Mace of the Black Crown

The Mace of the Black Crown is a mace and one of the Arms of the Betrayers created by Asmodeus from the soul of an erinyes named Xartaza. As a sentient weapon, it has a Lawful Evil alignment and can communicate with its wielder telepathically. Similar to a Vestige of Divergence, the Mace of the Black Crown progresses through various stages as it is wielded and gains new properties, including giving its wielder resistance to fire and poison damage, and the ability to summon various devils.

Description
The Mace of the Black Crown is a mace, with a haft made of black iron and a head made from a ruby, and is fiendish in appearance. The mace was made from the soul of the erinyes Xartaza, who alters the wielder's dreams, pushing towards actions that would recruit souls for Asmodeus. The Mace of the Black Crown can hear up to a range of 120 feet and has darkvision for the same range.

Properties
Like all Arms of the Betrayers, it progresses through stages—dormant, awakened, and exalted—and becomes progressively more powerful as it is wielded. Each stage has all the properties of the previous stages.

Dormant state

 * One random minor beneficial property and one random minor detrimental property.
 * The wielder knows Infernal.
 * As a bonus action, the wielder can speak a command word to set the head of the mace ablaze. The flames remain until dismissed with the command word again, or if the wielder stops holding the mace. While ablaze, the mace sheds bright light for 40 feet and dim light for an additional 40 feet. If the wielder makes an attack with the mace while it is ablaze, it deals an additional 1d6 fire damage.
 * Summon Devil: As an action while holding the mace, the wielder can summon an Imp. The imp is friendly to the wielder and their companions, and for 10 minutes will follow any order the wielder gives, before returning to the Nine Hells. This feature can only be used once until the next dawn.

Awakened state

 * One additional random minor beneficial property and one additional random minor detrimental property.
 * The bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2.
 * The additional fire damage dealt by the mace while ablaze increases to 2d6
 * The Summon Devil feature can now be used to summon a bearded devil.
 * The wielder gains resistance to poison damage while wielding the mace.

Exalted state

 * One random major beneficial property.
 * The bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3.
 * The additional fire damage dealt by the mace while ablaze increases to 3d6
 * The Summon Devil feature can now be used to summon a barbed devil.
 * The wielder gains resistance to fire damage while wielding the mace.

When the Ring of Brass fought Lacrytia Hollow outside the Helm, Lacrytia called out for Xartaza's while pointing out Zerxus, saying "the blood of the chosen". Xartaza attacked Zerxus, but as he was still protected by Asmodeus' Protection from Good and Evil, each of her attacks missed, deflecting off a glowing red aura. Xartaza was awed by this, and called it beautiful. As the fight continued around them, Zerxus spoke to Xartaza in Infernal, telling her this went against the deal he made with her master, and to call him off. Xartaza told him to "bring him" and they would honor the deal. Zerxus was dissatisfied with this answer, and promised to come back to her before disengaging to finish off Milus Phren. He returned to her immediately afterwards, and she attacked him. She declared "We must deliver to have our agreements honored" as she finally landed a blow on him. She pulled away, looking at the blood on her blade, and disengaged, flying straight upwards. Zerxus took an opportunity attack against her, and was honored by the blow. She asked him to remember her name, and said it would be an honor to serve him, then flew away.

In that same fight, Nydas Okiro pulled the memories from one of the mages, and after the fight ended and they regrouped, the party watched them. In one of his memories, they saw Xartaza and Milus Phren being summoned by the k'nauthi, vomiting bile while surrounded by flowers.

Later that night, as the Tree of Names was destroyed and Asmodeus set foot on the Material Plane, he chose to make Zerxus his champion after killing and resurrecting him a number of times. He killed Xartaza and remade her into the Mace of the Black Crown, telling Zerxus that he could have a corporeal form again if he took up the mace, and it would serve as a contract between them. After some deliberation, Zerxus accepted the contract and took up the Mace of the Black Crown, and was transformed in the process. The contract for his soul began to write itself on the mace.

Zerxus returned to the Material Plane and was met with Vespin Chloras. Zerxus used Cleansing Touch on Vespin, and temporarily restored him to his former self. Vespin hurriedly cast Time Stop to alter the contract, giving Zerxus until sunrise before it would take effect.

Appearances and mentions

 * Exandria Unlimited: Calamity