of Percy, Zahra and Vax'ildan was able to revivify her, but as part of the ritual the Raven Queen accepted Vax'ildan's offer to take him in lieu of his sister. The party then successfully retrieved the Deathwalker's Ward and it was taken by Vex'ahlia.

Possession of the Deathwalker's Ward passed to Vax'ildan, who reluctantly began donning it in order to acquire the allegiance of the Champion's wolf ally, Galdric, but Vax removed the armor before it was completely donned. After a dream, given to him by the Raven Queen, Vax'ildan reluctantly began wearing the Deathwalker's Ward and agreed to serve as her champion, becoming a paladin of the Raven Queen

The Deathwalker's Ward was the first Vestige owned by a member of Vox Machina to reach an awakened state, identified as such by Headmaster James Crayon at Ank'Harel and by Gilmore after their second fight with Hotis in Whitestone, where flight powers made their first appearance. It appeared to have awakened as a consequence of Vax'ildan agreeing to become the new Champion of the Raven Queen.

Vax'ildan was still wearing the Deathwalker's Ward when he departed to serve as the Champion of Ravens.